#215 - Can Purpose-Driven Business Fix Capitalism? with Davis Smith of Cotopaxi

The Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Podcast

If you’ve traveled, you’ve seen the destructive nature of capitalism. But can we lean into it and still make an impact? Better yet, can we use it as the very instrument for change?

Davis Smith joins us today to share his story and emphasize the possibility of building a thriving business with a focus on social impact. Davis is the Founder and CEO of Cotopaxi, an outdoor gear brand with a humanitarian mission.

In this episode, he breaks down the methodology behind a purpose-driven business and the potential it has to effect change. Growing up in South America and being exposed to extreme poverty really informed Davis’ passion for impact, and he shares his fascinating path to linking social impact with business.

Davis illustrates what the world would look like if more businesses operated according to the Cotopaxi framework, and illuminates how, from his experience of sourcing investments, it seems to be women who have a greater understanding of impact and the future of business.

We also discuss the responsibility of the consumer to make a change, along with the nuances of where businesses are failing and how they can shift gears to move from destruction and extraction to meaningful impact!

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