I just hit "Submit" on the B-Corp certification application for Moonrise Media.
I went into this expecting a paperwork exercise, expecting to tick some boxes about recycling and community service.
I was wrong.
Getting to the point of submission wasn’t about "applying." It was about re-engineering how my business understands itself. It was a deep, operational self-examination that forced me to slow down and look at the foundation of what I’m building.
Here is what the process actually taught me:
1. Intentions are not evidence. We all like to think we are "good" businesses. But the B-Corp assessment doesn't care about your intentions; it cares about your receipts. Moving from "We do this informally" to "Here is the written policy" forced me to codify values that previously just lived in my head.
2. Aspirational language doesn't score. As a storyteller, I love a good vision. But in this audit, flowery language gets you zero points. Specific, verifiable action is what counts. It taught me a new kind of language discipline: if you can't measure it, you can't claim it.
3. The "Trade-Off" Reality. You begin to see where impact areas compete. Improve one metric and you expose a weakness in another. It’s not about perfection; it’s about intentionality.
By the time I pressed "Submit," I hadn't just filled in a form. I had mapped the moral and operational backbone of Moonrise Media.
This submission is just the threshold. The assessment (and the waiting game) comes next. But the real work - the formative work of building a business that serves its people, its clients, and its community - has already begun.
To my partners: thank you for trusting me with your stories. I'm working hard to ensure my business is as resilient and respectful as the narratives I film.
#BCorp #SocialImpact #Storytelling #BusinessStrategy
