Commerce and evangelization are seldom used in conjunction, yet both function as services to mankind. While contemporary thought is remiss, the impetus of business remains promotion of the general welfare. Growing the good in business is actively encouraging virtue by addressing basic, psychological, and self-fulfillment needs.

History has consistently shown that market forces are superior to dictates for charting the course of mankind.

Human behavior cannot be stopped. However, it can be channeled. Tesla Inc. demonstrated this by making electric cars a viable market. This breakthrough, however, was auxiliary to their focus of reducing global emissions, which benefits everyone. By crafting a business model that revolves around principle, they created a self-sustaining enterprise that accelerated their mission. Former General Motors President Charles Erwin Wilson held this holistic view stating, “what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa.” Through this lens, the business follows the philosophy. I strive to apply this methodology to affordable housing. Yet, I know that housing alone will not resolve the many other crises people face today. After basic needs come psychological needs.

Businesses must use their inherent influence to empower individuals.

Inscribed above the entrance to Grand Central Station reads “to all those who with head, heart, and hand toiled in the construction of this monument to the public service.” This statement devotes the building as a product of the people for the people, relegating the business to a mere facilitator of public service. The old Pennsylvania Station, equal in grandeur, exuded similar sentiments. Historians described it as a “monumental public space [that] ennobles the acts of daily life [and] makes every citizen feel important.” The consideration for what seems trivial is where intrinsic value and belonging are found. My intention for every endeavor is to be a catalyst for empowering each person by addressing their unique needs. People who have encountered benevolence are primed to pay it forward.

Meaningful work is an innate desire of the soul.

Many political strongmen have tried to cure society of its many woes, yet they exacerbate the core ailment: lack of initiative among individuals. Jane Jacobs wrote, “to overcome slums, we must regard slum dwellers as people capable of understanding and acting upon their own self-interests, which they certainly are.” Discovering one’s purpose is the unspoken but universal key to a fulfilling life. As John Ruskin stated, “It is not the church we want, but the sacrifice [of building it]; not the emotion of admiration, but the act of adoration: not the gift, but the giving.” Our souls are restless for productive efforts. I strive to convene a cohort where workers find self-fulfillment in the common good. This cooperative effort will lift the enterprise, society, and ourselves beyond our individual imaginations.

Business can be the most effective mechanism for change. Growing the good is growing the utility of a business. Just as efficiency can be improved, so too can goodness for all. Through perfecting our service to mankind, we work towards perfecting ourselves.