Good and Social

Joining us from New York is Adrian Solgaard, founder of Solgaard. Ever since Adrian was a kid he has loved connecting things - he actually asked for tape one year for Christmas! A couple decades later and the passion hasn’t faded. Both of his businesses were born from the sheer desire to connect two interests - first bike locks and bags and sometime later suitcases and sustainability. Today he runs Solgaard, a luggage company out of New York City with a unique line of suitcases produced from ocean waste. Always looking to make simple connections between interesting ideas, Adrian joins us to talk about the travel industry, ocean waste, and digging deep to create change.

Today’s conversation is with Chris Baker, the Founder of One Seed Expeditions. Chris grew up in West Virginia, he graduated, moved to Hawaii, lived in a van, travelled to Nepal, and fell deep in love with adventure. He draws inspiration from visiting places unfamiliar and pushing himself to feel uncomfortable. His passion for exploration led him to found a company that raises the bar for what people expect out of their travel, from forging deep local connections to energy input and waste output. Chris impacts local change through global experience, leading One Seed Expeditions to invest in local solutions and entrepreneurs. We’re talking wanderlust, microfinance, community and dignity.

Amirah Jiwa is a social impact strategist, having spent several years leading social impact for popular luggage company, Away. She joins us today to talk about her international upbringing, her personal passion for social change, and the ways in which she believes that businesses can have a significant impact on social issues. From her work with Warby Parker to Away, eyewear to luggage, Amirah is a brilliant strategist and thoughtful innovator and she shares how she led Away to make a real difference through its partnership with nonprofit Peace Direct. You’re in for a great conversation!

Today's conversation is with Brian Jones, founder of Kin Travel. Brian worked for his family accounting business, romanticizing Africa from afar until he packed his bags and moved to Kenya. He set out with intentions to build a tented hotel and found himself inspired by the notions of sustainable travel, deployable hospitality and ecosystem awareness along the way. Brian founded Kin and is shaking up the massive travel industry to create true connection and sustainable impact through local partnerships. This episode is a love letter, both poetic and honest. Get ready to feel some serious wanderlust.

Today's conversation is with Eric Korman, CEO of PHLUR. Fascinated by business, Eric collected coke bottles as a child and read Forbes as a teenager. After working for all the major consumer-facing brands, Eric turned his sights to the fragrance industry. He launched PHLUR and from day one worked to build conscious capitalism into the organization’s value system. Balancing beautiful design with environmental impact, Eric is leading PHLUR to push the boundaries of imagination. He is a digital mastermind and an excellent human on a mission to positively impact the way we smell, live and experience.

Today's conversation is with Suzanne Siemens, co-founder of Lunapads. Suzanne left a stable corporate accounting career after an encounter with her now business partner Madeline, majorly changed her life. Shortly after the meet cute, Suzanne and Madeline launched Lunapads, a menstrual hygiene powerhouse and one of the first on the scene to disrupt a five-billion-dollar industry. Lunapads set out to be the aspiring Patagonia of period products. The brand is thoughtful and inclusive, defining their target market as menstruators to better represent those who are gender non-conforming. Suzanne addresses the ick factor of a business built on bleeding. Learning more about Suzanne’s story and knowing that Lunapads is out there fighting towards menstrual equity on a global-scale is reassuring, inspiring and empowering.

Today's conversation is with Cyrus Sutton, co-founder of Manda Naturals. Cyrus was a professional surfer and documentary filmmaker spending most of his time outdoors. When skin cancer hit too close to home, Cyrus was inspired to produce a safe and effective product that he couldn't find anywhere on the market. We're talking about health and the environment and how important it is to choose products that protect both.

Today’s conversation is with Molly Hayward. A graduate of a tiny and feminist liberal arts school, Molly was inspired early on to pursue a career in social impact. Assuming she would end up in the nonprofit sector, her career took a twist after a trip to Africa inspired a deep desire to disrupt the female hygiene industry. Molly joins us to talk about feminism, social impact, and her personal experience innovating in an industry that hasn’t really evolved in decades. We’re talking tampons, women’s rights, and social entrepreneurship and it’s a conversation I think you’re going to love!

Today's conversation is with Lisa Bronner, granddaughter of the late Dr. Bronner. Lisa pulls back the curtain on her family business, sharing her grandfather's story founding Dr. Bronner's as well as the family's vision for change. We talk about environmental values, inadequate industry standards, and how parenting has shaped the lens through which she strives to have an impact.

Marci Zaroff is the founder of Marci Zaroff is the founder of Ecofashion Corp, author of Eco Renaissance, and an all around sustainable business bad ass. She is a social impact pioneer and she holds the trademark for the term eco-fashion, among others. Marci’s episode is all about connecting source to story and appreciating our ecosystem. Marci explains the power of business to affect positive change in the world and why it matters to surround yourself with people who share your vision. From rollerskating to organic fiber to plant-based proteins. Get ready to be educated and inspired., author of Eco Renaissance, and an all around sustainable business bad ass. She is a social impact pioneer and she holds the trademark for the term eco-fashion, among others. Marci’s episode is all about connecting source to story and appreciating our ecosystem. Marci explains the power of business to affect positive change in the world and why it matters to surround yourself with people who share your vision. From rollerskating to organic fiber to plant-based proteins. Get ready to be educated and inspired.

Wen-Jay Ying had no idea she would end up passionate about the food industry when a dear friend introduced her to a local CSA. Having grown up on bulk discount food products, Wen-Jay found herself disheartened by the cycle of buying poor quality food from corner stores which resulted in health conditions that drove them back to the same stores for pharmaceuticals. It was a vicious cycle she saw among her neighbors in New York City so she set out to create an alternative. In pursuit of a sense of local community, Wen-Jay launched Local Roots NYC which connects consumers to farmers and impacts both ends of the food chain. We’re talking with Wen-Jay about food systems, sustainability, and what community really means to her.

Greg Vetter is a self-proclaimed condiment lover who launched a family business after a neighbor broke into his house and stole a two-liter bottle of his mom's salad dressing from his kitchen. His mom’s recipes were just the beginning, beyond the delicious taste and good for your benefits, Tessemae’s invented clean manufacturing and forever changed the game. This is a story about family strength and clean food. As the founder of Tessemae’s, Greg has successfully embedded health and environmental values into the company’s DNA. The brand is food tribe friendly, ethical, eco-conscious and human-centric. Greg is a curious and vibrant leader, full of big energy and bigger laughs. This episode is so much fun, get ready to smile.

Today’s conversation is taking back to the early days of my career studying public health. Jackie Bowen is the Executive Director behind Clean Label Project. From midwestern girl to nonprofit leader, Jackie is sharing her story of data, nutrition, and disruption. A passionate public health expert, she is revolutionizing how consumers think about the products they put in their bodies and how little we really know about what’s in the products we purchase. She is nerdy, funny, and surrounded by a team of talented scientists. This is Jackie’s story.

Today's conversation is with Devonne Niam, E-Commerce Manager at Matter Prints. Devonne was born in China and lived in Hong Kong before moving to Singapore where a dear friend introduced her to Matter Prints. The fledgling apparel company was just getting off the ground when Devonne joined the team. From her position as E-Commerce Manager she has had a front row seat to watching and leading the growth of social mission companies within Asia. Today, Matter is fostering design-artisan collaborations, inspiring customers to value provenance and process, and pioneering sustainability practices across rural textile communities. We’re speaking with Devonne about preserving traditional artisan techniques, slowing down production, and social impact in Asia.To learn more visit To learn more visit https://shop.matterprints.com/

Today’s conversation is with Eileen Mockus, the CEO of Coyuchi. Eileen is an expert in all things textiles and she has worked with some extraordinary brands (think -- North Face, Pottery Barn, Patagonia). Eileen thought her motivation was driven by making things until she realized it was actually the fabric. Her unique perspective on materials and manufacturing will reframe your view of the industry. Her focus on the human hands that touch and make along the supply chain was refreshing, deeply meaningful and human-centric. Eileen explains why social responsibility is so much more than social compliance and how in her experience consumers want real connections with the brands that they support with their dollars.To learn more visit To learn more visit https://www.coyuchi.com/

Today’s conversation is with James Bartle, the Founder and CEO of Outland Denim. James is a cowboy at heart. He explored the Australian bush on a motorbike as a kiddo, experiencing freedom and adventure. The Liam Neeson movie Taken and a trip to Asia forever changed the trajectory of his life. After having his eyes open to the toll of human trafficking, James was compelled to take action, so he founded Outland to address the root causes of poverty with empowerment as the main goal and success metric. James is the keeper of a unique perspective, and as a result he built a genuine brand with a unique business model. This is more than just social mission, so come on and join this denim party.To learn more visit To learn more visit https://outlanddenim.com/

Today’s conversation is with Clare Press, Sustainability Editor at Vogue Australia. The industry’s go to journalist for the intersection of fashion and sustainability, Clare has published three books and her work has been featured in VOGUE, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more. She joins us to talk about her birds eye view of the sustainable fashion space and how she’s leveraging writing to make an impact. Over the course of her career Clare has interviewed everyone from Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian to Yvon Chouinard. It’s an honor to turn the tables and share her story!To learn more visit https://www.clarepress.com/

Today’s conversation is with Liz Bohannon, Founder of Sseko designs. Sseko is a powerhouse brand, for women by women. But, at the beginning of this story is a volunteer trip to Uganda, which led to chicken farming, to sandal making and then to the launch of a brand with a deep commitment to education for young women in rural communities. Liz has turned fashion into a mechanism by which to empower. She is a voice for gender equity, a professional storyteller, and a global changemaker by all accounts. To learn more visit https://ssekodesigns.com/

Today’s conversation is taking us across the pond to the United Kingdom. Alice Cracknell and her husband shared a passion for global health that inspired them to pursue an innovative approach to poverty alleviation. Together they launched Origin Africa - a not-for-profit organization, raising funds through the sale of authentic African fabric products. To date, 100% of profits fund community driven, needs based projects which support the tribes from which our fabric originates.

Today's conversation is with Shannon Lohr. Shannon founded a conscious fashion company, acknowledged it was a great first adventure, and then walked away. Shortly thereafter she launched Factory45 - an online accelerator program that takes sustainable apparel companies from idea to launch. Shannon offers sage advice on successfully navigating the social impact trenches, raising money, establishing ethical supply chains, and the importance of following your heart.

Today’s conversation is with Eric Reynolds, serial entrepreneur and now social innovator. After founding several very successful companies Eric was interested in making a real impact so he launched Inyenyeri - a cookstove company which plans to reduce the toxic smoke load in low income communities that threatens both public health and the environment.

Today’s conversation is with Viveka Hulyalkar, the CEO and creative genius behind Beam Impact. Viveka is the daughter of Indian immigrants, she launched an environmental nonprofit when she was just fifteen and forged a million dollar partnership with the NBA when she was still in high school. We’re talking with her about launching tech startup, Beam Impact, and what role she thinks technology plays as a tool for social change.

Today's conversation is with writer and podcast host, Molly Stillman. After pursuing a career in sketch comedy, Molly pivoted and applied her passion for making people laugh and connecting with an audience to launching her blog, Still Being Molly. She’s opening up about the risk associated with sharing your heart in the blogosphere. We're talking about writing, building audiences, and telling stories to create social change.

Today’s conversation is with David Spandorfer, co-founder of Janji. David has been a life-long athlete and it was only a matter of time until he figured out how to carve a career in the running industry. David has run all over the world and saw a chance to use the sport as a way to forge connections across cultures as well as provide an outlet for international artisans to bring interesting product designs to the running industry. David is passionate, entrepreneurial, and deeply committed to having a global impact.

Today’s conversation is with Blake Ruble, counselor and founder of Alliance Experiential. Deeply committed to creating personal and innovative experiences for his clients, Blake has built a unique movement-centered approach to counseling. He joins us today for an uplifting conversation about health and wellness, the risk of starting one’s own practice, and his motivation to iterate on existing models to better serve his clients.

Today's conversation is with Kendyl Ruth Salcito, founder of NomoGaia - a nonprofit research and policy organization dedicated to clarifying the corporate role in human rights protection. Kendyl has a built a career on solving communication gulfs between companies and the communities they affect. She joins the pod to discuss the importance of field work, the value of open communication channels, and why there is no shortcut to human rights.

Today’s conversation is with Marisa Flacks, Founder of Rise Creative. Early in college Marisa saw a unique opportunity to blend her interest in marketing with her passion for ethical fashion. Marisa sheds light on the beauty and business of supporting socially innovative brands, the selling power of social impact, and what trends ethical entrepreneurs should be savvy to if they want to build customer loyalty.

Today's episode looks at the motivation of one family to amplify their impact. We're talking with Bob Caldwell, President of Bridgewater Candles about the power of partnership to create change within your business. Bob's sharing what it looks like for a family business portfolio to leverage their businesses to create social change and how the one for one model has been a powerful tool for impact.

Today’s episode is taking us down under, to connect with Australian native and social innovator Sandra Capponi. Sandra spent 8 years working for National Australian Bank trying to move the social responsibility needle from within a large institution. Equal parts inspired and infuriated by her experience, she stepped out to found Good On You - an app dedicated to helping consumers check the integrity and impact of the brands they buy from.

Today’s conversation is with Kristi Soomer. Following a successful career in management consulting, Kristi was inspired by how little she could live with out of carry on luggage every week. So she traded in the security of a stable job and life in airports to launch Encircled - a minimalist line of clothing for women who want a flexible and ethical wardrobe with fewer pieces.

Sierra Dowd is a survivor of sexual assault. She's also a powerful entrepreneur, a creative, and founder of 98 Society. Adding an honest and dignified voice to the mainstream conversation, Sierra is designing a line of products of which a portion of proceeds go to frontline charities serving other survivors of sexual assault. We talk about the #metoo movement, her own experience in entrepreneurship, and why she believes that a for-profit business can be a vehicle for real change.

Krystal Vaquerano, Co-Founder of Shea Optics, joins us to talk about health and wellness. Having launched Shea Brand with her two close friends, she's the driving creative force bring this natural product to market in an affordable way. Shea Brand offers a line of natural skin care remedies that offer consumers fewer ingredients and greater impact.

Today's conversation is with Mike Lewis and Molly McCall, some of the creative geniuses behind Zeal Optics. Outdoor enthusiasts and passionate creatives, these two are leading the brand to produce not only the most environmentally responsible but also the toughest and most stylish outdoor eyewear. We're talking about the strategy behind the brand, including plant based materials, reducing their footprint, and competing for market shares.

Brian Linton is the Founder and CEO of outdoor brand and ocean protector, United by Blue. Brian found early inspiration in the oceans, waterways and shipping lanes of Southeast Asia. He launched an ethical and eco conscious brand, and thoughtfully scaled the business and environmental sides (simultaneously) with great success. For Brian, sustainability is not a status quo but he’ll tell you more about that.

Today’s conversation is with Keller Anne Ruble, Associate Director of Policy Research at the Institute for Child Success. Keller Anne launched her career teaching inner city youth before shifting from the classroom to a policy platform. We’re talking about her passion for early childhood and how she’s helping to drive innovative policies that can benefit all of our country’s young minds.

Today’s conversation is with grant maker and program innovator, Noah Atencio. Noah has helped manage giving for some of Colorado’s most generous foundations and is now innovating to disrupt philanthropy altogether.

Today’s conversation is with artist, activist, and nonprofit founder, Hayden Dansky. Their organization, Boulder Food Rescue, is reducing inefficiencies and feeding hungry bellies in Boulder, CO. We’re talking about food waste, human dignity and what it really looks like to push boundaries and change food systems.

Today's conversation is with Stephanie Sica, a publicist committed to working with social impact brands. Having cut her teeth in event production, Stephanie fell in love with the media world and has built her career driving organic attention to brands that are creating social and environmental change. From how public relations looks different for socially driven organizations to what founders could be doing to more effectively engage their audiences, Stephanie walks us through the intricacies of driving attention to world changing organizations.

Today's conversation is with Barrett Ward, Founder of the ethical fashion company Able. Admittedly not an expert in fashion, this father of four opens up about how he stumbled into the industry and is now blowing it wide open by publishing wages for its workforce. From female empowerment to quality design, Barrett has led Able to a place at the table with the likes of the UN and other robust international development organizations. Their work is changing lives and setting standards and we're honored to share Barrett's story.

Today's conversation is with Benjamin Auzimour, United States Managing Director of french garment house, Saint James, known for the Breton Stripe. Benjamin joined the pod to discuss how notions of empathy, respect and quality are interwoven throughout the Saint James brand. From opera stage to the international market, Benjamin’s work at Saint James is about preserving legacy and staying true to shared values in order benefit the greater good.

Today's conversation is with Teresa Orsolini, Chief Marketing Officer at Swell Investing. Growing up between the Dominican Republic and the United States, Teresa witnessed social and environmental problems like water scarcity first hand. Now, she is helping to drive global solutions. Teresa is on a mission to make impact investing more accessible, understandable, responsible, and interconnected. She is building a brand that people want invite into their homes by relying on two key tools - knowledge and honesty.

Today’s conversation is with Travis Hartanov, co-founder of Krochet Kids International and Known Supply. Travis was there for the rise of social enterprise and is deeply committed to connecting people and products around the world. He’s on a mission to humanize the apparel industry, changing the aid landscape with a maker signature and an open heart.

Today’s conversation is with Whitney Ariss, co-founder of The Preservery in Denver, CO. We’re talking about her passion for food, the personal misfortune that inspired her eatery, and the unique obligation she feels to creating a fair and just livelihood for her team.

Today’s conversation is with Jeff Casimir, the man who has more experience teaching Ruby on Rails then anyone in the world. Cutting his teeth through Teach for America, Jeff has built his career in programming education, founding three different tech schools the latest of which is striving to open up the industry to more diversity.

Today’s conversation is with David Lin, the founder of Comrade Brewing Company in Denver, Colorado. We’re talking about the dirty side of the brewing industry, the technology that’s enabled him to reduce waste, and his decision to never bottle a single beer.

Today’s conversation is with editor AmyAnn Cadwell, founder of The Good Trade - an online publication that reaches millions of conscious consumers around the world. AmyAnn collaborates with social brands all over the world to share their stories and inspire readers to live more consciously and sustainably.

Today’s conversation is with serial entrepreneur Kayvan Khalatbari. Together we’re exploring his career path from cannabis to comedy and community activism as well as hearing more about why this Iranian American business owner and philanthropist has decided to run for political office.

Today’s conversation is with surfer and CEO Mark Price. Mark was born and raised in South Africa, competed as a professional surfer, and is now leading Fire Wire surf boards out of California to disrupt the industry and reduce the environmental foot print of surf board manufacturing.