Purpose Statements with Sarah O’Brien

This transcript has been lightly edited for readability and to correct obvious transcription errors while preserving the meaning of the original conversation.

Episode 62 — Purpose Statements with Sarah O'Brien
Clean Speaker-Labeled Transcript
Guest: Sarah O'Brien
Automated QA: Passed

00:00.842 Brandon Burton
This is the Chamber Chat Podcast, the show dedicated to chamber professionals to spark ideas and to get actionable tips and strategies to better serve your members and community.
00:19.596 Brandon Burton
Welcome to Chamber Chat Podcast. I'm Brandon Burton, and it is my goal to help introduce you to people and ideas so you can better serve your Chamber members and your community. This is episode 62 of Chamber Chat Podcast, and today I'm excited to have Sarah O'Brien with us. Sarah is the community whisperer at Collaborative Development Collective. Sarah is an award-winning seasoned public servant that brings over 15 years of local government experience to the table. As a two-time past president of the Texas Downtown Association, public service is in her DNA. Sarah takes great pride in her ability to cultivate cross-sector collaboration and leverage collect and leverage collective impact across multiple platforms. An expert generalist, she is well versed in storytelling. Policy implementation, crisis communication, destination development, urban placemaking, community planning, incremental development, special event management, strategic planning, community visioning, historic preservation, downtown revitalization, and effective engagement. She has served as a tourism, economic development, commercial district, and public information expert and project lead on assessment and resource teams. In almost a dozen cities. Sarah's ability to connect, motivate, and mobilize a community is deeply inspiring. She has a seemingly limitless amount of energy and passion when it comes to nurturing and revitalizing a sense of purpose and intention. Her enthusiasm is contagious. She seeks innovation and fearlessly leads. Sarah is hardworking and dedicated to the mission at hand. She stretches her own boundaries, and when asked to go the extra mile, she goes too. She's a regular speaker at the state and national level on a variety of topics and is always willing to lend a helping hand to friends, colleagues, teammates, neighbors, and communities that call on her. Sarah can often be found on the front porch of her historic home in Smithville, Texas, with her friends, family, and two babies, Boomer and Betsy. So as we have Sarah on the show today, we're gonna talk specifically about purpose statements and
02:40.152 Brandon Burton
That being different than a mission statement or a vision statement. And we're going to get into that discussion as soon as we get back from hearing from our sponsor. Every chamber is looking for new ways to increase their non-dues revenue. Has your chamber found a good affinity program? I have a great affinity program to offer your chamber that will continue to increase in revenue year after year. I want to introduce you to Swipe It. For all of your credit card processing needs. Swipe It has a unique affinity program that 1. Lowers your credit card processing fees at the chamber, 2. Helps your chamber members be more profitable, and 3. provides recurring non-dues revenue to your chamber. To learn more, please visit Chamberchatpodcast.com/slash C C for credit card. Again, chamberchatpodcast.com slash C C and get swiping with swipe it. Okay, Sarah, we are back. If you would take a moment to say hello to the audience and share something interesting about yourself so we can all get to know you a little bit better.
03:51.404 Sarah O'Brien
Well, thank you, Brandon, for having me on today. Hello, everybody. I apologize. That was such a long bio. I really was hoping Brandon would cut something out, but
04:00.394 Brandon Burton
Yeah.
04:02.622 Sarah O'Brien
Gonna have to trim that down first year. I'll add that to the to-do list. since we're talking about purpose today, I think something interesting. I've I started my own firm last year, collaborative development, but prior to that I had been in local government for 15 years. And the weekend before I decided to walk out of City Hall, I actually found my purpose. we had been reading Simon Sinek's Start with Why in our executive cabinet book club. And so I had Found my purpose that weekend and so I thought that I would share that with you guys to kind of kick off the conversation. so personally my purpose is to inspire and empower curiosity, courage, and collaboration in the people and places whose paths I cross.
04:47.475 Brandon Burton
All right. Well that cuts the work right out for you, doesn't it? Have to be alert and look for those opportunities.
04:51.125 Sarah O'Brien
There you go, that's right. Absolutely.
04:56.686 Brandon Burton
Great. Well, tell us a little bit about your company, the Collaborative Development Collective. who do you serve? What do you do? just get us all familiar with you.
05:06.328 Sarah O'Brien
Sure, absolutely. And I think we'll start by talking about what a collaborative development's purpose statement is. and then we'll talk about more specific stuff, but it's to break down the silos and create consensus through collective impact that will ultimately create and cultivate community change. And, you know, my bio said I'm an expert generalist and you know, a a master of none, but I get into everything. and so we've done some strategic planning for chambers of commerces. We're getting ready to keynote and the Cameron, Texas Chamber of Commerce banquet in a few weeks. we also do some, you know, downtown and tourism planning as well as we've done some moderation, special event activation, and then we work with several small businesses too. about their purpose and getting their message out through creative marketing and storytelling.
05:57.518 Brandon Burton
All right. That's awesome. I know something that I've been learning more about as you, you know, look at defining a purpose. A lot of a lot of businesses, I'm thinking more of a business aspect, they come up with a product or a service and think, How can I get this out to the community? Or how can I get this out to the market rather than looking at it as what's the problem to be solved? You know, who am I serving and what's the desired outcome? And then figuring out that resource to to do that. So It sounds like you're you're helping people connect those dots, which is so Yeah. So with purpose statements being our our topic of discussion today, it it's a little different. Most people are used to having a a mission statement or maybe a vision for their chamber. and I know from for myself, coming from the publishing background, oftentimes I'll come across people that will ask me, What does a chamber do?
06:28.864 Sarah O'Brien
We're trying.
06:54.646 Brandon Burton
So a purpose statement can summarize what the chamber does and is maybe a little more descriptive or more purposeful than a a mission or a vision statement. it am I going the right direction with that, with your your thoughts on a purpose statement?
07:11.49 Sarah O'Brien
Sort of, you know, it's kind of muddy. So and I I always in the mud. I'm okay being in the mud. you know, sometimes making sausage is is difficult and messy. So purpose in and the way that we look at it is really about what the why you do what you do. it's sort of your belief and and how you want to focus
07:16.237 Brandon Burton
Did
07:39.382 Sarah O'Brien
And and why you want to focus, I guess. And like I said, it gets really, really muddy. But you know, according to the experts, depending on which expert you ask, a purpose is the why your organization has begun any type of journey, guided by deeply held values and beliefs that inspire it to make a difference. and so not all companies obviously have purposes. I think, you know, they've been talking about it for twenty or twenty five years, and originally chambers of commerce is purposed, was established to be, you know, a a business club, a voice for the business community. and so that's sort of the purpose. But I think that in today's age, and while we're here today, is chambers do so much more than that. And it has changed greatly. And I think when you're talking to folks like you just mentioned that, well, what does the chamber do? Why do I need to be involved in the chamber? I think that being a member of a business club isn't compelling enough for a lot of people. But the why why you do the things that chambers do, serving your communities is. And so I think we need to change the narrative.
08:42.95 Brandon Burton
It's very true. And you see it in business too, where a lot of the businesses nowadays that are being ver very successful are ones that have a definitive purpose. You know, they they have a maybe they help a charity, you know, the proceeds of their sales or whatever go to help a charity. And and people like getting behind a purpose and knowing that what they're doing matters. I think that's important to look at I initially you had mentioned how
09:05.451 Sarah O'Brien
Absolutely.
09:10.818 Brandon Burton
The why the purpose is the why you do what you do. And initially when chambers were set up, the why was very different than the direction they're going today. So
09:21.134 Sarah O'Brien
Even when you look at the name, so words matter, right? So chamber of commerce. we we obviously all know what commerce means, but I mean there's a pretty clear definition of what chamber means and it's based in the French terminology 'cause I think the first chamber was in France, like in fifteen ninety nine or something. but it's in a closed space, a private room. or large room used for formal or public events, which to me means kind of exclusive and closed off. And most chambers that I know are not that way at all. and so I think we're we're operating with some really old terminology that really doesn't describe the great work that is being done by organizations across the country.
10:07.342 Brandon Burton
Well, and you see some chambers changing their name because of that language.
10:11.362 Sarah O'Brien
See that I know, it's exciting.
10:13.89 Brandon Burton
Like Chris Roomer in in Colorado, the Bell Valley Partnership. So they don't have Chamber of Commerce at all in their title. And you see others that are business associations or or whatever it may be. But you're right, words do matter and they they have a definite definition behind them. So I'm curious what drew you to chambers of commerce to to work with them and and to help them define their purpose.
10:42.486 Sarah O'Brien
But you know, it's sort of an accident, I'll be completely honest with you. So I've working in community development, I've worked alongside chambers and friends and partners as I like to call them in every community. And actually my first job out of college was as a tourism director for the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce. and so I've always been, you know, pseudo involved in the chamber world. but Recently I had a regional chamber in my area, the Elgin, Texas Chamber of Commerce, called me. they needed to do some planning exercises. They did not have a plan on file, and they were struggling a little bit with leadership at the city and how to define the relationship and the funding and some other things. And so since I'm sort of the the city expert, And th this part as far as the community partnerships go, they called on me. And, you know, I of course had a three hour Simon Sinek Y exercise on the agenda, just like I would with any other group or organization or small business or government that I work with. and so we sent the agenda out, you know, two weeks prior. And the Sunday before we were getting ready to do the actual retreat that week, I started trying to find a sample. Chamber purpose statement somewhere just to use so that they would get an idea. and I'm not saying that there's not anyone in the country, but I went 23 giggle pages deep. I was on ACCE and the US Chamber of Commerce, and I literally ate a half-gallon Bluebell ice cream that night because I couldn't find one. and so I, you know, of course, was a little nervous about how this exercise would end up working out, but We just put our fears aside and went in there and the board is tremendous and their staff, Gina and her team are fabulous. And we were able to work through the exercise just like any other group I work with would. And they came up with a beautiful purpose statement. And so we did that and then I went back into my daily life and a few a month ago I saw an article where the US Chamber of Commerce was going to be working with small businesses to help them find their purpose. And I was like,
12:57.006 Brandon Burton
You're onto something.
12:58.264 Sarah O'Brien
We should talk about the US Chamber of Commerce members and their purpose. Sorry. it just fortunate. I was like, you know what? I'm gonna reach out to Brandon. So here we are. since that time I've talked to a couple of other chambers. We've got another strategic planning coming up and then of course w key knowing the chamber banquet and all that stuff. So we're we're here if they need us. but this was really just an accident, wasn't something that I set out to do.
13:02.275 Brandon Burton
Very
13:25.218 Brandon Burton
Well, you know, most people that are involved in the chamber industry come about it by accident. So you're in good company. Yay! So why purpose though? As we as we look at mission statements and vision statements and strategic plans and values. Sure. So why why the focus on purpose?
13:45.688 Sarah O'Brien
So you know, I think that the current context of the environments and our community in this country, that traditional mission, vision, and value statements that have typically been used as guiding lights to drive organizations for centuries and chambers isn't sufficient to meet the needs of what our communities, our businesses, our neighbors, and ourselves need moving forward. collective impact, collaboration. I I think and chambers And each one does something different. We know, you know, you know one chamber, you know one. But whether they're working on tourism or economic development or downtown revitalization or beautification, or they focus strongly on policy advocacy, they're all working to enhance their communities in some form or fashion to build connections. that's why they that's why they have a a purpose. I mean, that's what they do, right? they fund those activities largely through membership. So that's how they do what they do and what they do can be events and programming and all these other things. When you look at convention and visitors bureaus, which are now where they were destination marketing, now destination management, and I think will eventually be destination development organizations and economic development corporations and Main Street programs, we all have the same purpose. Especially in Texas with this legislature declaring war on city, our resources keep dwindling, our capacity is shrinking. But our needs are growing, you know, at a rapid pace. So we have infrastructure demands and and all kinds of things. And so I think we have to understand our purpose so that we can put our own personal and organizational priorities aside and figure out how to all sit at the table and work better collaboratively. Or, you know, there's such things as nonprofit mergers I've been researching about. But how do we sit in the room and help our communities? more effectively because we won't have a choice eventually. And if we're not on the forefront of that, I'm afraid that there's going to be, you know, more losers than there are winners as far as organizations working in that space.
15:54.488 Brandon Burton
Yeah. So when we once a chamber kind of narrows down and defines what their purpose is, then what? I mean, what are how do they apply that into their organization and make that be a a propellant, if you will, to to move forward?
16:10.776 Sarah O'Brien
Well, so, you know, I think all chambers and I've read some research articles the last few weeks have struggled over the last ten or twenty years as far as getting the buy in on membership. And so they've all figured out ways to diversify revenue. but I believe that a powerful purpose statement will make me write a check because they're working to enhance my community regardless of what member benefits I get. I think that a powerful purpose told through your storytelling to your local community was only going to enhance the support that you get from everyone. And so I think that you know having a compelling purpose and a a define and defining it to everyone will ultimately lead to an abundance of great things. and I mean, so you put it into place, your board needs to understand it and you need to To brag on yourself and talk about the great work that you do. you know, we've set chambers up for failure in this country because it's a membership model for a community organization that's working to enhance the community kind of sets them up for failure in a lot of ways. Because if they're working on tourism, and I know everyone has seen this in a ton of towns, if you're working on tourism, you're getting hotel occupancy tax in Texas at least, you have to promote all of your hotels. But you're Your solid foundation as an organization is based on membership dues. And what benefit is it to one hotel to join the chamber if you have to promote all of them? And so I've seen chambers struggle with that for years. and so I think we have to to stay true to our purpose and rethink how we're set up strategically so that we can have a greater impact.
17:57.918 Brandon Burton
I I agree. And I like what you'd mentioned about as a chamber, you need to brag about yourself. And I know chambers have a hard time doing that. It's a big struggle for a chamber to say, Look what we did or look what we're doing because what our purpose.
18:11.362 Sarah O'Brien
Does the great things that people the ch the things chamber should be bragging about have nothing to do with their membership model? And I think that's why it's so difficult, Brandon.
18:22.432 Brandon Burton
And a lot of time they're working in collaboration with maybe the city or school district or tourism. It's yeah. It's easy for those other organizations to ride the credit and say, look what the school district did or whatever. But a lot of times the chamber is that driving force and you need to brag on yourself and show how it it's meeting your purpose, those programs and and events. That's right.
18:28.664 Sarah O'Brien
Yeah, it's
18:40.321 Sarah O'Brien
Absolutely.
18:47.31 Sarah O'Brien
Got to toot your own horn. No one's gonna toot it for you.
18:52.43 Brandon Burton
So you had mentioned you worked with the Elgin Chamber of Commerce to help create a a purpose statement for them. are you able to share with us how they're implementing that and how that's looking?
19:08.632 Sarah O'Brien
Sure, absolutely. So their and let me their purpose statement is to build community through meaningful connections and partnerships. And and it's so simple, but it's just beautiful. And like I said, I'd write a check, you know, to that organization any time I could, whether I live there or not, because I I believe in community and connections and partnerships. and so they're and I call it a roadmap. So I actually think strategic planning is dead and you know. the process is still completely relevant and you still need to have a document. But with data and technology and the evolving landscape, I think a a three to five year plan, you know, oftentimes needs to be thrown in the trash after you're two and start fresh and you'll have some consistencies. And so I call it a roadmap. and Gina Carter, the president of the Elgin Chamber, if anyone knows her, recently had a new grandbaby arrive in Florida. And so she actually got to go and spend three weeks there because her board has been empowered and inspired by their their purpose and the the new roadmap and so they've actually been planning the banquet as she said almost entirely on their own. She's just kind of there for guidance. I think she's home now but was able to to leave, you know, and not have to worry because they've gotten some great motivated board members that I think really just needed to feel a sense of direction. they all are on the board because they want to contribute in some way. You know, I've never joined a chamber self with my self-interest, you know, that I want you to promote my business. And I understand that that's an effect, but I've always done it because I know they do good work in the community. And I think most board members agree with that sentiment. They're there because they want to make a difference. and when you make a difference in your community, ultimately your business will, you know, prosper. and so I think that they were lacking, you know, affirmation, that's it that it's okay to be there to want to build community and to do all those things. Yeah. And not just to improve your business.
21:20.014 Brandon Burton
So I think it it's probably appropriate, given the discussion that we're having, to look at the the purpose of this podcast, Steven.
21:30.136 Sarah O'Brien
I yes, because you articulate it so well.
21:33.292 Brandon Burton
I would say I I mentioned at the beginning of every episode that it's my goal to introduce people introduce chambers to people and ideas so they can better serve their chamber members and their community. So that's been you know, the the podcast is a tool that I'm able to do that by bringing people like you on to be able to share ideas and be able to do some of that RD, that ripping off and duplicating for one chamber to another. But another tool that's kind of evolving out of that. And again, this is looking at what's the end result. That I'm trying to help the chambers with. You know, who's the customer? Who's what's the end result? So one of these other tools, besides a podcast, is the opportunity for me to start teaching chambers how to do their own podcast as another medium to reach out to their community, to connect with them, to just engage with the their chamber members and and the community at large to really help get that purpose and mission of the chamber out there. So
22:29.78 Sarah O'Brien
That's so powerful. you know, when I I I love that you start every episode with your why. You know, this is why I'm doing this. I want everyone to be better connected and to have resources so that they can enhance the work that they do. I mean, that's just it's beautiful, Brandon. I love it.
22:45.634 Brandon Burton
Thank you. I appreciate that. So chambers, as we look ahead into the future, and and I ask a more detailed question on this as we wrap things up, but looking ahead at chambers in the future, how do you see maybe that development, that changing from what the why used to be with chambers to the why going forward?
23:14.498 Sarah O'Brien
I mean it's important to know that it's it's been a lot of chambers wise, I think for years. It just hasn't been articulated. So I don't want, you know, anyone to think that I don't realize that. So I have been doing a lot of research lately. There's a group called the US Department of Arts and Culture. It has absolutely nothing to do with the federal government. and they had this project a few years back called An Imagination Station. you know, and I think that our the power to imagine. what will be and to think about what if and wh why not is powerful. And so I see, you know, if chamber directors are thinking, okay, well what do I need to do and what are we going to look like in 20 years? I think an imagination exercise answering that very question, what are we going to look like in 20 years can be very powerful. I mentioned it earlier, but we used to have convention and visitors bureaus. And then we had destination marketing organizations. destination management organizations are the current, you know, buzz term. And then slowly coming up behind that, the other buzz term in some circles at least is the destination development organization. And so in 20 years, what is your chamber going to be called and what does it look like? And I think that I think it's going to be radically different. And I'm, you know, I can't predict the answer to that because I think it's different in every community. And we know every chamber is different. We talk about that all the time in chamber circles, right? that there's no two alike. And so I think when you look at the industry as a whole, it'd be very difficult to pinpoint what it's going to look like because I think it's going to be very localized and very specific based on what the community's needs are at that time. it needs to be flexible and nimble as well because it needs change.
25:05.484 Brandon Burton
I like that you brought up the name. You know, what is your chamber going to be called again in twenty years? So going back to the the meaning of you know, I just keep thinking the name chamber, you know, what what does that mean? And a hundred, hundred and fifty years ago, that's you met in a room, you know, it was that that was the form of communication, is everybody had to come together. But now, I mean, we've kind of bypassed telephones. I mean, we're kind of we still use phones, but It's the telecommunication is has kind of come and it's we're s we're still there, but between webinars Yeah. I mean there's the constant evolving with the internet connections and webinars and being able to reach out and have members of your organization that are far outside of your community, but they have an interest in seeing your community succeed and getting behind that that mission, vision, and purpose of what the chamber has to offer. So
25:38.04 Sarah O'Brien
Yeah.
26:00.95 Brandon Burton
I think people in general should look in their own life and see, you know, what am I personally in five years? What does my career look like? What are my personal relationships and all that? It's good to do that self assessment. But as you do it for your chamber, even as part of a strategic plan, you had mentioned you know, not seeing quite as much value in that. But the way I see a strategic plan is
26:23.618 Sarah O'Brien
Process. I just think it's a different name.
26:27.234 Brandon Burton
So I I see I see the the strong value in having the strategic plan, having that five year vision and outlook of kind of the direction that you want to go, but it needs to be a readdressed at least every year and see are you are you on track? Is that track still the right course? Or do we need need to pivot and make an adjustment because technology's changed or you know, something in the city has changed or big industry or whatever it may be. So have that long term vision. But be able to be nimble and adjust and pivot where you need to. So good stuff.
27:00.546 Sarah O'Brien
Good. Amen.
27:03.598 Brandon Burton
So what based on our discussion today and what you're doing with chambers around purpose statements, what might be one action item that you can encourage a chamber professional that's listening to do to help take their chamber up to the next level?
27:21.566 Sarah O'Brien
And I think you know, a lot of them, it's just I guess it depends on whether they're already doing it or not. But so get your mission and your vision out. And if it's not on your website, which I found one yesterday wasn't on their website, start talking about it publicly and start talking about expanding that and including your purpose statement, whether you start with a just a conversation at home with your family and then start with your chair. But you know why you serve. And so I think you're right. Let's start with why the director does what they do and articulate that. And then sit down in a room. You don't have to hire me to come in to do it. I mean, anyone can do it. I'm happy to come, but start identifying that purpose and talking about it. and and that's simple, but I think that's what needs to be done.
28:14.516 Brandon Burton
And if if I could, I'd like to add that it needs to be something that can resonate throughout the community. So as you start talking about that purpose, use their language. You know, don't use chamber language, don't use city language, use language that's going to resonate to those business owners and those people in the community that can say, I never I always wondered what a chamber does. I mean, by having a clear purpose statement, that question should never be asked in your community about what is it that the chamber does? Make it clear. Concise and use their language.
28:45.708 Sarah O'Brien
Absolutely. And that way they can connect with it and you'll I think have all the support you need.
28:50.772 Brandon Burton
Absolutely. So the question I ask everyone that I have on the show, and we've been kind of talking around this as we've been discussing, but as we look to the future of chambers of commerce, how do you see their purpose going forward?
29:06.316 Sarah O'Brien
think that their purpose is going to align directly with other community organizations and you know I think that there's going to be a lot more and you know collaboration is I believe in it passionately, but it's more than that. I think that there's going to be a lot more combination and merging and combining of these entities and these organizations moving forward. You're already seeing it in some places. And so I think that that will continue. And I think that those that are at the table leading the discussion will be better off for it instead of those that are scared of change and don't want to have those difficult conversations because their communities will have to have them with or without them at the table.
29:56.716 Brandon Burton
Very good. So I would like to to give an opportunity, Sarah, for you to put your contact information out there. If anyone has questions about purpose statements or how to get started or just to continue this discussion offline or to hire you to come in and help their chamber, how can they get in contact with you?
30:17.24 Sarah O'Brien
So it's very long, but www.collaborative developmentcollective dot com. and that has my email address, my phone number, my LinkedIn profile, and all of that good information on it. Or you can just stop by Smithville, Texas, and see if you can find me on my front porch.
30:36.344 Brandon Burton
Go to the front porch. Yeah. That's right. I will I'll get that updated in the show notes for this episode, which will be found at chamberchatpodcast.com slash episode sixty-two. So we'll get your website up there. And I'm sure you you probably didn't have any problem coming coming across that domain, right? When you went to purchase that.
30:38.306 Sarah O'Brien
We'll have church on the porch. That's awesome.
31:02.15 Sarah O'Brien
No, I did not know. And that's so long. I'm like, what was I doing? So my email is Sarah at which is even worse. But anyway, yeah. Yeah. We'll address that one. There you go. Thank you.
31:10.242 Brandon Burton
We'll make it easy for people. We'll we'll make Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate all you had to offer us today here on Chamber Chat Podcast.
31:19.53 Sarah O'Brien
Thank you, Brandon. I appreciate the great work that you're doing. Keep it up.
31:23.808 Brandon Burton
If you are a Chamber professional, please subscribe to Chamber Chat Podcast in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. When you subscribe to Chamber Chat Podcast, new episodes will show up in your podcast app each week as they are released. If you're finding value in this podcast, please leave us a rating and a review in iTunes. But most importantly, please share Chamber Chat Podcast with your colleagues that are in the industry.