I understand completely because I used to think that way too. Let me tell you how I know that line of thought is setting you up for failure...

I got my start on Wall Street, using my MBA in Finance to manage investments for high net worth individuals. There, I discovered something surprising: socially responsible investments could actually outperform non-socially responsible ones. It’s human nature to be attracted to those businesses doing good and making a positive impact in the world.

I fell in love with the companies that cared about their impact on people and cared about the planet, even earning the nickname The Granola Stock Girl. My coworkers would make fun of me daily: “You’ll never make money selling virtue.

If you want to earn, you’ve got to start selling vice stocks instead.” Boy, were they wrong! (More on that later…)

After the financial crisis, all the big name banks started to close, and everyone began getting laid off. Soon clients were calling in a panic wondering if their investments were safe. In fact I started to wonder if the information I was receiving internally and sharing with my clients was even true.

The reality of the situation forced me to re-examine my path. I knew I needed something with more integrity and without a back-up plan, I quit. In that moment, I made a promise to myself: that I was going to do something that I believed in, that I felt good about, and that I could get excited about again.

Luckily, on my free time I had worked closely to help someone open a 100% organic restaurant (way before it was the mainstream). After I quit he invited me to help him grow his business, and I became co-owner.

Customers came in droves, bringing other people to share in what we had created, because they believed in what we did and it represented their world view.

The neighboring restaurants would ask, “Everyone else is closing. What are you doing differently?”

“This is what happens when you do something people believe in and love to support. It’s the future of business,” I said.

Without even trying, I began helping other green business entrepreneurs navigate profitability and purpose, growing their businesses in ways that felt good and bettered the planet. Now I’m blessed to do it on a bigger scale.

Purposeful businesses are more likely to earn customer loyalty, a good reputation, and more profits because:

In my fantasy future, the terms “socially responsible,” “green business,”  "ethical brands", and “socially conscious business” wouldn’t need to exist. All businesses would naturally be built this way.