“In today’s business world, mission matters.” The first six words of Mission succinctly summarise how entrepreneurs can break through in the digital age. As argued by Nick Giles and Michael Hayman, co-founders of Seven Hills, the acclaimed campaigns firm, only those companies with a genuine purpose – rather than a focus purely on profit – and a campaigning spirit will gather momentum; the new equivalent of commercial success. Ultimately, it’s the only way to win over consumers who are being bombarded with information like never before.
Having worked with the likes of Ella’s Kitchen, Cobra Beer and King of Shaves, Giles and Hayman have seen the power of mission first hand and have embarked on their own mission with Seven Hills: to generate momentum for the UK’s fastest growing firms and entrepreneurs. In Mission, the pair suggest that the modern-day entrepreneur should lead from the front, acting as communicator-in-chief for their company so that its overarching purpose is not drowned out by the pursuit of profit.
Exploring the comparative fortunes of Blockbuster and Netflix, as well as Tesco’s startling decline, Giles and Hayman reveal the dangers that come with losing sight of one’s mission, while drawing on case studies of Airbnb, Uber and Whole Foods to create an utterly convincing argument for putting it at the heart of business. They even manage to brush off what some may consider a flaw in their logic – that not all entrepreneurs are aiming for global domination. “[W]hile some might say that this is a story of a rarified few, we would say, in fact, this is a story about us all and the universal opportunity to change things,” they argue in their conclusion.
As far as business literature is concerned, Mission is sure to stand the test of time as a truly essential read for aspiring entrepreneurs. 
4.5/5
Publisher: Portfolio Penguin
Out: Now
RRP: £20
