1995 Boettcher Scholar David Price: Social Impact Entrepreneur

In the midst of a Silicon Valley mindset of “move fast and break things,” David Price, a 1995 Boettcher Scholar and self-described serial tech entrepreneur, views impact through a more intentional lens.

David is the co-founder of human(Ethos), a team of advisors who believe ethical theory is the key to improving leadership and organizational culture. David works alongside companies to supplant the typical tech mindset with one focused on building ethical cultures and robust teams that produce quality services and do right by customers from the beginning.

“Ethical theory provides a foundation for behavior change. If you change behavior, you improve your company morale and culture. You gain customer trust. And finally, you get results; we are working to measure how ethics applied to teams drives employee retention and performance,” said David.

human(Ethos) is one of many unique, entrepreneurial projects David has undertaken since graduating from CU Boulder and pursuing masters work at CU and Oxford in philosophy and bioethics.

David launched his career in software and web technology in the early 2000s. Since then, he has leveraged those skills as a medical device researcher, a chief technology officer for an investment bank, and a consultant to Fortune 50 companies. He also co-founded and consulted on several for-profit enterprises focused on enhancing quality of life.

Being an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley is something that business students may aspire to. On the subject, however, David noted that, “The most important thing about an individual is not what they do, but who they become.”

“Entrepreneurship is often misconstrued as an identity or a destination. It’s a mindset and a skillset separate from role or context. So ‘how do I become an entrepreneur?’ is the wrong question. Instead, start with the question ‘who do I need to become in order to do what I want to do?’ If you start the journey with this focus, you’ll end up learning the skills you need along the way,” said David.

In the face of the next best opportunity or innovation, David is very intentional about his impact on the world as an entrepreneur, citizen, husband, and father of three young children.

In a recent role, David advised development of a supply chain analytics tool to help businesses protect against forced labor worldwide. He has also launched “We Heart Paradise,” an organization with the mission of connecting aid organizations, modular housing manufacturers, and trauma therapists to help restore the community of Paradise, California, which was destroyed by wildfires in November 2018.

In the past six months the volunteer-driven project has gained traction, but David is still seeking partners to support him, particularly people in the Boettcher community who have connections with humanitarian relief and housing.

In addition to service, David’s faith has been a grounding force in his life. He is a practitioner of contemplative prayer and spent time with Trappist monks to understand the beauty of solitude. “The fight of our lives is to relentlessly eliminate hurry and busy,” said David.

He also strives to live each day in gratitude, which leads him to reflect often on the scholarship which helped open doors for his career and life of impact.

“My family did not have the financial means to support me in college. The Boettcher Scholarship was truly transformational in that it created time and opportunity for me to invest in both others and myself. It was an invitation to explore and discover, which was a process that continued throughout my twenties, the net effect for which I am still deeply grateful today.”