Pixar’s Buzz Lightyear’s catchy phrase ‘To infinity and beyond’, is known across the generations, but maybe not recognised for the metaphor it is. It is not just about heading out into space; it is about how you get there, what you need to go through to achieve your goals. Do we ever actually reach ‘beyond’ and if that’s true how do we know when we are successful?
Success is one of those terms that means something different to everybody, we all want success in our lives both personally and professionally whatever our age. But if success is something we strive for how do we recognise when we have achieved it?
In business, it can be implicit in how much money we make, or how many products we sell but what if success is more esoteric than that?
New businesses today are reacting to a variety of demands for services and products that contribute to a more sustainable and ecological world. Measuring success in these areas is not simple maths as it’s about changing attitudes, perceptions and beliefs not only in the marketplace but within the companies themselves. Companies that;
- Seeks to create a positive impact on the environment
- Looks to empower and promote its workers
- Treats its suppliers with respect
- Have a clear commitment to environmental sustainability
These companies are the way forward, they bring excitement and positivity to the workplace, encouraging and fostering ideas and ways forward.
Can We Measure Success?
There is a lot around on the internet, and social media that tells you success is simple or easy to achieve, what is often meant is that the process can be straightforward, and can often be measured by the growth of a company. But some companies are taken on wider outlooks than just economic returns. New start-ups are setting up their businesses with different principles and expectations. Not only to make a successful product but to positively influence the environment with their product and the way they produce it. One example of this is F-Wheel who have not only revolutionised transport for a greener world but have put forward an attractive and functioning business model.
Maintaining Success
Success is not a stationary objective, it is ongoing, demanding and challenging. It requires a constant finger on the pulse of not only your own company but the customers and the environment you are targeting. Product success can be seen from the orders and balance sheet, the goal of changing perceptions can also in part be measured by this. When exploring the success within sustainability and green ecology, the traditional measure of the business world needs some ‘tweaking’. A company’s economic performance is not enough. Ideally, a combination of economic, environmental and social aspects will provide a more comprehensive overview. Known as the Triple Bottom Line, more and more of today’s companies are utilising an approach that considers these principles.
Plan for Success from The Get Go
- As a new company, a positive approach is essential for the energy and morale of the business, so planning to recognise your success in an organised way can easily become part of your strategic goals or business charter.
- Incorporate the Triple Bottom Line into your assessment processes.
Think outside the box in what measurement tools you utilise. Thank goodness for the development of social media, so much can be garnered from these sources into how your product and company is flourishing. Not only has it allowed businesses to develop globally but it can also display the level of success you have achieved. Comments, shares, responses to campaigns all can have integrated measurements within them that can be assessed and used to guide your business further, ‘to infinity and beyond’.
Guest article written by: Georgi Todorov is an independent digital marketer, specializing in Outreach strategies and International SEO. Besides his passion about digital marketing, he has graduated from university with a bachelor degree in Cultural Anthropology which makes him extremely curious about anything “foreign” and “international”. He is always happy to talk with new people and you can reach him at his Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin. He has recently started his own blog about digital marketing. Georgi is also a partner at FortuneLords.