​​What If the Economy Loved Us Back? Transforming Business with Jess Rimington

What if we could reimagine our economy to prioritize wellbeing over endless growth? In this episode, Jess Rimington, author of "Beloved Economies: Transforming How We Work," joins us to explore how businesses can break free from extractive capitalism and create workplaces that actually support human flourishing. After both experiencing severe burnout from traditional workplace structures, Jess and her co-author spent eight years following 60 enterprises that were sharing power in unique ways. What they discovered challenges everything we've been taught about business success. In this conversation, we explore: The 7 practices of beloved economies, including shared decision-making, prioritizing relationships, and reckoning with history Why capitalism requires constant extraction and how that affects our collective wellbeing Alternative funding models like reparative capital and patient capital How venture capital keeps founders trapped in scarcity mindset Why only 2% of VC funding goes to women and 1% to people of color The connection between economic democracy and political democracy Practical ways to organize collectively during uncertain times How to build businesses that align with your values without burning out Jess offers a refreshing perspective: we don't need to figure out the perfect economic system before we start making changes. The beloved economy we want is already being created by businesses and entrepreneurs who are choosing to operate differently right now. Whether you're a startup founder questioning the traditional VC path, an employee wondering if work has to feel extractive, or simply someone seeking hope for a more humane economic future, this conversation offers both inspiration and actionable pathways forward. Key Takeaways: Business can exist outside of capitalism - we just aren't taught that our MBA programs teach ideology, not universal truth Values aren't aspirational statements; they're reflected in what you actually prioritize Sharing power isn't zero-sum - it actually replicates and creates more for everyone The companies pioneering new economic models already exist; we just need to amplify them Resources Mentioned: Ernst Gotsch, Farmer in South America "Beloved Economies" by Jess Rimington and Joanna Levitt Gutin "Believe in You Money" by Jess Norwood (Runway/reparative capital) Acumen Fund and patient capital models Working Families Party, Indivisible, Movement Voter Project Join us for this vital conversation about building an economy that can actually love us back. Jess Rimington is a next-economy strategist, practitioner, and scholar focused on supporting businesses and organizations to step out of extractive economic practices. She is co-author of Beloved Economies: Transforming How We Work –winner of the Porchlight’s Business Book Award in Management & Workplace Culture. She was co-director of the Beloved Economies research initiative from 2015-2022.  You can follow her at @jessrimington or at belovedeconomies.com You can follow this podcast @toomuchwithdlh and Denise @deniselovehewett Email [email protected] for any suggestions or advice.