---
title: "It's Not What You Do, It's Why You Do It: How to Unlock Your Business's Purpose - Rhonda Schuldt"
description: Rhonda Schuldt, an EIR at Pitt's Big Idea Center, shares the importance of establishing a why for your business, how to discover your business's why, what aspects of your business are influenced by having a strong why, and how your business's customers play a role in figuring out your business's purpose.
---

[Big Idea Center Blog](https://blog.innovation.pitt.edu/bigideacenter)

# [It's Not What You Do, It's Why You Do It: How to Unlock Your Business's Purpose - Rhonda Schuldt](https://blog.innovation.pitt.edu/bigideacenter/why)

 Written by [Rhonda Schuldt](https://blog.innovation.pitt.edu/bigideacenter/author/rhonda-schuldt) | Jan 20, 2021 12:50:00 PM

 

How do you know what to do if you don’t know *why* you’re doing it? 

Call it what you wish – vision, purpose, strategic destination, mission.  All may have slightly different meanings, but, when well-defined, a strong *why* is tied directly to your customers and will orient you toward and help you prioritize what you need to do to achieve that *why*.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or working in an established business, you may think you know your *why*.  You may have personally experienced a reason for our *why*.  You may think about it a lot.  You may even think you know what you need to do to deliver on that *why*. But, until you can see the “why” through other people’s eyes and experiences, it’s theoretical … at least in terms of a business opportunity. 

In business, a strong *why* becomes our north star.  It helps prioritize and align what you need to do and how you need to do it.  Here are some things that are influenced by a strong “why”:

- What products and/or services you provide.
- How you reach our customers.
- How products/services are delivered.
- What team you need to build.
- What partners do you need.
- What resources will be required.
- Even how you make money.

 

You get the picture.

So how do you define your *why*? It’s all about your “customers” – those whose life you’re trying to impact.

- What customer problem are you striving to solve?
- How do you solve it in a way that best meets their needs, wants, desires, and values?
- How do you *really* know?

 

You can’t truly know the answers to these questions until you’ve taken the time and discipline to understand how your customers experience the problem/need/desire from their perspective…not yours!    

This isn’t a novel idea – we see this logic used in design thinking, lean startup, from strategy gurus such as [Peter Drucker](https://www.drucker.institute/perspective/about-peter-drucker/), and many others.  But putting into practice the idea of seeking to understand your customers and aligning that learning to all aspects of your business is a different story. 

It takes discipline *and* time. But finding and defining your WHY is one of the most profoundly powerful things an entrepreneur or an organization can accomplish. I’ve seen it transform stagnant businesses and reorient startups toward a more promising market.  In our most recent times, it has given businesses the confidence and ability to adapt in a rapidly changing economic environment to meet new and urgent demands of a disrupted marketplace.

So, in short, do the work to find your *why*.  When done well, it can become your superpower!

 

Want to know more about finding your why and the art and discipline of customer discovery?  [Schedule a time to virtually meet with Rhonda through the Big Idea Center.](https://www.confirmedapp.com/calendar/rhondaschuldt/1on1s)

 

[View full post](https://blog.innovation.pitt.edu/bigideacenter/why)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Rhonda Schuldt"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2021-01-20T12:50:00.361Z",
  "datePublished" : "2021-01-20T12:50:00Z",
  "headline" : "It's Not What You Do, It's Why You Do It: How to Unlock Your Business's Purpose - Rhonda Schuldt",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 4000,
    "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/485312/rhonda%20why%20blog%201.jpg",
    "width" : 6000
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.innovation.pitt.edu/bigideacenter/why",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Big Idea Center Blog"
  }
}
```