Apple Growth Partners

Our Role as Business Leaders in Our Community

Healthy Growth Blog

By Brandon Fredericks, CPA | Principal
May 19, 2021

We have all heard the old saying that time is the most valuable commodity. As a leader, it can often feel as though our plates are so full that we have little time for anything else. However, I encourage you to consider the value of becoming an active leader in your community. With so much energy, discussions and action happening, you have the ability to leave a lasting legacy.

Serving your community serves you.

The benefits of supporting the community not only come to the organizations you support, but also to you, your employees, and your organization as a whole.

More and more, employees are seeking to work for companies whose mission and values align with their own. Studies show that employees feel it is important for companies to be philanthropic. On top of that, surveys have also shown that corporate philanthropy improves company culture and employee engagement, and that employees are happier when they work for charitable companies.

Corporate social responsibility often comes with improved business reputation and increased customer loyalty and name recognition, benefiting your entire organization and bottom line.

As charitable people, we assist without the expectation of personal gain, but it certainly comes with its own rewards. Becoming involved in your community naturally expands your network, builds respect, and strengthens your reputation as a leader.

Your community invests in your business, so you should invest in your community.

What better way to give back to the people who have supported your business than investing in your community? Nonprofits do so much to help our communities, but they can’t do it alone.

The skills that now feel like second nature to you are invaluable to your community and nonprofit organizations. As a leader, you have vision, can spot potential improvements, are a problem solver, are accustomed to making tough decisions and are resourceful. Your business, skills and expertise can be agents of change for your community.

As you think about “how can I help?,” I would encourage you to do some reflection and ask the ones closest to you about the skillset and tools you bring to the table every day. The very same skillsets and tools valuable to your organization are the ones sought after by our communities. Becoming an extension of that person into your community helps strengthen that community and social effort.