It is axiomatic that in business you can do well by doing good. In his book Do the KIND Thing, Daniel Lubetzky, an entrepreneur known for his KIND snack bars among other accomplishments, has modified this adage by proposing what he calls “the AND philosophy,” which suggests that businesses need not make a choice between being successful or socially responsible, but that they can actually be profitable and “socially impactful.”
Do the KIND Thing is both a manual for the socially conscious entrepreneur and a memoir of a first-generation American who lives the American dream. In his book, Lubetzky shares his personal experiences and his family background. They are the foundation upon which he built not only a successful business but also an organization designed to improve the lives of people everywhere, and particularly in the Middle East.
Daniel Lubetzky was born in 1968 in Mexico City. His father was a Holocaust survivor from Lithuania and his mother was the Mexican-born daughter of Polish immigrants. The family eventually moved to the United States, where Daniel was educated at Trinity University and Stanford University Law School. This background, particularly his father’s experiences, had a profound effect upon him and made him want to further the cause of peace and understanding among nations. In his book, Lubetzky recalls some of the experiences he had while living in Israel and discusses the creation of his Peace Works Foundation and One Voice Movement. It still is his dream to bridge the gap between Israel and her neighbors by means of developing mutually beneficial joint ventures.
The foundation upon which Lubetzky builds his entrepreneurial activities consists of what he describes as his Ten Tenets. The first of these is “to advance both social and business objectives in unison.” The remaining nine, each of which he thoroughly expounds in the book, are purpose, truth and discipline, keeping it simple, originality, transparency and authenticity, empathy, and trust and ownership.
Throughout the book, Lubetzky introduces the reader to some of the pivotal men and women who have influenced him and contributed to his successes. His style is largely conversational and he is honest in discussing not only his successes but also a number of failures he experienced along the way.
Some may want to read Do The KIND Thing as a guide to establishing and operating a socially conscious business, while others may read it simply for an insight into the life of a remarkable man. Either way, it will surely inspire you to do more of the kind thing.
Related Content:
- Read an excerpt of Do the KIND Thing here.
- Jewish Ethics & Social Justice: A Guide for the 21st Century by Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz
- Tiny Dynamo: How One of the World’s Smallest Countries is Producing Some of Our Most Important Inventions by Marcella Rosen
