Carrie Varoquiers

Carrie Varoquiers is the Chief Impact Officer at Workday, where she leads the Workday Foundation and Social Impact function. Many AI tools in the workplace are delivering well on their promise: making work easier, faster and more productive. Many leaders are rightly enthusiastic about how AI can help reduce burnout, eliminate drudgery and free people up for more meaningful work. But alongside these gains, a quieter trend may be emerging.

If you look around your professional network today, you might notice a striking trend: More and more people seem to be starting their own businesses. According to recent LinkedIn data, the percentage of U.S. professionals adopting the “founder” title in 2025 surged by 69% over 2024, and increased 300% since 2022. This boom isn’t just about Silicon Valley or venture-backed tech startups. A movement is growing on Main Streets and at kitchen tables across the country.

Over the last decade, we have been perfecting the algorithms of convenience, and in doing so we have inadvertently moved away from the frequent human interactions that sustain our communities and our workplaces. Throughout my 25-year career in philanthropy, I have worked on challenges like climate change, gun violence prevention, chronic disease prevention, and closing the opportunity gap for workers.