Participant (Productions) is the only production company in town that has a double bottom line: social good plus financial returns. It's too early to tell how our returns are going to look - though all signs are promising - but social good is what we're really after.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the balance between achieving financial success and making a positive social impact.
Jeffrey Skoll highlights the unique approach of Participant Productions, where the goal isn't just to generate profits but also to contribute positively to society. He acknowledges the uncertainty of financial outcomes but stresses the importance of prioritizing social good in their mission, reflecting a commitment to ethical business practices.
In practice
This quote can be used in a business presentation to illustrate the importance of corporate social responsibility.
The companies that survive longest are the one's that work out what they uniquely can give to the world not just growth or money but their excellence, their respect for others, or their ability to make people happy. Some call those things a soul.
Entrepreneurs say in an economic boom it's actually hard to build a company because everybody's too excited and there is too much money funding too many marginal companies.
In a period of economic downturn, the overwhelming instinct is to pare back, cut costs, and lay off. If you do that, do so with your strategy in mind. The worst mistake is to cut across the board. Instead, reconnect and recommit to a clear strategy that will distinguish yourself from others.
The NBA is never just a business. It's always business. It's always personal. All good businesses are personal. The best businesses are very personal.
You say: "I'm a blue sky thinker." Investor thinks: "You have no business model, and you don't know how to ship."
Investment banking is not a business; it is a personal service where bankers work hand in hand with their clients. And it is a service that must not simply be about making bigger and bigger deals that reap rewards for only a small group of executives.
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