Is it possible to earn a living, have fun and make a difference in the world? Jocelyn Jackson and Keri Keifer have figured out how.
Their business Grace Hearth might be considered a catering company – they cater all sizes of events, from weddings and meetings to small social gatherings.
But the first time I saw their video, I quickly realized they were in the same business I am – building community – only through food instead of facilitating dialogue.
Grace Hearth provides food for all types of occasions, but as Jocelyn and Keri explain in their video, they are actually in the “nourishing business.”
I was so excited after watching this video, I had to interview the owners to learn more about how they see their business. According to Jocelyn Jackson:
A lot of people focus on the conveniences of food, like eating cheaply or getting full, and miss out on having a much richer experience. How does your relationship change with the food you are eating if you know it was grown locally or if you know the people you are getting it from? One of the best compliments we get is when people say to us, “I can feel the love in your food.” And I hear that all the time!
What business are you really in?
What business you are really in is not about your products or services. It is about the experience you create – the end result of your efforts. Grace Hearth is in the nourishing business, not the catering business. They provide catering services, but their end-result is nourishment.
When everyone in your company understands what business you are really in, they see how their contribution makes a difference. Work is more meaningful and fun.
When your customers understand what business you are in, you attract more of the right customers who will fully utilize your services.
This is true for teams as well.
An accounting department I was consulting with believed their purpose was to collect and organize financial information. They were frustrated because they were not held in high regard and leaders did not supply them with timely data. Once they redefined their purpose as to provide accurate, timely information and advice to guide leaders in wise financial decision making everything changed dramatically because their purpose required that they act differently.
This is also true for individuals.
How do you describe the work you do? Are you laying bricks or building a cathedral? When work is meaningful, it is not hard. It is joyful. Just watch the Grace Hearth video to see this in action.
Discover the real value of your work by uncovering its purpose.
You don’t have to change jobs to create a meaningful work life. Chances are, a deeper purpose is already embedded in it and just needs to be uncovered.
Instead of thinking about the services and products you provide, think about the experience your customer or end-user desires. From their viewpoint, ask, “What do they really want or need from me?
Consider these questions:
1. Who is affected by my work and what I accomplish? What experience do they want to have? What experience do I want them to have?
2. What is distinct or unique about what I do?
3. What contribution do I make? and to what or to whom?
4. How do my activities support a larger effort? What greater purpose do I serve?
5. What part of my work brings me joy? When do I feel most fulfilled?
Wonderful story, Jesse. It shows the power of discovering your purpose both in life and business. I also appreciate the questions you offer to help us focus on the experience our customers/clients want to have.
Thanks, Dan. It is heartening to see real examples of people and companies that have put into practices the ideas we write about.
THIS is people skills in action. Wonderful post Jesse and so very pleased that you featured it here on your business blog. Love and business are connected!! They don’t work opposite each other.
For those of us who work as consultants in customer service, leadership, employee engagement, etc… it’s about helping business owners and leaders see the inherent connection.
I will be sharing this post with the featured video on my stream!
Thanks. Great post.
Kate
Great point about the connection between love and business. Love is the fuel for the engine. The more there is, the faster and farther we go.
Thanks for sharing this post, Kate. I think it’s so important to put out positive examples in the world to help believe in what is possible.
Jessie, an Inspiring video topped with an inspiring article. Well done. Without purpose we have no direction. This company has both.
Glad you watched the video, Tom. I was inspired also. Grace Hearth shows us what is possible when a company consciously understands its real purpose.
Jesse,
Terrific post!
My clients all work in the personal services industry, however the reality of what they “do” is rarely defined by their job function.
The hair stylist’s result is removing that one niggling confidence-buster that prevents her client from asking for that raise.
The esthetician’s result allows her client to look in the mirror and start her day with self-love over the self-loathing that the acne brought.
These may seem like simplistic examples, but they are real. Your post is an excellent reminder that all work serves an innate duality– the results that we can see, and the results that make shifts that may be imperceptible.
It will be my pleasure sharing this post.
A beautiful description of both kinds of results – those we can see and the deeper shifts that are often imperceptible yet affect us profoundly. Thanks for adding to the conversation, Jackie.
Jesse,
Once again your simply elegant way of describing profound lessons comes to the forefront. I can only give you the highest compliment I have: your post has caused me to return to my business partners inviting them in a conversation of how to describe the “nourishment” we create for our clients.
Very nice to “meet” Grace as well : )
Applying the lessons to your own business is indeed the highest compliment, Jake. So glad this was a helpful reminder of what’s important about the work we do.
What an inspiring message from Grace Hearth! What I walk away with after reading this post is the reminder to have the big picture in mind of what I’m doing in my job. I do not have a high-level position (which I am totally fine with, for now!), but there is purpose in what I do. My job IS accomplishing something, and I need to focus on that when I get discouraged! Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear this made a difference for you, Deborah! Everyone has the power to make a difference when they see how what they do serves a greater purpose. There is a common story that John Kennedy was visiting NASA and asked a janitor what his job was. Without hesitation, the janitor replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.” I loved Jackie Bernardi’s examples of the hair stylist and esthetician. (Sorry for the delayed response. I just discovered your comment trapped in my spam filter).