Protest to Profit: Building Good Business to Drive Global Change with Shel Horowitz, Going Beyond Sustainability

How Businesses Can Heal the World: Lessons from A Transformpreneur

What if solving the world’s greatest challenges like poverty, racism, and climate catastrophe wasn’t just the work of activists or governments, but a clear business opportunity?

That’s exactly the radical yet practical vision shared by Shel Horowitz, founder of Going Beyond Sustainability, on a recent episode of The Wild Party Podcast. We sat down with the best-selling author and long-time activist to explore how ethical entrepreneurship and innovative marketing strategies can help businesses do well by doing good.

From Teenage Activist to Business Strategist

Shel’s journey began at age 12 at a peace rally against the Vietnam War, followed closely by the first Earth Day in 1970. That early spark ignited a lifelong commitment to environmental and social justice that eventually merged with his entrepreneurial drive. His breakthrough came after leading a successful grassroots campaign, Save the Mountain, to stop a luxury housing development in Massachusetts. The win showed him that the same strategies that fuel activism could also supercharge ethical business practices.

This revelation laid the foundation for Going Beyond Sustainability, a consultancy that helps businesses create profitable solutions to real-world problems. His approach? Start with what you already do well, and align it with values that benefit people and planet.

Making Sustainability Profitable

Throughout the conversation, Shel emphasized that environmental and social impact doesn’t have to come at the cost of profit, in fact, they often go hand in hand.

Take for example D.Light, a solar lantern company serving off-grid communities. Their model allows customers to purchase clean, safe lighting for the same monthly cost they’d normally spend on toxic kerosene. After ten months, the product is fully paid off freeing up income and opening up life-changing opportunities, like better education for children or launching a small business.

Or consider Dean’s Beans, an organic, fair-trade coffee company that empowers local farmers with funding for self-directed community projects. These are not fringe experiments, they're smart, scalable business models that merge profitability with equity and justice.

Guerrilla Marketing for Good

Shel’s latest book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, co-authored with the late Jay Conrad Levinson, focuses on how small, creative actions can outmaneuver large competitors and drive real change. One memorable example he shared was of a small furniture store sandwiched between two retail giants, which simply put up a sign reading, “Main Entrance” over its door. That kind of nimble, values-driven marketing isn’t just clever it’s transformative.

Why “Going Beyond Sustainability” Matters Now

Sustainability is about preventing further harm, Shel explained but “going beyond” means restoring, regenerating, and healing. Businesses that adopt this mindset not only improve their operations but also attract more loyal customers, inspired employees, and lower long-term costs.

He stressed the importance of systemic thinking, urging listeners to consider their business as part of a greater ecosystem—socially, environmentally, and economically.

Everyone Has a Role to Play

While his focus is on helping businesses lead the way, Shel also spoke passionately about consumer power. Supporting ethical brands, choosing fair-trade products, organizing grassroots efforts, or even boycotting problematic companies are all small actions that, when multiplied, spark significant change.

Most importantly, Shel emphasized that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. As he put it, “Change is accomplished by ordinary people.” Whether you're a solopreneur, a CEO, or someone just starting to explore sustainability, you can be a powerful agent of change.

💡 Want to start making a difference with your business?
VisitGoingBeyondSustainability.com for free resources, green business tips, and to book a complimentary 30-minute strategy call with Shel, just mention The Wild Party Podcast.