Startup Mission Educational Slide Deck
AHJ George
Lesson 5 — Building a Mission Statement
Your mission statement tells the (short) story of how you'll reach the pinnacle of achievement, making it essential for any founder seeking buy-in.
Why not practice before tackling the real thing?
Building a mission statement can actually be pretty fun. It's quite rewarding to refine what you're all about into a marketable blurb that impresses and inspires others!
It also helps that you can get the job done in just four steps:
- Review your vision statement
- Define your company's values
- Determine your key objectives
- Write the mission statement
Let's try this process with a scenario that puts your skills to the test!
Step 1: Review Your Vision Statement
Going back to your vision statement makes it infinitely easier to describe your mission purposefully.
Here's a scenario: Your friend from college asks you to write a mission statement for their new startup. They tell you their vision is "to bring a video game console to every home in North America."
You're a kind person — far too kind to tell your buddy they missed the boat by about 40 years! Instead, you decide to give it a shot. What might you try?
Multiple Choice:
Researching what makes the console and its games unique and worthwhile.
Playing the game console instead of writing the statement.
Asking the team how they'll distribute the console.
Interviewing the founder about an emotional gaming experience they had that motivated them to help others enjoy the same.
Slide 2 – Content/Interactive
2-4 content slides followed by quick interaction/quizzes
Content <100 words
Step 2: Define Your Company's Values
Here's another scenario: Your company builds large 3-D printers that can create affordable houses. Pretty cool, right?
You've contracted with homebuilders and charitable organizations to lower barriers to entry and help individuals experiencing homelessness. What might be some effective ways to frame your values in your mission statement?
True/False: Boasting about the number of homes you've already built.
True/False: Sharing your focus on getting unhoused people into affordable housing.
True/False: Mentioning your use of 3-D printer technology to reduce construction costs.
True/False: Talking about the fact that your process helps charities.
Step 3: Determine Your Key Objectives
Your flat-pack furniture company is repositioning to products that are more ecologically friendly. You still want to hook consumers up with easy-to-assemble, affordable homeware, but you'd like to clean up your environmental act.
The question is how you'll spread the word about your fresh change of pace. Fill in the blanks to reveal some potential mission statements that get the point across!
To keep you comfortable with way less ____, more efficient _____, and ____ sourced materials.
Answers: packaging, shipping, sustainably
To innovate on designs that prove you don't have to sacrifice ______ for ______.
Answers: style, stewardship
To prove that ______ furniture as a family and saving the _____ go hand-in-hand.
Answers: Building, planet
Step 4: Write the mission statement
Congratulations! You've made it to the final step!
Don't relax just yet, though: This is one of the toughest parts because you've got to take everything you've done and create a unified result. Even harder, you've only got people's attention for a short while, so it's best to make your point in one or two sentences max.
When writing your statement, it can help to focus on specific vocabulary, provided that you steer clear of unoriginal marketing speak. Strive for friendly accessibility — remember that you're setting the tone for future branded conversations!
Pick the strongest, most descriptive phrasing that lets you share your purpose, values, and goals in as few words as possible. If it's not working, don't be afraid to revise, set it aside, and come back later!
True/False: Your mission statement has to be a certain length.
True/False: You should just go with whatever springs to mind first.
Mission statements get your organization moving toward a uniform purpose as a team. They explain who you are and what you do to foster public buy-in and reveal the values that make you unique.
Mission statements share a lot in a short few words. These short descriptions encapsulate your purpose and your business model, making it easier to communicate internally and externally.
Don't worry if you get stuck at first. Most companies refine their missions as they mature, and hitting your stride may take time. The important thing is that you get something down on paper — only then can you build and improve on it!
True/False: Your mission statement should explain what your company does, who it affects, how you do it, and why.
