How can I combine my philanthropic work with my business?

I’ve always been passionate about charity work but now that I’m starting up a business I feel that I won’t have much time for this. How can I combine my philanthropic work with my business? Also, can charity work ever provide tangible value to a business?

I have always believed that when you start a business you need a single point of focus.

This said, if you are passionate about charity work there are many ways you can incorporate it in to your daily life – and your business.

It’s important, with your philanthropic activities, to have a focus and know what charities you wish to support and work out how much time you can devote.

Never use charity work as a PR exercise for your business. It won’t work because charity should not be seen as a business transaction. There is no point unless you are passionate about the charity or you or your business has something special to offer a particular charity.

Don’t invest only for business reasons. Also, think about how you invest. It doesn’t need to be purely monetary. Think about how you can act as a representative for the charity or what products, services or time you can offer.

For instance, you might give your staff a day to volunteer. There a plenty of options and you just need to look at the right one for you. Remember you can always change your commitment as your business grows.

My personal belief is that the more you give, the more you get back. For unexplainable reasons I get lucky when I’m philanthropic; only good things ever evolve from the charitable work I am involved with.