--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: American business, while it does not…" description: "\"American business, while it does not frown on helping the human race, frowns on people who start right in helping the human race without first proving ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/margaret-halsey-6554_american-business_american-business-while-it-does-not-frow_3156227.jpg" --- # American business, while it does not frown on helping the… ![“American business, while it does not frown on helping the human race, frowns on people who start right in helping the human race without first proving that they can sell things to it.” quote by Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/margaret-halsey-6554_american-business_american-business-while-it-does-not-frow_3156227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/margaret-halsey-6554_american-business_american-business-while-it-does-not-frow_3156227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/margaret-halsey-6554_american-business_american-business-while-it-does-not-frow_3156227.jpg) > “American business, while it does not frown on helping the human race, frowns on people who start right in helping the human race without first proving that they can sell things to it.” [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Businesses often prioritize profit proof they support humanitarian efforts, demanding proof of market viability first. **In simple terms:** Companies want profit before helping people. Key Takeaway Prove value before expecting goodwill. Themes business ethics profit humanitarianism Mood critical reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - startup pitches - corporate philanthropy - investment decisions Key Concepts market validation social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can profit and purpose align? - What incentives encourage early social impact? A Different Perspective Profit focus can limit genuine altruism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-business/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [“When it comes to helping another human being, you can treat the symptoms or you can treat the cause. Most people dabble in symptom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/when-it-comes-to-helping-another-human-being-you-can-treat-the/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [It's been said that government doesn't create jobs, business does. For the most part, this is true. But government creates the environment in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-gregoire/it-s-been-said-that-government-doesn-t-create-jobs-business-does-for/) [Christine Gregoire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-gregoire/) > [“Business does not need planning anymore. It demands out-of-the-box thinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haresh-sippy/business-does-not-need-planning-anymore-it-demands-out-of-the-box/) [Haresh Sippy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haresh-sippy/) > [That business does not prosper which you transact with the eyes of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/that-business-does-not-prosper-which-you-transact-with-the-eyes-of/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [The extraordinary business does not require good management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-extraordinary-business-does-not-require-good-management/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“They call it "business" because it does not become successful by a person's "idleness". Go get busy if you want to do business; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/they-call-it-business-because-it-does-not-become-successful-by-a/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“In business, do not take anything that does not rightfully belong to you. The day you end up taking anything that is not rightfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-business-do-not-take-anything-that-does-not-rightfully-belong-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Not only is a good name catchy and memorable, it should help people understand what your business does. If your name reflects your products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-greiner/not-only-is-a-good-name-catchy-and-memorable-it-should-help-people/) [Lori Greiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-greiner/) > [Life is a business that does not cover the costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/life-is-a-business-that-does-not-cover-the-costs/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“if your business does not take advantage of a new opportunity to offer value to your customers, someone else will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-rogers/if-your-business-does-not-take-advantage-of-a-new-opportunity-to/) [David L Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-rogers/) > [To be fair, the collection business does have a few good people in it. But it also has those who will lie and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/to-be-fair-the-collection-business-does-have-a-few-good-people-in-it/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [What business does memory have with time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/what-business-does-memory-have-with-time/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Any business that does not innovate will fail over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/any-business-that-does-not-innovate-will-fail-over-time/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [If a business does well, the stock eventually follows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-a-business-does-well-the-stock-eventually-follows/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [There is no question of the benefits that opening a market of a billion people will bring to American businesses. But as I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/there-is-no-question-of-the-benefits-that-opening-a-market-of-a/) [William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/) ## More by Margaret Halsey > [Life itself, however, flows and is sequential and punishes those who try to compartmentalize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/life-itself-however-flows-and-is-sequential-and-punishes-those-who/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [the crucial disadvantage of aggression, competitiveness and skepticism as national characteristics is that these qualities cannot be turned off at five o'clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-crucial-disadvantage-of-aggression-competitiveness-and-skepticism/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Englishwomen's shoes look as if they had been made by someone who had often heard shoes described, but had never seen any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/englishwomen-s-shoes-look-as-if-they-had-been-made-by-someone-who-had/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [it is a waste of time to ask more of people than they have to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/it-is-a-waste-of-time-to-ask-more-of-people-than-they-have-to-give/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [I would have felt more comfortable on a girder fifty floors above the street, catching white-hot rivets in a pail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/i-would-have-felt-more-comfortable-on-a-girder-fifty-floors-above-the/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [The position of children as a group, in a commercial society, is not wholly advantageous. A commercial society urges its citizens to be responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-position-of-children-as-a-group-in-a-commercial-society-is-not/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Money does not corrupt people. What corrupts people is lack of affection ... Money is simply the bandage which wounded people put over their wounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/money-does-not-corrupt-people-what-corrupts-people-is-lack-of/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Identity is not found, the way Pharaoh's daughter found Moses in the bulrushes. Identity is built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/identity-is-not-found-the-way-pharaoh-s-daughter-found-moses-in-the/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [I am living with a rising generation which talks like people coming out of ether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/i-am-living-with-a-rising-generation-which-talks-like-people-coming/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [children are an embarrassment to a business civilization. A business society needs children for the same reason that a nomadic or a pastoral society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/children-are-an-embarrassment-to-a-business-civilization-a-business/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [The only way not to worry about the race problem is to be doing something about it yourself. When you are, natural human vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-only-way-not-to-worry-about-the-race-problem-is-to-be-doing/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Employed as I had been employing it, liquor is a fixative of old patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/employed-as-i-had-been-employing-it-liquor-is-a-fixative-of-old/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [in the comparatively short time between my childhood and my daughter's, the business society has ceased urging people to produce and is now exerting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/in-the-comparatively-short-time-between-my-childhood-and-my-daughter/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [A person may be totally unimaginative and have the social vision of a mole, and we still call him a decent man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/a-person-may-be-totally-unimaginative-and-have-the-social-vision-of-a/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Infants, I note with envy, are receptive to enjoyment in a degree not attained by adults this side of the new Jerusalem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/infants-i-note-with-envy-are-receptive-to-enjoyment-in-a-degree-not/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) [Explore all 98 Margaret Halsey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) ## More American business quotes > [There is no question of the benefits that opening a market of a billion people will bring to American businesses. But as I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/there-is-no-question-of-the-benefits-that-opening-a-market-of-a/) [William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/) > [As you are well aware Russia is actively working to undermine our democracy and hurt American businesses at the same time. Now more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/as-you-are-well-aware-russia-is-actively-working-to-undermine-our/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [The question really is how do we get Embassy Officers into the minds of the American business community. That is a much more difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/the-question-really-is-how-do-we-get-embassy-officers-into-the-minds/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [We want to be able to do business in China. I know a lot of American businesses and farmers want to as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/we-want-to-be-able-to-do-business-in-china-i-know-a-lot-of-american/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [My overall goal is to level the playing field for American businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/my-overall-goal-is-to-level-the-playing-field-for-american-businesses/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [By all indications, American business leaders are more adept at creating business strategies than they are skilled at human capital management. American entrepreneurs are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-toole/by-all-indications-american-business-leaders-are-more-adept-at/) [James O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-toole/) > [I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think. That is very uncommon in American business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-insist-on-a-lot-of-time-being-spent-almost-every-day-to-just-sit/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I understand that in these difficult economic times, the potential for any additional expense is not welcomed by American businesses. But in the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-locke/i-understand-that-in-these-difficult-economic-times-the-potential-for/) [Gary Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-locke/) > [“Many people object to “wasting money in space” yet have no idea how much is actually spent on space exploration. The CSA’s budget, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/many-people-object-to-wasting-money-in-space-yet-have-no-idea-how/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [American businesses are looking for are certainty and executive orders don't really get them that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bolling/american-businesses-are-looking-for-are-certainty-and-executive/) [Eric Bolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bolling/) > [We are seeing some challenges and some changes in American business, American enterprise, but the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is a reminder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-are-seeing-some-challenges-and-some-changes-in-american-business/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Every time you have a new tax, or every time you have to pay really an inordinate amount for a regulation, it's really stifling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-raese/every-time-you-have-a-new-tax-or-every-time-you-have-to-pay-really-an/) [John Raese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-raese/) > [By strengthening our trade laws, we level the playing field for American businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/by-strengthening-our-trade-laws-we-level-the-playing-field-for/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [“dramatically, but helium gas was 10 times as expensive. Under these conditions, Dr. Eckener, a pilot whose primary concern was safety and as Director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-provan/dramatically-but-helium-gas-was-10-times-as-expensive-under-these/) [John Provan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-provan/) > [No library of American business achievement is complete without the story of Arthur G. Gaston. . . . Black Titan is a long overdue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-g-graves-sr/no-library-of-american-business-achievement-is-complete-without-the/) [Earl G. Graves, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-g-graves-sr/) [Browse all 127 American business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "American business, while it does not frown on helping the human race, frowns on people who start right in helping the human race without first proving that they can sell things to it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Halsey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/american-business-while-it-does-not-frown-on-helping-the-human-race/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/american-business-while-it-does-not-frown-on-helping-the-human-race/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/margaret-halsey-6554_american-business_american-business-while-it-does-not-frow_3156227.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/margaret-halsey-6554_american-business_american-business-while-it-does-not-frow_3156227.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/margaret-halsey-6554_american-business_american-business-while-it-does-not-frow_3156227.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“American business, while it does not frown on helping the human race, frowns on people who start right in…” — Margaret Halsey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Margaret Halsey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "American business, while it does not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/american-business-while-it-does-not-frown-on-helping-the-human-race/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/american-business-while-it-does-not-frown-on-helping-the-human-race/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```