If you ever walk into my apartment, you will know two things about me immediately… I have a chair fetish and I’m obsessed with magazines. While I have to limit myself on how many chairs I bring through my front door (there’s only so many chairs one can own), I’m free to collect as many magazines as my heart desires. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have archived every single issue of Domino and I have been known to contact magazines to get out of print issues that I somehow let slip away.
About a year and a half ago I discovered GOOD and, I have to say, I feel like a better person for having read GOOD. It makes me feel, well, just plain GOOD. In their own words, “GOOD is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. Since 2006 we’ve been making a magazine, videos, and events for people who give a damn.”
I was so excited to find this month’s issue included the latest addition to GOOD Magazine, GOOD Business. I was so inspired to read the stories of individuals and companies that have left traditional and irresponsible business practices behind to create a better kind of company. GOOD calls them the “pioneers of socially conscious businesses.” I call them my new heros.
Reading the stories of all of these do-gooders who fight the good fight every day doing what they love has really got my wheels turning about ways that LAMA can continue to become a positive force in the business world. Perhaps it’s because I live in a very liberal part of the country, but it seems to me that consumers are starting to not only demand more of the companies they purchase from, but they are demanding more of themselves. I’m amazed to see how many people will pay more to buy from small businesses like LAMA who support independent designers, especially given the state of our floundering economy. Yes, our products cost more, but it’s the cost of fair-trade and I’m encouraged by how many are willing to throw down a few extra bucks.
So how can LAMA become a “good business” and a B-Corporation in the years to come? One major thing I had in mind to do from LAMA’s initial conceptualization was to create a business that would enable me to give back to the people and places that have inspired me so much throughout my travels in South America. A dream of mine (someday) is to create a LAMA foundation which helps emerging Latino artists and designers take their brilliant ideas for cool new products and help them turn those ideas into manufactured goods. I know first hand how difficult and expensive it is to turn your dreams into reality. I hope that someday LAMA can help out those who have something amazing to contribute do just that. It’s a personal goal of mine.
I highly recommend picking up this latest issue of GOOD magazine. It’s inspiring, thoughtful, interesting and encouraging. Let’s all hope that as our country is on the brink of change, good business practices start to become the rule rather than the exception.
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