Monica Lenches, Jackie Carrera, Michelle Apodaca, Marine Schumann, Ali Schiller, Dhara Solanki, Sasha Ablitt, Aaron Pick
LIVE YOUR VISION. LEAVE YOUR LEGACY.
A Kinder World of Commerce Is Doing Its Part,
One Business at a Time!
Written by Elizabeth McCabe
A few years ago, in response to critical bills that had been rolled back by the previous administration and a growing sense of gloom, Monica Lenches and Claudia Rucker decided to refocus their energies and shine the light on companies that were using their businesses as forces for good.
“We were commiserating over this tragic state of affairs and found ourselves quickly spiraling downward into an abyss of despair,” says Monica. “Before long, we caught ourselves, pulled our emotional selves up by our bootstraps and shifted our attention to looking at what we could do to bring more light to these dark and difficult times.”
Their resolve to avoid hopelessness and helplessness led to the creation of A Kinder World of Commerce (AKWC) which seeks to showcase socially responsible businesses in Santa Barbara and facilitate meaningful connections between them. The campaign focuses on impact businesses committed to the quadruple bottom line of Purpose, People, Planet, and Profit. By conducting monthly interviews with these business owners, the campaign aims to demonstrate that there are many local businesses who prioritize ethical practices and kindness in commerce.
“The campaign focuses on raising awareness about the importance of buying and doing business not just locally but socially responsibly,” explains Monica.
A Kinder World of Commerce is committed to finding those resilient, passionate business owners who dream big and stretch outside their comfort zones to deliver products and services that “do no harm”. These businesses, referred to as Legacy Brands, are purpose driven, mission-led, and value-based.
“What unites these distinctly different brands is a deep desire to give back, to be kind, to care about all of their stakeholders from their clients and employees to their community and the environment. They are very conscious and intentional about their choices and the consequences of their actions,” says Monica.
The Legacy Hour
One of the campaign’s notable initiatives is the Legacy Hour, an event that brings together these socially responsible business leaders. This special event, which was held on May 22 at the University Club, was A Kinder World of Commerce’s first brick and mortar event. It featured Aaron Pick, CEO of Allen Construction, who spoke about the tremendous time and effort required to build and sustain a socially responsible business. “Allen Construction is the premier green builder in Santa Barbara dedicated to reducing their company’s carbon footprint and respecting our community’s resources,” explains Monica.
The Legacy Hour was instrumental in connecting people around meaningful issues, inspiring hope during these challenging times, and empowering attendees to take actionable steps to create a positive impact in their own lives and businesses.
One of the highlights of the events was an engaging activity called “Musical Shares.” In this activity, attendees moved between different pods led by Legacy Brand leaders, Michelle Apodaca/Deckers, Aaron Pick/Allen Construction, Jackie Carrera/SB Foundation, Marine Schuman/Brighten Solar, Sasha Ablitt/Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners, Ali Schiller/Accountability Works and Dhara Solanki/SB Pelvic Health.
These leaders shared their company’s vision, values, and examples of how they put those values into action every day. This activity fostered an engaging and educational experience, encouraging participants to learn from each other and from the experiences of the Legacy Brands.
Here are some testimonials from those in attendance:
“Deckers was honored to have been selected to participate in the recent Kinder World of Commerce Legacy Hour event at the University Club. Being around other local companies and organizations unified in giving back to our community left me feeling uplifted and a sense of pride in all each company is doing to make our community and the world a better place. We all learned a lot from each business that was there sharing. Thank you, Monica, for gathering us together and providing the space to share with other thought leaders.” – Michelle Apodaca, Director of Giving, Deckers
“It was such a pleasure to attend Monica Lenches’ Legacy Hour event. We wholeheartedly support Monica and Claudia’s vision for A Kinder World of Commerce. Leading one of the circles and hearing about the wonderful work that people are doing to live their vision and values was a highlight for sure.” – Ali Schiller, Co-Founder, Accountability Works
“Thank you, Monica, for putting this together. I very much enjoyed it. It was wonderful to hear everybody’s comments and input regarding kindness in the commerce world. Looking forward to the next event.” – Frank Tabar, Arlington Financial
Following the activity, attendees had the opportunity to participate in organic networking, sharing their insights and building meaningful connections. The event concluded with a raffle, where Theresa Huerta won a 4-week home delivery of fresh, organic produce courtesy of Pam Plessons from Plow to Porch, also a Legacy Brand.
Creating a Supportive Community
A Kinder World of Commerce is not just about education. It is also about creating a supportive community for these socially responsible businesses. By connecting these Legacy Brands to each other, the campaign encourages authentic, caring connections, helping them feel less isolated with their big dreams, hopes, and challenges. At the same time, theses Legacy Brands have an opportunity to model for other businesses how they, too, can be a force for good, wherever they are on their journey towards social responsibility.
“It feels very fulfilling and incredibly inspiring to be around so many exceptional and caring business owners,” shares Monica. “One of the greatest gifts over the past three years has been the confirmation that Santa Barbara has a lot of companies that use their businesses as forces for good.”
Future Plans
As the campaign continues to grow, it aspires to evolve into an alliance, A Kinder World Alliance (AKWA). This organization will augment the work of AKWC by providing a comprehensive suite of services designed to support the sustainable growth of socially responsible businesses. Monica is currently in the process of building out her vision and business plan for AKWA, so stay tuned.
For more information and to join the movement towards A Kinder World of Commerce, visit Monica’s website at Community Matters. By supporting and participating in this campaign, individuals and businesses together can make a meaningful and lasting difference.
