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REID HOFFMAN:
Welcome to today’s Daily Practice, “Ensure your mission solves a problem.” Get comfortable, and make sure you’re not interrupted for the next 10 minutes.
Your mission should be ambitious. But that doesn't mean your initial moves toward achieving it should be overwhelming.
Instead, you should start by solving one initial problem that will set you on the right path.
Think of this problem — and its solution — as a proof-of-concept for your mission as a whole.
Get it right, and you'll demonstrate to the world not just why your mission is important but also that you've got what it takes to achieve it.
Chances are that in solving this problem, you'll get a deeper insight into your mission. You'll identify more routes to serving it, and therefore more opportunities for scale.
Another bonus is that by honing in on one specific problem, you won't let the enormity of your mission overwhelm you.
For a clear example of starting out on an ambitious mission by focusing on one problem, we're going to turn to movie star and entrepreneur Jessica Alba.
As a child, Jessica suffered from intense allergies, and this made her acutely aware of the chemicals that go into daily-use products. Later in life, when she became a parent, Jessica's concerns resurfaced. This would lead her to founding The Honest Company, which provides family and household products that are safe and eco-friendly. Let's listen to her describe how it became her mission to give families an alternative range of trusted products.
JESSICA ALBA:
The thing that really landed when I became a mom was just that people, human beings, everyone is exposed to toxic chemicals, and passively, you don’t even know it. And there are so many cancers, learning disabilities, obesity, early onset dementia, just so many issues that can happen, auto-immune, that happen to people because we’re all exposed to all of these chemicals.
They’re all really derived from these chemicals that aren’t tested for safety before they’re put into consumer products. They’re testing on us, whether we’re going to get sick or die.
And usually, there is a long tailwind. It doesn’t just happen overnight. And I was like, “I don’t want to be tested on, and I don’t want my kid to be tested on, and it’s not right that anybody’s tested on.”
HOFFMAN:
Jessica became involved in advocating for stricter laws on consumer safety. And while she was able to bring along the audience she’d cultivated for so many years, she found the politicians in Washington to be quite a different challenge.
ALBA:
I remember lobbying and sitting down with various people who can get behind this legislation and vote on it. And it really, they got down to those brass tacks of, “Is this going to help me get into office or get re-elected the next time my election term is up?” And so it was just really sad cause human health shouldn’t obviously be politicized like that.
HOFFMAN:
Jessica already had a clearly-defined mission. But her experience lobbying showed her just how daunting the mission was. So she took the entrepreneurial route.
ALBA:
I was like, “All right, cool.” I’m fortunate enough to live in a country where you can have an idea, and you can surround yourself with the right people, and you can try it out. And even though I don’t have a formal education in this space, and even though I’ve never tried it, and didn’t go to business school, I have this idea, and I have access to the global community online. So I leveraged social media to be my sounding board and to build community. And I wanted to create this destination for people with my website where people can get educated on issues, but also they can buy the alternative.
HOFFMAN:
Jessica had a clear mission and a large social media following. All she needed to do now was find an initial, mission-aligned problem to solve.
It emerged from a conversation with her husband, producer, and serial entrepreneur Cash Warren.
ALBA:
He was like, “God, this idea is way too big. It’s way too big. Make it simple, make it simple.” So I was like, “What is the one thing that you hate doing in the middle of the night?” And I was like, “When we run out of diapers. You always blame me. I blame you. We’re always irritated at each other.” And I was like, “Okay, so we’re going to do a subscription with diapers, so no parent has to go through this again.”
HOFFMAN:
Note how they are taking a very real-life scenario from their own lives that was not just particular to them. It was just the kind of simple idea that could be scaled to other products.
ALBA:
And I was like, “And what is the other thing that’s so annoying?” And I was like, “When we run out of shampoo or laundry detergent or any of that stuff, so we’re going to do a subscription around that stuff, too.” And I was like, “We’re going to do a subscription model online. Because it’s a predictable online e-com, and it’s the stuff that really matters. It is around you, and it’s touching you and your body and your space and your baby every single day.”
HOFFMAN:
It’s worth noting here that Jessica didn’t invent the concept of the subscription model. Diaper subscriptions were available, but none combined the reach and mission that Jessica envisioned for The Honest Company.
Jessica had a clear mission, and a clear solution to a problem that was aligned with that mission. Jessica wasn’t just pitching a diaper subscription. She was pitching the idea of creating household, everyday products for families that were free of chemicals. Jessica was passionate about consumer safety, and now she wanted to create a business that addressed the anxieties and worries around dangerous and unsustainable chemicals used in products.
She pitched the idea to ShoeDazzle co-founder Brian Lee. Initially, he turned her down. But then something happened that Jessica knew would change his perspective on both her mission and her initial product idea.
ALBA:
And then he had his first kid, and I re-pitched the idea. It was pretty much the same idea, but maybe I did it instead of in an hour-long conversation, I did it in 15 minutes. And then Brian jumped on board because he saw his wife change all of her habits and throw out everything in their house when she learned about how chemicals are hidden in everything, certain nasty chemicals. And he’s like, “Maybe there’s something here.”
HOFFMAN:
Getting this one mission-aligned product funded gave Jessica the launchpad for scaling her mission through more products. It was proof to investors and other partners that this mission — to reduce toxic chemicals in daily use products — resonated with a wide customer base. She soon scaled beyond diapers to other baby, health, and household products. In short, the initial focus on a single mission-aligned product propelled Honest Company to fulfill that ambitious mission that Jessica envisioned from the outset.
To ensure that you have a simple and impactful problem-solving mission, let’s go on to today’s Action Item. Katie, over to you!
KATIE CLARK GRAY:
Hey listeners. It’s Katie Clark Gray, a senior writer for Masters of Scale. For this Action Item, you are going to complete a simple but powerful and clarifying exercise to help ensure that your business has a strong mission.
Just as Jessica Alba honed in on the mission of Honest, you're going to start off simple. Focus just on a single problem that is aligned with your mission and your solution.
To start, grab some paper and something to write with.
First, fold your paper in half horizontally so it has a top and bottom half.
Next, write the word “Problem,” on the top of the page. And underneath it, jot down the problem (or, problems) your business aims to solve. For example, for the honest company the problems were: toxic chemicals, and “WE NEED DIAPERS” (or soap or detergent).
Then at the top of the bottom half of the page, write the word “Solution.” And underneath it, jot down the solution your business provides for the problem (or, problems) you described. For example, for the Honest Company, the solutions were: non-toxic products and a subscription service.
Now, one last step. Flip your paper over and write out your mission in the simplest terms possible. Be sure to integrate components of your problem and your solution. So for Honest Company, it would be something like: Provide non-toxic cleaning and baby products via a subscription service.
Seems simple? That’s our goal. By stepping back and simplifying your stated mission you can actually strengthen it.
Your next steps will depend on where you are in your scaling journey. Just starting out? Use your simple mission to further develop your mission statement or think about more of the specific details of your solution.
Already have a mission statement? Take this barebones version and compare the two. Reflect on whether your current mission statement truly captures the problem you aim to solve and the solution you provide. If not, make some revisions.
Or maybe you’re curious what others think. Take this exercise to your team to see if you are all aligned on your mission and solution.
However you proceed, make it your mission to find the strongest mission you can!
If you need to review this Daily Practice or Action item, head to your inbox — they are waiting for you there.
In our next Daily Practice, we are going to talk about core values and their importance in scaling your mission. See you there.
Welcome to today’s Daily Practice, “Ensure your mission solves a problem.” Get comfortable, and make sure you’re not interrupted for the next 10 minutes.
Your mission should be ambitious. But that doesn't mean your initial moves toward achieving it should be overwhelming.
Instead, you should start by solving one initial problem that will set you on the right path.
Think of this problem — and its solution — as a proof-of-concept for your mission as a whole.
Get it right, and you'll demonstrate to the world not just why your mission is important but also that you've got what it takes to achieve it.
Chances are that in solving this problem, you'll get a deeper insight into your mission. You'll identify more routes to serving it, and therefore more opportunities for scale.
Another bonus is that by honing in on one specific problem, you won't let the enormity of your mission overwhelm you.
For a clear example of starting out on an ambitious mission by focusing on one problem, we're going to turn to movie star and entrepreneur Jessica Alba.
As a child, Jessica suffered from intense allergies, and this made her acutely aware of the chemicals that go into daily-use products. Later in life, when she became a parent, Jessica's concerns resurfaced. This would lead her to founding The Honest Company, which provides family and household products that are safe and eco-friendly. Let's listen to her describe how it became her mission to give families an alternative range of trusted products.
JESSICA ALBA:
The thing that really landed when I became a mom was just that people, human beings, everyone is exposed to toxic chemicals, and passively, you don’t even know it. And there are so many cancers, learning disabilities, obesity, early onset dementia, just so many issues that can happen, auto-immune, that happen to people because we’re all exposed to all of these chemicals.
They’re all really derived from these chemicals that aren’t tested for safety before they’re put into consumer products. They’re testing on us, whether we’re going to get sick or die.
And usually, there is a long tailwind. It doesn’t just happen overnight. And I was like, “I don’t want to be tested on, and I don’t want my kid to be tested on, and it’s not right that anybody’s tested on.”
HOFFMAN:
Jessica became involved in advocating for stricter laws on consumer safety. And while she was able to bring along the audience she’d cultivated for so many years, she found the politicians in Washington to be quite a different challenge.
ALBA:
I remember lobbying and sitting down with various people who can get behind this legislation and vote on it. And it really, they got down to those brass tacks of, “Is this going to help me get into office or get re-elected the next time my election term is up?” And so it was just really sad cause human health shouldn’t obviously be politicized like that.
HOFFMAN:
Jessica already had a clearly-defined mission. But her experience lobbying showed her just how daunting the mission was. So she took the entrepreneurial route.
ALBA:
I was like, “All right, cool.” I’m fortunate enough to live in a country where you can have an idea, and you can surround yourself with the right people, and you can try it out. And even though I don’t have a formal education in this space, and even though I’ve never tried it, and didn’t go to business school, I have this idea, and I have access to the global community online. So I leveraged social media to be my sounding board and to build community. And I wanted to create this destination for people with my website where people can get educated on issues, but also they can buy the alternative.
HOFFMAN:
Jessica had a clear mission and a large social media following. All she needed to do now was find an initial, mission-aligned problem to solve.
It emerged from a conversation with her husband, producer, and serial entrepreneur Cash Warren.
ALBA:
He was like, “God, this idea is way too big. It’s way too big. Make it simple, make it simple.” So I was like, “What is the one thing that you hate doing in the middle of the night?” And I was like, “When we run out of diapers. You always blame me. I blame you. We’re always irritated at each other.” And I was like, “Okay, so we’re going to do a subscription with diapers, so no parent has to go through this again.”
HOFFMAN:
Note how they are taking a very real-life scenario from their own lives that was not just particular to them. It was just the kind of simple idea that could be scaled to other products.
ALBA:
And I was like, “And what is the other thing that’s so annoying?” And I was like, “When we run out of shampoo or laundry detergent or any of that stuff, so we’re going to do a subscription around that stuff, too.” And I was like, “We’re going to do a subscription model online. Because it’s a predictable online e-com, and it’s the stuff that really matters. It is around you, and it’s touching you and your body and your space and your baby every single day.”
HOFFMAN:
It’s worth noting here that Jessica didn’t invent the concept of the subscription model. Diaper subscriptions were available, but none combined the reach and mission that Jessica envisioned for The Honest Company.
Jessica had a clear mission, and a clear solution to a problem that was aligned with that mission. Jessica wasn’t just pitching a diaper subscription. She was pitching the idea of creating household, everyday products for families that were free of chemicals. Jessica was passionate about consumer safety, and now she wanted to create a business that addressed the anxieties and worries around dangerous and unsustainable chemicals used in products.
She pitched the idea to ShoeDazzle co-founder Brian Lee. Initially, he turned her down. But then something happened that Jessica knew would change his perspective on both her mission and her initial product idea.
ALBA:
And then he had his first kid, and I re-pitched the idea. It was pretty much the same idea, but maybe I did it instead of in an hour-long conversation, I did it in 15 minutes. And then Brian jumped on board because he saw his wife change all of her habits and throw out everything in their house when she learned about how chemicals are hidden in everything, certain nasty chemicals. And he’s like, “Maybe there’s something here.”
HOFFMAN:
Getting this one mission-aligned product funded gave Jessica the launchpad for scaling her mission through more products. It was proof to investors and other partners that this mission — to reduce toxic chemicals in daily use products — resonated with a wide customer base. She soon scaled beyond diapers to other baby, health, and household products. In short, the initial focus on a single mission-aligned product propelled Honest Company to fulfill that ambitious mission that Jessica envisioned from the outset.
To ensure that you have a simple and impactful problem-solving mission, let’s go on to today’s Action Item. Katie, over to you!
KATIE CLARK GRAY:
Hey listeners. It’s Katie Clark Gray, a senior writer for Masters of Scale. For this Action Item, you are going to complete a simple but powerful and clarifying exercise to help ensure that your business has a strong mission.
Just as Jessica Alba honed in on the mission of Honest, you're going to start off simple. Focus just on a single problem that is aligned with your mission and your solution.
To start, grab some paper and something to write with.
First, fold your paper in half horizontally so it has a top and bottom half.
Next, write the word “Problem,” on the top of the page. And underneath it, jot down the problem (or, problems) your business aims to solve. For example, for the honest company the problems were: toxic chemicals, and “WE NEED DIAPERS” (or soap or detergent).
Then at the top of the bottom half of the page, write the word “Solution.” And underneath it, jot down the solution your business provides for the problem (or, problems) you described. For example, for the Honest Company, the solutions were: non-toxic products and a subscription service.
Now, one last step. Flip your paper over and write out your mission in the simplest terms possible. Be sure to integrate components of your problem and your solution. So for Honest Company, it would be something like: Provide non-toxic cleaning and baby products via a subscription service.
Seems simple? That’s our goal. By stepping back and simplifying your stated mission you can actually strengthen it.
Your next steps will depend on where you are in your scaling journey. Just starting out? Use your simple mission to further develop your mission statement or think about more of the specific details of your solution.
Already have a mission statement? Take this barebones version and compare the two. Reflect on whether your current mission statement truly captures the problem you aim to solve and the solution you provide. If not, make some revisions.
Or maybe you’re curious what others think. Take this exercise to your team to see if you are all aligned on your mission and solution.
However you proceed, make it your mission to find the strongest mission you can!
If you need to review this Daily Practice or Action item, head to your inbox — they are waiting for you there.
In our next Daily Practice, we are going to talk about core values and their importance in scaling your mission. See you there.
Masters of Scale App
The Masters of Scale Courses app offers curated courses, each centered on a 10-minute Daily Practice, to help you build and cultivate your entrepreneurial mindset.
