Your Playbook for Standing Out in the Elevator Industry in 2025

Beginning a new year means creating new business goals, right? It means a clean slate and a fresh start. 2025 is the year of an elevator industry turning point. Urbanization is accelerating, technology is advancing, and the competition is becoming fierce. For elevator business owners, the stakes have never been higher—but neither have the opportunities. So, how do you rise above the crowd in an industry where everyone is trying to move up (literally)?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. However, I can tell you one thing. The best businesses: know exactly who they are, where they’re going, and why they matter. If you’re serious about standing out, it’s time to lean into three key concepts: Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV), a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG), and your Unique Value Proposition (UVP).

These three concepts didn’t just attract more clients to Madden Elevator—they solidified our reputation, established us as industry leaders, and sparked a cultural transformation within our company, inspiring all of us to see the bigger picture in how we serve our community. If you think foundational concepts like these are outdated or can be put on the back-burner, you are sorely mistaken. They give our work purpose and momentum to build upon.

So let’s talk about them.

Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV): Who You Are

Your MVV isn’t just corporate jargon created in Chat GPT to throw on a website. It’s your DNA and the core of your business that shapes every decision, every interaction, and every success you will encounter. Get this wrong, and you’re just another name in the directory. Get it right, and you’re the first one mentioned when someone asks, “Who’s the best in the business?”

• Mission: Why does your business exist? What’s the driving force behind what you do?
• Vision: Where are you going? What’s the big picture for your company and your customers?
• Values: What principles guide how you operate? What do you stand for, no matter what?

At Madden Elevator, to simplify our MVV, we exceeded expectations by providing exceptional service at competitive prices. We stood by this. We weren’t just moving people; we were building trust. Having that clarity shaped everything we did internally and externally.

When your MVV is clear and authentic, it’s not just something you say but it’s something your team lives and your customers feel.

BHAG: Big Hairy Audacious Goal

Now let’s talk about dreaming big—I mean really big. So big that it feels absolutely unattainable. That is your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). A BHAG isn’t supposed to be a safe, incremental goal. It’s ambitious, bold, and maybe even a little scary. It’s the kind of target that makes your team pause and then say, “Let’s make it happen!”

Think about it: What’s your boldest ambition? Maybe it’s becoming the go-to provider for modernizing historic elevators. Maybe it’s transforming your entire fleet to carbon-neutral technology by 2030. Whatever it is, it needs to be big enough to stretch you and your business to new and exciting limits.

One year, during an annual planning session, one of our teammates wrote down that we should create the world’s first magnetic elevator. That was a WILD concept during that time (not to date myself), but that was the kind of enthusiasm I was looking for as an elevator business owner. I wanted myself and my team to think so far out of the box that it felt crazy. Even though this was not a BHAG we were able to set and accomplish, it felt satisfying to see this magnetic dream come to life ten years later for another company. (Because we thought of it first, right?)

My point is, you’ve got to get creative. It’s got to feel impossible but should light a fire under your team to begin making that goal attainable. That’s the power of a BHAG. It’s a rallying cry that inspires your team and your customers to believe in what you’re building.

Unique Value Proposition (UVP): Why Choose You?

Here’s the million-dollar question: Why should someone choose your elevator business over all the others? That’s your UVP, and it’s the foundation of your competitive edge.

Your UVP isn’t about being everything to everyone. It’s about being the best at the thing that matters most to your ideal customers. Maybe you’re the fastest. Maybe you’re the most innovative. Maybe you’re the most dependable. Whatever it is, your UVP should be impossible to ignore.

During our early years, our UVP was simple at Madden Elevator. We provided 24/7 phone service to connect our customers to someone in our company within the same city. This meant in the middle of the night, when a repair was needed, our local team answered the phone for that potential customer. This concept set us apart because we were the FIRST they were going to call. Joe Schmo down the street wasn’t going to answer the phone or would send a dispatch company to respond, but we would get out at 3 am to fix that elevator and often, secure a contract with that client because they were treated as a priority. That’s an awesome way to start a day. Customers knew they could count on us in a pinch, and that trust became our calling card.

Nail your UVP, and it becomes the thread that ties your brand, your operations, and your marketing together. It’s what keeps your customers coming back—and telling others to do the same.

Putting It All Together

The best elevator businesses in 2025 don’t succeed by accident. They put in the work and take the time to define their MVV, set bold BHAGs, and articulate a compelling UVP. Remember, these aren’t just corporate buzzwords; they are the foundation of a business built to thrive.

When I mentor elevator business owners today, the first thing we tackle is clarity—in their mission, their goals, and in their value. If you don’t know who you are or where you’re going, how can you expect your team and your customers to follow?

So, take a step back and ask yourself:

• Is your mission crystal clear and inspiring?
• Do you have a BHAG that challenges and excites your team?
• Can you sum up your UVP in one sentence?

If you’re unsure about any of these, now’s the time to get intentional. Your next big win might be just a few bold decisions away. And trust me, this industry rewards the bold.