Grow Ensemble Podcast

Welcome to the Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Podcast. In this thought-provoking episode titled "What Makes a Great Company?" we're diving into the inspiring journey of Dean's Beans Organic Coffee Company. Joining us are two remarkable guests, Dean Cycon, the founder of Dean's Beans, and the new CEO, Beth Spong, who are here to shed light on their unique approach to business—one that's grounded in social, economic, and environmental justice. ⭐ SPONSORED BY: Transform Global - https://www.transform.global/ agood company - https://www.agood.com/

Yes, we need to make a living.  But how do we make a life?  It might not simply be about the money.  When the world is in turmoil, when our health is at risk and the future seems murky, perhaps paychecks and productivity aren't enough. Perhaps we can't manage our way into the future.  What if we created the best job someone ever had?  What if we built an organization people would genuinely miss if it were gone?  What if the work we did made things better?  Mozart, not Muzak.  This is the Song of Significance This interview with Seth Godin, author of 21 international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about work, is about how we, in business, can do better.  How we need to do better.  In 2023, Seth published this very important book, The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams, which was an urgent call to action for us all to rethink work, management, and leadership.  Both in how it's all practiced and what it's all even for.  Seth, has influenced an incredible many in business and marketing myself included, and I believe he has long already been a champion for embedding meaning into the work we do.  To make something people remark on, you must push yourself to make something remarkable. The focus isn't on attracting customers, but rather, on building community around what you and your organization stand for.  Trust and transactions aren't best bought but rather built and earned through servicing what people need.   This book, however, takes a much broader look at business–explains the rather dangerous pathway we are on, but in simple, yet profound maxims and short stories offers us a pathway forward.                           In this conversation, Seth and I discuss the perceived problems at hand with business, business culture, and work–and sort through the various nuances of remedying those issues to create a better, more meaningful future.   Specifically, we explore how industrialization has bred a race to the bottom culture in business where it's margins, not meaning or service fueling the engines of our marketplace.  We explore how we need NEW entrepreneurial idols – and what mainstream business misses about the Henry Fords, Elon Musks, and Zuckerbergs of the world.  And most importantly, Seth shares how we can do WORK WORTH DOING both for ourselves and for our communities.  

On December 8th, 1993, Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) into law.  In his remarks at the signing, Clinton proclaimed, “NAFTA means jobs. American jobs and good-paying American jobs. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't support this agreement.”  Two decades after NAFTA had been in effect (1993 - 2013) the Economic Policy Institute reported that over 850,000 American jobs had been moved abroad.  Why? Because American companies gladly moved jobs to Mexico where the daily wage of a Mexican worker was roughly equivalent to the minimum wage per hour in the U.S. Especially in the business world, we take for granted that the global spread of capitalism (fueled by free trade agreements like NAFTA) has increased the quality of life for all by expanding participation in the market, often through jobs.  But, there's essential nuance here that's been overlooked.  Not all jobs are good jobs and trade is not good for trading's sake. Eric Henry, President of TS Designs, a large volume screen printing company based in Burlington, North Carolina, like many many other U.S.-based businesses was forced to reinvent his business anew after bearing the brunt of NAFTA's impact.  In this podcast, we'll share Eric's experience, explore the wider implications and context of NAFTA and globalization, and offer a vision for what a post-race-to-the-bottom world might look like. -- -- 

In this episode of Grow Ensemble, host Cory Ames delves into the deceptive tactics of greenwashing, where companies mislead the public about their environmental and social responsibility. Through 7 compelling examples, Cory sheds light on how businesses use certifications, misleading marketing claims, and acquisitions to present themselves as sustainable and ethical, while engaging in harmful practices. With a focus on transparency and accountability, the episode challenges both consumers and business leaders to identify, confront, and avoid falling victim to greenwashing. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the detrimental effects of greenwashing and to equip yourself with the knowledge to navigate the landscape of sustainable and ethical business practices. -- -- 

5 roasts, over 5 regions, and the story of the coffee supply chain from farm to cup. Our task here is to explore and reconsider this question: what makes great coffee?  To do so I've enlisted the help of my many friends at Dean's Beans Organic Coffee. Dean's Beans is a 100% employee-owned, Certified B Corporation based out of Orange, Massachusetts.  The company was founded by Dean Cycon, an environmental and indigenous rights lawyer, back in 1993. Dean set out to prove coffee around the world could be bought, sold, and delivered to our cups without compromising the health and well-being of people and the planet. Dean offered his answer to the industry and consumers alike, to the question, what makes great coffee? This episode mixes tasting with the very tactical of how we get from bean (or cherry, rather) to finished brew.   We'll talk organic coffee farming, the role of coffee cooperatives, the significance of fair trade, and also, when you should or shouldn't put cream and sugar in your morning cup.  -- --  ⭐️ *SPONSORED BY* Transform - https://www.transform.global/  A Good Company - https://www.agood.com/ Intrepid Travel -  https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us Bodhi Surf Yoga - https://www.bodhisurfyoga.com/ -- --

What does success mean to you? Defining success in a field can define the field. Defining success for ourselves will define our lives. And so here, friend and coach of mine, Paul Zelizer and I go through the essential exercise of defining what to each of us makes for a successful social entrepreneur. Paul is a business coach for social entrepreneurs and host of the Awarepreneurs Podcast where he's published over 300 episodes with deep-dive interviews with world-class social entrepreneurs. Here we have a unique style of show for you, where back and forth, Paul and me reveal each of our own Top 5 characteristics of success in social entrepreneurship. Before we recorded the conversation you're about to hear, we each created our own lists (with no knowledge of the other's list) to see collectively what sort of definition we might come up with for what it means, what it looks like to be a “successful social entrepreneur.” This same conversation, in a slightly different final edit, is likewise being released on Paul's show, Awarepreneurs—which, if you're curious to check out you can go to Awarepreneurs.com, or, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts. So, in this episode here, on The Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Podcast with me, Cory Ames as your host, you'll hear Paul's origin story to social entrepreneurship and then, together, our 10 Characteristics of Successful Social Entrepreneurs. #socialentrepreneurship #socialentrepreneurs #socialentrepreneur ⭐️ *SPONSORED BY* Dean's Beans - https://deansbeans.com/ Transform - https://www.transform.global/  A Good Company - https://www.agood.com/ Intrepid Travel -  https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us -- --

In a little over a decade, Houston has housed over 28,000 people who were experiencing homelessness. The U.S.'s 4th largest city has cut its total homelessness figures by more than 60% since committing to tackle this issue head-on in 2012. Representatives from cities nationwide visit Houston to learn about how they've achieved such progress. Houston adopted what's called a Housing First strategy. Housing First, for those unfamiliar, is an approach to addressing the challenge of homelessness by first, before addressing anything else (addiction and sobriety, employment, etc.), housing the individual in question. Research has shown this is the most effective way to get and keep people out of homelessness. Various studies confirm that a rapid re-housing approach leads to 75%-91% of households remaining housed after one year. The thing is, Housing First has been around for a while. While the ideas originated around the world over 100 years ago, the term became more widely used in the U.S. in the early 1990s. Not to take away from what Houston has accomplished, but they didn't make some groundbreaking discovery. They were applying (effectively, very much to their credit) someone else's ideas. So what changed? Where did the political will come from to commit so fervently to addressing this issue? These are the questions we answer in today's ensemble:  Are we even close?  -- --

We're thrilled to introduce a new format of the show — what we'll be calling Ensembles.   These ensembles are designed to be something of a meditation, helping us to explore the art of living and working sustainably and building a better world, from a different perspective.  The goal here through sharing various stories from the wide world of sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and innovation, is to seek understanding. We're digging for the principles, values, and ideas that we can take with us on our collective journey to build a better, more sustainable world.  This still includes the tactical and practical of living and working more sustainably, using business to better the world, but our driving motivation will be to find wisdom.  These episodes are a shorter form complement to our longer more narrative and or educational shows.  If our other shows are heavy on action — these ensembles offer a different pace, with analysis, reflection, a means to distill and name, what matters.  So, our first ensemble here a preamble to all ensembles to come (if you will), will be digging deeper into this experimental format itself, this ensemble is titled:  What's in a name?  -- --

The right amount of stress at the right time. That's all it requires to trigger coral to grow anywhere from 25—50x it's natural rate as it would in the “wild.” In the practice of coral farming, this is called microfragmenting. Our guest today, Sam Teicher, is the co-founder of Coral Vita. In Freeport, Grand Bahama, Coral Vita is farming coral (using techniques like microfragmenting) to restore the planet's dying reefs. By employing breakthrough techniques Coral Vita can as well grow coral at 50x the typical rate. In 2021, Coral Vita was an Earthshot Prize winner, an incredible award for any environmental organization. This honor recognizes the great potential of their solution and awards them with £1M to further advance and scale their work. Stick around for this episode with Sam Teicher, as through this lens of good stress, bad stress, and everything in between we explore the work of Coral Vita, the vital importance of our coral reefs, and share solutions to restoring the world's dying reefs. ⭐ SPONSORED BY: ☕️ Dean's Beans, Transform,

Assessing the sustainability of any individual product or company is a core facet of the work we do here at Grow Ensemble. But if there's no agreed-upon definition of “sustainability,” it's unclear what anyone means when they say their product is sustainable. So, for the sake of setting important definitions, here we are asking: What is a sustainable product? ⭐️ SPONSORED BY: Tentree, Dean's Beans, Saybrook University & Choice Organics -- --

The role of a real estate developer is not only to improve a piece of land or build to increase its monetary value. They are also responsible for designing an environment and community that can promote sustainability, social justice, and equity. Anyeley Hallová is a real estate developer and the Founder of Adre, a community-driven real estate development company committed to a bold vision of design excellence, development innovation, and environmental stewardship, both in building construction and equitable outcomes. In today's episode, Cory and Anyeley talk about how sustainable building developments can impact the community and create wealth. Anyeley shares her sustainability journey, the problems she noticed in the real estate development industry, especially in regard to people of color, and how she was able to build a business that addresses social, environmental, and economic concerns.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: Saybrook University & Choice Organics   -- --

Hydropower was the first and is now the oldest large-scale source of renewable energy that we've deployed worldwide. Hydropower offers a unique set of advantages in the context of an entirely decarbonized energy grid. It can offer storage capacity and be more consistent when sources like wind and solar are not available.   Gia Schneider is the CEO of Natel Energy, an innovative company she co-founded with her brother, Abe, in 2009 that is designing and implementing hydropower projects that both produce affordable, clean, and renewable energy and leave the river ecosystems they're set up in better off.   With this conversation, we'll be working to understand hydropower: its potential, its historic challenges and limitations, and a path forward for wielding this resource efficiently and restoratively.  

There are two seemingly contradicting realities of “conscious consumerism”: No matter how “consciously” we buy, we aren't going to shop our way into a more sustainable and equitable world. The ways we do/don't spend our money are incredibly impactful. Maybe this is confusing at first glance, but it becomes clearer when we explore what conscious consumerism is on the individual and collective level. “Consuming consciously” is INCREDIBLY important. It's my belief, though, that it's important in ways that we might not first think. How/what we consume is a statement about what we believe and affirm is good. It's about what values we put above all others. It's about which systems and structures of power we support. And, which we choose to reject. In this episode, with the help of Aja Barber, fashion consultant, stylist, and writer, we'll explore the nuance behind “buying better,” how we should define conscious consumerism, and offer tactical steps as to how you can do so yourself. -- --

Magic is all around us, whether we are looking for it or not.  Unlike the supernatural forces often featured in books and movies, this form of magic operates on the miracles of nature; the wonderful things Mother Nature creates, such as life, and her power to maintain the co-existence of all.  In today's episode, Cory explores the existing magic that is happening in our world. He shares his enthusiasm for the miracles of nature and the beauty of life, particularly the mysterious behavior of animals and nature, and how incredible they can truly be if we take a moment now and then to observe them. ⭐ SPONSORED BY: HOLDEN Rings   -- --

The Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation podcast is back with exciting, meaningful, and impactful discussions to help make the world a better place! Listen in to hear about the new approach of sharing stories that matter to learn what is possible in creating sustainable discussions, and understanding the impact of what we can do to save the planet and live in a safe ecotopia. Grow Ensemble believes in opening minds to the endless possibilities of building the courage to act, protect, and preserve the beauty of the world; because together, we can continue to make a healthier, brighter, and better world to live in.   -- --

Check out this latest episode to hear about our plans moving forward for the Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Podcast. TLDR; We're taking a break for September, but will be back in October telling more stories about all things building a better world.  But! With a new approach. :)  -- --

Overwork and burnout – so prevalent in today's society that over 60% of employees around the globe suffer from workplace stress, creating billions of additional health costs annually. By re-examining how we work and reducing the number of working hours each week, we can greatly reduce this additional stress and financial burden. Dr. Alex Pang is the Global Programs and Research Manager for 4 Day Week Global, a non-profit community advocating the 4-day work week, and the Founder of the Silicon Valley-based consulting company Strategy and Rest. Alex has written books that illustrate how individuals and organizations can integrate rest, creativity, and focus. His latest book is "Shorter: Work Better, Smarter, and Less–Here's How." In today's episode, Cory and Alex talk about the idea of restructuring our overwork and burnout work culture into working fewer hours with more focus and discipline. Alex describes how the future of work can be better if we implement one extra day to rest and recharge. As one of the leading voices in reducing working hours, Alex is optimistic that we can create a future where people can spend more time with family and friends, do healthy activities, discover new hobbies, and ultimately make the world a better place.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: Saybrook University   -- --

In any political election—especially major ones, such as the upcoming midterm elections in the United States—it's important to know where the money to fund various campaigns is coming from. As citizens, we should also understand how that flow of money (both in and out) affects the business community. John McCrea is the National Business Network Manager of American Promise. This organization advocates the 28th Amendment of the Constitution to protect elections from foreign money and special interests, and pursues freedom for all Americans.  As a former small business owner, John felt the need to help his fellow entrepreneurs by working with American Promise. He is leveraging his 30+ years of experience working in IT services for small to midsize business owners to help the country to move forward and create a level playing field where all businesses, regardless of size, thrive and bring value to their market. In this episode, John talks us through the conditions we have right now with unrestrained money in political spending, the ongoing issues in the political system, and its impact on the business community. John also shares some updates on the various actions that American Promise takes to cultivate a better future for Americans.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: Saybrook University   -- --

The world's hunger crisis continues to worsen, affecting millions of people globally. Most people refer to this problem as a result of climate change, but the reality is that 80% of the problem is caused by soil, and only about 20% by climate change. Roland Bunch is one of the most well-respected thought leaders in regenerative land development and management, having studied and been in the field for 55 years. He is a former member of the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Hunger and a Co-founder of Better Soil, Better Lives. He has published dozens of articles and authored the books "Two Ears of Corn: A Guide to People-Centered Agricultural Improvement" in 1982, and "Restoring the Soil" in 2012. Roland's motto is to imitate the forest. He started an organization and worked with small-holder farmers to do everything they could to mimic a forest-like field and use green manure cover crops to generate more biodiversity. He has worked as a consultant worldwide in over 50 nations on four continents. During his work, Roland recognized the critical issue of hunger for many small-holder farmers, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa. This led to an investigation into the use of plants for regenerating the soil, now called green manure/cover crops. During the conversation, Cory and Roland talk about the changes in farming practices that affect soil fertilization and cause drought and floods in some countries. Roland explains how the green manure cover crops are used to fight hunger, particularly in African villages, the timeline of using this approach, and how it can impact the benefactors of the soil.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: Saybrook University   -- --

An impact report is a document essential in measuring a company's impact on people and the planet. It's a tool that can help businesses align their core values and make informed decisions, providing insight and promoting a culture of accountability and transparency for customers and value chain members. Annie Agle is the Senior Director of Sustainability and Impact at Cotopaxi, a purpose-driven company that creates outdoor products, apparel, and experiences. As a person who grew up doing outdoor activities and is passionate about methodology and philanthropy, the opportunity of working with a company that values both what she loves and enjoys is a dream come true. Annie ensures that Cotopaxi's brands are moving in the right direction and destination as she creates as sophisticated reporting as possible that will allow investors, customers, and other businesses to understand the authenticity and effectiveness of Cotopaxi.  In today's episode, Cory and Annie discuss the significance of impact reporting to a purpose-driven company such as Cotopaxi. Annie explains her role as a sustainability officer and the meaning and purpose of creating impact reports. She shares the actions Cotopaxi implements to take responsibility and accountability for their impact based on their annual reports and how they build a business model that gives moral leeway to prioritize people and the planet alongside profit.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: The Social Good Network & Saybrook University   -- --

Whether a fatty snack or nutritious meal, all the food we consume has a massive impact on our bodies. That's why it's important that we have access to foods that are safe, nutritious, affordable, and, ideally, work in harmony with the environment. Paul Greive is an accountant, marine veteran, family man, and founder of Pasturebird. Pasturebird is one of the largest pastured poultry producers in the US that uses regenerative farming and provides people with more nutritious meat that comes from a more natural environment.  This accountant-turned-farmer believes everyone should have access to ethically-produced, nutritious food, which is why it has been a true joy for him to be one of the people pushing forward and re-inventing a new-old way of farming. In this episode, Cory and Paul talk about the journey of building Pasturebird over a decade. Paul shares his life in the military, his battle with Lyme disease, and starting a pasture-poultry farm business with only 50 chicks, to raising millions of chickens without using a single antibiotic or drug. Paul addresses the problems in the food industry and the future of farming with the regenerative agriculture movement.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: Saybrook University   -- --

Do you ever wonder where old clothes end up? We see so many ads for unlimited types of clothing, the shops are full of people… When they're worn out or just tired of a style, do most people donate items? Repurpose them? Recycle? The simple answer: most of them go into a trash wasteland and end up contributing to climate change. Aja Barber is an eco-conscious fashion consultant, personal stylist, speaker, and author of Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism. Her line of work focuses on sustainability and its intersection with ethics, feminism, and racism, particularly in the fashion industry.  As a sustainable fashion consultant, Aja makes sure to educate the general public about sustainable and ethical manufacturing, specifically with garments in the fashion industry, in the hope of creating a better and safer planet. She has written for online publications such as Eco-Age, The Guardian, and CNN. Still, she is most active in opening up conversations and informing people about sustainable and ethical fashion on her Instagram. During the conversation, Cory and Aja talk about the impact of the fashion industry on our climate crisis, how fast fashion contributes to colonial waste, the core of consumer culture, and what role we can play to creatively solve these problems. Aja also shares her journey in writing her first book and gives her advice on how to stop consumerism.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: The Social Good Network   -- --  

Sustainable impact investing is one way for businesses to have financial gains and positively impact social and environmental issues at the same time. John Treadgold is a sustainable investment expert and the Founder and host of the Good Future podcast. Good Future highlights business leaders in sustainable, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), and impact investing who are re-defining economics and building companies as a force for good.  John's mission is to reboot finance and economics to serve people and the planet better. For him, this is something that, no matter how the economy ebbs and flows or how the challenges, pivots, and strategies of an organization change, their mission stays solid.  John is also a writer and an independent communication and strategy consultant who helps investors and businesses identify the emerging opportunities for sustainable investing.  In today's episode, John shares how the entire field of ESG and sustainable finance are adapting and progressing even more resiliently in a sustainable future. He gives an update on his podcast, the Good Future podcast, and shares the impacts of the sustainable investment world. Cory and John also discuss how they navigated the COVID pandemic as entrepreneurs.   -- --

There are different ways to generate power and electricity, one being coal mining. But this method has a significant environmental impact, such as soil erosion, loss of natural habitat, and pollution.  After Brett came home from college, his community decided it was time to start a transition. They chose Brett to help build a company that provides clean energy, benefits the livelihood of the local community, and lessens the impact of climate change. Brett Isaac is a renewable energy entrepreneur, business strategist, and the Founder and Co-CEO at Navajo Power, a native-owned public benefit corporation that develops utility-scale clean energy projects on tribal lands and maximizes the benefits for the local communities.  Brett is a member of the Navajo Nation and a skilled communicator who has worked with and collaborated with the local community to have an equitable and sustainable clean energy transition. Navajo Power has the vision to bring clean energy to communities in a different way. They work intentionally to bring and maintain power to households with sustainable, clean energy. To date, they have deployed over 200 off-grid solar systems to serve households without grid electricity. In this episode, Cory and Brett talk about making a transition to clean and equitable energy. Brett shares his foundational interest in power, particularly in clean energy, the struggles making the transition, the issues of equity, power structure and system, and the impact of the transition on the livelihood and welfare of the local community.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: The Greater Good & The Social Good Network   -- --

Vahid Fotuhi is the Founder and CEO of Blue Forest, a mangrove forest restoration and conservation development organization. He is also the Founder of the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA), the largest and most active solar trade organization in the Middle East.  Vahid has 25 years of experience in the sustainable and renewable energy industry. He also published a photography book in 2018, "African Perspectives," after traveling all over Africa. His personal experience of challenging circumstances created his fascination with sustainable and renewable energy. As he decided to move closer to finding a solution to climate change, he discovered that mangrove trees were not just a "scrub," but a nature-based solution to enhance our climate adaptation.  The idea of creating a better world for the new generations motivates Vahid to make a positive impact on the planet through renewable energy and reforestation by giving awareness, taking environmental actions, and creating eco-warriors – starting with his children. During this conversation, Cory and Vahid talk about the significance of mangrove trees in mitigating climate change and their importance to the ecosystem. Vahid highlights why mangroves are worth protecting and shares the roadmap of Blue Forest's reforestation projects, the challenges, misconceptions, and viable solutions to the deforestation problems.   ⭐ SPONSORED BY: HOLDEN Rings & The Social Good Network   -- --

Imagine a future without climate change: clean air, less pollution, and renewable energy. We always talk about the downsides, but what about focusing more on the solutions? As humans, we have as much power to create and nurture our planet as we do to destroy it. Professor Mark Maslin believes that climate change and the environmental crisis are a challenge and an opportunity to help everyone realize that the planet is worth saving, protecting, and preserving for future generations. Mark is an author, professor of Earth System Science at University College London (UCL), and Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer of Rezatec. Mark's areas of scientific expertise include the cause of global climate change and its effect on the carbon cycle, biodiversity, rainforest, and evolution. He is a leading scientist with particular expertise in past, present, and future climate change.  In today's episode, Cory and Mark discuss the extremely broad overview of climate change and the issues that we face. Going back to the past, understanding the present, and imagining the future of climate with humanity, Mark explains the power we all have to make a positive or negative impact on the planet. ⭐ SPONSORED BY: The Greater Good & Saybrook University   -- --

In 2019, more than 1 billion international trips were recorded globally, contributing to 8% of the world's carbon emissions from the travel industry. This record inspires us to reflect and understand the importance of preserving and protecting mother nature through more responsible and sustainable travel. James Thornton is the CEO of Intrepid Travel, the world's largest certified travel B Corp to date. Intrepid Travel is a global tour operator with a mission to create positive change through travel. They take small groups to travel through the most amazing places, with real-life experience in a local way, ensuring they always travel with a positive impact. James's passion for traveling led him to work for and become one of the pioneering employees in the UK-based office of Intrepid. Thirty years later, he became the first non-founding CEO of Intrepid Travel, achieving numerous milestones and growth for the company. During the conversation, Cory and James talk about the future of responsible and sustainable travel. James shares Intrepid's steps in preparation for different crises, including Covid, their support to local partners, and their commitment to protecting the planet for future generations of travelers. ⭐ SPONSORED BY: The Greater Good & Saybrook University   -- --

In honor of World Refugee Month (June), we bring back this exceptional conversation with Yasmine Mustafa of ROAR for Good from October 2019.  Yasmine Mustafa is a champion social entrepreneur, refugee, and immigrant living in the United States. Her own personal experience drove her to build a company that uses technology and focuses on personal safety.  Yasmine founded ROAR for Good, a mission-driven technology company dedicated to cultivating a safer workplace. Their vision to empower people with technology inspired them to launch their latest product, Always On – an indoor location tracking safety device. Prior to launching ROAR for Good, Yasmine founded and sold her first company, Girl Develop It - Philly, to a prominent marketing firm in Silicon Valley. In this episode, Yasmine speaks about her passion for leveraging technology for social good, the journey in creating their first prototype safety device with her team, and the reason for their shift from consumer-based to business-based market. Yasmine also shares how a non-tech person like herself built a successful and revolutionary technology company. ⭐ SPONSORED BY:  Saybrook University   -- --

We are in a digital age, with information at our fingertips. Yet, a lot of people are unaware of the impact of digital technology on the environment.  Tom Greenwood is an author, Co-founder, and Managing Director of Wholegrain Digital. Wholegrain Digital is London's original WordPress agency, founded in 2007, and a Certified B Corporation that aims to help organizations thrive online using efficient design and web technology. They are focused on digital sustainability, quantifying the environmental impact of digital services, and looking at ways it can be reduced. In today's episode, Tom and Cory talk about digital technology, specifically the carbon footprints from the online world, and have an eye-opening conversation about sustainable internet. Tom describes people's digital consumption, showing the direct and indirect impact on the environment.   -- --

Some companies use misleading marketing strategies to appear more environmentally friendly. For the ones that actually “walk the talk”, how do they separate their brand from this practice? One way is through setting ethical marketing guidelines. Mikey Sadowski is the GM (VP equivalent in North America) of Global PR and Communications at Intrepid Travel, the largest adventure travel company with 25 offices around the world, and networks with 28 destination management companies (DMCs). Intrepid Travel is also the largest travel B Corp that offers sustainable, experience-rich travel, prioritizes purpose over profit, sets ethical marketing guidelines, and has a not-to-profit foundation. In this episode, Cory and Mikey talk about intentional allyship and inclusivity in travel and marketing, along with the philosophy, strategy, and marketing of purpose-driven brands in a world of greenwashing and impact washing. Mikey shares how people and brands, like Intrepid, work together to achieve their goals to grow, develop, protect, and maintain a strong public image by showing authenticity, setting ethical marketing standards, and doing simple and impactful work.   -- --

Agriculture is essential in the fight against the climate crisis, not only for mankind but for the survival of the Earth. Therefore, it's crucial that we transform the agricultural system through building infrastructure using technology and creating a connection to the human economy and ecological health through our economic activity. Today's guest, Gregory Landua, is very passionate about changing society to honor and regenerate ecological health, embracing the practical aspects of regenerative agriculture to assist farms and communities to help combat the climate crisis. Gregory is the CEO, Co-Founder, and Co-Chief Regeneration Officer of Regen Network, a full-stack blockchain software development company leading the way towards tracking and funding ecological regeneration and creating new tools for humanity to relate to its environment. During the conversation, Cory and Gregory talk about the new look of farming and agriculture, the future of carbon credits, and innovations in technology.  Gregory shares the different approaches and strategies Regen Network uses to connect the social construction of value to ecological health, and the benefits of open-source, community-owned infrastructure and blockchain technology to the land steward and the planet.   -- --

The Earth is unique, irreplaceable – it's our home. We can't keep destroying it little by little. So then, why are billionaires more interested in the exploration of other planets instead of restoring our Mother Earth? There is still a chance to save the Earth, and one of these solutions is through regenerative agriculture projects. Neal Spackman is the Founder & CEO of the Regenerative Resources and the Founder & former Director of the Al Baydha project in Saudi Arabia. Regenerative Resources is an ecosystem service company that acquires highly-degraded lands and transforms them into restored ecosystems of agroecologies.  Neal is passionate about terraforming, regenerative agriculture, and the relationship between ecology and wealth. In today's show, Neal walks us through the start of the regenerative agriculture project in a completely degraded desert landscape and how they transformed it into breathtaking, green life agroforestry. He also touches on topics about the poverty degradation trap, the massive effect of deforestation, and nature-based solutions.   -- --

In a time when humanity struggles to avert a climate crisis, there's a glimmer of hope for the fashion industry to be able to contribute to saving the environment. With the help of the right people and technology, being both environmentally friendly and fashionable at the same time can be achieved. In our last episode for the Earth Month celebration, we bring back this fantastic conversation with Shamini Dhana from October 2020. This interview was also chosen to honor Fashion Revolution Week (last week) and the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster (April 24th, 2013). Shamini Dhana is the founder and CEO of Dhana Inc., a fashion tech brand that believes in always paying it forward. Dhana Inc. was founded in 2008 and it aims to transform customer experience from zero-waste designs to social and environmental impact through circular fashion. Dhana Inc. is a certified B corporation and an active participant of the 2020 Circular Fashion Commitment. In this episode, Shamini shares how circular fashion can reverse climate change and transform the customer experience. She explains the great benefits of repurposing and recreating dead stock clothing into a new garment and fashion piece, giving customers a choice to reduce the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on the environment.   -- --

Trees are important not only for oxygen and the environment, but also for society and the economy. When today's guest was only 16, he and his brother had the idea of planting trees while selling carbon offsets back, and that paved the way to the beginning of tentree. Continuing our revisitation of some excellent climate crusading episodes from our archives in celebration of Earth Month, today we bring you Derrick Emsley of tentree from February, 2021. Derrick is the CEO and Co-Founder of tentree, a tree planting company that sells sustainable apparel. Tentree has an “Earth-First” commitment, a mission of creating a sustainable future through planting 1 billion trees by 2030, and a goal of empowering people by providing local jobs, food security, and environmental benefits. In this episode, Cory and Derrick talk about the impact, significance, and importance of planting trees across the globe. Tentree started in 2012 and as of this re-publication, they've planted over 73 million trees! Derrick shares their innovations and transparency in their reforestation projects and their partnership with different organizations to empower people.   -- --

Product manufacturers use a lot of chemicals that are harmful to the environment. But one family-owned business has a mission to reduce its product impact on the environment. Can they continuously create a product that would generate good for both people and the environment?  In celebration of Earth Month, we are resurrecting some climate crusading episodes from the archives. Today we're revisiting this episode with Rebecca Hamilton of Badger Balm from September, 2020. Rebecca Hamilton is the second-generation owner and Co-CEO (Co-Collaborative Executive Officer) at Badger Balm. Badger is a family-owned company of natural and organic personal care products known for its mission-driven spirit, pioneering family-friendly benefits, and high engagement in the certified B Corp community, being themselves a certified B Corp since 2019. In this episode, Cory and Rebecca discuss Badger Balm's climate initiatives to be a sustainable business while reducing their impact on the environment. They explore the environmental commitment the family-owned company has made, especially with their partnership with Revision Energy, and their commitment to being Net Zero emissions by 2030. During the conversation, Rebecca shares the significance of Badger being a family-owned company, her relationship with her sister as the Co-CEO, her family, and the entire Badger team. She highlights Badger as a values-driven business that comes from having core leadership from their tight bonded family.   -- --

This episode is in honor of Earth Month, and a repost from our discussion with Elizabeth Whitlow in October of 2020. Elizabeth is the Executive Director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA), which is a revolutionary new food label requiring farmers to use sustainable, organic, and regenerative practices. ROA was formed in 2017 by representatives from the Rodale Institute and two companies we mention quite often at Grow Ensemble: Patagonia and Dr. Bronner's. The conventional methods used in the farming and agricultural sectors have received much criticism in recent years, with a demand for sustainable farming and agricultural practices. The issues do not only involve the techniques and methods used, but also the treatment of farmers and how they are often exploited under the current farming and agricultural paradigm.  Elizabeth is passionate about making a difference in the world with a focus on developing sustainable food systems that recognize organic and regenerative farming practices as the gold standard.  In today's show, Cory and Elizabeth talk about the Regenerative Organic Alliance, lessons that Elizabeth learned working within the industry, the role farming can play in combating climate change, issues surrounding conventional farming and agricultural practices, and much more.   -- --

We are wired to admire and appreciate the natural world. We are built to be collaborative and want to take care of others, but it can be very difficult for us to stare at suffering head on.  In today's episode, host Cory explores the purpose and mission of Grow Ensemble. His never-ending appetite to learn and grow, particularly in ways that result in an increased awe for the world around him, is foundational to the concept of the podcast.  Together with his wife, their aim is to inspire people to fall in love with the planet and the people that live on it, in keeping with our natural inclination to admire the natural world. They believe that cultivating this awe can result in meaningful action to enact change for the planet and its residence, which is why they support and give a platform to social entrepreneurs. Their hope is that listeners will tune in and be inspired to do the same.   -- --

In a post-pandemic world, what's the value of a dirt-to-shirt supply chain?  Today's guest is Eric Henry, President of TS Designs, and he believes that now, more than ever, businesses need to take an increasingly holistic view of their responsibility to the planet and society as a whole.  TS Designs is a business-to-business screen printing company, a certified B-corporation, and has its origins all the way back in the '70s. They manage a domestic and transparent supply chain to produce the highest quality, most sustainable t-shirts on the market and have recently expanded to start Solid State Clothing which now provides these straight to the customer.  Eric shares how the devastating effects of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) sparked the difficult genesis of his fight to build a completely transparent and sustainable company that simultaneously looks after the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profits.  With more than 40 years in the apparel industry, he works hard to keep farmers in the conversation, and this episode spans the gambit around supply chains, with a focus on the massive value and resilience in hyper-local supply chains.  We also do a deep dive into the challenges and difficulties in the opaque global supply chain of the fashion industry that's typically the norm, and talk through the wake-up call that COVID provided on the weakness of that chain.  Finally, we discuss the importance and difficulty of buying locally, both from a business's perspective as well as a consumer's perspective. All of these things have a serious implication on the strength and bond of a community, as well as the resilience of a local economy.   -- --

Sean Pritzkau and host Cory Ames come from different backgrounds — his in ministry and Cory's in marketing — but their paths have converged as a result of their shared passions for purpose-driven business and podcasting!  In today's conversation, they both share the journeys that have led them to where they are today, the driving forces behind the work they do, and how they hope to see the world change for the better as a result.  Sean and Cory also delve into the importance of self-care, collaboration, and being curious.  Sean is the host of We Can Do This, a podcast that aims to inspire people and provide them with the tools to start or grow their own social enterprises or initiatives, so be sure to check it out after this episode! -- --

If you've traveled, you've seen the destructive nature of capitalism. But can we lean into it and still make an impact? Better yet, can we use it as the very instrument for change?  Davis Smith joins us today to share his story and emphasize the possibility of building a thriving business with a focus on social impact. Davis is the Founder and CEO of Cotopaxi, an outdoor gear brand with a humanitarian mission.  In this episode, he breaks down the methodology behind a purpose-driven business and the potential it has to effect change. Growing up in South America and being exposed to extreme poverty really informed Davis' passion for impact, and he shares his fascinating path to linking social impact with business.  Davis illustrates what the world would look like if more businesses operated according to the Cotopaxi framework, and illuminates how, from his experience of sourcing investments, it seems to be women who have a greater understanding of impact and the future of business.  We also discuss the responsibility of the consumer to make a change, along with the nuances of where businesses are failing and how they can shift gears to move from destruction and extraction to meaningful impact! -- --

In today's episode, Cory revisits three interviews from February and shares his thoughts, reflections, and key takeaways for the show's new annotations segment.  Hear a recap from Kate Stoddard, Branden Harvey, and Tara Donaldson.  Cory kicks things off with an overview of his conversation with Kate Stoddard, Founder of Orchestra Provisions, a company that designs cricket protein superfoods that can easily be incorporated into the average American diet. Hear about how Kate's parents shaped her desire to be impactful and why you don't need to do the extreme to have an impact.  Next, Cory revisits his interview with Branden Harvey, Founder of Good Good Good, a media platform that is designed to leave you feeling more hopeful and better equipped to do more good. Branden describes the distinction between feel good news and real news, why his company is all about good news, and how  being purpose driven can sustain you through tough times.  For the final recap, Cory takes a look at his interview with Tara Donaldson, Executive Editor of WWD, Founder of The Diversity List, and former Editorial Director of Sourcing Journal. His interview with Tara serves as a searing reminder of the failures of mainstream media to report on the less glamorous aspects of fashion and challenge the unsustainable status quo that is still dominating the industry.  Gain a new perspective on being impactful, doing good, and the role of journalism and check out the full episodes if you'd like to hear more! -- --

It's easy to get distracted by the flashy surface of the fashion industry, but it's the sinister underbelly that we need to delve into to truly start making a difference. In the latest installment of our series on the Impact of Fashion with our partner, Dhana, we are joined by Tara Donaldson, Executive Editor of WWD, Founder of The Diversity List, and former Editorial Director of Sourcing Journal, to talk about how the business and media of fashion co-exist.  In her work, Tara has been covering the business of fashion, from textiles to retail, bringing light to the important issues of sustainable and impactful fashion, and speaking to a more inclusive and equitable fashion industry.  In this episode, Tara explains the role of media in the fashion industry and its effects on sustainability, social impact, and inclusion. She breaks down the effects of fast fashion on the immediate communities and environments of workers along the supply chain and shares her views on what precisely needs to change to prevent unethical labor practices and expose the bad actors!  We find out why we need to be supporting smaller brands who are building their business with sustainability at the center, starting with the design process, and the difficulty larger brands face in turning the ship around.  The term “sustainability” contains everything from waste prevention to the social impact element, and Tara touches on why it's critical to pay attention to and elevate the voices and contributions of people of color in the fashion industry. -- --

Now, more than ever, we need a dose of good news. The past few years have seen an ever-increasing wave of negative stories that are hard to ignore. Our guest today is trying to change some of that.  Branden Harvey is the founder of Good Good Good, the host of the Sounds Good Podcast, and the managing editor of The Goodnewspaper, through which he aims to spread 'real good news' to inspire action and hope in his readers, listeners, and community.  For Branden, it isn't about ignoring the difficulties and tragedies that are present in our world, but rather he hopes to balance out what has become overwhelming and disheartening.  Branden has some great tips for staying energized and proactive, and this means reading the news instead of watching it, and finding a balance that is healthy for you and your needs instead of passively doom-scrolling.  Cory speaks to Branden about his background and what led him to where he is today, with some attention on mentorship, his passion for photography, and the beginnings of the Good Good Good brand. Branden also talks about the habits that help him stay positive about the future, and the gratitude he feels for his work and community. -- --

Today we are joined by Kate Stoddard to explore how eating crickets could be the key to a sustainable food system.  Kate is a mother, social entrepreneur, and environmentalist. She has a Master's in the science of nutrition and is interested in finding regenerative solutions to mending broken food systems. She is the Founder of Orchestra Provisions, an organization that is reimagining traditional protein sources by incorporating crickets into daily-use superfood blends.  In our conversation, Kate talks about how she discovered the benefits of eating insects and decided to build a product line to advocate for them. We discuss our rich history of entomophagy (eating insects), what has separated Western culture from this practice, and how Kate is overcoming the barriers to its re-adoption through her marketing.  Our conversation also covers the many reasons why insect protein is more sustainable than other sources, and how Orchestra Provisions is slowly shifting perceptions using their line of delicious spices, protein powders, and therapeutics. -- --

How can businesses be more sustainable? And from the consumer's side, what can we do to push businesses to make more sustainable choices? This episode marks the final installment of our sustainable business series.  Today, we unpack the seven most common prescriptions on how to become more sustainable, and three ways to become a more conscious consumer. We touch on the role of the Fashion Transparency Index, and the B Impact Assessment, along with taking an analysis of every company you spend money with.  We use the examples of Patagonia and Mud Jeans to illustrate companies who make value-driven decisions, and touch on why, to address global warming, you need to address current needs.  The majority of waste is created when we don't use materials that have taken energy and resources to manufacture. We discuss how bearing that in mind to make sustainable choices works for the good of the planet, rather than just serving as a marketing tool. -- --

What makes a sustainable business actually sustainable? There are many ways that a business can make an impact with seemingly standard business operations, and today we're breaking down the practices involved in this by leaning on an excellent impact analysis tool: the B Impact Assessment (BIA).  While the BIA process is extensive and rigorous, the results show major differentiators between those who are truly sustainable businesses and those who are not. Today we jump straight in with a quick explanation of how a company can use this to measure its impact on its workers, community, environment, and customer, with the aim of ultimately joining the Certified B Corporation community.  Hear about the two levels of sustainable business practices before we dive into the four impact areas of governance, community, environment, and customers. From transparency, civic engagement, and community partnership to energy and water usage, carbon footprints, and financials (and a whole lot more), this episode covers all the basics of how this assessment aids the progress of a business along the path to truly being a force for good. -- --

Today, host Cory starts a new mini-series in which he unpacks the central concept of sustainable business. The next few episodes will expand on the points that are raised here. Things kick off with a few new perspectives on why sustainability matters, and from there Cory gets into some definitions, as well as why defining what a sustainable business is so important for the practices that follow.  Listeners can expect to hear about the main factors that make a business sustainable and why these need to be baked into the core of any business with such aspirations.  -- --

Today we are joined by Nivi Achanta, founder and CEO of Soapbox Project, making social impact easy for busy people, starting with bite-sized climate action plans!  During this conversation, Nivi tells us the story of what led her to start Soapbox and what she's aiming to achieve with it. We touch on some of the reasons that people don't take action and she shares which factors she believes have led to her success, as well as why you should just do things and see if they lead to your success.  We ask Nivi about her challenges and wins, why she felt that bringing Soapbox into the community space was the next step rather than just a newsletter, and what has been so exciting and productive about that process. She advocates for trusting your users and emphasizes the fact that community is about collaboration rather than control.  Nivi believes in positive messaging around social change and shares experiences that have motivated her to make a change. She shares some powerful advice, as well as all the details of her journey that will empower listeners to make a change. -- --

We often believe that people who are more successful than us have worked harder than us, and so hustle culture has become so ingrained in today's workforce. But it doesn't have to be this way!  You would expect the three people involved in a fast-growing tech startup that's doing north of a million dollars in revenue would be burning the midnight oil, but that is not the case.  Today we are joined by SparkToro's Marketing Architect, Amanda Natividad, and Co-Founder and CEO, Rand Fishkin, to talk about exchanging hustle culture for chill work. SparkToro is an audience research software program that helps brands discover what their audience reads, watches, listens to, and follows.  Before co-founding SparkToro, Rand also co-founded the SEO software company Moz and wrote the book Lost and Founder about that experience. When he co-founded SparkToro, he did it with a very different approach.  In this episode, we discuss the concept of chill work, how it differs from hustle culture, what goals and objectives look like when you embrace this mindset, and how to embrace it from the inside of an organization that does not. You'll also hear more about what SparkToro does and how it may benefit you. -- --

Neoliberal capitalism turns life into money by killing it, but what good is that money on a dying planet?  Today we speak to Paul Hawken about how to end the climate crisis in one generation using an approach centered on regeneration.  Paul is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, author, and activist who has dedicated his life to environmental sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment.  For Paul, the solutions to climate change are local, where human beings use their imagination to form economies that create more life than they take.  We discuss Paul's book Drawdown, in which he provides a list of 100 potential solutions to climate change and ranks them by the potential amount of greenhouse gases each could cut.  We also talk about his new book, Regeneration, which offers a unique approach to understanding and taking action to address the climate crisis.  In this conversation, Paul talks about why the fear and guilt-based climate change narratives don't work and how we need to reimagine our relationship to our surroundings if we are to save the planet. He also addresses the lack of purpose people feel thanks to the current system and why bringing the earth back to life will bring people back to life too. -- --

Welcome back to part two of this special project, where we recap some of the strongest moments from our guests recorded throughout the year to close out 2021! Featured in this two-part series are ten impact business leaders who are changing the course of business for the good of the planet and people everywhere.  First up is Laura Vicaria, CSR manager of MUD Jeans, to talk to us about circularity in the context of sustainability, and how sustainability should extend to dispel the power dynamic in the fashion industry and ensure that everyone benefits across the supply chain.  Next, we hear from Corey Kohn about how her Buddhist upbringing informs how she does business and the deeper purpose of her tech agency, Dojo4.  Another guest committed to using business as a force for good is tree farmer, Aram Terry, who explains why reforestation should be made into a business and why wood is the most sustainable building material.  Amy Hall follows with a definition of true sustainability and some insightful solutions to address fast fashion.  Finally, we welcome Eleven Radius' Asheen Phansey and Monica Park, veterans of corporate sustainability and the fashion industry, respectively. Asheen points out the opportunity of circularity, while Monica identifies its greatest barriers and their respective solutions. -- --