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Why does your firm exist? Two frameworks that helped define purpose at flinder
‘Purpose’ can sound a little fluffy until you see the impact: higher retention, loyal clients, stronger continuity and resilience. Great firms are built on more than technical skill. Here’s my take on how to define your ‘why’.
Alastair Barlow
July 18, 2026
Ask a firm owner why they set up their firm, and many will tell you it’s because they’re a qualified accountant - they have the skill, so what else would they do if they want to progress their career?
And while there’s undoubtedly some truth to that viewpoint, it’s also true that great businesses are motivated by purpose. I don’t necessarily mean an altruistic purpose, where you’re working for ‘the greater good’ of people and planet (although that’s great too!), but a purpose that explains why you started your firm and the difference you want to make in the market and with your clients.
Identify that purpose, communicate it, and you’ll find the right hires and land the right clients. Because as Simon Sinek is famous for saying: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”