Stories from the Community
How a Benefit Corporation Captures a Millennial’s Heart
You would have had to be under a rock for the past five years to not have heard about the value of authenticity. I'm talking about authenticity as a brand and authenticity as a leader.
It’s something we hear everyday when we work with leaders of Benefit Corporations who exemplify this in their thinking and behaviors.
And why is authenticity so important?
What Our First 15 Oregon Certified Benefit Companies Have in Common
They are more alike than different. Even in such contrasting industries as legal services, wine-making, and women’s apparel, these twelve companies all share the same soul. That is, they are firm believers and practitioners of the…
Why a Portland Law Firm Became a Certified Oregon Benefit Company
“I graduated law school in 2009. After graduating in the recession and facing a variety of hardships (and bar exams), I became a lawyer in 2017. Here I was finally a lawyer after years of doing other things: marketing and branding, real estate, nonprofit work, conflict resolution/mediation, restaurant work, law firm work, etc. (all legal activity I promise).
Since I was young, I’ve always been…
Why a Well-Known Brewpub Changed from Being a Nonprofit to Oregon Benefit Company
When you add delicious craft beer and social impact together, you get one purpose-driven brewpub.
I’m talking about Ex Novo which was founded by Joel Gregory. He happens to be a busy beer professional right now as he…
How To Make Benefit Corporation Certification Better
As firm believers in the “there is no finish line” concept, we are constantly seeking improvement with our certification process. Day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month, we look for ways to make our Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet and Profit certification not only stronger but more meaningful to all stakeholders.
In an online Oregon Business magazine article posted last Friday
New Business Model Offers Compelling Proof of Innovation
"Oregon Business" Interview: How To Make the Oregon Benefit Company Stronger
How the World Gets Better with Businesses Led by Diverse Leaders
Many say small businesses are the backbone of our country.
It rings true. As small business entrepreneurs based in Portland, Oregon, and advocates for the Benefit Company and Benefit Corporation movement, we are inspired daily by the innovation, perseverance, commitment and passion we see among small businesses. They build…
Lesson in Leadership: Is Honesty the Best Policy?
Nike just announced it will eliminate 745 jobs at its Oregon headquarters.
And it got me thinking about honesty in business. (No, I have no issue with my favorite shoemaker.) More specifically, honesty in leadership.
For years, I spent time in the ad agency world. Layoffs were part and parcel of that business. Lose an account and lose some employees. Lose another account and lose more employees. And so it went with the bad times of every economic cycle.
Now if you were an employee…
Have Millennials Lost Faith in Business? (New Report)
The answer to that question should concern every business professional yet provide a bit of hope at the same time.
You see, the Millennial generation is now the largest in the U.S. workforce.
How large, you ask?
Well, as of 2017 – the most recent year for which U.S. Census data are available – 56 million Millennials (those ages 21 to 36 in 2017) were working or looking for work. And that number was significantly ahead of the 41 million Baby Boomers.
How To Find Inspiration in Business (When All Else Fails)
I’ve seen the future.
And it was in Wright’s Great Hall at the Menucha Retreat Center last Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.
I was invited to speak to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awakening about the benefit corporation movement. Which I did in front of 30-plus business minded folks under the age of 30.
I took them through the “why” and the “how” for this business structure…
What Today's Consumers Want More Than Price (Think 'Secret Sauce' of Benefit Companies)
We all like a great deal - an amazing price for a product or service we are looking for.
Unfortunately, you often get what you pay for in terms of poor quality and inferior customer service. Those are big trade-offs.
Price is not everything…
What Changing the World Looks Like Up Close and Personal
It is a paradigm like no other. Where cause-driven businesses collaborate with their communities to change the world. And if you doubt this premise, then you weren’t there. I’m talking about our very first workshop on the Benefit Company movement.
You see, just two weeks ago, my business partner and I talked with 16 curious entrepreneurs at Portland’s HatchLab PDX about the “why” for…
Does Your Business Have a Soul? Here's How To Tell...
I’ve been around. And I have many chapters in my life to prove it.
An executive at several major healthcare organizations, an ED at a nonprofit agency, a lead strategist at a branding agency, a coach and a consultant for many local and national government agencies, and an entrepreneur launching two start-up companies.
AIong the way, I’ve worked in a multitude of capacities, partnering with…
The Revolution: Hail To the Benefit Corporation
The Revolution has begun.
Here's why the Benefit Corporation is the answer to the call for a better community, a better planet and a better business.
Benefit Companies, Benefit Corporations, B Corps: Anybody Confused?
Well, join the club.
It’s the most common question we get. And yes, there is a difference. But the good news is that all have something in common. Each of these business models is designed to focus on the triple bottom line (the 3 Ps) of PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT.
The "Why" for the Benefit Corporation (Video Version)
The “Why” for the Benefit Corporation (Video Version)
The Number 1 Strategy for Long-Term Entrepreneur Success: Be Cause-Driven!
There is no magic formula for a startup. But in today’s world, it is not just about focusing on the bottom line – generating revenue and managing expenses. Customers in 2018 make choices not solely on the cost and quality of a product or service, but whether the company itself is doing good.