Is Doing Good Compatibale with Making Money?

When I first read the title of this I thought it would be an article giving capitalism a hard time. After reading it I think it is something that could benefit every company.

The gospel according to Adam Smith
Is doing good compatible with making money?
It is if you practice spiritual capitalism. - by Carleen Hawn

Art DeLorenzo and I were having a hard time connecting. He’s a 67-year-old retired financial adviser in the New York City area whose budding consulting practice keeps him from settling into an easy chair. I’m a journalist in San Francisco, perpetually on deadline. Several appointments we set were moved or missed, but we kept trying. Late one evening, as we seemed finally to settle on yet another date for our interview, DeLorenzo threw out a comment that would prove as valuable as anything he said in our hour-long phone call days later.

“Wait a moment.” DeLorenzo paused. “I could say 3 p.m., but the group I’ll be meeting with before you, they tend to run over. It’s just their habit, but I know this. So I’d rather not book you right up against them. I don’t want to compromise the integrity of my commitment to them.”

The details of one man’s business schedule might not seem meaningful at first. But in that moment I realized DeLorenzo’s deliberate emphasis on a few choice words—“the integrity of my commitment”—was a straightforward yet eloquent statement of a still-fuzzy but increasingly important trend: spiritual capitalism.

Spiritual capitalism doesn’t mean prayer sessions on the shop floor and guided meditations in the boardroom. At least it doesn’t have to. What it does mean is the success of an enterprise is measured by values like “integrity” and “commitment” as much as by targets like “efficiency” and “profitability.” It’s based on the recognition that every businessperson—whether you’re the CEO of a major multinational or the head of your own small firm—is in the service industry, and the services rendered must benefit not just yourself and your shareholders, but the planet and other people as well. The first commandment of the growing spiritual-capitalism movement is: Taking care of business means taking care of others. read more

East Lake Farmers Market

The urban pioneers of the East Lake Neighborhood have started a farmers market at the corner of 2nd avenue and Hosea L. Williams drive. It's located in the parking lot and the footprint of a demolished building. On any Saturday there are usually six to eight vendors. Small now but I believe the time is here for such grass roots endeavors to succeed.

I remember as a kid going with my mom to the see the "Vegetable Man" every Thursday in the summer. The Vegetable Man was a local farmer that had a pickup truck set up with sides that closed and a tin roof. He would park on the side of the road on the back way to Jower's grocery, open the sides and hang the scale on one of the roof rafters. Right now only Isabelle is interested in going to the East Lake Farmers Market with me. Once there is more to see I can probably get them both there, but I digress.

The feature vendor of the week is Fresh Roots Farm. Fresh Roots Farm is a sub acre farm located off Howell Mill Road near the water works. They are currently working on starting a roof top garden. I'll post and add pictures when additional information is available.

I have previously purchased two kinds of radishes and carrots for them. This week I got Arugula, also available were squash, tomatoes and radish. The peaches they had were from a farm in Fort Valley, Georgia.

The market is still looking for fresh prepared food vendors (pastas, dips, jellies, etc), bread, cheese, egg, and meat vendors, and we welcome more craft vendors as well. There are specific applications for each type, but the basics include that you must be a business, carry insurance, etc, grow, craft or make the product yourself and for prepared foods, food products, and breads that you are using a commercial kitchen. If you or someone you know thinks that they meet these requirements and would like an application or discuss joining our market as a vendor, please email Doug Williams at douglasmwilliams at yahoo dot com.

Find out how to be a Food Renegade.

Horse Camp

This past Friday was the end of another great week pf Horse Camp at Ellenwood Equestrian Center. Ellenwood is about a half hour south of Atlanta in Henry County.

The way it works; the kids are divided into groups with an older (teenager) helper that has experience working around and with horses. They have a different morning chore each day that is changed each day. This helps the kids understand the benefits of working together to finish a task. After that there is time to learn the fine art of Dressage or as the kids say riding horses. The emphasis is on saftey and there is a set protocol to tacking up, untacking and entering

the training ring. The kids are responsible for tacking up with the supervision of a helper. After the "horse riding" there is free time for swimming walking the trails through the woods or just general free time.

The preparation, clothing and condition of Simon and Isabelle after the day reminds me of my first job working in a hay field when I was a teenager.

The kids are outside all day and get the same minor abrasions and exposure to animals and insects that I got when I was a kid.

Workout of the Day (WOD)

Friday Rest Day

Had a day off from work, took a day off from training.

Thursday Yoga

Yoga for Cyclist with Chaz at Yogamazing.

Workout of the Day (WOD)

Wednesday Spin Class

One hour morning spin class at the East Lake YMCA