James McIngvale (Mattress Mack) isn’t your regular furniture store owner. Actually there are very few business owners like James, once you watch the video by Vice above, you’ll understand.

I was inspired by the story. Not by the business, selling furniture is hardly innovative. No, I was inspired by how he treated his obligation to help the community. Specifically this quote:

One day when I leave this world and go up there and meet the creator whoever he or she may be, they aren’t going to ask you how much money did you make but how much of a difference did you make. – Mattress Mack

It stopped me in my tracks. It makes A LOT of sense. But the extent he takes his care for his community and employees is remarkable.

There is story after story of how Gallery Furniture has done the things that regular businesses just don’t do. Opening their doors to displaced residence after hurricane Harvey in 2017, Gallery Furniture housed and fed 80,000 people. It’s never a questions if Gallery Furniture is going to help but when and by how much.

More recently Mattress Mack was at it again after the cold snap in Texas left many people in dire need of help. Again, Gallery Furniture opened their doors. This time getting a call from none other than Ellen DeGeneres to appear on her show. Then she calls him an true American Hero. Here’s a quote from what he told Ellen:

“My parents taught me, Ellen, when I was a little child that the essence of living is giving and we’ve always had a saying here at Gallery Furniture that we have a responsibility for the wellbeing of the community.”

We need more people like James in our world. The next time you’re thinking about growing your company, why not look at your community and instead grow it. By default your company will be affected by the growth of the community.

Mattress Mack isn’t simply blindly generous, look at the success Gallery Furniture has experienced over the years. James has tapped into the future of business models. One’s based on out-caring the competition.