Why this solopreneur set Corporate Values (and why you should too!)

Have you had an experience with a business that did not deliver on the promise the brand made? Been left languishing in unmet expectations and broken promises?

You may have unwittingly been subject to a business without clear values, or one that hasn’t fully explored what their values mean. A lack of clear values can manifest in many ways, from poor customer experiences, to a toxic corporate culture and touching all areas in between.

Premium Experiences, Plastic Plates

Imagine you are at a premium restaurant.

You’re splurging and have ordered the 7-course degustation menu…it is a very good day!

The waitstaff are friendly and engaging, the drinks are refreshing, and the weather is perfect for a (very) long lunch. The anticipation builds as the first course is brought to your table, you close your eyes, pause, and open them to see…plastic plates! What?!

Not the new environmentally friendly, bamboo plates but old-school, earth-destroying plastic plates from the 80s.

You are overcome with the feeling that something really does not add up and you can’t even enjoy the taste of the scallop wrapped delicately in betel leaf.

Suffice it to say that your review would not be glowing. Discombobulated by the disparity between your expectations and the reality, you would share your tale of woe far and wide.

I would like to suggest that this situation could have been avoided if this (fictional) restaurant had set and made explicit their values. They may have chosen values of ‘unforgettable service’ or ‘premium experiences’ which would have given them a lense to scrutinise the utilisation of plates from the 80s, and to question whether this was in alignment with what they set out to deliver.

Of course, this is a very simplistic explanation, but it leads into the reasons that I suggest solopreneurs take the time to set values for their own businesses.

Values for One?

As a solopreneur you might think that setting values is a waste of time and energy, but I would suggest that this is simply not the case.

To demonstrate, I will share the core values I set for Conscious Copy and the behaviours I have identified to guide me to truly live the values and deliver a consistent experience for my clients.

Steering clear of the plastic plate predicament.

Setting the Conscious Copy Values

The values I chose for Conscious Copy are reflective of all that is important to me, at this stage of my life and career.

They demonstrate the attributes and qualities that, in my opinion, are synchronous with success and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

If you’re interested to learn more about my story, take a look at the blog entitled, “Queensland Female Founders: How To Introduce Yourself Like a Pro!”.

There’s only one of you, so who are these Values for?

You will note that I use the term ‘we’ throughout my values.

This was a deliberate decision, based on my knowledge that I would be working with contractors and service providers, and, in the future, a team; and I wanted to establish a framework that guides me to choose who I work with, now and into the future.

I also set a Vision and developed a Mission Statement, which I talk more about in this blog.

The Conscious Copy core values are:

Setting Values-based Behaviours

After you have set your core values, it is worth taking it one step further and defining the behaviours that would support the values and those that would not.

I have listed them below to demonstrate.

You will see that some are only possible when you have a team, but I chose to include them to ensure that I didn’t lose sight of what I have set out to create.

If you’re interested to understand more about what these mean to me, I’m happy to share…just reach out!

Corporate Values to deliver on your promises

Your values set the tone for the brand and the supportive and unsupportive behaviour lists makes the implicit, explicit.

This list has already served as a guide for decision-making, and it will continue to grow and evolve as the business does. In the meantime, I know my business will deliver on the promises I set when I created the brand, because I’ve made it almost impossible to lose sight of those commitments.

These principles give me the confidence to make decisions which align with them and to step away if a project does not. I know that, by embodying these values, I have a model for scalable success.

Are you a solopreneur who has set your own Corporate Values? I would be interested to hear how you implement your values, or, if you haven’t, I’d love to know when you decide to have a go! Send me an email to amy@consciouscopy.com.au or find me on Instagram or Facebook.

Using AI to set your values

You may have decided that you would like to set your values and establish some supportive and unsupportive behaviours and then wonder, “Now what? How do I actually do this?!”

If you have never been involved in a corporate values-setting process, this can seem like an intimidating task with an unclear beginning and no end in sight.

The good news is that you are not alone and, today, we have access to a wonderful ‘intern’ or ‘teammate’ in generative AI that can help you with taking those first few steps.

Prompts to use with Chat-GPT to brainstorm your core values

Why not set aside 30 minutes of your time to consider the following questions, before plugging the answers into Chat-GPT and having a discussion around some possible corporate values.

1. What business are you in?

When you answer this, challenge yourself. Don’t settle for, “We are in the business of selling mattresses”, for example. This doesn’t cut to the essence of what you do. Yes, you might be a mattress retailer, but you may be in the business of helping environmentally conscious customers achieve their goals. Customers who support your business because your mattresses are the only product of their kind made with 99% sustainably sourced materials.

2. What do you promise your customer? What do you want your customers to say about your business?

Armed with those responses, tell Chat-GPT that you are writing your Corporate Values for your business and state that you have answered these key questions already. Copy and paste the questions and answers into the prompt.

Advise that you want to arrive at up to five Corporate Values. Press ‘Send’.

The language model will generate a series of values and commentary that you can use as a starting point. If it is off track, look at the prompt and consider how you can make your request even clearer.

I ran this prompt through Chat-GPT and the following values were suggested (completely unedited):

Sustainability at the Core: We are committed to offering products that not only meet high quality standards but also reflect our dedication to sustainability. Our materials are responsibly sourced, and we continuously strive to minimize our environmental footprint to help our environmentally conscious customers achieve their goals.

Customer-Centric Excellence: Our commitment to exceptional customer service is unwavering. We promise accessible and transparent services that go beyond expectations. With 24-hour call centres and hassle-free returns, we prioritize the convenience and satisfaction of our customers.

Innovation for Impact: We embrace innovation to create products that truly stand out in the market. By pioneering new materials and manufacturing techniques, we offer customers a unique product that aligns with their values and aspirations.

Trust Through Transparency: We value trust and transparency in all our interactions. From clear information about returns and exchanges to open communication about our product sourcing and processes, we build strong relationships with our customers through honesty and openness.

Empowering Community: Beyond being a retailer, we are committed to building a community of like-minded individuals who share our values. We actively engage with our customers and partners to create a positive impact together, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose.

It’s a solid starting point, especially if you were unsure of where to even begin. The process doesn’t end here though.

Finalising your core values

It is now up to you to really hone your values so they become something meaningful, actionable and fitting, before you explore the behaviours that will support those values and those that will not.

This might take a little time.

Sleep on the values and look at them with fresh eyes the next day.

You will see opportunities to improve them each time until you feel that they represent you and your brand.

Defining behaviours to support your core values

Now it is time to consider how you can enact your core values – this the is the key to listing the behaviours.

In my experience it can be more productive to start with the unsupportive behaviour list. You will already know what a value does not ‘look’ like, but there may be more of a process to identify what it does.

If you’re stuck again, turn to AI for some inspiration.

Prompt the language-model with something like:

You are a CEO of a business (describe the business using the prompt you used when you developed the values). These are your Corporate Values (insert the values) and you must set a series of supportive and unsupportive behaviours to guide the team to deliver the promises made by the company.

Chat-GPT will provide a list of supportive and unsupportive behaviours that will serve as a great starting point.

Persist with this.

The result will be a snapshot of your brand and a guiding framework for success.

Integrating your core values

Your values can be integrated into all that you do and will be shining stars that inform everything you do. From your marketing and content creation activities to your client interactions and decisions on partners.

It is worth taking time to develop values that truly represent you and your goals.

Check out this clip on You Tube of Simon Sinek talking about leading with your values, as it really helps to bring this home.

The journey of defining and implementing your corporate values is a transformative process that shapes not only your business but also your leadership style and how you interact with clients and suppliers.

As you embark on this endeavour, remember that values are more than words on a wall or a website (if you choose to integrate them) – they are the heartbeat of your venture, resonating through every action, decision, and interaction.

The path may be challenging, but the rewards are real.

By fostering a culture built upon supportive behaviours, you’re laying the groundwork for a thriving and purpose-driven enterprise.

As you witness your values guiding your brand’s growth and influencing every facet of your business, you’ll realise that the investment of time and thought was absolutely worth it.

So, take a deep breath, embrace the journey, and let your values be the guiding light that leads you to a future of authentic success.

Good luck!

At Conscious Copy, we offer a unique perspective of business; working with clients to understand their goals and objectives before creating exceptional written copy to achieve their goals. 

After a 20+ year career in the corporate world,  Amy’s expertise culminates in a unique ability to support organisations to achieve their goals; even when they operate in complex and competitive environments.

Check us out on Facebook and Instagram, or if you’re new to the world of copywriting, visit our FAQs page to explore more: https://consciouscopy.com.au/faqs/.

If you’d like to get in touch, just scroll down and click on ‘Let’s Discuss Your Project’!