Latest news with #humanCentered
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Making Your Business A Catalyst For Good
Natalie Ruiz, CEO of AnswerConnect, leads with a human-centered approach, blending tech with real connections to help businesses grow 24/7. Early in my career, I thought that running a successful company meant maximizing revenue and minimizing costs. Today, I know that the true competitive edge lies in using business as a catalyst for positive change. This belief echoes Simon Sinek's idea of playing an "infinite game," where the goal isn't to beat a rival once but to build something that matters. The New Era Of Business: More Than Profit Ask yourself: Why do customers really choose one brand over another? Yes, they care about price and quality—but increasingly, they choose companies that share their values. In fact, a recent survey by the Edelman Trust Barometer showed that 84% of people need to share values with a brand to consider buying from it. Likewise, top talent isn't just looking for a paycheck; they're searching for meaning. Because today's stakeholders demand more from businesses, companies that make purpose part of their everyday operations aren't just doing good—they're building resilient, future-ready organizations. Turning Intent Into Impact Consumers are savvy and can easily see past a company paying lip service to a cause they feel strongly about. You can't just bolt on a charity program as an afterthought and expect to reap the benefits. Instead, try to weave social responsibility into everything you do. Here are some examples from my own company's experiences: At my company, every employee can receive paid hours to volunteer for causes they love—whether it's mentoring at-risk youth, packing meals at a food bank or planting native flowers at a community park. Because we trust our people to choose their own impact areas, the results feel authentic and deeply personal. When your colleagues share stories of late-night beach cleanups or multigenerational reading sessions at local schools, you see a culture that breathes generosity. These narratives fuel pride, spark referrals and make your business a magnet for people who want their work to count. Beyond role-specific training, we pay each team member to explore subjects that ignite their curiosity—mindfulness, data science, creative writing, you name it. We dedicate time and money specifically to learning, sending a clear message that growth is a company priority. Encouraging people to share what they have learned is crucial, too. These discussions turn individual discoveries into shared knowledge and help people build relationships across departments. In partnership with reforestation experts, we've funded the planting of over 1.7 million trees worldwide. Because climate action can't wait, we're proud to back projects from rural Costa Rica to woodlands in Scotland—each sapling is a promise to future generations. This shouldn't be just a side initiative but fully integrated into your brand narrative. When customers and prospects know you care about the planet, it makes them feel part of something bigger. Why Doing Good Drives Better Business Integrating purpose isn't philanthropy for philanthropy's sake—it's a strategic investment. Here's how it pays off: Attract And Retain Talent: According to iSolved Talent Acquisition, "75% of Gen Zs and Millennials say that an organization's community engagement and societal impact are important factors when considering a potential employer." They seek flexibility, inclusivity and employers who back causes they believe in. Boost Engagement: According to another study, employees who volunteer or learn new skills report higher job satisfaction and stay longer. Therefore, turnover drops and productivity rises. Win Customer Loyalty: Today's consumers favor brands that share their values. Showing that you care about the community and the planet builds trust and repeat business. Because purpose initiatives become part of your brand story, they differentiate you in crowded markets. You're not just another vendor; you're a partner in positive change. Future-Proofing And Aligning With Tomorrow's Generations For Gen Z, meaning matters more than money. They seek employers who live their values, not just preach them. By embedding social impact today, you'll win—and retain—this influential talent pool. Born into a digital and climate-aware world, Gen Alpha will demand that brands and employers demonstrate real social and environmental commitments. Preparing now means you'll be their go-to choice when they enter the job market and decide where to spend. Purpose Is Your Long-Term Advantage When you make social good part of your business model, you aren't just ticking a box. You build a stronger, more engaged team, deepen customer loyalty and carve out a unique market position. Purpose fuels performance. Purpose attracts talent. Purpose wins hearts. So here's my challenge to fellow leaders: Don't treat purpose as an afterthought. Make it your catalyst for growth, your differentiator, your "infinite game" strategy. When business becomes a force for good, we all rise—and that's the greatest legacy any company can leave. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Entrepreneur
12-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Designing with Empathy: How Intuitive Systems Are Transforming Consumer and Healthcare Experiences
A creative technologist with a background in business strategy, architecture, digital product design, and audio storytelling, Seth's career is built on one guiding principle: design is a form of care. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. In a world driven by rapid innovation and shifting user expectations, Shaurya Seth is redefining what it means to design with purpose. A creative technologist with a background in business strategy, architecture, digital product design, and audio storytelling, Seth's career is built on one guiding principle: design is a form of care. A graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Shaurya Seth's cross-disciplinary journey spans sectors and mediums, but his core vision remains constant—simplify complexity, evoke emotion, and craft systems that serve people, not just users. Whether shaping retail landscapes, building inclusive healthcare platforms, or composing ambient music, his work prioritizes intuitive, human-centered experiences. "I design systems that breathe. Systems that remember they're serving humans, not users," says Seth, reflecting on his philosophy of emotionally intelligent design. Revolutionizing Retail for Emerging Markets Seth's impact was first felt in India's premium retail sector. At a time when global tech brands were eyeing expansion into Tier-2 cities, Shaurya played a pivotal role in shaping the Imagine Stores—Apple's premium reseller format in India. These weren't just retail outlets, but immersive community hubs designed to reflect aspiration, accessibility, and brand experience. He innovated by adapting the flagship retail model to smaller real estate footprints, without diluting the premium feel. His design strategy included spotlighting the iPhone as a 'hero product,' allocating nearly 50% of the visual merchandising space to it—an approach that reinforced brand desirability in aspirational markets. Seth also oversaw the digital transformation of this vision through the creation of ensuring that the online experience matched the minimalist elegance and intuitive navigation of the physical store. The result was a cohesive ecosystem that bridged offline aspiration with digital convenience. Human-Centric Healthcare: The One Bharat Initiative Leveraging his experience in designing retail experiences, Shaurya Seth turned his focus to healthcare—a domain in urgent need of user-first thinking. He co-founded One Bharat, a comprehensive healthcare delivery platform that includes telemedicine, pharmacy services, and wellness offerings. What began as a rural accessibility solution has since evolved into a global healthcare logistics platform, offering cross-border medicine delivery and digital prescriptions. The design of One Bharat blends advanced tech with empathy—seamlessly integrating services across a diverse user base. Seth extended this philosophy to the platform's digital presence through where clean layouts and focused UX make it easy for patients to access essential medicines and care from anywhere in the world. "Everyone deserves access to quality care, no matter where they live. One Bharat is designed to ensure that geography doesn't limit well-being," says Seth. AI Meets Culinary Culture: The Primee Platform In yet another pivot, Shaurya Seth ventured into the food-tech space with Primee, an AI-powered food discovery engine. Designed as more than just a recipe platform, Primee helps users explore culinary techniques, discover new dishes, and enjoy the process of cooking through intelligent suggestions tailored to individual preferences. Primee's success lies in its ability to remove intimidation from the kitchen. It now powers a growing network of food creators, bloggers, and home chefs, reinforcing Seth's belief that good design should invite curiosity and spark creativity. "Cooking should be a source of joy, not pressure. Primee is about making that joy accessible," he explains. BINPA: Translating Emotion into Sound Beyond commerce and tech, Shaurya's creative expression extends into music. Under the moniker BINPA—a tribute to his grandmothers—he produces ambient soundscapes using Moog synthesizers and Ableton Live. BINPA explores themes like urban emotion, stillness, and intergenerational memory, translating abstract feelings into sonic architecture. His upcoming release, scheduled for Summer 2025, is part of a broader narrative centered on identity and everyday magic. This artistic project showcases another dimension of Seth's ability to connect design with emotional depth. "BINPA is how I process the world. Sound is my way of documenting feeling—of turning emotion into architecture," says Seth. A Career Driven by Impact and Recognition Shaurya Seth's work has earned recognition across prestigious platforms. He is a member of the World Economic Forum's Future Global Leaders program, a Philanthropy Award recipient, and has been acknowledged by IEEE and global innovation councils for his contributions to ethical AI, digital inclusion, and sustainable system design. From compact retail environments to AI-powered food discovery and emotion-driven music, Seth's portfolio reflects a rare blend of strategic thinking and creative intuition. His designs don't just function—they resonate. Across industries and disciplines, Shaurya Seth is building a legacy grounded in cultural relevance, simplicity, and empathy. By fusing design thinking with emotional intelligence, he is not only reimagining how systems are built—but how they feel.
