BRUNSWICK, MAINE —  College of the Atlantic professor Jay Friedlander will give a speech on The Abundance Cycle and sustainability trends in business at an exclusive TEDxDirigo talk.

“TEDxDirigo: Mavericks and Misfits” will be held in Brunswick. Attendance is by invitation.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the TEDxDirigo ‘Mavericks and Misfits’,” Friedlander said. “By refusing to accept the conventional wisdom, this group of people has helped to redefine possibilities and chart a new course ahead.”

TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan “ideas worth spreading.” TED was founded in 1984; the annual conference began in 1990, in Monterey, Calif. “TEDx talks” are independently organized.

“Mavericks and Misfits” is described as “a rare opportunity to be surrounded with people who believe in positive possibilities, from all disciplines and backgrounds, who are working to make it happen.”

Along with Friedlander, presenters include Sarah Schindler, an associate professor at the University of Maine School of Law who focuses on the intersection of sustainable development and land-use law; and Hannah Holmes, author of four books ranging in subject from a natural history of dust to the evolution of human personalities.

Friedlander, the Sharpe-McNally Chair of Green and Socially Responsible Business at College of the Atlantic, has developed a sustainable-business curriculum at COA focused on building social, economic and environmental capital to spark innovation and create competitive advantage. With a growing interest in strategic sustainability, Friedlander has spoken in the United States, European Union and Asia on the Abundance Cycle.

Using case studies and building off his experiences as a natural- and organic-food entrepreneur, Friedlander’s presentation will explore the Abundance Cycle™, an actionable model merging business strategy with sustainability principles.

Under his model, startups and corporate behemoths, whether for-profit or nonprofit, are creating abundance by saving money, growing sales and creating business models that make them more competitive — bringing prosperity to the local community and rejuvenating the environment.

“All enterprises, regardless of size and profit orientation, need to innovate and evolve in order to grow and prosper,” Friedlander said. “Leading enterprises are remaking our economy and unleashing an enormous wave creativity with an abundant perspective.

“It’s time to change the conversation and understand that creating a better world and building a stronger enterprise goes hand-in-hand. The Abundance Cycle offers a new framework and suite of tactics for enterprises to do just that.”

Jay Friedlander, the Sharpe-McNally Chair of Green and Socially Responsible Business at College of the Atlantic, will give a speech on The Abundance Cycle and sustainability trends in business at an exclusive TEDxDirigo talk Nov. 9 in Brunswick. Attendance is by invitation.Jay Friedlander, the Sharpe-McNally Chair of Green and Socially Responsible Business at College of the Atlantic, will give a speech on The Abundance Cycle and sustainability trends in business at an exclusive TEDxDirigo talk Nov. 9 in Brunswick. Attendance is by invitation.

Friedlander is founder of the Sustainable Business Program at College of the Atlantic, where he created The Hatchery, a sustainable-enterprise incubator for academic credit.

Prior to joining College of the Atlantic, Friedlander was chief operating officer for O’Naturals Inc., a natural and organic fast-food restaurant group. As a strategy consultant, he developed and implemented global brand experiences and customer-centered growth strategies for clients including Citigroup and other industry leaders. His work also has attracted the attention of Fortune, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fast Company, Triple Pundit, Princeton Review, CNN, Entrepreneur, and Money.

Friedlander received his MBA from Babson College, where he specialized in new venture creation and graduated Summa Cum Laude, valedictorian of his class. He earned his undergraduate degree in sociology and anthropology from Colgate University, with honors.

Two-thirds of the 300 seats for “Mavericks and Misfits” are already sold out. Interested persons can request an invitation here.


College of the Atlantic was founded in 1969 on the premise that education should go beyond understanding the world as it is, to enabling students to actively shape its future. A leader in experiential education and environmental stewardship, COA has pioneered a distinctive interdisciplinary approach to learning—human ecology—that develops the kinds of creative thinkers and doers needed by all sectors of society in addressing the compelling and growing needs of our world. For more, visit http://www.coa.edu.