I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work within the world’s largest food company as a consultant on its organic initiatives after selling Pet Promise to one of its major divisions, Nestle Purina. The experience has helped provide me with insights into the psychology and world view of corporate giants, and how they can be maneuvered into helping bring about constructive change. In addition, my working with the Nestle Purina infrastructure helped us catapult the Pet Promise brand into first place in the natural channel in just two years of its actually being in the marketplace -- a feat that could not have been accomplished without the big company resources that were made available to us.

Those resources have proven a tremendous asset to our enterprise, and the positive impact they have had simply in terms of our ability to ensure a supply of high-quality natural meat and poultry has been quite significant. For me, this has reconfirmed my conviction that major corporations are not nearly as sequestered as many people might think, and if you can bring passion, excitement and a great product idea to one of them, there is a real sort of magic that might result from being able to plug this enthusiasm into that ‘big machine’ and watch it churn. You might even help that company to have a significant impact on our world.

1) The big companies need you because they are much more willing to buy something than to build it. A company the size of Nestle (which does almost $80 billion in sales) is indeed a huge machine –one that runs on established protocols that make it very difficult for it to move quickly or to foster and nurture innovation on its own. But with its vast resources and infrastructure, it can also prove to be a fertile host. These kinds of enterprises are much more likely to buy something new and original than to develop it internally. That means they may well be receptive to being sold a novel product idea --– especially one that comes with an existing support staff that is equipped to handle the detail work involved in bringing the product to market. So if you have a fledgling venture that’s based on an innovative concept, and you would like to be able to launch it into orbit’ think big’ and don't be afraid to approach the big company with it at an early stage of its development.

2) Big companies think in terms of big expenditures. That means you shouldn’t try to sell them on ideas that can be gotten or launched ‘on the cheap’. If you approach a huge corporation with a brand or business that’s worth less than a $100 million dollars, it won’t be all that impressed by either you or it. To play in the big leagues, you’ve got to ‘think big’ in financial terms, too.

3) Big companies can change the world -- and help to save it as well. It’s just a question of providing them with the proper incentives and initiatives. If you work with a large corporation, lead the effort to facilitate some type of meaningful change. Even little steps can make a big difference. Keep pushing for reform and enlightenment – you never know when you might find an opening, or when the timing for a suggestion might be ideal. There’s a great source of strength there, and it can be harnessed to benefit the Earth and its inhabitants (beside the stockholders, that is). Handled right, a big, supposedly “soulless” corporation can be used to amplify an inspired innovation, and thus be guided into becoming a force for good.