Ethical branding doesn’t equal equity.
Earlier this year, when I set out to launch my own business, I got a piece of advice that stuck with me.
It was well-meaning, a little strategic, and entirely unsurprising.
“You might want to stay away from that kind of language right now.”
The language in question? Equity. Anti-oppression. Regenerative business.
Business as a practice of liberation—not extraction. Not domination. Not performance.
“It's not going to be super popular in this political climate,” they said. “People are pulling back. You don’t want to alienate your audience.”
To which I said: Isn’t it more important now than ever?
Because I didn’t start this business to play it safe.
I didn’t walk away from a system I knew how to succeed in just to recreate it under softer lighting.
I started it to practice something different.
To build a model of leadership that wasn’t just values-aligned on paper, but values-embodied in practice—messy, real, sometimes clumsy practice. The kind that shows up in the hard decisions and the awkward conversations and the moments when no one’s watching.
And here’s what I’ve learned along the way:
This isn’t the kind of work that goes viral.
It doesn’t lend itself to hot takes or highlight reels.
It doesn’t fill an inbox with applause or rack up metrics that make the algorithm swoon.
But that was never the point.
I’m not here to be a softer version of the same old system.
I’m here to name the patterns I see. To speak plainly about the dissonance between what we say and what we do.
To build something that doesn’t just sound different—but functions differently.
Because once you start to see the way power moves through systems—who it protects, who it punishes, who it demands silence from in exchange for safety—you can’t unsee it.
Maybe it’s the former interior designer in me, but I think about it like a house. You can spend all your time choosing the perfect paint colors, curating the aesthetic, making sure every room “says” the right thing. But if the foundation is cracked—if what holds it all up isn’t structurally sound—it doesn’t matter how beautiful it looks. Eventually, the cracks show. And if you’re not careful, the whole thing gives.
And once you’ve seen it, you can’t pretend language is enough.
I used to think the right language could save a business.
If we just named our values clearly enough—equity, transparency, inclusion—then surely we’d build the kind of business that reflected them.
We’d avoid replicating harm. We’d attract the right clients. We’d stay accountable.
But over the years, I’ve learned the hard way:
Language isn’t the same as liberation.
A beautifully-written values page doesn’t mean your team feels safe.
A powerful DEI statement doesn’t mean your hiring practices are just.
And calling your org “human-centered” doesn’t make your leadership any less extractive—especially if the structure is still running on urgency, over-functioning, and unspoken hierarchies of voice and power.
Because when your systems aren’t built for equity, your language becomes a cover-up.
And the more fluent you are in the performance of values—the more beautiful your slide decks, your mission statements, your messaging—the easier it is to confuse performance with practice. The mask with the work.
We’ve built a generation of businesses fluent in progressive language—while quietly maintaining the same old systems underneath.
Most “values-driven” businesses are just traditional businesses… in ethical branding.
A recent study from McKinsey showed that while 87% of companies say they’re “committed to equity,” only 25% have made measurable progress toward it.
(Source: McKinsey, Race in the workplace, 2023)
Meanwhile, DEI budgets are being slashed. Anti-woke rhetoric is being leveraged as brand strategy. And plenty of “ethical” businesses are still run by founders who treat their team like emotional support staff.
The issue isn’t language. It’s legacy.
Most of our leadership models were born from supremacy culture—designed for efficiency, not equity.
And without structural change, we end up doing equity work inside the same systems that created the harm.
That’s how you end up with:
A leadership team that looks diverse but isn’t resourced to succeed.
“Brave space” values alongside silenced feedback loops.
HR policies that use inclusion buzzwords—but reinforce control and compliance.
It’s not a personal failure—it’s a systemic setup.
And if you’re a founder or operator who’s trying to actually lead differently?
You probably feel the dissonance already.
You’re trying to build something more just, more human, more real—
But the deeper you go, the more you realize how much of your business was built on shaky ground.
Maybe you’ve questioned whether people are still willing to “buy” equity (and no, not like stock options or founder shares—I mean equity as in justice, access, humanity that isn’t transactional).
Maybe you’ve been told it’s “not strategic” to lead with your values right now.
Maybe you’ve wondered if you’re doing something wrong—because it shouldn’t feel this lonely to do the right thing.
You’re not wrong.
You’re just trying to lead in a system that was built to look aligned—not be aligned.
So what if we stopped trying to make equity palatable—and started making it real?
What if business wasn’t just a container for impact—but a portal for collective healing?
That’s what I explored with Trudi Lebron in Episode 3 of COO-fessions.
Trudi has been doing this work long before DEI was trendy—and long after many businesses have quietly backed away. Her insight on regenerative leadership, prefigurative business, and what it really takes to build something that interrupts—not replicates—systems of harm?
It’s the compass many of us have been looking for.
Because the real question isn’t, “Do your values sound right?”
It’s, “Do your systems reflect what you say you believe?”
In this episode, Trudi and I talk about:
Why DEI became a loaded acronym—and what it was always meant to be
How fear and branding keep founders stuck in performative alignment
What it means to build a business where values live in your decisions, not just your deck
If you’ve ever felt like the language of equity is getting louder—but the leadership is getting quieter?
This conversation is for you.
→ Listen now
→ Share this with the founder, co-founder or COO you know who’s also trying to build something that actually works.
You don’t need a better mission statement.
You need a business that matches it.
Not a house that just looks good from the outside—but one that’s built to last. One where the values aren’t just in the design choices, but in the blueprint. In the bones. In the way the weight gets distributed.
Let’s stop performing alignment—and start practicing it.
xo,
Brittany
P.S. If this stirred something in you—you’re not alone.
Start by tuning into COO-fessions, where we get honest about what it really takes to lead with clarity, care, and alignment inside systems that weren’t built for it.
And if you’re ready to move from surviving the cracks to rebuilding with intention—fill out this quick diagnostic and get on a call with me.
We’ll look at what’s working, what’s wobbling, and what your leadership (and your people) actually need to build something that lasts.
