Ten years ago, I was faced with a choice: I could make a small downpayment to buy my first home, or I could follow my dream, invest in myself and start my own business. I bet on myself and chose to follow my dream. And while that dream was anchored in building my own business from the ground up, I also had the seed of an idea to help create a brighter and more positive world, taking advantage of how giving back strengthens company culture and growth.

In fact, ever since I was a child growing up in Soviet Ukraine, I have had a burning desire to make change and a hunger to create a better future for both myself and my loved ones in my community. So as soon as it was financially possible, at Soft2Bet, we began investing in philanthropy. As we did, something unexpected happened: the more seriously we invested in community impact, the stronger our business became.

Now I believe that philanthropy, done correctly, can serve as an agent of change and has the ability to make an impact on a wider community, while also driving business. If you're a founder or business owner, you don't need to wait until you've "made it" to start giving back. You can begin weaving purpose into your business today — and in this article, I'll share the practical steps we took to align profit with impact, and how you can do the same no matter your stage or size.

Start with Purpose

Every founder hears the phrase mission-driven, but too often it's treated like a marketing slogan. In reality, embedding a clear mission early on is one of the most powerful strategic decisions you can make.

Some of the world's most recognized brands have figured this out. Apple, for example, matches employee donations and volunteer hours through its Employee Giving program, raising $880 million for more than 44,000 organizations over 11 years. It's a simple but powerful system that aligns the company's values with those of its team.

In our own experience, directing a portion of business profits to youth education programs created unexpected ripple effects, showing how giving back strengthens company culture and growth. Motivation improved. Recruiting got easier. Conversations with partners deepened. We learned that people want to be part of something that matters.

Read the full article about the benefits of businesses giving back by Uri Poliavich at Entrepreneur.