By Lee Allen Miller
In business school, they teach you about Return on Investment (ROI). It is a cold, hard calculation: If I put a dollar in here, how many dollars do I get out over there?
But if you walk into the back offices of the legacy businesses that line the streets of Nacogdoches, Lufkin, or Jasper this week, you’ll find a different kind of math being practiced.
You’ll see the owner of a logging supply company writing a check to the local food bank that—on paper—makes zero financial sense. You’ll see a car dealership sponsoring a toy drive that won’t sell a single pickup truck before the end of the quarter.
In the corporate towers of Dallas or Houston, this might be called “Corporate Social Responsibility.” But here in the Piney Woods, we just call it “doing what you’re supposed to do.”
The stewardship model
I sat down recently with a third-generation business owner here in East Texas. His grandfather started the company with a handshake and a prayer, and today, he employs dozens of local families. When I asked him why he pours so much profit back into local charities, he didn’t talk about tax write-offs.
He talked about stewardship.
“I don’t really own this business,” he told me, leaning back in a chair that looked like it had been there since 1975. “I’m just managing it for the One who does. And I have a feeling the real Owner cares more about hungry neighbors than He does about my quarterly margins.”
This is the heartbeat of the East Texas economy. It is built on the belief that we are not reservoirs made to hoard success; we are channels made to let it flow through us.
Community health is business health
There is also a practical side to this generosity, one that savvy leaders understand. You cannot run a healthy business in an unhealthy community.
When a local bank sponsors a scholarship fund, they aren’t just being nice—they are investing in the future workforce. When a construction firm supports the Salvation Army, they are ensuring that families in crisis can get back on their feet and remain vital parts of our town.
Generosity isn’t a drain on the local economy; it is the fuel that keeps the engine running during the lean times. It builds trust. And in a small town, trust is the only currency that matters. If people know you were there for the town when the hurricane hit or when the mill closed, they will be there for you when you open your doors on Monday morning.
The ultimate bottom line
As we close out the books on 2025, many of you are looking at your profit and loss statements. You are calculating your own ROI.
My challenge to the business leaders reading this is to look beyond the spreadsheet. The greatest returns you will ever see won’t be found in your bank account. They will be found in the gratitude of a family who had a Christmas dinner because of your donation. They will be found in the stability of a community that knows its leaders care.
In East Texas, we know that true wealth isn’t measured by what you keep. It’s measured by what you give away.
Action Items: 3 Ways Small Businesses Can Give (Without Breaking the Bank)
- The Gift of Time: Your employees have skills. Let your accountant help a non-profit with their books, or your maintenance crew fix a widow’s fence.
- The “Round Up” Approach: Ask customers if they want to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar for a local charity. It costs the business nothing but facilitates thousands in donations.
- Mentorship: The most valuable asset you have is your experience. Offer to mentor a young entrepreneur or student.
