Have you enjoyed an experience at Whole Foods Market?

Written by William Steele, Co-Founder of Supply Pay

Original Post HERE.

As part of the Principled Business Accelerator program, we were encouraged to read "Conscious Capitalism", an essay written by Mr. John Mackey, one of the founders of Whole Foods Market.

It was such a pleasant read. Many of the points were incredibly relevant to what my team and I are building at Supply Pay. We were founded on the idea of providing value to farmers in Mexico who sell their goods to the U.S.

My favorite section is where Mr. Mackey discusses their core values—the sub-section titled "Suppliers are Partners" is spot on! Here are a few of the highlights, but don't stop here, I encourage every entrepreneur to read the full essay.

Some highlights:

-Business as a Force for Good: Companies are not machines designed solely for profit. Instead, they are ecosystems where stakeholders—customers, employees, investors—must all thrive together.

-Purpose-Driven Success: Great businesses are built on deeper purposes beyond profit. Service, discovery, excellence, and changing the world are the driving forces behind lasting success.

-Voluntary Exchange: The foundation of ethical business is voluntary exchange, where value is created for all stakeholders, not just shareholders.

-Profits Through Purpose: Profit is a byproduct of focusing on long-term value creation—happy customers, employees, and communities ensure sustained success.

-A New Business Paradigm: Conscious capitalism replaces outdated profit-first thinking with a holistic approach, recognizing the interdependence of all stakeholders.