Author’s note:  This post will be longer than usual, as it details a deeply personal journey and the real-world experience of creating a social enterprise startup – warts and all! As many of you know, RoundPeg is a co-founder of a social enterprise startup, Unit of Impact. Unit of Impact is a SaaS platform that […]

I am Emily Kane Miller. I’m the founder and CEO of Ethos Giving, a social impact strategy firm, and Ethos Tracking, our proprietary social impact data management platform. I started Ethos Giving three and a half years ago. I joke that my son and Ethos are twins because they were born on the same day. […]

Pilar Salazar is the co-founder of Costa Rica’s Bodhi Surf + Yoga, which encourages sustainable living through surfing, yoga, nature immersion, and community engagement. Why don’t you tell us about yourself and a little bit about the business’ beginnings in 2010. Pilar: I’m one of the co-founders of Bodhi Surf + Yoga. I come from […]

Reusable systems are undeniably a win for humans and the environment. And, as it turns out, they can also provide a unique opportunity for marketers… along with a few challenges. To highlight some of the lessons learned by businesses that are disrupting entire industries with their innovative reuse models, Roundpeg interviewed Shaun Zaken from Boomerang […]

Sophia Maroon is the Founder of Dress It Up, a salad dressing line developed from her mother’s original recipe. Why don’t you introduce yourself and your company? Sophia: My name is Sophia and I’m the founder of Dress It Up Dressing. I make a line of salad dressings. It’s the recipe that my mother fed […]

Learning from Founding Mothers in the B Corp community is at the core of what we do in this blog. Our most recent interview features Alisa Herr, Founder and CEO of Unity Web Agency. In 2020, Alisa has also co-founded a company called Unit with RoundPeg co-founder Polina Pinchevsky and Russ Stoddard, CEO at Oliver […]

RoundPeg recently conducted a survey with our partners at Oliver Russell of over 250 organizations made up of B Corps, Public Benefit Corporations, and other social enterprises. We did it because we were looking to see how many of them produce impact reports, how they go about it, and what they need help with. Along […]

It’s safe to say that 2020 was a challenge for most of us. But with all those lows also came some highs. Back in March, with so much loss of business, the uncertainty started to really settle in for us at Roundpeg. We thought that we may have to suspend our Peg Percent program as [...]

Are you working at a company with a Purpose? With the onset of Covid-19 and an evolving public that is more concerned with social justice than ever before, your company’s Purpose has likely been a topic of conversation recently.  Fortunately, we learned some key lessons about understanding your company’s Purpose and using it effectively from […]

RoundPeg recently conducted a survey with our partners at Oliver Russell of over 250 organizations made up of B Corps, Public Benefit Corporations, and mission-driven organizations. We did it because we were looking to see how many of them produce impact reports, and what they need help with. I took a close look at 12 […]

When we find ourselves in times of trouble, it’s tempting to lean on some favorite words of wisdom: Let it be. But when we find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic — with our personal and professional lives turned upside down, the economy slowed to a crawl, jobs lost, futures uncertain, and the agency […]

“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” – Lilla Watson* I am so moved by these words. I first heard them on a Zoom call with the Movement for Black Lives […]

At RoundPeg we like to think that whatever “it” is, we’re all in it together. And that’s never been more true than it is today, when the whole world is self-isolated, quarantined, locked down — or out in the Covid-19 world, doing essential work that keeps the rest of us afloat. So we thought we’d […]

Growing up in suburban Western Massachusetts, Eric Hudson always enjoyed the great outdoors. So although his professional life started in the finance and consulting industries, it’s no surprise that his love for the natural world inspired him to take a sharp professional turn toward preserving the environment. It all started in the early ’90s, when […]

There’s nothing quite like food as an avenue to culture and community. We love to share meals and recipes, and we believe the link between nourishment and nurturing is one that spans business and family life. So we were thrilled to get the chance to talk with Jennifer Piette, the CEO and founder of Narrative […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

#WeTheChange started as a declaration written by women CEOs of Certified B Corporations and other purpose-driven enterprises. Today, #WeTheChange has expanded into a global movement of women leaders using business as a force for good. On Giving Tuesday, #WeTheChange launched a fundraising campaign with the internal goal of raising $25,000 to seed future growth. At […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

In our fourth Founding Mothers blog post we talk to Joanne Sonenshine, the Founder + CEO of Connective Impact, an advisory firm aiding organizations in addressing social, environmental and economic development challenges using partnership strategies. Joanne is a development economist, as well as mother of two boys and the author of two books. Hi Joanne, […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

Perhaps you’ve seen our Conscious Consumerism posts that explore how to make environmentally and socially sound living and purchasing decisions. It’s part of our commitment to challenge conspicuous consumption by making buying responsibly the norm. We’ve addressed broad topics like travel and pets and we’ve always managed to handle the volume of product considerations with […]

In our ongoing series of interviews with Founding Mothers, we spoke with Olayinka Credle, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Melanin Essentials. Her entrepreneurial story is entwined with her motherhood one. From single mom undergraduate with a dream to a fully fledged business owner and dynamic Mother of three, hers is a truly impressive journey. The highlights […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

Being a certified B Corporation brings the value of customer service into laser focus. Using business as a force for good and treating customers honestly, ethically and respectfully go hand-in-hand. Gary Skulnik is the founder of Neighborhood Sun, a B Corp in the community solar energy sector located in Montgomery County, Maryland. We sat down […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

“I think every working mom probably feels the same thing: You go through big chunks of time where you’re just thinking, ‘This is impossible—oh, this is impossible.’ And then you just keep going and keep going, and you sort of do the impossible.” —Tina Fey Mother is a loaded word for all women. Regardless of […]

Since posting my first interview on this blog, Confessions of a Founding Mother, I have been laying the groundwork to connect more ‘Founding Mothers,’ particularly those in the B Corp world. Ahead of International Women’s Day I reached out to Caroline Duell of All Good, hoping she would share her experiences as a fellow B […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

An Outsider Perspective: B Corps Need to Tell Better Stories to Audiences Outside the B Corp Ecosystem It’s Sunday night. You’re watching your favorite TV show when all of a sudden a commercial comes on the screen, and it’s from a notoriously bad corporate actor. Its message is essentially, “Look! Look at the good we […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

This post is part of our Conscious Consumerism series to encourage our readers to live – and buy – responsibly. As marketers in the purpose economy, we see it as our job to help people make purchasing decisions that align with their values and contribute to the greater good. Want to learn more about our […]

What. A. Year! Thank you for being by our side as we were recognized on B Lab’s Best for the World list, brought awareness to the unique entrepreneurship of Founding Mothers, and launched our brand-new service, design team management consulting and training! We are so grateful to have you in our community. As a certified […]

In-house departments typically have many things in common. They’re usually run by a VP of Marketing or Communications — someone like you, who is generally very busy managing several people, reporting to the top executive, and being highly focused on delivering results. With all this and more on your plate, VPs simply don’t have time […]

Imagine this. You’re a junior designer, working at a job you like. You want to take your career to the next level and produce work that wows, but you’re not sure how to become a better designer — one that will ultimately lead award-winning creative teams. By now you’ve been around the block a few […]

Earlier this year, I participated in a panel discussion organized by AIGA DC titled Founding Mothers: A Conversation with Female Founders, which asked the question – Is starting and running a business really all that different for women? RoundPeg is, in many ways, typical of a Founding Mother enterprise, so it provides an ideal vantage [...]

These days, I find that I get pretty overwhelmed by the amount of information and advice that’s out there. I do online searches to see how to make my home more energy efficient. Read through lists on which fish are sustainable to buy. Research ways of reducing my use of plastics. All these searches and […]

This year (for the second year in a row!!!) we at RoundPeg are thrilled to be recognized by B Lab on the Best for the World list. This is a huge honor. Every year we’re newly awed and motivated by the brilliant companies that are leading the charge to show that business can be a force for […]

I met Sharon Rowe a few years back at the 2015 annual Champions Retreat organized by B Lab. Her spunk and friendly smile, her can-do attitude, and her willingness to share a wealth of experience and advice made me like her immediately. We chatted for a while and discovered we both hail from the New […]

No one doubts the power of advertising, though many see it as a necessary evil in a capitalist system to create dissatisfaction and promote consumerism. But there are countless examples of advertising being used as a force for good to promote social causes. Just look at all the campaigns created through Ad Council over the […]

The role of business in society is changing. Companies are now expected to be environmentally sustainable, or to at least have some type of corporate social responsibility program in place. Thankfully, increasing numbers of companies are looking more holistically at how their businesses can be socially responsible. Some are making deep commitments to balance people, […]

If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito. —Unknown   Ever wonder: how your small start-up can raise awareness of your brand or products? Or, how to introduce your company to a new audience of value-aligned potential customers in order to build your community? […]

Another year and a lot to be thankful for! We’re grateful you’ve been by our side as we launched our Purpose Potential Pulsecheck quiz and Purpose Driven workbook! Now that this tumultuous (cough politics) year is coming to a close, once again, we’ll be donating 1% of our profits to our community. To see where […]

Leadership. HR. Operations. Social Impact. If you work for a Purpose-driven (or Purpose-aspirational) business, you’ve probably seen how your company’s social impact Purpose helps focus decisions, attract and retain employees, make operations more sustainable, and create lasting change. As a marketing person, you may even be helping leadership and HR to articulate and embed Purpose […]

As a most improved impact business AND Best for the Long Term, we’re leading the race to the top of companies creating positive change. RoundPeg has long drawn inspiration from the businesses named to the B Corp Best for the World list. Our admiration (and a healthy dose of competitive spirit) pushed us to strive to […]

Would your company be missed if it disappeared tomorrow? Not your product, your company. If you’re not sure, ask yourself and your team: • Why do we exist? • What difference does our company make in the world and in the lives of others? As more socially responsible businesses form – and succeed – every […]

If you haven’t seen an article, listened to a talk or read an email that extols the ways that purpose is working for businesses like yours, you’re living under a rock. Type “business purpose” into Google, you’ll get over one billion search results (in 1.02 seconds). As a leader, this may have you questioning whether […]

Just as brand alignment and community formation occur when customers identify with the values a brand represents, there is a similar opportunity for social impact companies to connect with customers, and it’s on the basis of sustainability and social responsibility product certifications. Third-party certifications reflect values that can provide a compelling reason for your customers […]

Why do truly good brands need Purpose to connect with their consumers? Why now? And what’s next? The Boiling Point Podcast episode on Marketing Your Purpose has all the answers. Our discussion with hosts Greg Hemmings and Steve Kopp explored how companies with social Purpose can use marketing for good while building meaningful connections with customers. Nowadays, social responsibility isn’t […]

Why do people buy things? Our culture encourages consumption as a means to meet our needs. Let’s face it, though, “need” is a relative term these days. You’re probably familiar with psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. A quick refresher: the bottom of the hierarchy is comprised of “basic” needs for things such as food, […]

While I’m not a football fan (gasp!), like so many others, I always look forward to the Super Bowl commercials. They’re not just entertaining; they also provide a fairly well-informed glimpse into the American psyche. After all, the brands that spend up to $5 million for a 30-second spot hire advertising agencies with the ability […]

Since the concept of corporate social responsibility first hit the scene in the 1960s, the idea that businesses should look beyond the balance sheet and examine their impact on society has become increasingly mainstream. While entrepreneurs and businesses are thinking differently, nonprofits and government agencies that once cornered the market for social good are adapting […]

In 2007, Neil Grimmer became a dad. Determined to give his daughter a healthy start, Grimmer and his wife started pureeing the same food they enjoyed throughout the day for their daughter. It was healthy, it was tasty, it was a gustatory adventure and it definitely beat the jars of bland goop sold at the […]

A brand’s essential function is to help people differentiate between products and services with similar benefits. A well-cultivated brand has the power to do much more. Over time, a brand can become symbolic of a set of values and a value proposition that forms the brand’s promise. If the brand promise resonates with customers’ values, […]

In my last post, I argued for the importance of community level marketing. In this post, I’ll illustrate how to build a community by sharing guiding principles (Click to Tweet!). Finding Your Community Amplify Your Base The foundation of your community is the people already deeply committed to your cause. It’s tempting to take this audience […]

These days, most people distrust traditional advertising and are suspicious of paid media. When you throw in the growing purchasing power of millennials who have been shown to generally harbor a keen distrust of basically everyone, the problem is compounded for marketing professionals.

It’s time to face a harsh reality: social responsibility’s power as a differentiator for brands is waning. This is due in large part to the fact that so many brands have embraced it. Most people wouldn’t care if 74% of brands disappeared yet consumers increasingly demand responsibility. Seeing the way genuinely good companies use social responsibility […]

In her presentation at Sustainable Brands ’16 Janine Benyus, biologist and founder of (B Corp!) Biomimicry 3.8, describes the brilliance of biomimetic design and explores what nature can teach us about leadership. If you’re interested in nature or animals or design (or leadership lessons, of course), it’s a must-watch. Her talk got me thinking about […]

Giveaway alert: read to the end of this article to learn how to get FREE B Corp products to help you keep your cool as you get the kids back to school.

“No Julianne Moore’s housekeeper! Don’t do it!” That’s what ran through my head as the housekeeper in the movie [SAFE] sprayed an unidentified chemical cleaner on the serving plates. Fulvia (the housekeeper) was oblivious to the multiple chemical sensitivity Julianne Moore’s character, Carol, was developing. By the end of the movie, Carol had sequestered herself […]

Recently, one of our clients decided not to share a very “political” article on social media. The article took a stance advocating for less reductive language surrounding political views and suggested that alternative terms might frame a more nuanced and fruitful discussion around conflict resolution. I was surprised that the client didn’t want to share a perspective that fully aligned […]

Wait! You haven’t sent it yet, have you?! This is the question dreaded by all email marketers. It’s absurd and maddening but even simple messages that have been scrubbed in three rounds of review sometimes manage to escape the email platform with errors, leaving mayhem and embarrassment in their wake. Beyond diminishing the marketing message […]

This post from Mariana Hodges is part of our Partner Perspectives blog series. In this series, we’ll feature diverse voices answering question “How can for-benefit business collaborate with NGOs and nonprofits, government and traditional companies to create change?” What are your thoughts on the topic? Share them with [email protected] and you could be our next guest blogger! […]

What a world – water can be made edible, Donald Trump is an actual contender in the presidential election and dogs have blogs. It’s hard to know where to turn at times like this, and it’s equally hard to know what to read. Even if you rule out blogs written by canines, there are still an […]

Last Thursday I had the great pleasure of attending BLD: NYC B Corp Leadership Development 2016. Common beliefs and shared values are a wonderful part of any B Corp gathering, but it’s the creativity in approaches to using business as a force for good that I find really intriguing. The most illuminating conversations I have […]

Don’t call them “students.” The kids who participate in Arts on the Block programming certainly attend school – usually high school – but they aren’t students in the context of the Silver Spring, MD, arts space I’m visiting. They’re the artists we’ve commissioned to design a piece for our new conference room. And right now, […]

SPEAK, MEMORY –  Of the cunning hero,  The wanderer, blown off course time and again After he plundered Troy’s sacred heights… Okay – this story doesn’t actually begin with the same lines as The Odyssey. It does, however, contain epic deeds, scary behemoths and a legendary hero (of sorts). On May 11, the B Local: […]

This post from Kimberley Jutze is part of our Partner Perspectives blog series. In this series, we’ll feature diverse voices answering question “How can for-benefit business collaborate with NGOs and nonprofits, government and traditional companies to create change?” What are your thoughts on the topic? Share them with [email protected] and you could be our next guest blogger! […]

Hello down there. My, life must feel different in the TRADITIONAL business world. Are you having fun with your money? Your environmental degradation? Your purposeless pursuit of profit? I thought so. Excuse me while I bask in the way I’ve infused my business operations so effectively with my social Purpose. I’d love to chat more […]

In ancient Greece, the Olympic ceremony was linked to the cult of Zeus and though athletes were [obviously] mortal, victory immortalized them. We don’t involve Zeus in today’s athletic festivities, but there’s still a sense of awe and admiration elicited by athletic accomplishment. People like Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and Pele do things that shatter […]

I heard a radio segment about start-up culture in Silicon Valley that described how entrepreneurs there wear business failures like badges of honor. Rather than hiding a failed venture, they celebrate it as a stepping-stone to the next big thing. It actually gives them more cred with investors. Since I don’t live in California or […]

In the past I’ve talked about using water, sand and snow and ice to create outdoor advertisements. This time around, I’ll reveal tips and tricks to help marketers generate messages with the pigment-and-binder solutions known to laymen as “paint.” The first thing you should know about his technique is that it involves applying various kinds […]

A few years ago, I had a surreal experience at a large business development conference for marketing and ad agencies. As someone who has spent my career marketing for social good, mixing with more “traditional” marketers was an eye-opening experience. In some ways it was exactly what I expected, and in others ways it wasn’t. […]

Sometimes I’m lucky and good ideas pop up out of the blue. More often, I find I have to use a combination of techniques and tenacity to get at my best and most innovative thoughts. Purpose-driven organizations often need thinkers who are especially inventive. Whether they’re trying to do more with less or do things […]

This post from Brad Zarnett is part of our Partner Perspectives blog series. In this series, we’ll feature diverse voices answering question “How can for-benefit business collaborate with NGOs and nonprofits, government and traditional companies to create change?” What are your thoughts on the topic? Share them with [email protected] and you could be our next guest blogger! […]

A number of articles have explored why so many women start social enterprises, but fewer have examined why so many social enterprises focus on helping women. Last week, I had the pleasure of chatting about the topic with Annie Brown, a freelance marketing consultant and former Editor in Chief at Microfinance Focus. Annie studied women’s […]

Can your website really change the world? It can certainly help further your business’ Purpose and inspire like-minded people all over the world to join you by becoming your customers. As long as your business operates to achieve a social mission, there’s no reason your website can’t generate change.

This post from Melissa Schweyer is the first in our Partner Perspectives blog series. In this series, we’ll feature diverse voices answering question “How can for-benefit business collaborate with NGOs and nonprofits, government and traditional companies to create change?” What are your thoughts on the topic? Share them with [email protected] and you could be our next […]

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – ’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” – Mark Twain

I am so pleased to tell the world that Shepherd’s Table is RoundPeg’s Peg Percent recipient for 2015.

Be honest – I promise not to tell your spouse / partner / Tinder date – do you love a brand? A recent study compared the experience of interpersonal love to the experience of brand love to determine whether people love brands in the same way that they love people.

1. You publish something. via GIPHY 2. And nothing happens. via GIPHY 3. But you’re totally willing to give the crowds time to react. via GIPHY 4. Seriously – you don’t mind waiting. via GIPHY 5. But then you start to worry: what if people have seen what you published and they just don’t care? via […]

The vast majority of companies are trying to convince us that they’re “good” for the world and the people in it. Some do this by starting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs or engaging in cause marketing, others establish themselves as social enterprises or pursue one of the many available certifications. It’s easy to take these […]

In the spirit of winter, I’m going to share a few ways that you can use snow and ice to create outdoor advertising. Like other forms of natural media, these materials have a small impact on the environment but a big impact your audience.

If you’ve been following my other posts, you already have 45 resources to inspire you and bolster your stock of visual assets. Now, it’s time to get stuff done.

For a populace inundated by digital ads, television ads and print ads, guerrilla marketing stands out immediately. If it’s creative and fresh, it stands out even more. For those unafraid to think creatively there are innumerable possibilities for on-the-ground, real-life, super-creative marketing campaigns.

I thought that I would leave the Disney princesses behind when I became an adult, but the truth is that I still see a lot of them. Even if I’m not seeking out Frozen on the free movie channels, I still see the princesses all over Buzzfeed, my favorite guilty-pleasure site.

Early on in my life as a parent, I happened upon an important phrase in one of the many parenting books I read. I didn’t know it at the time, but that phrase would go on to serve me well in many different tense moments. It goes like this: “If I had a magic wand, […]

In this blog post, I’ll look at three advertising techniques that use common sand. These do-it-yourself techniques are easy to execute, very affordable, minimally harmful and hugely impactful.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – Proverb 

When John Elkington coined the term “triple bottom line” in 1994, he provided a needed framework for businesses wanting to focus on more than profit alone.

While professional designers can build visuals from scratch, not everyone has that option. If you need to find an image for your website, create a graphic quote for social media or balance the text in a presentation, you have to get creative with what already exists.

Companies of all kinds have to grapple with the pagination vs. unlimited scrolling dilemma when designing their websites. That said, B Corps and other purpose-driven businesses have a few unique considerations to address. To determine which format makes sense for your for-benefit company, think about the content on your website as well as your users’ […]

At one time or another, each of us has felt the dull throb of emptiness when tasked with a project outside our area of expertise. We wonder: Where do I begin? How can I formulate a good idea? Something memorable and impactful that will really resonate and make change?

Each week in Europe, outdoor advertising consumes 3 million square meters of paper (over 32 million square feet). If a year’s worth of these outdoor ads were taped together to form a single sheet of paper one meter wide, it would wrap around the planet 3.9 times.

If you run a B Corp, social enterprise or other for-benefit business, your employees should be heading to the office every day (okay, most days) with a spring in their step. Galvanized by their sense of purpose, they should be excited by their work, engaged in what they’re doing and happier in general. Are they?

If you don’t know what a campogo is, don’t be alarmed – it’s a portmanteau I made up to describe a campaign logo, or the visual identifier that represents a particular campaign.

The Institute for Placebo Studies published a fascinating study about placebo drug effects on patients with Parkinson’s disease. Patients performed significantly better if they believed that the experimental drug cost $1,500 instead of $100.

There was innovation. There was collaboration. There was free beer! Last week, we joined several other B Corps in the Mid Atlantic region to present #DiscoverDoing – How People Like You Are Changing The World.

A magical thing happens when customers experience a company’s brand promise of Purpose: they start to think of the company as one they can trust. One that cares about them. One they can rely on. And then, not only do they start to tell the story of their experience to anyone who will listen, they […]

The things that we’re not “supposed” to talk about are laughably dependent on context. Take, for instance, my short stint as a sorority girl during which advisors warned us to avoid conversing about any of the five Bs during recruitment: Bitches (gossip), Boys, ‘Bama (Politics), Bucks (Money) and Booze (Partying).

The Purple Cow is something of a modern-day marketing classic. Initially published in 2003, Seth Godin’s book argues that inundating consumers with ads is no longer effective and that to succeed, marketers have to sell products that are themselves remarkable.

If you’re starting or growing a business, you’re probably focused on product development, sales models and company culture. Whether or not you’re making a conscious effort though, you’re also building a brand.

June was B The Change in Our Communities month and B Corp employees all over the country are shedding their office attire, strapping on their sneakers and setting out to make positive change.

The relationship between art and activism is a long one. After all, even artists aiming for objectivity have to make decisions about what to represent and how to represent it. That said, many artists set out to make a bold statement and marketers can learn a lot from their techniques.

How do you enter a market that’s already oversaturated with products or services similar to yours? You know you need to get noticed, but can you get noticed without spending a fortune? Should you allocate all your marketing dollars to advertising and direct mail like the competition does? Should you hire a PR firm to […]

It seems like more companies than ever are organizing hands-on volunteering opportunities for their employees. In this post, I’ll share some of the lessons we learned during our most recent volunteer experience to help you make the most of your own efforts.

Okay, okay – I know it’s a bold headline but after reading Brand Thinking for our book club meeting, I honestly think it’s true. In Brand Thinking, Debbie Millman collects a series of interviews investigating the art and science of branding. Based on the principles the book establishes and consumers’ rapidly shifting views of sustainability, I predict a major transformation of […]

Have you heard of the butterfly effect? Coined by mathematician Edward Lorenz, the term refers to the idea that something as small as the beating of a butterfly’s wings can alter the course of a hurricane. It’s the idea that little changes now can make a big difference later.

Max Wohlgemuth Kitslaar can easily tell you about what he has done and what he’s doing but it’s harder for him to describe exactly what he does.

The other day I was bopping along, doing my content-marketing-specialist thing when a headline attacked me. It demanded to know “Can Women Lead The Social Enterprise Revolution?” I thought the question was strange but continued reading.

What if you had a friend who did your grocery shopping for you? A friend more accommodating than your real friends — one with no qualms about driving to local farms, recommending healthy options and, if you wanted, even planning meals for you and your family.

Most organizations take the “if we build it, they will come” approach to rolling out sustainability programs, but employees traditionally don’t look to their employer to help them live more sustainably.

In honor of Earth Day (it’s tomorrow!), we would like to spotlight four [fairly recent] campaigns promoting environmental initiatives.

I know it’s actually 2015 but I couldn’t pass up the chance to share a wonderful resource I just found from GOOD Magazine that profiles their GOOD 100 from 2014. Call me retro I guess!

Recently I spoke with several B Corp owners to learn about the role mission plays in their marketing. Over and over again, they told me that despite having no marketing plan, no marketing staff and no outside marketing consultant, they were hiring PR firms. 

Do any of these statements sound familiar?

Ever find yourself stuck in a rut, searching for a spark of inspiration to ignite your enthusiasm and creativity?

I’ve talked to police officers, Chief Executive Officers and security officers, but last Friday was the first time I ever talked to a Storytelling Officer.

A casual conversation with a couple of other Pegs about International Women’s Day (March 8) made me realize how many compelling campaigns we’ve seen around women’s issues this past year.

Since the concept of corporate social responsibility first hit the scene in the 1960s, the idea that businesses should look beyond the balance sheet and examine their impact on society has become increasingly mainstream.

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” A bit blunt, perhaps, but George Bernard Shaw makes a good point

“Audit” is a term that inspires many feelings including fear, dread and even panic. I know that’s how I felt when B Lab, the organization that certifies and oversees B Corporations (B Corps), notified us that RoundPeg had been selected for an audit.

Some companies are easy to love – whether it’s their mission, their ingenuity or their products, they pretty much “have us at hello.” In observance of Valentine’s Day, I’d like to tell you about RoundPeg’s very first Company Crush: fellow B Corp Better World Books!