The Kind of Capitalist You Want to Be

Some years ago I was on a panel with other former recipients of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award. The conversation had moved into the territory of what it really takes to succeed as a business builder. I expressed my deep conviction that business leadership could not be only about maximizing profits for shareholders; it had to deliberately pursue the many other positive impacts good businesses have on their stakeholders. It didn’t take long for the guy next to me to react. “What John just told you,” he announced to the room, “is a load of crap. Business has always been about money, and it always will be.”