16 Small Business Mission Statement Examples & Why They Inspire
Elizabeth Kraus has more than a decade of first-hand experience building and growing a boutique digital marketing agency and double that in small and mid-size business marketing management. She provides expert answers to marketing questions related to branding, content marketing, web development, email, social media, and SEO.
Audrey is a Staff Writer for Fit Small Business with over 4 years of writing and marketing experience in the startup industry. She writes content for marketing topics that helps small businesses reach their goals.
A mission statement is a short, meaningful summary of the primary purpose of your business; in other words, why you do what you do. The best examples showcase a brand’s identity, resonate with the target audience, and can even be used to guide business decisions. We rounded up over a dozen of the best small business mission statement examples to inspire you and explain why they work.
1. Asimi Studio
Mission statement: “Curating timeless pieces that empower and fill you with confidence.”
Why it works: It taps into human emotions.
Asimi Studio’s mission statement (Source: Asimi Studio)
Independent jewelry brand Asimi Jewellery designs jewelry pieces, but the company’s mission goes beyond just creating accessories. As their website states, the brand’s mission is to create pieces that empower their customers and bring them confidence.
It works because it taps into fundamental human emotions. This is especially helpful for products like jewelry, which often carry sentimental value. As a creative enterprise, it can also help guide everything from jewelry creation to how the brand communicates with customers. On a public-facing level, it also influences the brand story and supports its marketing strategies.
2. Rumble Coffee
Mission statement: “Creating a sustainable future for coffee.”
Why it works: It’s concise, ambitious, and altruistic.
Rumble Coffee’s mission statement (Source: Rumble Coffee)
This small business mission statement example above acts as the guiding principle for the entire organization at Rumble Coffee. It’s straightforward but ambitious and altruistic in the intent to support earth-friendly coffee-growing practices. This also serves as the company’s central grounding principle, guiding the rest of the business’ traits, ethics, and standards of operation.
It works by keeping things simple and clear while setting a long-term goal to motivate employees. It creates a strong identity for the brand, helping it stand out from other coffee businesses while attracting team members and customers who align with the brand’s mission and driving principles.
3. Curbside Landscape
Mission statement: “To be recognized for quality, creativity, and, above all, fairness in the delivery of professional service.”
Why it works: It sets expectations for the customer experience.
Curbside Landscape’s mission statement (Source: Curbside Landscape)
For service-based businesses, the best company mission statement examples clearly show the top-notch services customers can expect. This is demonstrated in the landscaping business Curbside Landscape’s value-driven goal: to be recognized for quality, creativity, and fairness.
This precise statement sets a clear goal for how the company performs its services. Similarly, it gives customers an equally clear expectation of the outcome they can expect from the business, which helps build brand recognition and affinity.
4. Burga
Mission statement: We take everyday boring items and—with a bit of magic and extreme imagination—turn them into lifestyle & fashion accessories you’ll be psyched to wear.
Why it works: It creates anticipation with the customer.
Burga’s mission statement (Source: Burga)
Burga has one of the best small business mission statement examples as far as a conversational language that paints a picture. It explains that the company can take otherwise mundane gadgets and accessories and turn them into products customers are excited to use and wear.
The tone reflects the company’s fun, youthful brand voice, directly appealing to its target audience of young adults. Overall, Burga’s mission statement is an excellent combination of company description, business goal, and brand personality, all in a single, memorable sentence.
5. FitTea
Mission statement: “To provide a “Next Level” superior brand of functional, healthy, natural tea-based products crafted to appeal to and to assist today’s health-conscious, on-the-go consumer in achieving the healthy body”
Why it works: It clearly defines the target audience.
FitTea’s mission statement (Source: FitTea)
If you have a product that caters to a specific customer persona, identifying them in your branding can help you connect with them more easily, like with FitTea’s example. FitTea’s target consumers are health-conscious individuals looking for products to create a healthier diet and lifestyle, and this is clearly reflected in the company’s mission statement.
Beyond clearly defining who the business’ products are aimed at, the mission statement also demonstrates that the company cares about its customers first and foremost. This makes the mission statement extra useful when crafting marketing strategies.
6. Ocean House
Mission statement: “Ocean House, with its unique sense of history and place, is devoted to creating enduring relationships with our guests and members by providing highly personalized service and gracious hospitality in an informally elegant setting.”
Why it works: It outlines the business’ unique selling points (USPs).
Ocean House’s mission statement (Source: Ocean House)
Your mission is an integral part of your brand identity that can help your business stand out from the competition. This is especially true for service businesses, like the Rhode Island-based Ocean House hotel. The area has hundreds of hotels and resorts, so Ocean House distinctly outlines the company’s goal: to create enduring relationships with guests via personalized service.
As with all good mission statement examples, Ocean House’s statement applies to both their staff members and customers. It provides a clear guideline for their team’s service quality and gives customers an overview of what they can expect from the establishment.
Not sure what your brand’s unique selling point is? Read our guide with examples and a free template to help you develop a unique selling proposition for your small business.
7. Ivory & Deene
Mission statement: “Collaborating with you to curate beautiful spaces for your people. Rooms where memories are woven, ideas are birthed, and joy is deepened.”
Why it works: It speaks directly to customers’ aspirations for beautiful, distinctive home furnishings and decor.
Ivory & Deene’s mission statement (Source: Ivory & Deene)
Furniture and decor store Ivory & Deene showcases another example of how to bring out the human-relatable aspects of a company. Essentially, the company curates affordable luxury home furniture, and its mission illustrates why this is meaningful—to create beautiful spaces where families can connect and share memories.
This taps into relatable human experiences, keeping customers interested in their brand. It also speaks directly to readers, allowing them to connect easier with site visitors and convert them into potential leads. Finally, it’s also action-oriented and aspirational in tone, giving customers a glimpse into the dream lifestyle they can achieve with the brand.
8. Mermaid Car Wash
Mission statement: “To provide the best car wash experience at the best value possible”
Why it works: It communicates the product provides a high value for the cost.
Mermaid Car Wash’s mission statement (Source: Mermaid Car Wash)
As the saying goes, “money talks.” Value-oriented statements can be seen in many of the best company mission statement examples. Mermaid Car Wash is a prime instance of communicating a clear and attainable goal that the company can easily follow and operate on to provide the best possible product for the money.
Not only does it serve as a clear driving purpose for employees, but it’s also helpful as a grounding principle to guide business decisions. It’s simple, no-frills, and easy to remember—which also boosts the service’s credibility and trustworthiness to customers.
9. Mission Pawsible
Mission statement: “To create beautifully hand-crafted pet products that support the local community through employment and ethical supply chains and animals in need. “
Why it works: It emphasizes community impact and corporate social responsibility.
Mission Pawsible’s mission statement (Source: Mission Pawsible)
Your mission is also a great place to communicate your brand’s community impact and social responsibility. It demonstrates that your business is principled, follows best practices, and is willing to invest in the well-being of the community served as well as the industry overall.
Like many of the best company mission statement examples, Mission Pawsible says what it does in a concise way: creating handcrafted pet products. However, it stands out by emphasizing its ethical and social responsibility, which underlines the brand’s relevance to its community.
10. Axiology
Mission statement: “To end plastic waste in beauty”
Why it works: It’s anchored in eco-friendly advocacy.
Axiology’s mission statement (Source: Axiology)
As with highlighting community impact, your small business mission statement can also be anchored on wider advocacy, as with the sustainable beauty brand Axiology. With today’s customers growing more eco-conscious than ever in their buying habits—44% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands committed to sustainability—more brands are shifting toward an environmentally-friendly approach to business.
If you have an underlying advocacy behind your small business, leading with it in your mission statement accentuates your social relevance and differentiates you from others in the market. Finally, it also helps connect you with similar-minded consumers who can act as ambassadors for your brand and your advocacy.
11. Studio 7 Interior Design
Mission statement: “Studio 7 Interior Design is dedicated to creating interiors that reflect our client’s personality and lifestyle, by capturing their design dreams and making them a reality.”
Why it works: It provides a bridge that gets the customer from where they are to where they want to be.
Studio 7 Interior Design’s mission statement (Source: Studio 7 Interior design)
Good mission statements are instantly understandable and relatable to a brand’s target audience, especially for small businesses. Because it’s a significant part of your brand’s public identity, it must immediately relate to your target customers. One of the best company mission statement examples that exemplify this is that of Studio 7 Interior Design.
Their mission statement is straightforward and comprehensive. However, it stands out by directly addressing their target clients’ desires and ambitions and centers on them as the brand’s driving purpose. It can help potential customers achieve the vision they want for interior spaces or results the customer wants but knows they can’t achieve on their own.
12. Naturepedic
Mission statement: “To transform the lives of our customers through safer, healthier sleep.”
Why it works: It speaks to improving a fundamental and universal aspect of health and well-being.
Naturepedic’s mission statement (Source: Naturepedic)
Naturepedic offers a good example of how to outline the essential benefits customers get with your product. The Naturepedic company produces organic mattresses, which is a niche product; however, the brand’s mission talks about how it benefits people—in this case, by improving the safety and health of the customer.
With this, the brand appeals to everyday people by demonstrating how their lives can improve with the product, which is also how it captures people’s interests. Internally, it also serves as a guiding principle for the company’s operations and product standards.
13. Courtney Carolyn Photography
Mission statement: “To provide tangible evidence of the love that exists in people’s lives through beautiful imagery.”
Why it works: It gives the personal brand a unique identity.
Courtney Carolyn Photography’s mission statement (Source: Courtney Carolyn Photography)
For personal brands like photographers, having a distinctive goal behind the work communicates what they can do and what makes their work special. An example of this is photographer Courtney Carolyn. As a photographer, customers are already familiar with the services they can expect; however, with a mission statement, she can build a unique identity for her brand.
The idea that you can capture the “true love” of a family, couple, or friends in imagery and turn it into lasting proof is a powerful one. For those just launching out together in life or celebrating important milestones, it’s a compelling reason to choose this photographer over other options.
14: LivSo
Mission statement: “We want to give people with kinky, curly hair gentle, effective solutions for dry scalp and brittle hair.”
Why it works: It calls out the customer’s pain point and offers a solution.
LivSo’s mission statement (Source: LivSo)
People like to feel seen and understood by the brands they buy from. If your brand serves a niche market, you can speak directly to them in your corporate and product messaging. This is another example of how you can call out human aspects of your brand that will be the most relatable part of the business to customers.
Haircare brand LivSo’s mission statement is an excellent example of this. It directly attracts the target audience by identifying specific pain points and then offering attainable solutions. It’s a value proposition that’s instantly empathetic and accessible to customers. Plus, it shows the brand places high value on delivering a good customer experience.
15. Ventana Surfboards & Supplies
Mission statement: “To be the most environmentally responsible surf company on the planet”
Why it works: It identifies its niche and sticks to it.
Ventana Surfboards & Supplies mission statement (Source: Ventana Surfboards & Supplies)
Staying ahead of the competition is tough for any small business, but identifying what makes yours unique in marketing slogans is a guaranteed way to stand out. This is precisely what makes Ventana Surfboards a perfect addition to this list of the best small business mission statement examples.
It’s concise and stands out by identifying its specific niche audience—environmentally responsible surfers—and strives to be the best in it. This makes it easy to remember while giving the company a substantive and relevant goal to work toward. It also gives customers a clear idea of the company’s identity, purpose, and values.
16. Grounds & Greens
Mission statement: Dedicated to building a community that will embrace a plant-based lifestyle
Why it works: It defines a specific aspirational lifestyle.
Grounds & Greens’ mission statement (Source: Grounds & Greens)
While it doesn’t explicitly mention dietary designations like Vegans and Vegetarians, Grounds & Greens’ mission still effectively speaks to a specific audience. It does this by defining a specific kind of aspirational lifestyle—in this case, those looking to live a plant-based lifestyle.
This differs from other brand slogans that directly mention the target market, in the sense that it’s more inclusive. Instead of identifying particular traits, the brand projects a particular aspirational way of living that customers can align themselves to and therefore become part of their target market.
Mission Statement Example Takeaways
Your mission should play an influential role in shaping your business identity, both internally and in public. As illustrated by the small business mission statement examples above, you can use some specific takeaways to craft a compelling one for your brand:
- Keep it straightforward and brief: Readers should be able to understand your mission at first read. Stick to your one overarching goal, use simple, clear language, and don’t crowd it with unnecessary details.
- Highlight relevance: Whether your business’ relevance applies to your target audience, your local community, or the environment, include it in your statement. This tells the reader “what’s in it” for them.
- Help your audience self-identify: If your audience is a specific one, identifying them directly in your mission makes it easier for them to know they’ve found the right brand to do business with.
- Identify what makes you unique: If your business has unique traits that help you stand out from others, such as specialty services or particular advocacies, including them in your mission statement helps you build a stronger brand and identity for your business.
- Be action-oriented: Your mission should motivate your team to pursue a particular goal. Make it action-oriented and include at least one action word, e.g., “to create,” “to change,” “to provide,” and so on.
- Keep it specific: Even if your mission is ambitious and long term, keep it as specific as possible. The more specific your mission statement is, the more influential it becomes and the more attainable it is to your team members.
- Make it aspirational: Conveying a non-business purpose for your company’s existence can be powerful in persuading prospects to choose you over your competitors. Examples include motivations like sustainability, givebacks, social responsibility, eco or earth-friendliness, and so on.
Pro tip: Don’t have a clear mission statement for your business yet? Check out our guide on how to write a mission statement, along with a free template you can download and use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good mission statement?
A good mission statement conveys a clear and achievable goal, why it matters, a sense of action, and compelling motivation—all wrapped up in a concise, memorable phrase. Other characteristics often reflected in good company mission statement examples include a defined target audience, a human or emotional aspect, or socially relevant advocacy, among others.
What are the parts of a mission statement?
The parts of a mission statement are the business’ purpose or overarching goal, what it does to achieve that goal, and its relevance to others (e.g., customers, community, society, industry, nation, world, and so on). While mission statements can also include other parts and characteristics, these three components are the most essential to craft an effective business mission statement.
How do I write a mission statement?
To write a mission statement, identify your driving purpose by answering questions and gathering ideas about your business. Then, create a draft of your statement that includes your purpose, as well as your business’ actions and its relevance. Gather feedback and edit your statement until it’s polished, then share it with your team members and the public. Follow more detailed steps on how to write a mission statement with our step-by-step guide and template.
Bottom Line
A mission statement is a must-have for any small business. They are essential components of your brand’s identity and can help guide everything from internal operations to how you interact with customers and your company’s short and long-term business decisions. The examples above exemplify all these to inspire you as you write your own.
