Why I prefer working for a zebra, not a unicorn

Growing up in Philadelphia, I was blessed to be taught humility and generosity at an early age by my parents who adopted several children during my childhood. Helping others came to the people around me naturally and so seemed to be a part of our DNA.

As I made my way up the career ladder, I’ve always kept in my heart an eagerness to make the world a better place and aimed to put it to work in the various companies I joined. To me, there is no divide between generosity and business growth.

So when a seemingly new breed of companies emerged in recent years, obsessed with the “get big fast” philosophy, I was taken aback. I could not see past the valuation frenzy every start-up jumped into in hopes of becoming the next “unicorn.” Would these company leaders operate with generosity? Would they ever “give a stick of butter and a smile?”

In a recent article on Quartz, Mara Zepeda and Jennifer Brandel wrote that companies should strive to be zebras, not unicorns. For them, “unicorn companies are bent on ‘disruption’ rather than supporting businesses that repair, cultivate, and connect.”

Unlike unicorns, zebras are real, mutualistic, and are both profitable and improve society. As the chief commercial officer of a company that pioneered a way for people to gain access to affordable legal…