A focus on people: The Built Oregon Manifesto

After almost six years of working collaboratively on the idea of Built Oregon, our board recently took the time to step back. To discuss how we got to this point. And the ways the organization has evolved. It was a time to take into consideration Built Oregon, as it exists today. Understand the work it has done. And, most importantly, where it has come up short. So that we, as an organization, are better equipped to move forward with our collaborative efforts.

During that process, as we were working through the meaning and foundation of the Built Oregon brand, it became evident to me that what we really needed — in addition to the internal facing attributes, values, and pillars — was an external facing manifesto for Built Oregon.

One that would speak to who we are and how we want to engage from an emotional perspective.

One that explained how we see ourselves engaging as a collaborative partner within the broader community.

One that shared how we hope to enact change and align our values and principals to that vision.

But most importantly, one that would help explain the reasons why we do the things we do as an organization.

Because we know:

• Oregon is the established world leader in consumer product design and innovation
• That leadership has led to an abundance of consumer product talent and knowledge in this state.
• That talent has helped to create a number of Oregon brands that are instantly known around the world by their logo or motto.
• Leveraging those brands and talent gives Oregon a unique opportunity to lead the way for entrepreneurship in consumer products.
• And that potential presents an enormous opportunity to create a substantial and positive economic change for our state.

But we also know that:

• We are a state full of amazing small businesses led by founders who lift up their communities and employees but do not fall under the prevailing startup mythology of “disruption,” “venture capital,” and “unicorns.”
• You don’t have to scale fast, have hockey stick projections, forego profits in favor of loss, or exit to be a success.
• Strategic plans come and go, but the people behind the companies remain.
• If we fail to put our people and communities front and center in the planning, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

Some movements start with a manifesto. Others find their way to needing one. We find ourselves at the point of needing one.

This is what we believe.

The Built Oregon Manifesto

At Built Oregon, we believe that the prevailing startup mythology of success — one trumpeted through pitch decks, competitions, financing, and a fail fast mentality — has eroded the actual humanity of entrepreneurship. We believe that a business’ success is based on more than data points, strategic plans, or money raised. And we are resolute in our stance that building trust and empathy with one another will always have a far more significant and lasting impact than simply writing a check.

Built Oregon’s North Star will always be the people behind the products, the places that mold who they are, and the stories that connect us as human beings.

We believe in building an inclusive and empathetic ecosystem that leverages Oregon’s deep legacy of product craftsmanship and innovation — one that is built upon an independent spirit, humility, collaboration, and world-class knowledge — to create broad-based opportunities for entrepreneurs in consumer products and for the people their companies employ.

We believe these opportunities can help create industry-leading companies and sustainable businesses that provide consistent living-wage jobs. And we believe that those jobs have the potential to lift up people, communities, and the entire state of Oregon.

Creating these opportunities, however, comes at a price. The mental health toll that weighs upon each business leader. The emotional strain of navigating ever changing dynamics of the free market. The inequitable aspects and systemic barriers that so many founders continue to face. Not to mention, the constant pressure to provide for loved ones, support employees, and strengthen communities.

It is for those reasons that we will never waiver from our North Star.

To do this work by leading with empathy.

To build a stronger Oregon through trust and relationships.

To never stop putting people first.