Thruline to the 4th Sector

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Kendon Jung, a Senior Global Futures Scientist and the Manager of Zero Waste Enterprise Design, both at Arizona State University. Kendon is also Chair of the Sustainability and Resiliency Commission for the City of Tempe, Arizona.Kendon is a designer of zero waste enterprises and a sustainability scholar. He received his Bachelor's in Sustainable Urban Dynamics from Arizona State University in 2013, and a Master's in Higher and Postsecondary Education in 2016. His vision is to make sustainable futures universally accessible and usable, and empower every individual to achieve their highest potential. Kendon has been on the forefront of desert water policy, global corporate social impact, and urban resiliency in three nationally recognized research centers, and is relentless in his commitment to and pursuit of sustainable solutions for all.In this episode, Kendon talks about how he initially became interested in the field of sustainability, why zero waste matters and the importance of defining circular economy within academia, and the most important thing that individuals can do to lead to a more sustainable and regenerative future.Key Quote“An important piece of building a better future is sustained change. So, it doesn't mean you have to be Captain Planet. It doesn't mean that you have to completely change your entire way of working. What it does mean is picking a small thing that you can work to change your habits around, and continually doing that.” - Kendon JungEpisode Timestamps(02:21) Kendon's background(08:13) Successful sustainability in Tempe(18:22) Experience in advancing sustainability outcomes(24:33) Kendon's moment of epiphany(29:52) Evoking emotion to comprise climate action(35:48) Defining circular economy within ASU(41:12) How you can lead to a more sustainable and regenerative futureLinksKendon's LinkedInPhil's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, David Montgomery, a MacArthur Fellow, and Professor of Geomorphology at the University of Washington, and Anne Biklé, published science writer and public speaker. Together, they've recently published: What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health, a book that builds on their trilogy of books about soil health, microbiomes, and farming.David is an internationally recognized geologist who studies the effects of geological processes on ecological systems and human societies. He is the author of several textbooks in his field and his work has been featured in documentary films, network and cable news, television, and radio.Anne draws on her background in biology and environmental planning to explore humanity's tangled relationship with nature through the lens of agriculture, soil, and food. Her writing has appeared in digital and print magazines, newspapers, and her work has been featured in radio and independent documentary films.In this episode, David and Anne talk about the power of regenerative gardening, the need for conventional agriculture to modernize rapidly, and address the primary issue with current agriculture: monocultures.Key Quote“Most of what feeds the world are not these big, mega farms. It's small farmers, most of whom are women. When you look at things on a global basis, it's not the North American grain farmer. I look at the incredible food waste, at least in North America, and it's like, do we really need to scale up if we're throwing 30 or 40 percent of our food away? And it's not just food we're throwing away, there was a lot of petrochemicals and a lot of agrochemicals and a lot of people's time that went into getting that kind of a yield, and we're throwing that away. That's just wasteful.” - Anne Biklé“In terms of individual consumer action, you look for the regenerative label in stores. People are starting to label food as regenerative now. A way that consumers can support that movement is to actually start eating that food, see how you like it. If you can connect with regenerative farmers at farmers markets and find out what they're doing and support them, supporting farmers who are doing the right thing by their land is a really good thing to do as a consumer. But it's not always possible to tell that when you go into a grocery store with the signals that we get of exactly how your food was sourced. And so there's also the idea of trying to exert political pressure on elected representatives.” - David MontgomeryEpisode Timestamps(02:18) David and Anne's current roles(11:48) Getting involved in their work(23:04) Collaborating with other scientists(29:46) Conventional versus modern agriculture(39:52) Addressing the problem of agriculture: monocultures(47:53) How to contribute to reforming agriculture globallyLinksDig2Grow.comPhil's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Coco Zhang, Vice President of ESG Research at ING, a pioneer in digital banking and on the forefront being one of the most innovative banks in the world.Coco actively provides analysis and engages with stakeholders on energy transition, climate change, sustainable finance, clean technology adoption, and environmental, social and governance regulation topics. Prior to joining ING, Coco held positions with Eurasia Group, as well as United Nations agencies in New York, Geneva, and Paris. She has also done consultancy work for the Mexican Energy Regulatory Commission to optimize Mexico's Clean Energy Certificate reform plan. Coco earned a bachelor's degree in government and film studies from Smith College, and a dual Master's degree in energy and the environment from Columbia University, and in international public management from Sciences Po Paris.In this episode, Coco talks about her current role at ING, her background in ESG, the recent trends in the market today, and ESG trends in different countries around the globe.Key Quote“Learn more about what's going on in the climate change, sustainability, and ESG area. There's a lot of good information sources for people to get more informed, but it also requires active thinking to filter out the noises that can be misinterpreted flying around the markets, but to get the essence of ESG and sustainability. On top of that, there is a great role for consumers to play as well. We might not be always incentivized to spend a premium to purchase a very sustainable product, but I think the trend is happening and a lot of the companies are indeed communicating with us to really build their brand, that puts accessibility at a center stage and as consumers we can eventually grow more of a willingness and habit to choose products in a very systematic way and ultimately live in a more systematic way. I think the demand side from consumers is something that's going to have a great impact on the economy as well.” - Coco ZhangEpisode Timestamps(02:07) Coco's role at ING(07:05) Coco's background in ESG(11:50) Recent trends in the market(19:54) ESG around the globe(27:48) Final thoughtsLinksCoco's LinkedInING WebsitePhil's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Henry Gordon-Smith, Founder and CEO at Agritecture, the world's leading urban agriculture blog, consultancy, and now farm planning Software as a Service. With over 11 years of experience in the field, Henry is a trusted advisor to corporations, investors, and new farmers on vertical farming feasibility, design, marketing, and due diligence. He is also a strategic advisor to several AgTech startups, including Smallhold, and Foodshed.io, and a board member of Indoor Ag-Con, EFUA, and previously Teens for Food Justice. Henry holds an MSc in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia, and coursework in Food Security and Urban Agriculture from Ryerson University.In this episode, Henry talks about all things vertical farming, the inevitable hybridization of agriculture, and the founding stories of his company, Agritecture.Key Quote“I think most people simply have just been disconnected. As we've urbanized our society, we've been able to do that because of this greed revolution which has allowed us to centralize agriculture and lands far, far away. And the sophisticated supply chain that lets it bring us to anywhere we want in the world. Many of us can eat something from anywhere in the world. That system has led to us and both been part of us moving to cities and becoming more urbanized. And so, food and cities, agriculture and cities became separated when before that they were actually more integrated. Long story short, people don't have that connection to agriculture anymore.” - Henry Gordon SmithEpisode Timestamps(01:50) Henry's background(11:28) Agritecture's mission(25:34) The hybridization of agriculture(28:42) Vertical farming(42:33) Quick hit questions(45:34) Final thoughtsLinksHenry's LinkedInAgritecture WebsitePhil's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Sasja Beslik, Chief Investment Strategy Officer at SDG Impact Japan.With over 20 years of international experience in sustainable finance, Sasja has extensive knowledge of the global investor community and the emerging opportunities and challenges in the transition to a sustainable economy. He currently leads the development of innovative investment, lending, and advisory solutions that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and create positive social and environmental impact. His work has been recognized and awarded by various organizations, such as the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, and the Swedish Royal Family.In this episode, Sasja talks about his tool kit for driving real change in a modern world, the importance of continuing to inspire the next generation of environmental activists, and how anyone can use the financial system in order to shift its focus for the better.Key Quote“I looked at the system that is, at its core, the most global denominator around the world, and that's money. So, you can be from any country in the world, but you can always trade and you can always talk money. And the global economic system and financial industry is a global citizen. The only, I would say, truly global citizen, because you shift the money across the borders all the time. In general, the financial industry has that sort of global touch. So, you can work in New York, Hong Kong, Japan, Frankfurt, or London, it doesn't matter. It's the same language.” - Sasja BeslikEpisode Timestamps(02:14) About Sasja's role(14:48) Creating impact through finance(20:05) Outsiders influence on environmental situations(23:47) Living in a world of artificial intelligence(28:59) Tools for driving change(35:58) Directing the next generation(41:02) Inspiring people to listen and make active change(44:08) Quick hit questionsLinksSasja's LinkedInSDG Impact Japan WebsitePhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Kristin Toth, President & Chief Operating Officer at Vesta Home, a vertically integrated luxury design firm.Kristin's career is marked by her ability to lead and grow companies – previously as President and COO of Fernish, COO of Dolly, CEO of Code Fellows, VP of Operations at zulily, and in various leadership positions at Amazon.com.In this episode, Kristin talks about systems thinking in sustainable business, the lessons she learned from leaving her comfortable position at Amazon, and why overcoming fears is pivotal for career growth.Key Quote“I think really in the last decade of my career, I've realized that if I wanna make a big impact, I only have 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And it's super fulfilling and exciting, but also like really crucial to impact, to be building and empowering teams, creating great culture, rolling through all of the ups and downs that you have in supporting the team through that, because by empowering a team, developing a team, developing individuals, you're able to make just such a bigger impact. And so, when I'm sort of measuring what I wanna do next, or how I wanna approach something from a personal perspective, it's really about how do I make the biggest positive impact I can on people, on teams, on companies, on, you know, the world.” - Kristin TothEpisode Timestamps(00:29) About Kristin and her background(08:39) Systems thinking in sustainability(12:10) Lessons learned from leaving Amazon(18:51) Addressing skill set gaps for success(23:00) Overcoming career fears(33:04) Driving change for people through the organization(38:37) Strengths and weaknesses of the business model(42:46) Final thoughtsLinksKristin's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Maureen Kline, Vice President, Public Affairs & Sustainability at Pirelli Tire North America.Maureen is passionate about sustainability, stakeholder capitalism, ESG, responsible supply chains, circular economy and corporate political responsibility. Her background is in international public affairs, sustainability, journalism and communications.In the past, Maureen was a Wall Street Journal Europe correspondent covering Italy, and today she occasionally writes a column for Inc.com on the topic of corporate sustainability and social responsibility. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Yale University and a Master's degree from the London School of Economics.  In this episode, Maureen dispels the many myths about sustainability, how she transitioned into the sector, and breaks down the concept of sustainability into sizable bites.Key Quote“I think innovation is just an absolutely huge part of the sustainability conversation because we are a growing population. We're not living in mud huts anymore. And so, we need to find ways to have skyscrapers that have a closed loop waste stream, you know, all of these innovations that we just never thought of before, because we need them.” - Maureen KlineEpisode Timestamps(00:33) Maureen's role and background(09:42) Breaking down sustainability(14:20) Transitioning into sustainability(19:21) Dispelling myths about sustainability(23:59) Value chain of the industry(31:15) Greenwashing(41:25) Opportunities for entrepreneurs(43:34) Quick hit questionsLinksMaureen Kline's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Jonce Walker, Principal and Global Director of Sustainability and Wellness at HLW.HLW is a leading international full-service planning, architecture and design firm that is building the future from skyscrapers to the workplaces of today's most innovative companies. Jonce oversees the coordination of a holistic, integrated design process - from managing BEYOND, HLW's in-house sustainability, resilience, and building performance consultancy, to reinforcing the firm's pledge, advocating for carbon-neutral construction in the next 10 years. In this episode, Jonce talks about the importance of weaving sustainability into each stage of the design process, improving end-user health and wellness, questioning the norm, designing with passion, and building the future.—Guest Quotes“In 10 years, we should have a carbon free grid. We should be building and designing spaces that are regenerative, meaning we need to dig out of the hole we've created, from a carbon and ecology perspective, and it needs to be a net positive situation. It's a must.” - Jonce WalkerEpisode Timestamps(01:46) About HLW(07:02) Jonce's background(15:21) A moment of euphoria(20:13) Designing for creativity versus impact(26:46) Certifications and safety in the space(35:06) New tech and innovations(38:13) Quick hit questionsLinksJonce Walker's LinkedInHLW WebsitePhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Dan Kurzrock, CEO and Co-Founder at Upcycled Foods Inc. and ReGrained.Upcycled Foods, Inc. powers the B2B upcycled food economy with product development expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a growing portfolio of ingredient solutions. With its innovation hub – the Upcycled Food Lab – the company leads the way for food makers as the go-to development partner.With a mission to better align the food we eat with the planet and people we love, ReGrained is an upcycled ingredient company and innovation partner that works with great companies to close the loop with better foods for you and the planet. As you can tell, Dan spends most of his time championing upcycled food and the circular economy. Outside of that, you can find him conducting part-time gravity research on a mountain, nerding out with great books, or jamming to great tunes.In this episode, Dan talks about the importance of upcycling food, regenerative agriculture, and the circular economy.—Guest Quotes“For the first few years, there was a lot of awareness building around what food waste is, what upcycling is. I used to give a lot of talks at places like industry trade shows and used to have the room raise their hand if they've heard of upcycling. There used to be like one or two people in the audience. Now, it's almost everybody.” - Dan KurzrockEpisode Timestamps(01:59) Dan's vision at Upcycled Foods(06:56) Product life cycles and supply chain(10:24) Dan's background and path to entrepreneurship(18:05) Creating a patent and expanding the startup(24:52) Enabling innovation for B2B customers(29:50) Measuring impact over time(37:21) The future for Upcycled FoodsLinksDan Kurzrock's LinkedInUpcycled Foods IncPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Corey Blumenthal, Sustainability Specialist at Shake Shack. Corey spent years in public relations, witnessing firsthand the influence businesses have in driving social and environmental change. Her work inspired her to return to school to complete a Master's in Energy & Sustainability from Northwestern University, concentrating on sustainable food systems, and leading her to her current role.In this episode, Corey talks about the importance of breaking down food sustainability into digestible pieces, no pun intended. She brings to light the current talent gap in the sustainability field, the urgency of empowering people to act now, and provides a glimpse into the future of corporate social responsibility and impact.—Guest Quotes“In business practice, sustainability is good business. It's efficiency, it drives revenue based on this efficiency. It drives consumer retention, it drives employee retention. I think it's just generally good business and I imagine especially with, hopefully, policy regulations, it's going to be something that isn't just a nice to have, but a requirement for organizations. And I do see that happening, fingers crossed, hopefully sometime in the near future, which goes back to collaboration. You know, we need to have cross industry, we need to have cross sector, private, public. This isn't something we can solve climate change as a silo.” - Corey BlumenthalEpisode Timestamps(00:46) Corey's current role and background(07:24) The talent gap in sustainability(09:18) Making discussing sustainability easily digestible(14:46) Consumer responses to sustainability(16:43) The DNA of Shake Shack, it's mission and structure(25:58) Micro versus macro sustainability issues(34:04) The philosophy and cost behind eating sustainably(35:41) Unpacking sustainability(42:50) Quick hit questionsLinksCorey Blumenthal's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Jill Poet, Co-founder and CEO of the Organization for Responsible Business, or ‘ORB'.The ORB is a UK-based, business membership organization with a mission to create positive change for business and society by showing small businesses the financial benefits of being socially and environmentally responsible.Jill is a management accountant, but never just a back-office number cruncher. Having worked with small businesses her entire life, she takes a hands-on approach, affording her involvement in many different aspects of operations, namely project management. She has experience running her own small accountancy firm, and believes wholeheartedly that doing good is ultimately good for business.In this episode, Jill talks about her passion for small business sustainability, defines what it takes to be successful in the industry, the lessons she's learned along the way, and why small businesses are driving the future of business overall.—Guest Quotes“We have always believed that doing good is good for business. And, we've always taken that approach rather than saying that you have a moral obligation to do these things, but actually, guess what, If you do them and do them authentically, properly, it will be good for business. And weren't convinced by that then. They are more so now. And, I think, in the UK and probably in the States as well, increasingly, whether your custom is the consumer, private sector, public sector, they're all looking to buy goods and services from companies that have got those ethics and values.” - Jill PoetEpisode Timestamps(01:56) About the Organization for Responsible Business(04:43) Jill's background and getting into small business(09:41) Defining success in her work(24:55) Lessons learned and small businesses driving the future of business(28:29) Members and benefits of the ORB (32:52) Quick hit questionsLinksJill Poet's LinkedInORB LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Corey Glickman, Partner, Head of Sustainability & Design at Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting.Corey is named among the top 100 influential designers of the decade, recognized as one of the top 50 leaders to watch in 2023, and author of the award-winning “Practical Sustainability: Circular Economy, Smarter Spaces, and Happier Humans.” He has 40 years of experience in industry and consulting, providing technology and business leadership experience in strategic design thinking and applied systems design for sustainability solutions.In this episode, Corey defines the crossover between design thinking and sustainability, talks about his career creating experiences through industry defining companies, and discusses the government policy programs of the future.—Guest Quotes“Whatever you do in life make sure that, whether you're in a company or whether you're an individual, you do something that matters when the final accounting is done.” - Corey Glickman“Policy is what makes a difference, right? Ultimately, if you really want to see things happen, and although it could be very bureaucratic and it's government related, You need to do these things in order to drive change.” - Corey GlickmanEpisode Timestamps(02:31) Corey's role(04:15) Defining design(09:53) Corey's background(19:23) Creating experiences(29:34) Defining sustainability (42:03) Policy programs(50:30) Lightning round questionsLinksCorey Glickman's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Louis Lagoutte, Branch Manager at One Tree Planted, a non-profit working worldwide to plant trees, restore ecosystems, protect biodiversity and create sustainable economic opportunities.A graduate of United World College and Jacobs University Bremen, Louis' interests involve environmental sustainability and the discourse that ensues, exploring difficult questions around the trade offs needed to make the vital changes much needed in our world. He's passionate about rewilding and views tree planting as the solution to many of humanity's problems. In his current role, Louis builds strategic partnerships from the private sector to enable impact and scale up critical work helping plant trees all over the globe.In this episode, Louis talks about defining impact within the non-profit sector, planting trees as a means to an end, and how one can individually contribute towards a better future.—Guest Quote“Planting trees is a means to an end. It's not the goal of the project itself. We're planting trees in order to, for example, restore the wildlife corridor. We're planting trees in order to diversify the incomes of smallholder farmers, prevent soil erosion on their lands, and help their other crops. We're planting trees to prevent flooding. So, planting trees as a means to an end. And that is looking at the ecosystem, planting the right trees in the right place, involving the communities, and also planting trees where there's meant to be. Some places are meant to be forests, and that's where we want to do restoration. But some places are also meant to be wetlands. Some places are meant to be grasslands, and we understand that what we are doing is one piece of the puzzle of a very complex, multifaceted puzzle, which is all of the work and restoration which we need to do on our planet.” - Louis LagoutteEpisode Timestamps(02:18) Louis' current role(09:44) Getting involved in One Tree Planted(15:52) Defining impact within the organization(21:54) One Tree Planted as a non-profit(29:50) Longitudinal data on the impact of projects(34:30) Why people choose One Tree Planted(37:08) Quick hit questionsLinksLouis Lagoutte's LinkedInOne Tree PlantedPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Nate Miller, Innovation Systems Designer at The I Will Projects.With an educational background in the culinary arts, knowledge of aquariums, indoor farming, and building aquaponics systems, Nate has turned his expertise and passion into a career. As a mentor providing student interns with direction for innovations of new growing systems, he is concerned about the future of our planet. He believes his work may be pivotal in shifting to a more sustainable paradigm both within his local community as well as on a global scale.In this episode, Nate talks about the faults that exist within our current food system, how he defines impact through aquaponics, and the significance of the black soldier fly as a solution to waste management.—Guest Quote“The biggest thing that I noticed when I started teaching aquaponics is the lack of awareness for how food systems work. Don't tell me that tomatoes came from the grocery store. There's a lack of just general understanding of how the system works. But the system doesn't work well. The system, I mean, it works, it keeps everybody alive, but it's not really helping anything, right? It's doing more damage than it is helping. So to me, I like the fact that what we do here with aquaponics isn't so much about growing fish or growing food. It's about the in-between.” - Nate MillerEpisode Timestamps(02:14) Nate's current role(03:40) Involvement in aquaponics(05:40) Nate's background(16:45) Turning his passion into a career(23:30) Defining impact through aquaponics(28:30) The problem with our current food system(35:55) Black soldier flies as a solution to waste management(47:44) Quick hit questionsLinkswww.theiwillprojects.comPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Janice Fraiser, an author, public speaker, and leading advisor to innovation executives and startup founders.A Silicon Valley veteran, Janice has built a storied career as a product manager, founder, facilitator, and confidant for entrepreneurs and enterprise executives alike. Her impact extends beyond Silicon Valley, with innovation and transformation projects at NASA, the Obama White House, Procter and Gamble, and many other companies in the Fortune 500. As an investor, she is particularly committed to championing and extending access to the brilliant entrepreneurs who are typically underrepresented in the world of venture-backed startups.In this episode, Janice talks about bettering organizations by shaping company culture, the challenges of measuring impact in philanthropic ventures, and how to avoid the unintended consequences of well-intentioned social efforts.—Guest Quote“I invite participation in what I think are good and better ways of being. I can't make someone want to be anything other than what they want to be. But, I can invite them to be bolder versions of what they want to be and go farther. So, the first thing that I do is I try to give people permission to just be themselves, to be flawed, to be audacious. And, I'm saying this, and as it comes out it sounds so trite, but there's nothing more powerful than seeing people. There's nothing more powerful than validating that their existence is real.” - Janice FraiserEpisode Timestamps(01:59) Janice's career(07:02) Contributing to social change(09:26) Shaping culture(20:17) Driving change for organizations(30:53) Relationship to capitalism(34:47) Avoiding unintended consequences(40:50) Challenges of measuring impact (42:37) Influential figures in the space(46:13) Final thoughtsLinksJanice Fraiser's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Aaron Berger, a research scientist specializing in pattern recognition, domestic and foreign current events, and technology trends. He serves as a strategic advisor to individuals and organizations interested in finding important solutions to difficult problems.Aaron's experience includes government relations, high-level representation and negotiation, systems-thinking, scenario planning, learning transfer, and other research skills. He focuses on global catastrophic risks, national security, and geopolitical spillover events, with more of his recent work assisting in solving the climate crisis. Aaron serves the Rainey Center as special advisor, is Head of Research for Sharemeister, a co-chair for the NEXUS Working Group on Energy Innovation & Environment, and an international advisor for the Sunrise Movement.In this episode, Aaron talks about his role in forecasting geopolitical outcomes, the worrying effects of mass climate migration causing internal displacement, and how he's able to define and measure impact through systems-thinking in research.—Guest Quote“Shakespeare has this quote from one of his plays, I think it's Handler or something like that, there are three ways to achieve for greatness to happen. One is to be born great, and I think they were all born great. One is to achieve greatness, and I think we all have the potential to achieve greatness. And the third is to have greatness thrust upon us. I think that truly great people go through all of those stages, and the third one, of course, being a choice. If we are presented with a great opportunity, are we able to go and rise up to that? And I think that we can. So for me, I was taking stock of the meager amount of resources that I had and the big network that I had developed. I came to the realization that, if I did nothing, no one would do anything for me, and I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't look back and say, you know what, at the very least, I did everything that I could.” - Aaron BergerEpisode Timestamps(02:11) Aaron's role(04:00) Forecasting geopolitical outcomes(10:19) Climate change as a geopolitical challenge(13:54) Mass climate migration(19:40) Internal displacement(23:47) Systems thinking(33:16) Inspirational projects(39:09) Defining and measuring impact(45:58) Final thoughtsLinksAaron Berger's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Randy Krotz, Chief Executive Officer of AgWiki Incorporated, an online social media organization focused on bringing food producers from all over the globe together to address food production challenges. AgWiki works to build relationships between farmers, ranchers, researchers, dieticians, and educators.Randy also served as the CEO of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a consumer-focused ag movement consisting of more than 125 farmers and rancher-led organizations and industry partners engaged in dialogue about how food is grown and raised. In addition to nearly 30 years of experience ranging in food, health care, agriculture, and biotechnology, Randy owns and plays an active role in the diversified family farm in North Central Kansas on which he was raised.In this episode, Randy talks about comparisons between small agriculture and big ag, the utmost importance of healthy soil in farming, and how farmers benefit greatly from global discussion, activating changemakers within the community.—Guest Quote“As I've been around farmers all over this planet my entire career, the joy that a farmer has, they enjoy talking to consumers, there's no question. But a farmer from Alabama talking to a farmer from Kenya is one of the most exciting conversations you can ever watch take place. And you can say Alabama to California. You can say China, talking about hog production from Iowa to Beijing. I mean, farmers, talking to farmers about those things, it's so inspiring for farmers to be able to take part in those conversations. What we did was we looked at this issue around hunger, we looked at this issue around technology sharing and education and information sharing, and we created a platform in AgWiki to help do that. That was the goal.” - Randy KrotzEpisode Timestamps(02:17) Randy's role(06:47) His industry background(10:47) Small ag versus big ag(14:17) The importance of healthy soil(19:41) Addressing hunger through AgWiki(22:20) How farmers benefit from global discussion(25:19) Developing the future of AgWiki(32:07) Activating communities to make change(39:42) Quick hitsLinksRandy Krotz's LinkedInAgWikiPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Arjita Sethi, Founder of Equally and New Founder School. Equally is a venture-backed, Silicon Valley, ed-tech company that's building a universal platform for kids to ignite their curiosity and imagination. New Founder School describes itself as a place where new founders can build and launch their dream startup ideas without going to a business school.Arjita began her entrepreneurial journey in India at the age of 16. Since then, she's founded two successful startups and has been granted the Alien of Extraordinary Ability Visa for her work in social entrepreneurship. In 2017, her startup Equally became a semifinalist in the Global Learning Xprize sponsored by Elon Musk. Arjita also trained more than 400 women at Google's Women Tech Makers Conference in NYC, Cambridge, and Nigeria. In 2016, she got the SOCAP social entrepreneur scholarship, and in 2015, she completed her Masters in Social Entrepreneurship from Hult International Business School. In addition to managing Equally and New Founder School, Arjita is currently a co-founder at Startup India Advisory, sits on the Advisory board of Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, and teaches entrepreneurship, innovation, and Media at Hult International Business School and San Francisco State University.In this episode, Arjita talks about getting started in entrepreneurship at the age of 16, the value of building a strong tolerance for ambiguity in business, and her goals for positively impacting more than one million founders in ten years.—Guest Quote“Earlier in my life I wanted to be an activist. I've been part of some of the biggest movements in India, whether it was for security of girls, whether it was the anti-corruption movement. I went everywhere, and I tried to join, but I realized that making a change at a policy level is such a long process and so much is out of your control. And then I realized, wait, I can create solutions being a founder. So that fascinated me even more and I realized I'm never giving this up. So from that activism to entrepreneurship, I think it gave me more control and made me feel more powerful to see that change actually come into life. And that's how I became an entrepreneur, a founder.” - Arjita SethiEpisode Timestamps(03:18) Arjita's role(05:31) Becoming an entrepreneur(08:29) Arjita's ‘aha' moment(13:06) Defining impact(17:32) Founding New Founder School(22:51) Running an functioning organization(29:26) Building tolerance for ambiguity(36:39) Organizations that inspire Arjita(43:04) Final thoughtsLinksArjita Sethi's LinkedInNew Founder SchoolPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

Welcome  to Thruline to the 4th Sector, where we're exploring 4th sector capitalism and impact investing as an invitation to innovation and ultimately saving the planet. I'm your host, Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and I'm here today to tell you what to look excited for in the future, coming up on Thruline to the 4th Sector.We've got a great lineup of guests including some of the world's leaders in real impact investing. They'll be giving their thoughts on issues related to global development including climate crises, gender disparity, economic inequality, racial injustice, and much, much more. Hear from experts like Miranda Collard, Global Chief Client Officer and Co-Chair of TP Women at Teleperformance, Randy Krotz, CEO and Co-Founder of AgWiki, Janice Fraiser, Author, speaker and innovation leader and so many others about advancements being made in the fourth sector. Want to catch up on the latest episodes and learn more about the 4th sector economy? You can find all episodes of Thruline to the 4th Sector  on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and by visiting thrulinenetworks.com. That's T H R U L I N E networks.com. Thanks for listening, and we look forward to having you with us in the next episode.

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Jarie Bolander, Entrepreneur, Author, and Marketing Strategist. Jarie is an engineer by training and an entrepreneur by nature with over 25 years of bringing innovative solutions to markets such as Bluetooth, USB, RFID, and Semiconductor DNA sequencing. Having launched six startups and published six books, he offers a unique perspective on the power of storytelling for businesses and why the best story trumps the best technology.In this episode, Jarie talks about how storytelling is important for achieving successful product sales, making or breaking even the greatest brands, and provides an in-depth analysis of successful companies that have mastered the art of storytelling. Jarie also offers up his secret to telling compelling stories crucial to scaling successful startups.—Guest Quote“You want a clear, concise and compelling message story that anyone can tell. Not just the founder, not just the C level suite, but the customer service person, the engineer, because that's how it grows. They're gonna tell their friends and they're gonna tell their friends, right? The easier it is to reproduce, the more it'll spread. The more complicated and it'll die on the vine. And this is what you see in a lot of technical startups.” - Jarie BolanderEpisode Timestamps(02:22) Jarie's current role(04:11) His background in tech(06:50) Overcoming infliction points in life(13:37) Examples of excellent storytelling(18:55) Distribution channels and tools for stories(23:43) Describing the story funnel(29:42) How to tell a good story(43:46) Complex brand stories(45:42) Advice for scaling startups through storytellingLinksJarie Bolander's LinkedInJarie Bolander's Twitterthestoryfunnel.coPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Philip Owen, Founding Member of GeaSphere.Philip is an environmental activist and pecan farmer based in South Africa. As the Founding Member of GeaSphere, he represents a nonprofit environmental organization that has been campaigning against afforestation, deforestation and the overall forest industry for more than two decades.In this episode, Philip talks about the impactful stories that heavily influenced his career in eco-activism and the importance of organic farming and regenerative agriculture for the sustainability of the future. He also discusses the significant differences in environmental impact between afforestation and deforestation when it comes to the negative impact of timber plantations. Lastly, he provides fascinating insights into the undervalued ecological importance that grasslands hold within his own community and in environments around the globe.—Guest Quote“We need to diversify and where possible we should use the appropriate indigenous number species to be cultivated. If you want to say that you're in the forest industry then you must plant a real forest, not only one kind of tree. And a real forest also includes animals. I really think that it's vital that we re-include animals into all of these systems because there's a link between the animals and plants and sustainability, you know,  the circle of life. We know that very well. And we've managed to break that system.” - Philip OwenEpisode Timestamps(01:49) Introducing Philip(06:12) Philip's entry into eco-activism(09:01) Starting GeaSphere(19:20) Importance of grassland ecosystems(28:51) Impacts of climate change in South Africa(37:31) Competing actors and roles involved(40:42) Quick hitsLinksGeaSpherePhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and James Ehrlich, Founder of Regen Villages Holding. James is an Entrepreneur in Residence at Stanford University School of Medicine, a Senior Fellow at the NASA Ames Research Center, and on the White House and State Department Joint Task Force for Food, Water, Energy & Waste. He's a co-author of the UN Sustainability Platform Brief "Regenerative Community Development," and received the Singularity University Global Grand Challenge Award in the category of Shelter. James has also been awarded as the winning national public television producer and director, and best-selling published author.In this episode, James talks about how current industrial agriculture is an inefficient way to sustainably feed 10 billion people, the importance of self guidance and being open to change in life, and how drawing inspiration from indigenous wisdom afforded him the premise for creating Regen Villages.—Guest Quote“Ten years from now, success looks like a world of regenerative resilient neighborhood infrastructure, where people are able to have access and agency to their natural resources. And these are then, of course, beautiful flourishing communities.” - James EhrlichEpisode Timestamps(01:51) James' journey(09:09) Creating Regen Villages Holding(15:36) Guidance on being open to change(19:22) Drawing inspiration from indigenous wisdom(23:32) Discussing the solution versus doing nothing(29:37) Regen's model(32:54) Quick Hits(37:01) Final thoughtsLinksJames Ehrlich's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and  Dr. Micah Weinberg, CEO at California Forward, a cross-sector civic leadership group committed to producing prosperity for all Californians in all of the state's regions and to improving government performance and accountability.Dr. Weinberg's current role focuses on increasing the dynamism, resilience and inclusiveness of communities in California and throughout the nation and world. This requires all people to have access to the building blocks of the California Dream including economic growth, health and well-being, affordable transportation, housing and lifelong education, and a healthy environment. Prior to joining California Forward, Dr. Weinberg was President of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute and a Senior Research Fellow at New America. His writing has appeared in diverse outlets from the New York Times to Policy Studies Journal, and he has appeared on Fox News and NPR.In this episode, Dr. Weinberg talks about navigating regional challenges in order to drive change across different sectors, the importance of tackling local issues with scalable solutions, and how to actively engage today's youth in the future of California.—Guest Quote“We'll say free market capitalism as if those things go together when in fact, basically what capital is used for is to distort the market in your favor when you acquire it, right? So we have to think very carefully about, are these markets in fact free? Is the market even the right framework we're thinking about? But people getting to do whatever they want with no  regulations whatsoever is not even a market. You actually need a lot of interventions to prevent asymmetries of information and all these other kinds of aspects.” - Dr. Micah WeinbergEpisode Timestamps(02:02) Dr. Weinberg's role(02:51) Navigating regional challenges(05:17) Dr. Weinberg's career path(13:21) Driving change across different sectors(14:30) The Economic Resilience Fund(22:24) Philanthropy, private investment and government grants(28:30) Engaging the youth in the future of their state(36:36) Finding balance in the market(41:38) Tackling local solutions and driving scalability(44:31) Great places to look for thought leadershipLinksDr. Micah Weinberg's LinkedInPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Dr. Michael K. Dorsey, environmental scientist, advocate, scholar, and entrepreneur. Dr. Dorsey is a recognized expert on global energy, environment, finance and sustainability matters.A graduate of the University of Michigan, Yale and Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Dorsey is a serial organization builder and leader in for-profit, non-profit, scholarly and governmental realms. His significant government engagement began in 1992 as a member of the U.S. State Department Delegation to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, “The Earth Summit.” He has published ​dozens of scholarly and lay articles on a variety of environment, development and sustainable finance matters and has been featured or provided his opinions in the world's leading lay television, radio and print outlets.In this episode, Dr. Dorsey talks about the building practice of capitalism and how to fix it, provides a life cycle analysis of renewable energy while mapping out the future course of the planet, and offers advice for aspiring policymakers looking to engage governments across the globe.—Guest Quote “Renewable energy is going to change everybody's access to energy, absolutely and fundamentally. It's going to restructure and drive the restructuring of society as we know it because this world, like it or not, is an energy-based world. Right now we are living on dirty energy, fossil fuels, or fossil foolishness, and that's polluting and poisoning us and destroying ecosystems, destroying environments, driving climate change, killing species, poisoning water, poisoning aquifers, et cetera. When we pivot out of that nasty fossil foolishness, we don't see the pollution. We don't see rising CO2 emissions. We don't see accelerating greenhouse gasses.” - Dr. Michael K. DorseyEpisode Timestamps(00:38) The building practice of capitalism(04:38) How to fix capitalism(13:59) Dr. Dorsey's efforts in environmental policy(19:58) Life cycle analysis of renewable energy(27:17) Advice for aspiring policymakers for engaging governments(44:17) Mapping out the future(49:37) Final thoughtsLinksPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline NetworksLearn more about Dr. Dorsey

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Joe Musselman, Founder and Managing Partner of Broom Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies with exceptional teams, leadership, and culture.Joe is a board member and advisor to national non-profits, endowment funds, and technology companies ranging from seed stage to multi-billion dollar market cap companies across several industries.In this episode, Joe shares his views on how venture capital can create a positive impact on society across a range of different communities. He also unveils the most important traits that all great leaders possess, and the strategies that everyone can use to find self-realization and fulfillment in their career. To learn more about Joe's work, visit broom.ventures, and to learn more about our work at Thruline Networks, visit thrulinenetworks.com—Guest Quote “Ask yourself this question: what is the vision I hold for the world, the ideal vision? What is my mission statement? Meaning my worthy cause and what are the values that I hold closest to me? Values are how we think, act, feel, and communicate into the world. They're indicative of behaviors. Take a moment. Define those things however you choose to define them. You don't have to use my definition, create your own. Now, once you get clear on that, you'll start to generate a lens into certain types of teams, you'll be attracted to certain types of leaders, and you'll start to recognize cultures that believe what you believe. Then you'll start to have clarity around the question, what's next?” -Joe MusselmanTimestamps(00:29) Introduction(04:49) Starting Broom Ventures(09:56) Defining impact through venture(13:22) Commonalities between startups(17:26) Mission-driven companies(21:23) Figuring out what's next in life(24:31) Quick hits and tips(27:50) Final thoughtsLinksJoe Musselman's LinkedInJoe Musselman's TwitterBroom VenturesPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks 

This episode features a conversation between Phil Dillard, Founder of Thruline Networks, and Markus Silfverberg, Founder and Developer of Block Solutions Oy.Markus is an international serial entrepreneur with a background in the large-scale production technology sector. He is the founder and developer of Block Solutions Oy, a Finland-based company specializing in affordable and sustainable housing, focusing on creating opportunities for people that are in need for new beginnings through creating jobs and decent housing. Markus has a passion for sustainability and environmental actions and fighting climate change.In this episode, Markus talks about solving the world's housing problem, creating thousands of jobs while simultaneously fighting climate change, and also gets into the fine details of the organizational structure of his family-run company. Markus also provides great insight as to what it takes to be a successful serial entrepreneur from outside of the United States.—Guest Quote “According to United Nations, a staggering 3 billion people will need affordable housing by the end of 2030…That would mean we will need to build 600 million houses in just a few years. And of course we understand that's never going to be the case. We could just say ‘hey, it's not going to happen,' or we can do our part.” - Markus Silfverberg —Timestamps(00:36) Introduction(01:11) Markus' career(02:07) Building multiple businesses with his wife(03:07) Markus' influences(04:16) A family business(05:56) About Finnish culture(07:32) Why Markus built Block Solutions(10:29) The environmental impact of Block Solutions(13:18) How Block Solutions adds to the ecosystem(14:56) Where is Markus putting his factories?(15:49) Important lessons Markus has learned(20:17) Block Solutions creating opportunities internationally(24:12) The organizational structure of Block Solutions(28:46) Rapid fire questions(35:45) Final thoughts—LinksMarkus Silfverberg's LinkedInMarkus Silfverberg's TwitterBlock Solutions OyPhil Dillard's LinkedInThruline Networks

What is the 4th sector?It's an emerging sector of the economy that consists of “for-benefit” organizations versus simply “for-profit” ones. Said differently, it's the space in which businesses exist for impact reasons as well as financial ones. 4th Sector Capitalism is real Impact Investing. On this podcast, we'll explore 4th Sector Capitalism and impact investing as an invitation to innovation, and changing the world. Whether in response to issues of revenue growth inside a fixed ecosystem, climate crisis, gender disparity, economic inequality, racial injustice, or other issues related to global development this work is critical to solving problems that don't fit cleanly into conventional notions of public, private, or nonprofit sectors.The remarkable growth of impact investing over the last 10 years has reached a whopping estimated 2-Trillion dollars in assets. What if more “for-profit” organizations make the switch to “for benefit?” Join your host, Phil Dillard, on this journey to find out just how big of an impact we can make. Welcome to Thruline to the 4th Sector. Powered by Thruline Networks.