We are surrounded by all sorts of people; family, friends, colleagues, sports, hobbies and randos walking too slowly in the grocery store. (Yes, they are people too…)
Some of these people are in our lives by circumstance, some by choice, and some by genetics.
Some of them fill our lives with energy, and some of them drain it right out of us.
I was always somewhat aware of this, but never more so than this year. And the timing is pretty good as I am a month away from turning 50. Better late than never!
I attended three conferences this spring: Real Leaders Unite, B Lab Champions Retreat and the MO Summit. All three were driven by the same theme: how to use business as a force for good.
The Champions retreat was for the broader B Corp community, but the Unite conference and MO Summit were tailored to Impact CEOs.
These are MY people.
An insanely dedicated group of leaders trying to change the world in their own way through business. Not only are they financially successful, not despite the fact they prioritize people and the planet, but because they prioritize people and the planet.
From banking and investing to food systems and professional services, no matter the product or service, these leaders are proving that you can do well by every metric by doing good.
I soaked in speakers, workshops and dinners like a kid in a candy store. Like a second grader realizing he wants to be an astronaut when grows up, and now he is one and is hanging out with a bunch of them at big-ass astronaut parties. WTF! Somebody pinch me.
I sat in reverence, humility, and inspiration as people shared their wisdom and experience. I saw the beauty of what they were co-creating with the teams, along with the real-life challenges that accompany anything worth doing.
I felt, and continue to feel, a deep sense of honour and privilege that not only have I been able to turn my life’s work into a purpose-driven business, but there are a bunch of other do-gooder business peeps out there doing mind-blowing things as they carve out a different way forward.
We’re not talking about on the fringe, tree-hugging, psilocybin-dropping hippies. We talking for-reals businesses, from solopreneurs to billion-dollar businesses, proving that making the world a better place for their teams, clients, partners, communities and the planet can also be a profitable endeavour. And those profits can be reinvested for the benefit of all these stakeholders.
I repeat. These are MY people. And implore you to find yours. Life is too short not to.
Because the energy and passion with which I beam as a result of being in the presence of these transformational leaders nourishes my soul at the deepest level and compels me to pay it forward tenfold to all those around me.
Your people are out there. They will help fill your cup. The cup of meaning. The cup of service. The cup of a life fulfilled.
