As a founder, I know there is an ultimate judge who will determine the success or failure of my idea. Will someone pay to for the proposition?
It is a simple and brutal measure. Critical applause it not enough. Proving the idea solves the problem can be helpful however this is not the equivalent of payment. Even with glowing reviews, awareness, and an affordable price tag, it takes customers and the act of paying to ensure an survives round one.
I have come to appreciate how the formula extends beyond products. People accepting, using, and remaining loyal to an idea will be the action which determines if the idea is accepted and lands, survives, and ultimately grows.
Looking at today’s buyers, it appears that tastes are changing. I think permanently. Gone are the days where management is the ultimate authority in a workplace. Individuals matter. Even formulas for business success are different. As we use resources, shared by the earth as well as individuals, there are many, including myself, who see the importance that care, kindness, and renewal play in everything we do. The new view makes sense, for individuals, our communities, and as stewards for this world.
Not everyone agrees on the answer, but more and more are recognizing the roles sustainability and kindness should have in everything we do.
This may sound judgmental, frankly it is. I believe I am accountable for who I do business with and why. With those who are not concerned with individuals and their communities, with those who have not accepted their role as stewards with responsibility for nature and the environment, I can choose not to align and partner with them.
The foundation for my choice is based on actions, or lack of, not the individual. Privately, I find myself echoing the psalmist in my description of them; “carved ears that can’t hear – dead wood! cold metal!” (Psalm 135.17)
I hear a Divine calling to be leaders with hearts filled with care and kindness. Citizens who recognize each other as family and equals. Stewards of our world.
