What do you stand for and believe in? In this episode of The Brilliant Brand Podcast, we dive into crafting a brand purpose statement that actually means something.
You’ll learn two simple, plug-and-play formulas to articulate your purpose with clarity and confidence, plus hear real-world examples—including how one big-name brand has successfully carried the torch of its Founder (hint: Don’t Buy This Jacket).
If you’ve been struggling to put your brand’s deeper “Why” into words, this is your moment.
Walk away with a powerful statement that can guide decisions, inspire your audience, and anchor your business for long-term impact.
Tune in now:
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“If you want your brand to thrive while you’re there and long after you’re gone or have stepped away, you have to document your values, your promises, your decision-making process, and your unique way of showing up in the world – your reason for doing business beyond making money.”
Episode 4 Transcription
Hello Brilliant One!
Welcome back to The Brilliant Brand Podcast. I’m so glad you’re here again. And if it’s your first time, thank you for exploring a new show.
Are we connected on LinkedIn? I want you to take 10 seconds to go over there and connect with me. Search up Sonia Chopra and look for the rainbow dress – that’s unapologetically me.
I’ve only worn that dress ONCE for my most recent photo shoot, and I absolutely love it. I wouldn’t have even considered that 5 years ago, but we went through a refresh for FreshSparks, and I needed to UP my game with more editorial images that tell the right story.
I should actually do a whole episode on that internal effort, actually. It’s basically getting outside the bottle to read the label. I think that’s the right analogy.
But enough about me – How are you today? You good? You charged up? I hope so—because today’s episode is a good one. So if you’re not charged up, you will be by the end.
We’re not only going to create your Brand Purpose Statement, we’re also going to explore how real brands can bring their purpose to life – with a very specific example of one of my favorite explorer brands.
So let’s dive in.
In Episode 3, we got a little introspective—and we explored 7 powerful questions to help you uncover the deeper meaning behind your brand.
Your purpose.
It was basically a therapy session with a branding twist, and if you made it through that one, you’re doing the work. I see you!
Today, we’re taking all those juicy insights and translating them into something tangible:
👉 A Brand Purpose Statement.
Having all the clarity in your head is amazing—but if you can’t express it clearly, your audience can’t rally behind it. And your employees can’t rally behind it.
This isn’t just something that is happening in your head.
So let’s put it into actual words.
As I’ve said before, your purpose is the compass guiding you in the right direction that feels GOOD. Keeping you on a course.
It helps you say NO to the wrong opportunities.
It helps you say YES with confidence when something is right.
It’s basically like brand boundaries in a sentence.
Plus—it builds trust.
When your purpose is clearly communicated, people don’t have to wonder what you stand for.
Now, according to McKinsey:
“Finding purpose is important, but it’s not enough for brands to prosper. Purpose needs to be translated into a set of values and goals that guide communications, operations, and people and product development.”
So, we need to give people a reason to believe in you, so that they feel inspired to buy from your brand – or work for your business!
This statement is the first step.
Writing something like this can feel intimidating. It needs to say a lot in a few words. Impactful but concise.
No pressure, right.
I’m going to give you 2 easy formulas—plug-and-play style—to help you articulate your purpose with confidence.
And yes—you can totally tweak these, you can combine them, remix them—whatever works for you.
Let’s go through them.
But – before you attempt to put words together, look over the ideas from your Golden Circle, and the answers to the 7 questions I gave you in Episode 3 of the podcast. If you haven’t listened to that yet, go back and do that now. And then come back here.
The first formula is called Contribution & Impact.
It goes like this:
To (blank) so that (blank)
The first blank is your contribution, and the second blank is the impact that contribution has.
So it’s:
To (fill in your contribution) so that (fill in the impact).
This is sometimes also called a To-so-that structure.
Let me give you an example of this one for a therapist –
They sell their mental health or well-being services, typically by the hour or by the package. That’s WHAT they do to make money.
This therapist’s WHY, beyond making money – their purpose, is –
To create safe spaces so that more people feel seen and heard.
I’ll say it again.
To create safe spaces so that more people feel seen and heard.
Doesn’t that sound inspirational?
The contribution is creating safe spaces – in any way that they can.
This could be…how they explain themselves on their website, it could be the environment of their therapy session room, the way they follow up with clients, or even the appointment booking process.
Everything becomes intentional under this lens of purpose – in this case, creating safe spaces. All decisions they make, or actions they take align with this. Anything that doesn’t feel in alignment, would be a no-go.
With this formula – the impact of that purpose is more people feeling seen and heard.
Simple as that. That’s what this therapist believes, and feels is important with the work that they do. They wake up everyday for this.
Another formula that you can use to develop a strong purpose statement is this-
We believe (blank) so we (blank).
The first blank is a core belief, and the second blank is the action you take to support that core belief.
So it’s –
We believe (core belief) so we (action).
This one combines what’s in your heart – what you stand for – with what you’re doing to facilitate that.
Here’s an example for an architecture firm.
We believe design has the power to shift culture, so we build structures that challenge traditional conventions.
This company stands for a change in culture through their buildings that people live, work, and play in.
There’s a variety of ways they can fulfill this, and that’s going to be particular to the architecture firm and how they execute.
But the point is, that the action aligns with the belief in all areas of how they do business.
How did those formulas feel? Doable? I think so.
Now that you’ve got a couple of formulas to work with, let me give you some quick tips:
First of all:
Keep it simple. You don’t need big words or jargon — you just need real words that mean something.
Second:
Be specific. Try not to be too general. We want to use action words, but avoid vague statements like “to inspire people.” Inspire them to do what? Be specific.
Next:
Make it sound like you. This should feel natural coming out of your mouth—not like some corporate mission statement from 1996. Translate your thoughts into words that you would say.
Lastly:
Read it out loud. As you’re reading it, if this sentence gives you chills or makes you nod like “Yes, that is brilliant!” I want this tattooed on my body—you nailed it. Please make sure everything’s spelled right if you do tattoo it.
And with this last point, it might take a few tries. It might take a day to settle. Don’t rush it. You’re shaping the soul of your brand in a single sentence. So let it breathe.
And speaking of soul, I recently did a post on LinkedIn with the headline of-
Can a Brand Keep Its Soul When the Founder Leaves?
Because as a founder, it’s your job to develop the purpose and maintain it. And as your company grows, this purpose should be infused in everything so that your employees and your team champion it.
Patagonia, one of my faves, is a great example of a large-scale purpose-driven brand.
Patagonia is Patagonia because of Yvon Chouinard, the Founder.
Not only because of his love for mountain-climbing and blacksmithing his own gear.
But because of his vision, and his values, and his no-BS approach to capitalism.
Instead of “going public”, Chouinard always said Patagonia was “going purpose”.
He founded the company in 1973, and when he stepped down in 2022 – almost 50 years later – people had questions:
Will Patagonia still stand for something?
Are they going to keep pushing boundaries?
Is the brand’s heart leaving with its founder?
Now truth is…
Chouinard built Patagonia to outlast him.
The company’s purpose is:
“We’re in business to save our home planet”
And it’s not just words.
The purpose has been baked into everything Patagonia does, from product innovation to supply chain ethics.
It’s branded in things like their Iron-clad Guarantee – see what they did there with the blacksmithing throwback? This is a lifetime warranty on all their products.
And it’s in their Worn Wear trade-in program.
This program actively encourages customers to repair, reuse, and recycle their Patagonia clothing, which then extends its lifespan and reduces waste.
In fact, to support this initiative, they even created an advertising campaign in the New York Times that had the headline:
Don’t Buy This Jacket
And underneath that was a Patagonia jacket.
Not only that, they ran the ad on Black Friday, when all retailers traditionally ask people to buy MORE things.
Talk about standing out as a brand, while also supporting a purpose of saving our home planet by trying to help reduce the 92 million tons of clothing that ends up in landfills every year.
So you see, the business didn’t NEED Chouinard at the helm to continue leading with purpose because they know who they are and what they stand for.
In fact, Patagonia’s founder had the opportunity to sell the brand, or go public – and he didn’t do either. He structured it so that all profits are reinvested into helping fight the environmental crisis around the world.
Now here’s what heart-centered, founder-led brands can learn from Patagonia:
1. Your brand is bigger than you.
A strong brand isn’t just about the founder’s personality – it’s a clearly defined vision & mission, rock-solid values (pun intended) and way of doing business.
The entire experience, inside and out.
2. Your customers aren’t just buyers. They’re believers.
Patagonia customers don’t just wear the brand. They live it.
And when your brand stands for something real, your audience will carry the torch and keep the flame burning bright. They believe what you believe. And they buy because of that.
3. Legacy comes from clarity.
If you want your brand to thrive while you’re there and long after you’re gone or have stepped away, you have to document your values, your promises, your decision-making process, and your unique way of showing up in the world – your reason for doing business beyond making money.
That’s a great place to wrap it up, AND give you some homework.
So here it is:
I want you to pick one of the two formulas from today and write your Brand Purpose Statement.
If you want, you can try both, but start with one.
And if you’re feeling even bolder, try two or three versions using both formulas and see what feels best. This is really about clarity, not perfection.
Then, test it out!
You’re going to share it with a discerning friend or client (make sure they’re discerning) and get their feedback. Notice how it feels when you say it to an actual person. When it feels aligned, you’re getting close.
And if you want some feedback, DM me on LinkedIn, and I’m happy to take a look at what you came up with.
Thanks for listening to this episode of The Brilliant Brand Podcast. We had a good run of episodes tackling the topic of Brand Purpose. I think I might veer off this path for the next one, so stay tuned.
Hit that subscribe button if you like what you’ve heard so far.
And please, go over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify to leave me a quick review. I love you for that. ❤️
I will talk to you next time, and stay brilliant. ⚡
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