The purpose of a business owner

[Phidippides]

What is the goal of a business owner?  It is just profit within the realms of lawful conduct, or something else?

Ok, with that said, I'm going to throw a curve into the mix.  What is the goal of a Christian business owner?  It is the same as what you said for the first answer or is it different?  Discuss.

[Donald Baker]

I'm going to say that profit is one component.  I also think it is about passion and providing some meaningful product or service to people.  If it is just about money, I think most people would burn out and not succeed.  Successful business owners almost always love what they do, which means they do it well, and that reinforces itself.  Just my thoughts.

[Phidippides]

I think for a long-term business owner you may be right, but not necessarily for all business owners.  For example, let's say that I buy a mediocre business that you used to own with the intent of changing things to make it grow (let's assume that I saw an untapped market segment that you failed to see).  I don't think I would need to have passion about the business' products in order to make the business successful, especially since I might decide to sell the entire company yet again in five years for a huge bonanza.

But even if a business owner aims at profitability, I think this is not the only concern.  Concern for the well-being of one's employees, for example, should be an aim as well.  I'm sure that there have been times (even today) when business owners have consciously taken advantage of their employees, and the employees are powerless to stop it from happening.