Caring is Sam Davidson’s business - literally. Sam is President and co-founder of CoolPeopleCare, THE online destination for anyone who wants to make a difference. CoolPeopleCare is a new breed of business known as social entrepreneurship - doing good at the same time as making money. What Sam realizes is something that Gary Hirshberg, Founder and “CE-Yo” of Stonyfield Farm (a very successful organic yogurt company), pointed out in his thought-provoking and inspiring book Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World:

“Business is the most powerful force on the planet; it got us into this mess and is the only force strong enough to get us out.”

Sam gets it - and he’s doing his part to make sure we can, too.

Consider this: Each day I receive a 99 word email from Sam. It’s called “5 Minutes of Caring” and illustrates an action I can do in 5 minutes that day to make the world a better - healthier, more vibrant, more postive - place. He’s been writing these snippets for over two years. In addition, Sam runs CoolPeopleCare and its Remarkablog, writes on his own blog about entrepreneurship, changing the world, and other worthwhile stuff; he has written two (two!) books - New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 and Today is a New Day and another one is due out sometime this year; he speaks across the country on the next generation’s role in changing the world and social entrepreneurship. Oh, and he devised the afternoon running course for Adrian’s Birthday Challenge. So cool.

Did I get it all? Probably not.

Sam’s also set out to create a New Day for himself - a physical challenge for 2009. In a recent blog post, Sam shares his take on the virtues of a good ol’ physical challenge:

“A physical challenge is a commitment to an activity that pushes your body to the limit. The limit. The limit of what you expect it’s capable of. Thus a physical challenge does not look like the typical resolution. A physical challenge is not “Go to the gym four days a week” or “Run on a treadmill for 30 minutes.” Granted, for some of us, that is physically challenging, but let’s get a bit more daring.”

Sam is backing up his words. He set a goal to run a half-marathon every month this year. In a way, since its leads up to his birthday in December, it’s his Birthday Challenge for 2009. The challenge paid dividends before it even started - he lost 25 pounds in 6 months in 2008. For Sam it’s not only a challenge, but part of his plan to fall back in love with running and return to a weight he feels more aligned with. Half-marathon 1 is complete; 11 more to go. Go, Sam, go.

If we can all care just a fraction of what Sam Davidson does, we, too, can be cool - and we can save the world - 5 minutes at a time.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Check out www.coolpeoplecare.org - great articles, events, and volunteer opportunities.
2. Sign up for 5 Minutes of Caring.
3. Tell your friends (and the whole world) what they can do.
4. Smile. Right now. It’s a New Day.

Thank you to Sam for being a leader and role model for all of us.

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