Dear past self,

Business is not what you think it is. Business doesn’t always have to do with which company makes the most profit, though that’s what it may look like on the surface. Profit doesn’t always have to come at the expense of the environment, women’s self-esteem, and taking money out of the hands of people who already have so little. Business done right is ethical. Business done right supports the environment, the people who work at the organization, and society at large. The problem is that we only talk about businesses that make profit off those who don’t have enough -- the businesses who make profit in spite of and because of a struggling economy. And the businesses that try to make a difference, that take a step in a different direction, are laughed at, because we see corporations as inherently evil.

I’m here to tell you that all of the misery that’s been caused as a result of business isn’t necessarily because people who work in businesses are morally corrupt (though, admittedly, some are). It’s because of the way a corporation came to be structured during the Industrial Revolution. Many of the thought pieces were written by men who were only concerned with overall production and profit. Production and profit. Every business model after that was concerned with the “training” (you know, like a dog?) of employees and ensuring that the business was functional and productive.

Productivity and profit are certainly important in a business, but they can’t be the only concern. When they are, you get EpiPens that are $600. You get big corporations suing small farmers for using their seeds without their permission. Yes, the problem is greed. But the real problem is that corporations were structured to be greedy. Those who are fast and greedy have the highest success. So, what do we do about it?

I don’t have the answers to that yet. All I need you to know is that you need to have a more open mind. Do some research, do some study on your own. Businesses can and have changed a lot in the world for good. You just have to come at it with the right intentions and from the right angle. Sometimes changes have to be made from the inside. And if you decide to work from the inside, that radical activist mindset that you have only works if you know how to communicate effectively. It only works if you can work the lingo. Remember: Business done right is ethical. Business done right supports society at large.

Love,

An MBA student