This exercise is from the book “Whyography: Building a Brand Fueled by Purpose” by Chris Olsen.

A Tiny WHY Statement (TWS) is typically five to seven words. Developing your TWS is simply combining your business name with a power verb and your ideal customer.

Choose a Power Verb (PV)

Your PV is a powerful descriptor that communicates action. It’s a single word that is directly connected to your WHY and says a whole lot about you and your business. It helps to illustrate the impact you’re making (or hope to make) in the lives of others—specifically, your ideal customer—and it provides insight about the values and strengths you bring to your business. Examples of PVs include:

(Note: If reading on a phone or tablet, rotate the device to view the screen in landscape mode.)

Identify Your Ideal Customer (IC)

If you’re not clear on your IC, complete an ideal customer profile first. What’s most important is narrowing down your audience to a specific person or group that benefits most from the products and/or services your business offers. The person whose problem you are truly solving. Resist the urge to cast a wide net and go with something like “people” or “individuals.” Instead, be as specific as you can. Examples of ICs include:

• Female-identifying business owners
• Professional women
• Busy moms
• Underrepresented children
• Organic farmers

Combine Them to Create Your TWS

To create your TWS, use this template: (BUSINESS NAME) __________ + (YOUR PV) __________ + (YOUR IC) __________

Here are TWS examples:

• Publish Her empowers female-identifying business owners and authors.
• (BUSINESS NAME) mentors professional women.
• (BUSINESS NAME) supports busy moms.
• (BUSINESS NAME) invests in underrepresented children.
• (BUSINESS NAME) promotes organic farmers.

Transform Your TWS Into a WHY Statement

To make it more powerful, transform your TWS into a WHY Statement by tacking the words “so that” onto the end of it and adding an impact statement (the result of bringing your WHY to the world). Create as many versions of your WHY Statement as you like, but keep it as short as possible—it should be easy to remember and recite.

To create your WHY Statement, use this template: (YOUR TWS) __________ + SO THAT THEY + (YOUR IMPACT) __________

Here are WHY Statement examples:

• Publish Her empowers female-identifying business owners and authors so that they achieve entrepreneurial success.
• (BUSINESS NAME) mentors professional women so that they receive the advancement opportunities they deserve.
• (BUSINESS NAME) supports busy moms so that they can focus their time on what matters most.
• (BUSINESS NAME) invests in underrepresented children so that they have an opportunity to thrive.
• (BUSINESS NAME) promotes organic farmers so that they can serve more families. 

Ask Yourself These Questions

When you’ve created a few versions that feel right to you, ask yourself these questions to be sure your TWS and WHY Statement clearly articulate your WHY:

• Does this statement reflect my personal values and strengths?
• Does this statement articulate a problem my business solves?
• Does this statement speak to something bigger than me?

About the Book

Every day in America, women business owners are denied access to resources to achieve success. But a growing community of fierce founders is refusing to settle for the status quo. They’re rejecting gender and cultural biases and taking matters into their own hands. They know what they stand for, and they want everyone else to know too. They’ve made a monumental shift in the way they talk about their business. Rather than focusing on WHAT they do, they’re leading with their WHY.

A Whyography is your founder story fueled by purpose. It combines the principles of storytelling and the power of purpose to honor your journey and what it took to get where you are today. It articulates the problems you’re solving and the difference you’re making in the world. Your Whyography connects you with consumers, investors and employees who align with your values, revere your brand, and become your biggest advocates.

This guidebook to developing your Whyography includes dozens of exercises and examples, plus the inspirational stories of more than 30 fierce founders who are leading with their WHY.

About the Author

Chris Olsen is a book designer, publisher, educator and the author of “Whyography: Building a Brand Fueled by Purpose.” The founder of Publish Her and Publish Her Story, Chris has helped thousands of women tell their stories and publish their books.

About Publish Her

Publish Her is a female-founded publisher dedicated to educating authors and elevating the words, writing and stories of women. We are passionate about amplifying the voices of women of color, women with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We aim to make publishing an attainable, exciting and collaborative process for all.