Entrepreneurs. Startups. They're everywhere. Well, at least in San Francisco.  

So, why try? Someone else probably has a better idea. More money to build it. They're probably smarter, more connected.

And who decides who succeeds? Better yet, who decides what success is? Sales goals? Funding for your startup? Being acquired by another company...IPO?

Or you can live for something bigger than yourself and create a business with a bigger purpose.

Last weekend, a peer-to-peer outdoor gear rental company called StokeShare hosted an event in Venice Beach where they teamed up with the Surfrider Foundation and the LAPD to teach local kids how to surf.

(Photo by Lauren Devon (@laurendevonart)

Why? 

"The movement we are creating at StokeShare is based on the fact that people protect what they love, love what they respect, respect what they know and know what they experience."

Put simply, beyond the transaction and experience a user has on a website, StokeShare believes in preserving the environment and connect with it. That's why their marketplace makes it easier for people to find the right outdoor equipment to get outside and play.

"So we [StokeShare] are focused on a deep-rooted, long-term strategy to impact the connection young people have with the outdoors."

For Airbnb, it took almost ten years to conclude that they want people to "belong anywhere." Now that they've established that, they're moving in full force to make this true all over the world. Sure, they've been successful without identifying that exact "phrase" all this time but they knew all along what they were providing. What they do. Who they are. Finding your business identity can help you make the right decisions from hiring to marketing.   

My challenge for you and your business is to think deeper. Your company identity (branding) is influenced by your vision. I am constantly advising startups to think about who they are and how they want to make people feel. This reality will set the tone on what success looks like for you. Sure, it's okay to want to go public one day--but you need something else. You should know why your business exists.

This is important for your social media and overall marketing strategy. And guess what? Brands have been doing this for years! 

So, do you know why your company exists? If you don't, your customers probably don't either...

Read the complete article by StokeShare

For more information on StokeShare, visit StokeShare.com.