so twelve years ago my roommate at the time was a guy named Rob Kaelin he just
time was a guy named Rob Kaelin he just
time was a guy named Rob Kaelin he just graduated actually not from this exact
graduated actually not from this exact
graduated actually not from this exact part of NYU but from NYU which was his
part of NYU but from NYU which was his
part of NYU but from NYU which was his fifth attempt at college and he was
fifth attempt at college and he was
fifth attempt at college and he was making these handmade wooden computers
making these handmade wooden computers
making these handmade wooden computers and he actually set up a little
and he actually set up a little
and he actually set up a little makeshift Factory in his bedroom he had
makeshift Factory in his bedroom he had
makeshift Factory in his bedroom he had the Saul’s all the electrical equipment
the Saul’s all the electrical equipment
the Saul’s all the electrical equipment to you know solder all the components
to you know solder all the components
to you know solder all the components together and he decided that he actually
together and he decided that he actually
together and he decided that he actually wanted to try to sell these online but
wanted to try to sell these online but
wanted to try to sell these online but when he went to ebay he didn’t really
when he went to ebay he didn’t really
when he went to ebay he didn’t really want to put his stuff on eBay because he
want to put his stuff on eBay because he
want to put his stuff on eBay because he felt that it didn’t really do justice to
felt that it didn’t really do justice to
felt that it didn’t really do justice to all the you know love and art and work
all the you know love and art and work
all the you know love and art and work that had gone into making this thing and
that had gone into making this thing and
that had gone into making this thing and so he decided he was going to build his
so he decided he was going to build his
so he decided he was going to build his own website to sell his computers um but
own website to sell his computers um but
own website to sell his computers um but as he was building it he realized that
as he was building it he realized that
as he was building it he realized that probably other people who were making
probably other people who were making
probably other people who were making things also didn’t want to sell their
things also didn’t want to sell their
things also didn’t want to sell their stuff on eBay so he said ah I’ll make a
stuff on eBay so he said ah I’ll make a
stuff on eBay so he said ah I’ll make a website for everybody who makes things
website for everybody who makes things
website for everybody who makes things and that was Etsy so Etsy started about
and that was Etsy so Etsy started about
and that was Etsy so Etsy started about 11 years ago in Brooklyn Rob and two
11 years ago in Brooklyn Rob and two
11 years ago in Brooklyn Rob and two programmers from NYU actually built the
programmers from NYU actually built the
programmers from NYU actually built the first version of Etsy and at the time I
first version of Etsy and at the time I
first version of Etsy and at the time I was living with Rob I was barely making
was living with Rob I was barely making
was living with Rob I was barely making a living as an indie rock musician had
a living as an indie rock musician had
a living as an indie rock musician had his little screen printing business on
his little screen printing business on
his little screen printing business on the side with Rob but you know never
the side with Rob but you know never
the side with Rob but you know never imagined that I would be here talking to
imagined that I would be here talking to
imagined that I would be here talking to you about business um certainly and you
you about business um certainly and you
you about business um certainly and you know I said why don’t you come and work
know I said why don’t you come and work
know I said why don’t you come and work at work at Etsy with us and I said well
at work at Etsy with us and I said well
at work at Etsy with us and I said well you know what would I do I don’t I’m not
you know what would I do I don’t I’m not
you know what would I do I don’t I’m not a web programmer he’s like you can be
a web programmer he’s like you can be
a web programmer he’s like you can be the marketing guy and I was like
the marketing guy and I was like
the marketing guy and I was like marketing like I don’t know anything
marketing like I don’t know anything
marketing like I don’t know anything about marketing and he’s like perfect
about marketing and he’s like perfect
about marketing and he’s like perfect and so I actually remember that
and so I actually remember that
and so I actually remember that conversation not because I was perfect
conversation not because I was perfect
conversation not because I was perfect at marketing but I did have a total
at marketing but I did have a total
at marketing but I did have a total beginner’s mind when it came to
beginner’s mind when it came to
beginner’s mind when it came to marketing and I had no preconceptions
marketing and I had no preconceptions
marketing and I had no preconceptions about how you’re supposed to do
about how you’re supposed to do
about how you’re supposed to do marketing or how you’re supposed to do
marketing or how you’re supposed to do
marketing or how you’re supposed to do business and so I approached it from a
business and so I approached it from a
business and so I approached it from a very open place in the end I think that
very open place in the end I think that
very open place in the end I think that you know both my inexperience and
you know both my inexperience and
you know both my inexperience and something that chucks that are
something that chucks that are
something that chucks that are today you kind of just stumble into
today you kind of just stumble into
today you kind of just stumble into social entrepreneurship but the whole
social entrepreneurship but the whole
social entrepreneurship but the whole team really be having a beginner’s mind
team really be having a beginner’s mind
team really be having a beginner’s mind ended up having Etsy unfold in really
ended up having Etsy unfold in really
ended up having Etsy unfold in really beautiful unusual ways very differently
beautiful unusual ways very differently
beautiful unusual ways very differently than it would have if it had maybe come
than it would have if it had maybe come
than it would have if it had maybe come out of business school or something like
out of business school or something like
out of business school or something like that uh so I said sure yeah okay I’ll
that uh so I said sure yeah okay I’ll
that uh so I said sure yeah okay I’ll I’ll join is the marketing person and
I’ll join is the marketing person and
I’ll join is the marketing person and you know at the time I remember we just
you know at the time I remember we just
you know at the time I remember we just gotten our first round of venture
gotten our first round of venture
gotten our first round of venture funding and I was scared out of my mind
funding and I was scared out of my mind
funding and I was scared out of my mind because I was so convinced that they
because I was so convinced that they
because I was so convinced that they were going to figure out that I had no
were going to figure out that I had no
were going to figure out that I had no idea what I was doing and so I kind of
idea what I was doing and so I kind of
idea what I was doing and so I kind of went out on this my own self-guided
went out on this my own self-guided
went out on this my own self-guided business education journey oh wait
business education journey oh wait
business education journey oh wait there’s some early marketing for Etsy
there’s some early marketing for Etsy
there’s some early marketing for Etsy right real beginners mind very very web
right real beginners mind very very web
right real beginners mind very very web savvy like I’ll screen print posters and
savvy like I’ll screen print posters and
savvy like I’ll screen print posters and stick them up around town like that’ll
stick them up around town like that’ll
stick them up around town like that’ll get people to our website but at the
get people to our website but at the
get people to our website but at the time so you know I set out to basically
time so you know I set out to basically
time so you know I set out to basically teach myself how to do business and the
teach myself how to do business and the
teach myself how to do business and the more I learned about businesses it was
more I learned about businesses it was
more I learned about businesses it was conventionally practiced the less I
conventionally practiced the less I
conventionally practiced the less I really wanted to do it that way
really wanted to do it that way
really wanted to do it that way the more you know I found that it was at
the more you know I found that it was at
the more you know I found that it was at odds in a lot of ways with a lot of my
odds in a lot of ways with a lot of my
odds in a lot of ways with a lot of my values um at the same time I got really
values um at the same time I got really
values um at the same time I got really interested in my own spiritual
interested in my own spiritual
interested in my own spiritual development and reading a lot of
development and reading a lot of
development and reading a lot of Buddhist thinkers I got into economists
Buddhist thinkers I got into economists
Buddhist thinkers I got into economists like EF Schumacher and created my own
like EF Schumacher and created my own
like EF Schumacher and created my own kind of business that I think was more
kind of business that I think was more
kind of business that I think was more inspired by those things than by how one
inspired by those things than by how one
inspired by those things than by how one might want to do business so that led me
might want to do business so that led me
might want to do business so that led me on my own 10 year journey with Etsy to
on my own 10 year journey with Etsy to
on my own 10 year journey with Etsy to figure out the ways that I could
figure out the ways that I could
figure out the ways that I could maximize the social ecological and
maximize the social ecological and
maximize the social ecological and economic impact that I have in the world
economic impact that I have in the world
economic impact that I have in the world and make that my personal mission and
and make that my personal mission and
and make that my personal mission and ultimately became the mission of
ultimately became the mission of
ultimately became the mission of etsy.com whose mission today is to
etsy.com whose mission today is to
etsy.com whose mission today is to reimagine commerce in ways that build a
reimagine commerce in ways that build a
reimagine commerce in ways that build a more fulfilling and lasting world so
more fulfilling and lasting world so
more fulfilling and lasting world so about a year and a half ago Etsy was
about a year and a half ago Etsy was
about a year and a half ago Etsy was going public and we saw it was an
going public and we saw it was an
going public and we saw it was an opportunity to create a separate entity
opportunity to create a separate entity
opportunity to create a separate entity that could further that mission and so
that could further that mission and so
that could further that mission and so Chad his the CEO of Etsy now said well
Chad his the CEO of Etsy now said well
Chad his the CEO of Etsy now said well you know why don’t you figure out what
you know why don’t you figure out what
you know why don’t you figure out what that is and so I started with that
that is and so I started with that
that is and so I started with that mission reimagine commerce in ways that
mission reimagine commerce in ways that
mission reimagine commerce in ways that build a more fulfilling and lasting
build a more fulfilling and lasting
build a more fulfilling and lasting world
world
world and I said if we’re going to reimagine
and I said if we’re going to reimagine
and I said if we’re going to reimagine business we need to reimagine business
business we need to reimagine business
business we need to reimagine business education again funny because of course
education again funny because of course
education again funny because of course what do I know about business education
what do I know about business education
what do I know about business education right I’m the perfect guy to pick to
right I’m the perfect guy to pick to
right I’m the perfect guy to pick to build a business school um but that’s
build a business school um but that’s
build a business school um but that’s exactly what we did so about a year ago
exactly what we did so about a year ago
exactly what we did so about a year ago we launched good work Institute started
we launched good work Institute started
we launched good work Institute started out as Etsy org created a lot of
out as Etsy org created a lot of
out as Etsy org created a lot of confusion because we actually aren’t
confusion because we actually aren’t
confusion because we actually aren’t entirely independent from Etsy but they
entirely independent from Etsy but they
entirely independent from Etsy but they gave us the initial the initial capital
gave us the initial the initial capital
gave us the initial the initial capital to get going and the good work Institute
to get going and the good work Institute
to get going and the good work Institute exists to help people work in ways that
exists to help people work in ways that
exists to help people work in ways that regenerate their lives their communities
regenerate their lives their communities
regenerate their lives their communities and the planet and the word regenerate
and the planet and the word regenerate
and the planet and the word regenerate is really key here one of the things
is really key here one of the things
is really key here one of the things that I found during my time at Etsy and
that I found during my time at Etsy and
that I found during my time at Etsy and as I got more involved in the B Corp
as I got more involved in the B Corp
as I got more involved in the B Corp community in the Social Venture Network
community in the Social Venture Network
community in the Social Venture Network and all of these things while there are
and all of these things while there are
and all of these things while there are a lot of really great businesses out
a lot of really great businesses out
a lot of really great businesses out there I think Eileen Fisher is a perfect
there I think Eileen Fisher is a perfect
there I think Eileen Fisher is a perfect example of a business that’s thinking in
example of a business that’s thinking in
example of a business that’s thinking in this net positive regenerative way I
this net positive regenerative way I
this net positive regenerative way I felt a lot of people were kind of
felt a lot of people were kind of
felt a lot of people were kind of stopping it less bad that you know less
stopping it less bad that you know less
stopping it less bad that you know less emissions from shipping you know which
emissions from shipping you know which
emissions from shipping you know which is less bad but it isn’t necessarily
is less bad but it isn’t necessarily
is less bad but it isn’t necessarily more good less Pat plastic in the water
more good less Pat plastic in the water
more good less Pat plastic in the water bottle right well that’s bad but you
bottle right well that’s bad but you
bottle right well that’s bad but you know are we asking ourselves the
know are we asking ourselves the
know are we asking ourselves the question like maybe we shouldn’t be
question like maybe we shouldn’t be
question like maybe we shouldn’t be having water bottles at all so I started
having water bottles at all so I started
having water bottles at all so I started thinking about what is it going to take
thinking about what is it going to take
thinking about what is it going to take to actually do business in ways that
to actually do business in ways that
to actually do business in ways that move beyond less bad and the conclusion
move beyond less bad and the conclusion
move beyond less bad and the conclusion that that we’ve come to is that it will
that that we’ve come to is that it will
that that we’ve come to is that it will require a shift in consciousness and I
require a shift in consciousness and I
require a shift in consciousness and I think a number of the other speakers
think a number of the other speakers
think a number of the other speakers have been talking about this today I
have been talking about this today I
have been talking about this today I believe that at the root of all of the
believe that at the root of all of the
believe that at the root of all of the problems that we’re facing right now in
problems that we’re facing right now in
problems that we’re facing right now in the world and in our economy is this
the world and in our economy is this
the world and in our economy is this notion that were separate from the
notion that were separate from the
notion that were separate from the natural world that were separate from
natural world that were separate from
natural world that were separate from one another and that our success isn’t
one another and that our success isn’t
one another and that our success isn’t shared somehow and if we can shift our
shared somehow and if we can shift our
shared somehow and if we can shift our view and recognize that every place and
view and recognize that every place and
view and recognize that every place and every person that’s touched by the
every person that’s touched by the
every person that’s touched by the choices that we make in business matters
choices that we make in business matters
choices that we make in business matters and if we so choose we can actually aim
and if we so choose we can actually aim
and if we so choose we can actually aim to have that net positive benefit on all
to have that net positive benefit on all
to have that net positive benefit on all those people in places
those people in places
those people in places through the choices that we make and so
through the choices that we make and so
through the choices that we make and so we call that doing good work we started
we call that doing good work we started
we call that doing good work we started out our program as the regenerative
out our program as the regenerative
out our program as the regenerative entrepreneurship program and I realize
entrepreneurship program and I realize
entrepreneurship program and I realize that was really wonky and what does that
that was really wonky and what does that
that was really wonky and what does that actually mean so if we’ve kind of come
actually mean so if we’ve kind of come
actually mean so if we’ve kind of come to this notion of good work so to help
to this notion of good work so to help
to this notion of good work so to help us understand what we what we mean by
us understand what we what we mean by
us understand what we what we mean by good work we’ve created six principles
good work we’ve created six principles
good work we’ve created six principles good work honors place it recognizes
good work honors place it recognizes
good work honors place it recognizes that the success of the natural world is
that the success of the natural world is
that the success of the natural world is not separate from the success of of our
not separate from the success of of our
not separate from the success of of our business that there is no economy
business that there is no economy
business that there is no economy without ecology good work nourishes the
without ecology good work nourishes the
without ecology good work nourishes the whole human so works not just about you
whole human so works not just about you
whole human so works not just about you know it’s not just what we do to make a
know it’s not just what we do to make a
know it’s not just what we do to make a living it is that but it’s also how we
living it is that but it’s also how we
living it is that but it’s also how we express ourselves as human and so we
express ourselves as human and so we
express ourselves as human and so we should always aim to work in ways that
should always aim to work in ways that
should always aim to work in ways that nourish the full human our mental
nourish the full human our mental
nourish the full human our mental physical spiritual faculties and that’s
physical spiritual faculties and that’s
physical spiritual faculties and that’s the same for the people we employ what’s
the same for the people we employ what’s
the same for the people we employ what’s the kind of work we’re creating good
the kind of work we’re creating good
the kind of work we’re creating good work builds community it’s really about
work builds community it’s really about
work builds community it’s really about relationship and bringing people
relationship and bringing people
relationship and bringing people together and connecting us to all the
together and connecting us to all the
together and connecting us to all the people in our places
people in our places
people in our places good work embodies integrity integrity
good work embodies integrity integrity
good work embodies integrity integrity is a great word because I think it
is a great word because I think it
is a great word because I think it speaks to both the the ethical and the
speaks to both the the ethical and the
speaks to both the the ethical and the structural soundness of the work that we
structural soundness of the work that we
structural soundness of the work that we do you know if you build a product that
do you know if you build a product that
do you know if you build a product that falls apart you know after a couple
falls apart you know after a couple
falls apart you know after a couple weeks you’re not really working with
weeks you’re not really working with
weeks you’re not really working with integrity if you’re you know creating
integrity if you’re you know creating
integrity if you’re you know creating software to hide the diesel emissions
software to hide the diesel emissions
software to hide the diesel emissions from the emissions from your car you’re
from the emissions from your car you’re
from the emissions from your car you’re not really working with integrity I say
not really working with integrity I say
not really working with integrity I say that as someone who has one of those
that as someone who has one of those
that as someone who has one of those Volkswagen is so mad about it you know
Volkswagen is so mad about it you know
Volkswagen is so mad about it you know working with integrity allows you also
working with integrity allows you also
working with integrity allows you also to be totally transparent because you’ve
to be totally transparent because you’ve
to be totally transparent because you’ve gotten their secrets good work is
gotten their secrets good work is
gotten their secrets good work is appropriately scaled I think this is a
appropriately scaled I think this is a
appropriately scaled I think this is a really important one I think so much of
really important one I think so much of
really important one I think so much of business education is saying everything
business education is saying everything
business education is saying everything has to become bigger and bigger and
has to become bigger and bigger and
has to become bigger and bigger and bigger what I would argue is that an
bigger what I would argue is that an
bigger what I would argue is that an organization shouldn’t be so big that
organization shouldn’t be so big that
organization shouldn’t be so big that they’re not aware of the impact that
they’re not aware of the impact that
they’re not aware of the impact that they’re having on people in place so how
they’re having on people in place so how
they’re having on people in place so how do you develop a business that’s of an
do you develop a business that’s of an
do you develop a business that’s of an appropriate scale and can still honor
appropriate scale and can still honor
appropriate scale and can still honor all the people in places that it touches
all the people in places that it touches
all the people in places that it touches and root itself deeply in the community
and root itself deeply in the community
and root itself deeply in the community so that your growth is supported and
so that your growth is supported and
so that your growth is supported and actually
actually
actually reading benefit for all the people there
reading benefit for all the people there
reading benefit for all the people there finally good work stays open this is
finally good work stays open this is
finally good work stays open this is kind of the you know I think what I was
kind of the you know I think what I was
kind of the you know I think what I was talking about before to the the
talking about before to the the
talking about before to the the accidental falling into social
accidental falling into social
accidental falling into social entrepreneurship there are things out
entrepreneurship there are things out
entrepreneurship there are things out there that I don’t think we really
there that I don’t think we really
there that I don’t think we really understand and that we’ll never
understand and that we’ll never
understand and that we’ll never understand and what I found in business
understand and what I found in business
understand and what I found in business is that the people who remain very
is that the people who remain very
is that the people who remain very attached to a way of being or – well on
attached to a way of being or – well on
attached to a way of being or – well on this and it needs to be done this way
this and it needs to be done this way
this and it needs to be done this way tend to miss out on some of the mystery
tend to miss out on some of the mystery
tend to miss out on some of the mystery and some of the magic so how do we work
and some of the magic so how do we work
and some of the magic so how do we work in ways it just leaves leaves us open to
in ways it just leaves leaves us open to
in ways it just leaves leaves us open to all the possibilities and recognizes
all the possibilities and recognizes
all the possibilities and recognizes that there’s more than one way to do
that there’s more than one way to do
that there’s more than one way to do things so uh how do we do good work and
things so uh how do we do good work and
things so uh how do we do good work and you know I’ve been thinking a lot about
you know I’ve been thinking a lot about
you know I’ve been thinking a lot about this and I have a kind of simple view of
this and I have a kind of simple view of
this and I have a kind of simple view of how we can do it I think a lot of us you
how we can do it I think a lot of us you
how we can do it I think a lot of us you know think that well you know I’d have
know think that well you know I’d have
know think that well you know I’d have to quit my job and I’m going to start
to quit my job and I’m going to start
to quit my job and I’m going to start this social enterprise and it’s going to
this social enterprise and it’s going to
this social enterprise and it’s going to scale to reach you know 500 million
scale to reach you know 500 million
scale to reach you know 500 million people and then I’ll finally be doing
people and then I’ll finally be doing
people and then I’ll finally be doing good work but my argument is that you
good work but my argument is that you
good work but my argument is that you can do good work right now moment to
can do good work right now moment to
can do good work right now moment to moment and that’s really what it’s about
moment and that’s really what it’s about
moment and that’s really what it’s about it’s really about what we do in the
it’s really about what we do in the
it’s really about what we do in the everyday decisions that we face so we’ve
everyday decisions that we face so we’ve
everyday decisions that we face so we’ve created a four-step process for doing
created a four-step process for doing
created a four-step process for doing good work so the first step is to pause
good work so the first step is to pause
good work so the first step is to pause so before you make a choice before you
so before you make a choice before you
so before you make a choice before you do anything just stop for a second
do anything just stop for a second
do anything just stop for a second create that little space that little
create that little space that little
create that little space that little moment to be mindful to reflect on what
moment to be mindful to reflect on what
moment to be mindful to reflect on what it is you’re about to do then look
it is you’re about to do then look
it is you’re about to do then look deeply look across you know all the
deeply look across you know all the
deeply look across you know all the people in places that are going to be
people in places that are going to be
people in places that are going to be impacted by the decision that you’re
impacted by the decision that you’re
impacted by the decision that you’re going to make and that includes yourself
going to make and that includes yourself
going to make and that includes yourself right then make the decision that
right then make the decision that
right then make the decision that ideally causes no harm but aims actually
ideally causes no harm but aims actually
ideally causes no harm but aims actually treat the most amount of benefit for all
treat the most amount of benefit for all
treat the most amount of benefit for all the people in places that will be
the people in places that will be
the people in places that will be impacted by it and then do that every
impacted by it and then do that every
impacted by it and then do that every time you make a decision and you know
time you make a decision and you know
time you make a decision and you know choice by choice
choice by choice
choice by choice I think we can actually start to build
I think we can actually start to build
I think we can actually start to build that world that we want not that one
that world that we want not that one
that world that we want not that one that we want to avoid not that one
that we want to avoid not that one
that we want to avoid not that one that’s less bad so the good work
that’s less bad so the good work
that’s less bad so the good work Institute is what we do that’s the good
Institute is what we do that’s the good
Institute is what we do that’s the good work that we’re trying to do but
work that we’re trying to do but
work that we’re trying to do but whatever it is you do um I feel you can
whatever it is you do um I feel you can
whatever it is you do um I feel you can choose to do good work as well so thank
choose to do good work as well so thank
choose to do good work as well so thank you very much
”
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