The Entrepreneur’s Corner

By Dr. Son Tran

Tip #1: Start with “WHY”

What It Means

Before you open a shop, buy equipment, or print business cards, ask yourself: WHY do I want to run this business?
Is it just to make money? Or do you want to provide something helpful to your neighbors? Your “WHY” is your purpose. It’s the deeper reason you get up early and work hard every day. A strong WHY keeps you going even when business is slow, and it helps your customers connect with you on a personal level.

Every successful business has a reason for existing beyond just making profit. That reason shapes your customer service, your product, your pricing—and even how you talk about your work. When you know your WHY, you can make decisions more confidently. You stop chasing every trend, and you focus on what really matters.

Think of your “WHY” as the roots of a tree. You don’t see them, but they hold up everything. The stronger the roots, the longer your business can grow.

Stories from Business World

You may have heard of Chick-fil-A, the fast-food restaurant known for friendly service. Their founder, Truett Cathy, once said: “We’re not just in the chicken business; we’re in the people business.” That’s their “WHY”—to serve others with kindness and care.
That’s WHY their workers say “my pleasure” instead of “you’re welcome.” People go there not just for the food, but because they feel valued.
They close every Sunday, even though they lose business, because part of their purpose is giving employees time to rest and spend with family. That’s how seriously they take their “WHY.”

Another example is TOMS Shoes, whose founder Blake Mycoskie started the business to give a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold. That mission helped turn a small idea into a global brand.

How You Can Use It

Let’s say you run a small auto repair shop. Your “WHY” might be: “To help working families stay safe and keep their cars running without being overcharged.”
Or you run a hair salon: “To make people feel confident and happy when they look in the mirror.”

When your customers know WHY you do what you do, they’re more likely to trust you—and come back.

Here in Cobleskill, I know a local sandwich shop that started with the simple purpose of offering healthy food made with love. Their sign says: “Just like Mom made it.” That’s their “WHY”—and it brings people back. The owner told me: “I don’t just make sandwiches; I make people feel like home.” That’s the kind of WHY that lasts.

A Fun Example

At a farmers market, I once saw two booths selling the same honey. One man just said, “$10 per jar.” The other smiled and said, “These bees are from my family farm. I started beekeeping with my daughter during the pandemic.”
Guess who had a line of customers?
It wasn’t just honey—it was a story. A reason. A WHY.
People didn’t just buy a jar. They bought meaning. They bought connection.

Final Thoughts

Your business is more than a job. It’s a way of helping people.
When customers see your heart, they’ll support your hands.
So before you plan anything else, take a moment to answer this simple question:
“WHY do I do what I do?”
Because your WHY is what turns a small business into something truly special.

Dr. Son Tran is a business and entrepreneurship professor at SUNY Cobleskill.