The power of purpose

Ah, the holidays. It's the time of year we celebrate everything, and in particular the relationships in our lives: friends, family, coworkers, clients, our paper boy, and the non-profits that are closest to our hearts. The list is endless.

I wanted to take a moment to celebrate a recently formed relationship between Incite and a dynamic new organization called Startup Edmonton. Incite's core purpose is "To Help Leaders Thrive" – a spirit shared by the team at Startup Edmonton. As a Founding Partner, we are looking forward to some of the amazing projects Startup has in store for 2012 and how we can help them to succeed.

Who is Startup Edmonton, you ask?

• Their vision is: "To make Edmonton a hotbed for creativity and entrepreneurship."
• Their mission is "To amplify creative innovation and activate startups."
• Their goal is "To invest in 500 creative entrepreneurs over the next five years."

"By cultivating a community from which startups can emerge, Startup Edmonton is connecting creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs through events, mentorship, workspace, and accelerators."

These are powerful statements, and a reminder of one of the most important rules for any business: Be clear about your purpose.

Whether you represent a new social enterprise or a business whose doors have been open for 50 years, never lose sight of your message. Take the time to revisit it, craft it, or as Jeremy Gutsche of Trendhunter says: Relentlessly obsess about your story. It is the building block upon which you communicate value to your audience.

As you start to think about 2012 and all of its possibilities, here is a list of some of the initiatives Startup Edmonton has in store for you, including a great line up of TEDx Edmonton events.

Enjoy!