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Elefint co-founder Gopika Prabhu tells us why building positive company culture is important for the success of any business and shares tips on how you can replicate their success.

Live a Great Story isn’t just the name of this brand-new company. It’s the philosophy that Zach Horvath and his collaborators follow.

As an entrepreneur, you might be sick of the self-improvement genre telling you what to do, when to do it and how to do it. When you’re busy managing your business, you don’t need to read something that tells you you’re doing it all wrong. You won’t find any titles like that on our list. We believe that these are the only nine business books you need to get your game on and to thrive.

For craftsman David, a piece of furniture is more than just an object that fills space. It’s an expression, a feeling that impacts both the environment and all who thrive in it.

Making a career shift is tough — there’s no doubt about that. But it can be done, and as Laurel Kinney has learned, starting over is never really starting over.

Make every penny you spend count by choosing brands that give back to those in need. Following the one-for-one model popularized by brands like TOMS Shoes, these brands that truly exemplify the idea of good design meets doing good.

About a year and a half ago, 17-year-old Megan Grassell took her sister, Mary Margaret, then 13, bra shopping for the first time. “We couldn’t find anything that wasn’t super sexualized, padded or push-up,” Megan recalls. “I have a very vivid memory of my sister walking out of the dressing room, and I was like ‘Oh my God, Mary Margaret, you can’t wear that!'” It was the same at every store they tried. “I remember thinking to myself in anger: ‘What is the hurry to grow up so fast?'” Megan says.

Whoever said that wisdom comes with age never met our nine teen entrepreneurs. These young men demonstrate that you don’t have to be a certain age to come up with a good idea or change the status quo. You might want to share this list, plus our Design9 on inspiring teenage girls, with your favorite Generation Z’ers (yep, Generation Z is a thing) to show them the power of dreaming big.

We love coworking spaces and how they cultivate impact and entrepreneurship. So when we heard about “green coworking” we began scouting for some of the best green coworking spaces around the world. Here are our top nine picks if you’re looking for a beautiful and eco-friendly place to get work done.

They say that sometimes what you’re looking for is right under your nose. But for the residents of Hale County, the answer was growing in the backyard. Thanks to an excess of naturally harvested bamboo, an interest in handmade bikes and a newly transplanted designer from out west, a small nonprofit put the tiny rural town of Greensboro, Ala., on the creative map. Eleven small businesses later, nonprofit HERO shows what the power of design, community and entrepreneurship can do.

Being a creative is hard work. Putting yourself out there is scary, so your mind convinces you that Facebooking and tweeting are better ways to spend your time. But according to the experts, the fear never goes away. These nine books for creatives will teach you how to work with your fear and to channel it into creating your next masterpiece.

Let’s face it: Plenty of brands and businesses out there embrace social entrepreneurship by way of the one-for-one model. You know what we mean – you buy a bag or a pair of shoes and someone in need gets a version of the same thing. While ESPEROS follows the same model, this Austin, Texas-based bag brand takes that model a step further by providing one year of education for a child in need for every bag purchased. We spoke to the founder of ESPEROS, Oliver Shuttlesworth, about social entrepreneurship and the power of ignorance.

In 2009, IDEO.org published the Human-Centered Design Toolkit to introduce creative problem-solving to nongovernmental organizations and social enterprises working with impoverished communities. Thousands of printed copies of the toolkit have been sold, and it’s been downloaded over 150,000 times. Designers, entrepreneurs and key figures in the social sector embraced this resource and used it to make a difference. Six years later, new ways of teaching and implementing human-centered design prompted IDEO.org to create new tools.

The next time you stick your Juicy Fruit under the table or throw it on to the sidewalk (which you really shouldn’t do) think of it like you’ve just tossed an artist a canvas. Literally – gum is London artist Ben Wilson’s canvas. We recently sat down with the artist on the Millennial Bridge in London as he finished painting a tiny picture on a blob of discarded chewing gum—a woman in a bikini sunning herself.

We’re all about great design and craftsmanship here at DesignGood. For this week’s Design9, we present nine fair trade brands that not only bring gorgeous products to our shelves, but also make a huge impact in the lives of artisans, craftsmen and makers around the world.

From poor environmental practices to questionable conditions for employees, the fashion industry isn’t exactly known for its ethical practices. But thanks to the growing slow fashion movement, fueled in part by organizations like Fashion Revolution and documentaries like “The True Cost,” shoppers are beginning to take note.In Part 2 of our series on independent, ethical fashion designers (here’s Part 1, in case you missed it) we’re bringing you a few (more) of our slow fashion favorites:

Sharing like interests can be the quickest way to forging friendships, cementing relationships and fostering businesses. We’ve pulled together a list of some of our favorite creative couples and partners who are building bridges with design and gardening, sourcing and repurposing discarded materials, and illustrating and illuminating connections with others around the globe.

What do you think of when you think of Etsy? Knitting supplies, novelty items, crafty gifts? Think again. These days, Etsy is the home to some world-class designers and other indie makers producing high-quality pieces … and raking in the dough while they do it.

The next time you have a break and need some compelling viewing, check out our nine favorite YouTube channels. They embody the things we’re all about at DesignGood.

Fascinated with the simplicity of a paper bag, Bangkok born- and Munich-based graphic designer Ploi Malakul knew that the first collection of handmade bags for her company twelvetwelve would somehow incorporate this simple inspiration. Read on to learn how she balances the digital design world with the hands-on work of creating handbags from scratch.

It’s mind-boggling how rent continues to skyrocket in all those “biggest” and “best” capitals of the world. And it’s not like your apartment is getting bigger or you’re getting paid more. Fed up? In this Design9 we’ve found 9 midsize cities where you can live the life you want without going broke.