Authentic Business checklist:

1. Does the business have a purpose beyond profit?

2. Is the purpose profoundly held?

3. Is the purpose socially and or environmentally positive?

4. Does the company have integrity between communication and actions?

5. Is the company respectful of others? And does it avoid exploitation of resources and customers?

6. Is the business distinct and unique or is it jumping on a bandwagon?

1. Purpose

Purpose beyond profit is the key to success for authentic businesses. They manage to maintain the perspective that their purpose is more important to them and to their success than profit. They understand that profit is like breathing – you have to do it, but it is not why you get up in the morning.

2. Profound

The purpose, is profoundly held and is not negotiable to those making the decisions in the business, if they found that they were unable to deliver on their purpose they would not be in the business.

Every decision they make is weighed against this greater purpose so their actions and achievements are guided by whether a particular decision or action delivers on their purpose not just whether it will make them more money.

3. Positive

The purpose to which an authentic business is set is also positive in that it makes a positive social and or environmental contribution. The advantage of the purpose being positive is the motivation of those within the company and support from outside the company; from suppliers, customers and even competitors.

The purpose of an authentic business is positive by definition because authenticity is about the fundamental purpose of a human being. Our belief is that humans are fundamentally good and that no one has an authentic purpose, which is negative or destructive. Negative and destructive behaviour is symptomatic of some kind of dysfunction, which, if resolved, will lead to positive behaviour.

To understand positive we use the Native American belief that our responsibility for our actions extends seven generations forwards.

4. Integrity

An authentic business will have integrity between communication and action. Their purpose will be explicit in marketing materials, in contractual and corporate documentations and in their actions. Staff, customers, suppliers and partners will understand the purpose they are supporting through dealing with the business.

5. Respect

Exploitation has become the accepted model of modern business, it is apparent in language and actions where businesses seek to exploit customers, staff, suppliers and more; genetic code, the law, basic human needs and so on. Authentic businesses are by definition respectful, honouring and non-exploiting. They seek to work collaboratively with suppliers, staff, customers and nature in pursuit of their purpose with profits as the inevitable by product.

6. Distinct

Authentic Businesses are created from a profound sense of purpose that comes from within the founders of the business. Therefore they tend to be very individual distinct and clear about who they are and what they do. They do not jump on bandwagons and copy others rather they follow their own path.

Neil is the founder of Authentic Business and author of Authentic How to Make a Living by Being Yourself. Neil works to make good businesses big not big businesses good. If your authentic business might benefit from a little more purpose or planning contact: neil@authenticbusiness.co.uk