Some founders are mission-driven. They’re inspired by a personal story, a gap they experienced in the market, or a cause they deeply care about. Maybe something happened to them that made them want to create a solution, or they felt unseen in a particular area of the industry. Sometimes it’s a philanthropy or a personal journey that becomes the heartbeat of the brand.

Others are market-driven. They look at data, trends, and performance. They know what products are selling, what categories are growing, and where the demand is. They may not feel passionate about the product itself, but they’re laser-focused on revenue opportunities.

Both approaches are valid. In fact, I believe you need both.

When I started Erin’s Faces, my beauty brand, my mission came first. I had been working as a makeup artist and skincare specialist, and I found myself cherry-picking from a dozen different lines to recommend the “best of the best” to my clients. No one brand had everything I trusted. So my initial mission was simple: create a line with the best products in every category under one roof. Later, that mission expanded to cleaner ingredients and sustainable packaging.

At the same time, I wasn’t blind to the market. I knew beauty was a multibillion-dollar industry. People invest in products that make them feel good, and that wasn’t changing. So while my mission lit me up, I also knew there was a strong market foundation to support it.

Here’s where I land: if it’s only about the money, I can’t pour myself into it. But if it’s only about the mission, without an understanding of the market, it may not be sustainable. For me, it has to be both - serving people while also building something that can last.

What about you? Every founder has a tilt - either toward mission or toward market. What’s yours?