Lying awake at 2am, my mind whirled with a thousand thoughts. Sleepless nights are all too familiar to me as the founder of Alaray Creative, a design and marketing firm. Whether it’s the nerves before a big launch, challenging project deadlines, or the dread of a tough conversation – the list goes on. But this night was of a much different tone – I was excited – so excited I couldn’t shut off my brain because of a BIG idea for Alaray to act on our company mission.

 

Though, roughly five months later, on the eve of this idea’s launch, I would lie awake staring at the same ceiling, at the same hours of the night, and that excitement would be long gone. No longer would I want this idea to happen.

 

This is my reflection on the tumultuous journey of keeping my company’s mission at the forefront of business decisions. As Alaray Creative’s Founder, I found myself locked in a battle with our mission during our inaugural year of launching a charitable organization give back campaign, called “Pass the Impact.” With the tagline “Your Community. Your Choice. Our Giving.”, Pass the Impact allowed our clients to choose a charitable organization for Alaray to support at no additional cost to them. The amount Alaray donated was a percentage of the total amount the client paid to Alaray for the year. To illustrate my struggling journey with Alaray’s mission with this campaign, I use an analogy with eight distinct steps, like stepping on rocks to cross a river. Spoiler – there’s gonna be a splash.

 

Step 1: Forming the Idea

This step filled me with excited wonder as I approached the riverbank and suddenly discovered a convenient path of stepping stones to cross. My anticipation grew as I eagerly looked forward to what awaited me on the other side.

Alaray’s mission is to do good work with beautiful impact. This spans  three areas: clients, team members, and communities, with the goal of intersecting these areas. We’ve created initiatives to better overlap team members and communities and clients and team members, but the area lacking most was clients and communities. Throughout the first half of 2023, I kept asking, “How does Alaray make an impact on numerous communities nationwide?”

 

Finally, one sleepless night the answer clicked: Alaray should support communities where our clients are based. We will work with our clients to impact their communities at year end by donating to an organization of their choice. This donation amount will be based on a percentage of their total paid to Alaray for our work throughout the year.

 

As a result of the specific “clicking moment,” I’m certain my brain was a giant firework show – just like in the cartoons. I laid awake for another hour because I was too excited to fall back asleep. The chance to create beautiful impact through Alaray beyond just project tasks is what truly fuels my passion as a small business owner. I couldn’t wait to get Alaray started on this.

 

Step 2: Asking for Advice

My second step was a breezy start, filled with a sense of adventure. I stepped off the river bank onto a large, dry rock, secure and close to the shore.

First, if Alaray was going to undertake this initiative, we were committed to doing it right. Having never organized such a project, I was aware of my limitations and the complexities involved. With a diverse client base and a myriad of charitable causes, it was crucial to ensure this initiative had a beautiful impact for all involved.

 

And so, I reached out to a former colleague who had spearheaded the charitable efforts at a previous company. Over Zoom, I asked a lot of questions about their decision-making and experience. This conversation helped provide a starting foundation, words of advice, and a challenge for Alaray to define parameters on what the charity organization options would be based on. 

 

Step 3: Declaring Alaray’s Why

This step involved moving from one large, stable rock to another. The river deepened slightly, fueling my excitement about our destination.

Next was mapping out an internal plan to execute. This initiative was going to be a team effort including Korte, Alaray’s Senior Graphic Designer, Ashley, Alaray’s marketing contractor, and myself. To effectively share my vision for our meeting, my goal was to define WHY Alaray is doing this.

 

A significant driving force behind my creation of Alaray was the potential for impact on the greater good, extending our impact beyond our services. The idea of “greater good” is complex, but I focus on how good acts can lead to other positive impacts, or one could say beautiful impacts. For instance, getting involved in the community or creating a positive work environment can lead to better home life, mental health, relationships, and ultimately benefit communities and so on.

 

Over a year ago, Korte shared verynice, a social enterprise that donates half of their services for free. I was blown away, how were do they able do this? This concept, coupled with my past experiences with philanthropy in larger organizations, sparked a desire to extend Alaray’s mission beyond everyday tasks, despite our limited scale. While we can’t match the scale of donating half our time pro bono or sponsoring large nonprofit projects, we know we can start somewhere.

 

As Alaray’s Founder, I’m cautious about using arbitrary factors like employee count, client numbers, income targets, project completions/deadlines, as excuses to delay or compromise on our mission. In response, during 2023, Alaray embraced “starting somewhere” by undertaking multiple pro bono projects and setting aside days for volunteering. And so, as for our “why?” Because it’s what we say we do.

 

Step 4: Passing the Impact

Leaping onto the third rock felt like a burst of joy, akin to a child splashing in a puddle with a beaming smile. I was thoroughly enjoying the journey.

After our plan came action. Korte and Ashley took the initial vision and pushed it even farther – the three of us had so much fun brainstorming different ideas. Everyone’s skills and strengths were flexed, and with combined efforts, it evolved into something greater than I imagined. We divided up tasks, defined deadlines, and coined the initiative’s name: Pass the Impact.

I was excited.

I was proud.

I was amazed at what we had put together.

 

Step 5: Committing to the Cause

Approaching the next rock, smaller and farther than the previous ones, the water grew deeper. As I reached out, uncertainty crept in about the rock’s stability, leading to a hesitant step.

Once launch was a couple weeks away, I was reviewing designs with the final copy for Pass the Impact: “Alaray Creative will contribute 2% of the total amount you’ve paid in 2023…”

 

I heard in my mind “change it to 5%”

 

What was that? I dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. This is how the next few days would go for me:

• Eating dinner with friends: “5%” rang in my mind.
• Hiking in the woods: “5%” popped into my mind.
• Watching an unbelievable football game between Alabama and Auburn with my husband, Grey: “5%” somehow prioritized my thoughts.

 

I told myself, “This is the first year of Pass the Impact – if it’s successful, then next year we can raise the percentage.”

 

And then the red flag went up.

 

Immediately I was reminded, I was the one who said:

• I’m cautious about using arbitrary factors as excuses to delay or compromise on our mission.
• We start now.

 

Now, I saw that red flag go up and it still didn’t convince me to change it to 5%.

 

Step 6: Splash

My attempt at the next step unfolded dramatically: stretching my foot towards the rock, it unexpectedly shifted, sending me into an uncontrolled flail. A startled scream escaped as I plunged face-first into the cold, rushing water, soaking me completely. If there were people watching they would have nervously laughed and whispered, “That looked like it hurt.”

As the final days before Pass the Impact’s launch approached, I wrestled with increasing the percentage. The more I fought, the more apparent it became.

 

You see, Alaray is one of my proudest accomplishments, yet also one of my greatest challenges. Since committing to this venture, it has been a tremendous leap of faith, deeply rooted in my trust in God. It’s been an uncomfortable, exhilarating ride full of joy, hard lessons, laughter, difficulty, friendships, and everything in between. I’ve learned all I can do is hold to what is true and cry, scream, laugh, and smile through it all (all which have happened at different points – and occasionally, all at once).

 

Alaray has made it this far – why not take one more leap of faith?

 

So 5% it was.

 

Nevertheless, I wish changing the percentage is something I did with a big grin on my face. It wasn’t. The night before the launch I told Grey, I didn’t know if I was making a bad business decision, but whatever happened, I knew Alaray had to do it.

 

That night, I laid awake staring at the ceiling thinking how this wasn’t something I wanted to do anymore. It felt like falling face first into the cold water.

 

Step 7: Making the Contribution

Rising from the river, drenched and cold, I moved to the next rock. It wobbled slightly under my feet, but I remained steady. Water sloshed in my shoes, my clothes clung to me, and the initial thrill of adventure had faded into a frustrated, ‘Why am I doing this?’

81% of our clients participated in Pass the Impact and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. One client mentioned plans to adopt a similar approach in their business next year. Another client shared that their entire team took a vote of where their contribution would go. Others shared they saw this an extension of their own mission within Alaray’s.

 

On December 30th, I fulfilled Alaray’s commitment by donating the pledged amounts to the organizations our clients chose. For clients who didn’t participate, Alaray made contributions to organizations with the allotted amounts. While I’m fully aware money isn’t going to solve the world’s problems, Alaray’s belief is that these contributions will make a beautiful impact – even if it’s a small one. 

 

Unexpectedly though, Pass the Impact’s contributions made a large impact on me – furthering my judgment, values, and commitment to Alaray’s mission. I didn’t compromise, but wow was it difficult. The outcome was far better than I had ever envisioned, largely thanks to Korte’s and Ashley’s ideas and efforts. In its first year of Pass the Impact, Alaray did what we had said. We started. We acted. We did it.  

 

Step 8: The Other Side/Conclusion

Finally, I stepped from the last rock, landing on the opposite river bank. Still wet and cold, I turned to view my starting point. Despite the discomfort, there it was – a moment of triumph. I made it.

In closing, I share these reflections to offer a candid glimpse into the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies living out a mission, be it personal or professional. This isn’t about financial generosity.

 

My point is that living out your mission in whatever setting is a conscious choice, often with challenges. At times, Alaray’s mission has led me to exhilarating highs, like sharing our work and culture, and daunting lows, like making tough business decisions. Pass the Impact has been an embodiment of both highs and lows.

 

Naturally, “mission choice moments” vary for everyone. You will likely have your own mix of straightforward and complex decisions when it comes to following through with your mission. Examples could be:

• Choosing to spend time with your family/loved ones over work or other obligations because you treasure them as a top priority.
• Deciding to go for counseling or therapy because you’re committed to working through things to be the best version of yourself.
• Recognizing everyone’s contribution in a project publicly – especially if someone thinks you did it all alone because you value collaboration and giving credit where it’s due.
• Listening to and reflecting on ideas, feelings, and beliefs different from your own because you believe in respect and compassion.
• Turning down an opportunity that looks good on paper but doesn’t feel right because you said you would stay true to your integrity.
• Apologizing and acknowledging where you messed up or fell short because you value honesty and transparency.

 

In the end, you are the one to choose how you act. You decide the next rock to commit to in your journey. And if you fall in the river– will you head back to where you came from? Or will you commit to follow through to the other side where your mission had you pointed?