For the Adventurous
A new experiment to make change happen.
55% of North Americans are concerned with social and environmental issues. They want to do their share but fail to take action. The disconnect between people’s intentions and deeds is complex but can be summed up in two brief ideas — 1) old habits die hard, and 2) most people don’t know where to start. It doesn't have to be this way and we've developed a system to change things.
The Purpose
We’re committed to making the world a more positive and sustainable place and we’re fascinated by human behavior. Republic of Change plays to both passions. It’s about helping reconcile our consumerist culture with the carrying capacity of the planet. It requires a team of passionate, purpose-driven people and a company culture of iterative improvement. The products are simply a consequence of thoughtful ideas. In other words, we put the “why”, the “who” and the “how” ahead of the “what”, in that order.
The People
My founding partner Lucy took a pass on her PhD to join Republic of Change. Elena left the fashion industry to come change the world with us. Michael, Isaac and Joe are talented engineers and designers from Relevance, Akta and Hanson. But it’s not just about their credentials, experience or networks. They’re great people to spend time with and there’s a shared passion for the work. Everybody understands agile workflow and knows how to ship. My job is mostly the vision thing, bringing together great minds and removing obstacles to make things happen.
The Product
We’re preparing to launch Republic of Change — a mobile-only social network that connects conscious consumers with restaurants, shops and activities, that are carefully curated through our 4-point sustainability criteria. We want to help people learn about and further engage in sustainability culture. It’s for people who want to make more mindful, healthy and sustainable choices but don’t know where to start or what to do. It’s a beautiful, elegant and fun. Picture the lovechild of Warby Parker and Foursquare where everything you discover through Republic of Change is part of the solution and where each purchase you make makes a huge positive difference.
Being Adventurous
Republic of Change is about breaking out of routine, discovering new ways to see the world, and experiencing new things that make a positive impact. It’s the promise of the future many of us are focused on creating and the common denominator among the people we serve, the ideas we advance, and the culture we’re building. We’re based in Vancouver for now. Half the team works remotely and we’re growing, which means we’re also selectively hiring. We’re self-funded and proving again that financial constraint is a catalyst for creativity. So far, so good.
Interested in what we’re doing? Visit our website and find me on Twitter @julienfruchier.
