Six powerful companies with powerful mission statements.

Lynne Biddinger, Big Happy Brand

When companies truly walk their talk, the world listens to what they’re saying—these are the companies that aren’t afraid to define and live their brand.

Companies like this are the firms that navigate the choppy waters of business without selling their soul. They’re real. They are the businesses we admire, remember and are proud to support.

There is a lot to learn from companies that do this well. As any business owner knows, it is not always easy to do, especially when times are tough.

Shrinking margins, increasing competition – there seems to be an unending set of challenges for businesses to face. Smart leaders know that these challenges will never stop, and that establishing and sticking to your original mission will instill strength in you, your employees and your customers.

I have compiled a list of six companies that have done a great job at staying true to their core beliefs—and have used these beliefs to come out strong after one of the hardest economic downturns in the last century.

  1. Trader Joe’s

I can’t think of a time when I have gone into a Trader Joe’s and not felt better when I walked out. Whether it was trying a new food, buying an (affordable) orchid, or sharing some happy banter with a cashier, I always leave the store feeling a little happier.

When you read their mission you’ll see why this is no accident:

“The mission of Trader Joe’s is to give our customers the best food and beverage values that they can find anywhere and to provide them with the information required to make informed buying decisions. We provide these with a dedication to the highest quality of customer satisfaction delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, fun, individual pride, and company spirit.”

Trader Joe’s truly lives their mission, and it shows.

  1. Patagonia

Patagonia is so deeply aligned with their mission I sometimes think they would close their doors before compromising on their principles.

Their mission statement starts out:

“Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”

It goes on to describe the company’s “Reason for Being” which captures the true spirit of the company in the most beautifully honest and authentic way. To read the entire mission statement

And if you don’t feel like reading it, check out the way they walk their talk with their “don’t buy this jacket” campaign.

  1. Burning Man

While many people think of Burning Man as a drug-fueled, clothing-optional party in the desert, what they might not know is that this annual festival of approximately 60,000 people (including Elon Musk and Larry Page, among others) is held together by a very clearly defined set of cultural values that guides participants in how to behave during their time there. They call this their “10 principles of Burning Man.” They are:

  1. Radical Inclusion
  2. Gifting
  3. Decommodification
  4. Radical Self-reliance
  5. Radical Self-expression
  6. Communal Effort
  7. Civic Responsibility
  8. Leaving No Trace
  9. Participation
  10. Immediacy

For a more complete definition of these principles

While the above companies are large, national and international organizations, many of our homegrown SLO companies are also doing an inspiring job of sharing their core beliefs. Three of my favorites include:

Meathead Movers

Our founding principle is to support student athletes working their way through college in pursuit of their own American dream….

MindBody Online

Leveraging technology to improve the health and wellness of the world.

Farm Supply Company

To provide quality products and extraordinary customer service, ensuring that every customer that enters one of our stores leaves feeling better than when they arrived.

So, do you know your mission statement?


For more than 20 years Lynne Biddinger has worked under the belief that the greatest predictor of success does not come from advertising or marketing messages, but from the values, beliefs and actions of the people behind the organizations. Her new venture, is Big Happy Brand.