What does it take to lead with principle in a system defined by pressure, trade-offs, and competing interests?

In this HOW Conversation, HOW founder Dov Seidman sits down with David Gelles, best-selling author and climate reporter for The New York Times, to explore the central paradox of modern capitalism: how businesses can be both profitable and purposeful—without ever fully resolving the tension between the two.

Drawing from Gelles’ latest book The Dirtbag Billionaire, the conversation examines the story of Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia—a company built on contradictions: an anti-capitalist running a successful apparel brand striving to protect the very environment it impacts.

Together, they unpack the idea of “compound interest of values”, how leaders can center humanity, the urgent leadership questions emerging in the age of AI disruption, and much more.

READY TO START YOUR MORAL LEADERSHIP JOURNEY? Moral leadership is more imperative today than ever before. The HOW Institute for Society was founded on the belief that those in positions of formal authority should also have moral authority. We are creating the tools leaders need to make principled, ethical and values-based decisions. We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a world rooted in deep human values and trust in our social fabric. The Institute channels philosophical reasoning to address modern problems. Today, HOW we do what we do matters more than ever and in ways it never has before. Learn more at https://thehowinstitute.org/