Harnessing a 'Maker-Not-Taker' Vision Statement

We all work at attracting new and loyal customers and growing our businesses, right? Of course we do - data tells us this is 83% of our peers. Why? Because this is the sure path to building wealth and legacy. 

Here’s the thing. None of your customers care about your wealth. What do they care about? They care about how your business helps their community. They care about your impact. They may not care about your personal wealth, but they sure care about your legacy. 

Say it out loud: “People don’t care about what the business does for me, they care about what we do for them.” This truth can set you free.

→ Embrace this reality and transform your business. Makers create more value than they extract. Takers don’t.  

→ By creating a maker-not-taker vision statement, you are creating a guiding star proven to lead you as you out-perform your competitors.

The Power of a Maker-not-Taker Vision: How to Align Strategic Intent with Purpose and Profit

“It’s all about impact. Effective business vision is larger than the business itself. It’s not just about profit—it’s about contribution.”

"Businesses with revenues between $2.5 million and $100 million are the backbone of the U.S. economy—generating over $10 trillion annually, nearly a third of the nation's GDP. Now imagine this powerful engine not just creating wealth, but democratizing 'good'—scaling opportunity, innovation, and resilience across every community they touch.”

 — George Sandmann, Growth-Drive, December 2025

Why a “Maker-not-Taker” Philosophy Vision Matters

In a world where vision statements are often treated as mere marketing fluff, the “Maker-not-Taker Philosophy” reframes what it means to lead and build a business. Considering one of the Growth-Drive community’s guiding principles “We are Net Givers” and inspired by Elon Musk’s concept of makers vs. takers, the idea is simple:

• Makers contribute more value to their community, ecosystem, or market than they extract
• Takers seek to benefit without equivalent contribution

There is an implied judgement here, but there should not be. We do not argue that every organization must be a net giver, a ‘maker’. 

No. We do however argue that by observing the market, we can conclude that a maker-inspired vision delivers wins. Here we are merely highlighting a proven philosophy found in businesses with top Strategic Capacity. It is a philosophy analyzed and supported in our methodology and in the CLARITY™ software. By applying a ‘maker’ mindset, leaders shift from extractive thinking to their own value-creating strategy. According to the Growth-Drive methodology, the most powerful visions are anchored in this philosophy, giving them far more horsepower to drive alignment, growth, and impact.

What Is a “Maker-not-Taker” Vision Statement?

Unlike a traditional vision statement that describes a distant future, a Maker Vision Statement acts as your north star—a deeply personal, value-driven commitment to impact. It sits above financial goals but fuels them through purpose.

• It is larger than the business itself
• It focuses on positive, measurable contribution
• It sets the stage for long-term alignment, growth, and value creation
• It connects to your Strategic Intent, which acts as a measurable waypoint along the journey

Example:

“Our vision is to help $1 trillion of private businesses increase strategic capacity across three dimensions of growth.”

— Growth-Drive Vision

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Most vision statements fail to resonate because:

• They are too generic or vague
• They lack measurable connection to action (no strategic intent)
• They are focused on the business itself, not what it gives to others
• They reflect taker language—“to be the best,” “to dominate,” etc.

From Vision to Strategy: Strategic Intent + Guiding Principles

Two key elements from the Growth-Drive methodology help translate a high-level vision into executable strategy: Strategic Intent and Guiding Principles. These components serve as the bridge between aspiration and action—clarifying where the business is going, and how it will behave on the journey.

• Strategic Intent – The measurable waypoint toward your larger vision
• Guiding Principles – The values that shape how you behave along the way

Together, these help translate your vision into execution. For example:

• Vision: Help $1T of private businesses grow
• Strategic Intent: Reach a $20M valuation before recapitalizing
• Guiding Principle: We are ‘net givers’ (Giving more value than we take -the maker mindset)