start with WHO

Who are you trying to help?

That is the starting point for any business, of any size, in any sector, in any place.

You might have heard of Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why”, or seen this diagram:

Look, I get that Sinek’s book is really about corporate leadership and driving an existing team somewhere.

But if you’re an entrepreneur who’s truly at the beginning of your journey, there’s a step that’s missing here.

It’s your WHO.

Without a clear WHO, I promise you that you’ll screw up your messaging, your strategy, your marketing, and your sales.

I’ve been down this path a few times (O, this is the mistake we kept making).

Cool tech? You won’t get anywhere.

Cool idea? You won’t get anywhere.

Unless you figure out who the hell you’re trying to help, you won’t get anywhere.

Without your WHO, you’ll get pulled apart in a million directions and you’ll end up with a sad, lukewarm version of what could be.

Honestly, it’s upsetting thinking back at my business attempts in my 20s. Literally, no WHO.

And it’s sad seeing businesses pop up around me that I know will fail - no WHO.

WHO is the starting point.

With that said, do you know your “who”?

Try using this formula to really sketch out a clear character on a finite journey:

I HELP [WHO] ACCOMPLISH/SOLVE [WHAT] BY [HOW], BECAUSE [WHY].