Hello, wonderful reader,
This issue, our 23rd, will be our final issue of Conscious Company magazine. The focus of this issue is Purpose, which couldn’t be more apropos.
Conscious Company Media’s purpose as an organization is to redefine success in business in service of all life. One of the means of living our purpose is by telling the stories of businesses around the world that are doing business differently. In these pages we have spotlighted and celebrated these businesses — holding them up as examples for the rest of us to follow with the goal of one day making conscious business the new business-as-usual. Along the way, an incredible community of thought leaders gathered around us and lent their voices to this publication. For more than four years, we have successfully told the stories of hundreds of businesses and individuals around the world who exemplify what it means to be practicing conscious business.
Since our inception in March 2014 and our first issue in January 2015, we have persevered in doing everything in our power to get these stories to you in spite of the print publication industry’s enormous challenges. It has been our team’s purpose. Yet, no matter how great your purpose, if the business model isn’t there to support your work, there comes a time to call it quits. It is our time.
As co-founder and CEO, I have no words to express the pride that I feel when I think of Conscious Company magazine. We launched a print publication when no one thought we could. We sustained it for years when no one thought we could. But, most importantly, during that time we accomplished our primary objective of telling hundreds of the stories that needed to be told in order to inspire others about the promise of conscious business. We’ve had people start new companies, leave their jobs, implement new practices, find work at conscious companies featured in the magazine, and more — all as a result of this little publication. If that isn’t time well spent, then I don’t know what would be. It has been the joy of my life so far to hear from our community about the impact that our team’s work has had on their lives.
This doesn’t mean the end for Conscious Company Media. You’ll still find us telling these stories on our website, through our podcast, and in person at our many convenings throughout the year. Fortunately, we still get to live our purpose as a team of redefining success in business in service of all life — we just won’t be using as much paper going forward.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for your support. Thank you for all that you do in the world.
With love and gratitude,
Meghan
Co-founder & CEO, Conscious Company Media
Without further adieu…
Issue 23: What’s Inside
Editor’s Note
From the Inside Out: Reflections on Purpose
By Vanessa Childers
Simon Sinek says, “Inspired leaders and organizations, regardless of their size and industry, all think, act, and communicate from the inside out.”
Purpose 101
Does Our Economy Run on Junk Meaning?
By Brian Sherwin
Like it or not, every company — and our economy as a whole — is in the meaning business.
Purpose: The What, Why, and How
By Haley Rushing
Chief Purposologist Haley Rushing shares 19 lessons (and one dirty little secret) form 20 years in the arena.
How to Avoid Compassion Exhaustion
By Gia Duke
Purpose-driven business leaders are not impervious to burnout. Here are four ways to combat stress and depression.
Case Studies
More Then a Handbag
By Vanessa Childers
How Kate Spade New York’s social enterprise initiative is radically transforming an entire community.
How to Start a Corporate Revolution
By Nathan Havey, featuring Graham Scott
A global public company in one of the world’s dirtiest industries overhauled its environmental impact over a quarter-century. Here’s a look at the early years.
Top 22 Conscious Business Leaders of 2019
These forward-thinkers are saying no to profit at all costs and yes to advancing a new business-as-usual.
New Ideas
Work, Reinvented
By Vanessa Childers and Meghan French Dunbar
What’s stopping us from doing the best work of our lives? The author of “Brave New Work” has the answer.
Is Your Business a Place of Healing?
By Vanessa Childers
In “The Healing Organization,” Raj Sisodia and Michael Gelb share how business can alleviate suffering and elevate joy.
For the Good of the Game
By Vanessa Childers and Meghan French Dunbar
In his new book “The Infinite Game,” leadership guru Simon Sinek poses a bold new paradigm for capitalism.
