find your why: a sustainable business vision for e-⁠residents

Launching and growing a business is a purposeful journey, so find your “why" for long-term stability and growth

The "why" concept, popularised by Simon Sinek, reminds us that businesses with a clear purpose and motivation achieve more than just profits. These companies inspire trust in their employees and partners, loyalty from customers, and long-term financial growth. When you find your “why”, you will have the foundation for building a business that aligns with your values, attracts like-minded customers, and remains resilient in challenging times.

For e-⁠residents of Estonia, this principle has a unique relevance. Operating in a digital-first, global landscape requires more than a good business model. Success depends on clear motivation and a compelling brand story that will resonate with an international audience. 

By combining the flexibility of Estonia’s digital business environment with a purposeful approach, e-⁠residents can create ventures that are not just profitable, but meaningful as well.

What does ‘find your why’ really mean in business?

Simon Sinek’s approach to “why” serves as a starting point, but understanding its deeper implications requires connecting purpose, mission, and values to tangible business outcomes. For entrepreneurs - especially solopreneurs without the support of a team or board - having a clear vision isn’t just about inspiration. It’s a strategic tool that guides daily decisions and long-term goals.

At its core, your “why” is the reason your business exists, beyond making money.

It’s about identifying the unique value you bring to the world, and the impact you hope to create. 

When this purpose aligns with your business mission and values, it becomes a compass you can follow, even when the map might get redrawn by factors outside your control. When you find your “why”, you can prioritise opportunities and maintain focus, even when big challenges arise.

E-⁠Residency is a powerful enabler of these ambitions.

Entrepreneurs like ImpactBuilder’s Jan Lagast are driven by the need to create change in the way the world does business, an ambition on a par with the e-⁠Residency programme itself. 

Smobya’s Lidia Kuti isn’t about a new way to create textiles, it’s about changing the way the entire production cycle is managed and made sustainable. 

Julian Maier’s URBN Tiger wants to tackle the huge problem of stress and workplace wellness, through the fundamental vector of our breath.

In all of these examples, the businesses reflect vast, overarching visions for change, and each has identified their role in that “why” - or their ‘grain of sand’ (as my Spanish neighbours would say).

Communicating your ‘why’

To "find your why” (and understand it) is only the first step. Effectively communicating it is where the magic happens. For entrepreneurs, sharing your purpose with a global audience is an opportunity to build trust, inspire loyalty, and set your business apart in a crowded marketplace. 

Your story becomes the bridge that connects your vision with the people who matter most—customers, partners, investors, and collaborators.

Brand storytelling matters

Authenticity has become a non-negotiable element of effective marketing communication, with modern consumers increasingly drawn to businesses that reflect their values and purpose. 

Younger generations, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, are far more likely to engage with brands that take a stand on social or environmental issues.  Edelman Trust Barometer found that 73% of consumers expect companies to act for the good of society, with 62% of Gen Z preferring to purchase from brands aligned with their beliefs. These shifting expectations as generations move through the consumer lifecycle make sharing your ‘why’ more than a nice-to-have, it becomes an essential element of your communication strategy.

For e-⁠residents operating in diverse global markets, this presents a powerful opportunity. Sharing a genuine narrative that embodies your “why” can help your business to stand out, and create deep connections with audiences across cultures and geographies. By resonating with customers on a personal level wherever they are located, your story can transform transactional relationships into long-term loyalty, 

The digital business ecosystem that Estonia offers, characterised by efficiency, transparency, and innovation, provides a solid foundation for showcasing your credibility. Beyond that, your status as a borderless entrepreneur lends itself to stories of flexibility, ambition, and global connection–making. It's so easy to connect your ‘why’ to your e-⁠Residency status if you choose. Such connections could involve highlighting the seamless digital tools you use, the international audience you serve, or your commitment to sustainable, remote-first practices.

And who knows, they may even lead to you being featured in this publication one day!

Practical tips for sharing your ‘why’ as an Estonian e-⁠resident

• Be authentic: Share your journey honestly, including challenges and lessons learned. Audiences appreciate transparency and relatability, and connecting with the humans behind the brand.
• Tailor your story: Adjust your narrative to suit different platforms and audiences. A LinkedIn post might focus on professional milestones, while an Instagram reel could highlight the personal motivations behind your work.
• Show, don’t tell: Use visuals, testimonials, and examples to bring your “why” to life. Whether it’s a behind-the-scenes video, customer feedback, or a case study, these elements make your story more tangible.
• Blend purpose with marketing carefully: While your “why” can be a powerful marketing tool, avoid making it feel overly commercial, or contrived, or bandwagon-jumping. Authenticity should always come first. Hot take: Your brand doesn’t always have to have a hot take, about every issue.
• Lean in to Estonia’s global reputation: As an e-⁠resident, you’re part of a trusted and innovative digital-native community. Highlighting this connection can boost your credibility and reinforce your story.

Evolving and growing your business and your ‘why’

Your purpose as an entrepreneur is not set in stone. It grows and evolves alongside your business, shaped by experience, market feedback, and personal development. For e-⁠residents, the agility of running a digital, borderless business offers unique opportunities to refine your “why” over time, allowing you to stay aligned with both your goals and the needs of your audience.

Purpose may not be clear at the start

Many entrepreneurs begin their journey with a general sense of motivation, but without a fully articulated mission. This is natural and even beneficial. Testing ideas, experimenting with approaches, and listening to customer feedback, are all essential parts of discovering and defining a purpose, one that resonates deeply with you and your audience. It’s part of finding that all-important product-market fit in a commercial world, where your vision gets tested by the realities of making a profit.

E-⁠residents often work in fast-changing, international environments, which means their businesses must adapt to diverse market dynamics. Your “why” may emerge more clearly as you respond to these challenges and refine your offerings. What starts as a passion project could evolve into a mission-driven enterprise focused on creating social or environmental impact.

Or unforeseen external factors could change everything…

Adapting purpose when the world turns upside down

5 years ago, the new year and decade meant that I was celebrating my 20-year anniversary of working from home, and I had an outline accepted for a book called ‘Healthy Happy Homeworking.’ Everything was lining up for an amazing year, where I would share my experiences on stages around the world–because what more could I possibly have to learn about working from home?

Within a few months, as we all know, the world had turned upside down, and WFH had become a nightmare nemesis for many. My agent went bust, the TED circuit shut down, and no-one wanted to read big books anyway… Isn’t hindsight a kicker?

I pivoted the “HHH” project into a blog and some shorter self-published guides, but within a year or so it was clear that the whole idea of working from home had become so negatively connoted.

As the world unlocked, it was all about digital nomadism and work from anywhere… because who wants to be locked down in a home office?

So, Remote Work Spain, and ultimately Remote Work Europe, was the tangible outcome. 

But my ‘why’ underlying it all remained unchanged. After leaving somebody else’s office for the final time in the previous millennium, I wanted to help as many people as possible to do the same, and enjoy the freedom and autonomy that results.

Today that means writing about borderless businesses and digital nomad visas, helping organisations troubleshoot asynchronous collaboration protocols and choose the right collaboration tech stack, while supporting people to navigate the remote jobs marketplace. And while the details continue to evolve, the compass direction stays clear.

Challenges of being driven by your “why”

As I strive to figure out the mix of activities in Remote Work Europe, I am reminded that balancing purpose with profitability is a delicate act for many entrepreneurs, particularly solopreneurs and small business owners.

While having a strong “why” can provide focus and motivation, there is a risk of prioritising purpose at the expense of financial viability. I would love to provide free career coaching to every desperate case in my inbox, but I simply can’t - so I try to prioritise one-to-many communications that will impact as many people as possible. 

It’s easy for any mission-driven business to underprice services to remain accessible, or overinvest in initiatives that resonate with values but don’t generate revenue. This tension can be especially pronounced in sectors like social enterprise or sustainability, where aligning impact with income is critical. 

Ultimately, businesses exist to make a profit, and founders have to eat… The flexibility offered by Estonia’s e-⁠Residency ecosystem is a significant advantage, but it also requires careful planning to ensure that your vision aligns with a sustainable business model. Entrepreneurs must ask themselves tough questions, like:

Are you running a business or a charity?

Is your “why” a viable foundation for growth, or does it need recalibration to balance impact and profit?

Finding harmony between purpose and profitability requires clear boundaries and intentional decision-making. It’s about staying true to your mission while recognising when to adapt, pivot, or compromise to maintain commercial viability. This is essential for sustainable success.

Find your why: aligning purpose with action

Defining your “why” is more than an inspiring exercise for a team awayday—it’s a strategic anchor for your business. And for Estonian e-⁠residents, purpose is a compass that guides decision-making and sets your venture apart in a competitive, digital-first world. By staying connected to your mission and values, you can build a brand that resonates with global audiences, inspires trust, and drives sustainable growth.

However, purpose must be paired with practicality. Balancing your vision with profitability, revisiting your goals as circumstances evolve, and maintaining authenticity in your communications are essential steps on this journey.

The e-⁠Residency ecosystem provides the tools, resources, and flexibility to help entrepreneurs succeed, but it’s your clarity of purpose that will transform these opportunities into meaningful outcomes.

Take time to find your why and reflect on how it influences your daily activities and decisions. Whether you’re revisiting your mission, refining your brand story, or navigating the balance between impact and income, remember that purpose is a dynamic force. 

Align it with action, and you’ll have a foundation for a business that thrives in both meaning and success.