If I were to start a company now…
If I were to start a company now, my approach would be radically different than the past two times I’ve been in this position. Here are some of the ways I would do things differently than I've tried before:
Why, Who, How, THEN What - We would start by tackling the important “Why?” questions like, “Why are we doing this?” “Why now?” “Why us?” and from this reflection, we would settle on an explicit and unanimously supported mission. From that mission, comes the values that can act as a guide to finding those who are in alignment. Only then would we begin discussing the How and What of the business. The How would be influenced by factors like: the underlying mission, our unique skills and talents, and the resources we collectively have access to. This approach allows the What of the business to be flexible and evolve to accommodate opportunities as they arise.
Collective ownership - Gone are my days of aspiring to sit at the top of some imaginary business empire. I would rather help create an organization that is led and owned, in some capacity, by everyone involved. I want to build a community in which the risk of set backs is a burden we all share, and the rewards of success are also shared. Bringing in a new member to the business would therefore be considered with great care and discussion.
Participatocracy - The amount of influence someone has on important decisions within the group, as well as their portion of pay-out, would be directly impacted by the amount of time and effort they have invested in the group.
Complete financial transparency - Everyone (including customers) would be able to see where our money comes from and goes to - from material costs, wages, donations, and everything in between.
Ethical Sourcing and Operations - With a strong focus on the impact our choices have on the planet, we will prioritize ethically-sourced materials and environmentally beneficial operations over cheaper/faster alternatives.
Rotating Leadership - Leadership roles (and likely other roles) would be temporary and rotate within the group. Leaders would have a maximum term limit, and subject to the vote of the rest of the group.
NOTAFLOF - Admittedly one of my more radical convictions is the concept of NOTAFLOF: “No One Turned Away For Lack Of Funds” - We will design our business model in a way that allows us to give customers the option to pay a lower price, pay nothing at all, or participate in a time-exchange. I want to design an anti-capitalist business that is not focused on making a profit, but truly aims to have an impact on the welfare of those it serves.
Learning Mindset - We will support each other’s continued education and frame mistakes as learning opportunities.
Restorative practices - We will invest time into caring for each other. This includes frequent check-ins and creating safe spaces for vulnerable conversation. Everyone will have access to multiple channels of communication with each other, with a robust variety of ways to have their voice heard and to get their needs accommodated.
Intentional change - We will decide with intention what aspects of our business can change, and commit to consistency for those aspects that we do not want to change.