Build on the Right Foundation with St. Teresa of Calcutta

Jul 17

You know St. Teresa of Calcutta for her tireless dedication to serving the poor and marginalized.

But do you consider her a visionary entrepreneur?

Mother Teresa possessed many of the traits needed to become a successful founder. She was wholly committed, unwaveringly patient, and utilized the few resources she had to create the most impact.

Mother Teresa started building the Missionaries of Charity from the ground up in 1948.

If you’re reading this, you likely aren’t starting a religious order that doubles as a nonprofit. But you can still learn some valuable lessons from the life and example of Mother Teresa.

Entrepreneurship goes beyond innovative products, endless ambition, and financial success – it encompasses a deep passion for making a positive impact on the world.

Remember why you began your entrepreneurial journey.

Mother Teresa’s “why” fueled the growth of her order. With it, she crafted a vision that changed the world.

She built the Missionaries of Charity on 3 values that serve as a sturdy foundation for any enterprise.

Prioritize Human Needs

It’s no secret that understanding your customers will help you first reach product-market fit and then continue to grow.

But when your vision is grounded in your values, you know that this isn’t the full picture. Many industries are riddled with products that meet a “need,” but don’t actually consider what is good for the human person.

Mother Teresa made the people she served her main priority and conformed her business model around their needs. She adapted the institutions and structures of religious life to address the human and spiritual needs she encountered in the ordinary circumstances of her life in Calcutta.

Mother Teresa was already a religious sister when she had a mystical experience where she received a “Call within the Call” – to bring Christ’s light to the poorest of the poor.

In some ways, the call to business leadership is a “call within a call” within the context of your vocation.

But if you want to live out your leadership role as a calling, then the “why” of your call must be at the forefront of your mind.

What needs are you fulfilling? For your customers? Your employees?

Work on God’s Timing

While Mother Teresa was willing to serve the poor as a lay person, she was encouraged to keep her vows. She spent the next two years requesting permission to leave the Sisters of Loreto from the bishop to found the Missionaries of Charity.

Once she received permission, Mother Teresa went into the streets on her own with only 5 rupees, the equivalent of $19 in current value. It wasn’t until two years later that she had 12 other religious sisters join her.

The first Kalighat, House for the Dying, wasn’t established until 6 years after Mother Teresa first requested permission from the bishop, once again demonstrating her immense patience.

Figuring out the reason for the wait is often a futile endeavor. But take a cue from Mother Teresa and strive to build patience and resilience in the building process. Cultivating an attitude of patience, with God, with yourself, and with your team will keep you peaceful through highs and lows.

Remember Your Greatest Resource

Limitations in funds, employees, and partnerships are bound to happen.

Mother Teresa understood the importance of building strong networks, engaging volunteers, and leveraging partnerships. She was notoriously stubborn, and this quality often worked to her benefit. But Mother Teresa’s greatest asset was a routine grounded in prayer. Even though she dealt with severe desolation in her spiritual journey, her sacramental life undoubtedly aided her work.

As a founder or executive, you are constantly challenged to think creatively to optimize what you have, decide when and how to get additional funding, what to outsource, which costs to cut, who to work with, etc.

That’s why maintaining a steady prayer life is essential to business.

When you’re grounded in Scripture and prayer, you’ll learn to make better decisions. You’ll also know when to ask God to move some big mountains, and you’ll be able to trust in His will better if He doesn’t.

Mother Teresa’s impact still lasts today with sisters serving in over 100 countries. But she didn’t do it alone. She relied on her greatest resource and wasn’t afraid to ask for help from others.

The Bottom Line

Not everyone is meant to do work like the Missionaries of Charity. In fact, most of us are called to something very, very different.

When Mother Teresa accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Ronald Reagan, she said that “tender love for the poor begins at home in your own family.” This applies to the workplace too.

Mother Teresa's example reminds us of the true purpose of entrepreneurship—to bring about positive change and improve the lives of others.