The benefit corporation - how conscious corporations succeed: John Montgomery at TEDxLowerEastSide

John Montgomery is a corporate attorney, entrepreneur, executive coach and writer. He is the founder of Montgomery & Hansen, LLP, a Silicon Valley based corporate law firm. He is also the founder of Startworks, a technology incubator. He works primarily with high-potential entrepreneurial teams to help them translate their visions into successful companies.
John recently received a California Lawyer of the Year award from California Lawyer magazine for his work as a co-chair of the legal working group behind California's new benefit corporation law. A frequent speaker on venture capital, he has produced professional education programs for the State Bar on benefit corporations and for SmartPros/Cognistar: Understanding the Venture Capital Term Sheet Process and Introduction to Venture Capital Financing Agreements. Prior to founding Montgomery & Hansen in 2003, John was co-chairman of the venture capital practice at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, LLP.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@jordanspencer6443]

I just watched this as my first introduction to the benefit corporation and can echo the TED talk slogan and say this is truly an Idea worth sharing! I have for some time now been struggling between both the non-profit and for profit business models for number of the start ups i intend to create, all of which are primarily based on maximizing opportunities for employees, while at the same time creating substantial sustainable profit for the company and myself. Thus the marriage of non-profit and for-profit via the benefit corporation takes away the golden handcuffs of the non-profit, while limiting the cut throat myopic view of the for-profit. As a start up enthusiast, and physician I fully intend to make the benefit corporation the foundation of all my future business pursuits! -John Montgomery if you are to ever read this I would love to chat more about the subject matter.

[@lcborre]

this is a fantastic and important topic; thank you Mr. Montgomery. Few are able to tell the story as well, and I wish more attorneys would - they are the guardians of the past and future.

[@houseofvenusMD]

Unfortunately the notion that all corporations in our world will switch over to producing material benefits will remain just a fantasy...that being said the idea does raise questions about the future relationships between benefit corporations and traditional s-corps/c-corps/LLCs. Will it be one defined by the brutal competition of the past or will their actions be measured and symbiotic?

[@DougGrinbergs]

Terribly low audio level; unwatchable (:-(

[@InnocuousRemark]

Oops