More early adopters!

The early adopter stories keep coming in! Here are two more I just read between book tour events and podcast recordings. It’s great to see these ideas and tools being taken up so quickly by the very people they’re meant for: inspired entrepreneurs who are working to make the world a better place.

From Ben Erez and Marc Baselga, Co-Founders of Insider Loops

Ben and Marc are building Insider Loops. They haven't even read Incorruptible yet, yet hearing about the argument on Lenny's Podcast was enough.

Now they're writing the mission directly into their operating agreement, with both partners required to unanimously agree before it can change. They also launched a scholarship for laid-off PMs as their first proof of life.

From Ben's post: "The best time to make a company incorruptible is when there's not much to corrupt. So we're starting now."

From Christine Curella, Co-Founder & CEO of Hive Ownership

My understanding of what’s wrong with the way we conceive of and build business is very personal. My dad spent his career at Sears, whose highs and demise are profiled in Incorruptible. He came through the ranks there, rising from auto mechanic to operations manager for a high-performing store before investors' maneuvers crushed everything he’d worked to achieve for our family. 

What happened to him drove me to work for nearly twenty years on re-writing the rules of our economy through policy and public service. There, too, I was dissatisfied by our inability to fundamentally change our economy. 

But I saw a spark of possibility in impact ventures that were supporting different outcomes and leveraging community connection and organizing as real sources of value. I started building new ventures. 

Incorruptible gave me the tools I needed to take the leap and build a transformative venture.

After a decade in policymaking and small business development in New York City Hall, I saw the power of employee ownership – from start-up options pools to private equity models – but noticed a gap: there was no easy solution for small businesses to power growth aligned with the people who make it possible.

My co-founder and I launched Hive Ownership to unlock ownership for every small business. We had clear ambitions from the outset for economic transformation at venture scale, but kept coming up against the seemingly-binary choice between nonprofit or for profit models – between bootstrapping or raising misaligned investment. 

Reading Incorruptible helped me realize that we weren’t alone in searching for something better and offered the tools to build a for-purpose venture. We incorporated as a Delaware public benefit corporation, then designed our business and revenue model so that we win when workers and small businesses win. Our mission and ROI goal is clear in every legal document, term sheet, and pitch.

I know we’ve got lots ahead, and we’ll need aligned investors, guardrails, and steady hands to be sure we can win on this mission, on these terms. But the book offers founders a playbook and the confidence for how to build companies that are worth our tenacity, courage, and vision. 

LAUNCH WEEK EVENTS

I was honored to have so many wonderful people join me in person to celebrate and discuss Incorruptible. Here are a few snapshots:

Startups Decoded with Andy Walsh and NYC entrepreneurs and leaders

Book Launch Party hosted by David Millstone and Standard Industries

STATION DC with Ari Shapiro and hundreds of entrepreneurs

UPCOMING EVENTS

Still more in-person California events plus a LinkedIn Live this Friday with Kathryn Minshew, founder of The Muse. Hope to see you there!

Kepler’s Books

Tuesday, June 2 from 6pm-7pm PT in Menlo Park, CA

Get tickets here

I’ll be talking with Kim Scott, author of Radical Respect and Radical Candor, at this in-person independent bookstore event. Kim and I did a recent podcast episode about Incorruptible, so we’re all warmed up for a great evening with you. 

Book Passage

Wednesday, June 3 from 6pm-7pm PT in Corte Madera, CA

Event information here

Alex Komoroske, CEO and co-founder of Common Tools and former Head of Corporate Strategy at Stripe, will be joining me for this conversation. This is a free event in a community icon for books and conversation. 

LinkedIn Live with Kathryn Minshew

Friday, June 5 at 9am PT

RSVP to join us here

Many founders can resonate with my experience: pouring heart and soul into building a mission-driven company for over a decade, only to slowly lose control. Join us to discuss some important truths (that I wish I'd known earlier!) about how to build something worth protecting - and then make sure it stays that way.

Commonwealth Club

Monday, June 22 at 6pm PT in San Francisco, CA or Virtual

Register here

I’m thrilled that Scott Cook, Intuit’s Co-Founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee, will be taking the stage with me at the Commonwealth Club. This event will be both in-person and virtual, and you can add the purchase of a copy of Incorruptible to your registration for either option.