As a lifelong entrepreneur, brought up by a family of entrepreneurs, I admire the lives and journeys of countless entrepreneurs I’ve known.
One such journey is that of the founders of the apparel line Veronica Beard. In the photo in the header of this newsletter, I’m dressed in a Veronica Beard pantsuit that always draws compliments. However, the name of the brand is somewhat misleading. When people ask me what I’m wearing, I often say, “Veronica Beard,” and the response is usually, “I love her.” In reality, the brand was co-founded in 2010 by sisters-in-law married to brothers — Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard — with the mission to create the dream wardrobe for a layered life.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or not, like the Beard brand, you need a mission for your life and career. Once you establish that mission, you can begin to recruit people to help you achieve it and take steps toward accomplishing your big dreams.
When I started my award-winning advertising agency, T3, our mission was simple: to do “kick-ass work for clients who want to kick ass.” It was written on the back of a napkin but later framed and proudly displayed in our office entrance. We never lost sight of it.
Today, as I pursue two entrepreneurial endeavors in leadership programs at the University of Texas, I have my eye on the prize — developing people to become true lifelong leaders. Our goal is to give them the skills and inspiration to live their dreams.
Whatever your mission, if it’s worthwhile, stick with it. Your tenacity will help you thrive and inspire others. If you’re part of a larger organization and believe in its mission, give it your all to help achieve its goals.
And as one of my favorite Catholic hospital CEOs once said, “No money, no mission.” Yes, generating revenue helps drive any mission, whether in the profit or nonprofit sector.
On a mission,
Gay Gaddis
Founder. Author. Artist. Trailblazer.
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