Generosity Purpose
Tie earning goals to a cause that makes extra effort meaningful
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 98%
A Generosity Purpose links a cause you care about to a concrete money-making goal. First choose an injustice, local need, or community outcome that matters personally. Then commit an affordable amount or share of additional income to it; the amount can be tiny because the mechanism depends on emotional meaning, not scale. Use the cause as motivation to seek a raise, grow sales, or create another income stream. Businesses can invite customers into the story after establishing excellent service, turning the cause into a genuine point of differentiation. The loop is mutually reinforcing: purpose increases effort, increased income funds more impact, and visible impact can strengthen relationships with customers or family members.
Origin
Derrick Kinney developed the idea through financial-advisory work, including a client who revived his manufacturing business by tying increased sales to funding a school.
Core principles
- 01Purpose sustains motivation better than money alone
- 02A small contribution still creates agency and impact
- 03Giving should amplify a strong offer, not disguise a weak one
- 04Shared causes can deepen customer loyalty
How to run it
- 1
Choose the cause
Identify an injustice or unmet need that creates a strong personal response. Make it specific enough that you can picture who benefits.
Pro tip Ask family members or customers which nearby cause they care about.
- 2
Start at a controllable size
Choose a fixed amount or percentage you can give now. The first contribution is meant to create agency, not prove wealth.
Pro tip Start with five or ten dollars if money is tight.
Watch out Do not postpone all impact until you feel wealthy.
- 3
Set the earning target
Define the raise, sales increase, or income stream that will fund more giving. State how much of the gain goes to the cause.
Pro tip Use incremental income so the commitment and reward rise together.
- 4
Invite participation
Tell relevant customers, colleagues, or family members how their participation contributes to the cause. Keep the claim transparent and proportionate.
Watch out Never use generosity to cover up a bad product.
- 5
Reinforce the loop
Review the money earned and impact funded, then set the next target. Use the evidence of impact to renew motivation.
Pro tip Record one concrete beneficiary outcome alongside the financial result.
In the wild
A manufacturing-business owner had lost interest in his work. Kinney asked him to set a six-month sales goal and use half of the increase to help fund a school needed by an overseas village. Within three months, the business had funded half the school. He then shared his wider generosity purpose with customers, who preferred being part of something larger while receiving strong service.
→ The owner's motivation returned and the business grew almost fivefold over five years.
Early in his advisory career, Kinney recognized a student and teacher each month at his former school with modest gift cards. Publishing the recognition in the newspaper showed his commitment to education and attracted people who wanted both financial advice and participation in a larger purpose.
→ The small giving program generated inbound calls and helped grow his practice.
Common mistakes
Waiting until you are wealthy
Delaying all giving removes the immediate sense of control that makes the purpose motivating. Start with an amount you can afford now.
Cause-washing a weak offer
A cause cannot substitute for solving the customer's problem well. Establish real value before making generosity part of the story.
Is it for you?
Best for
People, families, and businesses that want earning and giving to reinforce each other.
Not ideal for
Businesses trying to use charitable messaging to compensate for poor customer value.
From the transcript
“find that cause that injustice the wrong you want to write and let that be something you give maybe one percent to maybe give five…”
“use giving as a motivation to make more money so i can give more money but i'm still making more money”
“what i'm not saying is use giving a generosity to cover up for a really bad product”
From the episode
YAPLive: Good Money Revolution with Derrick Kinney
YAPLive