New year, New Opportunities For a Healthier World: The Power of Entrepreneurial Innovation

While the start of each year signals the beginning of a new list of challenges, whether self-imposed in the form of New Year's resolutions or otherwise, it is also a time of fresh approaches, new opportunities and renewed hope.

It can be tempting to focus on the ample difficulties we face as a society, such as climate change, public health crises and social inequality. Still, this unique season should be seized for all it offers—a literal and figurative starting point at which we can truly begin again. 

While every person can spark change, entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to seize the opportunity to start anew by aligning with causes close to their hearts and dedicating resources toward making a difference in their communities. By aligning their business with purpose, entrepreneurs can shape the future, building a healthier, more sustainable world for all.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "Since the late 1990s, small businesses have accounted for between 43.5 percent and 50.7 percent of the United States' gross domestic output (GDP), which equates to trillions of dollars of economic activity." Making up nearly half of the United States economy, modern entrepreneurs can leverage this power to shape solutions, drive change and ultimately bring about positive global transformation.

To fully understand how the power of entrepreneurial innovation can create opportunities for a healthier world, it's essential to discuss the role of entrepreneurs in shaping global health and sustainability and the influence of collaborative leadership in driving change.

The role of entrepreneurs and innovation in shaping global health and sustainability

Across all industries, entrepreneurs are leveraging innovation to address global challenges, whether related to their business directly or through personal passion-based initiatives, and there has been an amplified focus on areas such as health, climate and sustainability.

According to Deloitte, "85 percent of organizations have increased sustainability investments in the past year, up from 75 percent in 2023," and "nearly half of CxOs (45 percent) say they are transforming their business model to help address climate change and sustainability in a way that is central to their organization's strategy." 

The efforts of these organizations compound, and while big businesses may have a more significant individual impact, there is strength in numbers that allows small businesses to be the catalyst for change. A few examples of entrepreneurs and small businesses that have impacted health, climate and sustainability are Dr. Christina Rahm, Justin Weller, Caraway and The Gentle Barn.

DRC Ventures is a collection of cause-driven businesses developed by Dr. Christina Rahm, which creates sustainable solutions that challenge the status quo by creating and offering products that support the health of individuals, animals and the earth. A catalyst for conservation efforts, DRC Ventures consists of partnerships with multiple companies and brands in various sectors, ranging from wellness, nutraceuticals, beauty and fashion to research and philanthropy.

Justin T. Weller, founder of Urbana Tomorrow and Urbana Youth Center, is dedicated to enacting change in his rural community, fueled by the idea that a better tomorrow is always possible. Urbana Tomorrow spans real estate, construction, event spaces, media and retail and is devoted to developing sustainable, transformational and outstanding communities. Urbana Youth Center's (UYC) mission is to provide comprehensive youth services to reach, restore and revive the community. 

Caraway, founded by Jordan Nathan in 2017 after being poisoned by his Teflon cookware, develops non-toxic and sustainably manufactured kitchenware free of harmful chemicals such as PTFE, PFAS and BPA. The brand has also committed to keeping orders free of single-use plastics, so products ship in recycled cardboard packaging, including biodegradable cork trivets.

Ellie Laks founded The Gentle Barn as an ode to her younger self who felt healed and nurtured by animals as she faced the challenges of growing up. A national nonprofit organization, The Gentle Barn is a sanctuary and place of recovery for severely abused animals and children that is dedicated to connecting animals' stories of healing to the personal experiences of underserved and special needs children who have suffered trauma.

These instances of innovation and agility showcase entrepreneurs' unique role in shaping global health and sustainability when they align with missions and purposes that propel the causes and businesses themselves into the future.

The impact of collaborative leadership in driving change

Innovation and collective change are much more manageable with input, encouragement and mutual support from entrepreneurs working and learning together.

Whether through partnerships, summits and conferences or industry associations, collaborative leadership is the key to unlocking the potential entrepreneurs and small businesses possess to make a global impact.

On a larger scale, one example of establishing partnerships to combat and overcome significant challenges and create a healthier world is Habitat for Humanity. The shelter-centered nonprofit addresses global housing insecurity through "Home for a Home," which cultivates connections between local businesses, governments and volunteers. According to Voltage Control, through this partnership, every home built or renovated by volunteers triggers additional funding, which helps construct more homes.

This type of multi-industry partnership and collaborative leadership between businesses compounds the impact of each contribution, enhances community ties, increases public awareness and is essential in driving innovation that inspires change.

Additionally, summits and conferences can provide a platform where business leaders and change-makers from around the globe can learn together and commit to making a lasting and meaningful difference.

One example is the World Changers Summit, held annually at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Vatican City. It is a platform for collaboration between entrepreneurs, researchers and leaders from numerous fields. Here, innovators like Dr. Rahm meet to discuss potential solutions, discoveries and technology to create a healthier world.

"As a scientist, I wanted to do a lot of things in my life. As … a mother of four, it became very clear to me once I had cancer, and once I lost a child, that I needed to do even more," Dr. Rahm shared with the Catholic News Agency.

Dr. Rahm is not alone in this sentiment as, according to Harvard Business Review, entrepreneurs are more likely to see the future as bright than non-entrepreneurs. Collaborative leadership allows these optimistically informed individuals to unite, inspire one another and ultimately drive global change.

A healthier tomorrow

Ultimately, entrepreneurs are catalysts for positive change and vessels through which the power of innovation and collaboration can drive global change. They are particularly well-positioned to seize the new year's opportunities—aligning business with the purpose of building a healthier, more sustainable world for all.