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Hello. I’m President Yasui, running a solo business that primarily inspects high-pressure gas equipment.
I recently listened on Audible to “Brand: 48 Lessons to Discover Your Value” by Matsuo Iwata, former CEO of Starbucks Coffee Japan. His other bestseller, “Mission: The Reason for Working Taught by the Former Starbucks CEO”, is also quite inspiring and energizing.
If you've ever been to Starbucks, you probably noticed how lively and enthusiastic the staff are. Smiles are standard at every location, and as soon as you’re eyeing the coffee beans, someone is there to help—even if you're not looking for it (haha).
Starbucks has a reputation for comfort. People often linger, and the spacious layout of the stores allows you to stay with just one or two cups of coffee without feeling pressured. The environment rarely gets too crowded, especially on weekday afternoons.
Company branding.
Enjoying great coffee in a comfortable setting.
Spending time at your usual store where your heart can relax.
I personally like Starbucks. The height of the tables and chairs is perfect for work, and in winter, when I’m not on-site, I sometimes use Starbucks as my office.
Providing such a cozy space to the public—this is how a company contributes to society.
So what is our own company’s mission?
What must we do today to achieve that mission, and how should we act going forward?
The reason a company exists is to contribute to society.
But how can our company achieve that? What do we want to achieve?
Let’s take a look at our industry.
Through our maintenance services, we might aim to:
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Prevent malfunctions that could affect production;
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Respond promptly and properly when issues do arise to ensure quick recovery;
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Adapt to declining labor availability by refining procedures and maintaining proper pricing even as we handle the same volume of orders.
These sound good on paper.
But in reality, we often face the “easier said than done” problem.
Sometimes maintenance itself can cause new issues—it’s not always 100% avoidable.
Keeping fair pricing is important, but not if it threatens our company’s survival.
Proposing excessive maintenance just to prevent problems isn't right either.
So, how do we act—how do we state our mission?
To provide proper services, a certain level of knowledge is necessary.
What is fair pricing?
We need to cover our costs, sustain the business, and continue contributing to society—so we also need to stay informed about money and economics.
But to chase profit by pushing unnecessary services? That would be unethical.
We must avoid becoming “evil.”
Achieving our mission also requires personal growth as human beings.
A company offers value to society through its mission—but it also helps its people grow.
Even if a company has a noble mission, it can become just empty words or fall into ritual without meaning.
That said, with more entrepreneurs now keen to learn and grow, such failures may be less common.
Still, as humans, we forget things unless we stay conscious of them.
To improve society through a company’s values and vision, we must consistently communicate those thoughts to everyone involved.
What is our mission?
How should we behave to fulfill it?
It’s time to ask ourselves again.
See you next time!
(And finally, please give this a click below♪)
[Blog Ranking – Management Blog]
[Blog Ranking]
