Joe Lonsdale
Joe Lonsdale: American Optimist
Ep 15: Whole Foods Founder & CEO John Mackey: Conscious Capitalism and Repairing America's Division
0:00
Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -39:53
-39:53

Ep 15: Whole Foods Founder & CEO John Mackey: Conscious Capitalism and Repairing America's Division

   In 1978, John Mackey co-founded his first natural foods store in Austin, Texas with only $45,000. Two years later, he and his business partners launched the first Whole Foods Market, which quickly became the nation's fastest-growing organic grocery store. In 2017, Amazon acquired the company for over $13 billion.

   In this episode, the Whole Foods Founder and CEO discusses his journey from democratic socialism to "Conscious Capitalism" -- the title of his book in defense of free markets and how business, conducted properly, can elevate humanity. He also explains the cultural divide in America today as a clash of three worldviews - traditional, modern, and progressive - and describes how we can pull the best wisdom from each to bridge division and continue to move our society forward.

Discussion about this podcast

Joe Lonsdale
Joe Lonsdale: American Optimist
American Optimist, hosted by Joe Lonsdale: entrepreneur, investor, and founder of four multi-billion dollar companies and other mission-driven organizations. American Optimist is an alternative to the fear, cynicism, and zero-sum thinking in mainstream media. Learn from the innovators and leaders who are solving our nation’s most pressing challenges, and doing it in a way that will lift everyone up. Hope should dominate our discourse, and American Optimist will show you why.