Sam Altman recently shared his evolving thoughts on capitalism. As the CEO of OpenAI, he sits at the frontier of a technological revolution that will define the next hundred years of human progress. His vision of “techno-capitalism”—a system that rewards innovation while finding new ways to distribute its benefits—is thoughtful, timely, and urgently needed.
But theory isn’t enough. We need a capitalism that feels like it’s working again—for the builder, the backer, and the employee alike.
Over the last four decades, productivity has soared while wages have stagnated. The cost of living climbs. The dream of ownership recedes. And the wealth generated by the few no longer circulates to the many. This isn’t just an economic failure—it’s a cultural one. A failure of belief. A failure of imagination. A failure to honor the contract at the heart of the American idea: that prosperity, if earned, should be shared.
Some will say: We already have systems for this.
Market-rate salaries are the mechanism.
401(k)s and stock market investing are the solution.
Employees have access—they just need to take advantage.
But if that were true, we wouldn’t be here.
We’ve been running this playbook for decades, and income inequality is still at a historic high. The average worker sees gains eaten away by inflation while corporate valuations skyrocket. The people creating the value aren’t participating in the upside. And worse, we’ve outsourced the responsibility of building wealth to individuals without giving them the tools or knowledge to do so.
Let’s be honest: most 401(k)s are underfunded, underutilized, and poorly understood. Public markets are increasingly inaccessible, gamified, or algorithmically rigged. And salary alone—while essential—is a static instrument in a world moving at exponential speed. If we rely only on those tools, we’ll keep getting the same results: concentration at the top, disillusionment at the bottom, and a system that feels increasingly rigged.
That’s why we need to go deeper. Beyond salaries. Beyond benefits.
We need to get serious about structural access to wealth creation.
Let’s normalize employee ownership—not as a perk, but as a core design principle. Let’s reward companies that share real equity with real workers. Let’s provide tax incentives for entrepreneurs who build companies that circulate prosperity inside, not just out to investors. Let’s direct government contracts toward companies that pay well above living wages andgive employees a stake in what they build.
And let’s make that visible. Just like we label products as organic, fair trade, or carbon-neutral—we need a designation for companies that practice Shared Prosperity. One that measures the ratio of CEO-to-median-worker pay, the percentage of equity held by employees, and the proportion of profits redistributed internally. Call it “Shared Prosperity Certified”—a badge that signals to consumers, workers, and investors that this company doesn’t just create wealth, it shares it.
But this isn’t just about policy or optics—it’s about education, too. Employees must also understand the difference between short-term compensation and long-term value. Ownership isn't a quick reward—it’s a lasting one. As employers, we need to teach this. Model it. Design systems where participation is intuitive, not mysterious. When people understand what they’re part of, they invest more than their labor—they invest their belief.
None of this is anti-capitalist. It’s capitalism at its best. A version that honors the entrepreneur and the employee. That builds enduring value because the foundation is broad, not brittle.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about making everyone rich. It’s about making more people secure. Respected. Empowered. It’s about aligning success with contribution, not just with control.
We’ve celebrated unicorns and exits and IPOs. It’s time to celebrate how those things get built—and who gets to benefit.
Let’s replace envy with responsibility.
Let’s replace resentment with recognition.
Let’s reward the companies that reward their people.
Capitalism, like democracy, is an agreement. And right now, that agreement feels broken. But we can renew it—not by tearing it down, but by insisting that it rise up and serve more of us, more fully.
The solutions are in front of us. They require new thinking, new systems, and an old kind of faith—in ourselves, in each other, and in the simple belief that prosperity should be earned, shared, and sustained.
Let’s build a future where success is collective.
Let’s make wealth sharing a badge of honor.
Let’s walk the path forward—together.
If this episode gave you something to think about, share it with someone who’s building a business, leading a team, or just trying to do things the right way. We need more conversations—and more actions—that center around dignity, ownership, and shared reward.
I publish new episodes every weekday—each one focused on helping you live with purpose, lead with clarity, and stay rooted in what matters most. You can subscribe on Substack, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Let’s stop waiting for the system to fix itself. Let’s build the kind of capitalism that works for the people who make it possible.
Until next time—be kind, be great, and work hard.
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