I have a question for you:

What does your business do?

Most operators that I work with can answer that question with ease.

Now, here’s a follow-up question for you:

How are you currently operating with purpose?

That question hits differently, doesn’t it?

The odds are, that second question made you hesitate - and it should. Because answering that question is downright difficult.

How you choose to address this question will determine your entire trajectory with membership and whether or not you find yourself in the middle of an avoidable mess as an operator.

Let’s dive in.

If you asked a member: Why are you here? - could they answer you in one sentence?

If not, you have a problem.

I’ve seen countless membership businesses start with solid ideas, good intentions and an even better product. But somewhere along the way, those intentions start to become influenced and shaped by trends and noise rather than the underlying needs of the audience that the business was meant to serve.

The mission gets diluted. The list of benefits swells.

And the operator’s focus shifts away from serving to chasing.

This is precisely the type of mess that membership operators often find themselves in the middle of - time and time again.

When a membership tries to be too many things, it becomes unmemorable.

When its messaging tries to speak to everyone, it connects with no one.

And these are the tell-tale symptoms of a purpose problem.

If you don’t take the time upfront to establish boundaries, guard rails and expectations - membership can quickly get away from you.

You’ll find yourself immersed in managing more things, more benefits, more tools - more everything. Because what customer doesn’t love more of something?

Each small thing you choose to introduce into your offering is another mouth to feed. It requires your time, your effort and your money.

These runaway costs snowball in the background, quietly eating into your revenue.

And slowly, but surely, this creates a complex mess that’s entirely on you to manage - and it’s one that I’ve personally witnessed ruin the businesses of operators who came to the table with a great product.

But if there’s one thing that the most effective operators have mastered, it’s this:

They build discipline into every facet of their membership.

And they do so by defining, messaging and then delivering on a clear purpose - over and over again.

Their purpose is not just a statement on their website, it’s the lens from which all decisions are evaluated and executed.

You see, these operators know who they’re building for, not in a demographic sense, but in a human sense. They fully understand the moment their member is in and how their product can help them move forward.

They know why their work matters in that person’s life, not just how it converts on a sales page.

And when you're that clear on your purpose, everything tightens. Your messaging stops sounding generic. You and your team stop chasing noise. Your message begins to resonate. And your members can feel the difference.

Approaching your work from this mindset and perspective immediately changes the game you thought you were playing.

It allows you, the operator, to become the custodian - the one who is always ensuring that the interests of your members remain front and center.

Operating a membership is rewarding.

But operating a membership with clear purpose is life-changing, not just for your members, but most importantly, for you.

Purpose isn’t a lofty mission statement. It’s practical. It’s tangible. It’s even boring (in a good way).

It shows up in your product, your messaging, your strategy, and your community.

Below are four points to ensure that you know you're on track with defining the purpose in your membership program.

1. Purpose shows up in your positioning

You don’t need to be the best at everything. You need to be essential at one thing. Purpose helps you define what that is.

Example: “We help busy creatives carve out space for their craft every single day.”

That’s a mission people can opt into and see themselves in.

2. Purpose sharpens your product decisions

When you know what you're here to do, you know what not to build. New benefits, content ideas, community add-ons: they all should all get filtered through the same question: Does this make my core promise stronger?

Clarity leads to restraint. And restraint keeps your product focused.

3. Purpose makes your messaging unmistakable

People buy when they feel understood. A purpose-driven membership speaks directly to a person’s life, not just their inbox.

Instead of “Join our weekly strategy workshops,” use this: “Finally, a place to build knowledge with other operators who are winning at membership.”

Feel the difference?

4. Purpose builds long-term trust

When your members know exactly what your program stands for and see it lived out and executed over time, they stick around.

Consistency isn’t about repetition. It’s about alignment.

The takeaway here?

Purpose keeps you from chasing the noise that’s always present. It gives your members something to hold onto. Something they believe in. Something that makes your product feel essential in the busy mix of everyday life.

As more membership businesses enter the market, differentiation won’t come simply from branding or benefits. It will come from resonance.

A well-crafted landing page might get attention. But a well-messaged and executed purpose keeps it.

Discipline, focus and purpose are becoming harder and harder to find across this industry. And your willingness to harness the power of each can become your competitive edge for continuing to grow the membership business of your dreams.

Remember, you can never scale something you don’t believe in.

So, I’ll leave you with this question today:

Would you rather be managing the complex mess brought about by the latest trends, product features and noise? Or would you rather spend your time managing the complex needs of the members who are looking to you to enrich their lives through your membership’s purpose?

Think about it.

Lastly, I want this email to be the most valuable thing that comes across your inbox each Tuesday. If I’m hitting that mark, share this newsletter with your staff, a team member or friend (just copy and share this URL).

See you next Tuesday.

-Michael