Start Somewhere

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of speaking to Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, for the Start Somewhere mini-series on Clubhouse. Orsola is a true powerhouse and I loved listening to her unique story so much that I decided to release it as a bonus episode. I do hope you enjoy it.In this incredible episode, we hear about Orsola's early love for creating and mending fashion that led her to start her own label, why the exploitation by the industry is an issue that (quite literally) touches each and every one of us, and how we can start somewhere to pave the way to a more equitable and sustainable future.The ask: Create a new set of criteria to use when you next go shopping to ensure you purchase something that truly aligns with your values.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Earlier this year I spoke to the incredible Victoria Jenkins, founder of adaptive fashion label Unhidden Clothing, for the Start Somewhere mini-series on Clubhouse. I was completely floored by what she had to say and decided to release it as a bonus episode. I hope you can take something away from her inspiring story. In this bonus special, we hear all about the staggering challenges the disabled community faces when it comes to clothing, the life-changing moment when Victoria decided to create Unhidden, and how the non-disabled can all be better allies. The ask: Educate yourself on the issues disabled people face. (Scope UK has a great number of resources). Diversify your social feed to break out of your bubble. Consider buying the Little Book of Ableism.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week on Start Somewhere I have the pleasure of speaking to Saja Elmishri. Saja is a freelance writer, activist and modest fashion expert, and focuses on the intersection of sustainability, retail, fashion and social justice.Saja's love for fashion started in Sweden, where she grew up and was encouraged to live independently and discover what she enjoyed doing. She pursued her passion for textiles and sewing and studied Textile Design in university, with a desire to use her creativity for purpose and not for profit. In this episode, we speak about modest fashion, why the idea that it's only for Muslim women is wrong, and how Saja would make the fashion industry more inclusive. The ask: Whatever it is you want to solve in society, include the right people into the conversation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week's episode of Start Somewhere, I'm so delighted to speak to the incredible Mindy Scheier. Mindy is the Founder of the Runway of Dreams Foundation, which aims to make adaptive clothing mainstream and promote people with disabilities in the fashion industry. Mindy has also created Gamut Talent Management to represent people with disabilities and create a marketplace where businesses and industries can connect to this target audience. Before starting the Runway of Dreams Foundation, Mindy spent 20 years working in fashion as a designer and stylist. She was inspired to start Runway of Dreams after her son Oliver, who has Muscular Dystrophy, dreamed of wearing jeans like everyone else. In this episode, we speak about the moment when Mindy started somewhere and challenged the fashion industry to become more inclusive, the everyday challenges disabled people face, and why adaptive fashion holds the key to confidence and self-expression. The ask: There is no such thing as failure because failure is feedback. Always focus on your goal and dare to be flexible in how you get there. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For this week's episode of Start Somewhere, we dive into the precious world of diamonds with the incredible Naseem Lahri. Naseem is the Managing Director of Lucara, a diamond mine in Botswana with sustainability, community and purpose at the heart of their business. Naseem is a shining example of someone who found their purpose later in life. After a successful career at Deloitte excelling in multiple roles, she got a job in mining. She discovered this was her passion and moved across the country to the biggest mining company in Botswana. In 2018, she was promoted to Managing Director, and was the first female director of a diamond mine in Botswana. Naseem is truly paving the way for other women to be at the forefront of business.In this episode, Naseem tells us about her rise to the top, how Botswana's mineral wealth enabled it to transform from one of Africa's poorest countries to a thriving nation and how Lucara Diamond supports and empowers its surrounding communities. The ask: Consider visiting and buying a diamond locally to empower the community. Be bold and understand what you want. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. Work hard and persevere. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week on Start Somewhere, I'm joined by the wonderful Stephanie Benedetto. Stephanie is the Co-Founder of Queen of Raw, a marketplace to buy and sell unused textiles, keeping them out of landfills and turning pollution into profit. Stephanie's fascinating story of how she started somewhere dates back to the 1890s when her great-grandfather migrated to the US and started creating fashion using discarded materials. Honouring his legacy, Stephanie founded Queen Of Raw, rescuing huge amounts of perfectly usable deadstock from landfill, saving tonnes of water and CO2 in the process. In this episode, we speak about what led Stephanie to leave her corporate attorney job on Wall Street, her passion for finding solutions through technology, and how people, planet & profit can in fact go together.The ask: Read the labels of the clothes you want to buy. The clothing that's touching your skin, you want to be able to know what it's made of. Check platforms like Good On You to learn about the brand's sustainability & ethical practices. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week on Start Somewhere, I'm overjoyed to be speaking to the extraordinary Ayesha Barenblat. Ayesha is the founder of Remake, a community of fashion lovers, women rights advocates, and environmentalists on a mission to change the industry's harmful practices on people and our planet. You might know Ayesha and the Remake team from the #PayUp campaign, which launched early last year when billions worth of orders were cancelled by big fashion brands because of the Covid-19 crisis. These orders were often already produced and ready to be shipped, which meant that suddenly thousands of often female garment workers were at risk of losing their jobs and facing extreme poverty. In this episode, we speak about how Ayesha's early life in Pakistan influenced and encouraged her to start somewhere and stand up for garment worker's rights, the impact of the pandemic on the garment industry, and how Remake's #PayUp campaign managed to return a whopping $22 billion to garment factories hit hard by the Covid crisis.The ask: Join the Remake movement and keep up with any campaigns by following @remakeourworld, visiting the www.remake.world website and consider donating to support her life's work. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week on Start Somewhere, I get to speak to the truly amazing Eshita Kabra. Eshita is the Founder and CEO of the award-winning app By Rotation, the social fashion rental platform. It was during her honeymoon visiting family in India that Eshita experienced the impact of fast fashion and throwaway culture first-hand and decided there had to be a better way to be a conscious consumer. It was after returning to the UK, Eshita founded By Rotation with the aim of creating a conscious and inclusive community that democratises fashion and does not harm the planet.In this episode, Eshita tells us about her personal relationship with fashion, how community is a central theme both in her life and on the By Rotation app, and why we need a rental revolution. The ask: Choose to invest in high-quality items over fast fashion. Try rotating your fashion with the By Rotation app. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this thought-provoking episode of Start Somewhere, I had the pleasure of speaking to James Bartle, founding CEO of Outland Denim, the denim brand founded to end poverty. Driven by the desire to curb the trafficking of women and girls into the $99 billion illicit commercial sex industry, James created Outland to generate training and employment opportunities for women vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Each of his seamstresses gains a valuable skill set in tailoring while earning a living wage, receiving ongoing support and life-enhancing education. A shining example of what fair fashion can achieve. In this episode, James tells us about the film that changed his life and compelled him to start Outland Denim, why it's important to pay garment workers a living wage and why people and planet must both be addressed when it comes to creating a sustainable industry. The ask: One of the lies we've learned growing up is that failure is failure. Failure is actually necessary, it's what forges humility.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week I have the pleasure of speaking to a true pioneer in the sustainable fashion industry, the incredible Bethany Williams. Bethany is a sustainable fashion designer, humanitarian and artist, and has recently won the British Fashion Council Designer Fashion Fund. In 2017, Bethany launched her label with a mission to create positive social and environmental change in the world. Since its inception, the label has seen huge success, establishing itself as a leading label in the fashion industry when it comes to setting sustainability standards. In this episode, we speak about what the intersection of fashion, art and social justice means to Bethany, the empowering and healing nature of craft, and how collaboration is essential to push the fashion industry further. The ask: Be a conscious consumer. As a consumer, you have the power, which is money. With that, you are choosing to keep businesses alive. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For this week’s episode, I’m delighted to be speaking to the incredible Annick Ireland. Annick is the Founding Director of Immaculate Vegan, a curated online shop for those who want to live a sustainable and ethical life without compromising on style. When Annick decided to become a vegan, she found herself spending a lot of time hunting out brands making high quality, beautiful but also vegan products. Immaculate Vegan was born from a desire to help conscious consumers of every kind easily find vegan things they love, so they can make better choices every day.In this episode, we speak about the surge in conscious consumers, how to adopt a sustainable and/or vegan lifestyle, Annick’s favourite immaculate brands and what her hopes are for the fashion industry. The ask: Start small, and start where you can, and celebrate the small wins. You don’t need to do things perfectly. Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we’ll be doing some time travelling back to pre-Covid times, when I visited the amazing Future Fabrics Expo, the world’s largest showcase of responsibly produced fabrics and materials. In this episode, I spoke to its organisers, Founder & Director of The Sustainable Angle, Nina Marenzi, and Amanda Johnston, who works as a curator and consultant at the Sustainable Angle.Nina set up The Sustainable Angle in 2010 to initiate and support projects aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the industry. In her research, the need for a curated sustainable textiles showcase became apparent and the Future Fabrics Expo was born. In this episode, we explore the impact of non-sustainable fabrics and materials on our planet, why in the fight against climate crisis we should focus on solutions rather than issues, and how we can design our way to a better future. The ask: Reframe your relationship with fashion. Instead of going shopping for leisure, consider going out into nature. Not only will it bring you joy, if we understood nature, we would take much better care of it. I’m delighted to let you know that the new Future Fabrics Expo will take place both virtually and in London from June 22nd through to the 2nd of July 2021. This event will be a key sustainable sourcing destination for fashion professionals, offering a physical showcase of materials, information and networking events. For more info, please visit www.thesustainableangle.org. Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, I’m so excited to be speaking to the wonderful Charlotte Staerck, Founder and CEO of Handbag Clinic, a leading luxury handbag restoration and preowned resale retailer. I’m a huge fan of Handbag Clinic which has given some of my favourite bags a new lease on life. Self-confessed handbag addict, Charlotte, has always known handbags would be part of her destiny. She takes us on a designer bag journey, from a DKNY bag, bought with her first ever pay cheque, through to the life-changing moment she bought her first Mulberry. It was after meeting her husband who was the Managing Director of a leather restoration company, that the penny dropped and Charlotte founded Handbag Clinic.In this episode, we hear about how Charlotte and her team can make your long-cherished handbags live many lives, why a bag is a form of investment and how the growing awareness about the negative impact of fast fashion and throwaway culture has transformed her business. The ask: Ditch any judgement of buying pre-loved items, because this will be the way going forward. Something that might be sitting at the back of your wardrobe will be sure to give someone else heaps of joy, so consider selling it or bringing it in to be restored. We want to see you keep reusing your fashion items. Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week’s episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by the incredible Lily Cole. Lily is a model, actor, filmmaker, all-round multihyphenate and wrote a book last summer called Who Cares Wins, chronicling a thousand ways in which we can halt the Sixth Mass Extinction. It was Lily’s extraordinary curiosity and desire to know what was happening in the world that led her to research the industry she was working in and explore the impact of capitalist businesses on people and planet. Initially tentative because she felt she was criticising the same industry she was working for, Lily decided to work for and create businesses that accelerated positive change, working with brands like The Body Shop and co-founding Impossible, a purpose-driven technology group and Wires Glasses, a sustainable eyewear company. In this episode, we discuss why Lily felt drawn to social impact work, what makes Lily hopeful about the future and how living a balanced life helps you connect to your purpose.The ask: Question the cultural conditioning we’ve all received and be independent in your thinking, this is a way to find your inner truth.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, I’m delighted to be speaking to the wonderful Elizabeth Peyton-Jones, master herbalist, author of four books and most recently the creator of The Responsible Trust for Models, with a mission to establish a global standard for the modelling industry and protect models from exploitation at the hands of the industry.It was in Russia where Elizabeth first developed a curiosity for traditional medicine and the healing power of food after slowly recovering from illness with a strong broth and vodka rubbed on her feet. She returned to England, to become a master herbalist and started seeing patients, taking a holistic approach to healing. After being asked to create a new diet for models by the British Fashion Council, Elizabeth found herself shocked by how young models received a lack of support and were often exploited, resulting in unaddressed trauma years later. It was then when she created the Responsible Trust for Models. In this episode, we discuss how Elizabeth refused to be defined by her past, why physical health and mental health are two sides of the same coin, and what the fashion industry can do to protect models’ rights. The ask: Consider that models, regardless of what they look like in the clothes or make-up that they wear, are people worthy of respect.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week’s episode I’m delighted to speak to the extraordinary Eva Von Alvensleben, Executive Director and Secretary General of the Fashion Pact, a coalition of leading players and brands in the fashion and textile industry. Having grown up in a family full of architects, Eva had never foreseen that she would be making her mark on the fashion industry, yet she is one of the most impactful changemakers around. At The Fashion Pact, she facilitates conversations between CEO’s of brands like Nike, Burberry and the H&M Group about achieving industry transformation, which is a seismic shift in an industry this fiercely competitive. In this episode, we find out about how Eva joined the mission given by French President Macron to create The Fashion Pact, why businesses need to collaborate to tackle the climate crisis and how businesses need to think bigger than their own carbon footprint. The ask: Count how many pieces you have in your wardrobe, and how many pieces you actually wear. Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I’m thrilled to be joined by the amazing Lucia Blayke this week’s episode. Lucia is the founder of London Trans+ Pride, which attracts thousands to Central London throughout the year to march for trans rights. She is also the founder of Harpies, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ strip club and Transmissions, a network for trans activists.Lucia grew up in Liverpool and at a young age moved to London to study Fashion, find her footing and live her life authentically as a trans woman. At the nightclub she was working at the time, she created Transmissions, a support network turned activist group for trans people which made headlines during the 2019 London Fashion week when they protested to end trans inclusivity for tokenism. Now, two years later, Lucia is the Creative Director of the genderless label ART SCHOOL which has recently headlined London Fashion Week 2021, and is making her mark on the fashion industry by ensuring trans people are consulted and involved at every step of the creative process. In everything that Lucia does, she’s sending out a clear message of visibility and self-love. In this episode, we speak about the importance of finding your own community, how fashion brands can better represent trans folks, and the advice Lucia has for young trans kids. The ask: Listen to trans people, see trans people and remember that they have the same hopes and fears as everybody else.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s episode promises double the pleasure, double the fun with my two wonderful guests, Noella Coursaris Musunka & Victoria Prew. Noella is a model and Founder & CEO of Malaika, a grassroots nonprofit that educates and empowers girls and their communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Victoria is the co-founder and CEO of HURR Collective, the UK’s first peer-to-peer wardrobe rental platform.In this episode, we talk about when the two crossed paths and became a partnership powerhouse, why fashion rental is here to stay, and how through Malaika, Noella is ensuring the next generation of girls are empowered to write their own future. The ask: Join our mission to make fashion circular and join HURR on www.hurrcollective.co.uk and support a Malaika girl by donating to www.malaika.org. Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I’m overjoyed to be joined by the amazing fashion editor turned writer and climate activist, Bel Jacobs, this week. She is the co-founder of Fashion Act Now, a project to accelerate change in the fashion industry, and founder of Fashion in Schools, a new UK wide project to keep young people informed about the impacts of fashion.Bel initially made her mark as a fashion editor for Metro, travelling and working with the world’s most influential fashion houses. She gradually became more and more aware & disillusioned about the seemingly never ending influx of brands, styles and seasons to cover and the rapacious nature of the industry, but it was the horror of the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh in which over 1,100 workers tragically lost their lives, that caused her to draw a line, leave her job and set to re-thinking the industry.In this episode, Bel talks us through the monumental challenges of taking on the fashion industry, what happened after she called for Fashion Week to be cancelled, and how compassion for people and the planet can guide you to find your purpose.The ask: Educate yourself on today’s injustices, place yourself firmly in the heart of nature, and have compassion toward other people.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking to Daniella Vega, the Group Director of Sustainability at Selfridges and a true pioneer in the world of retail. In the second half of 2020, Selfridges’ launched Project Earth, a transformational initiative which aims to ‘change the way we shop’ by reducing environmental impact and driving change through retail activism.Daniella has always had a deep understanding of how everything in the world is interconnected, so after pursuing a career producing nature documentaries she became set on making sustainability a household practice in the UK. She was involved in Sky becoming the first media company to become carbon neutral, and then moved to transform the future of retail.In this episode, Daniella explains what retail can do to tackle the climate crisis, why the supply chain matters, and how to drive change, even if it seems impossible.The ask: We need to rethink the way we buy and wear our clothes. Be more conscious about how you buy, and buy with the thought that you’ll be keeping that product forever Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week I’m graced by the presence of a real life Avenger, the incredible Gail Gallie. She, along with film director Richard Curtis is the Co-Founder of Project Everyone, the campaign unit that launched the Global Goals on behalf of the United Nations. Gail is also the Founder of Project17 and most recently founded the Business and Fashion Avengers.In this episode, we discuss why the fashion industry plays a central role in achieving the 17 Global Goals, how every single person can use them to help heal the world we live in, and why, in the face of achieving the Goals, collaboration trumps competition.The ask: Before you buy anything, challenge yourself and ask ‘Do I really need that?’. Instead of buying something brand new, try borrowing or swapping clothes. If you do buy something new, research the values and behaviours of the brand to make sure their ethos aligns with yours. Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we are joined by someone who is an enormous inspiration to me, the visionary Professor Dilys Williams, Founder and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and Professor of Fashion Design for Sustainability, who previously designed for the legendary fashion designer & activist, Katharine Hamnett and also for Liberty. After being confronted with the stark disparity between the image and earnings of the big fashion brands and the farmers and garment workers they employ, she realised that as a fashion designer she was implicated in the injustices and decided to learn more about her industry. Ignited by what she uncovered, she eventually founded the CSF, a University of the Arts, a London research, education and knowledge exchange centre that helps brands and the future generation of fashion designers to achieve social and ecological equity in their work. In this episode, we speak about how she put sustainability at the forefront of all of her work, why the climate crisis, social injustice and gender inequality are interconnected, and how the surge of small and sustainable fashion labels are leading the way.The ask: Decide what it is you care about in the world, and think about if what you’re buying represents you. Refuse to be defined as a consumer. We’re recipients, but we’re also contributors.Do you have a comment, question or would you like to share your own advice on Starting Somewhere? You can find me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/saravaughan) or send me a DM on Instagram (www.instagram.com/saravaughanofficial. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I’m so honoured to kick off Start Somewhere Series 3 with the incredible Arizona Muse, the queen of fashion herself. Arizona has to date graced countless magazine covers and has fronted campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands including Chanel, Prada, & Yves Saint Laurent. Arizona’s curiosity about the origins of the garments she was asked to wear during her fashion shoots led her to learn about the social and ecological injustices that are deeply rooted in parts of the industry. Wanting to push for change, she found her voice as an activist and is now an ambassador for Greenpeace and Women For Women, and has most recently collaborated with Remake on their #PayUp Campaign.In this episode, we speak about how the pursuit of sustainability enriched Arizona's life, what fashion has to do with agriculture and how she would reimagine the fashion industry if she were the ‘Head of Global Fashion Industry’. The ask: Define your style before buying anything else to ensure that what you buy doesn't just sit in your closet. A sustainable lifestyle means having less but feeling more. Take a snap of your outfit and rate it, using #Awearness See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s episode we are joined by my dear friend, Kate Silverton, one of the BBC’s main national news presenters, mental health activist and author of ‘There’s No Such Thing As Naughty’ which will be published this April. For the past decade, Kate has worked closely with leading children’s mental health charities such as the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, The Maudsley Foundation Trust and Place2Be. She is currently training to become a children’s counsellor and, in due course, will go on to qualify as a full child and adult psychotherapist. In this episode we discuss Kate’s mission to expose injustices around the world. Whether it’s reporting on the dire conditions in war-torn countries, wildlife trafficking, or or most recently, in the area of mental health. Ask: Have faith in yourself, do not let fear override what your heart is telling you, dream big and remember hard work works. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s episode we are joined by the stellar Caggie Dunlop, former Made in Chelsea star turned singer, writer, and host of her own astrological & wellbeing podcast, Saturn Returns, which aims to provide clarity and guidance to those navigating the seas of change. In this episode we discuss Caggie’s quest to find her authentic purpose that led her to cross continents, the astrological significance of turning 27, and how trusting your inner compass is key to finding your greater purpose. Ask: Everything is unpredictable and nothing is certain so welcome change and go through your own journey by taking off the backpack of other people's opinions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with one of my heroines, Maria Eitel. Maria is the founding CEO and Chairman of the NIKE Foundation and the Girl Effect.Maria is incredibly passionate about helping women and girls achieve their full potential. Her work with Girl Effect focuses on removing barriers and creating opportunities for adolescent girls, unleashing their potential and improving both their lives and that of their wider community. The work of Girl Effect has reached more than 23 million girls in poverty. In this episode we learn how persistence has been the driving force throughout Maria’s career, from securing her first internship to her life mission of eradicating global poverty by empowering women and girls. Ask: Commit, persist and take that first step. If you hit a wall, just keep going. In the face of failure, frustration and difficulty always be persistent. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s episode we explore the world of holistic wellness with the hugely-inspiring LA-based TV host & empowerment influencer, Morgan Lynzi. Morgan has been interviewing, and forecasting the leaders of impactful shifts across music, culture, and lifestyle for nearly half a decade. As a host, producer, and now BIPOC Female founder of Well Damn; a Next Gen platform and community advancing wellness and empowerment through media and culture, her mission is simple: Change what we see is possible in the content and narratives we create and consume, and we’ll change the world. In this episode we explore Morgan’s mission to democratize wellness and empower the next generation to embrace the interconnectedness of things and to create a healthy, sustainable future for humanity and all life on earth.Ask: Consider what your individual mission is and build your life around it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s episode we speak to global citizen Majken Barbro Witt, CBO & Co-Founder of Impactr, a video-sharing platform built for young creators to make social and environmental action fun and super-easy.In this episode, Majken talks about her 180 pivot from a career in the oil & gas industry to being a pioneer in impact-entrepreneurship at a tech start-up focused on speeding up adoption of global sustainability.With the Impactr platform, Majken is making a tangible difference in the world by recruiting and creating a vocal and compelling global youth-led purpose-driven movement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s episode we are joined by the incredible activist Georgia Elliott-Smith, managing director of sustainability consultancy Element 4.Georgia shares with us how after 20 years into her successful engineering career, she experienced a reawakening and reconnected with her purpose after attending an Extinction Rebellion protest with her son. Inspired by the global movement, she decided to legally challenge the UK government on incineration pollution, demanding that they uphold the Paris Agreement and tax waste incinerators for the pollution they create. In this episode, Georgia touches on how incinerators harm people and the environment, the ins and outs of campaigning and the hope she found in campaigning alongside her new tribe. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded via Zoom with the extraordinary Dr Marty K Casey Founder and President of Show Me Arts Foundation and CEO of UnGUN Institute from her home in St Louis . Having received recognition from superstar Beyonce for her philanthropy efforts serving as a mentor for 20 aspiring teens in the music sector for a group called Spreading The Love Singers, Dr Marty K Casey is a proud recipient of a series of firsts - the first African American woman to receive a full scholarship in music, the first African American Woman Freshman Class President at Missouri Baptist University, the first female ambassador in the MidWest to receive highest honours from the United Nations as an Ambassador for Orphan Children to Shine Ministries in Uganda, Dr Marty K Casey founded and continues to manage Show Me Arts Foundation, a non-profit Multi-Cultural Artistic Development Foundation which has reached more than 3,000 under-served children and young people ages 5-18.She is also CEO of UnGUN Institute which helps people to disarm their trauma by engaging with the arts to achieve positive outcomes in their own lives and to build healthy relationships and communities. In this episode Dr. Marty K. Casey shares her extraordinary life journey and how she overcame her own personal trauma to be in service to others Ask: Do the I can challenge. Say “I can forgive, I can heal and I can live”. Those three statements will begin to put you on the right track of feeling better today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Esther shares with us how attending a One Young World conference in her early career opened her eyes to the power of owning your own story. Since then, Esther has set up sTandTall, an organisation that helps women and girls who have been abused and bullied get back up on their feet and achieve their full potential. We also hear about how she came to write Sophie Says, a book series that seeks to empower children to fulfil their dreams by featuring exciting and uplifting stories with diverse characters, combatting stereotypes and making life's most important lessons fun to learn. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode we delve deeper into the world of purpose-driven business with the incredible Michelle Feeney, Founder of Floral Street. Michelle is a visionary, business-savvy leader who has created a series of cult global beauty products and billion-dollar brands. In this episode Michelle talks about her career path from unpaid intern at a fashion PR agency to a purpose-meets-passion trailblazer in the beauty industry, having worked with brands like Estee Lauder, MAC and Clinique. She is now shaking up the beauty industry once again with her vegan and sustainable British fragrance brand, Floral Street. Michelle also shares her secrets to success with us – which all start with finding your self-esteem and believing in yourself. Always ask yourself: What’s the worst that can happen? If you can live with that answer, go for it! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One of the few episodes recorded in person this year, we are joined by the amazing Louise Mita, my healing teacher, President and CEO of The Art Of Energy, Inc. and founder of Integrative Quantum MedicineTM. Louise is a global healer dedicated to the exploration and integration of the universal energies to promote independence and self-empowerment. Earlier in her life, while she was practising martial arts, she always felt connected to an unseen energy that she was intrigued by and was keen to explore. In this episode, she takes us on a journey of how, with the help of a 35th generation Shaolin Martial Arts Grand Master, she found and began harnassing that energy, and how each of us has the power to heal any living thing. Louise also touches on the power of leaning into the positive, and that in the face of disaster comes great progression.Ask: We don’t learn when everything is going smoothly, so when your world is in chaos, look up and look around you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For the first episode of Start Somewhere Series 2, we are graced with the (virtual) presence of the incredible entrepreneur, journalist, author, photographer and activist, my dear friend Amanda de Cadenet.Having been skyrocketed into a successful TV career at a young age, Amanda has always been fascinated by other people, which eventually led her to break away from her life in the public eye and move behind the camera, capturing other people’s stories as a photographer. Being a photographer and storyteller in a male-dominated industry made her determined to advocate for a more balanced representation in the media, so she started The Conversation, shedding light on important topics that women often silently face, and Girlgaze, a global online community that aims to close the gender gap by providing paid jobs for a network of female-identifying and non-binary creatives. In this episode, we discuss Amanda’s life work, her ups and downs and how she built a successful career even after being written off at school by her teachers. Ask: Explore what makes you and your heart happy and once you’ve identified what that one thing is, ask yourself how you can build a sustainable career out of it and in some way help others. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded in London with my magical friend Sophie Monpeyssen, Co-Founder & CEO of Le Ciel Foundation. Le Ciel Foundation was founded with the mission of restoring harmony and ecology on a global scale through cultural, spiritual and environmental projects. We explore how Sophie leads her life from the heart, trying to embody the values and qualities she feels would bring balance and harmony to the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded with my friend and former colleague, the amazing Nairobi-based, Dr. Myriam Assa Sidibe who spearheaded a movement to change the hand washing behaviour of one billion people globally. Myriam the Author and Founder of Brands on A Mission is one of the world’s leading experts on brands that achieve social impact and business growth through purpose. We take a deep dive into Myriam’s work in both the public and private sectors and hear how she has been pivotal in creating a paradigm shift in the way public-private partnerships for health and well-being are managed and funded to achieve more sustainable and effective interventions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I was honoured to record this podcast with my inspiring friend and hero, Mikkel Juel Iversen, Founder of the non-profit organisation Under One Sky who provide outreach support to rough sleepers. He answered the desperate call to help London's homeless during Lockdown when 1000's were left stranded on the streets of the capital without shelter, food, water, money or the ability to wash themselves. He rallied over 1,000 volunteers who served the homeless with water, meals and heartwarming conversation more than 37,000 times during the height of the pandemic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded with animal lover and climate change advocate, Katy Young at her home in Palm Beach in January in a pre-Covid world. In this episode we learn about the devastating impact the Australian 2019/20 bush fires had on local communities and wild life. According to the WWF, nearly three billion animals were killed or displaced during this time which meant that it ranks as one of the ‘worst wildlife disasters in modern history.’ We follow Katy’s relief efforts to donate her beloved retro caravan, named Dorothy to Rae Harvey who ran a kangaroo sanctuary that was wiped out. We learn how Katy ended up starting the Make a Difference Convoy in the Northern Beaches that worked to deliver donations of water, animal feed, animal medical supplies including burn ointment and dressings, clothing, bedding, appliances, caravans, tents and more to some of the worst affected communities on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded with Julia Jackson, Founder of Grounded at The World Economic Forum in Davos in January in a pre-Covid world. The mission of Grounded is to identify scalable climate change solutions and bring them to the forefront of public awareness. A philanthropic initiative, Grounded’s annual Summit of which Leonardo Di Caprio Foundation is a partner, convenes scientists, policymakers, investors, executives, activists and front-line organisations expressly to ensure that our planet remains liveable for all life on earth. In this podcast we explore how Julia and her Northern California community were impacted by the 2017 wildfires and how, ever since then, Julia has dedicated herself to taking radical, real and actionable steps to shifting the trajectory of climate change. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded with Sian Sutherland Co-Founder of A Plastic Planet in Plastic Free July.Igniting social change, creating brands, campaigns and businesses with soul is Sian’s passion. We take a deep dive into Sian’s environmental pro-activism, how she focuses on solutions rather than on the problem by launching campaigns like the plastic free aisle, plastic free certification mark and banning the export of plastic waste to developing countries. Sian talks about her goal to empower people to make informed decisions by giving them the choice to buy plastic alternatives, because each and everyone of us has so much more power than we think. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded with Sarah Kate Ellis President & CEO of GLAAD, at The World Economic Forum in Davos in January in a pre-Covid world. GLAAD is a dynamic media force and the world’s most visible LGBTQ organisation and the largest LGBTQ media advocacy organisation. In this podcast we learn how Sarah Kate Ellis is changing hearts and minds to improve the sentiment towards the LGBTQ community and to end discrimination like denied adoption, housing and firing for lack of “fit”. Sarah Kate’s mission is to ensure and safeguard the world for the next generation and to encourage a global audience to speak up against discriminative comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week’s podcast was recorded with Shelley Zalis the CEO of The Female Quotient at The World Economic Forum in Davos in January in a pre-Covid world. In this podcast we learn how Shelley left a successful career as a CEO of market research company, Online Testing Exchange, to launch The Female Quotient an organisation pioneering equality in the workplace by tackling issues such as closing the wage gap, eliminating bias, changing company culture, creating empathetic leadership, and measuring progress. Shelley talks about the power of collaboration with other female leaders in her own industry and across other industries too, as well as the importance of following your gut instinct, because when purpose meets passion one is truly unstoppable. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My name is Sara Vaughan. I’m an innovator & creator of brands with purpose & positive change maker. I’m also the Global Chief Purpose & Sustainability Advisor for Marie Claire.This Start Somewhere podcast for Marie Claire features some of the incredibly inspiring people that I’m lucky enough to meet in the course of my work who are creating positive change in the world. Women and men. The known and the not so know yet. Each with their own unique story of how they started somewhere See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.