Flipping the Model

Making money by doing good and putting humans first.

The term Unicorn says it all. Mythical animal. In the Venture Capital (VC) world the term originally, back in 2013, referred to a venture-backed startup company that reached a billion dollar valuation. Now, in 2026, we’re talking about single person unicorns. The startup world is largely driven by a singular notion: make as much money as possible. Often, the original founders and employees do not benefit from the ultimate success of the companies despite the fact the companies would not exist without them. They get diluted long before the windfall happens.

This Unicorn Economy is not sustainable, nor does it typically benefit the most people. I am not saying it’s bad to have people invest large sums of money in companies and generate tremendous wealth. In fact, that process has funded many advancements in technology, science, biotech, etc. that would not have otherwise been possible. Many that have benefited society. Like all things in life, there is always a price for success. Too often, the least able to have paid the price. Many gains have been made on the backs of underserved populations like socially and economically disadvantaged people who have little control. These days, that includes those not included in that group in the past, educated young people who now can’t find jobs or pay rent. There are many reasons. The main message is that we need balance. One way to gain balance is Flipping the Model. Give consumers control over their own data. Data Sovereignty. Digital Agency.

The Surveillance Economy, since the birth of the Internet, exchanged the use of software for your personal information. In the beginning it seemed like a fair trade because we were used to advertising on TV, in magazines, on billboards and on the radio. But in reality, that was very different. Those ads were one-way. You bought products, but they did not expose who you were. Once digital technology entered the scene, information about you could flow back to the companies who hosted the ads. The surveillance economy was born. That data is golden and has been a major driver of commerce globally. However, there were unintended consequences of driving commerce based on your data. Consequences largely linked to the lack of privacy like fraud, theft and crimes. The drive to push usage and time on apps has had significant documented mental health impacts, all to increase the value of the advertising and the companies. As longitudinal studies came out and people felt these consequences, data privacy laws started to emerge that now have forced changes in the Surveillance Economy in favor of consumers. That was before AI.

AI is the new underpinning of the advertising. It is so much more powerful, in the benefits and harm it introduces. Where is the protection for the consumer? AI cannot only expose your information, but convince you to do so. On the back end, the ability to slice and dice, combine and leverage your information to benefit others has now expanded exponentially. Those longitudinal studies and the outcry from frustration hasn’t yet happened, but it will. What you are seeing is a serious decline in consumer trust of companies and trends where young people in particular are starting to fight back, take control and refuse to be exploited. Where are the companies that balance this world?

There are very strong advocates out there for Human Centered AI, Human Agency, Data Privacy, Consumer Protection, etc. and most are working through non-profit organizations, NGOs and governmental agencies. This is good, but not enough. We need entrepreneurs and investors to recognize the global value of putting people first. I watched the early social brands like Tom’s of Maine and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream get push back when they announced their business models based on putting people first. But they persisted as have many companies over the years. Buy one, give one became a mantra, but that push was pre-AI. AI changes the game. It’s seductive and investors are pouring money into AI companies hoping to capture some of what is expected to be the largest generation of value in the history of the world. Can you blame them? No. That is their business. But you can choose alternatives like Flipping the Model.

Make money by doing good. Build products that benefit society. Protect humans while serving them and selling to them. That is not only possible, it’s more sustainable in the business sense. This must be done with for-profit businesses in addition to the philanthropic efforts to get investors to choose this path. Otherwise, the machine is too big. Society is going to shift. I feel confident that younger generations get this and they will force changes that serve people. We need to accelerate and support them.

My founders and I have chosen Flipping the Model as the basis for our business. It is definitely not the easiest path, but we believe it is needed so in a decade or two, we are not looking back at all the harm and unintended consequences of AI. Why didn’t someone do something differently to prioritize people?

We believe in the power of people owning, controlling and benefiting from their personal information. We want to empower everyone to be able to leverage AI to its fullest while at the same time, protecting and valuing people. Big changes start as small efforts. We truly believe we can change the world for the better.

Join us. www.acmebrains.com