My Passion for Right Livelihood

Back in the 1990’s, when I first started working, there was a belief that some of the world’s most complex problems could be solved by out-of-the-box business thinking: by creating businesses rooted in values that honored the environment, respected people’s work and earned a profit.

I worked for businesses like this. Whole Foods - before it became a publicly traded company that was taken over by Amazon. Yogi Tea - back when it was serving up Ayurvedic formulas while helping develop some of the first organic spice farms in the world. Nonprofit organizations like SikhNet - which still serve and inspire a global spiritual community.

My journey has been about the search for right livelihood - being part of grand experiments that valued right livelihood as part of their foundational vision. I was blessed to be part of the journey for some well known brands.

It is my belief that a commitment to right livelihood can lead to healthy businesses that serve people at all levels. The problem is that a good vision may attract prosperity but then that prosperity becomes a lure for people who want the money but don’t care about the values.

This strange cycle of “Vision - Prosperity - Hostile capture - Exploitation” is something I have witnessed throughout my career.

In my view, the biggest need of the time is to develop value-centered leadership: leaders who know how to balance values and vision with profit, rather than sacrificing values and vision to maximize profit.

As I come into the autumn years of my life, I have a passion to share what I have learned with those who would like to become value-based leaders. This means providing educational opportunities and mentorship that help you develop your capacity to be a values-based and financially responsible leader.

I am also a life-long practitioner of Kundalini Yoga (34 years and counting). Understanding how to activate one’s inner creative power and realize one’s human potential is an integral part of my world view. The programs I offer will look at history, finance and leadership models. Other aspects of the program will be experiential through the practice of Kundalini Yoga.