Happiness sits atop the pinnacle of human needs and is the ultimate goal behind our lives' endeavors.

Even an entrepreneur’s relentless quest for a thriving business is fueled by the belief that his or her business will lead to happiness. But what if, instead of happiness being your destination, it played a role whileyou were growing your business? There is certainly evidence of success among brands that focus on an ideal which goes beyond the product and service they sell.

I recently discovered a whole set of such companies, all dedicated to teaching businesses how to use happiness in their business models.

One of them was Delivering Happiness. I had an inspiring chat with the company's "chief happiness officer," Jenn Lim. Turns out that applying happiness is not about simply having great service or needing to be content all the time, as Lim told me. Instead, applying happiness means making this value intentional in the culture and experiencing it in daily activities, all of which are translated into better results. 

Here are five steps to create your own happiness culture:

1. Commit to building the right culture.

If you want to build a long-term, sustainable brand, commit to building the right culture. Whether you root your business in happiness or another positive value, make your main objective one of generating the well-being of the customers you serve and the well-being of your employees. Demonstrate your intent by committing the time and financial resources to make these aims a core pillar of your business. Make a personal commitment to live, learn and build such a culture.

2. Define your core values.

Every individual has his or her own set of values, rooted in their upbringing, experiences and beliefs. If you are an entrepreneur, you are likely to instill your own values into your company. But don’t leave your employees guessing what those values are; take a stab at articulating them. First, write down your personal values and then those that you want your company to reflect.

How closely do they align? Establish core values that you can embody. Employees will appreciate your being real and transparent; and that appreciation will support the difference your business intends to make in the world.

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