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    Business Strategy with Hirav Shah                                    JANUARY 23, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 36

                  The #1 Mistake Entrepreneurs Make:

                  Running a Business Without Purpose

            Purpose is not a luxury in business—it’s survival. Ignore it, and you risk everything. Embrace it, and you unlock everything

                       HIRAV SHAH

              Why Is Purpose the Lifeline of Every
                        Business?
                Do you know why some business-
            es thrive while others collapse—even
            when they have the same product,
            funding, or team size? The differ-
            ence lies in purpose. A clear purpose
            gives  direction,  energy,  and  mean-
            ing. Without it, entrepreneurs end            Running a business without purpose is like driving with a blindfold—it’s only a matter of time before you crash
            up running in circles, chasing trends,
            and burning resources.            did you start in the first place? Was it   fidence,  communication  stays  con-  it, and profit sustains purpose.
                “A  business  without  purpose  is
            like a ship without a compass—you   frustration with the system, a person-  sistent, customers build unshakable   Q3: How do I know if my team under-
                                              al pain, or a burning passion? That’s
                                                                                loyalty, and your team shows a level
            may move, but you’ll never know   often where your purpose hides.   of commitment that no paycheck    stands our purpose?
            where you’re heading.”                                                                                    Ask them to describe why your
                                                   3. Connect Profit with Impact  alone can buy. This is the real reason   business exists in one sentence. If their
              What Happens When You Ignore Pur-                                 purpose-driven businesses don’t just
                          pose?                   Profit is essential, but it becomes   survive—they dominate.    answers align, your purpose is clear.
                When an entrepreneur doesn’t de-  more powerful when tied to impact.       Final Thought           Try This Exercise: Define Your Purpose in
            fine  why  their  business  exists  beyond   Think about how your business im-  Running a business without pur-   10 Minutes
                                              proves lives, creates jobs, or changes
            profit, several silent killers creep in:  the market. That impact is your pur-  pose is like driving with a blindfold—  1. Write down in one line: Who are
            • Confusion in decision-making    pose in action.                   it’s only a matter of time before you   you serving?
            • Low employee motivation                                           crash. The good news? Purpose is   2. List 3 problems your business
            • Weak customer loyalty            4. Ask Customers What They Truly Value  not something you invent; it’s some-  solves for them.
            • Difficulty standing out in a crowd-  Sometimes,  customers see your   thing you uncover. And once you do,   3. Note 1 emotional impact: How do
              ed market                       purpose more clearly than you do.                                     they feel after using your product
            • High risk of burnout            Collect feedback, listen deeply, and   it transforms your business into a   or service?
                                                                                mission, your customers into believ-
                This is why running a business   you’ll discover that your real value                             4. Connect it back to yourself: Why
            without purpose is not just  a small   may not be in the product itself, but   ers, and your profits into impact.  does solving this problem matter
                                                                                    “Purpose is not a luxury in busi-
            mistake—it’s the biggest mistake.  in the feeling or solution you provide.                              to you personally?
                                                                                ness—it’s survival. Ignore it, and you
              How Can You Discover the Purpose of   5. Align With Your Core Beliefs  risk everything. Embrace it, and you   5. Combine your answers into one
                      Your Business?              Purpose must align with your   unlock everything.”                clear sentence that describes your
            Here are 5 powerful ways to find and   personal values. If you don’t believe      FAQs                  purpose.
                                                                                                                      Example: “My business exists to
            define your purpose:              in what you’re building, no amount                                  help young entrepreneurs find clarity
                                              of funding or strategy can save it.  Q1: Can a business change its purpose
            1. Ask Yourself: Who Am I Really Serving?                                                             in decision-making so they can build
                Your business exists to solve a   “Your business is an extension of   later?                      profitable and sustainable companies
                                                                                    Yes. Businesses evolve. As mar-
            problem. Identify whose problem it   your beliefs. When  values and  ven-  kets shift and entrepreneurs grow, re-  without confusion.”
                                              tures align, success follows naturally.”
            is. Are you serving a customer, a com-                              defining purpose is not weakness—it’s
            munity, or even an entire industry?  Why Purpose Creates Unstoppable   wisdom.                           Hirav Shah is the Global Business
                “When you stop asking, ‘What              Businesses                                               Strategist, Game Changer, and Author
            do I sell?’ and start asking, ‘Whom   When  you  define  and  live  by   Q2:  Is  profit  not  important  if  I  have   of 19+ books—trusted worldwide for
            do I serve?’—purpose finds you.”  your purpose, your entire business   purpose?                       validating big decisions of entrepreneurs,
                                              shifts gears. Decision-making be-     Profit  and  purpose  go  hand  in   sportsmen, and entertainers.
                  2. Revisit Your Origin Story
                Every business has a story. Why   comes clearer, execution gains con-  hand. Purpose gives meaning to prof-  Email : Business@hiravshah.com

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