Never would I have imagined running a business.

Whenever future career became the topic at the dinner table, my dad, a Management major, would ask if I would consider going into business. Adamantly, I would say no, thinking, at least to myself, about the greed, selfishness, and oppression I associated with capitalism.

Beyond these beliefs, I did not think that business was meant for me. I did not think that I would be able to use my skills to best be of service to others through business. I could not imagine myself, a History major, who spent her extracurricular life working at a student publication, doing business.

I was and am open to the possibility of being wrong, but I would not have thought that I would be wrong about this.

I co-founded and currently help direct and manage a business called Cuago, a place for people, particularly students, to study, work, and print—even until the wee hours of the morning. Cuago offers a place where people can focus and do work productively and efficiently, with high-speed internet, air-conditioning, silence and privacy, energizing food and drinks, tools like white boards and bookstands for rent, digital printing, and lots of electrical outlets.

A little over a month into operations and I still can’t believe it; that I entertain customers by asking them if they would like coffee or water as well as how their experience was at Cuago; that I am coming up with policies, protocols, and systems not just for a staff or an organization but for a corporation. Above all, I can’t believe that I’m enjoying it, not just from having fun but also from being of service for and with others.

Contrary to what I used to think, business can be one of the best ways to be of service. I learned about this particularly during my Philosophy 104 class on foundations of moral value, through “Vocation of the Business Leader”, a document issued by the Catholic Church, specifically the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, on how businesses can embody Christian principles such as service and servant leadership. This is exemplified in the passage: “Business leaders have a special role to play in the unfolding of creation. They not only provide goods and services and constantly improve them by innovating and by harnessing science and technology, but they also help to shape organisations that will extend this work into the future.”

I did not think too much of the implications of this particular reading, other than how I could apply it to my org life. However, when I revisited the document again for my Theology 151 class, already in the process of setting up and slowly starting the operations of the business, it made sense.

There’s no denying that business can have dehumanizing and abusive effects. A business can demotivate its employees with micromanagement and inhibit personal growth, and push its leaders to make decisions to maximize shareholder wealth, no matter what the cost. However, this need not be the case. A business can promote growth, in aspects other than sales, not just for the company but for those who work for it. A business can be more than just an exchange of goods: A business can be a service that truly serves.