When you look historically at societies that face threats to democracy, business plays a really pivotal role.

If business stands up for democracy, if it's part of fixing the system, then democracies can thrive.

If it doesn't, then democracies can fail.

The apolitical nature of business is somewhat overstated.

While companies are concerned about not being seen as partisan, in certain circumstances, the reality is that business has a very large footprint in Washington.

Companies are weighing in in politics, on tax and regulatory issues, they're giving political support to candidates, etc.

So if you play a role in the system already, you have a particular responsibility to be part of making it work.

Business has been such a driving force of innovation, so particularly in American society, the trust and expectations of business, I think, are significant and it's only increasing the expectations that business takes a stand.

That's Dan Yella-Baloo-Air, co-founder and CEO of the Leadership Now project, a nonprofit dedicated to engaging business leaders in the future of American democracy.

Through the 2020 presidential election and the January insurrection at the Capitol, leadership now found itself in the crosshairs of unexpected controversy.

I'm Bob Safian, former editor of Fast Company, founder of the Flux Group, and host of Masters of Scale, Rapid Response.

I wanted to talk with Dan Yella because business leaders have been pressed in recent times to take public positions on politics in ways they never have before.

That Dan Yella says is a good thing for business and for democracy.

She argues that even businesses that don't lobby are still key players by simply paying taxes, businesses are supporting the overall system of government.

Dan Yella also talks about the rising trust that people have for business leaders, the responsibility that comes with that and how business style innovation could remake democracy for the better.

We'll start the show in a moment, afterward from a premier brand partner, Capital One Business.

I have a background as an actor, so we're used to saying yes. Can you fly a plane? Yes. Can you do this? Yes. You just say yes first.

So when people would ask me, could you make me a caracay? Could you make me some brownies? Could you make me a whatever? I would say yes.

That's Poshan Ashley, founder of Mama aunties vegan goodies. She started her business with baked goods from her own kitchen. But soon she had her customers saying yes when she perfected a recipe for the holy grail of vegan desserts ice cream.

Now they don't even want you to call it vegan ice cream. So we have to call it a non-dairy frozen dessert.

Sorry, Poshan perfected her recipe for non-dairy frozen dessert.

It has the same mouth feel as a dairy ice cream that tastes like it has butter in it.

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