If you have been following my Whole PIE journey for any length of time, you will no doubt have heard me say many times that the three most important measures of success for a small business are: profit, impact, and enjoyment.
Profit. Impact. Enjoyment. P-I-E. That’s where the name of The Whole PIE System comes from, and that is the order many businesses are designed around.
But in day-to-day reality, I have found it far more useful to think about the system in a different sequence. Not P-I-E. More like E-I-P.
Enjoyment first. Then impact. Then profit.
At first glance, that can sound backwards, especially in a world that tends to celebrate sacrifice and endurance. Yet after years of working alongside business owners, I have rarely seen lasting success unfold in any other order.
A quiet assumption
There is an assumption that shows up in many otherwise healthy businesses. Once the business grows a bit more, things will feel better. Once profit improves, pressure will ease. Once impact increases, satisfaction will naturally follow.
Sometimes that happens in small ways. More profit can create breathing room and greater impact can bring moments of pride and meaning. Those things matter.
But they rarely change the underlying experience of running the business.
An owner who is unhappy in the day-to-day process of running the business does not suddenly become happy because revenue increased or the mission expanded. At best, they experience a bit of relief. At worst, the business simply grows larger and more demanding.
This isn’t because profit and impact are unimportant. It’s because they are outcomes, not foundations.
Enjoyment as a starting point
Enjoyment is often treated as a reward, something you earn after enough hard work. In practice, it functions much more like a leading indicator.
When an owner enjoys the way their business is designed, several positive things tend to follow naturally. They show up with more energy. They make clearer decisions. They stay curious instead of defensive. They lead with more patience and consistency.
That energy spreads: Teams feel it, customers feel it, partners feel it.
Impact increases almost as a byproduct of that healthier environment. And when impact grows in a sustainable way, profit usually follows right behind.
This is why the old idea rings true. Happiness breeds success, not the other way around.
What enjoyment really means
It helps to be clear about what enjoyment is and what it isn’t.
Enjoyment does not mean every day is easy. It does not mean the absence of stress or responsibility. It certainly does not mean loving every task on your list.
Enjoyment means the business fits the person running it.
The role aligns with their strengths. The expectations feel realistic. The structure supports rather than drains. An enjoyable business still requires effort, but it doesn’t require constant self sacrifice.
Why this matters more than it seems
Many owners hesitate to prioritize enjoyment because it can sound soft or self focused. In practice, it is neither.
Enjoyment is one of the clearest signals that a business is well designed. When enjoyment disappears, it usually points to deeper structural issues that will eventually show up in other ways, stalled growth, disengaged teams, or owner burnout.
Starting with enjoyment is not about lowering ambition. It is about creating the conditions where ambition can be sustained.
When owners enjoy the process of running their business, they tend to create more meaningful impact. When impact grows in a healthy way, profit becomes a natural result rather than a constant chase.
So, think: E first. Then I. Then P.
A simple reflection
As you think about your own business, consider one straightforward question: Does the way your business is currently designed support your enjoyment of running it?
Not every day. Not every moment. But in general.
If the answer is yes, you are likely well positioned to increase both impact and profit over time. If the answer is uncertain, that uncertainty is useful information. It is not a criticism. It is simply a starting point.
In future issues, we will explore practical ways to redesign roles, expectations, and structures so enjoyment becomes a strength rather than an afterthought.
For now, it is enough to remember that enjoyment is not something to wait for. It is something to design for.
Andy
