Is "compassionate capitalism" possible? In today's episode, I'm joined by Blaine Bartlett, an author and leading executive coach, trainer and consultant to Fortune 100 companies around the world. Join us as we dive deep into the heart and history of capitalism--and explore how empathy is the key to its evolution and survival (and ours too). Some topics covered in this episode:

Compassion as the practice of meeting people at the point where they are "fully alive"

What is real "value creation"?

The history of "self-interest" in capitalism (and how it gave birth to the modern "sociopathic" business)

How an individual business can impact society's standards of the "greater good"

The critical inter-dependence of stakeholders, customers, and shareholders for long term business survival

How a compassion-centered business can succeed in an environment of predatory capitalism

What does it mean to run a business exceptionally well?

Becoming aware of the narratives we personally live by (and their power to create our world)

Today I’m talking with a co-founder, who not long ago was fresh out of college with his partner, looking at big career offers in consulting and finance… and they gave it all up to become mushroom farmers. The twist? Last year—only four years after starting in a fraternity kitchen--their business did $3.3 million in sales.

My guest’s name is Nikhil Arora, and their business is called Back to the Roots. Their Mushroom Kits and AquaFarms are sold in over 2,500 retailers around the country, including Whole Foods, Home Depot, Costco, even Toys R Us.

But what really makes these guys cool, is their passion for what they do. They’re on a mission to educate people and make food personal again...

Successful entrepreneur and media pioneer Max Simon shares his recipe for blending deep personal meaning, contribution, and success. After building Deepak Chopra's budding products division into a multi-million dollar business, Max left several years ago to create his own purpose-driven enterprise. In this interview, he shares some of the valuable lessons he has learned about entrepreneurship-- including how business can be an excellent opportunity for personal and spiritual growth (and in what ways it's not). Some of the topics covered include:

Discovering the “fuel source” that motivates you in your work or business (understanding it has a lot to do with your level of fulfillment and success)

The “big secret” that most people starting out either don’t know (or won’t acknowledge) that is the key to achieving what you want.

How do you market and promote your business with integrity?

Max's experience losing his entire $80,000 inheritance trying to build a failed business (and ironically, how the experience is very similar to growing a successful one).

Doing vs learning (getting the right balance)

Plus a lot more!

In this episode, I talk with Winston Chen, a former executive at a software company, who chose to leave his job and move to a beautiful remote island with his wife and two children for one year. The experience not only deepened his connection with his family and reconnected him with his passions--it also led him to create his own dream business.