Business Promises

What Are Business Promises?

In my last post, we explored the notion of the dawn of the entrepreneur and the consequent importance of building a well-structured, resilient business. Now, as your venture matures from concept to going concern, a new guiding light emerges: the business promise.

Defining the Business Promise

A business promise is more than a mission statement or a quarterly target. It’s a realistic, obtainable commitment your company makes—to your customers, your team, and yourself—about what you will deliver and when. It’s the backbone of your strategy, the north star that keeps your execution honest and your ambitions grounded.

Simple equation to help guide your business promise

This construct is not meant to be definitive, but at its core, the equation provides a somewhat quantifiable starting point for defining your business promise.  By trying to frame both the technical  (variables C, T & G) and the intangible (variables T1 and E) you can start to identify not only what you can realistically deliver, but have it couched by the effort required for success.  You can use your own inputs to conclude your own calculations, but the key variables for me are E and G - in which I define E as an index from 0 to 1 (0 being no effort and 1 or higher as being extreme effort) and as a starting point valuing G at my SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market).  While each variable has its own idiosyncratic assumptions, they can provide a boundary to what your business promise can be.  Too much effort for not enough success will crater your promise, while the inverse could argue that there is limited value in your promise. 

Too often, especially in the early days, companies fall into the trap of overpromising. The excitement of possibility can lead to biting off more than you can chew. It’s an easy mistake to make, but a costly one. When your business promise outpaces your actual capacity, you set yourself up for disappointment—internally and externally. The risk of failure isn’t just about missing a deadline or a feature; it’s about eroding trust, damaging your brand, and stalling your innovation pipeline.

The Marathon Mindset

It’s tempting to treat every new initiative as a sprint, especially in fast-moving industries like technology. In tech, the process of developing and rolling out a new product can often take 12 to 18 months—a relatively brisk pace compared to other sectors. In life sciences, by contrast, the timeline for simply identifying a potential new product can take two to three years or even longer, given the complexity and regulatory requirements. Regardless of your industry, the principle holds: not everything has to be done tomorrow. What matters most is that what you promise, you deliver—consistently and as close to without fail.

Why Realism Matters

A rock-solid business promise is rooted in a clear-eyed understanding of your resources, your market, and your team’s capabilities. It’s about setting expectations that are ambitious yet achievable. When you deliver on your promises, you build a reservoir of trust and goodwill—what I like to call “theoretical working capital.” This is the intangible asset that lets you launch new products, expand into new markets, or pivot when needed, with the confidence and support of your stakeholders.

The Cost of Failure

Failure to deliver on your business promise does more than dent your reputation. It can sap morale, slow your momentum, and make future innovation harder. The brand equity you lose is far more expensive to replace than any marketing campaign can restore. In contrast, a track record of reliable execution becomes your most powerful growth engine. As your business grows, your reputation and your history of keeping promises will carry more weight than almost any other narrative.

Building for the Long Term

So, as you refine your strategy and move from planning to execution, let your business promise be your compass. Be honest about what you can achieve, set clear timelines, and communicate them transparently. Remember: it’s better to underpromise and overdeliver than the reverse. Each fulfilled promise is a building block for the next phase of growth—whether that’s launching a next-gen product, expanding laterally, or moving up the value chain.

In the end, your business promise is the foundation of your brand. Make it count.

Let Us Help You Build.