When I speak the words, I get one of 3 reactions: Sounds good...What the hell are you talking about and...Did you really drink the Kool-Aid!?!
Conscious Capitalism or as I like to call it, ConCap, is first and foremost a business philosophy. Business is about providing a product and a service, getting paid for it, and one hopes, making a living.
When I talk to people about Conscious Capitalism, I get three reactions: Yeah, that sounds good; C’mon, that’s crazy; and What are you talking about? If you’re from the first group – get involved. Every new movement needs help getting started. If you’re from the second or third group, read on.
Conscious Capitalism or as I like to call it, ConCap, is first and foremost a business philosophy. Business is about providing a product and a service, getting paid for it, and one hopes, making a living. So far so good. In the U.S., we live in a capitalist system where business is controlled by private interests with the intent of making a profit. No problem there.
So what’s the Conscious part of this Capitalism thing? ConCap is about #DoingWellByDoingGood. You can make money and make a difference. Business can have a higher purpose, create a conscious culture within its walls, start with concerned leadership, and still return value to all the stakeholders.
Whoa! Hold on there, you say? It’s all getting just a little too “woo-woo” for you? Okay, then let’s stop right here and break it down.
You want to start a successful business. Think about a product or a service that people really need, something that will make their lives better or easier or bring long-term improvements to individuals, a group of people, or the planet (btw, this is also a good business model and brand strategy).
Next, gather a bunch of people who share your vision. Friends, family, investors, contributors, thinkers, workers who share your values. Build a team. Get everyone involved.
Now go! Tell your story. Make some money. Provide an answer to a question, a solution to a problem, charge fee for your service, make a profit. Do it again. There you go – you’re a Conscious Capitalist and it wasn’t so hard after all.
At the recent Conscious Capitalism Annual Conference in Phoenix, we saw and heard from dozens of firms generating $MMs of revenue by doing good, ethical, and even heroic acts of business. The Atlanta Chapter simply talks about “#ElevatingHumanityThroughBusiness.”
Hey! You say. Did you drink all the Koo-Aid!?! I say, let me ask you 2 questions:
Don’t you want to do something good…do the right thing? Of course, you answer.
Would you like to make some money…maybe grow your company even faster? Yes?
I think ConCap is a pretty good business model, don’t you? Something customers really need and makes their lives a little better. Simple, right?
Alllllllrighty then! That’s your first sip of Kool-Aid.