Selling Without Selling Out Conference:
How the conference came to be

Terry Mollner had the idea that it would be valuable for many, particularly those who currently own socially responsible businesses and may end up selling them to larger corporations and students of the field, if there was a conference where some of the founders came and told the story of what they did to sustain their social policies and what they wish they had thought of in hindsight. He discussed it with Suzanne Biegel at the Spring Conference of the Social Venture Network. She was also enthusiastic about the idea. They decided on the spot to become the Co-Executive Producers of it and to make it happen. Terry also spoke with Martha Shaw of Earth Advertising and she immediately committed to be the media producer.

Terry phoned Alan Abramson and Rachel Mosher-Williams at the Aspen Institute and presented the idea to them. They also immediately became enthusiastic and soon telephoned back with a commitment to make the first financial contribution to the project. Terry then contacted others: Calvert Group, Ben & Jerry’s, RSF Social Finance, B Corp, Nancy Brown, Wayne Silby, John Guffey, and Rustum Roy. They all agreed to make a contribution toward the project and its budget was soon fully funded.

Suzanne, Rachel, and Terry had many conference calls to decide on the participants, identify sources of funding, and design the conference. Suzanne did much of the asking of participants to participate.

            Sadly, Suzanne became ill and was unable to attend the conference. The two of them were very much looking forward to co-facilitating it together. Terry then became ill upon arriving at the conference. He had to fake being well and facilitate all of the interviews and sessions. We hope you do not notice.

            Tentative agreements had been reached with a number of organizations to place the interviews on their websites. Funding was raised to cover the costs so the interviews could be made available free to all. So any appropriate website interested in having these interviews posted on it can request that of TI. Also a copy of a full set of  the videos, or any particular one, on DVD can be purchased by going to this website: (not yet available).

            Special thanks has to be sent out by all of us participating in this project and those who will benefit from watching these videos to those who contributed the funds: Calvert Group, Ben & Jerry’s, RSF Social Finance, B Corp, Nancy Brown, Wayne Silby, John Guffey, and Rustum Roy. Thanks from all of us.

 

Purchasing SWSO DVDs

Full DVD production of the Conference will be available shortly. Please email terry@trusteeship.org to request notification when they are available. Thank you.