Entrepreneurship can drive both social impact and financial success when it is built around strong values and purpose. Listen to our inaugural podcast on Spotify.
Purpose-Driven Journeys
In Georgetown Entrepreneurship’s inaugural podcast, Create the Future, Dan Simons and Bill Creelman highlight how their entrepreneurial paths were shaped by passion and values alignment, not just profit goals. Bill’s journey began with a love for food and beverages that led him to build brands like Nantucket Harvest, Stirrings, and Spindrift, all emphasizing real ingredients and wellness. Dan’s experience with Founding Farmers is rooted in collaboration with American family farmers and prioritizes community, team, and sustainable growth.
Teamwork Over Solo Success
Entrepreneurship is not a solo endeavor. Both founders share that success is a team sport—partners, employees, and investors must be aligned and invested in the mission. Dan points out that his success is deeply tied to working alongside trusted partners and cultivating strong, value-driven teams. Bill discussed how having strategic partners and investors adds more than just capital; they bring critical perspectives and shared risk-taking. “Great investors are not just someone you report to every 12 weeks. They should also be making introductions and saying, ‘Have you thought about this?'”
Values-Based Capital and Stakeholder Alignment
Securing alignment between investors and founders is crucial. Both guests stress that capital comes with influence and, ideally, investors should be value-adding partners, not just funders. Dan shared that Founding Farmers’ farmer-backed ownership structure provides multi-generational, values-driven support, allowing for sustainable decision-making free from quarterly financial pressure. “Capital comes with strings attached. Every business needs capital. So for us, we are incredibly fortunate… Their capital comes with the character and values of American family farmers who think in a multi-generational way and who are more interested in year to year to decade to decade performance than they are in quarterly results.” Dan Simons.
Vulnerability and Human-Centered Leadership
Dispelling the myth of the “superhuman entrepreneur,” Dan describes how vulnerability is a strength in leadership. Naming and addressing challenges openly—especially regarding mental health—creates better team performance and loyalty. Investing in employee well-being directly improves workplace outcomes, retention, and innovation.
Navigating Difficult Choices
Entrepreneurship for the common good means making hard choices that balance profit and purpose. Bill shared the challenges of disrupting an entrenched market, facing industry skepticism, and making decisions that sometimes require letting go of products or ideas to stay true to core values. Ultimately, sustainable businesses must combine financial discipline with a strong ethos.
This podcast episode illustrates that business success and positive change are not mutually exclusive; entrepreneurs who center values, teamwork, and wellbeing are best positioned to build lasting impact. Watch or listen to the podcast below.