Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Just finished a talk by Paul Herman, CEO of HIP Investor -- Human Impact + Profit. They've got a really great methodology for evaluating the following three questions:
  • What human problem does this solve?

  • How do you design for both Human Impact + Profit?

  • What management practices are in place to be HIP?

There's a good write-up of his trip to Kenan Flagler business school at the University of North Carolina on the energy collective.

Not surprisingly many companies in the S&P 100 do not rank too highly, and there were some ringers near the top of the list which I would not have suspected. I look forward to getting into the book, HIP Investor: Make Bigger Profits by Building a Better World.

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Green Spaces threw a fantastic party Friday night bringing SalonEco to life. Nice running into some familiar faces as well as meet some new ambitious folks. I met some fellow NYU students and learned of a great new social venture they've started. Love Kitchen Bakery is bringing baked goods directly to you with a social mission: "It is not just about the cakes. It is about giving someone a second chance."

Really nice to hear undergraduates debating the egoism versus altruism merits of working in non-profits. It brings me back to very familiar territory. Ultimately, doing good takes first billing and our motivations and experience of it come next. Does the primacy therefore gloss it as altruism?

Thanks again Rachel for the article on Goldman and bubble creation. Our discussion of non-profits versus banking then focusing on charitable works took a different direction after citing this article. When thinking about 'cashing in' it's important to consider where the money comes from and the 'externalities' of those efforts. A paycheck and stuffed bank account is not sufficient to excuse immoral outcomes.