For the EVOLution of Business

[2:20] The phone conversation that turned into their new book, The Business of Race

[5:30] Gina and Margaret's reconnection after the murder of George Floyd

[10:00] Applying a growth mindset to conversations about race
Gina: "Avoiding the conversation and doing nothing is the wrong thing to do."

Dolly Chugh's TED Talk - How to Let Go of Being a "Good" Person and Become a Better Person
https://www.ted.com/talks/dolly_chugh_how_to_let_go_of_being_a_good_person_and_become_a_better_person?language=en

[20:00] Navigating racial conversations in their friendship
Gina: "Rather than conflict resolution, I like to think about conflict transformation. Conflict is a tool for transformation. That's how people grow. That's how you know what's really going on in your relationships. If you aren't willing to take that risk then you'll never know."

[28:00] How discussions of race in society and the workplace have evolved - from compliance and avoiding lawsuits to belonging and equity
Gina: "Regardless of how we racially identify, we're in this together."

[34:45] Passing "The Kumbaya Test" as an ally

[40:00] Picking your moments to bring up conversations about race

[43:00] Why the workplace is the best place to talk about race
-Often the first or only place that we interact with people of other races
-One of few places in society where there is some civility
-One of the places where you must keep learning and growing to stay relevant
"The workplace is the place where people of many different backgrounds and skillsets work together toward a common goal."

[49:30] Taking an asset rather than deficit based lens to diversity in the workplace

[52:00] The business model of slavery
Gina: "Their business model was always broken and not sustainable...Here's a business model that we propose that is an asset-based model that's not based on the economic oppression of humans. We want to say to business people, don't be afraid of addresses this, you know how to do it and we're going to show you how to do it with the tools that you've been using all along: strategy, project planning..."

[1:01:45] The "work before the work" and "prepping for the talk"
Free recommended resources
Coursera "Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life" (Free)
https://www.coursera.org/learn/race-cultural-diversity-american-life

"Race, the Power of an Illusion" series:
https://www.racepowerofanillusion.org/

Frontline: "A Class Divided" (Free):
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/class-divided/

Read their series on talking about race in the workplace:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/race-america-part-i-workplace-perfect-place-discuss-margaret-h-/

Pre-order their book - Due August 31, 2021:
https://www.amazon.com/Business-Race-Antiracist-Workplace_And-Actually/dp/126426884X/

The Business of Race: How to Create and Sustain an Antiracist Workplace―And Why it’s Actually Good for Business

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Recorded April 8th, 2021 by the Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to "elevate humanity through business."

Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

-Higher Purpose (beyond profit)
-Stakeholder Orientation (balancing the needs of employees, customers, suppliers, investors, society and the environment, rather than prioritizing stockholders)
-Conscious Leadership (servant leaders that focus on we rather than me, keeping the organization focused on living its purpose)
-Conscious Culture (fosters love and care and focuses on the holistic wellbeing of employees)

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalism.org/

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Recorded February 24th, 2021 by the Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to "elevate humanity through business."

Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalism.org/

Learn more about Improving:
https://improving.com/

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Recorded October 27th by the Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to "elevate humanity through business."

Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalism.org/

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[3:40] Founding of Greyston by a then-Buddhist Monk Bernie Glassman

[7:50] The business case for Open Hiring

[11:15] Piloting Open Hiring in Rochester, NY

[14:30] How to get started with Open Hiring at your business
View Open Hiring 101 Webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/uMIkI--uq2o3HNWRsgSDUaB9W42_J6yshCUeqfEOzBrgUXkFMwaiZbNGZeQovDN7MDyf3rEIpwA4qlMK?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=yxVvUoIWRC-8jUvM3MtFag.1595019369785.ac5752f410a180da626b89cee54f904e&_x_zm_rhtaid=319

[19:00] Open Hiring at the Body Shop - 60% reduction of turnover, productivity up 13%, reduced time to hire from 3-4 weeks to 7 days - hired 150 so far and looking to expand

[21:45] How Open Hiring can actually INCREASE retention

[28:30] How Open Hiring can inject purpose into an organization and positively impact the culture

[31:45] Sharing stories of impact with consumers

[36:00] Radical inclusion through balancing accountability with support

[38:30] Sara's path from Harvard Business School to Greyston

[43:00] Mubarak's experience bridging non-profit and for profit

[45:00] Defining success and looking toward the future of Open Hiring

Learn more at www.greyston.org/about-the-greyston-center-for-open-hiring

If you're in Rochester, contact Mubarak: mubarakb@greyston.org

Otherwise, contact Sara at: saram@greyston.org

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[3:00] Growing up in Rochester, then joining the Marines

[6:30] Mentoring from Bob Duffy and coming back to Rochester

[9:15] Applying his degree in urban education to Rochester's challenges

[12:00] Taking a holistic approach to business - "differentiate free market, equal opportunity capitalism where there is healthy competition, from what we have now...corporate cannibalism"

[15:00] "We need to be honest about tax avoidance...this idea that there is not an inherent obligation to the public good...by starving government, business is attempting to introduce themselves as saviors, which I'm hesitant to do. Doing good should not be an act of charity. Doing good should be part of our fundamental obligation to one another as people...there needs to be inherent in the business model, with this aspiration for profitability, how do we at the same time not create these negative externalities BEFORE you start thinking about how to do good."

[20:00] "If you continue to subject people to a system that they know they have no real opportunity or chance of succeeding in, then you risk collapse...and if the system collapses, even those who have the most power become powerless."

[23:00] How philanthropy can be a "Trojan horse" for corporate reputation that masks how inherent in their business model is the simultaneous cause of many of the problems they claim to ameliorate

[27:00] Overcoming the temptation of short-term self interest - poverty as a deficit of aggregate choice - "for far too long, the nature of the problem has been ignored" - "so many people are better at being community-minded when they're OK...self-interest is inherently un-American"

[34:00] Leading conversations on diversity, equity and inclusion in the Chamber and among Chamber members - New "Colors of Success" conversations, trainings and programming

[40:00] Understanding systems and contexts that restrict opportunities

[47:00] Attracting companies to Rochester, developing the talent they're looking for and enhancing the job quality

[56:00] The intersection of education and poverty - "We need to focus on the policies, resource flows and conditions that are rendering them to a helpless status where they are not the determiners of who and what they can become. That is when we begin to deal with poverty. We cannot apply an ethics of individualism to people who cannot take action as individuals."

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Recorded August 27th by the Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to "elevate humanity through business."

Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalism.org/

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[2:00] Building an interest in political science

[3:55] Establishment of ROC2025 from the Boston Consulting Group's report on regional economic growth - for coordination and resource cultivation

[7:30] Four main goals of ROC2025:
1 - Adding 30,000 Net New Jobs
2 - Increasing Regional Wealth by 20%
3 - Elevating 20,000 out of Poverty
4 - Increasing Regional GDP by 10%

[10:15] The intersection of economic growth and equity
"Economically inclusive communities experience higher rates of job growth and higher rates of income growth. Equity isn't tangential to our mission. It really is central...it's an opportunity to contribute to a changed future for our community." says Dr. Joe Stefko, President & CEO of ROC2025.

[12:00] "Just" Growth and taking a regional focus - Study and book:
http://justgrowth.org/

[13:00] Other cities we can learn from and benchmarking against our peer metros

[19:30] The impacts of COVID and Black Lives Matter on the 2025 goals

[23:30] Early progress from initial investments of ROC2025

Strategic Pillars (in collaboration with other Rochester economic development organizations)
[26:00] Talent strategy (with Rochester Chamber) - growing the size of the employable labor pool - both retaining local graduates and creating access and training for middle skills jobs

[33:00] Business attraction, retention and expansion (with Greater Rochester Enterprise) - 4 out of 5 new jobs are created by jobs that are already here!

[36:30] Support innovation and downtown development (with Rochester Downtown Development Corporation) - mobility, placemaking and growing street-level activity in the urban core

[40:00] Greater ROC regional branding campaign - an opportunity to tell our story in a bold, powerful and audacious way

[43:00] This isn't the first regional branding campaign...what makes this time different?

"This is an open source brand. This is not the ROC2025 story. This is the community's story...Ours is not a region of one story. Everybody seems to have a different lens on what they love about this region. What we've attempted to do is engage the community in building out that story. This will be an ever-evolving story if we do our job right. It will be a story that incorporates diverse voices and diverse perspectives on what makes our region great...or 'Greater.'"

[50:15] How can business leaders get involved

Learn more about ROC2025 at https://www.roc2025.org/ and about the Greater ROC branding campaign at https://greaterroc.com/

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[3:00] The false separateness we've created between ourselves and nature: "If we can go back to the essence of how life works to align how we design our economy, our companies and our innovation strategies with how nature works, we'd all be much better off."

[5:00] Bringing natural intelligence and indigenous wisdom into our design: "We behave like we're isolated from nature, they behave like they're a part of nature."

[6:00] Giving a voice to nature in decision making: "Their decision making is built on interdependency, while ours is built on human superiority and we don't take into account all of the relations that are actually vital for our lives."

"As a citizen of the so-called 'developed' world, I wonder if we have developed the wrong things."

[8:30] Changing our relationship with nature starts with the language we use. Indigenous cultures see nature as a relation and don't use the "it" pronoun, just as we wouldn't call a pet "it."

[10:30] Nature filmmakers sometimes glorify the spectacle of a hunt, but it's not the main part of the story or even the most important part - "In your body, if you take away collaboration, you cease to exist. In nature, you more often see strategies to AVOID competition."

[13:30] Competition is the exception, rather than the rule. Cancer is fundamentally cells that have forgotten about the system...cancer is what happens when collaboration fails."

[17:30] Did we domesticate wolves, or did they domesticate themselves as a cooperative survival strategy?

[21:30] How diversity creates resilience - "WE are an ecosystem" - every human is made up of more non-human cells than human cells
"We're putting all of our focus on big technological interventions for the climate." Working WITH nature "would be so much easier, less risky and less costly to restore the planet. Not only would that be good for the climate, but it would be incredibly positive for the economy."

[26:30] "Bio-logical" - It only counts as an investment if it makes the world better off

[27:00] "Nature has been working with chemistry for billions of years. Imagine if our finest chemists understood how this worked and redesigned our products in nature's image" to be non-toxic for humans and for the planet

[32:00] Biomimicry - nature has already solved many of the problems we face today
-How sharkskin inspired a new surface that resists bacteria and viruses

[35:30] Building an organizational structure on the natural intelligence of bottom-up agility - using simple rules rather than top-down hierarchy
See Frederic Laloux's ReInventing Organizations here: https://www.reinventingorganizations.com/

[42:00] How to get started on the journey of natural intelligence
-Product-level, process-level, systems-level
-From de-generative to re-generative

Learn more and purchase the book here:
https://www.naturalintelligence.info/

or contact Leen through LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leen-gorissen-86aa508/

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[1:30] Pathstone's various workforce development programs

[5:00] The hopes, dreams and fears of people returning from incarceration

[8:30] "Ban the box" and employment discrimination

[12:30] The path through the Young Adult Re-Entry program

[15:20] Taking an individualized approach

[18:00] Working with other partners in the training ecosystem

[20:30] The inner work: changing mindsets for success

[26:00] Grequan's path to Pathstone
Learn more here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/grequancarter/

...and buy his book!
https://store.bookbaby.com/bookshop/book/index.aspx?bookURL=Journey-of-a-Maturation-Rollercoaster

[30:45] Toni's path to Pathstone
"Turn your pain into power, and then you pour that into the young people on a daily basis."
Learn more about Post-Traumatic Growth here:
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/11/growth-trauma

[35:00] Joshua's path to Pathstone
Learn more here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-murphy-79160a90/

Check out past episodes with Rich Ryan:
https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/sdt
...and Tina Paradiso of Imprintable Solutions:
https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/imprintinglives

[40:30] A Pathstone success story

[46:00] Why success looks different for everyone

[49:00] Barriers to scaling the Young Adult Re-Entry program

[52:00] A message to employers on why they should consider hiring these young adults that are hungry for opportunity

Learn more about workforce development programs at Pathstone:
https://pathstone.org/workforce-development/
or if you're an employer interested in learning more, contact Joshua Murphy directly at: Jmurphy@pathstone.org

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[2:30] Children are stakeholders too!
"Children are going to lead the next stage of our evolution."

[6:00] Laura's upbringing and how it influenced her life and career
"We have a moral as well as a business obligation to build strong children."

[10:00] Having conversations on equity and inclusion with children

[15:00] Bringing discussions of fairness from kindergarten into the business world

[20:00] Encouraging children's natural creativity and inquisitiveness - "While you're working from home, they're going to be on your advisory board whether you like it or not."

[25:00] "We used to tell the customer what to buy. Now, the consumer tells us what they want to buy. It has never been more important for us to listen to these young people."

[27:30] Embracing the journey of Conscious Capitalism - "It's about progress, not perfection."

[30:00] During this pandemic, "it is MORE important for us to be conscious and act as a community, to share, and to build it together."

[31:30] Sustainability in the fashion industry - "It has never been more important for customers to vote with their pocketbook...children are very much aware."

[36:00] "We are what we measure and we must measure what matters."
Learn more abut Caring Economics and Dr. Riane Eisler here:
https://centerforpartnership.org/programs/caring-economy/

Pick up a copy (or several!) of The ABCs of Conscious Capitalism for Kids here:
https://www.consciouscapitalismpress.com/collections/the-abcs-of-conscious-capitalism-for-kids

Check out Laura's blog post about why the pandemic is a great time for kids to become the conscious leaders our world needs!
https://www.roundtablecompanies.com/blog/calling-all-conscious-kids

Learn more about Laura and WHYZ Partners here:
https://www.retailconsultingfirm.com/

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Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to elevate humanity through business.

Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

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Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to elevate humanity through business.

Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

-Higher Purpose (beyond profit)

-Stakeholder Orientation (balancing the needs of employees, customers, suppliers, investors, society and the environment, rather than prioritizing stockholders)

-Conscious Leadership (servant leaders that focus on we rather than me, keeping the organization focused on living its purpose)

-Conscious Culture (fosters love and care and focuses on the holistic wellbeing of employees)

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

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Read and sign the declaration here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddsHA40lVULue5wlXDferezB8rdHKr1IXHxd1ADkvm9SldXg/viewform

Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to elevate humanity through business.

Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

-Higher Purpose (beyond profit)

-Stakeholder Orientation (balancing the needs of employees, customers, suppliers, investors, society and the environment, rather than prioritizing stockholders)

-Conscious Leadership (servant leaders that focus on we rather than me, keeping the organization focused on living its purpose)

-Conscious Culture (fosters love and care and focuses on the holistic wellbeing of employees)

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

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What if there was a company whose CEO said, "Let's pay all our people as much as possible?"

What if your company treated your spouse, your children, and even your pets, as stakeholders, and made it a priority to ensure that you can be present for them?

And what if these businesses, who prioritize the welfare of all their stakeholders, who help heal their employees, customers and communities are more profitable and prosperous than their industry peers?

These are "Healing Organizations" as profiled by Raj Sisodia (Founder and Co-Chair of Conscious Capitalism, Inc. and author of Firms of Endearment, Conscious Capitalism, Everybody Matters, Shakti Leadership and now The Healing Organization!)

Recorded at "The Healing Force of Business" - Conscious Capitalism ROC's 2020 Virtual Summit

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Rochester, NY chapter of the global Conscious Capitalism movement working to elevate humanity through business. Conscious Capitalism is based on four key tenets:

-Higher Purpose (beyond profit)

-Stakeholder Orientation (balancing the needs of employees, customers, suppliers, investors, society and the environment, rather than prioritizing stockholders)

-Conscious Leadership (servant leaders that focus on we rather than me, keeping the organization focused on living its purpose)

-Conscious Culture (fosters love and care and focuses on the holistic wellbeing of employees)

Our mission is to be students and teachers practicing Conscious Capitalism with the belief that these principles empower and advance human flourishing.

Thanks to our Visionary Partners: The XLR8 Team, Inc., CleanCraft LLC, The Bonadio Group

Learn more about our Rochester, NY Chapter: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

Learn more about the global Conscious Capitalism movement: https://consciouscapitalismroc.org/

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[2:00] Nonviolent communication as a "spiritual discipline and spiritual awareness process masquerading as a communication process...the underlying idea is that all human behavior is an attempt to get our human needs met...We generally don't get into conflict at the level of getting our needs met, but at the level of the strategies we use to meet those needs."

[4:30] Building trust with nonviolent communication - "high trust leads to 'good fights'"

[7:00] Nonviolent communication and compassion for ourselves as leaders

[11:15] Kit's personal journey of nonviolent communication leading to her professional journey

[16:30] Gandhi's personal evolution and the founding of the Gandhi Institute by Gandhi's grandson Arun

[20:30] Kit's leadership of the Gandhi Institute and leaving the University of Rochester campus to integrate into and "be informed by the suffering" of the PLEX neighborhood

[24:15] The intersection of sustainability and social justice - Permaculture as "a set of nonviolent design principles for designing in the way that nature designs...and using those principles for decision-making as a leader...all organizations need to think about sustainability, all organizations need to think about social justice. When we bring that wholeness into our thinking, it informs and uplifts all of us."

[27:45] Restorative practices that are culturally informed as a way to transform school climate, especially at the Rochester City School District: "When there is a genuine sense of trust and a genuine sense of safety, all sorts of amazing things happen in every organization, including schools. When that happens, human beings are set up to succeed."

"Restorative practices are a set of principles that center human beings. 80% of the focus is on relationship building and an orientation toward communal values over productivity...the other 20% relates to when conflicts emerge and a community-based response when violence occurs."

[36:00] Upcoming Workshops at the Gandhi Institute
https://gandhiinstitute.org/workshops-trainings/

[40:30] The recent awakening of white people and white leaders - and the path forward

[42:30] Challenging conversations and the anti-racist journey inside the Gandhi Institute

[45:30] Advice for other organizations beginning on the anti-racist journey- balancing being courageous and merciful

Learn more about the Gandhi Institute at:
https://gandhiinstitute.org/

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[2:30] The emotional labor and taxation for people of color to "educate" on racial equity

[4:00] Mo's path of turning a passion in diversity, equity and inclusion into a career
"This work is not for me just about consciousness lifting. It's truly about connecting hearts and minds to really help people perform and become their optimal selves."

[9:00] Safe spaces and creating ground rules to move to brave spaces
https://medium.com/@shenequagolding/maintaining-professionalism-in-the-age-of-black-death-is-a-lot-5eaec5e17585

[15:00] Becoming an ally by through studying and understanding historical context
Mo's ideas for 25 actionable steps for BOLD Leadership:
https://www.ediesc.com/post/aticles-blog

[20:00] Retention requires inclusion

[24:00] Cultural humility and trying to become a white ally

[28:00] Reflection, discovery and being guided through the pain to gain perspective

[32:00] The importance of counter-narratives
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en

[35:00] Why diversity trainings often fall short
“There’s an old saying that says diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance. But I think there’s more to that. I think inclusion is being asked to help plan the party"
-Candace Lucas
https://rbj.net/2020/06/17/rbj-diversity-inclusion-summit-going-beyond-the-basics-establishing-sustainable-methods-of-inclusivity/

[45:00] "Performative diversity" and "racial battle fatigue"

[47:00] How to prepare yourself to be BOLD

[50:00] The myth of meritocracy and why inclusive cultures are beneficial for everyone
"What is your guiding principle in the C-Suite? How do you engage in discussions? Is everybody's voice heard and accepted the same? ... If you want to enjoy the fruits of diversity, you may have to face some unlearning and some difficult decisions."

Learn more about Mo's work:
https://www.ediesc.com/

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[3:00] Empty words on Black Lives Matter social media posts
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nathaliemolina_outcomesoveroptics-blacklivesmatter-activity-6673307659829178368-FQSD

[5:00] Why the NFL's Black Lives Matter fell short

[7:00] NASCAR's banning of the Confederate Flag
"We should acknowledge, these companies and brands, but not applaud, because there's still so much work to do."

[10:00] Citigroup's Black Lives Matter social media posts conflict with their donations to 53 members of Congress with F ratings from the NAACP
https://popular.info/p/corporations-tweet-support-for-black

[12:00] Taking an authentic stand
"You can't dip your toe in the water...you should be up to your neck. You need to jump on board before it's too late."

"Be strategic, critical and tactical when you're taking a stand, but understand that without guidance and support from people of color, you may very well miss the mark, which is one of the reasons why it's critical for employers to identify and go out of their way to figure out which black people they're hiring for what opportunities."

Check out a previous podcast episode with Kesha Carter on diversity at ALL levels of leadership in your organization:
https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/keshacarter

[16:00] Self-education on "true black history" - start with Spike Lee

Color of Law Book:
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Law-Forgotten-Government-Segregated/dp/1631492853

[21:00] History that wasn't all that long ago: "One thing that Coronavirus has taught us is that we are able to respond instantly. We are able to change laws, we are able to provide funding, we are able to close down the world. We know that we can do this now. We could respond to this pandemic like that, we also need to respond to this epidemic of racism like that. For so long, we placed racism on the agenda of politics. It's really not about politics...it's about health and wellness in this country."

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/06/brands-racism-protests-amazon-nfl-nike/612613/
"What the companies that play this game don’t seem to be contemplating—and often obscure—is that their businesses frequently don’t pay back nearly as much as they gain from their associations with black Americans."

[25:00] Companies that have made meaningful strides - Nike and Twitter make Juneteenth a paid holiday
https://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm

[28:00] Starbucks tells employees that they can't wear anything in support of BLM, then reverses course

[31:30] Coaching brands to think through their advocacy

[35:00] Democratic legislators wear kente cloth in solidarity of Black Lives Matter
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/06/11/875054683/kente-cloth-from-royals-to-graduation-ceremonies-to-congress

[38:00] Being an authentic ally

[39:45] Publicly stating and living up to your values, and calling people out productively
Nikole Hannah-Jones in New York Times 1619 Project
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html

Business Roundtable commits to Stakeholder Capitalism:
https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans

[45:00] How brands can start to think outside the box when hiring:
"If you take those cats that are already on the streets that have connections and you invest in them, not thinking about the minute marijuana charges they might have...The same blocks that you're trying to reach out to sell to are the same blocks that you should be trying to recruit from. Does that mean that you have to work a little harder? Absolutely."

Connect with Rashad:
Twitter: @RadicalENT
Instagram: @RadicalRashad
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashad-smith-6281b025/

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

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[2:00] Founding of Zweigle's by Wilhelm and Josephine

[3:15] Julie's experience growing up in the business

[6:00] Getting experience in Maryland, then deciding to come back to join the family business

[10:45] Taking a leadership role

[13:30] The Zweigle's values representing each of the first 4 generations - Quality, Accountability, Integrity, Caring

[16:30] Living and celebrating the core values

[18:45] Celebrating 140 Years with a Zweigle's Hall of Fame

[25:00] Getting engaged in community service
See previous episodes with Foodlink:
https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/foodlink
...and Special Touch Bakery:
https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/celebrating-bakers-of-all-abilities-at

[30:00] Product innovation

[34:00] What is a white hot? How does it set Zweigle's (and Rochester) apart?
https://zweigles.com/this-is-everything-you-need-to-know-about-white-hots/

[37:00] Julie's evolution as a leader

[40:45] Looking ahead to future growth at Zweigle's
"Having the right people is just as important as having the right vision of where we want to go and where we want to grow."

Learn more at https://zweigles.com/

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[2:00] Shifting from a career in the for profit sector to the nonprofit sector

[3:30] The founding of Hope Initiatives in 2002

[5:00] Multiple lines of business at Hope Initiatives: furniture and household goods, moving and storage

[7:00] "Hiring from the population that we serve"

[8:40] Providing support beyond a job - life coaches for job readiness and retention skills

[14:00] Hiring and assessing readiness - "we're quite unique in that we will take individuals with a variety of backgrounds. We don't rule them out because of felony convictions. We'll take them and try to find that thing that makes their eyes sparkle...in the hopes of getting them used to the idea of working and in the habit of working and excited about doing something that they'll enjoy.

[16:30] The changing sentiments toward employing formerly incarcerated "returning citizens" and the challenges of the benefits cliff

[19:30] "Seamless integration of business and mission"

[24:15] Measuring success - skill building, referability for new jobs

[26:30] Success stories

[28:40] Barriers to stakeholder capitalism and the challenges of Dale's transition to nonprofit leadership

[31:30] Advice for blending servant leadership and strategic leadership

[34:30] Building a partnership network and opportunities for community support
(monetary contributions or donations of equipment and expertise)
https://www.makinghopepossible.com/donate

[37:30] Opportunities for growth of the business and its impact

Learn more at www.makinghopepossible.com

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[1:45] Finding his way into banking

[2:20] Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of ESL

[3:00] Transforming from Eastman Savings and Loan for Kodak employees to an independent credit union (aka financial cooperative) in 1996

[5:55] Defining the purpose "to help the community thrive and prosper" ... "we recognize the true relationship between the community and the organization. In many respects we wouldn't be here if we didn't have a thriving community. So we see that as a direct responsibility to contribute to that...so we are now on a journey to better understand what that means and remove some contradictions that may not be consistent with that process."

[8:50] Balancing purpose and profit - "This is not ALL feel good...In the long run, what is good for the community is good for all participants in the community. So for us, strengthening the community means strengthening our business opportunities, strengthening our employees, strengthening our membership. All of us will prosper if the community prospers. You can't have one part of the community succeeding and say the community is succeeding. You need a collective impact."

[10:50] An inclusive, stakeholder-driven process to determine "what will create a healthy, resilient, equitable Rochester" - strengthening neighborhoods, strengthening opportunities

[14:00] Deciding to apply for the Best Place to Work Award: "the award was a byproduct, it was not the destination...it gave us a way to benchmark...It's one thing to participate, it's another thing to design activities based on the feedback that you get. Don't bother participating if you aren't going to actively design an ongoing process of what you're going to do."

[19:00] Changes ESL has made over the years from the Best Place to Work feedback - "Recognition is not only monetary, it is about acknowledgement. That really creates an engaged environment."

[22:30] Balanced scorecard approach

[25:00] Changing the short-term focus and aligning the business with stakeholders for the long term: "One of the most difficult tasks going through this journey is reprogramming ourselves to make decisions through a different lens."

[28:00] Learning about how part-time work impacts their employees and offering full-time work to any employees that want it, increasing starting salaries

[31:30] Challenges of scaling culture as the company grows and the importance of storytelling

[33:30] Integrating values into rewards and recognition with the VIP (Values in Practice) Award

[36:20] Advice for other leaders taking their companies on the journey of Conscious Capitalism - "understand yourself in the context of the environment that you're in, and do what you have to do to improve that."

[39:30] The future of ESL (and Rochester): "I don't see our purpose evolving, I see ourselves evolving to be more true to our purpose of 'helping our community thrive and prosper'...I'm not sure you ever get there, but you continually work at it...I'm not thinking in a revolutionary way, but continuing to evolve with our purpose at the center."

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[1:30] Does altruism exist? How does it evolve?

[4:00] What is multi-level selection?
"Selfishness beat altruism within groups, but altruistic groups beat selfish groups."

[6:30] How our ability to cooperate sets us apart from our closest evolutionary relatives

The core design principles as adapted from David's work with Elinor Ostrom, 2009 Nobel Prize Winner in Economics: https://www.prosocial.world/post/the-origins-of-prosocial

[13:30] Why being well adapted to your current circumstances is different than being adaptable to changing circumstances - The Toyota Innovation principles

[20:00] Nobel Prize for Enlightened Business
https://evonomics.com/humanizing-corporations-a-nobel-prize-for-enlightened-business-leaders/

[23:00] Re-thinking the "invisible hand" and bringing an evolutionary lens to our economic system
"There is a vitality for capitalism that we want to celebrate, but if it's not harnessed then it becomes destructive."

"Becoming wise managers of evolutionary processes."

[29:00] How to adapt the core design principles to coach groups to make them more cooperative and adaptable

Learn more about how David is applying evolutionary principles to creating more Prosocial groups and companies in his book PROSOCIAL: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable and Collaborative Groups: https://www.amazon.com/Prosocial-Evolutionary-Productive-Equitable-Collaborative/dp/1684030242

...or on the Prosocial website: https://www.prosocial.world/

Learn more about The Evolution Institute: https://evolution-institute.org/

Learn about David's vision for "Completing the Darwinian Revolution" in his latest book: https://www.amazon.com/This-View-Life-Completing-Revolution/dp/1101870206

This View of Life: Completing the Darwinian Revolution

Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable, and Collaborative Groups

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[1:30] James' passion for psychology based on his childhood experiences

[4:00] Early mentors: a bus driver, a step-father

[8:30] Paying forward the gifts he was given

[11:30] Becoming a part of the YMCA and "drinking the kool-aid"

[16:00] The "For All" mission and mindset at the YMCA

[21:45] Building partnerships across divides of geography and race toward Inclusive Prosperity in Rochester

[26:00] How the YMCA is leading by example with their commitment to the work of diversity, inclusion and equity

[30:00] Bringing in community stakeholders on the YMCA's culture and inclusion committees to bring new perspectives and identify opportunities

[36:00] The business case for being intentional about diversity and inclusion

[42:00] Join Conscious Capitalism ROC on 2/18/2020 to learn more and see it first-hand!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/not-just-a-gym-diversity-inclusion-and-community-building-at-the-ymca-tickets-94044334135

[44:30] Advice to others on the journey toward Conscious Leadership

Learn more about how the Rochester YMCA is more than "just a gym" here:
https://rochesterymca.org

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[1:30] The inspiration for Professor Frank's latest book "Under The Influence" and why behavioral contagion is ripe for innovation

[3:45] Why the harm of second hand smoke are more about peer influence than actual lung damage

[10:45] How payroll taxes dis-incentivize hiring, and why we should tax behaviors with negative consequences (i.e. smoking) instead

[12:00] Why peer influence was evolutionarily adaptive to our survival

[17:00] The Toyota Prius and we should embrace "virtue signaling" - even if your individual impact is small, you'll influence others, and each person you influence will influence even more! Plus, each behavior you change also changes your identity and makes you more likely to make more changes.

[23:30] How sentiments on same-sex marriage changed so quickly and how we might apply this to other social movements - race relations, #MeToo

[32:00] Why do we tip? (Even when we're on vacation and will never see the waiter again)

[36:30] Harnessing peer pressure to repair the social fabric and increase civic engagement

[41:00] How intrinsic motivation might ultimately develop through cultural and social influence

[43:30] How bidding wars make us work longer hours but don't make us any better off

[50:00] When regulation can make us all better off

[54:30] Success is relative and life is graded on a curve

[57:00] How using peer influence to reduce inequality would also tackle climate change

[1:02:00] "The people who resist raising taxes think it would make them worse off...they'll have less money to spend on the things they want, nobody would deny that...but your ability to bid for the things you want depends on your RELATIVE purchasing power, so the same penthouse apartment will end up in the same hands as before."

[1:06:00] Would you rather live in a low tax world where the rich can afford a Ferrari, but there are potholes in the road, or a higher tax world where the rich can only afford a Porsche, but there is money to invest in infrastructure for well paved roads?

[1:10:00] Having more productively persuasive conversations with good questions

[1:13:15] Using questions to induce gratitude for lucky breaks can make people more likely to give back

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[3:00] Pioneering the field of behavioral economics - when individual rationality leads to collective irrationality

[8:45] How the cognitive biases of "irrational" behavior make sense when viewed through the lens of evolutionary psychology

[12:00] "Darwin's Wedge" between the best interests of individuals and groups - How Charles Darwin's concept of "relative fitness" adds nuance to Adam Smith's invisible hand

[19:00] Why regulation can sometimes be in everyone's best interest

[24:00] Requiring bike helmets only for kids, even though adults are subject to the same cognitive biases

[28:00] Why the private sector might have more waste than the public sector

[31:45] How a progressive consumption tax could reduce inequality and generate funds for needed investments, without making the rich any worse off

[35:45] "The Mother of All Cognitive Illusions" - Why reducing income across the board won't impact anyone's relative bidding power

[39:00] Why we underestimate the importance of luck and how appreciating luck makes us more generous

[46:30] How the stories we tell and the types of jobs we celebrate lead us to a misallocation of talent

[50:30] The benefits of network effects and when that power goes too far

[53:00} Not to tax is not an option, "the only interesting questions are what to tax and how much to tax"

[57:00] Creating pride in efficient government at the Ithaca DMV

[1:00:00] Appreciating our luck and privileges makes us more grateful and more likely to give back

[1:06:00] Mariana Mazzucato and appreciating the role of the government in our collective success
https://marianamazzucato.com/entrepreneurial-state/

Check out Robert Frank's books "The Darwin Economy" and "Success & Luck" discussed during this episode and stay tuned for Part 2 on his just-released book "Under The Influence"

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[1:45] The legacy of Self Determination Theory
Get an overview of SDT here: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/

[2:30] How Rich developed his interest in motivation

[3:30] Partnering up with Ed Deci

[4:30] Replacing the then-dominant paradigm of behaviorism with Autonomy, Relatedness and Competence

[9:30] The continuum from intrinsic to extrinsic motivation

[14:00] The social/environmental influence on intrinsic motivation

[16:00] Giving feedback that improves, rather than undermines employee motivation

[18:00] "We don't exploit the potential we have inside our companies. We do that by getting the point of view different people and taking advantage of all of those inputs, but people don't do that unless they feel like they have a voice that will be heard."

[19:30] Applications in psychotherapy, in schools, in workplaces
Learn more about motivation works here: https://motivationworks.com/

[22:30] Why compensation is a symptom, but often not the cure to disengaged employees

[23:45] The drivers of engagement and why employees should be given feedback on their engagement surveys

[26:30] Creating values and mission statements that support autonomy

[29:30] Why autonomy does not mean "no rules"

[32:00] How leaders can support autonomy

[33:45] Bringing SDT to video games
Learn more about how Immersyve is developing video games that engage players: https://immersyve.com/

[36:45] Designing a company culture for intrinsic motivation

[39:00] Bringing play to the workplace

[41:00] Creating authentic relatedness and belonging

[42:45] How fulfilling psychological needs impacts employee health, energy and vitality

[45:00] Being an autonomy-supportive parent

[47:00] The intersection of mindfulness and SDT

[49:15] Measuring what matters inside the organization

[51:00] Why outcome-based reward structures can be counterproductive

[52:30] Bringing autonomy to civics and activism

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[1:00] Tina's previous careers leading up to Imprintable Solutions

[3:30] An EVOLution from "being a service" to "being of service" by employing at-risk youth

[5:30] Getting to know the interns through a "Learn to Earn" program and expanding the internship into full time employment and leadership roles

[8:20] Overview of the internship program
Sign up to attend a Conscious Capitalism ROC tour of Imprintable Solutions:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/imprinting-lives-at-imprintable-solutions-tickets-88158320911

[11:30] Understanding and overcoming barriers to employment - "If we're hungry and we're cold and we don't have a roof over our head or clothes on our back, everything else is just noise. It doesn't matter if you want to earn. It doesn't matter if you want to go to school. It doesn't matter. If those things can't be fulfilled...if you're hungry and you're scared, those are the first things that you have to take care of. That's #1 Priority."

[13:30] Tragic murder of an intern that was moving through the internship toward entrepreneurship

[15:15] Creating an environment where people feel safe and cared for - "If you're sensing or seeing something change in behavior, in timeliness, just ask the question. 'You doing OK? Is there anything that I can be of service with?'"

[17:40] Bottom line results of the evolution toward "being of service" with Imprinting Lives - manufacturing up 100%, efficiency up 30%

[19:00] Being flexible to the needs of interns - "So long as the customer's needs are met, you don't have to work inside the box. We decided to take the lid off the box."

[22:30] Advice to other aspiring social entrepreneurs - asking tough questions both of others and of yourself

[26:00] Intern stories and introducing the Imprinting Lives program to the rest of the employees

[30:30] Lessons learned so far: banking, tutoring, voter registration, taxes, childcare - "We all have a story. Everybody coming through the door has a story. If I can't remove a barrier, how can we facilitate to work around it? How can we tiptoe up to the line of a system? How can we ask a question differently?"

[34:00] Making Imprinting Lives a collaborative and solution-focused program

[36:30] Measuring success for the growth of interns and the resulting growth of the business

[40:00] Balancing short-term costs and long-term impact, knowing when to ask for help - "The power of community, the power of humanity. I think at our core, every single one of us wants to help, wants to be of service, wants to lift others up. Being creative, or figuring out who to ask...raise your hand up and ask the question!"

[44:00] Tina's EVOLution as a leader - "Pay attention and be awake to opportunities"

[46:45] Inspiration for the future of Imprinting Lives from HomeBoy Industries (https://homeboyindustries.org/)
"How can we be impactful? It's OK if right now it's one young person at a time. If I'm of service and I'm being a serving leader and I'm showing my young people that, then they start modeling that and they start doing for others the same that has been done for them."

[50:20] How Rochester can help - plant tours, job shadows to show young people the opportunities out there and help them get from here to there

Learn more about Imprintable Solutions here:
https://www.imprintablesolutions.com/

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[1:20] Developing a passion for tea as a journalist in the tea industry in Darjeeling, India

[6:50] Turning a passion for tea into a business, connecting the two worlds of his roots in India and his new home in Rochester

[11:20] "What can I give to the community through tea? A wellness of body and mind, tea fosters through its many traditions an appreciation of art and diversity...tea connects these very diverse worlds."

[14:00] How Niraj fosters a community at the Tea Bar by telling the stories and history of tea
Sign up for the next tea class here: https://happyearthtea.com/products/tea-session

[17:00] How Niraj supports tea farmers that treat employees and the environment well, while also helping them to do better

[22:00] The Triple Bottom Line at Leaf Tea Bar. Learn more about committing to 1% for the Planet https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/

[29:00] Being a conscious consumer of tea

[35:30] Making conscious choices toward sustainability

[40:00] Being named one of CNN's 11 best tea houses in the world: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-best-tea-houses

[43:00] Advice to entrepreneurs on creating a community: "For any business to build a community, not just of customers but of advocates...you need some sort of commitment to giving back."

[46:00] Taking a long-term perspective and balancing giving and taking

Visit Leaf Tea Bar at 650 South Ave, or learn more about Happy Earth Tea at https://happyearthtea.com/

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[2:30] Dave's first entrepreneurial venture

[4:30] Dave's first real venture - Next Step

[8:00] Knowing when to pivot - "You're a penguin and your iceberg is melting, so it's time to find a new iceberg," but the difference between necessary pivots and boredom
Learn more about Lean Startup methodology here: http://theleanstartup.com/

[14:15] Creation of the Avanti Entrepreneur Network

[21:25] Typical Avanti member profile

[24:00] Creating a loving, caring culture

[29:00] Becoming a servant leader

[33:00] Advice for making culture a priority in your business

[35:30] Leader as farmer that unlocks the potential in the collective

[39:20] Leader as coach
The Coaching Habit: https://www.amazon.com/Coaching-Habit-Less-Change-Forever/dp/0978440749

[42:45] Making purpose and culture your competitive advantage

[44:15] The future of Avanti

Learn more about Avanti here:
http://avantientrepreneur.com/

Buy Dave's new book, Crash and Learn here:
https://www.amazon.com/Crash-Learn-Business-David-Mammano-ebook/dp/B083FP1QMQ/

Watch Dave's TEDx Talk here:

The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

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[0:45] The beginning of Barbara's passion for marketing and communications

[2:00] "Gathering experiences" throughout her career, the latest of which is the United Way

[4:00] Helping business leaders follow their passions for making positive change

[7:00] Rochester as a "Tale of Two Cities" - Many strengths, yet challenges with poverty and education - "United Way as a Hub For Good"

[11:00] Bridging city and suburbs - understanding underlying structural racism and other barriers
(Read The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America https://www.amazon.com/Color-Law-Forgotten-Government-Segregated-ebook/dp/B01M8IWJT2)
(Read How to be an Anti-Racist https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Antiracist-Ibram-Kendi/dp/0525509283/

[14:30] Making a difference by going deep or going broad

[17:30] Engaging your workforce with giving

[21:00] Collective impact - "a commitment of many from across different sectors to one common agenda to solve a specific problem"

[24:20] Creating opportunities for collaboration across organizations and sectors

[27:30] The evolution of the United Way

[31:30] Not waiting to give back

[35:00] Having humility to listen and have an open mind

[39:30] Defining success personally, professionally and for the community

[41:20] Balancing short-term "band-aid" needs with longer-term systemic change

[45:00] Asking for specific kinds of help
ROC The Future Report Card with ideas for how to help: https://rocthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Report-Card-2019-Final.pdf

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[1:15] Emily's transition from an interest to a career in social media

[2:45] Figuring out how to share an authentic voice

[4:15] Showing different sides of yourself on different platforms

[5:30] From freelancing side gigs to a full time job

[7:00] Social media strategy, social media management and content writing to help brands tell an authentic and consistent story and create a sense of community

[11:50] Emerging trends in social media platforms

[13:20] Working with social media "influencers" in an authentic way

[15:00] Check out I Heart ROC's weekly interviews with local Rochesterians on instagram at @i.heart.roc and at http://www.iheartroc.com/

[18:30] Taking a stand without "green-washing" or "purpose-washing"

[24:00] Creating a consistent message inside your company
Learn more about platform cooperatives at https://platform.coop/

[29:30] Engaging with your community and prioritizing your efforts

[31:50] More than just followers...measuring engagement in a meaningful way

[33:30] Joining the board at Cameron Community Ministries
Learn more at https://www.cameronministries.org/

[40:00] Shifting the narrative to tell a more positive story of Rochester

[41:30] Looking to the future for Serve Me The Sky

[42:30] Balancing purpose and profit, making time for self care as an entrepreneur

Find Emily on Twitter @servemethesky, Instagram @servemethesky or at https://www.servemethesky.com/

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[1:15] Megan's path to from Conan O'Brien to improv training at Second City

[3:45] How comedy writing and improv reinforce each other

[4:45] How an improv mindset helps Megan as a producer and occasional host of Connections on WXXI (Tune in on AM 1370 in Rochester on weekdays from 12-2 or listen to the podcast "Connections with Evan Dawson")
https://www.wxxinews.org/programs/connections

[7:00] Practicing improv as a way to be a better listener

[11:00] What does it mean to "Yes, And..."

[13:20] Bringing "Yes, And" to leadership, life and business

[17:00] Using improv to build trust, vulnerability and emotional intelligence on a team - "Just have fun and the funny comes."

[26:00] Developing an interest in becoming a teacher

[28:00] Megan's current performing groups and how to build chemistry as a team

[37:30] Building trust in yourself through improv - "It's the art form. When you're preaching 'Yes, And' you're preaching acceptance. When you practice that in scenes, it carries on into life."

[40:50] The "Don't Think" principle
Alan Alda's book "If I Understood You, Would I Have this Look on My Face"
https://www.amazon.com/Understood-Would-Have-This-Look/dp/1524781924
Alda Center for Communicating Science:
https://www.aldacenter.org/

Improvise by Mick Napier with at home exercises:
https://www.amazon.com/Improvise-Scene-Inside-Mick-Napier/dp/156608198X

[43:00] The intersection of the Improv and Mindfulness movements

[44:45] Building emotional intelligence and "group mind"

[47:00] Being intentional about creating physical space for trust

Contact Megan at mack.megan01@gmail.com or on twitter at @mmackmedia, see her upcoming classes at the Rochester Brainery here: https://rochesterbrainery.com/collections/theatrical-classes/

Learn more about Second City Improv here: https://www.secondcity.com/

If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating

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[1:30] The beginning of Cassidy's interest in sustainability

[3:20] Creating an independent major at RIT

[5:00] The intersection of sustainability and social justice - "At the end of the day, environmental sustainability shouldn't just be for people who can afford to be more sustainable."

[7:50] From sustainability passion to sustainability business

[11:20] First Impact Earth event for Ithaca Celtic Festival - "If they know the right thing to do and how to do it, they will. If we give them the resources, education and infrastructure, people can do the right thing every day."

[14:30] Impact Earth's services - Events, K-12 Education, Composting Infrastructure (Residential and Commercial Hauling), Helping Processors Get Up and Running

[20:00] Cassidy's personal "zero waste" behaviors and advice for getting started - "We teach a lot of mindfulness in all of our programs. Being mindful in your life, of your body and your surroundings go hand in hand with a zero waste lifestyle. We find that a lot of people that start to live low waste lifestyles also become healthier because they're being more mindful of their choices."

[25:30] Trying to be low waste in the grocery store - voting with your wallet

[29:10] Policy changes that would have the greatest impact - an EVOLution, not a Revolution - bans can be great on paper, but we need to focus on implementation and creating viable alternatives

[34:00] The future for Impact Earth - "I would love to have an Impact Earth in every major metro across the country...I would love to see a lot of other companies pop up doing the work that we're doing. People say, 'why would you want competition?' but realistically I can't do it all. I would love to find someone else to share my knowledge with and have them do their own thing on their own journey, in their own community and be helping people there."

[39:30] Why businesses should adopt zero waste as part of their strategy - "Any type of company, regardless of where you are, we need to evolve to better represent and serve our clients...a big push from my generation, we care more about transparency, we care more about environmental impact, we care about not spending too much, we love supporting local...zero waste and low waste operations...are going to better represent what people in our communities need and what they want."

[44:00] Cultivating the next generation for a low waste lifestyle

Learn more about Cassidy and Impact Earth at: https://impactearthroc.com/

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[2:00] Kesha's path toward a career in diversity and inclusion

[4:45] Emphasizing diversity at all levels of leadership
Read Kesha's RBJ Article here: https://rbj.net/2019/09/04/inclusive-leadership-can-inspire-minority-employees-to-achieve/

[6:15] The bottom line impacts of diversity, when they are "not only given a seat at the table, but also a plate and a fork and a knife!"

[10:00] Simple practices to get started: Stepping back as a leader and encouraging dissent with the Yom Kippur Rule

[15:00] Practices for encouraging more diverse leadership
-Job postings
-Hiring and interviewing

[26:00] Services as Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
Learn more at https://www.ccsi.org

[29:20] Building culture with a remote workforce

[32:30] The journey toward understanding and dismantling structural racism through open and vulnerable conversation

[37:00] Best practices for having conversations that help others start their journey

[42:00] Racial Equity & Justice Initiative (REJI) learning together and sharing best practices for diversity and inclusion
Learn more here: https://www.sjncenter.org/REJI

[47:30] Getting more businesses from the for-profit sector involved: "What are you most proud of and how does it affect the community?"

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[1:00] Breakthrough Solutions get to Root Causes: Rethinking the "Starfish" story
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/social_entrepreneurs_must_stop_throwing_starfish

[2:30] Breakthrough Solutions are Market Driven

[3:45] Breakthrough Solutions are "Hell Yes" solutions

[5:00] Cleanup at Henderson Island
Learn more about the world's most plastic polluted beach here:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/30/henderson-island-the-pacific-paradise-groaning-under-18-tonnes-of-plastic-waste

[9:00] Early learnings from researching the trash to get at root causes for prevention

[12:00] Bringing more transparency to global recycling markets and local regulations

[13:00] How his experience has inspired a change in his personal habits (i.e. not eating seafood) - "A lot of it is about becoming aware and then wanting to challenge yourself. It has to be something fun, because if it isn't fun, you're not going to do it."

[20:00] Why and how businesses should make sustainability a coherent strategy rather than a patchwork of solutions
Learn more about United Nations Sustainable Development Goals here:
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

[23:00] Big impact changes that are often forgotten - food waste, flying, residential housing

[26:00] Issues with creating transparency and transforming industries

[28:30] What is the circular economy?
"Going back, in some ways, to our roots of not having a disposable culture."
Listen to the NPR Throughline Podcast on "the Litter Myth" here:
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/757539617/the-litter-myth

"Plastic came out in the 1950s and now we're expected to have more of it in the oceans than fish by 2050...how do we use environmental entrepreneurship to see this challenge as an opportunity and create the path forward"

[35:00] What types of policy changes are needed for systemic change?

[38:00] "You can definitely have death by analysis...as a consumer, it has to make sense, it has to be simple, it has to be fun. From a business perspective, you have global supply chains...it's incredibly complicated, but don't be afraid to start! It's fun! Build momentum, see where it goes. You're going to learn something from starting your journey."

[39:50] Brett's other projects on regrowing coral reefs, lead poisoning for loons
"What if we gave nature rights like a corporation?"
Learn more about Brett's other projects here:
https://www.brettwhowell.com/projects

[45:00] Advice to parents on raising environmentally conscious kids

Learn more about breakthrough solutions here:
https://www.brettwhowell.com/approach

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[2:15] Founding of the Urban League and 30 programs for business development, youth development, housing and more

[4:10] Dr. Hawkins' path to the Urban League

(See her RBJ profile here: https://rbj.net/2019/10/11/new-urban-league-leader-brings-wealth-of-experience-to-multifaceted-agency/)

[5:50] Mubarak's path to Rochester and the Urban League

[7:45] Workforce development programs for high school equivalency and workforce re-entry, which include occupational skills training (construction, advanced manufacturing, health care, food services) and leadership

[10:00] Relationship with the National Urban League network for schools, economic development and supports for individuals with disabilities

[11:30] Business development and entrepreneurial training, including help with MWBE certification

[13:20] Home ownership programs including, credit counseling, grants, foreclosure intervention

[16:15] Understanding root causes and advocating for policy changes, learning the Urban League's role in partnering for change in education

[19:30] Youth programs "Every person that walks in the door at the Urban League has the potential to be successful. You're great at something, you just have to find out what you're great at. Often they haven't heard that from anyone else...we want to create generations of success."

[23:45] How can business owners partner with the Urban League for Inclusive Prosperity in Rochester
(If you're listening before 11/12/19, learn more about "Not Your Average Luncheon: https://www.facebook.com/events/1178896808966331/)

[32:30] Small business pitch competition with $5k prize from KeyBank "Boost and Build" program
(If you're listening before 12/5/19, RSVP to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-keybank-business-boost-build-pitch-competition-tickets-79269718863)

[35:00] Success stories of helping individuals define and achieve success, plus alumni that pay it forward

[38:30] Business and individual memberships at the Urban League

[40:00] Vision of success for the future and ways you can help

Learn more at http://www.ulr.org/

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[1:00] First entrepreneurial experience as a paper girl

[2:45] Detour into accounting before returning to entrepreneurship

[7:00] "The road on the extra mile is never crowded"

[9:45] Unique Offerings for "Price Buyers" (vs. Strategy Buyers)

[12:15] Using data to simplify options and make data-driven choices: "A health plan, not a health guess."

[15:00] Budding disruptions in the health care industry: "the status quo recognizes that they have to lead the innovation and disruption...or they will be disrupted!"

[20:00] Conscious Capitalism in the healthcare industry

See the announcement from the Business Roundtable on their commitment to stakeholder-driven Conscious Capitalism here:
https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans

See Barry Schwartz's TED talk on the "Paradox of Choice" here:
https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice/

[27:00] Engaging and empowering employees to make health plan choices

[29:45] The power of purpose to impact the bottom line: "A culture of caring delivers"

[32:00] Downstream impacts of Conscious Capitalism: "Once they are conscious of the good that restructures within their company could make not only to their company but to the good of the community...first to their employees, which will then flow to the company. Then as those employees are happier and more engaged, they will be better neighbors, husbands and wives, parents, sons and daughters...it creates a wonderful ripple effect."

{35:00] Robin's EVOLution as a Conscious Leader: "Leader is an action...I don't believe it's a title...I've done a lot of things to put myself in the position to be able to act and grow."

Learn more about Robin and Benefit Link here:
https://www.benefitlink.net/
Cell: 585-329-5774
Office: 585-349-8000

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[1:45] The founding of Once Again Nut Butter, an early adopter of organic certifications

[3:15] How Bob was convinced to become General Manager, despite not believing he had enough of a business background
Read the story in Bob's RBJ profile here: https://rbj.net/2011/08/12/leader-is-nuts-about-the-job-and-the-product/

[7:00] Succeeding a founder/owner and maintaining the culture, while helping the employees to navigate their three roles as owner, employee and shareholder

[8:30] How Colin chose Once Again based on their culture and employee ownership practices
"We're not just a co-op, we're an ESOP that's democratically run"

[10:30] The EVOLution of the unique Co-Op / ESOP model at Once Again to get the best of both worlds

[12:50] How decisions are made with this unique governance model

[15:30] How to onboard employees with the "Employee Owners Manual"

[17:20] Annual shareholders meeting, valuations, voting and other tasks of a "Trustee"

[18:15] What it means to get "vesting" in an ESOP, plus bonuses based on hours worked, seniority and base salary

[21:15] "Honest in Trade" program, investing in the supply chain and helping to start cooperative businesses

[26:00] Product innovation

[28:30] Making difficult and costly decisions in the short term that align with their long-term interests and higher purpose

[32:00] How ESOPs outperform and are more resilient in recessions

[33:45] Sensitizing stakeholders to tell the story and share the purpose
Learn more about the Chamber's CLIMB program here: https://greaterrochesterchamber.com/programs-events/climb

[36:00] Making budgeting decisions democratically and embracing change

[39:30] Challenges to maintaining culture with growth
"We can't be held to our structure we have today. The employee structure has changed since it started in 1976. We have to think of ways to keep this model alive...As long as we keep the integrity of the company, the mission, vision and core values, the business structure comes second to that."

[42:20] Teaching this model as a succession plan for other organizations

[43:30] Learning to lead a democratically run company
"To have an open mind to change, to listen to employee input, to have mentors outside your organization. You have to understand the environment that you're in. If the environment is changing, you need to change and adapt with it...if you're still maintaining your core values and your mission, your business model can be flexible."

[46:20] Lessons learned and advice for other companies interesting in becoming an ESOP
"How are you going to decide how to decide?"

Learn more about Once Again Nut Butter: https://onceagainnutbutter.com/
...or find at Lori's Natural Foods, Abundance Co-Op in Rochester, or Whole Foods

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[1:00] Founding of the Coffee Connection by Nancy Sawyer-Molina

(Nancy is now working with DAVIDA (a Peruvian national agency) and the regional government of Cuzco to develop a drug and alcohol prevention plan for at-risk kids (ages 10-18) in the Cuzco area.)

[2:00] Joy assuming leadership of the Coffee Connection

[6:30] Hiring on "Three Strikes" policy ... different strikes than you may think!
"Probably 95% of people with addiction have a history of trauma. They're learning how to resolve conflicts with each other, in their homes and with other people using principles that start with self-calming and not coming from a traumatized position."

[9:20] $69,000 to keep someone in prison, plus the lost opportunities of their gifts and contribution to society
"How many more people would be in jail if everyone that ever drove drunk had been arrested...they're just the ones that got caught."

[10:45] Getting started with a new employee
"First we listen to their story. Everyone's healing recipe is different...many times people have told me 'this is the first time I've felt safe enough to tell my story.'"

"Addiction is not a straight uphill line of progress...A use or a relapse doesn't have to be the end of the story."

[15:00] Ground rules for employment - Commitment to sobriety, commitment to the mission, good work practices (honesty, reliability, resolving conflicts)
"I'm big on accountability, but if you don't understand someone's behavior, you don't know enough of their story"

[18:30] Joy's study of trauma and healing
"There's no difference between us...I have no moral superiority."

"I guess I never got out of that 2 year old stage of asking why."

Studying slavery and finding some research that perpetrators have more PTSD than victims

[23:00] Supports and tools necessary to help keep employment

[27:30] The celebrations and challenges of those that "graduate" from Coffee Connection

[30:00] Joy's message to employers reluctant to give a chance to those with histories of addiction - "The whole process starts by recognizing the goodness of people"

Learn more about Father Greg Boyle at Homeboy Industries here:

https://homeboyindustries.org/

[35:00] Raising 60% of program needs from revenue through the coffee shop, catering and wholesale businesses

[39:00] Challenges to fundraising with a nontraditional model that doesn't fit many grants

[45:00] Policy challenges for welfare benefits and health insurance

[48:00] How you can help: volunteer your expertise, host a fundraiser, sell coffee for your own fundraiser, have your next coffee meeting at the Coffee Connection or hire them for catering!

Hear more about the Coffee Connection story here:

https://www.ourcoffeeconnection.org/our-story

or stop in for a cup of coffee at 681 South Ave or 2271 E. Main St!

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[2:20] Ty's first entrepreneurial venture and how he found his way to commercial cleaning

[5:00] Re-articulating a higher purpose for CleanCraft in 2015 - "Quality of Life and Peace"
"It had to fit not just what sounds good for the company, but really at my soul level...It's so easy to live your life when the business is aligned with the personal...right to my lowest worker, any decision you have to make in the company, you can go to the mission and vision."

[9:30] Bringing the purpose into his leadership style and the daily practices of the business

[11:45] How purpose and culture have generated growth and value for the CleanCraft

[20:30] Open Hiring at Greyston Bakery - coming to Rochester through CleanCraft!

[28:30] Barriers to Conscious Capitalism - "Not a hand out, a hand up"
"Holding people accountable and being tough, hard-nosed, fair and consistent, is what the Open Hiring model does, and some CEOs think you can't do that and have this great loving culture, but I think it's the opposite. If they believe you have their best interests at heart, you can actually be tougher on them."

[32:00] How to create a culture where people are willing to admit mistakes and be open to giving and receiving feedback
Astro Teller TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/astro_teller_the_unexpected_benefit_of_celebrating_failure

[36:00] Ty's EVOLution as a Conscious Leader
"Truthfully, my failures have made me more and more conscious as a leader"

[39:00] Being honest and transparent during a crisis to reinforce conscious culture

[42:30] The future for CleanCraft and Open Hiring in Rochester

[46:00] The employee response to the conscious culture at CleanCraft

[49:00] Getting started on the conscious journey and staying consistent

Learn more about CleanCraft: http://cleancraftllc.com/

Learn more about Greyston Bakery and Open Hiring: https://greyston.org/open-hiring/

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[1:00] Sarah's path from career counselor in Brooklyn to the Center for Employment Opportunities in Rochester

[3:00] The founding of the Center for Employment Opportunities and opening of the Rochester office

[5:45] The process for a person leaving prison and re-entering the workforce with the help of CEO

[8:45] Work crews of 5/6 plus a supervisor looking for work in painting, snow removal, landscaping, gardening, highway cleanup - contact Sarah if you'd like to learn more about hiring a work crew!

[11:00] Setting goals and measuring success as an organization and helping individuals define their own success

[13:30] Helping participants work through the fear of re-entry

[17:00] Helping business owners work through the fear of employing formerly incarcerated individuals, including tax incentives, screenings, training

[20:30] Typical jobs for permanent employment in warehouses, manufacturing, construction, call centers, restaurants, home health aides

[22:30] Policies to remove barriers to employment: ban the box, ensuring background check accuracy, allowing expungement

[27:00] Studies of efficacy - 22% reduction in recidivism, $3.30 benefit for every taxpayer dollar spent
https://www.mdrc.org/publication/more-job

[30:00] Barriers to growing and scaling the program

[32:45] Rochester's unique strengths and challenges

[35:30] Success stories at CEO

Learn more about CEO here:
https://ceoworks.org/our-offices/rochester/
Contact Sarah at 585-362-4080
Accepting donations for interview clothing and warm winter clothing
Volunteer opportunities for teaching computer classes, resume writing

Hear from Sarah on our Conscious Capitalism ROC panel on "Employing the Formerly Incarcerated" on 10/16!

RSVP here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/employing-the-formerly-incarcerated-panel-tickets-70584639557

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[0:50] Demand generation and sales acceleration, "but it's the way that we do it that is the most exciting part...employing 425 women in prison"

[2:30] 2.3m in prison in the United States, 700,000 released each year, 83% will return to prison within 9 years, 76% will be unemployed after a year and the #1 predictor of recidivism is joblessness

[4:20] The formation of the Televerde model - over 25 years, 3,000 have worked there so far while less than 7% have gone back to prison

[7:30] The hiring process at Televerde (getting a GED, typing test, interviews), the onboarding process (akin to a mini MBA, even accredited by the local community college)

[11:45] Starting a 501c3 nonprofit to helping employees transition out of prison - financial planning, health and wellness, resume writing, interview skills, job placement, mentoring, coaching
(Learn more about Arouet at https://arouetfoundation.org/about-us/)

[13:30] 40% of the 200 employees at the corporate office and 30% of the leadership team started their career in prison

[14:45] Some companies use Televerde as a workforce development pipeline - for one client, 4 of their top 10 salespeople started at Televerde

[16:30] Clients include Microsoft, SAP, Adobe, Honeywell - not just about the social mission, but also about results - $8B in revenue for clients over the past 25 years, generated 30,000 sales opportunities resulting in $825M in revenue for one client, representing a 14:1 return on their investment

[18:00] Dealing with pushback from clients

[20:00] Building a "prison to workforce pipeline" - there are other companies, but few like Televerde that provide work both in prison and afterward and even fewer that create knowledge workers

[22:55] Plans to scale up - 10,000 life changing opportunities in the next decade

[24:00] Why we need to "ban the box" about criminal records on the job application - 1 in 3 have a criminal record and they have an unemployment rate 25% higher than average

[27:00] Making employing the formerly incarcerated part of your diversity and inclusion efforts

[29:30] Michelle's career path - finding her way to Televerde "the traditional way" ... through prison

See Michelle's talk (along with other Televerde employees, as well as a Televerde client) recorded from the main stage at Conscious Capitalism 2019: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/challenge-business-leaders-michelle-cirocco/

Learn more about Televerde at https://televerde.com/

Find Michelle on twitter @mcirocco or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecirocco/

...and if you're ever in Phoenix, stop in for a tour!

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[1:00] Devon's roots in becoming a barber

[2:45] Opening up his own salon at age 23 and evolution as a conscious leader

"Once you understand who you are and your culture, it's hard not to find purpose...to see the voids and want to fill them."

Inspiration from his mother and The Black Panthers
(Documentary "The Black Panthers: The Vanguard of the Revolution"

"The more selfless I am, the more the universe sustains me...I'm being sustained and I have peace in that. I don't think I would have the same amount of peace if I was just about the profit. That's worth everything"

[11:45] Opening "Sweet Ida's" food pantry - now accepting produce thanks to new refrigerators from Mitch Gruber and Foodlink!

[15:00] Monthly community forums because barber shops are pillars of the black community - free haircuts for kids, health screenings, financial advisors

[17:00] Barriers to evolving more conscious businesses in the neighborhood

[20:00] Black entrepreneurship, ownership and group economics
BOSS Documentary: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/boss/video/boss-the-black-experience-in-business-nguxge/

[23:00] The importance of ownership and how Devon is trying to cultivate future black entrepreneurs and conscious leaders
Nikole Hannah-Jones in the New York Times 1619 Project (400th anniversary of slavery coming to America): https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html

[29:30] What could Rochester do to be a beacon for Conscious Capitalism, Inclusive Prosperity and Minority-Owned Businesses

Book Recommendations:
The Mis-Education Of The Negro
The Fall of America
From Superman to Man
Before Columbus
Conscious Capitalism

Driving past $6 corner store subs to get a $10 sub at Wegmans: "I would drive 20 minutes to go to Wegmans because of what they do for the community."

[36:30] Building a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem

[40:00] The future of Brothers and Sisters Unisex Salon - "The salon is kind of like an incubator for entrepreneurs to come out of it. So hopefully I can just keep producing talented people who come out of it that are more socially aware...I would love for the salon to grow, but I feel like I have a higher calling."

[42:00] Encouraging more neighborhood businesses to sustain community
On inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs, owners and leaders: "if you can tap into them, educate them and make them more conscious, then the next twenty years would look really promising for Rochester."

"If you don't find peace, you'll definitely find purpose."
Visit Brothers and Sisters Unisex Salon on Dewey Avenue to get a haircut or to donate food, clothing, back to school supplies, thanksgiving turkeys (or to pick something up if you're in need)

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[1:25] Younger brother Chucky and "What happens when autism grows up?"
[3:45] Taking over the family gravel business from her father
[6:15] Finding ways to engage Chucky and discovering the magic of nature's classroom
[12:45] Discovering "intentional agricultural communities" for people with autism
[16:45] The 3 phases of growth for Homesteads For Hope
Phase 1 - A Place to Learn - educational experiences and classrooms
Phase 2 - A Place to Work - creating enterprises - bakery, wreaths, composting, beekeeping, wedding venue, farm store, vineyard, canalside rental
Phase 3 - A Place to Live & Grow
[30:00] Support the farm through individual, family and corporate memberships
[34:30] "Ready, Set, Work" program for work skills, social skills and life skills
[38:00] Advice for other social entrepreneurs
[41:30] Bringing "neurodiversity" to your organization
Check out this article from the World Economic Forum on neurodiversity in the workforce: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/08/neurodiversity-workplace-opportunity/
[46:00] Taking inclusion to the next level through collaboration with other organizations
[48:00] Ways to get involved with Homesteads For Hope

Learn more about Homesteads For Hope here:
http://www.homesteadsforhope.org/

Watch Jennyrae's TEDx Talk, "A Place Where We All Belong" here:

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[0:55] Experience with family businesses in the hospitality industry

[2:45] Discovering B Lab and trying to build the movement in Florida

-Becoming the first certified Real Estate Development B corp in Florida

-Recently certificatied as the first multi-state resort hospitality B corp

[5:40] Using the B Impact assessment as an educational tool, even if you don't plan to certify

-Paying living wages, offset carbon footprint of travel, measurement programs for recycling (including re-use for hotel toiletries)

[10:55] Educating guests to vote with their dollars in a way that aligns to their values

"Our motivations are towards impact first...the assessment just tracks that."

[13:15] Building a movement with "Florida for Good" that brings together Conscious Capitalism, B corps, 1% for the Planet and the American Sustainable Business Council

[16:15] Building partnerships with other aligned movements

[18:15] Barriers to adoption of Conscious Capitalism

[19:30] Why to resist "outsourcing" conscious purpose

[22:00] Jared's personal evolution as a conscious leader

-Reading "The Power of Now," "Awakening the Buddha Within," "Tao Te Ching"

Learn more about free resources for measuring your impact and evolving your business at Florida For Good: https://floridaforgood.com/

Take a carbon neutral vacation at: https://www.legacyvacationresorts.com/

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[1:15] The rising awareness of your body's impact on your leadership

[3:30] Differences between embodying leadership for males and females

[6:00] LeeAnn's personal journey toward embodiment

[8:00] Raj Sisodia and Nilima Bhat's "Shakti Leadership" Book and Retreats

[8:45] How connecting with ourselves helps us lead more consciously

[12:00] The intersection between emotional intelligence and embodiment

[15:30] Positive Psychology - Bringing together the body and mind plus rigorous measurement

[19:15] Get started with an embodied practice

[24:00] The difficulty of "translating" experiential, embodied practices into a book

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[2:15] Working a stable job at Wegmans with a great culture, but looking for a challenge

[4:00] Differences between maintaining a great culture to shaping and codifying culture

[6:45] Lessons learned and advice for writing down your culture

[8:20] The "Four Truths" at Innovative

[10:45] Screening for "learn-it-alls" and emotional intelligence in the hiring process

"I'll never hire someone who won't increase our average."

"We're people plus technology. That culture piece is always screened out first."

[15:30] Starting the onboarding process before their first day on the job

"One of the best things you can do for employees when they start is show them how their role impacts the strategy and the long-term vision for the organization, because it creates instant connection for them to say 'I'm a part of something bigger and the more successful I am in my role the more I can impact the organization for the long haul.'"

[20:15] Scaling culture as you grow with more employees and new offices

[23:30] The bottom-line impacts of culture - 40% growth since culture focus in 2014, 5+ year employee retention compared to 18 month industry average

[26:30] Lessons learned from unsuccessful cultural programs and iniatives

[30:00] Lessons learned rolling out unlimited paid time off

[34:00] Getting feedback on the culture: both custom and benchmarked surveys, plus getting the pulse in person around the office

[37:00] Why innovative shares culture survey feedback on their website

"There's a lot of companies out there that put on the faquade that they have it all figured out, but the more that we go first and show that we don't and that we always have things to work on, people will follow that model."

[40:00] The importance of following up from feedback and how it happens at Innovative

[43:00] How Jaime measures success in her role as VP of People and Culture

[45:15] Self-promotion process

[47:30] From "soft skills" to "power skills"

[49:20] Building emotional intelligence in leaders

[53:30] Diversity and inclusion at Innovative and in Tech

Rochester Beacon article that interviews Jaime about women in Tech

https://rochesterbeacon.com/2019/08/01/a-new-era-for-women-in-tech/

"You have to holistically look at the belief structure of your organization. That's where it starts. You may bring in a lot of people that look, act and talk differently, but if the welcome isn't there and they don't feel like they're part of the family...they'll very quickly fail, and that's on us as leaders."

[58:30] Why more companies should have a head of people and culture

Listen to the podcast episode with Innovative Owner and CEO Justin Copie:

https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/incubating-conscious-culture-in-tech

Listen to Jaime's DisruptHR talk here:

https://disrupthr.co/vimeo-video/the-most-amazing-culture-but-its-not-for-everyone-jaime-eisenhauer-disrupthr-talksyone/

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[0:30] Tamsin's path from Evolutionary Biology to consulting

[3:00] Leveraging Evolutionary principles for business innovation

[6:00] How diversity and autonomy in ants creates collective intelligence

[7:30] Distributed leadership like birds flying in formation

[8:00] Leaders that don't give direction, but instead act as "cultural gardeners"

[9:00] Alignment with other movements

Holacracy: https://www.holacracy.org/

Frederic Laloux's Reinventing Organizations: https://www.reinventingorganizations.com/

General McChrystal's Team of Teams: https://www.mcchrystalgroup.com/insights-2/teamofteams/

[10:00] Evolutionary teamwork with shared identity, shared purpose and simple rules

[12:00] Creating value for the next generation

[13:30] Building more sustainably through biomimicry - "any waste in nature becomes an opportunity"

[15:00] Diversity: the raw feedback of adaptation

[16:45] Bringing an EVOLutionary perspective to the Conscious Capitalism community

[19:30] Applying evolutionary principles inside your organization

[21:15] Getting leaders to give up control toward culture crafting, support, mentorship

[23:15] Creating clarity of decision making through clarity of purpose

[27:30] Using individual purpose and passion to create a collective vision

Learn more about Dr. Tamsin and Teeming here: https://www.teeminnovationgroup.com/

Learn more about David Sloan Wilson and the Evolution Institute here: https://evolution-institute.org/

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[1:45] The need for The Entrepreneur's Network (TEN) to help entrepreneurs get ready to pitch for funding

[3:30] Partnerships with Monroe County, Rochester Angel Network, SCORE, Urban League to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem

[5:45] How Jean got involved in TEN, expanded the program beyond just tech startups

[8:45] What types of companies qualify? Tech startups ready to pitch to investors, Established companies focused on growing and selling to customers outside the region

[10:15] Measuring success for TEN and its graduates - jobs created, increasing the success rate of startups

[12:30] Giving the entrepreneurs coaches with real world experience as entrepreneurs and business owners

[13:45] The structure and curriculum of the TEN program

[15:45] The rise of Shark Tank and "entrepreneurship by necessity" growing an interest in entrepreneurship in the region

[17:30] Changing the mindset around lifelong employment

[20:45] The strengths of Rochester's entrepreneurial ecosystem and the opportunities to engage more local investors to invest locally

[25:45] Addressing the challenges for female entrepreneurs with Chloe Capital

[29:45] The first TEN class focused on female-led startups:

-"Name it, claim it and overcome it."

-Accomplished women who had a lack of confidence

[35:45] Funding for women, minority and LGBTQ led businesses

[39:20] Creating a diverse team and leveraging their experience and strengths by creating an inclusive culture

[42:50] An upcoming cohort for female-led startups - Apply by 8/31/19!

http://ten-ny.org/

[44:45] Success Stories - Ken Rosenfeld from eHealth Technologies and Michele Liddle from Perfect Granola

Listen to Michelle's episode here: https://dashboard.simplecast.com/episodes/533d45b0-0812-46e3-9313-3bab11968bfd

[47:30] Helping startups build purpose and culture

Boss Documentary on PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/boss/video/boss-the-black-experience-in-business-nguxge/

[54:40] The future of entrepreneurship in Rochester and changing education to create a mindset of lifelong learners

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[1:15] The founding of Isaac Heating by Ray's grandfather

[2:40] How Ray's father Jim came to lead the company

[4:15] Starting to work at the family business in high school

[6:20] The difference between an "equity business" and a "lifestyle business"

[8:30] 3 Rules From Ray's Father Jim:

1 - "You get paid for what you do not who you are."

2 - "Your last name is a responsibility it's not a priviledge...you're not going to get respect by your last name, it's going to be something that you have to earn."

3 - "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life."

[10:30] "I don't expect someone to be passionate about heating and air conditioning to be an employee...that's not my passion and it doesn't have to be yours. You can find your passion through heating and air conditioning. It's Simon Sinek's golden circle...the WHAT and the HOW are just a means to achieving they WHY."

[13:15] Learning experiences and succession planning before Ray became CEO

[16:30] Ray's evolution from a "jerk" to a Conscious Leader and advice to others:

-Be comfortable with who you are

-Taking criticism along with the compliments

-The difference between responsibility and accountability

Read the RBJ story of Ray's early years as a leader here: https://rbj.net/2005/12/16/leader-finds-success-in-keeping-his-cool/

[21:55] The importance of business owners that model the passion they want to see in their employees - "I don't want applause...I want a pause."

[27:50] The process of re-articulting their vision and values

[29:30] Learning from Wegmans on putting employees before customers

[33:00] Founding Isaac University, the only accredited program held by a contractor, invested over $1M in training last year

"I always say training AND education. You train someone on what to do, you educate them on why."

"It's 12-weeks paid. We hire somebody as a student. We have almost 26 people starting as paid students, and that's more than any one of the colleges."

[37:45] The future of Isaac University with a new expansion, additional trades and a new name: I Tech

Giving hope to students to stay in school even if they don't want to go to college.

[41:40] How they "measure what matters" beyond just profits at Isaac

On philanthopy: "We decide what we're going to give before we even earn dollar number one for the year. Our charities and the initiatives we support get paid before the owners do...you can have anything you want in life as long as you help other people get what they want and need first."

On the community: "We have a duty to support the community. We're a local business...We need to have a healthy, vibrant community to help our business be healthy and vibrant."

[47:15] "You're the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with, and we have a pretty good average in Rochester. We're better because of those people. Even our competitors. They keep the bar high."

[48:15] How focusing on small things can keep you from making a big impact

"It should be your goal when you hire somebody to teach them how to start their own business. It should also be your goal to show them that it isn't worth their while. We can provide them with a better living."

[51:45] Getting started on the Conscious Capitalism journey by getting involved in organizations and building relationships, being a conscious consumer by voting with your wallet for the organizations that are involved in the community

"If you want to justify charity, just rebrand it as marketing."

[55:00] Looking ahead to the future leadership of Isaac, even if they aren't named Isaac

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[2:00] The founding of Doyle Security in 1919 as a Private Investigator

[4:30] Adapting to uniformed security, electronic alarms and other lines of business

"Our mission has never changed. Just the way we deliver it has evolved over time with changing needs."

[7:00] John's early entrepreneurial ventures and joining the family business

[10:30] Setting groundrules for leadership succession in the family business

[13:15] Jack's outside experience before joining the business

[17:00] Other family members joining the business

[19:00] Building the "Promise and Deliver" brand and culture at Doyle

John: "This has been passed down through generations. It's been articulated in different ways, but being driven by values is first and foremost. That drives business. It results in better business outcomes and more satisfying personal outcomes."

[20:00] How articulating the values raises the stakes and how to live them more effectively: hiring, onboarding, identifying values-aligned behaviors, survey feedback and reinforcement

[24:15] Making the most of survey feedback

[26:30] Cultural due diligence in acquisitions

[30:30] Family business as a model for taking a long-term perspective in capitalism

[35:30] Barriers to a "conscious," long-term mindset

Jack: "More and more consumers are looking for companies that share their values, that they feel like they can trust. It's becoming easier to spot the ones that do and spot the ones that don't, so I see it as becoming increasingly important."

[38:00] Advice for getting started EVOLving your culture toward Conscious Capitalism - Write down your values, reflecting and recognizing your impact as a leader

[41:45] Advice for family business succession

Jack: "You need to find a way to come in, work harder and try to set the right example. People are going to be looking at you as a family member tentatively and wondering 'what is this going to mean for me?' So you have to be cautious, prepared to work hard and also have the humility to not overstep if you're coming in at a more entry-level role and take the time to learn and collect feedback."

-Setting up a "neutral buffer" for reporting relationships

-You can't start too early

-Communicate often with transparency

-Investing in an experienced family succession consultant

-Having the confidence to be your own person

[49:30] The 5, 10 and 100 years for Doyle

Jack: "I expect, just like these previous 100 years, that 100 years down the road if we're still lucky enough to be around, that we're still going to be oriented to protecting and serving the community in this capacity."

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Kiva Rochester Director Amy Ventura:

[3:30] What is Kiva and why we needed it in Rochester to create "more equitable opportunities for residents"

[5:40] What is "character-based underwriting?"

[8:50] The process of applying for a Kiva loan

Open Mic Rochester Publisher Shappelle Thompson:

[11:45] How Shappelle created of OpenMic Rochester

[16:00] How a Kiva loan helped grow OpenMic's business and mission

[20:15] The advantages of having a Kiva office in Rochester

Marvelous Mind Academy Founder Rosa Marie Curtis:

[22:15] How Rosa founded Marvelous Mind Academy

[24:20] The unique MMA business model: childcare for low-income workers

[25:45] Becoming a worker owned cooperative through OWN Rochester

(Listen to the episode with OWN Rochester CEO Kate Washington here: https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/inclusive-prosperity-through-worker)

[26:50] Connecting with Kiva Rochester as an opportunity for growth

[28:45] Why purposeful, community-focused businesses succeed on Kiva

Advice from Rosa's grandmother: "Your business won't grow until you find your WHY"

Amy: "We are always looking for businesses that are socially impactful. That's actually something that Kiva incorporates into their underwriting. There are certain businesses that are going to have greater impact on a community than others, however, they recognize that almost all businesses are going to have a positive impact on the community by generating revenue and hiring people."

[34:00] How Kiva Rochester addresses an underserved market and early wins so far (82 loans totaling $423,500. Borrowers have an average 575 credit score, and median income of $35,000)

[36:45] Beyond capital: building a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem

(Listen to the episode with the Venture Jobs Foundation's Denny DeLeo here: (https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/venturejobs)

Consumer Credit Counseling (https://www.cccsofrochester.org/)

SCORE (https://greaterrochester.score.org/)

Office of Community Wealth Building (https://www.cityofrochester.gov/wealthbuilding/)

Rochester Works (http://rochesterworks.org/)

[40:15] Gaps for more inclusive prosperity in Rochester

-Connecting to the right resources

-Reaching people where they are with the right information

-Reintegration for the formerly incarcerated

-Building generational wealth

Shapelle: "Give a man a fish, he'll eat tonight; teach a man to fish, he'll eat forever; but teach him how to buy the pond, his whole family, and everybody eats. I don't want you to give me a fish. I don't want you to show me how to fish. Show me how to buy the pond...and that's what I want for everybody."

[46:20] How Rochester is setting the standard for Kiva programs across the US

Learn more about Kiva Rochester here:

https://www.cityofrochester.gov/Kiva/

Learn more about Kiva here:

https://www.kiva.org/

Learn more about ROC I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action) events here: (http://roccitycoalition.org/ and r-y-p.org)

Learn more about Marvelous Mind Academy here:

https://123me.xyz/

...and check out Rosa featured on the INTERNATIONAL Kiva blog and newsletter for ""changing the childcare paradigm in Rochester" here:

https://www.kiva.org/blog/rosa-created-an-overnight-daycare-to-support-working-parents-in-her-community

Learn more about OpenMic Rochester and subscribe here:

https://openmicroc.com/

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[2:45] Bret's interests at the intersection of architecture and social issues

[4:30] The differences between leading nonprofit, government and for profit organizations

[8:45] Past projects working on foreclosures during the housing crisis and working to reduce lead poisoning

[10:30] Getting a dream job in Albany overseeing affordable housing for the state

[12:30] A second boomerang to Rochester to join Home Leasing

[13:30] The founding (and re-founding) of Home Leasing

[15:30] Joining a family business as a non-family member

"I'd much rather work for an organization that is family-owned than investor-owned. They're going to think long term."

[19:30] A purpose focused on affordable housing - "to improve the lives of our residents"

[21:15] Becoming a B corp

"Having us beholden to an outside standard gives us the feedback about whether we're doing what we say...not just to get the certification, because the whole purpose was to become the company we envisioned."

[23:30] New initiatives and lessons learned from B corp certification

"How do we share the benefits of our company and create policies where everyone shares in our success?"

[26:45] Having conversations with employees on their holistic wellness and fulfilment

[29:00] Creating engagement with employees and other stakeholders through the B corp certification process and generating ideas from employees

[32:30] "Measuring some of the things I think are most important is difficult because they don't lend themselves to numbers...we all feel great when we're more profitable than the year before, but where we get true satisfaction is when we're more impactful than the year before."

[33:15] "One of the goals in our strategic plan is to always have a project that we're working on that is even better than anything we've ever done. More complex. More impactful. Helps more people. Is an industry standard for what affordable housing should be."

[34:15] Best practices for breaking down silos across the organization (without having more meetings)

-Educating and cross-training people across company functions

[40:00] Balancing open offices with quiet and privacy

[42:45] Advice for people on the Conscious Capitalism journey: "When you pick your first job, don't pick the company or the money, pick the boss. Find the person that cares about your future."

[44:45] The reciprocal gift of mentoring: "The great new innovative perspective is probably not going to come from me. It's going to come from the people in their 20s who have a unique perspective of what's going on in communities. So I consciously try to meet people that will challenge my ideas that I still hold from when I was their age, which are now dated and can be criticized."

[47:15] "If your only motivation is profit in the short term, that would never motivate me personally...I always try to remind myself that I thought I would have been happy, even thrilled, with much less success than I've had...that just proves to me that happiness doesn't come with success it comes with satisfaction."

[49:30] The future of Home Leasing - "We're very proud of that. We really think it shows what can be done when the community, the city, funders and developers work together to try to create a place that everybody can enjoy."

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[2:15] The inspiration for founding Harbec (in a barn)

[4:50] The evolution of Bob's interest in personal sustainability and eventually applying what he had learned to Harbec

[7:30] Getting bank loans and learning to shift from a purely environmental rationale to an economic one

[12:00] Spreading the "eco-economics" philosophy and the pursuit of carbon neutral

[17:45] Generating green energy and even harnessing "waste heat" for productive ends

[21:30] "Sensitizing stakeholders" to appreciate sustainability

[28:00] Redirecting utility bills toward investments in wind and solar

[32:45] Adding a culture focus to the sustainability focus for a triple bottom line

[35:00] Creating committees that engage and empower employees

Listen to the show on biomimicry and biophilia with Bill Browning here:

https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/building-for-sustainability-by-learning

[39:45] Measuring cultural success through high retention and employees recruiting their friends and family

[42:45] Advice for individuals and organizations that want to explore living more sustainability

[47:30] The future of the renewable energy industry

[52:45] The next frontier for Harbec: the pursuit of zero-waste, carbon positive and energy storage

Learn more about Harbec here:

https://www.harbec.com/

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[0:45] Chris' non-traditional path:

-Passion to teach youth: "preparing citizens to be meaninfully participating in and stewarding the democracy that we have."

-Working on a farm with high school kids

-Experience at the Harley School around environmental sustainability

[4:30] Early influences from parents - "A sense of success for me very much includes the impact on the community I'm having."

[6:45] Developing consciousness in youth - finding and cultivating their innate curiousity

-"If our report cards included a broader sense of metrics in the same way that if our business bottom lines included the triple bottom line, we would lean in that direction naturally."

-"It's good business too. It's a good brand. It's a good culture. It's good practice. I believe it's not about sacrificing growing a successful business and making good money doing it, but it's toward that same end as far as how you're producing value and building your organization."

[11:00] Moving off the farm and into the city, starting the South Wedge Farmer's Market and the start of a business idea

[14:30] An active research project to co-create a definition of "Good Food" practices - agricultural practices, health, diversity, economics

[19:00] Educating and incentivizing farmers to evolve toward more sustainabile agricultural practices

[21:00] Headwater Food Hub beyond the Good Food Collective program - a values-based supply chain organization

[25:00] Moving toward measuring the true cost of industrial agriculture

[27:45] New York incentives for "Farm to School" food

[30:15] Starting a for profit business rather than a nonprofit, then becoming a B corp

-"Local businesses as tools for community revitalization...if this is going to work, it has to be economically viable and it has to be durable"

-"We have this business commerce sector that creates a lot of negative consequences and then we have this not for profit philanthropic world that's supposed to deal with the negative implications. How do you create a business sector that doesn't have to have a sector to fix the negative things."

-"We want to do good work in this world, we want to do it as a business and we want our business to be a part of creating new systems and new models."

[35:00] Solidifying purpose and other lessons learned in the process of becoming a B corp

[37:45] Building the culture at Headwater and the difficulty of evolving the culture as the company grows

[41:15] Chris' skills and training as an educator being applied to building corporate culture

[44:30] Celebrating failure to encourage experimentation and risk-taking

[47:45] Advice for other leaders on the evolutionary journey of "conscious" leadership

[53:00] The value proposition for purpose-driven business and the growing market demand

"It's not like you need to eat cardboard to save the world, we're talking about the best damn food out there...Yes, this is about creating a more conscious world and having stronger, healthier communities, but this really is about doing good business."

[58:00] The EVOLution of Headwater and the local food system - "The current national and global optimized, hyper-efficient food system that we've developed...it's unbelievable what we've accomplished using the success metrics that we've put out there...we're really innovative in all kinds of interesting directions...how do you take that system and start to rethink it in innovative and creative ways that would allow for more regional and distributed but equally optimized networks of producers that flow into collaborative structures that not only feed into their local surrounding community, but feed into the broader system and network...slowly and durably and sustainably replacing our current approach to food production, distribution and consumption and provide for this sustainble future food system."

"Economies of collaboration that can compete with economies of scale."

Restaurants that want to access this network, farmers that are growing Good Food or want to start aligning their practices to do so, employers interest in being dropoff locations for the Good Food Collective, or consumers that want to eat Good Food, "anybody producing, eating or selling food that is interested in understanding a supply chain that they connect with that is aligned with their values" can learn more at:

http://headwaterfoodhub.com

https://thegoodfoodcollective.com/

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[2:00] Starting a wind energy company

[4:30] Pivoting when solar became more cost effective

[6:45] Breaking into the residential market

[8:30] Starting as friends in business, working to maintain the culture as they grow

[10:30] "We've just been really deliberate about finding people that we know are going to marry to our culture...we have been fairly successful in finding people that are passionate about our mission and our purpose and therefore they're going to work harder to be a part of it."

[12:00] Becoming Rochester's fastest growing company and also a B-Corp and Top Workplace

"From the time that we outwardly said that we were subscribed to a Triple Bottom Line, we grew over 600%...we believe that's absolutely linked"

[13:20] Employees applied for the Top Workplace award without Kevin ever knowing. Not only was Greenspark honored with the company award, but Kevin also won the "Leadership" award: "When you subscribe yourself to the concept of servant leadership and the elevating the people around you and not trying to elevate yourself in the midst of them, you just don't expect things like that."

[14:40] Kevin's conscious leadership journey - willingness to be a contrarian among peers in driving purpose over profit

[16:45] Selling solar on the economic advantages

[18:30] Deciding to become a B corp through "positive peer pressure" from the Amicus Solar Cooperative

[20:30] Formalizing processes and other lessons learned from B corp certification

[22:45] Advice for other leaders embarking on the Conscious Capitalism journey "We're imperfect, we're not good enough...it's that you desire to do better on behalf of your people, on behalf of your community that continues to drive us."

[24:00] Coming through hard times by refocusing on communication and recommitting to increased transparency

[24:45] How to get started on the journey? Measure yourself!

(Kevin's recommended measurement tool - "Quick Impact Assessment" through MeasureUp Finger Lakes) https://bimpactassessment.net/measureupfingerlakes)

[27:00] The importance of leaders getting feedback from your people

"I think about my parents and the concept to them of someone actually asking them 'Do you like your job' ... they didn't get that question. What was wrong with us? If people don't like their job, what do we think is going to motivate them? What do we think is going to drive them forward? As capitalists, as business owners, we should really ask that question because I think the return is that they work harder for the business and the business becomes more successful."

[28:30] Kevin's evolving leadership journey and focus on transparency

(Listen to the podcast episode with Bob Whipple, "The Trust Ambassador," to learn more about the concept of "radical candor") https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/the-most-impactful-trust-building

[30:30] Measuring success at GreenSpark:

-Focus on stability (revenue, profits, etc) - "you can't provide people quality of life at their job if there's a constant stress on those things."

-Moving toward an employee-owned business

-Finding ways to better communicate and engage with their climate change mission

[35:30] Fighting the status quo by encouraging people to become conscious of a different way of doing things

[39:00] Putting purpose over profit in big strategic decisions and also in the small everyday decisions - "they become part of our DNA" - "If I can aid in any way in making your life better overall, our beliefs subscribe us to the fact that you'll do better as an employee of the company toward our products, our profits and our mission...it comes down to that simple level of decision-making process, you don't even think about it"

[41:45] Evolving the consciousness of business leaders to help tackle our most pressing challenges - being solutions-oriented, getting institutionalized into law

"As we recreate the economy of Rochester, which is an ongoing process, that we're doing it in the right way."

[47:15] Possibilities to help local farmers and the Rochester energy grid

Learn more at: www.GreenSparkSolar.com

Request a solar charging station at your festival/event: https://greensparksolar.com/community-events-and-local-partnerships/

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[2:00] Discovering a passion for human resources

[4:45] Joining LaBella Associates

[6:45] Establishing the values at LaBella and bringing them off the website and into the everyday processes of the organization

"You can have perks in an organization, but what really motivates people is genuine appreciation."

[10:30] Maintaining culture through rapid growth with a thoughtful recruiting and hiring process

"We call all of our employees brand ambassadors. We have a philosophy that everyone at LaBella recruits...not just HR."

[14:20] Onboarding into the LaBella culture - "sidekick program"

[19:00] Merging cultures during Mergers and Acquisitions

[22:30] How culture has contributed to LaBella's growth

"We're trying to maintain that sense of family even with the growth that we have. I wonder if other organizations think its just not the right investment or its too hard to develop an award-winning culture. I don't think it is. I think if you have the commitment from your senior leadership that the people are the most important part of the business, that makes a difference. Without the people at LaBella we don't have a business."

[26:15] Engagement committees: Wellness, Sunshine (fun), LINC (LaBella in the Community)

[28:00] Maintaining culture across multiple offices

[29:30] Continually improving and EVOLving the culture based on regular employee feedback

[31:45] Measuring culture - employee engagement surveys, exit interviews

[35:15] The importance of following up on cultural surveys and sharing data transparently

[38:30] Planning for succession with a focus on maintaining culture

[41:30] Modeling the values and culture at the top of the organization

[45:30] The vision for the future of LaBella

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[1:20] Previous role at the Center For Urban Entrepreneurship

(See our interview with Ebody Miller, Director of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship: https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/growing-an-inclusive-entrepreneurial)

[3:00] How the most joyful moments of her life (the birth of her daughters) led to despair as she tried to navigate parenthood and career

[5:25] Going from frustration to business idea, with pivots along the way

[8:45] The first Arkatecht solution, AtLast, a professional development matching platform

[10:20] The difference between work-life balance and work-life integration

[12:40] Possibilities for bringing Arkatecht's tools to entire organizations

[15:00] How companies can collect data and ideas on how to be more inclusive for working parents

[21:00] Beta-testing Arkatecht's solutions:

Endeavor: Helping pregnant professionals better navigate their workdays based on how they're feeling

AtLast: Professional development matching platform with recommendations for conferences, seminars, etc. paired with childcare opportunities

Affinity: Professional networking platform for working mothers (and fathers)

"Integration of your professional needs and goals and those of being parent and member of your family."

[26:00] Why Yasmin decided to start a business in Rochester, despite being NYC-born

[29:30] Benefiting from Rochester's resources for entrepreneurs, including being incubated at Innovative Solutions

(See our podcast with Innovative CEO Justin Copie: https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/incubating-conscious-culture-in-tech)

[33:20] Hiring for people who connect with the purpose of Arkatecht

"Finding people who are innately intellectually curious...find problems and not be deterred by them, but get excited."

[37:00] Keeping the long game in mind to balance (or integrate?) purpose and profit

"I always think of (my daughters) and if nothing else, Arkatecht is building so that if things aren't as progressive as they should be by then, at least they'll have tools the tools to help them on their way should they decide to endeavor professionally and have children"

[41:30] Yasmin's vision for a future where technology tools can help others plan proactively for challenges like cancer or Alzheimer's disease

[43:20] The business case for inclusive cultures for working parents

"When you lose people because you haven't supported them to be their best and do their best professionally AND in their parent or caretaking role, you feel the immediate financial and nonfinancial costs, and the long-term."

"Part of the problem is that when people do their budgets, they don't have a line item for 'this is the cost for us not adequately supporting our people.'"

Learn more: https://www.arkatecht.com/

Contact Yasmin: ymattox@arkatecht.com)

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[1:10] The early days of Optimax located in a barn but leveraging computer-controlled machining

[2:45] Growth assisted by Kodak, now working with NASA Mars Rover

[4:00] Focusing on "small volume, high quality, quick delivery" and through a combination of Technology, process and attitude, becoming the largest Optics manufacturer in the US

[5:15] How lean manufacturing plus a culture of openness, sharing and distributed decision-making keeps Optimax growing

"We know that some of the best ideas for improvement come from the people DOING THE WORK every day...so at Optimax, we've tried to make sure that we build in processes that enable those ideas to percolate to the top."

[8:00] The EVOLution of corporate culture at Optimax - "What was the right decision or the right process yesterday, may not be the right decision or the right process today, so we're continuing to look for opportunities for improvement

[9:00] How to get started on the EVOLution to a self-empowered organization: "A fundamental belief that most people wake up in the morning and they want to create value, so what we have to do is provide our employees with training, resources and current information so that they can make good decisions, so that they can show up at work and do whatever needs to get done to create value. In contrast, if you look at a traditional pyramid-structure organization, it's really frustrating because people in the organization doing the work have really good ideas but what tends to happen is that many of those ideas get squashed and it destroys people's spirits."

[10:35] "I don't think we began to realize until we were on the journey, Optimax was growing in the early days at the sphere of influence of the leadership team. As we let go of the reigns and started allowing others to make decisions and take responsibility, Optimax started to grow at the sphere of influence of the entire team."

[11:30] Why every individual can be a superstar when their role is aligned with their gifts

[12:30] How the cultural EVOLution has driven 20% annual growth, still with plenty of opportunity ahead

[13:30] Rick's personal evolution as a leader - peer reviews, creating a learning culture, working with Bruce Peters (Bruce's episode here: https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/teal)

[15:45] How to get started on the teal journey

(Recommended reading: Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux: https://www.reinventingorganizations.com/)

[18:00] Why a self-empowered team does NOT need consensus, and what to do instead

[19:50] The corporate structure and decision-making processes with self-empowered teams Optimax - "We're relying less and less on some sort of strategic plan...and more and more on living life in the moment and sensing and responding to the opportunities that are there today."

[25:15] Aligning the reward system with the culture that you're trying to create - monthly profit sharing at Optimax, investing in higher education, 401k matching, donating time off to potential employees

"I'd like to make sure that every one of our employees has the opportunity to be a millionaire by the time they retire."

[28:15] How to onboard employees into a teal culture

(Recommended reading: Question Behind The Question by John Miller: https://qbq.com/qbq-the-question-behind-the-question/)

[30:30] Creating more "Inclusive Prosperity" through more conscious succession planning that ensures that they will stay vibrant, keep jobs here and benefit the local community - "most of the wealth created by the company goes back to the employees so the people creating the wealth share in the wealth. This would be a great way not only to benefit employees but also to strengthen communities across the nation."

[33:00] Rick's Aspen Institute Fellowship on Job Quality

[35:45] The leadership EVOLution necessary for the EVOLution of business toward Conscious Capitalism: "As a business leader, I think if you're willing to let go of the reigns, you'll find that you'll end up on a path that will take you places you never imagined you could go."

[37:30] The importance of finding your strengths and finding a role where you can leverage those strengths

[40:20] Creating a culture where people can share challenges and help each other grow:

"Some people come to Optimax just looking for a job, they're at a place in life where they just want a paycheck so that they can pay their bills, but it's a beautiful thing to see that same individual a few months later where they've gone through a transition and they've learned some new skills and they've begun to understand the culture that we have and they show up at work and they're passionate about what they're doing. I just love that."

[43:45] Investing in internal R&D, but also looking at how to helping support employees with ideas of their own

[46:00] Scaling the culture for continued growth at Optimax

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[1:10] Founding of Hewitt Young Electric by Cody's Father and his father's cousin

[2:10] Cody's reluctance to join the family business

[3:35] Starting at the bottom and building an interest in the business

[6:00] Taking over as CEO in 2017 at age 27, building trust as a serving leader

[8:15] Cody's succession plan discussion with his father

[10:30] Employee pride as the inspiration for an EVOLution to Conscious Capitalism

[14:30] Focusing on values to get started on the journey to Conscious Capitalism

[16:20] Enacting values through storytelling

[21:15] Taking a Cultural Values Assessment to crowdsource the Hewitt Young values and create employee buy-in to create that culture

"If we're going to focus on our people and believe that we have the best people, then why wouldn't we take their input and use it to shape our future."

[27:00] 10-year vision for Hewitt Young

[28:00] Focusing on culture and using the word LOVE in a construction company

[31:20] Spreading love throughout the organization and creating alignment at all levels

[34:20] Building culture with a unionized workforce

[36:30] Creating an incentive program that aligned with vision and values

[37:30] Unlimited vacation policies and encouraging people to take MORE vacation

[41:10] Being "all in" when at work, "all in" when at home and "all in" when on vacation

[43:00] A shift toward Conscious Capitalism in the construction industry

"You look at the companies that are thriving. You look at the impact they're having on the community and the impact they're having on their people. And they're doing these things."

[46:00] Overcoming resistance to Conscious Capitalism among fellow business owners

[48:30] Short-term costs with long-term benefits to culture

[50:45] You know you're doing something right when your employees become your best recruiters

[53:00] Recommended books

Everybody Matters, Bob Chapman

Chief Joy Officer, Richard Sheridan

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[1:20] Career path from journalism to economic development

[5:00] Leaving for Albany for the "Empire State Fellows" program

[7:30] Moving back toward Rochester by way of Cornell University and now GRE

[9:20] What is Greater Rochester Enterprise?

[11:30] Changing the reality and changing the perception of Rochester

[15:00] The competition for talent

[16:30] Rochester graduates more STEM graduates per capita than anywhere else in the country

[17:30] The recruiting process: A few recent companies Ana helped bring to Rochester

[23:00] A recent research project from MIT economist Jonathan Gruber: Rochester ranks as the top opportunity for a next generation tech hub

[27:50] The top challenges limiting Rochester's growth: "We're still struggling ensuring that great opportunities here are available to everybody"

[30:55] How can business be a leader toward more inclusive prosperity?

[34:00] Could Conscious Capitalism be an economic development strategy for Rochester?

[36:00] Using social media meta-data to gauge community pride

[39:00] New York State programs that incentivize Conscious Capitalism

[41:30] Conflicting data: Is Rochester gaining or losing population?

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[1:00] Reluctantly jumping into politics and running for Mayor of Rochester

"I didn't like the politics, but I loved the public service."

[6:45] Leaving Rochester for Albany as Lieutenant Governor

[10:25] Proudest moment as Lieutenant Governor presiding over the marriage equality vote

[12:15] Coming back to Rochester to lead the Rochester Business Alliance (since rebranded as the Greater Rochester Chamber)

[14:00] EVOLutionary (and Revolutionary) changes both internally and externally at the Chamber to be nimble, bold and ahead of the curve

[18:45] Speakers and events at the Chamber, including IBM’s 30-year Vice President of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs Stan Litow, who said that "businesses need to go beyond checking the box of corporate social responsibility, and instead identify a critical societal issue and connect to actual impact and results to make substantiative change"

Listen to Stan's podcast episode here: https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/stanibm-24hVwILZ

[21:15] Getting the business community involved in advocacy and action - too much time spent discussing the issue and not enough time taking tangible steps

[22:30] Young professionals and the rise of Conscious Capitalism

"Any corporation that is all about profits and nothing else will not attract the type of talent you want. To be successful, you need that philosophy."

[27:00] Learning from Columbus to break down silos and increase collaboration in Rochester

[31:40] Conscious Capitalism as a regional differentiator and talent attraction/retention strategy - Connecting with colleges and young talent, promoting affordability and conscious cultures

[35:30] Being a conscious consumer and supporting companies that give back

Bombas Socks (every pair you buy means a pair gets donated to the homeless):

https://bombas.com/

"I see a sea change coming right now...This is the resting place of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. There is a spirit of service here. It is a community that has always been different, has always stood up for things. The issue of social justice is so important. We should be a beacon across the state and across the country. I don't think we've galvanized that yet, but I think we're on the path to do that now.

[38:00] What keeps more companies from adopting a more conscious approach to business?

Modeling on local examples like Wegmans, Genesee Brewery, Kodak in the days of George Eastman, trying to lead by example with community service among Chamber employees

Listen to Genesee Brewery Podcast here:

https://fortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com/episodes/reviving-genesee-brewery-with-the-triple-2fc0d92e

[42:00] Why Bob decided not to apply to be a "Top Workplace" because he didn't think they were ready. "I don't want to look good, I want to be good."

[43:30] Bob's upbringing that emphasized the importance of integrity and hard-work, plus how his time as a police officer gave him empathy and understanding

[47:20] "We don't need to reach down and pull somebody up. We need to take the barriers off their back so that they can get up by themselves."

[48:00] "It's not political leaders that lead the way. It's the person in the neighborhood. The person helping. The person at the ground level. True change comes from your everyday person. The more we can elevate leaders and bring them up, the better."

[49:00] Advice for future leaders of Rochester

[53:00] Advice for aspiring politicians

"You can't fix every ill in the world, but little by little we can get there. People don't expect miracles. They expect follow up, customer service and attention to what they bring up. When you're elected, you serve them. That's something I'd encourage young people to think about because they can and they will change the world."

[56:15] Almost 5 years in to his tenure at the Chamber, what are the goals and vision for the next 5 years?

"We have extraordinary leaders coming up right now. They need to be given an opportunity, given a chance to grow and a chance to be a part of this change."

"The most exciting thing is 'What is the future Chamber of Commerce?' I'm not sure what that is yet. It's going to look different, it's going to be different, it's going to do different things. It's not going to be anything like it was before. That's exciting. For us it's getting the right people in the right position to see the future and help us forge that path."

[1:00:30] On Conscious Capitalism: "What may have been conceptual a few years ago, I think is not only taking hold, it's flying."

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[1:00] The entrepreneurial drive that started with lemonade stands, selling pencils and eventually as an Avon salesperson at 15 years old, reaching #1 by 16!

[2:30] How selling is "doing people a favor...saving people time because I've done the research for them"

[3:15] Introduction to yoga at 12 years old from her mom, an early-adopter of wellness practices

[5:00] Cyndi's entrepreneurial ventures prior to Breathe: "Fit Company of Rochester," "L’Avant Garbe" and as a dietician - "I love to shop and I love to share, which we call selling."

[7:00] The first Breathe location and early growth: "The business has always been driven by what I wanted to do, what I wanted to share and what I think is missing in the community...I was never looking for a way to make money. That was never my goal...What is it that I love and what do I want to spend my time doing?"

[9:00] Working with her daughters: First employing them (and their friends) in high school, then when they were gone for college and other jobs, "As Breathe was growing, they watched the fun I was having, the challenge that I was undertaking and that it was something that I was super passionate about and invested in."

[12:20] Growing to multiple locations

[13:30] Infusing a culture of wellbeing into business - "It follows the passion and the true authentic reason for why I do what I do...I have not had to think about how to create integrity in the business. I've always tried to be in alignment with myself. At the end of the day I want to feel good about the decisions I'm making and the way I'm living my life. The business integrity is just a reflection of how we live our lives as people."

[16:00] Bringing wellbeing, meditation and yoga into the corporate world - "Breathe delivers it in a very user-friendly way."

[19:00] "Everybody's got too much to do and an inbox that's never empty. The most important master tool of stress is pattern disruption...I don't have to sell it too hard. People are desperate for it."

[22:00] Don't have time? Try a 16 second meditation

"People want an antidote to stress. The studies are there. The benefits are profound for something that's free, doesn't take a lot of time and doesn't take any education."

[27:00] Helping companies integrate stress-reduction strategies into corporate culture

[29:45] Cyndi's personal practices and routines that contribute to her wellbeing

[33:20] Conscious Reflection: "Occasionally coming back and asking yourself the questions that matter: What do I want my life to feel like...at each different phase I might not want what I wanted before."

[36:30] The hardest thing about growing a small business into a larger business? How to pass the baton.

[37:45] How not having a business degree may have helped Cyndi grow Breathe

[40:00] Integrating purpose and philanthropy into the business at Breathe: "Rather than give money, I'd actually love to see people take advantage of yoga and meditation."

[44:30] Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:

"Creating a business out of something that you love"

"Say yes and sweat it out later"

"If not you, then who?"

[46:30] The future for Breathe: more corporate outreach and meditation: "I'm so committed and passionate that I feel that I can share it from that authentic place and that's why I like to go out and talk about it."

[48:45] "I don't have a 5 year plan. I'm open to whatever seems like the right next step."

Learn more about Breathe at www.breatheyoga.com/ and about their offerings for Workplace Wellness at www.breatheyoga.com/About/Workplace-Wellness.

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[1:30] The founding of the Nichols Construction Team

[3:20] "We wanted to build a culture and share that culture with the marketplace and have that be as strong of a basis of their selection as our experience and capabilities...we didn't see ourselves as a commodity, we saw ourselves as service providers...I've got so many stories of providers and purchasers about what can be accomplished on the basis of trust."

[7:30] Assuming the leadership role in a family business

[11:00] Culture and purpose as a competitive advantage: "If you don't know who you are, it's going to be very difficult to sell what you do."

[14:00] The importance of leaders that walk the talk: "My ability to obtain my dreams is carried on the backs of the people that I work with. If they're going to carry me to my dreams, I want to carry them to their dreams too."

[15:30] Creating a sense of shared purpose by recognizing and repeatedly discussing culture and values: "We started as a family business, but now we're a business that's a family."

[18:00] How you deal with your mistakes speaks the loudest about your culture and integrity: "Our buildings never go out of warranty. The contracts say one thing, but in reality, we stand by our work and we stay accountable for it. You gain customers for life that way...the short-term pain is outweighed by the long-term relationship that you gain."

[20:00] Extending that forgiveness to employee mistakes and turning them into growth opportunities

[21:15] Creating a culture of psychological safety and integrity

[23:00] How customers with aligned purpose and values helped John to evolve as a leader and remain committed to the purpose at Nichols Construction Team

[26:00] Getting through the tough times as a cohesive team

[29:00] Winning the ETHIE Award from the Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation

[33:00] How applying for the ETHIE Award helped Nichols Construction Team to evolve their culture and document their cultural guide

[35:00] Measuring success: Feedback from customers AND from missed customers

[36:30] Maintaining culture through leadership succession

[40:00] "Culture is caught, not taught...it's always top of mind and we talk about it all the time, but when it's permeated through the entire organization, we don't have to preach it, we just teach it like apprenticeship, through watching."

[44:00] "Technology changes, but human nature doesn't. Stories are so powerful. What makes powerful stories? The telling of real experiences."

[45:15] The future of Nichols Construction Team and working toward becoming an ESOP, the Lean Construction Institute and bringing youth into the organization

[48:00] Balancing a commitment to change and innovation with a commitment to purpose and culture

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[1:00] Seth's path from Film major to Industrial Design

[3:00] A study abroad program in Denmark and its influence on the Staach aesthetic

"You can create, you can curate, you can build a space to really provide someone an opportunity to gain a new experience."

[8:00] Why Seth decided to start his own firm (in the middle of a recession) rather than join one

[11:00] Seth's first show turning in to his first sale

[15:30] How Staach is built as a multidisciplinary design firm with a sustainable ethos in everything they do

[19:15] Expansion from furniture to interiors

[22:00] How a conversation with a local bar owner turned in to a chair that was recognized as a top 15 design chair

"It's about sticking to what you believe in and doing everything you can to support that and grow that"...and building a company around that.

[24:00] How Staach got Danny Meyer's Shake Shack chain as a client

[27:00] Seth's balancing of his roots in design with leading a growing company

"If you have an employee who doesn't love what they do and doesn't feel inspired, it's going to be reflected in the quality of work every day. For me as an owner, I think about that every day when I wake up."

[33:00] Inspiration from Patagonia's Yvon Chouinard to "be humble, to think of others before you act, just to take that second and pause"

[34:30] How Staach became a B-corp through a college friend's masters thesis project

[37:30] How the B-corp certification process has impacted Staach's evolution - and their "Best for the Environment" recognition

[41:45] The challenges of shifting from the older mindset of business toward a more Conscious Capitalism approach

"Consumers are become more saavy...they can make more informed decisions about who they're buying from and I think that right there is starting to make change."

[44:30] Staach's future goals "to help perpetuate domestic manufacturing and job growth...in an effort to use our company to make an impact"

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[2:00] The beginning of Foodlink

[3:45] How organizations looking to become zero waste have led to additional partnerships

[5:15] Creating an entrepreneurial culture

[7:45] Mitch's path to Foodlink

[9:30] Mitch's PhD dissertation on how a lack of Conscious Capitalism impacted the food system and public health

[13:30] Foodlink's Curbside Market

[18:00] Balancing purpose and profits in social enterprise

[21:00] "Hunger is not a problem in our community that exists outside of poverty. People only can't eat because they can't afford to eat. There's plenty of food to go around"

[22:00] Foodlink's innovative workforce development program to close the middle skills gap

"It's an expensive program to run, but it's something that we as a community cannot be shy about. If we want to train people well, it's going to cost money. If we're going to do job training programs, they cannot be done with the 'cheapness' being the thing that matters."

[27:45] Measuring success through self-sufficiency and holding jobs for the long-term

[29:30] How urban gardens are turning unused lots into profitable, vibrant engines of job creation

[32:15] Listening to community members needs

[35:00] The future of Foodlink - grocery stores in downtown Rochester?

[37:00] Foodlink's new strategic plan - advocacy and community empowerment

[40:00] How Foodlink's values of agility and stewardship help them to be an entrepreneurial nonprofit

[42:00] "Hunger itself is not a production problem. It's a purely economic problem. It's about people not having enough money to spend on food. They (Mushroom Cloud Consulting) do the math to show that if all of the money that was spent on the charitable food network was actually just redistributed out to people to be able to spend on what they want for themselves, there's actually enough there."

[45:00] Mitch's leadership journey - patience and the difficulty of true empathy

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[1:45] The culture at Sage Rutty: employee first and community focused

[3:20] Accessibility of leaders, town hall meetings, ongoing communication

[4:45] Zach's career path to financial planning

[6:45] Defining "Socially Responsible Investing" - You shouldn't have to sacrifice your values

[8:45] Organic growth with more clients looking for SRI

[10:00] The evolution of SRI - from exclusionary to inclusionary

[12:30] Differences between impact investing, green bonds and SRI

[16:30] The process of deciding which issues are most important for you and your portfolio

[20:20] SRI across generations and top causes of interest

[24:30] How does SRI impact your investment performance? The latest research...

[29:15] How to determine whether measurements are legitimate

[33:00] SRI applying pressure for increasing voluntary reporting

[37:00] How increasing transparency impacts Conscious Capitalism and SRI

[38:00] Challenges of SRI metrics in developing countries and emerging markets

[42:00] SRI starting to go mainstream

Larry Fink's Letter to Shareholders:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/business/dealbook/blackrock-larry-fink-letter.html

[44:30] The future of SRI

"One day we'll be sitting down across the table and we'll be talking about how socially responsible investing has just become investing."

Learn more about Zach and his work with SRI:

https://www.sagerutty.com/ogdengroup

Contact Zach:

zarmstrong@sagerutty.com

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[1:00] The seeds of Pamela's interest in sustainability

[2:30] Pamela's career path from teaching at Arizona State to non-profits with at-risk youth agencies to The George Eastman Museum and now to The Seneca Park Zoo Society

[5:30] The evolving purpose of Zoos: from menagerie to education to conservation - "Our Mission is 'to inspire our community to connect with, care for and conserve wild life and wild places.' It's not about animals, it's about changing human behavior so that we can save animals"

[11:00] ZooBrew - "Drink Beer, Save Elephants" - Raised $15,000 for elephant conservation last year, but also empowering attendees to understand that "collectively, our individual actions will make a difference for species survival"

[13:15] How the Zoo integrates their "Connect, Care, Conserve" mission into every aspect of the guest experience - from education and awareness to gift shop items that enhance sustainability to concessions that use only compostable/biodegradable products

[17:30] Community outreach to share the Zoo's mission outside its walls - "raising the environmental literacy of the entire community"

-"Cultural organizations have a responsibility to help solve a community's biggest problems. We are not just 'nice to have,' in a community, we dont JUST contribute to a better quality of life (although we certainly do that). Our primary problems in this community are high crime, high poverty, poor city school district and in my mind, a disconnection from nature...If you're disconnected from nature, you're likely not practicing sustainable habits (which can save you a lot of money if you do them correctly)"

[25:45] Urban Ecologists program to increase diversity in conservation

[28:30] Pamela's influences from Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" to CEO of Yum! Brands (Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC) David Novak's "Taking People With You" - "If you really want to know the business, talk to the people on the front lines. They are the ones that know how the processes can be changed, whats working, what's not working. They have to feel listened to and that you're going to act on what they tell you."

-Pamela does the staff trainings at the Zoo to connect them with "why each person has the opportunity to transform people's lives through working at the Zoo Society"

[30:50] "The people on the front lines have much more of an opportunity to have a personalized experience with guests and inspire and transform their lives than I do from my office...so it's really important that they feel heard"

[31:20] "If you want to grow your business by 2-3%, you do pretty much the same things you're doing and tweak them a little bit, but if you want to grow by 20-30%, you need to blow up your business model...and even if you end up at 10%, it's still a whole lot better than 2-3%...it's about thinking about how can you do business differently? How can you have more people be transformed by their experience there? How can we reach more people with our message? How do we serve this ENTIRE community to get everyone involved in making a difference for species survival?"

[32:30] How Pamela measures success at the Zoo

[36:00] Center for Biodiversity Exploration, an immersive gaming space for intergenerational play

[38:30] Environmental Innovation Awards and Symposium

Goals:

-Telling stories to honor people that have invested in sustainability, but also to inspire others in the community

-Creating awareness in the corporate community of the Zoo as a conservation organization

-Small Business Winner: i-Square

-Large Business Winners: Diamond Packaging, Harbec

[46:15] The importance of human capital in sustainability and connecting to nature for wellbeing

More information on the Seneca Park Zoo: https://senecaparkzoo.org/

More information on the Environmental Innovation Awards: https://senecaparkzoo.org/innovation/

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[2:30] An opportunity at Kodak that led to a Venture Capital career and then to the Venture Jobs Foundation

[5:00] Partnering with the City of Rochester, JP Morgan Chase and Canandaigua National Bank to create a microlending fund

[7:30] Launching the "Jobs Kitchen Accelerator" to help support neighborhood entrepreneurs

[10:00] Metrics of success for the Venture Jobs Foundation - creating jobs in high poverty neighborhoods

[13:45] A new "Jobs Kitchen Academy" for aspiring entrepreneurs to help decide on a business

[15:45] Becoming a "Community Development Financial Institution" to partner with banks to invest in properties in disrepair and larger business loans

[17:45] Lessons learned and building community pride

[20:00] A future program of the VJF that would invest in "anchor businesses" in Rochester

[23:45] How corporations can balance being an engine for growth and also having a positive societal impact

[27:45] Early success stories

[30:00] Barriers to continued growth - Connecting with neighborhood entrepreneurs and borrower candidates

[33:00] Learning from other cities:

Tallahassee: www.domistation.com/

Cincinnati: www.wearemortar.com “Our mission is to enable under-served entrepreneurs and businesses to succeed; creating opportunities to build communities through entrepreneurship”

Chattanooga: www.launchchattanooga.org/ "We believe entrepreneurship isn't for an elite few, but for anyone with a dream."

[37:00] Helping leaders to EVOLve toward a more Conscious Capitalism

[43:00] Convincing philanthropists that impact investing can change lives as much (or more) than traditional nonprofits

Are you an entrepreneur or aspiring entrepreneur that could use help growing your business?

...Or maybe you're a business owner that would like to serve as a volunteer mentor in the Jobs Kitchen Accelerator?

...Or if you're a business owner looking to create jobs in high poverty neighborhoods in Rochester and would be interested in pursuing funding from the VJF, you can learn more at www.venturejobs.org/

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[2:30] What is environmental design and how Dani's path led her there

[4:00] How Dani's parents were influenced by post-war Germany to "make the most out of limited resources," before immigrating to the US

[5:00] Dani's purpose as an environmental designer: "Every design should be an awesome design, a person-centered design and have a holistic approach of the health safety and welfare of the occupants, and also take into account the different uses that the building is going to have over it's lifetime."

[6:00] The "Design For A Difference" movement founded by Mark Burnett and supported locally by Peter Messner at Messner Carpet and Flooring

https://designforadifference.com/

"Coupling socially conscious showrooms together with interior designers and other businesses to makeover much needed spaces at local charities."

[9:00] Dani's passion for building inclusive spaces

[10:00] Creating Downtown Cowork as "The Conscious Cowork" https://coworkdowntown.org/

[12:00] Dani's experience in the Venture Jobs Foundation's Jobs Kitchen Accelerator http://www.venturejobs.org/

[14:30] Incubator services at Cowork Downtown including Melissa Davis at Values To Brand

[15:30] Larry Barnes Moving - getting people off the street with a job, an apartment and a life, plus his a "Neighbors helping neighbors" program

http://www.larrybarnesmoving.com/services.html

[19:15] How Dani measures success at Cowork Downtown

[20:45] "Franchise For Good" including "Home Sweet Home Boutique" with home furnishings for people in transition

[24:00] How businesses in Rochester can encourage more inclusive prosperity and breaking tradition to EVOLve toward Conscious Capitalism

[27:00] The EVOLution of Dani's "conscious" leadership

"Start talking to your neighbor...Spend more time on the front porch or spend more time in downtown Rochester and see what's going on...if you're actually there and standing side-by-side with people who have gotten the short end of the stick, you'll learn a lot from them."

[31:30] Dani's process as an environmental designer

[34:00] A project with Homesteads for Hope Community Farm to build inclusive communities that can be replicated all over the world

[37:30] How Dani is helping to turn renters into homeowners

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[1:30] How a lifelong fascination with "Why" led to an interest in branding

[4:30] Creating and branding "Novus"

"I rebranded myself as a person, and through my company I was able to live those values. It's an ongoing process. It's never that I'm always living my brand or always living my values...it's being aware and intentional. That's at the core of what I do."

[6:00] Why "needing a new website" might really require a deeper look at your purpose and who you are

[8:15] Aligning stated values with internally-facing culture and externally-facing brand

[9:45] The Novus process of discovering, living and sharing your brand

[12:45] Balancing the aspirations for the brand with the current reality

[15:00] Engaging employees to take ownership and get creative about more fully living the brand

[17:30] Keeping your brand fresh on an ongoing basis

[20:30] How to help clients measure the impact of living their brand

[22:15] How to apply your brand to your business functions: Customer experience, processes, recruiting, etc.

[24:20] Walking the talk - The Novus brand experience

[26:00] Success Story: Healthy Baby Network

[28:15] Success Story: A manufacturing company

[30:00] How an awareness of legacy and purpose can break down the barriers to adopting Conscious Capitalism

[32:00] The EVOLution of the Novus branding process

[33:30] Applying Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" process

https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action

[36:20] Pitfalls to branding your company with purpose

[40:30] The future for Michelle and Novus

Learn more about Michelle and Novus here:

https://novusbeknown.com

Join us for our Conscious Capitalism ROC panel on "Building a Purposeful Brand" on 3/26:

https://www.facebook.com/events/386430451908316

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[2:30] Changing the story of the role of business and society

i.e. In 1870, Macy's started offering health care to employees BEFORE government regulation, Hundreds of companies voluntarily offered paid vacation

[5:30] 1920 George Eastman gave 1/3 of personal stock holdings to employees (equivalent of $250 million in today's dollars)

[7:00] IBM insisted on integrated manufacturing plants in the American South in the 1950s

[10:00] The risk attached to the pushback against the capitalist system

[11:30] A recent California law requires at least one female board member - How should we balance regulation to inhibit bad behavior vs. incentivizing good behavior

[14:30] Incentivizing "conscious" supply chain spending and other ways to set the bar higher

[17:20] Responding to EPA regulations - Some companies spend money fighting the laws, others spending money innovating to meet/exceed the laws

[20:00] Investment advantage of investing in socially responsible companies

[22:00] Improving measurement tools for corporate social responsibility

[23:15] How voice recognition technology to teach kids to read led to patents and products that were sold to clients

[24:30] Recruitment and retention through corporate social responsibility at IBM

[27:10] Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) pioneered by Stan at IBM

[34:30] Scaling P-TECH throughout the country through public private partnerships and engaging stakeholders

[38:30] "From spare change (checkbook philanthropy) to real change"

[39:15] Corporate Service Corps - How a business need to establish a globally culturally competent workforce to work on critical societal problems in developing countries - Retaining employees and building their skills, opening new markets while helping communities

[44:30] How JP Morgan used their resources and assets to help revitalize Detroit

[45:55] How Daniel Lubetzky at KIND improved society by advocating for government to update their nutritional regulations

[48:00] The secret to IBM's longevity - A commitment to continual change and commitment to unchanging core purpose and founding principles

[51:00] Being strategic about CSR - Finding out what your employees value and EVOLving your purpose and values

[54:30] Getting employee feedback and being open to listening to employees

[55:30] Why Chambers of Commerce should elevate the consciousness of their members - Breaking down silos between business, government and civil society

[59:15] What are the barriers to elevating the consciousness of business?

[1:01:00] Stan's ideas for the future of Corporate Social Responsibility

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[1:45] What is teal?

[4:00] Frederic Laloux's Reinventing Organizations

http://www.reinventingorganizations.com/

[6:45] Jerry Harvey's Abilene Paradox: "Organizations frequently take actions contrary to the desires of any of its members and defeat the purposes they’re designed to achieve."

See Bruce's blog on the Abilene Paradox here: https://www.beyondteal.com/blog/abilene-paradox-and-anaclitic-blues

[8:50] Changing the business name from CEOhq to "Beyond Teal" - When he asked Frederic if he was infringing on copyrights, Frederic's response was "I'm more interested in making a difference and making a movement than I am in trying to own anything."

[13:00] The three principles of teal

1 - Evolutionary Purpose - beyond profits

2 - Wholeness - "How do we maximize individuals in the context of how we work and play together?" Integrating individual and organizational purpose

3 - Self-Management / Self-Leadership / Self-Organization

[15:00] The challenges of helping leaders to EVOLve from traditional hierarchical organizations toward teal - "Even the people that agree with the change will resist it"

[18:00] How Bruce started bringing Frederic LaLoux's research to life in his client companies.

Learn more about holacracy here: https://www.holacracy.org/

[22:00] Identify what is going right and figure out how to get more of that - Experience at Optimax - Hiring great people and getting the hierarchy out of the way

-"Where is the value being created?"

-"What is in the way of you doing more of that

-"Where are you making mistakes? How can we catch those mistakes earlier?"

[25:45] Forbes feature article on Optimax:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergeorgescu/2019/01/09/the-customer-is-still-king/

“We’re getting better and better through continuous improvement to minimize future risk. This system gets us there,” Optimax CEO Rick Plympton said. “Over the past 15 years, we’ve worked with a consultant, Bruce Peters, who uses a modified version of Teal management principles. Since we started, our revenue has risen from $3 million to $40 million.”

[30:00] How self-management can help you scale your culture and maximize your people...and the difficulties for leaders in letting go of control

[32:15] Assessing adult levels of development - The benefits and potential drawbacks

[35:00] How Bruce works to EVOLve leaders toward a teal mindset - "In this day and age, with the speed of change...the organizations that are going to survive and flourish in the future are going to be the organizations that are functioning in this self-organized way."

Charles Darwin "It's not the strongest or the smartest that survive, it's the most adaptable"

[40:30] Buurtzorg - 100 nurses to 13,000 in 11 years - everything is done in "circles" of 12 - corporate headquarters is less than 30 people (and can't tell a "circle" what to do)

[42:30] People in teal companies have lower stress levels because people feel like they have autonomy in their lives

[43:30] How Bruce measures success in his clients - living wages and increasing the amount of time employees are spending aligned with their higher purpose

[46:00] The difference between good stress and bad stress

(The book "The Upside of Stress" that I mentioned is by Kelly McGonigal)

[47:15] "We are leaving so much on the table as a society. We are leaving so much human potential on the table. We have to stop calling it 'anti-poverty' programs. It has to be 'unlocking potential' programs. What we're doing as a society is taking 15-20% of our society and their potential is not counting, we're not adding it to the sum....What a disservice to them and a disservice to our society and to the rest of us."

[48:30] "The business that do teal are providing a model for the rest of us, and hopefully the people that are doing that can take back into their schools and other places in society."

Read "The Future of Management is Teal" by Frederic Laloux for an introduction into the framework:

https://www.strategy-business.com/article/00344

...or pick up his book "Reinventing Organizations" for a more in-depth overview and several case studies

Learn more about Bruce and take a teal readiness assesment at www.beyondteal.com

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Building an entrepreneurial ecosystem has traditionally meant focusing on what Ebony Miller-Wesley calls "opportunity entrepreneurs" looking to build high-tech, high-growth businesses. Yet for "necessity entrepreneurs," the needs are different as is their access to resources, capital and education.

...But the conversation is changing! Ebony is leading that change as the Director of the RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship (CUE), which both provides business and consulting services and also acts as a hub to connect urban entrepreneurs to the other resources available throughout the ecosystem in Rochester.

Although the CUE is still in its early stages and continues to evolve, Ebony has been speaking at national conferences to leaders in other communities that want to learn from this evolving model. Tune in to this episode to hear how Ebony and the CUE are building a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rochester!

Ebony leads the center’s efforts to raise funds to provide critical assistance to underserved businesses in high growth sectors, and foster outreach and collaboration with the Rochester City School District and entrepreneurship education for dislocated workers. She also maintains partnerships with entrepreneurship and training efforts currently found within RIT’s Simone Center for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Venture Creations business incubator, as well as other community, government and economic development organizations.

Prior to joining RIT, Ebony worked as program coordinator at the Urban League of Rochester’s Minority and Women Business Development Division where she assisted entrepreneurs with growing their business and aspiring entrepreneurs with identifying their needs.

Ebony is a 2016 Rochester Business Journal Forty-Under-40 honoree, has numerous community connections, including serving as a member of the Salvation Army Board of Advisors, member of the Rochester Prep Board of Trustees, member of the PathStone Enterprise Center Loan Committee, member of the Class of 2015 Leadership Rochester, and a member of the 2013 class of the African American Leadership Development Program.

[2:00] The beginnings of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship

[3:45] Capacity-building program for entrepreneurs seeking growth

-Training in sales, marketing, financials, leadership

-For entrepreneurs whose businesses have been open for at least 1 year and are generating revenue

-$250 cost

[7:50] Other workshops and development opportunities

[10:30] Mapping and collaborating with other resources available in the entrepreneurial ecosystem

-ESL, Pathstone, City of Rochester, Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, SCORE SBA, Urban League, Venture Jobs Foundation

[17:00] Success stories: A public relations startup, a new line of business for a cleaning company

[29:30] For "necessity entrepreneurs," access to resources, capital and education is different (compared to "opportunity entrepreneurs" of high-tech, high-growth companies), but the conversation is changing and service providers are evolving.

[32:15] Coaching for aspiring entrepreneurs

[35:15] Creating a tracking system across the ecosystem

[39:30] Working toward developing a sustainable model

[41:00] How the community can support the CUE

Learn more at rit.edu/cue

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The Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation's vision is to make Rochester the "gold standard for ethical business cultures" through their annual ETHIE award that celebrates the all too often untold POSITIVE examples of ethical companies and stories of their ethical practices.

In addition to a 30-year career in the sales and service of employee benefit plans and his current role as President and CEO of Futures Funding Corporation, Alan Ziegler is also the founder of the Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation (RABEF). In their 11-year history, they have grown to be one of the most important business programs in the Rochester community. In recognition of that work, he was recently one of four national recipients of the “Being a Difference” award, given by the Center for Public Trust.

Studies show that high standards of ethics drive high performance and long-term profitability of companies. Alan and RABEF share the vision with Conscious Capitalism ROC that conscious, ethical business practices can be an economic development strategy for the region. Tune in to this interview to hear the vision for recruiting companies to Rochester based on our ethical companies and workers as well as the work being done to cultivate the ethical leaders of Rochester's future. Plus, learn about the process for applying for the ETHIE Award and why many have said that the process of applying was as valuable as winning the award!

[1:30] The founding of the Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation (RABEF) to "celebrate the good"

[3:45] Current programs of RABEF: The "ETHIE" Award, Scholarships and training programs to make Rochester "Recognized as the Gold Standard of Ethical Cultures"

[6:30] Research on how companies with ethical cultures have higher performance and profitability

[9:15] Ethics and Conscious Capitalism as Economic Development: What if GRE (Greater Rochester Enterprise) recruited companies to Rochester based on our ethical companies and workers?

[10:00] How winning an ETHIE Award made a past winner feel the responsibility to take their ethical practices to the next level

[12:00] How an ETHIE Award can be your best employee attraction tool

[14:00] The nomination and application process for the ETHIE Award

Feedback from past recipients: "Thank you for the award, but the most valuable part was going through the process"

[18:00] Alan's ethical role models, from early influences to Rochester role models including Foodlink's Tom Ferraro, The United Way's Jaime Saunders and the Rochester Area Community Foundation's Jennifer Leonard.

[21:45] Ethical dilemmas in the life insurance and employee benefits business and how Alan brings ethical practices into his own career

[26:50] Harnessing business for good

[29:00] Jack Bogle - "Battle for the Soul of Capitalism" - How reporting the quarterly numbers has had a negative influence on capitalism and how Japan writes 50 year strategic plans

[31:50] The future of RABEF: How to make Rochester the "gold standard of ethical cultures"

[33:20] How RABEF encourages ethics in the next generation through essays and scholarships

[36:15] Partnering with Junior Achievement to help students exercise their ethical reasoning muscles

[38:30] John Kennedy - "Profiles in Courage" - What are you willing to sacrifice to make an ethical decision?

[42:00] The importance of surrounding yourself with other ethical leaders

Learn more at www.RochesterBusinessEthics.com

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"I just don’t want to work here anymore.”

After a 25-year career in which he worked his way up from social worker to the Senior Vice President at Park Ridge Hospital, Tom Brady's impulsively blurted out the words that had been brewing inside him for months. Tom was in the middle of a performance review when his boss had asked Tom why it seemed like he had lost a bit of his passion. It was this comment that triggered Tom’s stifled passion to re-emerge in his emphatic and decisive declaration.

Reckless? Courageous? Irresponsible? Inspirational? Which descriptor would you use to describe a 49-year-old family man that abruptly left a successful career to “follow his passion” despite having 2 daughters heading for college and a 7-year old son at home? No matter your adjectives of choice, few would dispute that this was an audacious move…and an idealistic one. And so The XLR8 Team was born.

Tune in to this episode to learn how Tom found the courage to make the leap and how he went on to create and deliver Wegmans Leadership University to over 300 senior leaders at Wegmans, which Danny Wegman credits as "one of the reasons we made it to #1" on Fortune's Best Companies to Work For!

[0:30] The story of the founding of the XLR8 Team

[2:00] Figuring out what was next after taking the leap

[3:25] How the "Unique Ability" gave Tom the courage to start his own company

[6:30] The early years of XLR8

[10:30] Creating the leadership program that came to be known as "Wegmans Leadership University"

[14:10] An overview of the EVOLutionary Leadership Process (known as Wegmans Leadership University inside Wegmans)

[15:50] The feeling of getting a testimonial from Danny Wegman: "One of the reasons we made it to #1 (on Fortune's Best Places To Work) was our work with The XLR8 Team"

[18:30] Teaching leaders to be great coaches

[21:50] "Hiring" his wife Elaine as an XLR8 Coach

[25:30] Discovering Conscious Capitalism and having Andrew join The XLR8 Team

[30:45] Creating companies where people care about more than just a paycheck

"You gotta love what you do and then find people that you can serve in doing what you love to do"

[32:15] How companies that practice Conscious Capitalism tap into our deepest motivations

[33:30] The barriers that keep more companies from adopting Conscious Capitalism

"There are now more businesses satisfying business needs and satisfying human needs"

[39:10] How to start your Conscious Capitalism journey with the Conscious Capitalism Activator and Conscious Capitalism Field Guide

[46:00] Recommended books on Conscious Capitalism

[47:00] The Conscious Capitalism ROC Chapter

www.ConsciousCapitalism.org

www.ConsciousCapitalismROC.org

[48:40] The future of Conscious Capitalism - collaborating with B corps, Best Places to Work, ESOP to grow the movement both locally and internationally

[51:50] A legacy project to bring the Inner Compass, which is at the core of the EVOLutionary Leadership process, to a wider audience through the Inner Compass Online Course

https://andrew-brady.mykajabi.com/inner-compass

Learn more about Tom and The XLR8 Team at:

www.TheXLR8Team.com

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JA helps students realize that the education they are getting today will help them to have a bright future tomorrow. To celebrate 100 years since their founding, they are recommitting to their mission to inspire and prepare young people to be "100% Ready" for the future. By bringing community volunteers into the classroom to deliver proven, hands-on programming, students are inspired to understand the opportunities provided by education. Last year, almost 250,000 volunteers helped almost 5 million students prepare to become the young professionals and entrepreneurs of America's future.

Junior Achievement was founded in 1919 by Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone & Telegraph; Horace Moses, president of Strathmore Paper Co.; and Senator Murray Crane of Massachusetts. Its first programs were offered to high school students on an after-school basis, then in 1975, the organization entered the classroom during school hours. In addition to the 100th anniversary of the organization's founding, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary since it was established locally.

Patty Leva is President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Upstate New York, Inc. Like the national organization, it is committed to delivering financial literacy, workforce preparedness and entrepreneurship programs in grades K-12. She works regularly with business, academic and community leaders to increase the impact of JA programs in a 25-county territory from Rochester to Syracuse and Binghamton through the Southern Tier.

Prior to joining JA, Leva has a 15-year history in the for-profit arena, as Vice President of JP Morgan Chase and its predecessors. She has held various positions within the retail, commercial and investment bank, including credit management and commercial lending, including facilitating financing for various international leveraged buyouts and mergers and acquisitions.

[1:55] Junior Achievement USA's 100 year anniversary (and 50th locally!)

[2:10] Founded in 1919 by business leaders to teach students about Free Enterprise

[4:45] Focusing on Financial Literacy, Work Readiness and Entrepreneurship

[5:30] Junior Achievement Alumni include Mark Cuban, Steve Case (Founder of AOL), Sanjay Gupta (CNN Medical Correspondent)

[8:10] My first exposure to Junior Achievement volunteering with Rochester Rotary at School #8

[10:00] Experiential learning from K-12 teaching 21st Century skills like communication, collaboration

[13:00] Being a JA volunteer - different grade levels, different scheduling options

"Oh good! The money people are back again!" - Overheard at a Rochester City School District School

Programs for Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, Career Success

Learn more or sign up to volunteer www.JACUNY.org

[20:15] The team building and professional development opportunities for business leaders that volunteer with their teams in JA classrooms

[24:00] JA Titan Business Simulation - Making management decisions and competing against other schools for real college scholarships (MCC, St. John Fisher, Roberts Wesleyan)

[28:15] JA Entrepreneurial Youth Summit - From idea to business plan to Shark Tank pitch competition in a single school day!

[32:00] Transformation stories of engagement, confidence

[36:15] JA Stockmarket Challenge - 1st annual event coming March 1st - Teaching the importance of savings, investing and budgeting

[38:00] JA Discovery Center - Immersive learning lab for a simulated role-play of the local economy

[43:00] Support from the state for Workforce Development and Inclusive Prosperity

[44:45] Measuring success from graduation rates to attitudinal shifts

[46:45] Patty's path from teaching to banking to Junior Achievement

[52:35] Junior Achievement's local founding for more Inclusive Prosperity

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Genesee Brewery, one of America's oldest breweries and the oldest in New York State, was just weeks away from closing its doors in 2009 when it was acquired by KPS Capital. Then in 2013 it was purchased by FIFCO, a Costa-Rican company with a "Triple Bottom Line" strategy, which balances "People, Planet and Profits." Since the acquisition and the infusion of the Triple Bottom Line strategy into Genesee's operations, it has seen a remarkable turnaround and continued growth. Tune in to this episode with FIFCO USA's Mary Beth Popp to hear about how Triple Bottom Line is NOT a philanthropic strategy, but a business strategy with a true ROI, as well as the lessons learned that you can apply to adopting a Triple Bottom Line in your own business.

Mary Beth leads corporate relations for FIFCO USA. Following their Triple Bottom Line strategy, she works to build the business by focusing on improving the company’s environmental and social footprints through investments, volunteerism and building community in markets where FIFCO USA operates. Prior to coming to FIFCO USA, Mary Beth was a partner who headed the Brand Public Relations practice for Eric Mower and Associates (now the Mower Agency). In this role, she led the FIFCO USA account dating back to 2007. She has a long history with the Genesee Brewery and has played a passionate role in its rebirth. Her goal is to actively work to improve Northeast Rochester for employees, visitors and residents while supporting and driving Genesee’s business.

[1:30] An overview of the "Triple Bottom Line" strategy of People, Planet and Profit

[2:30] How Triple Bottom Line came to be adopted at Genesee's parent company, FIFCO

[4:20] How a Triple Bottom Line can mitigate risk for the company

[6:30] Bringing FIFCO's Triple Bottom Line strategy to Genesee Brewery

[8:00] Start the change internally and "measure what matters"

[9:40] Creating culture change at Genesee, both through practices and physical design

[13:00] Lessons learned from engaging with community stakeholders

"Start small, but be inclusive"

[15:15] Case study for transforming High Falls Terrace Park

[18:30] Challenges in balancing the needs of stakeholders

[19:30] Integrating employees in the community

"You need to develop authentic relationships. It's not about just writing a check. It's about truly understanding people and earning their respect: asking for their advice, for their help, giving them your support...and that takes time."

[20:50] Getting buy-in by giving employees a choice on a variety of projects

"It's definitely a purpose-driven strategy, but at the same time it's a business strategy...this is not a philanthropic strategy. Philanthropic strategies are not integrated in the business...they are a side-part, nice-to-have, if-we-can...FIFCO USA Triple Bottom Line is integrated within the business strategy and THAT is what makes it unique and sustainable long-term"

[24:00] Weeks away from closing its doors to a Triple Bottom Line turnaround

[25:00] How to "measure what matters" for the Triple Bottom Line

[27:30] Keeping score and telling stories as a way to motivate employees

[29:15] Lost a sports contract and replaced it with a Triple Bottom Line strategy - Saw 6% sales increase!

[32:00] Competitors as stakeholders ... win-win-wins that grow the pie for everyone

[37:00] Mary Beth's career path

[40:30] Growing conscious leaders for the future of Genesee

[43:40] Being a great listener

[44:45] Misconceptions as barriers to Conscious EVOLution - "It's an insurance policy for your reputation...it's an opportunity to drive growth for your business. When people understand the strategy and can see the results of that strategy, they're more likely to adopt it."

[45:40] Start your company's Conscious EVOLution through stakeholder mapping and listening

[47:00] The future for Genesee / FIFCO USA

"As the business continues to grow, our Triple Bottom Line impacts will grow as well."

[48:45] Conscious Capitalism as an Economic Development strategy

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Calvin Eaton aka "The Gluten-Free Chef" is a freelance educator, digital content creator, and social entrepreneur with over six years of experience as a professional freelancer, whole foods chef, food blogger, K-12 and adult educator and published author. He launched (www.theglutenfreechefblog.com) in 2012; which has since grown into a holistic health and wellness community with international readership and a large social media platform.

In 2016 Eaton founded the grassroots non-profit “Communiversity” 540WMain Community Learning Academy (www.540westmain.org) with a commitment to enrich the Susan B. Anthony Preservation district as well as connect greater Rochester to the neighborhood through art & wellness courses, programs, and events. As a professional Mr. Eaton’s areas of expertise include social media and digital content creation, food blogging and recipe development, antiracism, diversity, inclusion, K-12 curriculum writing and teaching, and higher education.

[1:30] Starting the Gluten-Free Chef Blog based on personal health challenges

[4:00] Moving back to Rochester and shifting his perception of the city

[6:00] Starting 540WMain to "Be The Change"

[13:00] The EVOLution from a cooperative after-school model to "Communiversity"

"To build wealth in a community, especially one predominated by people of color...money is not the only thing we need from each other, we need effort, we need equity, we need energy."

[17:30] Getting a kickstart from a KIVA Rochester interest-free loan

Learn more at www.cityofrochester.gov/Kiva/

[22:00] Classes at 540 W Main: Arts, Gardening, Historic Preservation, Diversity/Inclusion, Sustainability

[24:30] New partnership with "540 At the Yards" in the Public Market District

[26:25] Growing the mission with a "communiversity template" to serve underserved communities

[27:45] Wellness is multifaceted - Recognizing the need to have classes on difficult conversations around diversity and inclusion

[32:00] How to broaden the audience to invite them in to difficult conversations

"We're not trying to belittle anyone, we're trying to uplift everyone."

[36:00] Encouraging Rochester businesses to participate in positive change by taking on interns

[36:50] Consulting for schools and organizations trying to become more inclusive

[40:00] Calvin's personal journey as a person, a teacher and a social entrepreneur:

The Empowerment Coach: www.jahmadkelly.ontrapages.com/booking

Leadership Rochester: www.leadershiprochester.org/

Byron Fellowship: www.byronfellowship.org/

[43:30] The future of 540WMain

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According to Gallup, less than a third of Americans are engaged at work. Yet Gregg Lederman's clients at Brand Integrity and now Reward Gateway boast 90% engagement. And 65% of them are recognized as Best Companies to Work For. What's his secret?

When Gregg's father's lack of purpose and engagement caused him to go into a depression, Gregg dove into the research on purpose. The insights he discovered about what we CRAVE helped his company to transform the cultures of their clients and even led to New York Times best-selling books! Tune in to this episode to learn about the ROI of employee recognition, why you shouldn't be afraid to give too much praise and how to make it strategic. Hint: It's NOT about memorizing the mission statement!

Gregg Lederman is a highly-acclaimed speaker, New York Times best-selling author and the President of Employee Engagement for Reward Gateway, a global employee engagement company. He is also the founder of Brand Integrity, a leadership development and employee engagement company.

For the past 16 years, Gregg has worked with leading organizations to put into practice sustainable engagement solutions that don’t just work… they matter. These initiatives go beyond simple “thank you” programs to increase employee engagement and improve the work culture – leading to better customer experiences. All of which help to accelerate business results.

[1:25] When Gregg's father went into depression due to a lack of purpose, Gregg dove into the research on purpose

[2:25] The academic research on what we crave

[3:50] How "bad bosses ruin lives"

[4:35] The chasm between academic research and business practice

[6:00] Clients had 90% engagement (compared to 30-35% nationwide according to Gallup)

[7:00] Connecting Self-Determination Theory to the 3 cravings of Respect, Purpose and Relationships

[8:15] The beginning of Brand Integrity and how it helps to create employee engagement

[10:20] What makes recognition strategic? (Specific) Action, Values / Focus Area, Impact

[13:35] Leaders as storytellers

[14:50] It's not about memorizing the mission statement!

[16:15] Intrinsic Motivation - It's not about motivating others, but how to create the environment where they are motivated

[20:30] Multiple levels of recognition: First downs, touchdowns, championships

[21:55] The importance of consistent recognition

[23:00] Why leaders shouldn't be afraid of "too much" recognition

[24:45] Recognition with Millennial and Gen Z Employees

[27:00] Why the generations are more alike than different

[31:20] How Reward Gateway's social recognition platform reinforces values

[34:30] Making the case for the ROI of social recognition

[39:30] How to convert a boss from a doubter to a believer in recognition

Check out Gregg's books at www.gregglederman.com or learn more about his company and their social recognition platform at www.RewardGateway.com.

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Abby Reinhard is the owner and president of GP Flooring Solutions, a commercial flooring company headquartered in the Greater Rochester area. Since purchasing her company almost four years ago, Abby has enjoyed growing a team from 9 to 32 employees (and growing!). Her academic background is in leadership and management, with degrees from the University of Michigan and Harvard University, and her prior career background in marketing communications, fundraising and sales.

A Rochester-area native, Abby returned to her hometown after living in Ann Arbor, Boston, and New York City. Always on the go with three young children, she also serves on the boards of The Hochstein School of Music and Dance and Blackfriars Theatre. Abby was named one of the Forty Under 40 by Rochester Business Journal in 2016; she was recognized in 2017 by Floor Focus Magazine as one of the top ten leaders in her industry under age 40; and was named the Small Business Council of Rochester's 2018 Business Person of the Year.

[1:30] Creating a culture where employees feel safe to stretch outside their comfort zone

[4:30] Building trust with a new team and in an unfamiliar industry: Strategy, resources and people

[7:15] The leap of faith of buying a business

[8:45] The four year journey from new owner to Business Person of the Year

[11:00] Making tough decisions to maintain the integrity of core values

[14:00] Culture: Balancing the past and the future

[15:50] Abby's process for codifying the core values with GP Flooring Solutions

[21:45] Sharing stories to reinforce values

[23:15] The difficulty of enacting your values and prioritizing your culture - Urgent vs. Important

[27:00] The business case for Conscious Culture: "Businesses are people"

[30:00] The many layers of the purpose of business

[32:00] Recognizing your interconnection and contributing to the business ecosystem

[34:15] Abby's evolution as a Conscious Leader

"Flooring is my industry and we fulfill a need...AND, for me to feel connected to something bigger than that is really important...if I didn't focus on that, I wouldn't be happy."

[37:00] Abby's future and the future of GP Flooring Solutions

[40:00] Abby's book recommendations: "Daring to Lead" by Brene Brown, "Best Place to Work" by Ron Friedman, plus the importance of growing spiritually

Learn more about GP Flooring Solutions:

www.gpflooringsolutions.com

Read more about Abby's honor as the Small Business Council's 2018 Business Person of the Year:

www.gpflooringsolutions.com/abby-reinhard-wins-business-person-of-the-year/

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As CEO of Innovative Solutions, Justin Copie is leading the bold move forward: instilling growth in employees and inspiring change well beyond the four walls of Innovative. Yet the 65 people working at Innovative don’t work for him. He works for them.

As CEO and leader, Justin provides safety and direction: safety in voicing opinions, trying new things, and failing, and direction in where to go on the path to success. He serves others in cultivating a culture where people can come to work every day feeling safe and free to do what they love to do, and in turn help Innovative reach its vision.

Tune in to this episode of the EVOLution of Business podcast to hear about how Justin works to create a culture of "people first, then technology," what he believes are his two most important responsibilities as CEO, why he shares their company culture survey on their website for all to see and the crazy idea he had to ask his employees to interview elsewhere.

[1:15] Justin's career path from RIT to leading Innovative Solutions

[3:50] Becoming "People First" Under Former CEO Bob Titus

[9:00] Creating a culture where people feel safe to innovate (and sometimes fail)

[11:50] Justin's two most important responsibilities as CEO

[15:15] The radical transparency of sharing the Innovative culture survey on their website

[17:15] Why Justin shares his own 360 feedback to the whole company

[21:00] Culture surveys and how to measure success

[25:00] Tracking an "Employee Net Promoter Score"

[27:30] Inviting employees to interview elsewhere

[35:45] The long-term advantage of being people first

[40:30] Recognizing the need for the ROC Tech Conference

[42:30] Collaborating with "competitors" for all boats to rise

[49:00] Conscious Capitalism as an economic development strategy

[50:00] Helping startups grow (and stay in Rochester) after leaving an incubator

[57:30] Incubating conscious culture

[1:01:15] The experiences that helped Justin's conscious leadership evolve

[1:06:00] Mindfulness and emotional intelligence

[1:10:00] What the future holds for Innovative Solutions

Learn more:

Innovative Solutions - InnovativeSol.com

ROC Tech Conference - ROCTechConference.com

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Bob Whipple is CEO of Leadergrow Incorporated, an organization dedicated to development of

leaders. He speaks on internationally on leadership topics and the development of trust. He is author of four books and over 100 videos on trust and leadership. His work has earned him the popular title of “The TRUST Ambassador.”

The Trust Across America organization has honored Mr. Whipple with the Top Thought Leader

in Trust Lifetime Achievement Award. Bob is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the

Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation (RABEF). He is a Charter Member of Conscious Capitalism ROC and serves on the executive committee.

[1:20] Creating a "Leadership Laboratory" at Kodak

[3:15] Focusing in on trust as the "Golden Key" to leadership

[4:15] Helping leaders take responsibility for the level of trust in their company culture

[6:30] The process of building trust in an organization

[10:30] How to measure the ROI of trust

[13:10] A client case study on building trust

[15:00] Trust Across America Lifetime Achievement Award

[17:00] How we can change the mindset of business leaders to create more trust

[19:40] The four most impactful trust-building behaviors

[21:45] Creating a culture of feedback through "Reinforcing Candor"

[27:30] Giving trust to get trust

[30:00] What keeps more businesses from creating trusting, "conscious" cultures

[32:45] Advice on building your career

[36:40] Opportunities for students, managers and companies to learn from Bob

[40:15] Carving out your niche and becoming a thought leader

Learn more or contact Bob at https://thetrustambassador.com

Find free videos on trust at https://app.avanoo.com/first3/517

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Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration honoring African identity, heritage and culture. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa celebrates a different value of African culture that helps to build and reinforce community. During last year's Kwanzaa celebrations in Rochester, Jessica Lewis moderated a panel during the celebration of Ujamaa, which means "Cooperative Economics." Much of the panel discussion centered on themes of encouraging entrepreneurship in the black community, citing research that black-owned businesses account for just 7% of small businesses (despite making up 13% of the population) and the fact that a dollar stays in the black community for just six hours. Jessica also debuted her show "Ujamaa Rising," which profiles black-owned businesses in Rochester, many of which have a distinct Conscious Capitalism ethos of community engagement.

Jessica is the Principal Publicist & Owner of LáLew Public Relations and the ROC the Future Communications Specialist at The Children’s Agenda. She is a 2018 ATHENA Award finalist and a Woman to Watch for the Democrat & Chronicle Newspaper. Jessica is a successful entrepreneur, owning the fastest growing, Black-owned public relations firm in Rochester, New York.

LáLew Public Relations is a full service PR firm specializing in media relations, marketing, branding, web management, social media and community engagement. LáLew serves a variety of clients and has landed client appearances on WROC News 8, WHEC News 10, WHAM News 13, Spectrum News, Democrat and Chronicle Newspaper, City Newspaper and more. Jessica’s success was recognized by the Rochester Business Journal as a Small Business Feature of the Week. Jessica is also the host of Ujamaa Rising, a television show that features Black-owned businesses and real-life stories of entrepreneurs.

Jessica received her Bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State College in Social Studies Education grades 7-12 and a Master’s degree in Teaching and Curriculum from the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. Jessica holds membership in the Rochester Association of Black Journalists, the Democrat & Chronicle Young Professionals Advisory Council and the Theta Omega Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Learn more about Ujamaa Rising here:

https://www.facebook.com/ujamaarising/

Check out Rochester's 2018 Ujamaa Fesitivities here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/277471142914848/

Learn more about Black-Owned Businesses in Rochester here:

http://www.bobrochester.com/

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Sue Butler serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and in a consultant role for Butler/Till, the company she founded in 1998 with partner Tracy Till. Butler/Till is a media + communications agency that delivers progressive approaches for reaching, engaging and influencing consumers across the myriad of media channels available today.

Butler/Till is based in Rochester, with offices in NYC and SF. With over 130 employees, the firm is 100% employee-owned, a B Corp, and a certified WBE (Women Business Enterprise). Butler/Till has been recognized with many awards including Ad Age’s Best Place to Work in Marketing and Media, B Corp’s Best for the World, and has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list six times since 2010.

Individually, Sue was honored as a finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for the New York Region in 2015. As a passionate advocate for employee-ownership, Sue serves on The ESOP Association Board of Directors and on the Ownership Culture Committee.

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"Coffee is like life. There's a story from green bean to espresso shot and also a great story in all of us" says New City Cafe founder John Lee. "Like those beans, sometimes we need to go through a journey of incredible heat and pressure," but on the other side can be a beautiful (and delicious) result!

In early 2016, John began to dream of an avenue to continue teen engagement and further 441 Ministries’ teen program with formal job training. This dream began to manifest itself in the form of a specialty coffee shop, where at-risk neighborhood teens could not only obtain employment and work toward becoming certified baristas, but also gaining mentoring and life skills. New City Café became a reality on June 9, 2017. As a program of 441 Ministries Beechwood, New City Café furthers the overall ministry’s mission of bringing hope, healing, and holistic development to Beechwood. This is accomplished through providing jobs to young men and women in the community, training them holistically: mind, body, soul, and spirit, and through establishing a thriving café business that provides a great gathering space for the community. As the Executive Director of New City Café, John leads this ministry and continually pursues future opportunities for neighborhood-focused economic development and job creation in Beechwood.

[1:45] What led John to 441 Ministries and New City Cafe

[5:00] Why John sees coffee as a metaphor for life

[6:30] Raising the Beechwood neighborhood through entrepreneurship

[8:20] Beechwood "revitalized but not changed"

[10:10] Challenges with realizing the vision for New City

[13:00] Reaching out to neighborhood residents

[17:30] Balancing profitability and purpose as a social entrepreneur

[19:30] Push vs. Pull - Becoming a conscious leader

[22:30] Wisdom from Danny Meyer's book "Setting the Table"

[24:00] EVOLving as a leader with XLR8

[26:00] The growth of New City's student employees

[33:00] Defining success through holistic development

[36:45] Creating more New City micro-businesses

[39:45] Conscious Capitalism - An easy idea that's hard to do

[40:50] "What is the ROI for your life" as a Conscious Leader?

[42:30] Thinking outside the box for continuous improvement

[44:30] How to support New City Cafe

Visit New City at 441 Parsells Avenue in Rochester, or online at www.441ministries.org/new-city-cafe

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Biomimicry is the design systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. Bill Browning is one of the green building and real estate industry’s foremost thinkers and strategists. His expertise has been sought out by organizations as diverse as Fortune 500 companies, leading universities, non-profit organizations, the U.S. military, and foreign governments. He is a founding partner of Terrapin consulting, whose clients include Cacique Resort in Costa Rica, Starwood’s Element hotel brand, NRDC, PNB Malaysia, New Songdo City in Korea, InterfaceFLOR, Bank of America and the National Geographic Society.

In addition to consulting, Bill writes and lectures widely on sustainable design and building practices. He is a co-author of Green Development: Integrating Ecology and Real Estate; A Primer on Sustainable Building; Greening the Building and the Bottom Line; and Biophilic Design; The Economics of Biophilia and Midcentury (un)Modern. He has published articles in Architectural Record, Progressive Architecture, Urban Land, and AIA’s Environmental Resource Guide. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Elle and Popular Science, among others, and he has been interviewed by NPR, CNN, and PBS.

Bill was recently in Rochester to keynote the inaugural Environmental Innovation Awards and lead a symposium on sustainable design. While he was in town, he was kind enough to join us for an interview to talk about green design, biomimicry and creating a more resilient, regenerative economy.

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SWBR is a different kind of design firm. Their culture is defined by their integrity, technical excellence and providing quality work on time and on budget to our clients’ satisfaction. For over 49 years, they have pioneered a multidisciplinary approach, with structural engineers, interior designers and landscape architects all on the SWBR team, allowing for innovative and collaborative design projects.

The core belief at SWBR is that architecture and place-making matter. They have been at the forefront of designing buildings sustainably, but they also understand how great buildings and spaces can inspire, influence and enhance the lives of their users and the community. In other words, the design of your building can have a major influence on your "conscious" culture.

Recently, SWBR took the B Impact Assessment as part of the MeasureUp Finger Lakes Initiative. Not only did it give them a way to measure their sustainability practices, but also caused them to reflect on themselves and think about how they could continue to evolve their company culture.

Dave Beinetti has been with SWBR since 1979, starting as an intern, then architect, then moving into project management, and is now Principal and Chairman of the Board. Listen to the interview with Dave on how SWBR is designing for (Human) sustainability!

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The mission of the Roberts Wesleyan College "Enactus" program is to enable progress through entrepreneurial action. In recent years, they have used their resources to complete projects in Rochester, as well as India, Guatemala, and Uganda. In one project, they partnered with Rochester's Fuego Coffee to start another Fuego in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, with the purpose of giving job skills to young girls aging out of a local orphanage.

This past year, Enactus took a look at challenges facing Rochester and shifted all of their efforts to the city that they call home. One notable program is called Elev8, which brings youth from the City of Rochester on campus for a life-altering weekend of community service projects, team-building, instructional workshops and experiencing “college life” in a meaningful way.

Carrie Starr is the faculty advisor of the Roberts Enactus program. She also serves as an Assistant Professor of Business and the Hoselton Chair of Ethics and Free Enterprise at Roberts Wesleyan College, teaching classes on leadership, creativity and innovation. She is truly cultivating the social entrepreneurs and conscious leaders of the future!

Carrie has been married to her best friend from college, Erv, since 1993. They have 3 children and live in a 200 year old barn. Somehow, she has also found the time to author three books, include Cheap Love, Marriage Adventures and Secret Shame. She is also a blogger at AdventureCarrie.com.

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The "EVOLution of Business" is going to require an EVOLution of business ownership structures and worker-owned cooperatives are one promising model of ownership for a future with more Inclusive Prosperity for all.

Worker cooperatives are employee-owned companies structured on a one-member, one vote basis. Profits go directly to workers, building local wealth while creating quality jobs and meaningful change for underserved populations. More than half of worker cooperatives in the United States today were designed to improve low-wage jobs and build wealth in communities most directly affected by inequality, helping workers build skills, earning potential, household income and assets.

Based on the Evergreen Cooperatives of Cleveland, which has become an innovation model for creating more sustainable regional economies, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren worked with the Democracy Collaborative to create a "Market Driven Community Cooperative" within the Mayor's Office of Innovation. Now an independent, community-led nonprofit, it was rebranded as OWN Rochester and is led by Kate Washington.

Kate transitioned to this role after serving a key role in the development of the organization in her tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development for the City of Rochester. Prior to her work in government, she enjoyed a twenty-year career in management consulting where she worked with the highest levels of government leadership in the Caribbean and South America to reduce the cost of energy and build sustainable energy resources.

Kate is a Fulbright Scholar and earned her M.B.A. from the Simon School of Business in 2004. Her civic engagement includes leadership in women’s and minority issues, the arts and business.

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Imagine creating solutions to poverty that don't need continuous funding. What if, instead, small businesses could be created that could sustainably fund local schools and cover basic needs like clean water and hygiene?

At 10-years-old, Daphne Pariser made a life-altering decision, that she was going to not only commit her life to help others but do so in a way that allowed it to be sustainable. She wanted to revolutionize sustainability to help people create their own solutions to poverty.

Everything that is created at Humans for Education reflects the belief that everyone holds the potential to create their own solutions. They believe in thinking differently about helping others by: (1) consulting and funding community-driven, culturally-sensitive small businesses with an ROI of ~20%, (2) stimulating the local economy, and (3) ensuring safe and sanitary learning conditions for all. When all is said and done, they aim to create financial independence.

Driven by the need to shift the paradigm from poverty to independence, Humans for Education focuses on three distinct areas: small businesses; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and lifetime scholarships. After receiving their 501(c)(3) in 2016 they accomplish these goals by partnering with high achieving companies, such as Rotary International, Tender Greens, Moe’s, and many more.

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Founded in 1982, Special Touch Bakery was launched by Holy Childhood as a means to train and employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers. At Special Touch, a baker is a baker-- they celebrate all abilities!

Holy Childhood is a non-profit agency, which serves more than 200 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in its School Program (ages 5-21) and in its Adult Program, which serves people from age 21 through retirement. Services include individualized education, vocational training, transition and skills training, supported employment and diagnostic and treatment services.

In addition to their inspiring purpose, Holy Childhood was recognized in 2017 by the Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation with an "ETHIE" Award for their ethical, conscious culture. It's hard to believe that it's been a year since Conscious Capitalism ROC and Rochester Rotary helped celebrate the grand opening of the newly expanded special touch bakery!

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Holy Childhood's President & CEO Donna Dedee (whose career has spanned from television journalism to Senior Vice President at the United Way to CEO of Bishop Kearney high school) as well as Public Relations Manager Laurie Otto.

Learn about how the growing facility has helped Special Touch to grow their mission over this past year, and don't forget to order your #BestPieEver before November 16th to get it in time for Thanksgiving!

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Rochester's oldest, locally owned financial services firm was founded in 1915. At least some of that longevity can be attributed to their community-focused, conscious culture. They have been named a "Top 10 Best Small Workplace" by Great Place To Work and Fortune magazine, including "Top Workplaces for Women."

Joining the firm in 1980, Wayne Holly assumed the role of President after mastering many positions within the firm. His strong beliefs in traditional values and ethical standards insures he is perfectly suited to lead Sage Rutty. Wayne holds a variety of licenses with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Economics from Alfred University, as well as successful completion of the Securities Industry Association Executive Education Program at the Wharton School of Finance.

An advocate for at-risk children, Wayne currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Bivona Child Advocacy Center. In addition, he and his wife, Judy are deeply involved in the Monroe County Foster Care Program, having helped raise nearly 50 foster children.

Tune in to learn best practices on what makes Sage Rutty such a "Great Place to Work!"

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Michele Liddle created The Perfect Granola on the foundation of giving back and exploded into the market in June

of 2016. Gaining accounts with retailers such as Wegmans, Tops, Shop-Rite, Price Chopper, and just before we recorded her interview, Wal-Mart! In less than 2 years, The Perfect Granola has become a fast growing granola and granola bar company and prides itself on creating positive social change.

The Perfect Granola is unique in that it shares its profits with homeless shelters, outreach centers, and

Food Banks, and in 2017 alone, The Perfect Granola donated over 12,000 lbs. of granola and granola

bars to support a 23-county region in Upstate New York. In addition, The Perfect Granola hires

students, through a partnership with Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, to give them real work

experience before graduation so that they can break the poverty cycle that fuels our hunger issue.

In 2018, The Perfect Granola was honored as the Women-Owned Business of the Year and the NAPPA

Award Winner for Best in Family Products. Michele Liddle, makes every business decision in an effort help the community and create a better world through food and love.

[2:15] How volunteering at a food pantry inspired Michele to start The Perfect Granola

[3:30] The start of The Perfect Granola in Michele's kitchen

[4:30] From selling industrial electric motors to bartending to culinary school

[5:45] Feeling unfulfilled and the itch to create something more meaningful

[9:30] Standing out in a crowded market: The conscious mission and the health benefits

[12:00] Balancing profit and purpose - "I'm not afraid to make things a little more difficult"

[13:30] Michele's mentors including Kip Palmer, Andy Germanow, Jean Kase

[15:00] Finding mission-aligned investors

[16:00] Getting the largest sale among 450 companies at Wal-Mart's "Open Call"

[19:00] Where Michele finds the strength to follow her purpose

[20:00] Hiring students through Hillside Work-Scholarship

[24:00] The four-phase growth plan

[26:00] Michele's EVOLution as a Conscious Leader

[28:00] Paying it forward and encouraging more companies to be conscious

[31:00] Lessons learned from failure: Growing too fast

[35:45] Michele's goals to inspire future Conscious Leaders (including her daughters!)

[39:30] Where you can buy The Perfect Granola

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Dave Fuehrer started his career as the opposite of Conscious Capitalism. After receiving college degrees and winning a New York State athletic title, Dave was convinced life was about individual achievement… But being diagnosed with cancer twice in his twenties and then losing his father to cancer, caused a profound EVOLution: now, Dave’s beliefs about business and about life are more accurately represented by the African Proverb: “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Dave is now the co-founder and CEO of GRYT Health: The first healthcare company started and run by young adult cancer survivors and caregivers. GRYT’s purpose is the empowerment of individual decision-making. They are making healthcare more human by giving people information to make decisions that reflect their life, not just their disease. And through GRYT’s award-winning free app, called Stupid Cancer, they are empowering people in every state and across 80 countries with information to live on their terms.

For the EVOLution of Business: Recent Episodes

Andrew Brady