Profit Meets Impact

In this episode, we're joined by Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick as he delves into the dynamic relationship between technology, social innovation, and ethical considerations. From reimagining existing systems with negative externalities to envisioning a future driven by creativity and agency for positive change, Austin's insights challenge traditional perspectives and encourage listeners to reflect on their role in shaping a more equitable and inclusive world.

In this episode, we chat with Krutika Ravishankar, co-founder of Farmers for Forests, discussing how they make biodiverse forests financially viable for communities. From incentivizing and funding protection of forest land to accessing carbon revenue, we explore the innovative ways this organization supports conservation efforts while creating economic opportunities. Join us as we explore the challenges faced by rural farmers in India, the significance of carbon markets, and the impact of agroforestry on communities and the environment.

Sahar Jamal is the Founder of Maziwa, which supports East African mothers who face the impossible choice between breastfeeding their newborns and working postpartum. Sahar's Tanzanian and Indian heritage inspired her to spend the last decade focused on maternal and newborn health in these regions, through organizations like Jacaranda Health, Johnson & Johnson, and the Aga Khan Development Network. Sahar is from Vancouver, Canada, and has BCOM and BA from Queen's University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Nigel Sharp, a British-Armenian serial tech entrepreneur, is one of the co-founders of Aquagga, a company dedicated to solving the world's PFAS problem. With a background in engineering and business development, he has grown multiple technology startups and mentored over 460 companies globally. Passionate about technology in the water and environment sectors, he thrives in diverse, critically-minded teams working towards a sustainable future.

Geoff Davis is a multi-time entrepreneur, CEO, and board member, and a pioneering leader in impact investing. His teams have invested in over 200 high-impact companies globally and lent over $3.5 billion to 14 million small businesses worldwide. Currently, Geoff serves as the CEO of the Sorenson Impact Institute at the University of Utah, a Board Member of Arctaris Impact Investors and Common Ground Kauai, and an Investment Committee member of the MIT Solve investment vehicle. 

In this episode we speak with Adewale Yusuf, CEO and Co-founder of AltSchool Africa, a company causing a seismic shift in the way learning is perceived and consumed in Africa with the goal of enabling ten million Africans with profitable skills by 2030.  AltSchool is a fully-virtual platform where Africans, regardless of who they are, can access global standard learning resources.  In addition to his role at AltSchool he currently serves on the board of Life Beyond Disability, a non-profit advocating for the rights and empowerment of persons living with disability in Africa and is a co-organizer of Africans in tech global. 

In this episode, we explore the life experiences that led me to pursue social entrepreneurship. From working for a start-up in the Silicon Valley to running from snakes in rural Kenya, we cover the fundamental lesson that led me to believe that business must be a key player in creating social and environmental balance.

Prashant Samant is the co-founder of Akido, a human-centered health tech company that leverages data and artificial intelligence to break down systemic barriers and build high-quality preventive care for all patients and populations, including the most vulnerable. Prashant has always believed in the power of social enterprise and has dedicated his career to developing companies with a soul. Through entrepreneurial ventures, Prashant has provided technology to some of the most notable private, public, and non-profit organizations in the world.

Ujjwal Deep Dahal is the CEO of Druk Holding and Investments Limited (DHI), founded in 2007. DHI is the largest and only government-owned holding company in Bhutan. It was created to hold and manage current and future investments of the royal government for the people of Bhutan. DHI has shares in 21 different companies operating in the manufacturing, energy, natural resources, financial, communication, aviation, trading and real estate sectors

Bret Waters is a business advisor who has spent his whole life in Silicon Valley, immersed in the world of entrepreneurship, innovation and venture capital. He has been Founder and CEO of three software companies and for the past ten years he has taught entrepreneurship at Stanford University and coached startup CEO's at Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship. 

Will Wiseman is the CEO & Co-Founder of Climatize, an easy & transparent mobile app enabling investments in renewable energy projects. Will has worked a range of jobs over his 9 years in the clean energy industry including managing multi-million-dollar projects, energy market analysis & even solar installation. In 2023, Will was selected among the Forbes 30 Under 30 for Social Impact and in 2022 he was selected as a Young Global Changer by the World Policy Forum  

Tim Griffiths is the Chief executive Officer of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, an organization that has worked with over five hundred social entrepreneurs in Ireland since its founding in 2004. In this work, Tim helps accelerate social entrepreneur's vision through a network of dynamic and professional supporters to create enduring social change through the power of people. Tim's LinkedIn Page Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Webpage

Serena Wu is a business attorney, Harvard Law alum and co-founded of Radicle Law, a firm that provides innovative solutions to mission-driven clients in emerging industries. Her practice focuses on social entrepreneurship and plant medicines, advising on corporate and transactional matters, alternative dispute resolution, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation and religious freedom protections. https://www.linkedin.com/in/serena-d-wu/ https://radiclelaw.com/

Dimitry Gershenson is the CEO and Co-Founder of Enduring Planet, a fintech platform that provides fast, flexible, and founder-friendly capital to climate entrepreneurs.  Dimitry has over a decade of experience across climate tech, operations, and impact investing.  

Excited to share this episode with Pankaj Mahalle, Co-founder & CEO at GramHeet. Pankaj was brought up in India in a smallholder farming family and it was through his lived experience of the physical, emotional, and financial stress facing modern Indian farmers that propelled him to co-found Gramheet, a brand which provides integrated post-harvest services to over 8,000 smallholder farmers. Their work has helped farmers increase their income by up to 40% and has prevented over 1300 metric tons of grain losses over the past two years alone.

In this episode we speak with Valerie Bowden, the founder of CRDLE, a marketplace that connects the world to African talent, the right way. With over a decade of experience living in East Africa, Valerie has helped some of the most recognizable brands in the world do business and investment in Africa. Her advice and experience in African countries has been featured on PBS, Huffington Post, NBC News, Yahoo, and the Washington Post. Before launching her career, she backpacked the entire length of Africa by herself.   Learn more via the links below: https://www.crdle.com/ Valerie's LinkedIn Profile

In this episode we speak with Rhea Mazumdar Singhal, Founder and CEO of Ecoware, India's first and largest sustainable packaging company. Rhea has been appointed A World Economic Forum ‘Young Global Leader', and recently been commended with The Nari Shakti Puraskar, the highest civilian honor for women in India. https://rheasinghal.com/ https://ecoware.in/  

In this episode we are chatting with Dr. Ipshita Mandal-Johnson, a founding Partner & CEO of the Global Bio Fund where she is focused on investing in and scaling women-led Health-Tech ventures through Jaya Ventures. She is a visiting Lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Cambridge and currently serves on the advisory boards of Proximie, Chiasma NZ, and Global Engineering Futures. Learn more via the links below: https://www.globalbiofund.org/ Ipshita Mandal-Johnson's LinkedIn Show Notes / Discussed on the Podcast: Book - The Innovation Blind Spot Book- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

In this episode we speak with Catherine Nomura, President and Founder of Kountable. Kountable is focused on solving the world's distribution problem by integrating people, products, profit and purpose. She is also the co-author of The Laws of Lifetime Growth. Learn more via the links below: https://www.kountable.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-nomura-21683213/ 

In this episode we speak with Ian Rosenberger, CEO of First Mile and Day Owl. First Mile works with retailers such as Puma and Ralph Lauren to help them incorporate recycled fabrics into their supply chain while also create prosperity in under-resourced communities. Day Owl creates everyday packs made from first mile material to showcase how companies can incorporate sustainable and equitable practices to create a thriving business for everyone involved. Learn more via the links below: https://www.firstmilemade.com/ https://www.dayowl.com/  

This week we speak with Emmanuel Trinity on prosperity vs. poverty alleviation and the role social enterprise plays. Trinity is a social entrepreneur from Uganda with a powerful story and a mission to create 10,000 jobs for African youths. He's the founder of era92 Creative- a Subscription Creative Services Social Enterprise, which has already created 1500 jobs for youth from the slums of Uganda.

What is shifting in human resources today? Making it actually focused on the human! Listen to my latest episode with Leilani Quiray to learn how she built a values focused human resources business. Her company, Be the Change HR,  is redefining the industry while supporting vulnerable groups in building the skills necessary to be successful in today's economy.   Show Links: https://bethechangehr.org/

Have you ever wondered what your retirement funds are actually investing in? Chances are they are invested in businesses that you'd prefer not to be supporting, such as oil and gas. In this episode we speak with Carbon Collective co-founder Zach Stein on how his business helps individuals invest with their values and fight climate change.

In this interview we speak with Coss Marte, who was once leading one of the largest illegal drug delivery rings in New York City. Today he runs a fitness business that employs over 60 formerly incarcerated individuals and has helped over 70,000 people improve their health. This was not a fast journey and one that included childhood adversity, arrest, prison time, remorse, redemption, and self-realization. I was moved by Coss's heart and motivation to that allowed him to navigate a system and society riddled with bias and inequity, ultimately giving him the leverage to begin reshaping the system itself.

What happens to all those coffee grounds we use on a daily basis, most are thrown in the trash, some are composted, but others - well they are made into personal care products like face scrub. This is where UpCircle beauty comes in, rescuing and reusing by-products from various industries such as argan oil, juice, wood, and tea. In this episode we hear from Co-Founder of Up-Circle, Anna Brightman, on the inception of this concept and the amazing growth the company has had over the past few years.

What does it mean to truly lead a for-profit organization with purpose? CEO and founder of Ethique, Brianne West, knows just that. In this episode we hear from Brianne's experience building a global personal care brand that is challenging the paradigm of business as usual. This was inspiring episode that displayed what is possible for organizations when you believe in the possibility of generative business.

In this episode we speak with Brian Gallant, a former politician and executive who is a true advocate for meaningful corporate purpose. He walks us through his own journey in finding purpose and the need for corporations to be a generative force for society regardless of the service or product they offer. A truly timely and impactful conversation. 

Noora Sharrab is the co-founder of Sitti, a social enterprise business committed to the self-reliance of refugee and displaced communities. In this episode, we explore how years of experience working with refugee communities gave Noora the inspiration and insight to go beyond a non-profit model to create a thriving business that gives women dignity and stability through steady employment. She walks us through the need for such business models and the deep impact Sitti has made for thousands of individuals.

Homeboy Industries has become known for working with and supporting some of the most stigmatized and disadvantaged members of society, formerly incarcerated gang members. In this conversation, we speak with Tom Vozzo, CEO of Homeboy Industries, on the incredible impact the organization is making by using social enterprise to heal former gang members and  teach them the skills to be successful in society. 

In this conversation we talk shop with Wil Shelton, barbershop that is. Will is a former barber and he describes the critical role barbershops play in African American communities. His experience led him to found Wil Power Integrated Marketing, a company he has grown into a global marketing agency which has helped over 100,000 business across the United States. We dive even deeper while discussing his book, The Silent Agreement: An illusion of inclusion where Will shares about the silent agreement African American leaders make in order to move up in biased corporate environments. A powerful episode.

In this conversation we dive in deep with Carley Hauck on everything from climate change to heart centered leadership to her book Shine. Through her work as an author, organizational consultant, coach, and Stanford instructor, Carley has gained true wisdom on what it takes to make change on a big scale - and it starts small. This was a really fun and insightful conversation with some very pragmatic ways we can all lead in a more authentic and heart centered way. 

Jillian Northrup is the co-founder of Model - No., a company focused on building the future of furniture - in a sustainable fashion. Their secret, using 3D printers to customize design, materials, and build only what people want to buy. And do it all locally! Not only are Jillian and their colleagues amazing designers, they also build all their 3D printers. Listen to the podcast to learn how the team at Model-No. are taking 3D printing to a whole new dimension ;)

Dana Frankoff is a storyteller with a purpose, and she is quite good at it. While not working her day job at Pixar, she is making films to raise awareness on environmental issues around the globe. Her recent film, Voice Above Water, features the story of a 90 year old fisherman in Bali whose livelihood is deeply impacted by the plastic and trash that has seemingly replaced the fish. The film has won countless awards and is a visual masterpiece. In this episode we explore Dana's journey as a filmmaker and how each of us can make a positive impact on the world around us. Our conversation left me inspired and I hope it does the same for you.

Myriam Sidibé's work has touched many hands, perhaps hundreds of millions and this was just the start of her journey. Her commitment to the health and well being of some of the most vulnerable populations led her to see how business can help empower individuals for better health and profits. These experiences led her to found Brands on a Mission and publish a book by the same title. In this podcast she dives into how she went from helping communities adopt hand washing to helping brands build mission and impact into core of how they do business. 

When Leo was young, oil was discovered on a small island off the coast of Equatorial Guinea, an island he called home. Several years later the streams, beaches and sacred sites were destroyed or irreparably damaged due to oil drilling and related activities. Leo knew there had to be a better way and dedicated his life to prevent such destruction. In this episode we explore his experience and the passion that led him to found Quioevo, a technology startup that is tilting the balance of energy production. To learn more about how Quioevo is democratizing energy check out their website: https://www.quioveo.com/ 

Sriram Sundararajan is... well... just extremely knowledgeable at what he does, helps companies succeed. In this episode we dig into Sriram's experience (and soft spot) to see how businesses, social entrepreneurs, governments, and communities can align their priorities for the betterment of all. To say I learned a lot from this conversation is an understatement. Give a listen as he expertly paints a picture on how we can collaborate and innovate as a society to do well and do good. 

It started with a job in tourism  - it ended with an impact focused business in an industry she had no experience in - furniture building. In this conversation with Sara Reeves, we learn about the unlikely journey that led her to work with the World Bank to support Nairobi artisans. A path that eventually led her to start her own furniture business and on a wild adventure to deliver a chair to Obama. 

Where do conscious business, awareness practices, and social impact intersect, I'd start with Paul Zelizer. In this episode Paul gives some very practical wisdom on what it means to be a conscious business and how to even begin down that road. Paul has dedicated his life to supporting others through his coaching practice and is creating positive waves throughout the social impact space. In addition to his business coaching practice, Paul founded the Awarepreneurs Community, a vibrant group of social entrepreneurs. He is also the host of the Awarepreneurs Podcast, which has become one of the leading podcasts in the social impact space. Listen to learn more about the amazing work Paul does and check out the links above to see how you can get involved with the work he is doing. 

Over 700 million people a year face food insecurity - simply not having enough food on a day to day basis. Luther Lawoyin and his co-founders of Price Pally are using technology to change that dynamic in Nigeria. Listen to how he and his team are funneling their passion to help others into an innovative business that has serious potential for impact and revenue.    

Building a purpose driven business is a dream of many, what this looks like in practice may not be as straight forward. In this episode I chat with Carolina Miranda as we explore how the B Corp movement provides an assessment to help uncover how any organization can implement proven business methods that build positive impact into the DNA of their business. It was also a really fun conversation!

Why are business leaders lobbying from Sacramento to Washington for better environmental policies? Well... if there is not habitable planet there is no place to do business. Check out this conversation with Bob Keefe, CEO of E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), who works with a nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals to bring about policies that work for the environment and for the economy. 

In this episode I connect with Manny Yekutiel, founder of Manny's SF, a social gathering space that has become a hub for social discourse in San Francisco. An entrepreneur and small business commissioner, Manny has a wealth of experience in political activism, having worked on multiple presidential campaigns, served as white house intern, Most recently, Manny facilitated a major get out the vote campaign in partnership with politicians across the nation. 

Our guest today is Yvonne Otieno, who on 2015 started a small farm in Kenya. She had no idea that in just five years she would be working with over 2400 other farmers and exporting to six European countries. A true entrepreneur, Yvonne shares her experience in what it takes to build an international business from the ground up while making an impact in thousands of lives. Learn more about her business Miyonga Greens and check out her crowd funding campaign here.