Your Company Needs A Mission Statement; Make It Count

Does anyone remember that book "Built to Last" done y the Stanford class and professor? Well change that to "Built to Merge." My grandfather was personal friends with Bill Hewlett and David Packard and I bet they would not have wanted this merger with Compaq either. It is interesting that one night about 3 in the morning I was reading that book and decided to change or mission statement and focus on the things that meant the most to our team and our customers. I stayed up all night writing that mission statement to make sure it was in line with the books comments on what it takes to make and keep a company great. This was about 5 years ago when "Built to Last" was the talk of the business world and it was written up in many of the newspapers, and magazines I was reading at the time. WSJ, Financial Times, Investors Business Daily, The Economist, NY Times, etc. Even hit the best sellers list for a while, not bad for a business non-fiction book by a professor.

You must be honest with yourself and your mission.

Here is what I came up with after reading that book that night, I have not changed that mission statement nor do I feel we need to, it was built to last;

OUR VISION;

To assist our franchisees in achieving their American Dream, whatever that dream may mean to them. To design and maintain a streamlined system of operations, top of the line car care products, innovative and effective marketing, trouble free and efficient equipment, the best support services and anything which will help the franchisee / team member / our family in their individually owned Car Wash Guys business. To achieve these goals, we will strive to be the best. We will make business decisions, which are good for the franchisees, their communities, their customers as well as for us. Decisions, which are good both long and short term, which strengthen our franchisees and our name, which help us achieve success and help the environment. Decisions, which are fair for all concerned, always creating a WIN/WIN situation. To achieve all objectives past, present and future, we will chose only the best prospective candidates to become franchisees, the crème of the crop.

YOUR MISSION (franchisee's and team members);

to provide customers with consistent mobile wash services at a reasonable price. To give the customer what they want and foster repeat business. To provide customers with quality which stands out above the competition. To own a business unlike others which fosters community goodwill and makes customers proud to be customers. To develop a situation whereby when people of our town think car wash, they think Car Wash Guys. To use only environmentally sound products and methods. To retain enough profit to insure a comfortable lifestyle while achieving all of our mission goals.

I was asked the other day if I was committed to those items listed, that answer is YES, absolutely, I have to be or we do not exist.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

---

Face The Fear, Ladies

Okay, I'll begin by telling you that I've been divorced... Read More

The Heroic Entrepreneur: Profiting from Your Brilliance

If you look up the definition of hero in Webster's,... Read More

Entrepreneurial Hate, its out there

Today, I got an email from a lady who hates... Read More

Hearing That Entrepreneurial Voice?

Women business owners are our only clients, so naturally we... Read More

Starting a Company on a Shoe-String Budget

A lot of people never start businesses because they believe... Read More

Entrepreneurship as Your Passion

Entrepreneurship has been my passion for as long as I... Read More

Build Your Own Board Of Experts

The most successful entrepreneurs rely on their advisory boards to... Read More

About Ending Competition

1. Why should I not compete with others?The very concept... Read More

PTO; Justification of the Means and the Ends

Some would say about certain issues that the means do... Read More

Learn how to Compress Time

In the popular 1980's movie "Dune," man learned that by... Read More

Evaluating an Opportunity

Business opportunities are often based on broad trends, such as:?... Read More

Great Tips Of Choosing An Office

You have decided to strike it out on your own... Read More

The Business and Life You Want to Build

In the early days of my first consulting business, I... Read More

Rambling Confessions of a Recovering Entrepreneur

I told my family that I finally accepted that my... Read More

Designing a Comprehensive Franchise Company Computer System

One of the most important management tools a franchised company... Read More

From Bank Clerk to Entreprenuer

What seems like a century ago, I left school and... Read More

For Business SUCCESS... Listen To The Voices of Experience

Discover the pitfalls of owning your own business BEFORE... [you... Read More

Protect Your ASSets in Business

Many people are starting an online business without a thought... Read More

Could a Book About Your Company be Worth $1.7 Billion? Building Value Through Publishing

"Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) to purchase Clayton Homes for $12.50... Read More

The New Paradigm for Entrepreneurial Success

Entrepreneurship is a great magnet to deliver new ideas, unique... Read More

16 Vital Traits Shared by All Successful Entrepreneurs

The first step in deciding whether to start a business... Read More

The Magic of Float

If you've ever received a service today and paid for... Read More

Street Smarts Vs Book Smarts, What Does It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur

The latest series in "The Apprentice" features 2 distinct group... Read More

Veteran Entrepreneurs Are Growing In Ranks

When I'm not running my own business, writing articles about... Read More

Identifying the Right Venture Capital Firm Partner

Venture capital firms are comprised of individual partners. These partners... Read More

If It Was Easy Everybody Would Do It

Q: I started my business about a year ago and... Read More

Six Steps to Guarantee Your Business Success

Many of us slave away for years for one uninspiring... Read More

Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?

Q: I am interested in starting my own business. I... Read More

Youve Found Your Guru, Now What?

In my last article, "Follow That Guru", I told you... Read More

Entrepreneurs Just Get Better With Age

Q: I'm thinking about starting a business after I retire... Read More

Cut to the Quick - What is an Entrepreneur? The Inside Story

Enjoying the title of entrepreneur is a hollow feeling.If you... Read More

The Secrets to Becoming a Successful Creative Entrepreneur: JJK Secrets #19-21

Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!Welcome to the e-class on Creativity & Entrepreneurship:... Read More

An Entrepreneur and a Life To Be Remembered

I was reminded of my own mortality today. I guess... Read More