Naiveté is one of the most powerful assets an entrepreneur can have. In fact, I think some of the most meaningful things in the world only exist because someone was naive enough to try.
Daniel Lubetzky would know. In a crowded category and cutthroat industry, Daniel dared to build a company called KIND. He started with a simple question: how can we help people snack healthily without compromising their values? KIND Bars are now a household name and Daniel achieved his dream of building the culture behind the brand. A culture rooted in trust, long-term thinking, and social good. Essentially, a place where people loved to work and a company that thrived as a result.
In this conversation, Daniel and I explore why entrepreneurship is less about ego and more about problem-solving, why brands are promises that must be kept, and how thinking in the short-term erodes trust in both business and society.
Daniel’s story doesn’t stop at the wildly successful business he founded. The son of a Holocaust survivor, he grew up with a deep sense of responsibility to prevent hatred and division from taking root again. That calling first led him to create PeaceWorks, bringing people together through commerce, and now fuels his work with the Builders Movement. Builders is an effort to channel curiosity, compassion, and courage to reduce polarization and rebuild trust… together.
Some important context, because this episode touches on peace building and polarization, is that it was recorded back in December 2025 and before recent developments in the Middle East. But this episode is about how kindness can be a competitive advantage, how optimism can be strategic, and how each of us has a role to play in building a future that’s more connected than divided.
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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If you want to learn more about the Daniel’s work with The Builders Movement, head to: https://buildersmovement.org
Check out the products and work being done at KIND: https://www.kindsnacks.com
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