Today’s visits made me realize that a good business does not only have to be about making the most money possible. It can still make a profit while also thinking about people and the environment. Sibö stood out to me the most because the founders could have stayed in normal, established careers, but instead spent years learning how to make chocolate. For example, the presenter explained that he was a historian. That has basically nothing to do with chocolate, but he wanted to make an impact in his hometown. He researched how they made chocolate through the ages and took us on a journey with real tasty chocolates (other than the white chocolate one). That shows they cared about more than just selling a product. They wanted Costa Rica to keep more of the value from its own cacao instead of just sending raw materials somewhere else and letting another country make the real money.

That feels like the triple bottom line actually working. Sibö still has to make money, but it also supports local farmers, Costa Rican culture, and a more thoughtful way of using the land. Daniel Harris’s restaurant showed a similar idea by taking something that was already there, a burned-out ruin, and turning it into a business built around local resources. When I got my salad appetizer, I could see each thing in my bowl on the walk as he was explaining every item in his garden. Everything was locally sourced. He explained that he got his firewood from the local coffee shops to continue the theme of giving back and sustainability. To me, that connects to green infrastructure because sustainability was not just a random extra thing. It was built into the design of the place. The medical device industry was a little different because it showed how Costa Rica has invested in skilled workers instead of just cheap labor. That creates better jobs, but it also made me wonder who gets the biggest long-term benefit when multinational companies are involved. Overall, today showed me that the best businesses are the ones where profit, people, and the environment all connect instead of competing with each other. Even though sometimes there is a more efficient or cheaper way to do something, the extra costs give hidden profits we do not expect.