From Crisis to Comeback: How Purpose Built Superbrands 🦸🏻‍♀️

We talk about purpose and values like they’re fluffy extras. A poster on the wall. A line in an annual report. But here’s the truth: values and purpose aren’t the sprinkles on top. They’re the cake mix. Without them, it all collapses.

And when businesses forget that? They bleed. Badly.

LEGO: Finding the Magic Again 🧱

In the early 2000s, LEGO was falling apart (pun intended). Sales tanked. They were chasing every shiny object—video games, clothing lines, even theme parks—while forgetting why they existed in the first place.

LEGO wasn’t about everything. It was about one thing: sparking creativity through play.

When they realigned to that core purpose, something magical happened. They didn’t just survive—they became the symbol of creativity worldwide. What could’ve been a corporate collapse became one of the greatest business comebacks of our time (HBR, 2009).

Starbucks: Brewing Connection, Not Just Coffee ☕

By 2008, Starbucks was drowning in its own success. Too many stores. Too little soul. The coffee had slipped, the vibe was gone, and the “third place” (that cozy space between work and home) had turned into just another pit stop.

Enter Howard Schultz. When he returned as CEO, he didn’t just fix the coffee. He re-centered Starbucks on its why: connection, community, belonging. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about caffeine—it was about culture. Starbucks became Starbucks again (HBR Interview, 2010).

And Here’s the Sparkle ✨

These aren’t just corporate comeback stories. They’re human ones. Because when you lose sight of your values, when you forget your purpose, you start to feel like LEGO in 2003 or Starbucks in 2008—burnt out, directionless, out of alignment.

But when you realign? When you say, This is who I am. This is why I’m here. That’s when the magic comes back. Energy. Joy. Clarity.

For companies, purpose turns businesses into movements.
For people, purpose turns lives into something you actually want to live.

✨ Whether you’re running a global brand or running your own life, purpose isn’t optional. It’s oxygen. And it just so happens to sparkle when you let it.