Ok, but why?

I had a conversation with one of the founders of the company I am currently with, Bold Penguin. We were discussing our sales process, what was going well, what needs improved, and forecasting for the future. He brought up something super important that I forgot, and I felt ashamed for it to be honest.
Founder: “So, what are some things that are going well?”
Me: “Well… I’m having great conversations about what Bold Penguin does and how we are expediting the underwriting process for commercial insurance agents.”
Founder: “Ok, that’s good. You’re sharing what we’re doing and how we are doing it, but are you telling them why?”
Boom! The bomb was dropped right on me. I had forgotten about our purpose and our message at Bold Penguin. He then shared a video with me that I had seen awhile ago, Simon Sinek’s TED Talk: How Great Leader’s Inspire.
If you haven’t watched this TED Talk, you must. It has reshaped how I think about what I am doing, my purpose, and how I share information. In short, it discusses the most effective way to share our message with our audiences. It’s not about the product we’ve built, or how we built our product, but more importantly why we have built our product.
I took this message and started thinking about my everyday life and what I am passionate about (Family, Friends, CrossFit, Faith, etc.). I then thought about when I share information about these passions, what is my message? Well, it comes from the why.
Me: “Hey man you should come to this bible study that I attend on Wednesday mornings! It’s such a great way to meet fellow brothers in Christ and I can’t think of a better way to rejuvenate my week.”
Me: “By the way, if you aren’t doing anything on Saturday morning, you should come to the gym with me! If you’re looking for a blend of competition, camaraderie, and encouragement, I think you’d really enjoy it. Not to mention, the community of friends that I have built has literally changed my life.”
Start with Why
After rethinking the conversations I have had with people, it has always been the “why” that gets peoples attention. When my passion shines through, the conversation flows so much smoother and it’s pretty awesome. It made me reflect on the way I will share stories, invite friends to events, and give you my pitch on why you should do this or that.
For you, reflect on the same. Think about how you share information, are you starting with why?
Have a great week, Chris.