In nearly every video I record on The Stewardship Channel (www.youtube.com/@davidgrausr), I say some version of this:
- Stewardship isn’t charity
- It isn’t about good deeds
- It isn’t giving things away
Stewardship is a smart strategy for building a business that lasts and works for its owner and its stakeholders.
But let me be clear — there is nothing wrong with charity, kindness, or generosity. In fact, when practiced well, stewardship often produces more of those things. Why? Because when you build a durable, profitable business that takes care of all its stakeholders — employees, partners, customers, suppliers, community, even the environment — kindness stops being a random act and starts becoming a predictable outcome.
That’s the key difference. Good deeds come and go. But stewardship institutionalizes good. It turns values into systems. It creates structures that last beyond one person’s choices or moods.
So no, stewardship isn’t about being “nice” — unless you want it to be. It’s about being intentional, professional, and accountable with what’s in your care. And when you do that, kindness has a way of following close behind.
That’s not soft or weak. That’s smart. And it’s what gives small business owners a decisive advantage in today’s world.