Rethinking the Definition of Financial Success

What if, rather than divesting from/ litigating against unscrupulous entities, we used investment to effect meaningful changes from within?

This idea became the central theme of my time as a law student, and has shaped the trajectory of my legal career.

I launched Do Better Together, in October of last year.  At the same time, I began the process of opening The Sun Also Rises - Wills & Estates, L.C.

The goal?  To explore what it means to run a corporation that’s focused on advancing environmental and social justice initiatives, over and above increasing a shareholder’s bottom line.  51% of The Sun Also Rises - Wills & Estates, L.C.'s profits are donated to further Do Better Together’s mission.

I've been told, more than once, that this is a terrible business model. That to be successful I need to keep more than I give away. Maybe that's true under the prevailing metrics of corporate success. But I think that's a part of the problem. If you can't be successful while striving to improve the lives of others, then maybe it’s time for us to rethink our definition of success.

Thanks to a small influx of cash, and a board comprised of three of the most badass women around (shoutout to Laurel Hunt, Tori Callahan, and Tessa Erwig), Do Better Together has provided assistance to 36 unhoused/housing insecure individuals in the last 14 months.  This number includes 3 senior citizens, and 11 children.

Through our cash motel program, we were able to provide temporary housing to 7 individuals.  I am hopeful that 5 of these individuals will secure long-term housing by the end of the year.

Am I maximizing my individual earning potential? Absolutely not. But I live in a beautiful city, and I get to go home feeling good about the work that I do.

If that doesn’t match your definition of success, you can keep it.