By: Wife Aish, CEO and Founder, Double AA Corporation
Generally, entrepreneurs measure success in terms of revenue, growth curves, and exits. However, in family-owned businesses, another metric is equally important: impact. In fact, family entrepreneurs prove time and time again that profitability and philanthropy can go hand in hand.
As a family-owned fuel provider serving California, Double AA has prioritized giving back to our community as much as we’ve prioritized building our business. As the company has grown and been passed down from one generation to the next, we’ve learned many lessons about how to strike this balance along the way.
Success Is Shared: Critical to Share Values and Impact Across the Enterprise
Since the beginning, we’ve operated our business with one simple belief: Success doesn’t matter if it isn’t shared. A family business should be rooted in a deep sense of responsibility—to the employees, customers, and community. Anchor your business to these values rather than chasing trends. This long-term mindset, which is common in family enterprises, is the secret to success in terms of both financial stability and social impact.
Think Long-Term: Adapt to Early Struggles
As with many entrepreneurial ventures, the early years of family businesses are never easy. There is limited capital. Everyone works long hours. Owners must walk the complex tightrope of family dynamics and business decisions that will test them at every turn. However, these challenges can reinforce your family’s commitment to building a lasting business. Don’t focus only on short-term wins. Instead, always prioritize sustainable growth, reinvesting profits, and nurturing relationships that outlast economic cycles.
Philanthropy Isn’t an Accident: Create Structure
As Double AA matured, random acts of generosity evolved into making family business philanthropy a structured part of our business model. Giving should never be treated as an afterthought or marketing gimmick—it should be intrinsically built into how your organization operates. Earmark a portion of your profits for community activities that align with your family’s values.
Look Beyond the Leaders: Support Employee Community Engagement
Encourage your employees to contribute their time and expertise to worthy local causes. Also, leverage your company’s core competencies to provide in-kind support to make an even greater impact than donations alone would.
Measure Results: Internal and Community-Wide
Since Double AA adopted these practices, the results have been tangible and far-reaching. Local nonprofits gained valuable partners instead of one-time donors. Employees became more engaged and had a higher level of pride in their work. Customers discovered that our business wasn’t just about transactions, which made them gravitate to our brand. Purpose became our differentiator in the competitive marketplace—a distinction that couldn’t be easily replicated.
Look Long-Term: Company Philanthropy Is Generational
The philanthropy you establish in your business can become the bridge between generations. As younger family members step into leadership roles, they bring fresh perspectives on social responsibility, sustainability, and community engagement with them. They not only expand the company’s original mission, they incorporate a new paradigm into it, which may include data-driven impact measurement, strategic partnerships, and modern approaches to giving. This evolution can keep your company relevant as you remain faithful to your roots.
Growth and Philanthropy Go Hand in Hand
The lesson for entrepreneurs is clear: You don’t have to sacrifice growth when you prioritize philanthropy. When giving is aligned with a company’s mission and embedded into its operations, culture is strengthened, loyalty is deepened, and long-term resilience is reinforced. Authentic purpose becomes a strategic asset.
More and more, consumers and employees alike expect businesses to stand for something. This gives family-run companies a unique advantage. Their legacy is rooted in much more than what they build; it’s rooted in what they give back in their family business philanthropy.
About the Author: Wife AIsh, CEO & Founder, Double AA Corporation
Wisfe Aish has been in the petroleum industry for more than 35 years and founded Double AA Corporation in 1999. During this time he grew it into a premier fuel service provider, serving California and beyond. He is also a real estate investor and developer, bringing long-term vision and value to every project he leads. Committed to giving back, Wisfe supports youth programs, local charities, and people who strengthen the communities he serves.