🎯 Ikigai for Business: Aligning Purpose and Profit

Why I’ll never write a mission statement again without this framework.

Ikigai for Business: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Founders

Before we get into strategy, let me share something personal—because for me, this didn’t begin with business. It started with a book.

Years ago, I picked up a title on a Japanese concept I’d never heard of before: Ikigai—a word that translates loosely to “a reason for being.” I didn’t expect much. But the more I read, the more it resonated. There was something profound in its simplicity. The idea that life could be guided by the intersection of four things: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and—added more recently in the Western interpretation—what you can be paid for. I found myself reflecting on it not just as a framework, but as a kind of compass. It shifted something in me.

I later had the privilege of meeting the author of that book, and the conversation only deepened my belief that Ikigai wasn’t just useful—it was transformative. I started applying it in my own life, almost instinctively. And then, slowly but surely, I started encouraging those closest to me—co-founders, colleagues, friends—to do the same. The breakthrough came when I began asking:

“What if this wasn’t just for people? What if we could use Ikigai to build better companies—companies that lasted, inspired, and actually meant something?”

That question became a two-decade journey. And this model—along with the commentary that follows—is the result.

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🌸 What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a centuries-old Japanese philosophy centred on purpose—on finding the overlap between what fulfills us and what contributes meaningfully to the world. Traditionally, it’s visualized as the intersection of three essential elements:

1. What you love: Your passions and joys.

2. What you are good at: Your skills, strengths, and gifts.

3. What the world needs: Where you can create impact and serve others.

As the idea spread to the West, a fourth dimension was added:

4. What you can be paid for: The practical reality of building value in the world.

Where all four circles meet—that’s Ikigai. It’s not just about happiness. It’s about meaning. Fulfilment. Direction.

And while many people use it to map out personal purpose, I saw something more: I saw the potential to turn it into a business framework. A way to help companies grow with both purpose and profit baked in from day one.

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💡 From Philosophy to Framework

The first time I used this framework in a startup setting, I didn’t even tell the founders it was Ikigai. I just asked four questions:

• What do you really want to achieve here?

• What do you do better than anyone else?

• Can this thing work, operationally and financially?

• Is there genuine, urgent customer demand?

Their eyes lit up. Within 90 minutes, we’d unlocked clarity that hadn’t emerged from three months of pitch deck rewrites.

That was the moment I knew we were onto something.

So I began refining it—mapping the four traditional spheres onto four business domains:

1. Vision: What your business aspires to achieve.

2. Advantage: What makes you better or different.

3. Viability: Can it be sustained over time?

4. Demand: Do people want or need this?

The illustration that accompanies this post is the result of 20 years of evolving this thinking. This is Business Ikigai—the strategic intersection of purpose and practicality.

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🔍 Vision: Your Long-Term Why

Vision is where it all begins—and too often, where companies get vague. I’ve seen decks filled with jargon, yet devoid of soul. If your vision doesn’t feel personal, it won’t last.

One founder I worked with started out saying:

“We help teams manage cloud infrastructure more efficiently.”

It was fine. But it didn’t move anyone—not the team, not the customers, not even the founder.

So we went deeper. And what emerged was this:

“We help engineers sleep through the night without being paged.”

Now that had clarity. Purpose. Empathy.

Your vision should be long-term and emotionally resonant. Ask yourself:

• What legacy do I want this business to leave?

• If it failed tomorrow, would I still be proud of the work?

• Does it reflect my values—not just the market trend?

When you answer honestly, Vision becomes a North Star.

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⚡ Advantage: Your Unfair Edge

In crowded markets, Advantage is survival. It’s what sets you apart—not just now, but as things get tougher.

It could be:

• Proprietary tech

• Unique data

• Fast iteration cycles

• Deep trust with customers

• Cultural momentum

I’ve worked with a startup whose only edge was empathy. They responded to every support request in under an hour, even as they scaled. That built trust—and turned users into advocates.

Advantage doesn’t need to be flashy. It needs to be real.

Ask:

• What do we do better than anyone else?

• What would be hard for competitors to copy?

• How does our edge grow stronger over time?

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💸 Viability: Can This Work Long-Term?

Viability is the difference between a project and a business.

I’ve seen founders ignore this, thinking passion alone would carry them. But without a sustainable model—revenue, margins, scalable operations—it all falls apart.

Track:

• CAC

• LTV

• Payback

• Churn

• Burn multiple

Ask:

• Are your margins healthy?

• Can your ops team scale delivery?

• Are your unit economics moving in the right direction?

Viability is where clarity becomes discipline.

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🔥 Demand: Do People Want This?

This is the heartbeat of any real business. You can’t fake Demand.

We coach founders to run customer interviews obsessively. Validate pain points. Test urgency. Get rejection—early and often.

If people say “that’s interesting,” dig deeper. You want “take my money” energy, not polite nods.

One founder pivoted from a broad data platform to a tool that helped fintechs comply with KYC laws. Revenue exploded—because the pain was real and the need was now.

Ask:

• What pain are we solving?

• Who feels it most acutely?

• Will they pay to make it go away?

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🧭 Putting It All Together

Here’s how to use Business Ikigai in practice:

1. Run the Workshop

Get your co-founders or leadership team in a room. Map each quadrant:

• Vision

• Advantage

• Viability

• Demand

Stickies. Whiteboards. Go messy.

2. Find the Intersection

Where’s the alignment? What feels like the true heart of the business? That’s your Ikigai.

3. Operationalize It

Use your Ikigai to guide:

• Hiring

• Product decisions

• Messaging

• Fundraising

• Strategy

Make it a living framework, not just a one-off exercise.

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💬 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Vision without Viability: You inspire people… then go broke.

• Advantage without Demand: Cool tech, no traction.

• Viability without Vision: Solid business, no soul.

• Demand without Differentiation: Chasing trends, easily replaced.

The power is in the overlap. That’s the sweet spot.

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🚀 Why This Matters (Now More Than Ever)

The startup world is noisy. Strategy frameworks come and go. AI. Web3. GTM motions. ICPs. PLG. You name it.

But Ikigai? It’s timeless.

It brings you back to centre. Helps you say no to distractions. Helps your team move with clarity and courage.

And in a world that rewards velocity over depth, that might be your real edge.

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❤️ Final Thoughts

This framework has guided me through two decades of building and backing startups. It’s helped us raise money, rally teams, kill bad ideas early, and double down on the right ones.

I’ve seen it create alignment where chaos reigned. I’ve watched founders rediscover why they started. And I’ve used it—quietly, repeatedly—to bring companies back from the brink.

Ikigai changed my life. This version? It might just change your company.

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📌 Want to go deeper?

Message me. I’d love to help you map your own Business Ikigai.

And if you haven’t already, grab a copy of The Go-To-Market Handbook for B2B Software Leaders—it’s filled with stories, tactics, and truth from founders who’ve walked the hard path.

Here’s to purpose, profit, and clarity.

—Chris

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