As our world starts to heal from the global pandemic, true economic recovery may take years.
Nearly HALF of the world’s 3.3 billion global workforce is at risk of losing their livelihood, according to a joint statement by International Labour Organization (ILO), The World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
It’s mind blowing to consider that stark reality. Truly, nothing will be the same. But, what if there’s a silver lining? It’s hard to imagine but try. What if this is the moment when a better way to be in business actually leads to a better tomorrow?
Conscious businesses think very differently about their recovery.
When traditional business leaders think about success, they ask, “How much money can we make?” When conscious business leaders think about success, they ask, “How do we make a difference, while making money?” Think about the power in that. If every business asked themselves “how do we make a difference” as they focused on recovery, the world would be so much better off. And that’s where the silver lining is.
The difference between traditional business and conscious business is stark. If you haven’t heard about B-Corps (Certified Benefit Corporations), they demonstrate the power of conscious business combined with stakeholder capitalism. These businesses have, at their heart, the question “how can we make a difference” while making money for shareholders, and doing good for employees, as well as vendor partners and the community at large.
I believe two things about conscious business:
1. The more conscious businesses are able to lead this economic recovery, the faster our world will heal and thrive. We are the cure. Simply put, core values that place purpose ahead of profits will be the medicine we need to recover and build back better.
2. If the vast majority of those conscious businesses are actually conscious entrepreneurs, the better our world will be, period. Why? Well conscious entrepreneurs do business the way it was truly meant to be done.
Building a business started as a way to provide for the needs of a community, rather than a path to profit for the sake of power. For example, when developing a product or service, traditional entrepreneurs ask,“Will someone buy it?” When conscious entrepreneurs develop a product or service, they ask “Will it solve a problem?” Conscious entrepreneurs are driven both by solving problems and making a difference. Think about the power in that.
I want conscious entrepreneurs to feel empowered to grow thriving companies. Companies that solve problems and make a difference as we are earning money. It’s how we make the world better.