Today, more than ever, we live in a world of continuous and rapid change, with technology constantly redefining the limits of what we can do and questioning our beliefs of what we know to be true. This introduces new perspectives and raises new questions about our role as individuals in a future reality of "intelligent" computers capable of doing tasks previously thought to be limited to humans.
Although this human and social dilemma is not new - in fact, it could be argued that it is a cyclical and constant phenomenon in our history - each era's beginning proposes and requires a reconsideration of the roles we play, as well as a profound reflection on the value we can generate, not only in social activity but also in business. Each possibility for transcendental transformation is an invitation to reinvent ourselves to be better at what we do and provide more effective responses to those we serve.
In the face of this reality, we see the creation of startups and businesses that come from a different place. This development originates from the desire to elevate businesses so that they may shift from being part of the problem to being part of the solution to the global difficulties we confront. This necessitates a reconsideration not only of "how we do business," which is certainly but also of "why we do business." This shift marks the start of what we call conscious entrepreneurship and business.
Conscious businesses grow not to create money, but as a purposeful instrument to promote well-being for both the people around the company and the world. These businesses are founded on a mission that extends beyond financial gain. On the contrary, wealth generation is regarded as a basic and necessary means of achieving the intended influence, both within and outside. By pursuing this impact, they leverage the business model to achieve it, giving them the freedom and agility to modify their environment and respond to its demands.
I understand that this may sound thrilling to some people while being fantastical or utopian to others. Do these companies exist? Can they compete with the large corporations that currently represent "business as usual" and keep the "status quo" in which we find ourselves as a society? Will they come on schedule and in sufficient numbers to reverse the dark trend we are seeing?
The good news is that the solutions to these concerns are within our reach since we all have options for strengthening and realizing this business movement. If you're wondering how here are several options:
If you are an entrepreneur, begin by asking yourself the following question: Does your product or service have a greater beneficial influence on people and the environment than it has a negative impact? In other words, do people and the environment benefit from your product's existence? If the response is no, the appeal is to try to awaken your consciousness. There are numerous tools available to assist you with this shift, beginning with your purpose, team, product, and service offerings, and an assessment of your external influence. Do not be satisfied with what you have; instead, strive for a conscious awakening that will lead you down the path of progress. I can tell you that this is feasible in any sector.
If you are not an entrepreneur, the call is to look out for things that have this impact, consume them, promote them, and provide feedback. Each person's consumption decisions contain significant power for change, and we must broaden our criteria and critical spirit in response to company propositions. If the offer is not satisfactory, we must decline it and explore alternatives. This consciousness awakening is what this time requires of us because, in the age of artificial intelligence, machines will repeat what they learn from us, and if we do not achieve that awakening of our personal and social consciousness about the purpose of our actions, we will see these technologies attempting to repeat processes that do not represent the future we want to build, but rather the past we failed to contain.
I refuse to imagine a future that isn't better than our current reality and does not reflect the best in ourselves. Let us create startups that reflect our potential and greatest human treasure: the ability to understand and influence the future. Let us all take deliberate acts from our trenches that will lead us to where we want to be. Let us create a collective awakening in this era and ensure that the future of entrepreneurship bears the stamp of consciousness.
- Joshua Hammerschlag, National Director of Social and Conscious Entrepreneurship and CEO of the Conscious Accelerator