Alan Barnhart and his brother Eric are the second generation of leadership at Barnhart’s Crane & Rigging. They remember making an ambitious goal to give $50,000 in one year. They also remember the day a sales agent suggested they give away $1 million each month.
Today, Barnhart Crane & Rigging gives away $20 million each year.
And, they have even given away the entire company ownership (worth 100s of millions of dollars) to a national foundation. They now lead the business and give away the earnings.
In the world of Business as Mission (BAM), success isn’t just measured by profit margins, but by the impact a company makes on its community and beyond.
The Barnhart family story shows the power of defining your niche and using business success for generous giving.
It showcases the exponential growth that can occur when a company defines its niche and aligns its profit-making abilities with a higher purpose.
Their journey mirrors the transformation we see in Gil’s story from “Succession Planning for Impact.” Gil, a truck driver turned company president, had a revelation about the connection between his faith and his business calling. As the book relates, “The revelation that his business should make a profit in order to bless the community set his heart ablaze with new enthusiasm.”
Like Gil, the Barnharts discovered that their business could be a powerful tool for blessing others. They didn’t just stumble upon this level of generosity; they strategically defined and developed their niche, focusing on what they did best and where they could make the most significant impact.
The Barnharts’ story teaches us several key lessons:
Define Your Purpose: Begin to see your business as a way to bless your community. The Barnharts found a purpose beyond profit.
Develop Your Niche: By focusing on what they did best, the Barnharts grew their business exponentially.
Measure What is Important Not Just What is Easy: The Barnharts likely measured not just their financial success, but also their spiritual and social impact.
Give Generously: As Dale says in the book, “Do your giving while you are living, so you are knowing where it’s going!”
Steward Resources Wisely: The Barnharts’ journey from $50,000 to $20 million in annual giving didn’t happen overnight. It required careful stewardship and continual evaluation.
As you consider your own business, ask yourself:
What is the purpose of your profit?
How can you develop your niche to increase both your profitability and your capacity to give?
Are you measuring what is important, not just what is easy in your business?
How can you start or increase your giving now, rather than waiting for some future date?
Remember, awareness of your business’s purpose beyond making money is crucial. You may already be practicing some part of your purpose; you just need to become fully aware of it and intentionally develop it.
The Barnharts’ journey from $50,000 to $20 million in annual giving is not just an inspiring story—it’s a roadmap for what’s possible when we align our business success with a higher purpose. It challenges us to think bigger about our potential impact and to use our businesses as a force for good in the world.
I am thinking bigger now! What about you?
Harry T. Jones
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