Have you ever wondered whether the problems in the world today would exist? If we had deeper connection to ourselves, others and the environment and exited from that
place to the conscious action podcast with your host, Brian Berman and Kayla Greenville who believed that connection. Keith to taking conscious action as individuals and creating a better world
to raise awareness and inspire meaningful action by sharing stories, knowledge and conversations with thought leaders and change
from sustainability to wellbeing and everything related to conscious living our mission is to empower you to be the change that you want to see in the world. Welcome to a new episode of the conscious action. This time, we are in New Zealand on level one, after being in lockdown for quite some time. There's no more cases here. Um, there's a new wave of what is happening here. And for this episode, I have the pleasure.
Being with Chris Morrison. Um, I, I'm going to ask you Chris, as I always do with every guest to introduce yourself because I can never do justice to anyone. So first thank you for being here and taking the time to speak with me. Um,
Thank you very much for the invitation. Uh, very much respect the great work you're doing. Um, so a little bit about me. I've, uh, Um, when I leave school, I went traveling. What's a Kiwis and was fortunate enough to spend, um, six years, uh, on Vancouver island in Canada and Vancouver, and then travel down through the states and Mexico and Europe and do the oat thing. And I think it opened my eyes up to what other people were doing in different parts of the world.
That's fantastic experience for me. And I ended up working on all sorts of jobs, but one of them, I, uh, ended up working in a health food store and I I've always been interested in healthy food. I don't see so healthy planet. And, um, I think it just really started a deep love for organic food and, um, yeah, healthy, healthy people. So, uh, when I lived, I came back to New Zealand and started studying natural opposite alternative medicine. And, uh, that was a continuation of exploring.
New ways of doing things, new ways of looking at the world, working with Hertz and plants and what healthy food. And, and then it's just this road of passion of connects. And, um, one of the Sarah started making homemade ginger beer and that led into, uh, Phoenix organics, um, which I did with my business partner. Roger. 20 years. And when we saw that it was the largest organic beverage company in Australia. So that was a very positive experience.
I mean, it just meant that we had the ability to support organic growth and buy as much organic product and produce as possible. And then have gone on to set up other businesses, including old good organics, where we were the first people to bring in fair trade and fair trade, organic bananas and New Zealand. And did that with my business partner, Simon and meth. And we also set up karma Cola, um, which we continue to today and we sell them 23 chemistries.
It's all organic, um, and you know, super passionate. And on the side of business I've been involved in organic organizations. I've been involved in bio grow, which is the organic certify or the main organic certifier. What's on the board for two years and the chair for six. And now I am the chair of Owen's, which is organics I Tara, and New Zealand. And that is the umbrella organization for the organic sector in New Zealand. So continue to work in the Sierra.
It brings me a lot of energy and support. Um, I love supporting organic growers and encouraging people to eat healthy food. And to support those people that are looking after our environment. So that's a, it's at an a, I'm not sure I'm happy to discuss it.
Yes. Um, it's, it's wonderful to hear. I love most times understanding as you say, like that, traveling, how it opened your eyes to different ways and learning and how you connected with your own values. What can you do? And I found there's a lot to unpack from what you were just mentioned, because you touched on so many different aspects. And I find that your experience of having done this for such a long period of time, it's, it's something that.
That we can look to and be like, okay, what are the learnings there? What are the challenges there? And knowing that also, perhaps now there's not as many challenges as when you started, because now there's a precedent. Now, now you have been doing this and other businesses. Of course. And the first thing that I wanted to touch on is understanding. Y our Ganek why for you? Is that so important?
I know for me, why organic is important, but just so that we can get an understanding of why do you put such an emphasis on organic?
Well, uh, I feel that organics is the only true sustainable regenerative agriculture. Um, it is the way that our past. Generations have always farmed. They've worked in chewing with nature and we, as humanity has accelerated, we tend to cut corners and find the easy way out, but that has consequences. And, um, you know, we're, we're finding that, uh, New Zealand said. You can't swim in a rivers and streams and waterways because they polluted from intense Spanish.
Um, I think that that is not a good result. I think, um, that we must pay attention tonight. Show we must work within the constraints of environment. Uh, we must nurture the soil. We should be leaving. Now land and our, um, and our surroundings and, and better shape than when we found them. And that is, that is what organics is about. It's about working with nature. It's not working against nature. It's respecting that. We're just part of nature.
We're not superior to nature and that sort of a brings true. And I'm super passionate about that, about looking after the soil, looking after people's house and looking after the environment. And that to me is the basis of organics.
And that's beautiful because I do feel that, and I have this conversation a lot during the events of understanding that what, what we have been for the last, um, either now, whatever amount of years talked about sustainable, it's no longer. We should be aiming is that restaurant narrative, um, I'm working as a say with the land, working with the cycles. I'm not working against it.
And there is something within that, that I find that at some point there was this shift of wanting to make enough enough for the feed the world. Um, We didn't have that long-term vision of, well, we are the bidding, the nutrients of the circle. We are creating such a mess with all of the chemicals that we are using, and yes, we are making now. But what about in the future? And this is something that I've been talking a lot with with experts. I'm not an expert in this.
If we don't go back to these practices, we are going to run out of cycle to actually grow things. Um, and this is why I, this one of my values, why I supported so much what you do, um, and being able to actually get behind those that are. Creating products and are, um, not only creating products, but creating communities behind something that is of value. And with that I wanted to touch on. And I know that the work that you do, but not everybody knows the work that you do. Why is it important?
The community aspect, and why is it important to partner with the farmers instead of trying to figure it out? What's in it for me.
So I believe that's really important to look at a holistic value chain and rather than just look at the finished product and the brand and the marketing, et cetera, that we must support the people all the way through. And most importantly, the farmer at the beginning, because they're the ones most likely when there's pressure on prices, et cetera, they bear the brunt of that. And actually they're the most important part. And the finished product.
So we must look after them one way to do that is to connect the consumer to the Gras. And so we, um, for example, was comma drinks. We have a column of color foundation, and 1% of all our sales goes back to the colon and that grows and zero early on, and then serially, as most people will know. It's a poor country and it has gone through many, many difficult periods. Um, more recently we have had Ebola, uh, that has been very devastating.
And then before that a civil war that went on or the very brutal civil war that went on for 10 years. So these people are desperate to just an, a, a fair living in, so we feel it's so important to get back to those growers, into support them and let them have a sustainable livelihood. And we have focused what's the Canada foundation on educating women, because we know that when you educate.
You left a livelihoods, um, of the whole community and you can bring the community out of poverty through the simple act of education and often young woman, uh, the ones that miss out, if there's a family and they were boys and girls. Yeah. For many reasons, uh, the boys have got priority and often it goes, thank you. And any education we feel it's super important to educate those women and to have a quality. And there are fantastic social outcomes from achieving that.
Yes. And would you be able to elaborate a little bit more? I'm curious about this, this way of partnering and actually, um, Working with the farmers and working with the communities instead of going there and saying, we know what's better. Could you elaborate a little bit, what has been your experience with this
as you, as you rightly say? Um, we, we don't want to come down there as the experts and Petra. One, but sit down and we have, and do sit down with the shapes and the communities. And certainly we've been fortunate that the co-founders of I've been fortunate enough to go to Syria and to experience it ourselves. And we want to know from them how we can help them, what are the outcomes that they want and to support them? What's that? So it's very much less.
And to work with lemonades needs and not to present what we think they might need or might want it. It's a, it's a true partnership. And it's one that works for both parties and it's very rewarding. And we, uh, this is a very long-term partnership. We're not in and out or anything like that, where we committed to this. Sit up with foundation as a separate identity to the business so that it is protected and that the values of the foundation of particular in the law.
Yes, I'm beautiful. And I think that this, this brings me to something of what you just said at the end. Um, the idea of having businesses and organizations based on values based on a vision that it's not the short term on, non-stressed a profit or not. I love them. They're a sphere of social responsible companies. Um, and I know that for that to happen, businesses need to have strong. You need to have a holistic approach, as you mentioned before.
What, what are the, the things that you have seen that's based in terms of social responsible companies or businesses and how has that shifted through the years?
Yeah, what I I've, I've been fortunate enough to work with Rachel Brown from the sustainable business network. And, um, she, she is the CEO, the founder, and the CEO of a sustainable business network. And I was fortunate enough to be the chair person with her for the first 10 years. And, um, yeah, it's, it's, it's a big, big movement now, a sustainable business and, um, more and more businesses are paying attention to this.
On the board and it's, uh, it's become an uncommon practice, but we need to keep pushing the boundaries all the time. And it's not good enough just to do the recycling or, uh, you know, those small assignments with light bulbs or something like that. We need systematic change and we need to look at full cycle analysis and see trends.
And, um, w we, uh, With the constraints, uh, becoming more and more difficult as you know, we face the challenges of climate change and inequality, um, around the world. And you know, we're saying in New Zealand, some fundamental things, we're getting more and more droughts. You know, we have these weather extremes, et cetera. So businesses have to address.
We want businesses to put pressure on governments to make fundamental changes, which I believe that, you know, we shouldn't move our tech system to more about grand Texas alluded pace though. Instead of doing the right things are rewarded, uh, and just changed the fundamental emphasis. Right. You know, letting people off the polluters, et cetera, but actually getting people to take responsibility for their actions.
So that's at the core of sustainability and, you know, we, we, there's a lot of work to be done, but I'm very positive about there's more and more businesses that are wanting to do the right thing. They wanting to network together. Work out these issues and see how we can work together to find solutions to these big problems.
Yes. And I think it's very interesting what you say, because I find that the system needs to change in a sense, because what has been true for business has been maximizing, maximizing from. And not caring about the actual true cost of what is actually being done to the land or to people or all throughout the supply chain. And it has been that. And I, I think that the more that we can see businesses that can make profit some they can make their businesses sustainable.
And at the same time, taking care of all the stakeholders of the land of, as you said, like not just recycling, but looking at everything, what are some of the key aspects that you think that should be in your, your own? Um, uh, as a person, what are the next. Key aspects that there should be a change, as you just mentioned, like a little bit of a tax, but what can the businesses or the government get on board next?
Well, I mean, I'm, you know, personally for me is I'd sit, I'm very passionate about organic. So New Zealand is a producer of food and fiber and we, you know, we have this specific. We're a clean grain country that actually we have a lot of issues here and we need to be honest and transparent about that, and we need to address these issues. And as you say, we can't continue to just chase that dollar the whole time. And it's not about growth. It's about edit value. It's about know.
Heaven goods that consumers around the world want. And New Zealand is in this perfect position. We were isolated at the bottom of the world. W we very, very fortunately have low population whenever a lot of land, et cetera. We need to look after that land and we need to build this brand of thing, regenerative organic nation, and produce those goods that are hot. You're going to have to sell as main age to generate the same income.
But when we look in the future, when is our borders become open, that we continue to look at ecotourism, all of these things that, you know, then with technology, et cetera, that we're looking at the positives and constructive lives to help people in need, et cetera. So New Zealand code. A sustainable country.
And, uh, I know that's a generalist too, but you know, if we look deeply into how, how can we shake this country, but this opportunity, that environment, we're kind of having a bit of a reset, uh, everything has changed and how will we come out of this and how has museums that saved? And we've had wonderful world attention on the way that we've dealt with color and, uh, prime minister. Done a wonderful job in a very compassionate way and brought everybody together.
And we all work together to get a great result. Let's continue that momentum, that show the world that we, you know, how we handle this as how we can address some of the other problems and be a leader when it comes to climate change, clean food, clean water. And, um, yeah, given straight how it can be done, but they have pride of stick, but, and may be some costs along the way that we can do this. If we, if we all come together and choose a good outcome.
Yes. Beautiful inside them. And I think that I see this as the time to be bold, to make changes, because as just say, like, this is a unique. Um, things are different and it's like, why not using this time as the perfect time to actually create those changes, to be able to say like, okay, like I should say that everyone needs to look into New Zealand. Like what can we do that? It's going to make us proud and it's going to make everyone proud, um, that we are actually. Keeping up with the.
The way that, that is hard to sing now, assess that's green clean brand and being able to create that change. And, um, I'm curious, uh, I was actually on one of the, the events that I ran, I was talking about organics and fair trade. That is another of the topics that I wanted to touch on in a moment. Uh, but I mentioned from the standpoint of the consumer, Wouldn't it be amazing if we were to go to the market or the supermarket or whatever it is that we buy our products from.
And instead of seeing the organic session, a session like sexual enough, the supermarket, and then the rest of the meshes, we would see veggies and then chemically grow on. Or for like the first raid products don't have the same for trade. Everything else needs to say, not for trade. How, how would that change the perspective for consumers in terms of what do we value? Because I do know, and this is something that, that I feel like.
I said my business for you, this must be a challenge of, of saying that are the consumers going to be willing to pay extra for something that is actually organic for the trade? How, how do you deal with that?
Yeah, well that, it's, it's very interesting point and, and others have discussed this as well as. Yeah, it's very unfair that, um, for example, in the supermarkets that see organic products that have to use the extra packaging to make sure that they're, they're different when it gets to the checkout and those, um, that, uh, conventionally for juice, I don't have to put that extra expense and the organic and sustainable products that we produce in music.
They, they don't, you know, they don't have those costs that go into looking after the soil, looking after water, looking after the air, et cetera, all the things that organic growers that is a cost, you know, they hand waved rather than spraying. looking after the land and their costs. And. That other growers. And why is it broad? Do not carry because they are looking at short term Quip, the cheapest possible way to have produced a, hit a broccoli or an orange or something like that.
But it's the future generations that are having to pay the cost of that decision. And. Oh, I'm sorry. It's very difficult to put that across to consumers. When, when they look at two oranges sitting one inside the other, and one's 50 seats more Keyline there are hidden costs in those two different ways of producing produce. And unfortunately, You know, people are making decisions very quickly when they walk down a supermarket off that we knew we do need to educate people.
We do need to get this disgust and scope, and then the media that Sutra, um, because there are hidden costs involved and those decisions that are made and yeah, it's um, the true cost of growing ahead of. It's not 50 cents. You know, it may be a dollar or whatever because there a hidden, hidden posted that route showed benefits for future generations and for the whole, whole planet
and help good, um, government, uh, create change to be able to actually put that. Killing cost to actually be, be there. Uh, and not, not Florida as us as a planet to take that on. Well, I
mean, one way I haven't really thought about listening to both way, but it's a little bit like tobacco that the government puts high taxes, uh, to discharge people. Well, perhaps there should be a high, uh, tax on chemicals that go on to the land. Uh, because actually we want to encourage people to look at science and look at nature and how, how come we create healthy food without.
On the nitrogens on the pesticides and herbicides and Citra, the urea, um, how, how do we encourage people to grow healthy people for healthy people, healthy food for healthy people, and, um, you know, the organic, uh, the sustainable fire, the regenerative farmer is bearing costs while looking at. All of us and the planet, whereas those that are taking shortcuts and only really looking at a financial outcome, seeking the benefits of not having to go down that path.
Yeah. Um, moving, moving on to, to that topic of trade, um, what has been your experience with that? Both asset. Uh, consumers are seeing that being part of being more, a part of the, the last 20 years and the growth that that movement has had. And how does, uh, you mentioned a little bit before, but what are you doing with, with your business in terms of.
We are very passionate about fairly traded goods and trade and grow us in fair trade as a label. Um, but the philosophy of fair trading is what we believe in our nature. We believe that organic says already have that embedded into their philosophy and the way they do business and the stores that trade in organics, et cetera, is.
Making sure that everybody is fairly treated and not just the last link in the chain that everybody along the, the China's, Ben's a fair living and has the right to, of sustainable livelihoods. So we believe in fairly traded goods and a fairly traded system. And that's why we choose organic because we believe that incorporates every sentence. Um, along that supply chain, including the planet, including the growers, including the consumers.
So we think that everybody should be using this philosophy of business and stop focusing just on growth for the sake of growth. Um, let's look at what as it, what sort of future do we want for our children and see. And how do we create those systems and make sure that everybody is looked after, along the way and not just the brand at the end or the retailer at the end, but everybody who's often hidden along the way.
Yeah. And, and this year I still have experienced through the last, uh, decades. You can actually make a profit. You can actually run a business with this principles.
Absolutely is not. I believe that people at heart absolutely want to do the right thing and it is an education process and that, that people have good values and, you know, they, they want to choose the right thing, but you know, those two people surviving and speeding their families and going to work at sea for that always have time to sit down and understand. Water supply chain might look like.
I mean, you know, we don't speak to you around to be experts in every field, but people do want to do the right thing. And when you have the time to explain to them why we're using organics, for example, fade tried in, people say, well, that feels good. And we'd seen a great example actually over the last 10 years or so with people have, you know, that activists have gone on and shut. Uh, cage chicken fan looks like as opposed to a free range one or an organic one.
Once consumers see that, and often they'd send us ahead in a way they were a long way from the city or from the Superman. We particularly on the rates, but when they see that relationship showing animal cruelty, and it should be big people that would sign a low , but I'm going to buy an a. Sits well with my values and what I'm comfortable with and just should flow out. So all forms of food and the way we deal with people and why we deal with animals and we deal with the planet.
So it's a consciousness awareness and it's education, and I'd like to see. Sort of coming through from early childhood, all the lights, right. Um, yes.
And, and it's, it's so important and this is one of those things that we're the conscious section. We talk so much about this, understanding your values, because I also believe that every single person in the world is good and kind, and, um, and they just want to do good.
Um, Which has been conditioned and are part of certain cultures and systems and ways of being that when we done really stopped doing the letters like is this actually aligned with my values, then we might be doing a lot of things that we don't want to be doing, just because we are going on with that. Um, and in such an interesting instance in Wales or thing this time, as you mentioned before that reset, um, how.
We can use this time to, to raise awareness and to educate and to show people, both individuals and businesses, that these are ways of doing things that actually, as you mentioned, are good for everyone and everything. So what, what are the things that. This moment for you particularly, and for, for your business, this pandemic, uh, how did the, um, impact you and your business and, and what have been the challenges or the opportunities as well?
Well, it certainly has impacted on our business, uh, counter. We primarily work with small businesses and New Zealand, small cafe, small restaurants, and it's super important. It's a way that serves them and hospitality tried sampling. Very high. Um, so we're just working with those small business owners to start rebuilding and, you know, we're very happy that we've now moved to level one. Um, but it, it has, uh, it has made us think, well, what's important.
And, and, you know, and the debt, you know, w we now find that a lot of people like to buy goods offline, online. So. We need to have a digital approach to business and old businesses and pivoting and adjusting to the new world where people are quite happy to sit at home and order their food. And they'd go, wait, we need to adapt to that. And that's, that's a good thing. Um, and also, you know, we also focus on, well, what, what, what's important to us at this stage.
And, and, and some of the good things we've learned is that we don't have to come to work every day. We can work from home. We can change our life. So be part of the family and, and some of the time, and that's the choice too. We can come on to work. We have Lexi time. We've also learned that we don't have to fly as much, you know, we can do these zoom meetings. I mean, it's been unbelievable how quickly businesses have adapted to the ability to communicate by a computer.
And that's very good for the environment. Uh, for the fact that it saves people time and costs that, you know, we're, we're not polluting the planet as much. So that's next has been tested outcome. So we've been forced to adapt very quickly to a new world, and there are many good things that have come out of it and many opportunities. So, you know, we're seizing those opportunities.
Beautiful. Yes. And I think this is one of the things, as you say, Focusing on. Okay. What, what can we learn from this time on what can we do as I say, like for the business internally for the business, with employees and changing the way that things are going. And I'm curious also, um, because you work with other countries, what, what has been with that? Um, the challenges. Has anything changed with that in the way that you foresee? How we operate?
Yeah, I mean, it is, um, like I said before, New Zealand is, uh, it's taken, I had approach, but a very good approach. And we're now coming out of it little bit earlier than others. And of course, we've got the advantage of being a small country. And, uh, and limited population, but it is, you know, it's listening to the news today that things are looking good here. And in some other countries actually, they've had the highest number that is still being recorded yesterday.
So there's a long way to go with this. Hopefully we were going to learn some things out of it. Uh, and yes, we have a business in the UK where we've manufacturer trumps over there and that's, it's going to take a long time to recover. Um, you know, w we'll come out of this a lot quicker. So it's this, um, uh, get time for sure. And some challenges. Um, we will, we will adapt and we will learn and hopefully we'll be better off for it in the long run. Yes.
And this past year, you with karma Cola now, karma drinks, you have made that switch. Could you elaborate a little bit on, why did that happen on what has been challenging and Dennis have been able to do that shift?
Yeah, no, I mean, it's just an interesting marketing thing is that we have these distant drinks. We have a ginger owl called ginger, Ella. We have a lemonade pooled LeMay, and we have a color of color and lemon lemon. No one really stood there the same company, because they look very different and you need consent, which is fun. And we wanted everyone to realize they're all part of the family.
So we changed the name from kind of Cola to calm a dress, to say all of these strengths come under the counter. And also they all contribute to the chemical of foundation and all every drink is stone. Good. So that was just an opportunity for us to, to bring things together when uh, people were loving the drugs, but didn't understand necessarily that they were part of the same family.
With kombucha and different flavors. And I actually did really, really show them. And I think this is the interesting thing of, of figuring out how, and I think that this is the interesting thing with, with your drinks is figuring out how to do good, how to taste good, but without the nasty things that the other drinks have, I'm focusing on us to stay on the healthy, living healthy.
Yeah, well, that's what we certainly want to get into more of the health and wellness. And so we've developed a range of sweatshirts, which are organic apple cider vinegar based. And as you say, what's a kombucha, which has been an amazing journey. So many people now are drinking these healthy drinks low in sugar or no sugar. And, uh, feeling really refreshed by it by self print. So that's how things are moving and we're very keen to explore new opportunities.
See the day in the future, perhaps, um, tonics, which might help people with relaxing or sleeping, these sorts of things. So we're continually looking at what the consumers want, what would they like and addressing. And it's just an evolution all the time of objecting and changing out path and see we're super interested in what is the consumer looking for and what sort of healthy trends should we be looking at in the future? And that keeps us on our toes
near the phone. And I don't want to take so much of your time. So I want to get to a few less questions. And these are some questions that I'd ask to all of our guests. Um, and I did send you these questions just in advance in case that you need to have a little bit of a thing. Uh, so I'm going to go with the first question and that is what's one resource that you would recommend.
So I was thinking about that saying, I think for me personally, and in my personal life is networking is so important. I love to be pat of people that I respect and, um, look at their businesses and they doing things which are really positive, et cetera. So I love the sense of networking sitting down with someone and having a cup of tea. Glass of beer or kombucha or whatever. It might be that in a relaxed environment where you can talk about what does the future look like?
What are the issues that we're all facing together? How do we, how do we address these things? How can we come together and create strengths to influence others, whether it's politicians or other businesses or consumers, et cetera, but positive outcomes. And that gives me a lot of energy and I just love to do that. And there are so many good small businesses in New Zealand that then, you know, finding your tribe and sitting down and showing they sense through is it's very rewarding for me.
So I I'd recommend that to anybody who's looking at business or, I mean, it's a community really. It's finding your community, your people, and, uh, And then it's such a positive and an energizing thing to do.
Yes. And I think that it's, I'm this for me. Um, it's such a valid thing because I'm all about collaboration, um, connecting and understanding the value of community and knowing that it's not all about competition. It's, it's about. We are all in this together. How come we left that tile for everyone to rise?
Um, what is your, um, perhaps this is a seminar to that, but if you are talking with someone and you have to give just one tip and loved my bit and, and working on it might be a different one. What would you say to someone.
Often, um, when you were as old as me, you've been in business, as long as I had you get young people coming to me, asking for advice and stuff like that. And I always say to people don't be afraid or embarrassed or shy. If you see a person or a business leader or someone that you respect, please. Make an effort to get in touch with them. And especially, and I can't realize New Zealand people are so warm and generous and they will give their time.
So people that are sitting out in business got a business idea, and I want to see whether it's going to work or not the new. Uh, I always said to people place might be, if I write an email, give someone a phone call because nine times out of 10 people are just going to be positive and warm and receptive and helpful. So I always encourage people to, to sit down with people and, and those that they respect or be unsure or be more than happy to give them advice.
Yes. And it's so true what you say. And it has to be my experience most of the time, most people, unless they're going through something and they don't have the time. Most people are approachable. Most people want to share that. That's so beautiful. Um, what has been your latest small act of kindness?
Uh, thought about that. It's quite a hard one, but, um, Uh, on, on one of those people that I do a walk every morning and, uh, I I'm the person who waits and sees a load of people because I love that when, you know, I'm walking along, someone like, I don't know, just a random person will smile or say hello, good morning or something like that. So that's my way of interacting in the world. Instead of gives me energy. I would save energy.
When, when you perceive that bank, it's just a small thing, but it's a warming love and thing that you can do with strangers. It's just a nice little.
Um, yes, I'm ready for that. And then there's such an interesting thing. Like I realized, especially, uh, when I came to New Zealand and, um, I'm used to, from when I was growing up in Argentina, that most people are a little bit more. I wouldn't say expressive. Uh, and we're like, it's normal to say hi to people. And I found living in Europe and then during the U S and living here that it wasn't kind of like that, like, actually it makes a difference. It's I would say hi to someone.
So, yeah, that's a beautiful, um, what is the one thing that you wish the world.
Well, um, I think it is resolve and conflict and actually we can resolve conflict in a peaceful way. I think it sound realistic to think that we don't, we're not going to go through life without conflicts. We've worked in our personal lives or in our business lives and a geo political sense that actually we have the ability to be able to sit down and resolve. Challenges and differences in a peaceful way.
And I, I just, you know, we, we have bad role models at the top often, and we don't need to meet your names there. It's obvious, um, that, uh, aggressive. Uh, I'm the boss on the Lita. I know what's good for you sort of thing. And whether that filters down to police departments and to normal, why's it doing business and their personal lives. And we can rise above that and say, actually, that's not true. That's not part of our belief systems out various, et cetera.
We have the ability to pretty much resolve any conflict. There is. Um, we just have to have the confidence and, and say, no, it's your water's unacceptable. And to work our way through issues.
Yes. So important because as you say, like, we are all going to go through challenging times and conflicts, so learning and having that, that capability and that, which now it's called the soft skills, like having that being, uh, on the forefront of our education and how we go through life so important. Um, And to start at the end, how come we find you? How can we support them, promote what you do?
Well, I mean, I'm, well, the spirit generous offer, but I guess to find out a little bit through our website and, and the work that we do and what's. Foundation, um, would be wonderful to have support for that and really just to learn about it.
And then just, and the same when you apply that to a butcher and a cafe or wherever you might be shopping that actually that's not only having a, a good refreshing drink, but you're also doing some goods that people at the other, at the other end of the world who perhaps don't have the. The luxuries and, uh, the ever day lifestyle where you used to hear that we were wanting a quality in the world.
We're all in this together, and we need to help each other out and businesses had that opportunity to give back. And, um, then that's a good time to do and to support businesses who had that philosophy. You know, when you go shopping, be conscious and be open in your decision making when you choose a product
and we will have the. The website and all of the links on their comments on this episode, but thank you so much, Chris, for, for taking the time to have this conversation with me and thank you for everything that you have been doing now for decades and for being one of the leaders in this, in this space. So thank you
very much. Thank you. Very generous and keep up your graduate.
Thank you. And thank you for listening to this episode. If you have learned something or if you want to share something, please do so in the comments and we'll see you at the next episode. Bye.
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