🌎 THE BETTER WORLD WEEKLY #180 💌

​*Read in your browser, here. ​

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Hey y'all,

Happy Monday!

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Enjoy this week's newsletter,

-Cory

P.S. - You can connect with me on LinkedIn.

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The Business of Saving the Planet 🌎

STOP Making the Business Case

The harder we lean into "the business case" for sustainability, ethics, etc. in business, the further we get from fundamentally changing business itself.
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If sustainability is mostly valuable for the sake of the potential "business result," then the perception of sustainability can serve the same function.
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Strong marketing, branding, etc. with the smallest tangible action to back it up can be just as impactful business-wise than tackling the much more difficult:
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Actually being "sustainable."​
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The problem is a culture & system of business that values profit more than people and planet - plain and simple.
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Or, that businesses *value* people and planet to the extent that it further promises profit.

Remember: sustainability is less so about changing the things we do and more so about changing the things we value.
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Personally, I'm not interested in just changing the way things *look* - I'm more interested in changing fundamentally how things are.
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We need to stop making the business case.

We need to stop appealing to "consumer trends."
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We need to stop trying to recruit & retain a "younger, more purpose-driven" work force.

We need to focus on doing what's right.

And if that's not always the most "profitable," action. That's okay. Because that's not the point.

And that doesn't undermine the sustainable business movement, it gives it strength.

Whether the messenger actually believes the message, when I see:

"I do this not because it's good for the planet, but good for business!"

What I believe it says is:

"I care about the profits more than anything else!"

What if the right next step, or most impactful next step isn't always a profitable one?

Are there changes and solutions that we aren't considering because they don't make business sense?

Of course.

Will the business case see us through?

Or, will change always be limited and watered down to what's "good business?"
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It's my opinion that the planet, and far FAR too many people need more substantive change.

What do you think?

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The Book 📕

✅ First Draft DONE!​
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📊 The Business of Saving the Planet. 🌎
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Ooof! I put my head down this last week to make sure I finished the first draft of my manuscript.

Maybe some of you noticed that I didn't send out an email last week (this was why 😉).

Taking a couple weeks off now before getting into editing, polishing a book proposal, and exploring any/all publishing routes.
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If anyone has any insight as to what publishers are "looking" for, I'd love to hear!
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Open to all options (including self-publishing).
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Maybe the size of my "platform" is a little modest, but here's how things look as of now (with growth expected this year):
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💌 7,517 newsletter subs
📼 1,605 YouTube subs with ≈30,000 views in the last year
✏️ ≈30,000 monthly blog readers to GrowEnsemble.com
🎙≈35,000 podcast downloads over the last year
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Of course, size of the platform is one thing, substance of the conversation I'm trying to start is another.
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Thinking there's some things that need to be said about the future of sustainable/ethical business.
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Trying to publish (self-publish/otherwise) ≈Spring 2024!
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Have any advice, direction, etc?

All welcome and appreciated. Just hit "reply." 🙏

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🌎 Our Ensemble Partners:

The Better World Weekly, and all our work at Grow Ensemble is made possible by the support of the members of our Ensemble Partners Program.

Our partners are leaders in the work of building a better world. Check out the full list of our current partners, below.

Have a business or organization that might be a fit to join our Ensemble Partners Program? Just reply to this email directly to learn more.

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☕️Dean's Beans - Certified B Corporation coffee company, committed to using specialty coffee as a vehicle for change.

🧥Dhana - Certified B Corporation fashion brand creating cutting-edge circular fashion products and inviting customers into the design process.

🫖Choice Organics- Organic tea company recently acquired by Certified B Corporation, Yogi Tea.

💰Aspiration - Certified B Corporation, green banking alternative. Aspiration is 100% committed to clean money.

🌲tentree - Tentree makes clothing essentials using sustainable materials and plants 10 trees for every item purchased.

🌊 Bodhi Surf + Yoga - Certified B Corporation surf and yoga resort located in beautiful Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica.

🧦 Bombas Socks - Bombas is a comfort focused sock and apparel brand with a mission to help those in need. One purchased = one donated, always and forever.

✈️ Intrepid Travel - Intrepid Travel is a world leader in sustainable experience-rich travel that has been taking travelers to discover the world's most amazing places for more than 30 years.

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Thanks for reading!

I'll be back next Monday with another edition of The Better World Weekly.

Let's build a better world, together.

-Cory

CORY AMES - @AmesCory​

Founder & CEO, Grow Ensemble

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👋 Say hello on LinkedIn. 

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🌍 - Better World Weekly (#180) - 🌍