As entrepreneurs, it’s almost impossible to avoid writing a mission statement.  We need them for our business plans. We need them for our investors. Our mentors and advisors tell us we need them.  But what is a mission statement, really? Why do we need it? How can it help our businesses? Just to muddy the waters a bit, let’s look at Wikipedia’s definition of the mission statement: “A mission statement is a brief statement of the purpose of a company…The following elements can be included in a mission statement. Purpose and values of the organization. Products, services, or market; or, who are the organization’s primary “clients” (stakeholders). What are the responsibilities of the organization towards these “clients”? What are the main objectives supporting the…