“My name is Joel Goodson. I deal in human fulfillment. I grossed over eight thousand dollars in one night. Time of your life, huh kid?”

That, of course, is the concluding line from “Risky Business.”  With that line Joel, played by Tom Cruise, announced the results of his high school entrepreneurial project.

“I deal in human fulfillment.”  Those of you who have seen the movie know what Joel is talking about.  For those of you who haven’t, just think of what your typical rich, suburban, high school boy wants.  That was what Joel delivered; it was his “why.”

That line to us also is one of the best answers ever to the organizational question: “Why do we exist?”  In other words: what’s our why?

What’s your why?  Why do you exist?  If you think you’ve got a great answer,we invite you to enter the L. Stern & Associates “What’s Your Why” contest.  Here is how you participate.  Send an email to les@lsternmktg.com with the following information:

  1. The type of organization you work for
  2. What your why is (in one sentence)
  3. A support statement for your why

Send the email by end of day August 28 to les@lsternmktg.com.  A panel of three esteemed marketers (not me) will judge the entries.  We will then announce the winners.

What’s in it for you, other than the fame and glory you will receive if you win?  A $100 giftcard for the winner, a $50 giftcard for second place, and a $25 giftcard for third place.

You should enter.  After all, as Joel’s father said: “Sometimes you just gotta say: what the heck.”