What's a Business For?

What is the purpose of business?  An article written by Charles Handy in 2002 asked this question.  At that time there were many corporate scandals being reveled, and faith in the business world was shaken.  Handy writes "The great virtue of capitalism – that it provides a way for the savings of society to be used for the creation of wealth."  He continues, "to many, it seems that executives not long run their companies for the benefit of the consumers, or even for their shareholders and employees, but for their personal ambition and financial gain."   Handy states "The purpose of a business is not to make a profit.  It is to make a profit so that the business can do something more or better."  

What is the purpose of Bearfoot Bakery?  We make high quality breads and pastries that are fresh, this is what we do.  Our purpose is to show love to our community.  We do this with fresh, wholesome products that have not available on island.  We want families to put bread on the table that was baked the same day and not full of preservatives.  On Kodiak island, we are the end of the supply chain, and by the time groceries get to us they are been in a shipping container for weeks.  Fresh is a relative term here.  We want to change that, and give our community some better options.  

This week we were given the opportunity from the Chamber of Commerce to bake pastries for the Commercial Fishing Expo.  With over 130 different vendors from around Alaska, this gave us the opportunity to serve this vital part of our community, and share our passion with others.  This experience reaffirmed our desire to provide wholesome baked goods, and to put heart into what we do everyday.  




When the focus is not just on making a profit, but making something better, we help to make our community better.   





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