“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
The Way of Lao-Tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC – 531 BC)

At KOR, we often preach that “perfect is never” and that it’s more important to “be on the path”. We all struggle between the poles of perfection and failure, feeling that we can’t do enough, be that in our jobs, getting in shape, or doing our part to simply save the planet. Easy, right? Sure. KOR’s water drop logo is metaphor for our incredible personal challenge; the arms of the water drop strive to connect at the top but fall short as perfection, in any pursuit, is fleeting.

I had the honor to share dinner as a guest of 1% for the Planet this past week at the Outdoor Retailer show. As a 1% member, I met on behalf of KOR with the 1% staff and board and other members such as Klean Kanteen, Econscious, and Trailspace.com. First, let me address the question you might be asking: What is 1% for the Planet? It’s an amazing organization started by Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard, with the simple idea to unite for-profit companies with non-for-profit causes to effect change. Companies like KOR pledge to donate 1% of their top-line sales (backed up by submitting corporate tax returns; i.e., no funny business) to non-profit causes registered in the 1% program.

1% for the Planet promotional video – members mentioned from 1% for the Planet on Vimeo.

When we started KOR, after years of working for someone else, we wanted to do more than give bottled water users a good reason to switch over to sustainable hydration — we wanted to give back to water. We could have started our own charity and non-profit, but the associated red tape and burden of legitimacy made this a difficult option (remember the Seinfeld episode where George creates his own bogus charity, “The Human Fund”?). 1% for the Planet provided the best option. By aggregating businesses across that globe that want to give back and exposing them to charities that need help, KOR was able to articulate its cause strategy of giving back to four critical water causes (“Thirst for Giving”) through the highly recognized and respected exchange that is 1% for the Planet. With each business that comes to the 1% table, all participating businesses benefit by becoming part of something bigger than their own individual contribution. 1% of sales might seem like a small amount to give. But consider this: for a startup like KOR, 1% of sales equals about 1000% of our profits right now. It’s a clear calculation that cannot be fudged.

I invite you to explore the 1% website to find businesses that are on board and worthy of your patronage. I also invite you to consider whatever goal or challenge your facing and realize that it’s not about getting to the finish line, it’s about taking the first step. The finish line will be reached sure enough.