MO | Edition 2 – The Modern Identity: Build from the Core
Hey there —
Last week, we talked about the Rhythm of Growth — how companies grow fastest when they cycle between bold vision and focused execution.
This week, we’re zooming in on something foundational:
Your Modern Identity — the most overlooked strategic tool in business.
Let’s get into it.
Why the Modern Identity Matters
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
– Proverbs 29:18
Most companies have some version of a mission, values, or vision — but let’s be honest: the old way of doing this is broken.
The Old Way looks like this: someone writes a mission statement during a planning session, tosses it into an employee handbook, and it never sees the light of day again.
It’s outdated, ignored, and completely disconnected from the daily work of the team.
The Modern Way is radically different — and far more effective.
The Modern Identity is a living, breathing system that sits at the center of your business.
It’s not buried in a drawer — it’s displayed where the team sees it.
It’s reviewed and sharpened regularly by leadership.
It guides decisions, aligns teams, informs hiring, and shapes culture. It becomes a tool — not just a statement — for performance, growth, and clarity.
If you want a business that grows with alignment, clarity, and momentum, you need a Modern Identity — not a forgotten paragraph in a dusty playbook.
When companies skip this work, we see the same issues again and again:
They try to do too many things.
They try to be too many things to too many people.
They try to make everyone happy.
The staff gets confused — pulled in different directions.
The leadership team isn’t fully aligned.
Decisions get made in isolation instead of from shared clarity.
Growth stalls… or becomes chaotic and exhausting.
And worst of all?
The founder starts to feel disconnected from the business they built.
That’s exactly why the very first thing we do with every client is help them build their Modern Identity.
What Is the Modern Identity?
It’s not a vision board.
It’s not a business plan.
It’s not your “10-year goals.”
It’s the foundational layer under all of that.
It helps you clearly define:
Who you are
Why you exist
What you do (and don’t do)
What makes you different
How people should feel when they experience your brand
When done right, it becomes a compass for the entire company — not just for the founder, but for the team.
Let’s look at an example from a fictional company we created called Summit Outdoors.
Example: Summit Outdoors Modern Identity
Our example company does $2.6M a year, they build rugged, innovative gear for outdoor adventurers: solar power, satellite comms, lighting, and emergency radios.
Here’s what their Modern Identity looks like:
The Cause (Core Mission):
We exist to give outdoor adventurers the confidence to explore further — with gear that keeps them connected, powered, and safe.
The Lane (Core Niche):
We design tech gear for off-grid adventurers — power, comms, lighting, and safety.
The Code (Core Values):
Built for the Wild.
Simple Wins.
Trust Is Everything.
Push Further.
Leave No Trace.
The Edge (Brand Differentiator):
We blend adventure-tested gear with intuitive design — built by real outdoor users, not just engineers.
The Vibe (Core Feeling):
Empowered. Prepared. Free.
The Line (Tagline):
Gear that powers your wild.
The Flow (Customer Journey):
Discover – Reach curious adventurers through content, retail, and community.
Decide – Offer clear education, tools, and trust to help them choose gear.
Depend – Deliver rugged, intuitive performance that earns loyalty.
Return & Refer – Reward repeat buyers and referrals through community and UGC.
This Modern Identity becomes the lens for everything they do — from product development to marketing, hiring, and partnerships.
How To Build and Live Your Modern Identity
Step 1: Block the Time
Set aside 90 minutes this week with your leadership team (or just yourself if you’re solo).
No distractions. This isn’t ops. This is the work on your business that makes everything else better.
Open your calendar right now and lock it in.
Step 2: Ask the Right Questions
Use these prompts to start uncovering your identity:
Why do we exist? (Beyond profit — what change do we want to create?)
What do we really do better than anyone else?
How do we want customers and team members to feel when they interact with us?
What do we never want to compromise — even as we grow?
Capture your answers in writing. Speak them out loud.
You’re not trying to make it perfect — you’re trying to make it real.
Step 3: Refine Together
Bring your leadership team back a few days later.
Review what you’ve written. Challenge it. Sharpen it. Simplify it.
Ask:
Does this feel true?
Would we actually use this to make decisions?
Is this something our team would believe in?
If it passes those tests — you’re close.
Step 4: Commit to Using It
This isn’t a poster on a wall. It’s a tool.
Use your Modern Identity to:
Guide strategic decisions
Set goals
Hire and evaluate talent
Train new team members
Align leadership conversations
Keep it visible in shared team spaces (Notion, dashboards, team meetings).
Step 5: Review It Every Quarter
Your business evolves — your identity should, too.
Are you the same person that you were last year? 5 years ago?
Set a 30-minute block every quarter to review and refine.
What still fits? What’s changed? What needs more clarity?
This quarterly rhythm keeps your identity alive, relevant, and aligned with your growth.
Final Thought
Most businesses don’t stall because of bad products or poor people.
They stall because of confusion.
The Modern Identity is how you replace confusion with clarity — for your customers, your team, and yourself.
When you know what you are, what you aren’t, and what only you can do…
Decisions get easier.
Energy focuses.
Growth accelerates.
Start there.
Coming Next Week:
We’ll walk you through how to evolve this Blueprint into a Bold 3-Year Vision and translate it into measurable targets that actually move your company forward.
Until then — keep building intentionally.
