Whole Foods co-founder: Business can be win-win-win

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Whole Foods co-founder: Business can be win-win-win

21 Mar 2023

Joanie Spencer

Since 2008, Joanie Spencer has covered the retail and wholesale sides of the baking industry.
Serving associations such as the American Society of Baking (ASB) and BEMA, Joanie is also in demand as an industry presenter on bakery operations and trends. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Rockhurst University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

When she’s not running or playing soccer, Joanie spends her time with her husband and 11-year-old son.

NEW ORLEANS — In general, business historically has gotten a bad rap, especially from the world of academia. There, schools of thought revolve around the greater good, often assuming that the focus of business is a zero-sum game.

But during Intralox NEXT, held March 8-9 in New Orleans, John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods, offered thoughts on focusing on the relationships of business that can dispel those assumptions.

“I have always felt that business was misunderstood by society and hated by intellectuals,” Mackey said. “But we are the value creators in the world, creating prosperity that continues to lift humanity up.”

According to Mackey, when executed properly with a focus on benefit for all stakeholders, business can be what he called win-win-win.

On one hand, business can be seen through the same lens as sports: one winner, one loser.

“Business is not that kind of game,” Mackey said. “Business is an infinite game, where all these different, interdependent stakeholders are winning. If they weren’t winning, they wouldn’t be making trades.”

“Business is an infinite game, where all these different, interdependent stakeholders are winning. If they weren’t winning, they wouldn’t be making trades.” — John Mackey | co-founder | Whole Foods

Harkening back to entrepreneurs of the mid-1900s, the likes of John D. Rockefeller or Andrew Carnegie were known as “robber barons” by the intellectual community. But Mackey pointed out their places in history were carved out of not only their philanthropy but also the value they brought to the economy.

In fact, he proposed, their charitable contributions may not have existed without the success in their businesses.

“Their contributions to the world included the businesses they created — and that still exist in different forms today,” Mackey said. “They helped humanity progress to a higher level.”

Looking at the economic cycle of business, a win-win-win comes when companies profit, add value to their customers, and benefit their workforce and communities.

“[Businesses] are creating jobs for people, and with jobs, they can build families,” Mackey said. “They buy homes and build lives, and create the meaningful things that bring joy to life. We can help make those things possible for people.”

Creating cyclical value is the responsibility of leadership. Businesses thrive — and help their communities thrive — when their leaders are fully engaged and dedicated to the win-win-win.

During Mackey’s tenure with Whole Foods (he retired five years after Amazon acquired the retailer), employee tenure was 10, 20 or sometimes 30 years. He explained that it was a direct result of the purpose they felt by working for Whole Foods.

“Everybody wants to have meaning in their work,” Mackey said. “They want to see how their work is contributing and that their work matters and has purpose.”

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