Claiming the Compass: Why I Formalized My Title and Re-Aligned Our Company With Purpose
Written by Meredith Ellison, Quility Founder & Chief Well-Being Officer
What’s in a name?
Since the launch of our insurtech company (Quility) in 2020, I have felt deeply devoted and committed to the emotional and cultural heartbeat of the organization. It’s a big, wonderful job — one I got so excited about, I neglected to ever name it! Finally, in 2024, the decision was made, and I embraced a new title: Chief Well-Being Officer (CWBO).
It’s been about a year now, and I’ve realized something: Taking on a C-Suite credential wasn’t just about putting a name to my work; it was about owning it. The title has helped me wrap accountability around my role and, more importantly, around my dedication to our people and our culture.
As for new responsibilities, they’ve mostly come in the form of deeper integration. I’ve been invited into more strategic conversations where well-being isn’t an afterthought — it’s part of the design. And that shift feels meaningful. Because the more we see well-being as foundational to performance, innovation, and sustainable growth, the more we build a company that reflects what we actually believe in.
New title, new target
While purpose has always been central to Quility, I wanted one of my first initiatives as CWBO to be a large-scale, intentional effort to deepen our connection to it. So, we embarked on a six-month journey — an internal exploration we called purpose work.
Defining purpose
To me, purpose is about living in alignment with what you stand for — something greater than yourself. It’s a bold declaration to the world: This is what I’m here to do, and this is the contribution I have chosen to make.
Purpose isn’t something we achieve or check off a list; it’s not a destination. It’s a living, breathing force that evolves with us. It is present in the everyday actions we take, the energy we bring, and the ecosystems we serve.
When companies define a higher purpose — a vision for how they want to positively impact the lives of employees, clients, communities and the world at large — it invites people in. It creates unity, alignment and an environment ripe for co-creation and expansion.
The need for a north
Like any living, breathing organism, a business evolves over time. Over the last five years, as Quility has grown and transformed, it’s felt like our purpose has gradually revealed itself through the work, the people and the values that continue to emerge when decisions are on the table.
While we were getting by, there eventually came a time when we needed a compass; something to guide us when the path ahead wasn’t perfectly clear. We knew a strong, clarified and collective purpose could offer just that. It could serve as our true north, helping us reorient, reconnect and realign no matter the volume or complexity of change we might be navigating.
Finding our guide
I knew if I was going to ask my fellow leaders to dive this deep, we needed a highly-skilled guide; someone who could ask the right questions, identify blind spots and help us think outside of our known and comfortable paradigms.
The choice to enlist the support and expertise of Brody Hartman was an easy one. I had worked with Brody in my personal development journey, so extending his talents to our company felt like a natural progression.
A talented consultant and creative strategist, Brody helps founders, executive teams and impact-led companies clarify their vision and approach around purpose. He works with people at pivotal moments of growth and has the rare gift of helping individuals and organizations connect with deep and shared whys. Brody does not come with pre-packaged answers, but rather with curiosity, wisdom and a presence that invites transformation. He helps business owners and leaders define and then operationalize their purpose; to distill it into something profound and practical.
The work
I didn’t know exactly what I wanted at the start of this process, but that’s where the magic lives. In any creative and collaborative journey, it’s not about controlling the outcome; it’s about trusting the process.
Our work with Brody was anchored by a team of Quility founders and executives and further bolstered by the input and insights of additional employees and stakeholders.
Collectively, we were able to define our new purpose statement and the core ecosystems we aim to serve. From there, we developed measurable, attainable goals and shared responsibilities that will guide accountability over the next one to five years.
If this work is done with integrity, which is our intention, it won’t be a one-time project. Quility’s purpose work will be an ongoing effort that evolves alongside the company.
ROI (return on intention)
I truly hope that companies today — and especially those building for the future — not only feel encouraged to invest in this kind of work but begin to demand it.
For me, for Quility, it has been worth every penny and every minute of the investment. It’s not just about crafting a beautiful purpose statement — it’s about awakening a shared energy across the organization. It invites people to show up more fully, to take ownership of the significance they bring and to reconnect with why their work matters. It becomes a mirror that reflects not only what your organization is doing, but who it’s becoming. And when done with integrity, this kind of work doesn’t just change your company — it transforms your culture, your people and the possibilities you’re able to create together.