• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns

2

Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access

3

U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim

1

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns

2

Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access

3

U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim
Commentary

You Can’t Build a Successful Business Without This

By
Kunal Sood
Kunal Sood
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kunal Sood
Kunal Sood
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 3, 2017, 6:30 PM ET
Businessman sitting at desk working on computer
Businessman sitting at desk in high tech startup office working on computerPhotograph by Thomas Barwick via Getty Images

The Entrepreneur Insiders network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in America’s startup scene contribute answers to timely questions about entrepreneurship and careers. Today’s answer to the question, “What important lesson can transform every entrepreneur’s business for the better?” is written by Kunal Sood, founder and CXO of X Fellows, co-founder of Novus, part of the founding team at HaloDrop, and author of Exponential Happiness.

Being “exponential” can transform every entrepreneur’s business for the better. Being exponential means serving a cause greater than yourself. Building a business with a good bottom line and making yourself wealthy is one thing. But entrepreneurs who accomplish this goal usually ask, “What next?”

Exponential entrepreneurs are not only concerned with doing well, but doing good. Find your “why,” align it with your passion, and continually strive to inspire your team to build something that solves the world’s greatest challenges—that’s the only way to create the lasting impact that many entrepreneurs seek.

If your business is connected to information, water, energy, or health care, look for ways your company can improve the industry. Constantly striving to solve big challenges brings purpose to your work, and everyone connected to it.

Take Apple (AAPL), for instance. It holds the top spot on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list for the ninth year in a row. The company placed first in nine attribute categories. Bottom line: Apple goes beyond selling computers. The company is exponential. It’s purpose-driven. And it’s changed the way people live forever.

There’s an African Proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Exponential business leaders remove all egos to build stronger relationships with their team and like-minded innovators. You can build something much bigger than yourself—and faster—when you work together.

See also: 3 Myths Entrepreneurs Need to Stop Believing Right Now

Building a great business is a marathon. And it’s hard to keep pushing forward without a strong “why.” Knowing your purpose will propel anyone associated with your business forward. It acts as a moral compass, keeping everyone grounded and on course when the inevitable challenges of business arise. The pioneering entrepreneur Peter Diamandis says the best way to predict the future is to create it. If your team is excited about the future you are creating, you’ll be collectively unstoppable.

If this sounds compelling, you might be wondering about where to start. You first have to transform yourself from the inside out. Understand your purpose and share that throughout your organization. Then, you must create a culture that is service-orientated and mission-driven. Elon Musk is a good example. As the founder and CEO of SolarCity, Tesla Motors (TSLA), and SpaceX, he has a mission to change the world and humanity. Ensure that your business decisions are underpinned by moral courage, empathy, and compassion. Lastly, focus on leveraging breakthrough technologies to solve real-world problems in new markets.

 

For example, technology alone is just a tool to accelerate change. But when used to provide free Internet around the world or deliver medicine to the most impoverished economies, it becomes transformative. Not only does it save billions of lives, but technology also improves quality of life by increasing access and opportunity. Think about how different your life would be without Google (GOOG), WhatsApp, and Uber. These three platforms allow individuals to take charge of their health when illness strikes. Technology works.

Finally, being exponential may change your business, but more importantly, it will transform you as a leader. A powerful vision that inspires people to solve grand challenges and leverages technological innovation can allow your team to truly change the world, and feel incredible showing up to work each day. My mentor, David Roberts, founder of HaloDrop, explains it with this quote: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear; the brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.”

About the Authors
By Kunal Sood
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bethany Cianciolo
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Commentary

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Commentary

ravi
CommentaryWeather and forecasting
I spent 8 years flood-proofing a city. Capital markets are running out of time to take El Niño seriously
By Ravi S. BhallaJune 13, 2026
12 hours ago
herrin
CommentaryInfrastructure
America just committed $1.2 trillion to fix its infrastructure. We’re still flying blind
By Gregg HerrinJune 13, 2026
13 hours ago
cyber
Commentarycyber
Accenture cyber leads: why hiring more people won’t solve the cybersecurity talent gap
By Harpreet Sidhu and Vikram DesaiJune 13, 2026
14 hours ago
t
CommentaryHospitality
AI is making promises your brand never made. Hotels are paying the price
By Teresa MackintoshJune 13, 2026
14 hours ago
axel
CommentaryEntrepreneurship
Our budgeted $180 million year ended in the red after the Ukraine war. Here’s how we survived
By Axel SöderbergJune 13, 2026
17 hours ago
ss
CommentaryWorld Cup
‘Soccernomics’ co-author: FIFA’s ticket strategy isn’t price discovery, it’s a wealth filter
By Stefan Szymanski and The ConversationJune 12, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
By Sydney LakeJune 13, 2026
14 hours ago
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
AI
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
By Jeremy KahnJune 13, 2026
19 hours ago
U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim
Energy
U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim
By Jordan BlumJune 12, 2026
1 day ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 12, 2026
1 day ago
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
Success
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
By Catherina GioinoJune 11, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.