What we’re proposing with the Flywheel of Shared Success is nothing short of a call to confront and correct our deeply flawed execution of Adam Smith’s foundational principles of capitalism. We have reduced Smith’s vision to an overly simplistic, self-interest-driven value cycle that prioritizes profit above all else. What’s missing—and desperately needed—is the integration of a shared-interest impact cycle to balance this narrow focus.
The concept is deceptively simple yet profoundly challenging: we must intentionally redirect the captured value from the top half of the cycle and equitably deploy it to generate shared benefits—be it a thriving society, empowered workforce, or revitalized environment—in the bottom half of the cycle. These captured impacts, far from being a sacrifice, ultimately fall back on us, renewing the foundation for the next cycle of prosperity.
But here’s the harder truth: while we’re social beings capable of extraordinary collaboration, we’re also deeply driven by greed. This isn’t entirely our fault; figures like Edward Bernays manipulated Freud’s insights to stoke our unchecked desires, leading us to conflate consumption with happiness, wealth with worth, and self-interest with progress.
So the question is not can we adopt the Flywheel of Shared Success—but will we? Will we have the courage to challenge our instincts, disrupt the status quo, and design systems that serve not only ourselves but the broader ecosystem we depend on? It’s a choice between perpetuating the failures of capitalism as it stands—or stepping into a future where value creation and impact amplification are inseparable. Which side of history will we stand on?
The Perils of Hopping on Self-Interest Alone
By relying solely on the value chain—the “top half” of the cycle—we’re like rabbits, hopping from one pile of cash to the next in pursuit of ever-higher stacks. But the higher the pile grows, the more precarious the balance becomes. This extractive, short-sighted behavior is bound to backfire, leaving us scrambling when the inevitable collapse shifts the pile out of our grasp.
Rabbits are agile creatures, designed to leap high with their powerful hind legs. Yet their small front paws signify their limitations—they aren’t built to give much or carry anything forward. This imbalance mirrors our current approach to capitalism: nimble, opportunistic, but fundamentally one-sided and unsustainable.
In contrast, most four-legged animals have a more grounded, balanced stance. They aren’t designed to leap after ever-growing piles of cash, but they embody something deeper: generosity, cooperation, and an ability to contribute to the broader ecosystem. They symbolize a kind of shared strength, one that values stability and connection over the endless pursuit of height.
The question is: do we keep hopping on, hoping for balance atop a shaky tower of cash—or do we embrace a more grounded, generous approach, one that serves not just ourselves but the whole?
Are CEOs Buying into Shared-Interest?
JUST Capital’s polling of the American public, as well as their investment research, suggest there’s more to it than that. Companies need to navigate issues around politics, society and values precisely because of their connection to future business performance. Whether it’s customers, workers, suppliers or local communities, corporations need to be the best they can be in order to compete effectively and create value. In fact, their one hundred most JUST companies outperform the Russell 1000 by 13.7%: it pays to serve the greater good!
Serving the Greater Good: The Competitive Edge of Just Companies
What we’re suggesting, backed by research by JUST Capital, is that by distributing the proceeds of the value creation process more fairly—balancing self-interest with the shared-interest of all stakeholders—companies don’t just foster greater prosperity within their ecosystems; they also unlock a cascade of long-term benefits. Loyal customers, supportive governments, better-educated employees, and resilient communities all contribute to a virtuous cycle of mutual success. In serving shared interests, everyone wins—and the rewards ripple back to the business itself, creating a foundation for enduring growth and sustainability.
Closing Arguments
By shifting focus from purely serving self-interest to embracing shared-interest through equitable distribution, we unlock a pathway to exponential, long-term prosperity for all stakeholders. Research from JUST Capital demonstrates that companies prioritizing shared-value creation not only uplift their ecosystems but also achieve superior financial performance. The evidence is clear: balancing profitability with purpose is not a sacrifice—it’s a strategy for sustained growth.
When businesses act as bridge builders rather than solitary hoppers, they create ecosystems where employees thrive, customers remain loyal, communities flourish, and governments support their efforts. The short-term trade-off for equitable distribution is a small price to pay for a future where everyone wins.
The choice is ours: cling to unstable short-term profits, or build a foundation of shared success that leads to enduring prosperity. The Flywheel of Shared Success is not just an ideal—it’s a blueprint for redefining business as a force for good. It’s time to invest in a future where the well-being of all stakeholders drives exponential value for generations to come.
The Flywheel of Shared Success
More information on RoundMap’s Flywheel can be found here, but for your comfort, here is a visual of the framework.
Documentary “Buy Now” on Netflix
For a stark reminder of how far the corporate world has strayed from its moral compass, look no further than the documentary “Buy Now”, which has climbed to the 6th most-watched film on Netflix globally. The visual below offers a sobering perspective: it represents the staggering amount of waste we produce annually, imagined as a colossal pile engulfing the city of Paris. It’s a striking testament to the unsustainable consequences of unchecked consumerism and profit-driven priorities.
