Last month, our team received a very thoughtful gift from KINDSnacks. In addition to the many delicious (and healthy!) goodies, the box also included a few copies of KINDSnacks’ CEO Daniel Lubetzky’s new book, Do the KIND Thing. I read Lubetzky’s book, and I’m here to tell you why you should, too.

It will teach you that you don’t always have to compromise.

Early in the book, Lubetzky introduces the idea of thinking with “AND.” You can have a snack that tastes good AND is good for you, which is one of the fundamental values of KINDSnacks. But you can also apply it to your daily life. You can be successful professionally AND show empathy and kindness to those around you.

“You don’t have to accept the way things are. All you need to do is ask: Why does it have to be that way? When your default thinking is “AND” instead of “or,” you start to break down the roadblocks that prevent you from getting more out of life.”

There is a sort of grace that is associated with compromise. But every once in awhile, why can’t you have it all? Why can’t you have this AND that?

It could be your roadmap to building a lasting company culture.

Core values can be different for every business, and they may even evolve over time. At thinkspace, our team recently spent some time revamping our own core values to make sure they represent the culture we are cultivating every day. But the ten tenets outlined in Do the KIND Thing can be a great jumping off point, a source of inspiration or a guideline for creating a culture that encourages success as well as kindness and generosity.

You can see it in action.

Speaking from experience, when you’re an undergraduate pursing a degree in creative writing, your mantra may well be, “Show, don’t tell.” For Lubetzky, this is when his story shines brightest.
There is value in sweeping visionary statements and lofty ideals. But in a book that encourages the reader to do the KIND thing, it is so encouraging—and meaningful—to see that kindness in action. In the Acknowledgements section, Lubetzky thanks Djavo, the friendly superintendent who helped him move boxes twenty-one years ago. After finishing his book, Lubetzky ran into Djavo at a dinner, where Djavo was a server. Admittedly, he hadn’t thought of Djavo in years, but their chance meeting prompted this acknowledgement:

“I want to thank all those people, including the ones I have not seen in two decades, as well as the security guard that opened the door and the friendly stranger that share a smile this morning, for the unrecognized warmth they bring to our world every day…”

KINDSnacks is on a mission to prove that companies can be financially successful as well as—well, kind. And this book can show you how it’s possible.