The B Corp Movement at 20: What We’ve Gained, Lost, and Still Need to Build (w/ Amy Bourbeau & Andy Schmidt)

The B Corp Movement at 20: What We’ve Gained, Lost, and Still Need to Build (w/ Amy Bourbeau & Andy Schmidt)

In this episode of Beyond the B, Andy Schmidt guest hosts a conversation with Ryan Honeyman and Amy Bourbeau on the 20-year evolution of the B Corp movement. They reflect on what the movement has gained as it has grown from a small community of early adopters into a global network of more than 10,000 companies, and what has become harder to preserve along the way. Together, they explore the new B Corp standards, the tension between keeping a big tent and holding a high bar, and what the next 20 years may require from B Corps around the world. View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/the-b-corp-movement-at-20-what-weve-gained-lost-and-still-need-to-build-w/-amy-bourbeau-andy-schmidt [https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/the-b-corp-movement-at-20-what-weve-gained-lost-and-still-need-to-build-w/-amy-bourbeau-andy-schmidt]

How B Corps Become Incorruptible (w/ Eric Ries)

Eric Ries, creator of The Lean Startup and author of Incorruptible, joins Ryan Honeyman for a conversation about why B Corp certification and benefit corporation status are no longer enough to protect a company’s mission over time. Drawing from both mainstream tech and business worlds and purpose-driven examples like Patagonia, Tony’s Chocolonely, and Mondragon, Eric explores how financial pressure, governance defaults, and ownership structures can pull even good companies off course. Together, they discuss what B Corps can do to design companies that remain accountable to stakeholders for 50, 100, or even more years into the future. View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/how-b-corps-become-incorruptible-w/-eric-ries [https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/how-b-corps-become-incorruptible-w/-eric-ries]

The Paradox at the Heart of B Corps (w/ Todd Schifeling & Suntae Kim)

What happens when a values-driven business movement tries to scale without losing its soul? In this episode, Ryan and Emmy speak with Todd Schifeling and Suntae Kim about their research (and article in the Harvard Business Review) about the “paradox” at the heart of the B Corp movement—balancing growth with authenticity. They explore why this tension is unavoidable, how B Lab has navigated it so far, and what it means for the future of the movement. View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/the-paradox-at-the-heart-of-b-corps-w/-todd-schifeling-suntae-kim [https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/the-paradox-at-the-heart-of-b-corps-w/-todd-schifeling-suntae-kim]

Can B Corps Still Change the System? (w/ Marcello Palazzi)

The B Corp movement stands at a critical inflection point, with growing urgency to move beyond certification and toward true systems change in business and society. Marcello Palazzi, civic economist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of B Lab Europe, joins Ryan Honeyman to reflect on the evolution of the B Corp movement and what it will take to realize its original ambitions. View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/can-b-corps-still-change-the-system-w/-marcello-palazzi [https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/can-b-corps-still-change-the-system-w/-marcello-palazzi]

Reclaiming the “Why” Behind B Corp (w/ Corey Lien)

Ryan Honeyman and Emmy Allison speak with Corey Lien about the original promise of the B Corp movement, what it meant to build B Lab Taiwan in the early days, and why the movement now feels more fragmented and uncertain. Corey reflects on authenticity, interdependence, and the tension between certification as a tool and movement as the larger purpose. Together, they explore whether this is a moment for reinvention or a return to the deeper “why” that first animated business as a force for good. View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/reclaiming-the-why-behind-b-corp-w/-corey-lien [https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/reclaiming-the-why-behind-b-corp-w/-corey-lien]