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Hi Reader,
I hope your summer is going well! My husband, Nigel, and I are getting better at sea kayaking, and we've had some wonderful times in our beautiful backyard (the Puget Sound and San Juan islands). A harbor seal came over and booped my kayak with her nose last time!
Anyway, you've probably noticed that it is challenging to balance relaxation and joy with running a business, parenting or caring for aging parents (if you're doing that), and just being a citizen lately. As far as being a citizen goes, the news is more upsetting all the time.
I appreciate the uproar every time a good reason for activism comes along, and I hate the idea that by not acknowledging how upsetting the news is, we normalize policies and opinions that will harm and kill people. See "What a 'Spiral of Silence' Can Do to a Democracy."
Many of the recent policy changes will affect our businesses and us personally. If you're considering how to balance your small business with your values, I have a few things to share with you today.
I'm writing an article right now for UPPERCASE Magazine about being a "reluctant capitalist," and I think I'm going to focus on some of the positive aspects of being part of this system.
For instance, Katherine Raz, in a recent newsletter, linked to this article about sustainable business strategy that talks about the "triple bottom line" of profit, people, and the planet for small businesses. If all businesses considered people and the planet as well as profit, capitalism could serve us better.
I've been talking more and more to people who have taken the time and trouble to get their businesses certified as B Corps, which is a step towards making as many businesses good for people and the planet as we can.
I'm also thinking about what a small business can reasonably do and what might not be a smart use of time or money. For instance, Katherine's newsletter, mentioned above, was titled "you can't donate profits you don't have," and covers how misguided it can be to donate profits to causes (depending on your resources). I'd love to quote this bit from her newsletter and encourage you to read the whole thing:
This doesn’t mean you stay silent! Not at all. Here’s an incomplete list of things you can do that have an impact but don’t drain resources you don’t have:
• Put a poster in the window
• Share other people’s posts to your Instagram Stories
• Distribute supplies to protestors
• Host a collection point for donations (toiletries, food, supplies, etc.)
• Carry work by marginalized artists, or products made by companies that give back
• Offer a place for organizations to post bills and flyers
It’s okay to sit in the discomfort of not knowing what to do, or of feeling powerless—because without actual profits, you kind of are. That’s not a moral failure, it’s just the truth of running a small business in this economy.
"Make it Worthwhile" is a feature in UPPERCASE magazine that highlights people and projects doing good in the world, for each other and the environment. If you're using your creativity for good, and would like to be featured, you can fill out the submission form, here.
Sonja Rasula from Unique Markets has a new newsletter celebrating small businesses, What She's Having. She started it because "billionaires don't need your money, but small brands sure do." Speaking of billionaires, this Atlantic article is darkly humorous: "With the Big, Beautiful Bill, You Can Now Sponsor a Billionaire of Your Choosing."
I'd love to hear how you're coping, and if you've found any ways to fight or bring some light with your business.
