Why 'Investing in Kindness'?
Investing in Kindness is a research project exploring how kindness influences leadership, investing, and business outcomes.
Through a global survey and a series of interviews, this project examines whether kindness, often overlooked in business, can be a competitive advantage. Insights from participants will contribute to a public report, inform leadership frameworks, and explore how values such as empathy, fairness, and integrity influence performance, trust, and long-term growth.
Where It Began
The catalyst for this project was twofold. During a panel conversation on innovation at SXSW at the German Haus in 2025, I was asked what drives me each morning. I answered that I want to make the world better.
I referenced a recent talk that I had heard suggesting that investing in kind founders was a poor bet. I used the phrase “Invest in Kindness,” and after the panel I felt inspired to explore: What is the measurable return on investing in kindness from a business perspective?
You can view the original LinkedIn post and panel clip here:
Amanda Fornal is an executive coach, business consultant, startup advisor, and explorer. She launched Investing in Kindness in March 2025 to examine the return on investing in people and companies that lead with purpose, empathy, and integrity.
With a background in technology, entrepreneurship, and field research, Amanda asks questions about how we define success and what kind of organizations we aim to build for the future.
Applying These Insights in Leadership
Investing in Kindness is a research initiative. Hypatia Leadership is where many of these questions are explored in practice.
Through executive coaching, Amanda works with founders and senior leaders who want to examine how values such as empathy, fairness, and integrity shape decision-making, performance, and organizational culture over time.
You can learn more about her coaching work at Hypatia Leadership.