Attach Yourself To A Cause. The Sundance Catalog is dedicated to helping American artisans. The catalog markets their lovely creations which generates cash to support their unique work.

Topic for Discussion: Is focusing on the cause misplaced concreteness?

Answer: It could be but not in the case of Sundance and others we have studied here. If you have a cause you believe in and use profits from the business to fund it, the cause is a motivator stronger than any other force could be. The cause is bigger than money, or fame or power.

In 1969, Robert Redford purchased land at the base of 12,000-foot Mount Timpanogos in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. The reason Mr. Redford bought the 6,000 acres was to preserve it and at the same time create a community that would foster artists. That is putting your money where your mouth is.

Debra St. Claire, founder of EcoNatural, maker of vegetarian breath mints, is working to support the Ethno-Medicine Preservation Project. This group is buying land to preserve the medicinal plant knowledge of indigenous cultures.

Supporting a cause is good for at least two reasons.

First, customers like to buy products when they know some profits are going to a good cause.

Most all small business owners work in their communities and make donations to local causes. But several of the ones we have studied here have had "the cause" as part of a corporate strategy and are committed to a particular issue.