We can learn from brands

In today’s world, people are competing to make good money and have an impact at the same time. However, this phenomenon's first turning point occurred in the 1890s. It was called the rise of philanthropy when American industrialist Andrew Carnegie famously pronounced, “The man who dies rich, dies disgraced.” (Paul and Rabbat, 2021:29). Fast forward to the 2010s, and there was a rising period of conscious capitalists. In 2012, Kapor Capital came up with the idea of yoking investment dollars to social change. That was not a novel concept. Socially progressive mutual funds have been around for a long time (Lyonn, 2018: 202). In addition, Kapor believes impact investing might accomplish things that nonprofits and philanthropic organizations cannot achieve.

Today’s business, as of 2022-2023 Interbrand Reports, is competing to be a leadership brand. It means they want their business and brand to be not only trendsetters but also leaders, so people will follow them. Furthermore, in order to be a great leader, making good money is not enough. A great leader has an impact on the community. Andrew Stewart, the Executive Director of Interbrand, stated that apparently, similar to Kapor’s vision. "Since the 2010s, brands started thinking about creating an ecosystem for their consumers, and since the 2020s, they started moving forward to think about how their brand could be an act of leadership," said Stewart. 

There is a brand named Pyopp Fledge that I really admire. This is Indonesia's first adult barefoot footwear brand. The founders are Arie and Jacqualine, a married couple. When Alicia, their daughter, was 16 months old, doctors diagnosed her with flat feet. Long story short, the situation has been an initial inspiration to build Pyopp (way before the Pyopp Fledge), a kid’s shoe designed to replicate barefoot as closely as possible. According to the website, the journey was not smooth. They received a ton of criticism from people around them because of the product's design. “The soles are too thin," “The shoes do not support the feet very well," etc. To be different is more than challenging. Indeed.

Nevertheless, time by time, either Arie or Jacqualine never stops spreading the importance of the product and improving it day by day as well. Furthermore, they began to expand the product to include not only children but also adults. The key rationale for their innovation is the fact that 40–60% of the world population suffers from flat feet. In addition, Russian scientists in different years revealed flat feet in 20–30% of the examined children (Galkin, 2017). Through their brand with a niche consumer, Pyopp is not only selling their footwear product but also amplifying a campaign named #AlmostBareFoot, encouraging people to start taking care of their feet’s health in order to generate a better quality of life.

Arie and Jacqualine have an obvious value: they intend to contribute to better health and well-being through their products. It's something I genuinely admire. And they show me lucidly that it is possible for a brand to make good money and have an impact at the same time. Live within the brand's leadership. 

To be frank, the idea of being a leadership brand is not effortless. According to Interbrand, there are five elements to being a great brand leader: people start to look up to and follow the brand. It starts with notice, trust, enjoy, need, and follow. Moreover, these five elements are applicable in many settings. It could be applicable to nonprofits, small businesses, the private sector, or even individuals who, in their journey, become good leaders. Let’s apply this framework to individual contexts first.

How do you define what a good leader is?
Picture credit to: reform-magazine.co.uk

To be a good leader, the first thing is to ensure people notice us. How? Start by connecting with as many people as possible around you. Your co-workers, your classmates, and your voluntary mates. Expand your network! Furthermore, show people the best version of yourself. Your values, your ambitions, and your goals. And more practical, if you have any specific knowledge, skill, or competence, soar them. It is imperative not only to make people notice you but also to cultivate the second step: trust. 

Collin Powell once said, “Trust is the essence of leadership.” When people start to trust you, it means you’ve built a good reputation. It also requires persistence. The third step is 'to enjoy'. From a brand’s point of view, they will purchase and enjoy the product after getting familiar with it.

For instance, I started to enjoy my waterproof shoes from the brand Vessi because I noticed the brand's functionality and trusted their quality after reading the reviews from other consumers, including my friend. I bought a pair, and I had my own experience. When we can bring something impactful to others, whether it be comfort, input, or even sharing similar values, people will enjoy our presence. Additionally, when we are able to sustain this, we can take it to the next level: meeting their needs. People around us start asking for your opinions, contacting you when they need a brainstorming buddy, or referring you to other circles. From this point, we are just one step away until people look up to us and follow us. You may start with your inner circle, move up to the micro-context, and step up to the macro-context to contribute to society, along with other great leaders. “We have no energy to solve all things,” stated Ekin Yasin, Director of Communication Leadership. In today’s setting, collaborating is not overrated!