Trying for brevity here, otherwise I’ll keep going on and on, but need to provide enough details for you all.
My dream: Start a business that allows me to shift work conditions for the better and “change the world” (really just the US). Lead by example with 4 day work week, 32 hours, 100% pay, better benefits and programs (i.e. parental leave, two week company holiday in summer), and cap executive pay to help raise the tide for all employees. No more C suites making 200:1. Productivity has increased so much more than wage growth and benefits haven’t trickled down.
Challenges: To do this with just one company would require me to grow a company significantly and fast. I have a number of ideas but not sure any that would grow to the level that makes us a major player in the overall landscape.
Other companies are starting to do this as well, but that’s all good. Never wanted to be the only one.
Crazy Compromise: A company that has some non-profit vibes, but would seek profit. I won’t spill all the beans, but the crazy part is to seek donations to create an investment fund that we use to invest in companies that implement the policies and benefits we want to see grow and spread. Main focus is 4 day, 32 hour work week, and a better executive to employee pay ratio.
Target audience for this fund would be gen z and millennials. Young enough with the spunk to change the world they’ll grow into, and/or those with little kids that see the value of more personal time. Even if we converted 1% of these folks, a monthly donation of $5 across a year creates a fund of $50m or more (per year). From an investment perspective, this would allow us to help numerous companies that create more opportunities for people to get benefits they deserve while also helping entrepreneurs. And this definitely allows us to have a much bigger impact than starting a physical goods or SaaS company.
How crazy is this? Would you, and the larger population, donate in this fashion? I expect most people to say it’s too crazy, but even that 1% can help fight against the 1%.