#145: Exponential Growth Using a Social Mission & Conscious Capitalism

Ben Vandenwymelenberg (VW), is the founder of Woodchuck USA and the author of The World Needs Your F*cking Ideas. Woodchuck USA specializes in wood products that can be presented as unique gifts. Items like customized wood paneling, journals, and other stationery are getting people’s attention because of the Buy One, Plant One program. The Buy One, Plant One program is the driving mission of Woodchuck USA. When a customer buys a Woodchuck USA product, Ben and his team plant a tree somewhere in the world. It is a business with a purpose and the future of a millennial driven economy. Ben tells me what inspired his book and why he thinks more people need to “release their inner entrepreneur.”

What you will learn:

• How Woodchuck USA began.
• The products and services provided by Woodchuck USA.
• Woodchuck USA’s social mission.
• The Buy One, Plant One program.
• Why the Buy One, Plant One program works.
• Finding the “why” in your company mission.
• Agreeing on a collective why company-wide.
• Why Ben believes social capitalism is the future of business.
• The 3 misconceptions Ben found when writing his book.
• How to release your inner entrepreneur and make a difference.
• Why you need employees who share your why.
• The concept of a Conscious Circle and how changing it can make all the difference.

Takeaways:

Does your company have a “why?” You should! Having a mission in your company adds value and profit to your company’s bottom line and reputation. Social capitalism is the future of business and essential for reaching the millennial consumer.

Links and Resources:

GEXP Collaborative
GEXP Accelerator Program
Ben’s website
Woodchuck USA
The World Needs Your F*cking Ideas: How to Start a Business That Will Save Our Universe by Ben VW
Conscious Capitalism, With a New Preface by the Authors: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business by John Mackey

About Ben:

Ben Vandenwymelenberg (VW) made his first wooden phone case in college. That unique item soon grew into a successful business that created creative wood products and a passionate mission. Ben and his team wanted to create American jobs and encourage a love of nature. Woodchuck USA’s Buy One, Plant One program has done just that. To date, Woodchuck has planted over 2 million trees worldwide and has become a flag carrier for the social capitalism movement.