Stop Selling Widgets and Start Selling Magic

AKA: "Finding your business purpose."

Let's be honest—most of us didn't grow up dreaming of "selling widgets." Yet here we are, many of us grinding away at businesses that feel more like careful compromises than callings.

But what if I told you that finding your true business purpose could make Monday mornings less dreadful and Friday evenings more fulfilling? What if your business could be both profitable AND personally meaningful?

So grab your coffee (or wine, no judgment here), and let's dive into why your business should be about more than just paying the bills—though we'll make sure it does that too!

The Myth of the Magical Calling

First things first: if you're waiting for angels to sing and a neon sign to appear reading "THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE," you might be waiting forever.

Don't feel like there's gonna be fireworks and displays and a huge neon sign saying, "this is your purpose."

The truth? Most people don't have dramatic vocations like firefighters, teachers, or doctors. Most of us stumble into things, discover unexpected talents, or slowly develop passions that eventually become businesses.

And that's perfectly okay! Your purpose doesn't have to be saving lives or educating the future generation. It just needs to be something that:

1. Makes you feel good about yourself when you go to sleep at night
2. Keeps you motivated even during challenging times
3. Makes someone's life better in some way (even in small ways!)

The Value-Joy-Profit Triangle

I can't claim credit for this framework, but I can testify it works. When you map out your business offers (and clients!) against this trinity, you will find that sweet spot where purpose and profit meet.

Value: What Are You REALLY Selling?

Here's where most people get it wrong—they focus too much on their service or product rather than the transformation it provides.

For example, if you're a coach helping women overcome imposter syndrome, you're not just selling techniques and tips. You're selling transformation—a better sense of self that leads to raises, promotions, and opportunities.

Action Step:
Dig deep and ask yourself: "What's the real transformation my customers are experiencing? What's the before and after?"

Joy: Don't Build a Business You Hate

Life's too short to spend it doing things that make you go "ugh." Simple as that. Aim for stuff that at the very least will get you out of bed on a Monday morning. Or get you working late on a Friday.

Remember, you will work HARDER in your own business than you ever did at a regular job. So if you don't at least moderately enjoy what you're doing, you're setting yourself up for burnout.

Action Step:
Make a list of all the things you're capable of doing. Now cross off anything that makes you feel drained just thinking about it. What's left? That's your joy zone.

Note: there'll be things on your list that you don't want to do AND are essential to your business - for example, your book-keeping. Add these to a separate list and either find someone who will do it for you, or find a system that means you spend less time on it. 

Profit: Because Landlords Don't Accept "Passion" as Payment

The final (and crucial) piece of the puzzle is profit.

There's no point finding joy in something no one will pay you for—or worse, something they'll pay you so little for that you're constantly stressed about money.

A truly purposeful business allows you to:

• Cover your bills comfortably
• Take holidays without checking your bank balance every hour
• Set aside money for your future
• Eventually hire help so you're not doing everything yourself

Action Step:
Research what others in your field are charging. Check platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn, or industry-specific sites to get a realistic idea of market rates.

 4 Practical Steps to Discover Your Business Purpose

Now let's get to the nitty-gritty. How do you actually find this elusive purpose? Natalie gives us four solid action steps:

1. Brain Dump Everything

Get it all out of your head and onto paper:

• What do people ask your advice about?
• What topics make you lose track of time?
• What have people paid you for in the past?
• What makes your clients light up?
• How do people refer to you? ("Oh, you should talk to [your name], they're amazing at...")

2. Ask Other People What They Think of You

Sometimes we're too close to ourselves to see our own superpowers. Ask friends, family, colleagues, and past clients:

 - What do you think of when you think of me?

 - What do you think I'm especially good at?

- What problems would you come to me to solve?

Tip: If you record client meetings, use AI to analyze the transcripts and identify patterns in your advice. What wisdom do you repeatedly share? That might be your zone of genius!

3. Design Your Ideal Lifestyle First

Your business purpose needs to fit the life you want, not the other way around. 

Even if you say: "I want to do a 25-hour week", you've got to allow downtime between meetings to do admin, to catch up with clients, build your sales pipeline and stay current with your training or industry news. 

Action Step:
Map out your ideal week, including:

• Client work time
• Admin time
• Research and learning time
• Family time
• Personal hobbies and downtime
• Sleep (yes, you need this!)

Then figure out what kind of work and pricing structure will support that lifestyle.

4. Study What Others Are Doing

Don't reinvent the wheel—study it, improve it, then paint it your favorite color.

Check out what your competitors are offering and how they're presenting it. This isn't about copying; it's about understanding the landscape so you can find your unique place in it.

Action Step:

Spend a few hours researching:

• LinkedIn (especially good for B2B services)
• Instagram and TikTok (better for B2C)
• Upwork and Fiverr
• Industry-specific platforms
  
  Tip: Use Perplexity.ai to cut down on the grunt-work. 

Your Business Purpose: The Ultimate Simplifier

The beauty of finding your true business purpose is how it simplifies EVERYTHING else in your business:

• It makes marketing easier because you know exactly who you're talking to
• It makes sales easier because you truly believe in what you're offering
• It makes pricing easier because you understand your value
• It makes decisions easier because you can ask "Does this align with my purpose?"

When you find something which does light you up, and people pay you for, you've squared the circle.

It's Your Turn to Find Your Purpose

Remember, your business purpose isn't set in stone. It can (and probably will) evolve as you and your business grow. The important thing is to start somewhere.

You might not be saving lives like a doctor or shaping minds like a teacher, but your business can still make a meaningful difference while supporting the lifestyle you want.

And who knows? You might just find that your "job" becomes something you actually look forward to on Sunday nights. (Shocking, I know!)

*What's your biggest struggle when it comes to finding purpose in your business? Drop a comment below!*