189: Jim Geikie on creating a positive impact with One Better Ventures

Marketing Today with Alan Hart

During this 189th episode of “Marketing Today,” host Alan Hart interviews Jim Geikie, one of the partners One Better Ventures. This recording took place before a live audience in Durham, NC. Jim spent 18 years Unilever, then joined Burt's Bees, where he led retail strategy, brand marketing, business development. He also led Cree's entry into consumer lighting and the commercial strategy for skincare maker, Lalumiere.

One Better Ventures nurtures and develops consumer brands that have a positive impact on the world. They advise, invest in, and incubate mission-driven ventures with breakthrough sustainable business models.

Jim shares the importance of purpose for the success of companies. "The world is full of problems, and there is nothing more powerful on the planet than business." He discusses the obligation for companies to leave the world a better place as they make profits. One Better Ventures has the ability to "play this nice balance of avoiding work we aren't good at, working a stage that we're good at, and being able to hand off appropriately."

Highlights from this week's “Marketing Today”:

• How purpose directly impacts profit. 03:50
• The way you can get big without "selling out." 07:07
• The high BS meter of consumers. 08:25
• One Better Ventures focus on "growth stage" ventures. 09:05
• 5 things that matter when One Better Ventures looks at in potential companies. 13:02
• One Better Ventures's focus on the health and wellness business. 15:43
• Key "exits" for One Better Venture and 3 important lessons learned. 18:11
• What's next for One Better Ventures? 21:42

Resources Mentioned:

• One Better Ventures
• Milton Freidman
• Phil Harvey Marketing Today episode
• Burt's Bees
• Unilever
• LaLumiere
• Seventh Generation

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