Bryan’s Take:
What would be the impact if all businesses took into consideration how their actions affect the world around them – individuals, society, the environment, etc?
This idea of conscious capitalism is at the core of Dan Simons’ philosophy. Dan is the Co-Founder of Farmers Restaurant Group, as well as an Instructor at George Washington University and founding member of Conscious Capitalism DC. Dan sees the big picture – how our largest problems in society demand people to show up thoughtfully, and how small actions can ripple out and create outsized impact (for good and bad).
In 2018, Dan reached a major milestone in his efforts to create a positive change when he founded Our Last Straw, a nonprofit coalition of restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, event venues, and organizations across the DC metropolitan region and beyond who have united to eliminate single-use plastic straws. The collaborative work of Our Last Straw is building a framework for future efforts — local, national, and global — by the hospitality industry to influence everyone to curb our reliance on other single-use plastics, creating a major environmental impact.
Dan Simons shares his holistic approach to business, as well as a transformational moment in his childhood, on today’s One Away Show. Tune in to discover how you can make a difference through practicing conscious capitalism in your business.
About Dan:
Dan is the co-creator and co-owner of Farmers Restaurant Group, which includes seven Founding Farmers restaurants in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, along with a distillery, Founding Spirits. The company supports over 1,500 employees and continues to grow, adding a catering company, percolating on their new direct-to-consumer platform, and the environmental non-profit Our Last Straw. Dan is a teacher at The George Washington University, and aims his mentoring and direct funding support to female and minority entrepreneurs, creating and delivering a time management & personal productivity curriculum for his students and team. Dan is a lifelong learner, always looking to be taught something new or schooled about something he’s misunderstood.
A difficult period in Dan’s childhood allowed him to show up in the world with more empathy for others and changed his trajectory in life. Hear his experience on today’s One Away Show.