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Not long ago, I had the chance to give a speech at a well-known business school. I shared my honest thoughts about the state of entrepreneurism in 2025, and what I said seemed to shock the students in attendance. After the talk, one soon-to-be MBA graduate approached me and said, “You can’t possibly say those things at a business school.”
But I firmly stand by every word. Entrepreneurs, marketers and product designers need to hear this: stop encouraging people to buy things they don’t need, and stop creating cheap, disposable products that are engineered to fail.
In other words, stop making junk, and stop convincing people they need that junk to be happy.
This is the first of two articles exploring a fundamental shift I believe entrepreneurs have a responsibility to embrace — one that frees consumers from unprecedented levels of debt, protects our planet and replaces the crushing demands of materialism with a deeper sense of connection.
We are at a crisis point – mentally, environmentally and socially. Our society is buckling under the weight of overconsumption, which is completely out of control. This is fueled by advertising that convinces people they’re not good enough without the latest upgrade, fashion trend, or technological gadget.
While we are quick to blame social media, the real problem lies with the advertising it pushes on us every waking hour of the day. Today, the constant stream of ads is hyper-targeted and increasingly manipulative.
And the toll on our mental health is enormous. According to the American Psychiatric Association, a staggering 43% of all Americans reported symptoms of depression or anxiety in 2024, up from just 11% in 2019. The decline in youth mental health is even more alarming, with suicide now the second leading cause of death for people between 10 and 24 years old.
Financially, we’re drowning in debt, fueled by high-interest credit cards, mortgages, car loans and “buy now, pay later” schemes.
This corporate-driven push to spend beyond our means is seriously affecting our personal finances and mental health. With families now working longer hours to buy things they don’t necessarily need, they sacrifice their own well-being and connection with loved ones and their community.
We are at a tipping point, and as entrepreneurs, we have a responsibility to take action. It’s common for entrepreneurs to think the only way to grow is to make people believe they need something they never even thought about before, or even maybe don’t need at all. This marketing strategy plays on an individual’s insecurity, sending them the message that without this product, they are missing out on something, or being unsafe or simply not being good enough as they are.
Car ads, for example, often suggest that you need the latest model to keep your family safe. Social media also tells parents they need to buy fancy toys, big vacations or the newest gadgets to be “good” caregivers.
This constant pressure to buy more is draining, financially and emotionally. But it doesn’t have to be this way; there is a better way.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Embrace transparent marketing: Authenticity is not just a trend; it’s a necessity. Talk about what your product does, not how it will “complete” someone. Show how it improves life, not how it makes someone finally “good enough.” The most powerful brands are those that uplift, not manipulate.
- Resist the pressure to oversell
Just because you can target a 14-year-old with an Instagram ad doesn’t mean you should. Just because your competitor is using fear-based tactics doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. Set a new standard.
- Solve a real problem – don’t invent one
Too often, advertising creates demands for things that do not need to exist. For example, consider the diamond engagement ring that should cost three months’ salary. That was an invention of the De Beers diamond company in the 1930s, but it’s become an accepted rule of thumb. While it’s clever to create unnecessary demand for a product, entrepreneurs have a responsibility to break that cycle by offering products and services that truly solve real-world problems instead of adding to consumers’ mental and financial burdens.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a plea to stop selling. It’s a challenge to start selling differently. Trust is built on values: telling the truth, solving real problems and treating customers with respect.
Related: Workers Are Overloaded and Underproductive — Here Are 3 Ways Workplace Tools Can Help
This is a call to stop fueling the mental health crisis in our country through constant messaging that people need products or services that will make them good enough. And customers will respond by rewarding brands that stop making them feel inadequate and incomplete.
In a market full of consumers tired of being oversold and misled, brands offering transparency, integrity and quality products will stand out. That’s not idealism – it’s an opportunity.
In my next article, I’ll explore how entrepreneurs and businesses can lead the way by reimagining product design — building things that last, that are sustainable and provide lasting value. If we want to create real change, we need to improve the products
