Profits, gross income, benefits, minimal cost - all typical terms for a successful business.  The goal of the game, maximize the above.  The problem is when crisis hits, which it always does, business as usual is no longer the ideal.

Something new must breakthrough, and breakthrough it has.  For years the word philanthropic had no place in corporate business plans, but now we begin to see a change, a shift in stride, and a restoration of success.  Philanthropic business is good business.

One of the biggest examples is TOMS shoes.  Founded not more then five years ago, this extraordinary company is a giant.  But how?

They must have had some elaborative advertising campaign, putting themselves at the forefront of their industry. But, a further investigation would reveal no such efforts.  Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes discovered that if you do something good you don’t need to advertise or market.

And do something good they have.  TOMS shoes is founded on the idea of one for one.  For each pair of shoes you buy they send a pair of shoes to a child who doesn’t have any.  This awe-inspiring idea turns the customers into your marketing campaign. With each pair of shoes sold you enlist someone to help spread the idea. The reason you wear TOMS shoes is for the constant reminder that you have contributed to putting shoes on a child’s feet.  A child who before your purchase, walked around with no such luxury.

On top of that TOMS shoes has attracted amazing employees.  Employees who used to be at the giants of the industry such as Nike and Vans, have taken significant pay cuts to join the TOMS effort.

People want to wake up everyday and see that they are making a difference.  A job that offers that dives deeper then fiscal incentive and aligns with a person’s beliefs.  This realization shows that the best employees don’t follow the biggest profit, they follow the biggest difference.

This wave of taking good, worthwhile actions has tipped that first domino undoubtedly affecting the rest.  You see it on TV. McDonald commercials not of succulent Big Macs, but celebrating the Ronald McDonald charity’s success. Frosted Flakes commercials have been tiger and Frosted Flake-less as they talk about rebuilding America’s playing fields.  Pedigree didn’t talk about dog food, instead they gave information about animal adoption.

These big name companies are not talking about their products, they are talking about their philanthropic efforts.  The idea of a commercial not including what you are selling would of at one time been absurd, but now businesses see the value in having values.

People do not respond to what you are doing, they respond to why you are doing it.  TOMS links its shoe sale to a direct impact on a child’s life. It is not the what you are purchasing it is the why.

Doing good is contagious, not to mention good for business.  Whatever you do in life, you will always find success in doing good. How do you accomplish this? Follow your beliefs - they are the why of your actions, the reason for your behavior, and ultimately what this world will respond to.