“Legacy” isn’t the most important driver for most business owners looking to grow a business—but it’s damn close. It usually ranks just behind financial security, wealth creation, and personal freedom.

I’ve always believed that building a successful business is one of the most straightforward, high-leverage ways to create a legacy that lives on well after you’re gone.

Sure, you can build a legacy through other means—athletic achievement, becoming a rock or movie star, writing bestselling books, or reaching high political office. But building a business often demands fewer sacrifices of youth, health, and integrity—and it’s far more within your control.

Why Business Is a More Achievable Legacy

Making it big in athletics is often decided in childhood. It usually comes down to parenting and environment.

Becoming a rock star or movie star depends on youth, talent, and early ambition—again, factors that are heavily environment-driven.

Being recognized as a famous author is rare. It often requires writing dozens of books before any of them get noticed, let alone turn into a cultural legacy.

Even political careers, though self-driven, are filled with compromises. Escaping party agendas is hard, and creating a long-lasting, positive legacy in politics? That’s rarer still—maybe a handful of examples per century.

Now compare all that to building a business legacy.

You Can Start Building a Legacy at Any Age

Business success isn’t easily derailed by injury, addiction, or public scandals. Even better—it’s never too late to start. Here are some legendary examples:

• Martha Stewart launched her media company in her 50s after careers in modeling, catering, and publishing.
• Ray Kroc franchised McDonald’s at age 52 after selling milkshake machines.
• John Pemberton, a Civil War veteran, created Coca-Cola at 55 while searching for a morphine alternative.
• Arianna Huffington launched The Huffington Post at 55, transforming online news.
• Colonel Sanders began franchising his chicken recipe at 65, using his first Social Security check to fund the business.

And unlike celebrity or sports fame, you can build quietly—sneaking up on competitors until it’s too late for them to react.

(A clear vision can help you do exactly that. The Our Summit Vision™ tool helps business owners define the long-term future they want to build—then reverse-engineer it into practical, measurable milestones that align teams and inspire action.)

A Great Business Multiplies Impact

The best part of growing a business? It’s an impact multiplier.

You’re not just helping yourself. You’re also creating value for:

• Your employees and their families
• Your customers and the communities they serve
• Future A-players who are drawn to meaningful, mission-driven work

If you own a viable business, you have a massive opportunity to grow it into a profitable company that attracts top talent, compounds value, and becomes your personal pyramid—a structure that outlasts you.

Business Entrepreneurs Are the Heroes of Our Time

The people shaping today’s world aren’t just athletes or politicians. They’re business entrepreneurs with a vision and the guts to execute.

• Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, NeXT, and CEO of Pixar, revolutionized personal computing, digital animation, digital music, and cracked the code on tablet computing and smartphones.
• Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is shaping the future of AI safety and access, aiming to democratize tools that augment productivity and intelligence for all.
• Melanie Perkins, founder of Canva, made design simple and inclusive, empowering millions of small businesses, nonprofits, and educators to communicate professionally—often for free.
• Anne Wojcicki, founder of 23andMe, disrupted traditional health care by giving people access to their DNA data, leading to personalized health insights and preventive care.
• Boyan Slat, creator of The Ocean Cleanup, is a young entrepreneur tackling one of the world’s most visible environmental crises—removing plastic from oceans and rivers with scalable technology.

Build Your Legacy, No Matter Where You Are Today

What are you doing to create a lasting legacy? Are you pulling on all the levers, including hiring a leadership team coach who can help you get there faster—with less risk and lower cost?

Check out our Guide page on Summit OS for ideas. Remember Colonel Sanders. It’s not too late for you to build a legacy that lasts.