conscious capitalism
December 2008 
John Mackey's an Investor in Zaadz!
Brian
"...follow your heart wherever it takes you. Choose love instead of fear. If you do, a wonderful life adventure awaits you! Carpe diem!" ~ John Mackey
Exciting news.
As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods. I can still remember when I first read his debate with Milton Friedman where he so powerfully and eloquently articulated my intuition and vision for a more conscious business. I was literally brought to tears as I read the comments from customers, team members and shareholders expressing their appreciation for his courage and compassion to build such an amazing business.
That was in November of 2005. (My raving blog post here. :)
About a year ago I got the opportunity to meet John (thanks Jeff and Michael!). We talked about Zaadz, conscious capitalism, FLOW, spiral dynamics, Integral, his recent presentation to his team. A lot of fun. But what really hit me was the fact that I had never heard a human being use the word "Love" that many times in a 2 hour span of time. Let alone a business meeting.
Blew me away.
Then, at the end of our meeting, he was giving us directions to a good vegetarian restaurant (we're both vegan). It was a bit confusing so he decided to just jump in his car and drive ahead of us to show us how to get there. Got there, jumped out, gave us a hug and I was hit with this remarkable sense of clarity of exactly how Whole Foods has become such a powerful business...Love.
Also made me think of this Emerson quote: An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man.
I can make this somewhat long story much much longer (lots o' blog posts here), but let's fast forward to today.John's officially an investor in Zaadz, Inc.
How hot is that?!?!
:)
Back to plerk,
-bri
...
"Entrepreneurs create their businesses for a diversity of reasons. However, I believe that most of the greatest companies in the world also have great purposes which were discovered and/or created by their original founders and which still remain at the core of their business models. Having a deeper, more transcendent purpose is highly energizing for all of the various interdependent stakeholders, including the customers, employees, investors, suppliers, and the larger communities in which the business participates. While these deeper, more transcendent purposes have unique expressions at each business they also can be grouped into certain well known and timeless categories. Philosophy dates back to Plato the timeless ideals of “The Good”, “The True”, and “The Beautiful” that humanity has been seeking to create, discover, and express for thousands of years. If we add the ideal of “The Heroic” to the above three we have the framework of higher ideals which most great businesses seek to express in some form or fashion."
John Mackey Source: Conscious Capitalism: Creating a New Paradigm for Business
...
UPDATE: Check out the press release we put on the wires this morning:
Access: Public
Congratulations!
I think you have hit the nail on the head…. it is simply Love!
and yea… having him as an investor is definitely “hot” :-)
thanks, guys. love love love.
and hot hot hot. :)
That's hot. :)
Mucho hot!
And, John Mackey is considering opening a store near where I live - Eugene. Oregon!
Yeaaaaaaa!
This is really good news…even more people will eat healthy !!!! :):):) Congratulations !!!
wild applause ! !
Next stop: I see you featured as one of Tom Peters' “Cool Friends” … and more investors saying: YES.
Congratulations and all the good wishes I can possibly contain for continued success—–you and the entire team deserve it.
love it. i'm a big fan of John Mackey and Whole Foods too. especially after reading this compassionately conscious essay: The Upward Flow of Human Development
i'm so proud and happy :)
~C
Mazel tov! So happy for you guys (and for JM)! :-)
WOW.. I cannot believe how the universe is telling me right place right time. Whole Foods is a great place, great foundation and philosophy. Same with Zaadz. Makes sense. I wish I had a store closer to me (as close as my keyboard) smile.
Great news!!!
Did you know they are buying Wild Oats? (of course you did)
dear brian,
this is ever sooo cool. i know a lot of people that want and seek to push into the integral philosophical business paradigm, but nothing is as convincing as an action, and this is a cool action. we all have win by this.
thank to you both and much love,
eva
But what really hit me was the fact that I had never heard a human being use the word “Love” that many times in a 2 hour span of time.
I hear ya! There's this dude here at Zaadz who's the same way on his blog!!!
Love, love, love, love, love…
:)
Big, big huge hug and congrats to you and your amazing team!
Brian,
That's fantastic! Couldn't have wished it on a better cause. Don't know if you recall, but we met John at the same week in Austin at the Working for Good seminar.
Bless me father for I have sinned, it's been a while since I last zaazded…
A quick update says I have had my nose to the grindstone and been making some interesting progress on my business (my nose is still big though). Specifically, we're partnered with Austin's Mobile Loaves and Fishes on a project we call “sselemoH”…reversing Homelessness. It's aimed at connecting homeless people's needs and goals (yes they have them) with MLF volunteers (and others) who are in position to assist in helping. I will be living on the streets with them next week for 4 days so soon will be a changed man :-)
sselemoH, sselemoH,…
Tom
Hi Brian,
Just finished the Makey essay on Conscious Capitalism and I must say it's one of the most amazing essays I've read in some time. It has inspired me to build a portfolio of these types of companies for my clients that you can feel good owning and make a profit at the same time. Thanks for sharing and continued success in your ventures.
That's good.
Try working within the company sometime.
Whole Foods. Great Products, ludicrous prices. (IMO)
Bill Maher made a joke on his cable show about this….
————-
New Rule: Activists have to stop preying on my liberal sympathies outside of Whole Foods. I know my signature is vital to the anti-war movement, clean needle programs, music in schools, a free Tibet, and the fight against autism in gay polar bears…But I just need some hummus and a can of pinto beans. For $37.00. And if you're going to keep shoving clipboards in my assistant's face, how is she going to do my shopping?!
————–
I'm glad they are investing here. That is good news. If they are reading these comments I hope they consider making their stores a lot less cost prohibitive. Many people cannot afford to eat well, it seems.
AWESOME : ]
Valid point MindTrigger. I'd like to see whole food for the whole population some day.
Many moderately paid worker bees with discounts at Whole Foods still feel they need to shop for their families at the cheaper grocery stores - and do.
congratulations!
there is another quote, in line mackey's and emerson's, but much older:
“Making a profit is no more the purpose of a corporation than getting enough to eat is the purpose of life. Getting enough to eat is a requirement of life; life's purpose, one would hope, is somewhat broader and more challenging. Likewise with business and profit.” – Kenneth Mason, former president of quaker oats, 1979
Congrats and pass the organic produce to me too! Loved this news, and I am beaming for you!
Did you get the goodies from Obi that I sent? Looking forward to moving the Zaadsters forward in their businesses.
making a difference can be so fun! and HOT!
xxoo
Viki The Buddha!
Congratulations!!! The seeds are spreading! The diversity of all you zaadzsters truly creates a garden of beauty. May the watering continue.
in gratitude,
werner
http://dharmaseeds.org
GREAT news Brian! Whole Foods is where I bought Tricycle Magazine and that magazine had the ad for zaadz. There are no accidents! Glad you are having fun plerking Bri! Life is good. Zaadz brings me joy!
Hope you get even more zaa-vestors! Spreading the love…
Namaste
Your enthusiasm and excitement are palpable Brian!
Your news is very hot indeed! Thanks for sharing the joy with us.
love,
Nicola
Brian -
This is such a wonderful community, Whole Foods Is Awesome!
Consciousness is supreme and
blessings will multiply because of the love here.
Last night Whole Foods hosted a fund raiser for Riverkeeper at their newest NYC store in SoHo. It was a wonderful way to bring together the people and issues that sustain us here on the planet. The food was wonderful, the cause was a deserving boost for the protectors of the Hudson River and the message was that there are very many working together to foster sustainable practices and wholesome growth.
It is nice to have an example of doing good and doing well in business, glad to have a Whole Foods spirit along with the zaadz community!
I knew I LOVED Whole Foods for a reason…
Love is the only way.
Eventually, we ALL will come to this…
Wow, fantastic news, Brian! You must be on cloud 9 about now. This is fabulous! By the way, we're waiting (waiting, waiting, waiting) for a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's in Redding, California. :)
May the Love continue to expand and the seeds continue to grow and come to fruition!
Wow, what a great coup! Whole Foods is one of my favorite markets. Too bad there isn't one close to me in north San Diego county, well some day! Can't wait to see what they will offer for Zaadz!
BRAVO! HIGH FIVES! :)
Hot! Really good news…are there details avaialable for the public?
Al
~ OMG Whole Foods @ Zaadz… the best… now where is the featured friend logo…
* ok so my fav is @ Time Warner except the lines r forever…
* dont like Union Square at all cuz they dont have escalators… scoozi dont do steps… but the location is the best (of course) n a cool sitting area with a view to the park ^.^
so which ones ur favorite…
Thank you for the blessings that surround me.
Love unconditionaly regardless of what comes back and you will be free.
Unconditional love takes presidence over all agendas and alegences
http://3g.nko.org
Brian, I am SO pleased for you, Zaadz and US!
Btw, that Emerson quote choked me up!
Mary
Excellent news for zaadz and the team. I'm not a whole foods shopper as I'm blessed to have a smaller coop (my coop) near me here in Mpls. I do think with all their trials over they years they've done a lot to push the edge forward and your info on Mackey just shows why and how.
And without taking the conversation into the weeds at I'm laughing at Princess not doing stairs — tee hee - Now what? (originally found via Shelly cause we've agreed to try and laugh more - Thanks Shelly)
Blessings to you all.
Go ZAADZ go!!
Congratulations – may this be the beginning of many blessings and windfalls on the financial end of things.
After 10 years or so of working and participating in online communities – this is my favorite and the one i resonate with most.
Thank you for your vision and foresight, Brian,
Teiwaz
Well done Brian..John deserved that noble accolade…And so do you…maybe one day we shall meet. Just what I know is this: We are not judged in what we have or achieve but in what we did for our fellow man or woman. both of you guys lead that way many….To be a leader is a big responsibility as you have to be the best you can be, especially with compassion, caring, strength, and…yes…love.
Be well
Pascal Gillon, BAS
Founder
infogatherer.com
thanks for all the amazing comments, guys. wow.
Love it.
Here's a little press release we put on the wires this mornin'!
Zaadz.com Announces “Conscious” Investment: John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, invests in social networking site with a purpose
just one word…SWEETNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This goes perfect with today's Q&R question about 10 million dollars. We need more people like John to invest and start changing the world for the better.
Thanks John, you did a very good thing
Wonderful, Brian! Pretty soon you'll be investing in me! :)
:)
WAAAYYYYY Cool!
Brian,
we are all “one”, but at the moment we have to synergize with the ones who already aware of that - puzzle-pieces put together. One more part of it is now visible. Can you figure out wich pieces will fit to that new view? ;) We are beginning to see more than the elephant tail - keep focused. I love what is happening here - it will start in Germany soon. We’ll join the parts of the puzzle, when it will fit. Looking forward to that. We are on our way. I guess each one of us is a piece in the puzzle - and together it will be a picture of the earth that we’ve never seen before ;)
Love, unity, and respect to the puzzle masters! ;)
And you can be sure, that I want to have a live-chat when I put some puzzle-pieces together here in germany! ;) One love!
David