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Many people have an opinion about Nespresso becoming a Certified B Corporation. But very few have ever heard their side of the story. In this episode with Lucy Bai, Sustainability Manager for Nespresso US, we strive for a balance of genuine curiosity about the things Nespresso is doing well, and tough but fair questions about places where there is concern.View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/nespresso-b-corpSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Please reach out at beyond@lifteocnomy.com with suggested topics and/or feedback about the show.
Hey Rainmakers! It's Chelsey and Stephen here—and if you've ever dreamed about launching a product that changes lives and makes a global impact, you're going to love this episode. We sat down with Cherie Hoeger, founder of Saalt, a game-changing period care company that's shaking up the industry with sustainable, empowering products—and purpose at the core. Cherie shares how a simple conversation with a family member in Venezuela opened her eyes to the global crisis of period poverty—and inspired her to take action. Her passion led her to launch Saalt, a B Corp that's now found in Target, Walgreens, Amazon, and soon Walmart. With a mission to make high-quality, sustainable period care available to everyone, Saalt has donated over 130,000 products in more than 50 countries. Talk about legacy! In this episode, we go behind the scenes on what it really takes to bring a purpose-driven product to life—how Cherie went from technical writing to launching FDA-regulated products, and why “starting from stupid” actually worked in her favor. From her trial-and-error journey to building US-based manufacturing relationships to developing industry-first technology in their period underwear, her story is full of grit, grace, and incredible innovation. You'll also hear how customer education played a huge role in growing the brand, why they offer real-time support with “cup coaches,” and how Cherie and her husband built a pro-family workplace—complete with an in-office preschool. Moms, if you've ever felt pulled between purpose and family, this one's for you. This episode is proof that you can do it differently, create a brand that reflects your values, and serve your family and the world at the same time. Links for this episode: Check Out Saalt & Get 10% Off: Saalt | Reusable Period Care | Period Care Simplified - https://www.saalt.com/rainmaker Connect with us: ► Rainmaker Instagram: @therainmakerfamily ► Chelsey Instagram: @chels_diaz ► Stephen Instagram: @steezdiaz ► TikTok: @therainmakerfamily ► Facebook: @diazfamilylegacy ► Website: therainmakerfamily.com Join Our Next Rainmaker Challenge - How To Make Passive Income From Home: https://therainmakerchallenge.com Save On Our Favorite Things: https://rainmakerfamily.com/deals Watch The Million Dollar Mama Case Study: https://www.makeitrainmomma.com/casestudy Episode Minute by Minute: 0:00 - Meet Cherie Hoeger, Founder of Saalt 1:30 - The Conversation That Sparked a Global Mission 3:00 - What Is Period Poverty (and How Saalt Is Solving It) 5:00 - Cherie's First Steps in E-commerce 7:00 - Building with Passion (Not Just Profits) 10:00 - Becoming a Certified B Corp 12:00 - Educating the Market Without Shame 16:00 - Manufacturing in the U.S. and Innovation Hurdles 20:00 - Launching a Second Product: What Worked (and What Didn't) 24:00 - Why Customer Empathy Leads to Better Products 27:00 - Delight Budget + Real Human Support 29:00 - Work-Life Integration and Disrupting the 9-to-5 32:00 - The “Vital 5” and Structuring Your Life with Purpose 33:00 - Where to Find Saalt Products
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Tim Dornfeld, Director of Category Management at KeHE, to dive deep into what every brand should know about working with a distributor. Tim shares valuable insights on common misconceptions, the key factors that set successful brands apart, and how KeHE supports emerging brands through programs like KeHE Elevate and Trend Finder.They also discuss the role of KeHE as a Certified B Corp, how the company fosters community impact through KeHE Cares, and the importance of category management in identifying innovation that will perform well at retail. Plus, Tim reveals the latest industry trends, including the rise of protein-packed products, non-alcoholic beverages, and global flavors.Whether you're a new brand looking to break into distribution or an established one aiming to scale, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you navigate the process effectively.Tune in now!Listen in as they share about:Working with KeHEKeHE's Role in Brand GrowthKeHE's Company Culture & InitiativesKeHE Trade Shows & Retailer TrendsHow & When Brands Should Approach KeHEDistribution Strategy & Scaling with KeHEMarketing & Promotion StrategiesMistakes Brands Should AvoidAdvice for Brands Entering KeHEEpisode Links:Website: https://www.kehe.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdornfeld/ Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.Show Links:Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.comEpisode music by Super Fantastics
Last month, B Lab Global made an announcement that affects some small-to-medium existing B Corps. If your B Corp is due to submit for recertification between July 1 and December 31, 2025, and you would like to be evaluated under Version 6 (i.e., the current version of the standards), you must submit your assessment by June 30, 2025 — six months earlier than many of us expected.If you miss that deadline, or your submission date is in 2026 or later, you will be moved onto the new standards (new B Corps still have until the end of 2025 to submit under Version 6 of the standards).Emmy and Ryan explore why this change caught many off guard, what it means for businesses of different sizes, and how companies can navigate the revised timeline. Whether you're directly affected or just keeping up with the evolving B Corp landscape, this episode offers essential insights to help you stay prepared.View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/last-call-current-version-v6-b-corp-standardsSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Please reach out at beyond@lifteocnomy.com with suggested topics and/or feedback about the show.
"Clarity is key." "Be the leader you would want to follow." Episode summary | In this engaging conversation, Shannon Cassidy interviews Lyn Wineman, founder of KidGlov, an advertising agency dedicated to helping changemakers amplify their impact. Lyn shares her journey from a small town in Nebraska to becoming a leader in purpose-driven marketing. The discussion covers the founding of KidGlov, the significance of B Corp certification, and the agency's commitment to a culture of generosity and collaboration. Lyn also highlights the importance of core values in shaping the team's culture and introduces her upcoming book, 'Untangling Spaghetti,' which aims to guide organizations in branding and mission amplification. In this conversation, Lyn Wineman discusses her upcoming book launch, the strategic process behind branding, and the importance of creating a culture of psychological safety within teams. She emphasizes the need for transparency in leadership and shares personal insights on growth and the impact of kindness in the workplace. R.O.G. Takeaway Tips | Branding should be a strategic process involving data collection and vision clarification. Creating psychological safety fosters open communication and collaboration. Transparency in leadership builds trust and unity within teams. It's essential to model the behavior you want to see in others. Emotional responses from clients can indicate a deep connection to their brand. The branding process involves understanding the client's vision and values. Kindness and generosity can ripple out to positively impact the community. Personal growth requires introspection and a shift in perspective. Family support plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and calm. Chapters | 00:00 Introduction to Lyn Wineman and KidGlov 03:04 Lyn's Background and Journey to Advertising 05:56 The Birth of KidGlov and Its Mission 09:07 Celebrating 15 Years of KidGlov 12:01 Understanding B Corp Certification 14:57 Creating a Culture of Generosity at KidGlov 18:00 Core Values and Team Collaboration 21:00 Generosity in the Business Community 24:00 Upcoming Book: Untangling Spaghetti 26:48 Launching the Book: A Strategic Approach 29:02 The Process of Brand Development 34:43 Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety 39:03 Transparency in Leadership 41:57 Rapid Fire Insights and Personal Reflections Guest Bio | Few can match Lyn Wineman's passion for marketing—or for helping change-makers do more good in the world. For the past 30 years, Lyn has partnered with a variety of large national organizations, regional powerhouse brands, and many of our favorite nonprofit organizations and community health initiatives. As founder, president, and chief strategist of the full-service advertising agency KidGlov, Lyn has hand-picked a talented team known for putting the megaphone in front of change leaders. KidGlov earned its Certified B-Corp status in 2021, proof of their commitment to social and environmental excellence. Lyn has been inducted into the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame and was named Marketer of the Year by the Lincoln Chapter. She has been recognized with the American Advertising Federation of Nebraska's Silver Medal and was awarded the Inspire Women's Leadership Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship. A University of Nebraska Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications alumni, she serves on a number of community boards and is a Community Fellow for the University of Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship. She also serves as a co-host of KidGlov's Agency for Change podcast, which amplifies the voices of those who are making a positive impact on the world. Lyn and her husband, Neil, live on a historic farm where they raise a small flock of peacocks. They enjoy spending time with their three kids and grandbaby Ronin. Resources: KidGlov.com https://kidglov.com/podcasts Free N.D.I. Network Diversity Index Free Generosity Quiz Where to find R.O.G. Podcast: R.O.G on YouTube R.O.G on Apple Podcasts R.O.G on Spotify 5 Year Gratitude Journal: Grounded in Gratitude on Etsy How diverse is your network? N.D.I. Network Diversity Index What is your Generosity Style? Generosity Quiz Credits: Lyn Wineman, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc. Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 223, Special Guest, Dr. Kristopher Brown.
The B Corp movement in the UK is growing at an unprecedented pace. In this episode, Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, and Dyann Heward-Mills, CEO of HewardMills, explore what's fueling this rapid expansion. From the rise in purpose-driven leadership to the push for systemic change through the Better Business Act, we discuss how UK businesses are embracing B Corp certification and what this means for the future of ethical enterprise.View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/b-corp-growth-in-the-ukSupport the showNew! Take our new listener survey to help shape future episodes, get insights tailored to your needs, and make sure we're bringing you the most relevant conversations about the B Corp movement. www.lifteconomy.com/survey
A new initiative called the "Purpose Pledge" launched earlier this week. The timing—coinciding with Dr. Bronner's decision to decertify as a B Corp—has led to questions about whether Purpose Pledge is designed to compete with B Corp certification. Folks are also understandably confused about why LIFT Economy is involved.In this episode, we set the record straight.What is the Purpose Pledge, and how does it differ from B Corp Certification?Why did LIFT Economy help co-create it?Why do we believe B Corp and Purpose Pledge are complementary, not competing?View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/purpose-pledge-b-corp-setting-the-record-straightIf you haven't already, we highly recommend listening to our most recent episode with Farmer Cee Stanley for additional context: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/dr-bronners-decertifies-as-a-b-corpSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
En el episodio de hoy me siento con Cristina Villalón, cofundadora, CEO y Directora de Diseño de Interiores de Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón y cofundadora de Valora Ventures. Cristina me cuenta por qué estudió un bachillerato en Historia del Arte, cómo llegó el Diseño de Interiores a su vida, la transición de Villalón Interiors a fundar Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón junto a su esposo, Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz, su paso a ser CEO de la firma en 2023 y cómo nace la visión para crear Valora Ventures. También hablamos sobre las lecciones que ha aprendido de fundar una empresa en pareja, el arte de delegar, la importancia de medir tu tiempo, cómo surgió la filosofía de "inside out" y qué significa ser un "Certified B Corp". Tres "takeaways" de este episodio: 1. Si tú no controlas tu calendario, otras personas lo van a controlar. 2. Cualquier cosa que tú puedas contratar a alguien, y que tú le pagas menos de lo que tú puedes facturar la hora, eso no es un costo, es una inversión. 3. "El edificio más sostenible es aquel que ya está construido". Para más información de Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón: Página web | Instagram | LinkedIn No olvides suscribirte a nuestro canal de Youtube.
Defying obstacles, honoring the land, and giving voice to sustainability and business ethics requires commitment and dedication to a vision. Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley is a visionary entrepreneur, farmer, herbalist, and advocate for ethical business and sustainable living. Known affectionately as "Farmer Cee," she is the founding CEO of Green Heffa Farms, a wellness brand and herb farm that celebrates the power of nature to heal and nourish. Beyond her work as an executive, farmer, and herbalist, Farmer Cee is also a passionate educator and community leader. Her farm has achieved the distinction of becoming the nation's premier Black-owned farm to earn the Certified B Corp credential, a significant recognition denoting Green Heffa Fams' commitment to social and environmental responsibility.Farmer Cee shared with Mary, Jeff, and Eric the obstacles she has defied and about caring for the planet's well-being, honoring the land, being devoted to prosperity and entrepreneurship, giving support to the least supported, and bringing more voices to conversations around sustainability and ethical living. To learn more about Farmer Cee and Green Heffa Farms, please visit https://www.greenheffafarms.com/farmer-cee. For more information and lists of certified B corporations, please visit B Lab Global at https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and share your stories and photos of how you are honoring the land and soil on your farm, in your garden, or backyard. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.
Rob Murray is the CEO and Co-founder of Intrigue Media, a Certified B Corp marketing agency that services landscaping companies across the US and Canada. Intrigue helps companies build a strong digital presence, generate consistent leads, and promote long-term growth. Under Rob's leadership, Intrigue has serviced over 1,000 clients since its inception in 2006. Rob has a background in marketing from the University of Guelph and hosts the IM Landscape Growth Podcast, where he shares insights from industry experts and discusses practical marketing tips. In this episode… Finding your niche can feel like discovering the missing piece of a puzzle. For many entrepreneurs, refining their focus is the key to unlocking business growth, but the process can be overwhelming. How do you determine where to direct your energy to maximize impact and create a purpose-driven business? According to Rob Murray, a seasoned entrepreneur and marketing expert, the key lies in aligning your values, expertise, and the needs of your most successful clients. He highlights that focusing on a specific niche not only improves customer satisfaction, but also allows you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. This intentional approach helped him transform a small marketing project into a thriving business by narrowing his focus to the landscaping industry, an area that yielded the highest level of engagement and growth. Rob emphasizes that niching down creates opportunities to build trust, deepen industry expertise, and deliver unparalleled value. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Rob Murray, CEO and Co-founder of Intrigue Media, to discuss finding your niche and building a purpose-driven business. Rob shares how his company evolved from local advertising to a specialized digital marketing agency, the importance of aligning values with strategy, and actionable advice for overcoming common marketing mistakes.
In this episode, Vincent Stanley, longtime Patagonia executive and co-author of The Responsible Company, describes how his company first found out about B Corps, why Patagonia didn't initially join the community, and his thoughts on the arc of the B Corp movement to date. Vincent also highlights the challenges of balancing urgency with patience, fostering localism, and building a business that prioritizes environmental and social impact.View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/vincent-stanley-patagonia-b-corpsSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
Wendy Gonzalez is the CEO of Sama, the mission-driven provider of accurate artificial intelligence data for 25% of Fortune 50 companies. As CEO, Wendy closed the largest round of financing for a woman-led AI infrastructure company and led the company to recognition on the Forbes AI 50 list and the Inc. 5000 list for two years. A study by MIT found that Sama, a Certified B Corp, has hired over 55,0000 people in Africa and paid wages 4x higher than competitors. Today, Wendy and her team of data experts continue to transform the artificial intelligence industry through high-quality training data and the removal of dangerous biases from ML algorithms.
In Part 2, Kevin Bayuk from LIFT Economy returns to continue our discussion about what it could look like to go "beyond B Corp." We explore this topic through the second half of the 10 Principles of Next Economy enterprises, which include:6) Open source and regionally replicable7) Transparent8) Regenerative operations9) Supports movement building for broader systems change10) Supports personal growth and developmentWhether you're a dedicated B Corp advocate or simply curious about the Next Economy, this conversation will inspire you to reimagine the role of business in driving systemic change.View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/b-corps-10-principles-of-next-economy-enterprises-part-2-kevin-bayukSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the history and evolution of one of the most obscure, fascinating, and constantly evolving aspects of the B Corp movement--the B Corp verification process. We are joined by Kali Gibson, former Co-Director of Certification and Verification for B Lab Global, who shares her firsthand experience of scaling the process, tackling the pandemic backlog, and balancing the growing demand for certification with limited resources.View the Show Notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/b-corp-verification-processSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
Rob Murray is the CEO and Co-founder of Intrigue Media, a Certified B Corp marketing agency that services landscaping companies across the US and Canada. Intrigue helps companies build a strong digital presence, generate consistent leads, and promote long-term growth. Under Rob's leadership, Intrigue has serviced over 1,000 clients since its inception in 2006. Rob has a background in marketing from the University of Guelph and is also passionate about empowering leaders to impact and strengthen their communities. He hosts the IM Landscape Growth Podcast, where he shares insights from industry experts and discusses practical marketing tips. In this episode… Finding your niche can feel like discovering the missing piece of a puzzle. For many entrepreneurs, refining their focus is the key to unlocking business growth, but the process can be overwhelming. How do you determine where to direct your energy to maximize impact and create a purpose-driven business? According to Rob Murray, a seasoned entrepreneur and marketing expert, the key lies in aligning your values, expertise, and the needs of your most successful clients. He highlights that focusing on a specific niche not only improves customer satisfaction but also allows you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. This intentional approach helped him transform a small marketing project into a thriving business by narrowing his focus to the landscaping industry, an area that yielded the highest level of engagement and growth. Rob emphasizes that niching down creates opportunities to build trust, deepen industry expertise, and deliver unparalleled value. In this episode of the Rising Entrepreneurs Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Rob Murray, CEO and Co-founder of Intrigue Media, to discuss finding your niche and building a purpose-driven business. Rob shares how his company evolved from local advertising to a specialized digital marketing agency, the importance of aligning values with strategy, and actionable advice for overcoming common marketing mistakes.
Juan Pablo Larenas, co-founder of Sistema B, discusses the B Corp movement's global reach and the unique governance hurdles of scaling it internationally. He shares insights on growing the B Corp community, expanding impact, and sustaining collective action globally.Show Notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/sistema-b-juan-pablo-larenasSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
In this episode, we dive into the prominent role of circularity in the new B Corp standards with Nellie Cohen, creator of Patagonia's Worn Wear project, and Dan Kurzrock, CEO of Upcycled Foods. Nellie and Dan share strategies for transforming waste into value across diverse industries like textiles and food. We also highlight how smaller companies and service-based businesses can integrate circularity more deeply into their operations. Tune in today!Show Notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/circularity-lessons-patagonia-upcycled-foods-nellie-cohen-dan-kurzrockSupport the showWe want to hear from you! Email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
Lizy Freudmann is a marketing strategist with a special interest in behavioral economics. She has worked with a range of businesses throughout her career, from top 40 musicians, to solopreneurs, to various academic and financial service institutions. Before her marketing career she earned her BA in American Civilization from Brown University, and both her MBA and Masters in Global Business from Tulane University. She lives in New Orleans, and her company, One More Thing was the first Certified B Corp in the state of Louisiana. Main Business Issues: Struggling to stay creative while handling business operations Lizy's Key Insights and Takeaways: There's value in creating a safe space for vulnerable conversations Acknowledges the loneliness of entrepreneurship and the lack of spaces to express emotional burdens Recognizes the importance of creating support networks within the entrepreneurial community to mitigate burnout Connect with Lizy https://www.linkedin.com/in/lfreudmann/ onemorethingllc.com
Get ready to dive deep into the world of strategic marketing with Lizy Freudmann, the brilliant mind behind One More Thing—a trailblazing marketing firm and the first Certified B Corp in Louisiana! Lizy's expertise is unparalleled, from masterminding campaigns for global giants like Honda and Nike to empowering local startups.In this episode, Lizy takes us on a thrilling journey through her dynamic career, sharing insights from her work with top 40 musicians and financial service institutions. With degrees from Brown and Tulane Universities, Lizy's approach melds storytelling with behavioral economics to create strategies that truly connect and captivate.Tune in as we explore:Lessons from Dragons and Future Worlds: Explore how surrounding yourself with more skilled, diverse, and interesting individuals can complement your talents and expertise. Lizy emphasizes that, even when it's challenging, the right companions can offer unexpected skills and insights, much like the themes found in fantasy literature.The Impact of B Corps: Explore the significance of being a Certified B Corp and how it reflects a commitment to high social and environmental performance standards.Behavioral Economics: How understanding human behavior can enhance relationships and drive success.Crafting Authentic Connections: Find out why building genuine connections through your brand's story is essential for creating lasting customer loyalty and engagement.Join us for an inspiring conversation with one of marketing's most forward-thinking strategists. Don't miss this chance to learn from the best and elevate your own marketing game!Free Gift (Storytelling best practices 1 sheet):https://www.onemorethingllc.com/Connect and Learn More with Lizy: Website: https://www.onemorethingllc.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lfreudmann/Connect and Learn More with Sarah: The SandBoxx offers Nonprofit business consulting and coaching for leaders. (sarahboxx.com)#MarketingStrategy #BrandBuilding #BehavioralEconomics #NLNL Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
.It's US election season! Sara Gifford, Co-Founder and COO of ActiVote, joins us to explore how B Corps can activate voters in order to drive significant change. Tune in to discover how small steps are key to collective transformation.View the Show Notes.Support the Show.We want to hear from you! Text us by clicking here or email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
Rodney Williams is the Co-founder of SoLo Funds, the largest community finance platform in the US. Since 2018, SoLo has surpassed 1M loans funded and redefined access to capital and returns for 1.5 million users. As the U.S.'s only Black led Certified B Corp fintech, SoLo continues its leadership, but grounded in the same hope and mission: to build a community that enables financial autonomy for all. Prior to founding SoLo, Rodney founded LISNR and led the company to over $40M in funding, numerous awards and partnership across retail and financial services. Rodney's career started at Procter & Gamble in brand management where he was a critical catalyst in the company's digital strategy and started in eCommerce & social media. Rodney has been recognized with numerous awards, including Ad Age's 40 Under 40 in 2012; Cannes Gold Lion award in 2015; and CNBC Disruptor 50 List in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2023 to name a few. Rodney is a graduate of West Virginia University and Howard University. Rodney is a member of the 2019 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.
Episode 187 of The Adventure Podcast features scallop diver, seaweed farmer, author, writer, and father, Guy Grieve. Guy spent a year off-grid living in a cabin he built in the Alaskan wilderness. In this episode, Guy talks to Matt about his past and what made him the man he is now. He tells stories of his time in the Alaskan wilderness, why he left his family behind in the UK, and what happened while out there. It's an emotional episode, and Guy is one of the most gracious, genuine, and grounded guests we've ever had on. Fair to say it's one of our favourite episodes ever recorded.This episode is available in-vision on our substack channel, The Adventure Podcast+ ; www.theadventurepodcast.substack.com.This episode is brought to you by Chimney Fire Coffee; a Certified B Corp™️, committed to the highest social and environmental standards. What sets Chimney Fire Coffee apart is their dedication to ethical sourcing. They pay their producers on average double Fairtrade prices, building direct, personal relationships. Plus, they give back by supporting Re-Cycle, donating to refurbish and send bikes to rural Africa.They have 10 responsibly sourced house coffees from around the world, so there's definitely something to suit your taste and your brew method. And if you're extra keen you can head out to Surrey to join their weekend tours and experiences to learn more about the journey from farm to cup. Head to chimneyfirecoffee.com/tap and 15% off your first order will be automatically applied. Photographer credit: Glenn DearingSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we reflect on our journey from Boston Girl Geek Dinners to She Geeks Out, highlighting how the landscape has completely changed for supporting women in tech. We then talk with Lisa Hannum of Beehive PR about the evolving landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion within executive leadership through the pandemic, social crises, and beyond. [00:00:19] Girls in tech non-profit closing.[00:06:32] Sponsorship challenges in tech community.[00:10:39] Evolution of diversity work.[00:11:45] DEI work and crisis work.[00:12:45] Interview with Lisa starts.[00:15:12] An unexpected career change.[00:20:10] The power of clarity.[00:25:43] B Corp certification.[00:28:55] Mind your own bobber.[00:35:18] DEI work as organizational identity.[00:39:10] Crisis communication and DEI work.[00:43:33] Organizations and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.[00:46:44] Leadership challenges and expectations.[00:50:09] Speaking Up in Difficult Situations.[00:54:32] Return to work policies.[01:00:53] Women in C-suite roles.[01:03:18] Choices and marginalized communities.[01:07:22] Where to find Beehive. Visit us at https://shegeeksout.com to stay up to date on all the ways you can make the workplace work for everyone! Check out SGOLearning.com and SheGeeksOut.com/podcast for the code to get a free mini course.
Brian chats with tech trailblazer and Sama CEO Wendy Gonzalez. Sama is a mission-driven Certified B Corp that seeks to raise the standards for both machine learning and global working conditions. The company's innovative approach to ethically sourcing and training tech talent has lifted more than 68,000 people out of poverty since 2008. On the episode, Wendy dives deep into Sama's unique for-profit business structure, including reserving a Board of Directors seat for its non-profit on its non-profit roots. She also touts the importance of conviction and self-awareness when building and running a business. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses can have more than one mission. Mission-driven businesses can have more than one mission, according to Wendy. For instance, Sama has a “triple bottom line” of bringing long-term value to people living in poverty, to the planet, and to the bottom line. “We were really founded on this premise that talent is distributed equally but opportunity is not,” she said. “We started with the mission first, and the core mission is what we then built a business problem to solve for around.” Hold earnings calls and learnings calls. You've probably heard of a company's earnings calls when the executives share updates about the firm's financial metrics. Sama applies the same concept to its mission by hosting “learning calls,” in which the company provides updates on its impact metrics. “The idea from the very beginning is you have to track with rigor what our impact is,” Wendy said. “It's no different than how you would track your financials.” If you're a big company, consider B Corp Certification. Sama is a Certified B Corp, meaning it meets verified, high standards of social and environmental performance, has made a legal commitment to accountability, and transparently shares information. Wendy said the company pursued B Corp status once it transitioned from a non-profit financial structure to a for-profit structure because the B Corp Certification is the best and most recognized accreditation standard for impact-driven companies. “We were big enough that we thought B Corp Certification is going to be important for us, so that nobody believes that our transition in financing means that anything has changed,” she said. One downside to B Corp Certification is that it requires a lot of effort and expenses. If you're a small company, you may not be able to afford the resources needed to comply with the reporting requirements, but if you're an established impact-driven company, Wendy recommended looking into B Corp Certification. “If you're a customer looking for a recognized seal of approval, that's recognizable,” she said. Fire yourself annually. About once per year, Wendy does a mental exercise in which she fires herself as CEO and evaluates whether she'd rehire herself for the job. The exercise is an opportunity to reflect on the kind of leader her company needs and also where her energy and convictions lie. “If you're the CEO, you've got to be not only the CEO your company needs today, but the one your company needs tomorrow,” Wendy said. Resources + Links Wendy Gonzales: LinkedIn Sama: Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube B Corp Certification Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
In the second episode of our new series The Far Reaches, our guest is Emma Linford. Emma is an outdoor professional with a number of different strings to her bow. She's a mountain instructor, international mountain leader, outdoor education and is heavily involved in the Right To Roam movement in the UK, as well as the Stars Are For Everyone movement that is campaigning to defend the right to wild camp on Dartmoor. This conversation is far reaching. Matt talks to Emma about her early life and inspirations, how she became an outdoor facilitator and why she started travelling overseas. She also speaks about her social and political views and their relevance to the outdoors, before discussing the right to roam movement in a little more detail.The Far Reaches is a new long-term series where we speak to guests about subjects related to our planet and our place on it. These episodes will dig a little deeper, perhaps enter the realm of armchair philosophy, and will tackle some more existential questions surrounding adventure and exploration.This episode is brought to you by Chimney Fire Coffee; a Certified B Corp™️, committed to the highest social and environmental standards. What sets Chimney Fire Coffee apart is their dedication to ethical sourcing. They pay their producers on average double Fairtrade prices, building direct, personal relationships. Plus, they give back by supporting Re-Cycle, donating to refurbish and send bikes to rural Africa. They have 10 responsibly sourced house coffees from around the world, so there's definitely something to suit your taste and your brew method. And if you're extra keen you can head out to Surrey to join their weekend tours and experiences to learn more about the journey from farm to cup. Head to chimneyfirecoffee.com/tap and 15% off your first order will be automatically applied. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The better-for-you food movement is on fire and Saffron Road is among the F&B brands leading the charge. Inspired by world cuisines, and made with high quality, ethically sourced ingredients, all Saffron Road products are Halal-certified. Led by founder and CEO Adnan Durrani, the 15-year-old company is a Certified B Corp, with products found in over 25,000 U.S. retail locations. Last month R&FF Editor in Chief Kelley Rodriguez sat down with Adnan at Frozen IQ, in Fort Worth, Texas, where he spoke on a panel about sharing the benefits of frozen foods with consumers.
Episode 186 of The Adventure Podcast features rower and sports advocate, Victoria Monk. Victoria is Captain and one quarter of 'There She Rows', an all-female team who recently rowed across the Atlantic. In this episode, Matt and Victoria discuss the crossing in detail, including her motivation and inspiration, as well as why she picked this specific challenge given her limited experience of big adventures and expeditions. They go into the realities of life on the water, and also get into the nitty gritty of picking a team and training. They also touch on a subject Victoria is incredibly passionate about - why so many teenage girls give up sport - why Victoria thinks this may be happening, and what we can do about it.This episode is brought to you by Chimney Fire Coffee; a Certified B Corp™️, committed to the highest social and environmental standards. What sets Chimney Fire Coffee apart is their dedication to ethical sourcing. They pay their producers on average double Fairtrade prices, building direct, personal relationships. Plus, they give back by supporting Re-Cycle, donating to refurbish and send bikes to rural Africa.They have 10 responsibly sourced house coffees from around the world, so there's definitely something to suit your taste and your brew method. And if you're extra keen you can head out to Surrey to join their weekend tours and experiences to learn more about the journey from farm to cup. Head to chimneyfirecoffee.com/tap and 15% off your first order will be automatically applied. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 185 of The Adventure Podcast features award-winning author, naturalist, and eco-philosopher, Lyanda Haupt. Lyanda's work bridges the gap between scientific observation and poetic exploration. In this episode, Matt and Lyanda discuss her journey in a lot of detail. They talk about her unique perspective on urban ecology, and the profound lessons she draws from her close encounters with animals. They spend some time talking about her early inspirations and travels around the world, before speaking about the much more personal details of her life, including the end of her marriage. Whether you're an avid birdwatcher, a casual nature lover, or simply curious about the hidden wonders in your own backyard, Lyanda is fascinating.This episode is brought to you by Chimney Fire Coffee; a Certified B Corp™️, committed to the highest social and environmental standards. What sets Chimney Fire Coffee apart is their dedication to ethical sourcing. They pay their producers on average double Fairtrade prices, building direct, personal relationships. Plus, they give back by supporting Re-Cycle, donating to refurbish and send bikes to rural Africa.They have 10 responsibly sourced house coffees from around the world, so there's definitely something to suit your taste and your brew method. And if you're extra keen you can head out to Surrey to join their weekend tours and experiences to learn more about the journey from farm to cup. Head to chimneyfirecoffee.com/tap and 15% off your first order will be automatically applied. Photo credit: Tom FurtwanglerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Henry sits down for a chat with Laura Burget and Connie Lo - co-founders of Three Ships Beauty. Three Ships is a Certified B Corp and all-natural skincare company who are committed to their efforts in sustainability. Be sure to tune in as Laura and Connie discuss topics like their mission for starting the brand, greenwashing in the beauty industry, and Three Ships' custom supply chain.This episode was mixed and produced by Daniel Reza
When you think about funding your business, venture capital might be the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, for Black entrepreneurs, accessing traditional VC funding can be an uphill battle, with less than 1% of VC capital going to Black-owned businesses. This episode of the Black to Business podcast dives deep into alternative funding paths that you can take to build and grow your business without relying solely on venture capital. Rodney Williams, the co-founder of SoLo Funds and other successful startups, shares his invaluable insights and personal experiences on how Black-owned businesses can navigate the challenging landscape of business funding. We understand the unique obstacles you face in securing capital and building sustainable businesses within a system that often overlooks you. That's why this episode is critically important: it explores practical, alternative funding strategies that have helped Rodney and many others succeed. From utilizing personal savings and credit cards to engaging with socially-minded investors and community finance platforms like SoLo Funds, this episode will offer you a roadmap to achieving financial autonomy and business success. Rodney also addresses the mental and emotional aspects of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, support systems, and mental health. DURING THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: Alternative funding sources besides venture capital The importance of creating a sustainable business model How to attract smaller, socially-minded investors The benefits of community finance platforms like SoLo Funds Understanding the true cost of funding options and making informed decisions About Rodney Williams: Rodney Williams is the Co-Founder of SoLo Funds, the largest community finance platform in the United States. Since its inception in 2018, SoLo Funds has surpassed 1 million loans funded and has redefined access to capital for its 1.5 million users. As the U.S.'s only Black-led Certified B Corp fintech, SoLo Funds continues its leadership, grounded in the mission to build a community that enables financial autonomy for all. Before founding SoLo, Rodney founded LISNR, securing over $40 million in funding and leading the company to numerous accolades and partnerships across retail and financial services. Rodney began his career at Procter & Gamble in brand management, where he was pivotal in shaping the company's digital strategy. He holds degrees from West Virginia University and Howard University and is a member of the 2019 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute. Rodney has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including Ad Age's 40 Under 40, Cannes Gold Lion award, and consistently featuring on the CNBC Disruptor 50 list. Tune in to this episode to get inspired, gain actionable insights, and discover new ways to fund your entrepreneurial dreams, anchored by Rodney Williams' journey and expertise. Don't miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/204 Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast! Got a question? We'd love to answer it in an upcoming Q&A. Simply record your quick question → https://blacktobusiness.com/QA Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacktobusiness/ Don't miss an update! Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://blacktobusiness.com/mailinglist
.As a long-time B Corp devotee, host of the Soil to Soul Podcast, Senior Director of Regenerative Impact at Bonterra Organic Estates, and one of Wine Enthusiast's 2023 ‘Future 40', Jess Baum has extensive experience in sustainability, environmental education, farming, and permaculture. She joins us to discuss how some of the themes, tensions, and conversations in the margins at the 2024 US & Canada B Corp Champions Retreat reflect the state of the B Corp movement more broadly.View the Show Notes.Support the Show.We want to hear from you! Text us by clicking here or email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
Megan Bott is the Community & Business Impact Manager at Positive Energy Solar, a Certified B Corp in New Mexico. Today, Positive Energy employs over 120 people including 75 employee owners and has completed over 5000 solar installations throughout New Mexico with very high customer satisfaction (at the time of this interview, they had 73 Google reviews with an average of 4.9/5 rating). This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Positive Energy Solar site B Corp site Awarepreneurs episode on Intrapreneurship Awarepreneurs core values What is community solar? Amicus Solar Cooperative site CNM College Paul's Strategy Sessions Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
Tim Greiner is the Managing Director & Co-Founder of Pure Strategies, a Certified B Corp consultancy that helps companies initiate and enhance existing sustainability programs that deliver value to the business and society. Listen in as he shares story after story of how companies like Walmart, Burts Bees, and others have nailed how to sustain success. — Read the Magazine and Join the Community for Impact: https://real-leaders.com Apply for the The 2025 Real Leaders Impact Awards: https://real-leaders.com/impact-awards-application/
Justin Belleme, owner and founder of JB Media Group and publisher of Romantic Asheville, shares how working with local entrepreneurs in the community and supporting organizations he believes in helps them achieve their vision. Justin is a travel industry leader and provides strategic direction and expertise in the travel and tourism industry, and is an advocate for sustainable growth and fairness in all business. JB Media is a B Corp Certified social impact marketing agency dedicated to increasing the reach and authority of social enterprises, conscious companies, and mission-driven organizations across all digital channels. Justin explains how becoming a Certified B Corp brings you into a global community that is using business as a force for good and embraces collaboration with other change makers with shared visions and values. Also on Speaking of Travel, Tina Kinsey, VP of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport, shares how aviation organizations help bring others together to leverage knowledge and experiences.Tina describes how aviation organizations bring industry players together with other players in the industry who they most likely would not have met without specific business or personal relationships. And how they develop a community. And she explains how the need for information, expertise, or even special help might arise and how everyone comes together for support. You'll also discover why these connections within special aviation organizations are formed and why many in the industry eagerly join without hesitation. Tune in for some big news happening now at the Asheville Regional Airport! Current updates and more!Only on Speaking of Travel!Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.
Bret Keisling is joined by Brian Taussig-Lux, retired CEO of UnTours, which holds the distinction of being the first company to become a Certified B Corp, which means a business that meets high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. Brian shares UnTours fascinating story, from its unique origins to its innovative business model centered on social and environmental responsibility. Founded by Hal Taussig in the 1970s, UnTours has never been employee owned, but very much shares the same vibe as successful EO businesses. Brian also describes the evolution of B Corp certification, the impact of Benefit Corporations on business practices, and the interconnectedness between employee ownership and Certified B Corps. For the video version of this episode, along with links to the topics mentioned and related podcasts, head to our website for this episode at https://www.theesoppodcast.com/post/279-the-first-ever-certified-b-corp
Miren Oca and Y. Elaine Rasmussen discuss the complexity of transitioning a business to an employee ownership model. They discuss the benefits and potential pitfalls of this transition as well as the many different ways to pursue this change. Miren Oca is the Founder and CEO of OcaQuatics Swim School. A Employee-owned (PPT),Certified B-Corp business that focuses not only on teaching swimming skills but also on environmentalism and social responsibility. Elaine Rasmussen is the CEO of Social Impact Now, a social finance and impact investing firm.
Spring has officially sprung and for most of us, that means (you guessed it!) spring cleaning! If you have a pile of laundry waiting for you to scrub, suds, fluff, and fold, you're not alone. In the U.S., 660 million laundry loads are washed every week, totaling a whopping 35 billion loads each year. But, have you ever considered what's lurking in your laundry detergent? Could your laundry detergent be toxic to your health and the environment (hint: yes). From phosphates and dyes to synthetic surfactants, optical brighteners, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and chlorine, your conventional laundry detergent brand is likely exposing you and your family to a host of toxic chemicals, allergens, respiratory irritants, hormone disruptors, and maybe even a cancer-causing chemical. Not to mention the plastic waste that your laundry jug is adding to landfills. To add fuel to the laundry jug fire, this plastic can take more than 100 years to break down. But the environmental buck doesn't stop there. Laundry detergent is a major source of microplastic pollution, with a single load releasing up to 700,000 microplastic fibers into the water. Yikes! Our guest, Anita Spiller, leads ESG for Tru Earth, a Certified B Corp global household cleaning product company, Anita focuses on eliminating household single-use plastics, battling microplastics, and donating earth-friendly products to organizations in need. KEY TAKEAWAYS The key issues Tru Earth's cleaning solutions aim to solve How Tru Earth's eco-strip compares to traditional liquid laundry detergent Common misconceptions related to earth-friendly cleaning products Advice for someone just learning about healthy and sustainable cleaning solutions Advice to listeners who are looking to make their first eco-swap The products Tru Earth offers in its full lineup Where to purchase Tru Earth products You can learn more about Tru Earth's products and mission at: www.tru.earth/Store. We'll have all of the links in the show notes at https://ronandlisa.com/podcasts/100-green-your-laundry-routine/.
Kale is often considered the go-to green superfood. In the Battle of the Supergreens, however, moringa (or “super kale”) is a formidable opponent! While working with women farmers in West Africa, Lisa Curtis was introduced to the profound healing and energizing powers of moringa. Out of that experience, Lisa created Kuli Kuli, a Certified B Corp that allows Americans to experience the power of superfoods like moringa while also empowering farmers around the world. Today, this award-winning entrepreneur and thought leader joins us to share the incredible health benefits of moringa, Kuli Kuli's journey from Peace Corps to grocery store, and some of the strategies the brand uses to educate consumers about its nutritious superfood products. We also touch on how Kuli Kuli is pioneering the future of food, delicious ways to add moringa to your diet, and so much more. To find out how Lisa is aligning mission and product to revolutionize the superfood industry, be sure to tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:The incredible health benefits of moringa compared with kale.Building a brand that empowers farmers and delivers nutritious superfood products.How Kuli Kuli is pioneering the future of food through the plants of the present.When Lisa first learned about moringa as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger.Tactics that Kuli Kuli uses to educate consumers about the power of moringa.Certifications and business initiatives that make Kuli Kuli a force for good.The combination of luck and preparation that launched the success of Kuli Kuli.Ways that regenerative agriculture can be more profitable than conventional agriculture.How you can use moringa to boost energy, reduce blood sugar, and more.Different ways to consume moringa, whether fresh, powdered, or frozen.Where you can get your hands on Kuli Kuli's products (at a discounted rate!)Lisa's favorite superfoods, indulgent snacks, impact-driven leaders, and more.What “better for the world” means for communities, packaging, and consumers.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Lisa CurtisLisa Curtis on LinkedInLisa Curtis on XKuli Kuli Foods20% Discount Code for First-time Customers: MODERNSPECIES‘Battle of the Greens: Moringa vs. Kale'MUDWTRAlter Eco Truffle ThinsJacqueline NovogratzThe Blue SweaterModern Species Gage Mitchell on LinkedInGage Mitchell on XBrands for a Better World WebsiteBrands for a Better World on YouTubeBrands for a Better World emailImpact Driven Community
- I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which I recorded this episode, the Coodjinburra People of the Bundjalung Nation, and the land on which you're listening to it. I pay my respects to the elders, past and present, of those lands. I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners. Thank you for sharing this space with me. -If you're an avid listener to this podcast or a follower on our socials, you will no doubt be aware that sustainability is very important to me and my business. Increasingly over the last couple of years, I started to feel as if I wanted to do more to ensure that Straight Up Bookkeeping was hitting more sustainable targets so that the strong values we hold, were being demonstrated effectively.I was inspired to become a B Corp certified business when I started working with purpose-led clients who cared about the world they do business in and were making sustainable choices. Seeing their commitment to sustainability and the positive impact they were making motivated me to be part of this movement.I wanted my business to be known as a good business, one that could be trusted and a market leader when it came to sustainable practices. The deciding moment came when a prospective client, who had been a B Corp certified business for several years, asked about our sustainability practices. I didn't want to scramble for answers in the future; I wanted to be a business that lived and breathed sustainability.After two years of work to achieve this, I am proud to say that my business, Straight Up Bookkeeping, is now a B Corp certified business.Being a B Corp certified business requires recertification every three years. So, my team and I need to stay focused on what got us here and continue improving our good business practices year after year to maintain our accreditation. B Corp matters have become my world, and I'm excited to share my journey with you.This has been an immensely rewarding journey. I believe that good businesses have a role to play in making the world a better place. While the certification process required investment and dedication, the benefits far outweigh the costs. I am excited about the future and the positive impact we can continue to make as a B Corp certified business.Resources Mentioned:BCorp Certification:https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification/Where to Find Bec:Website:https://straightupbookkeeping.com.au/ Instagram: @straightup_bookkeepingFacebook: @straightupbookkeepingLinkedIn: @straight-up-bookkeepingRegister your interest in the Bookkeeping it Real Mentoring Program here.
Minter Dialogue with Davide Bollati Davide Bollati is the owner and chairman, since 2006, of Davines Group and Comfort Zone. Davide has steered Davines Group, which was founded in 1983, to be a worldwide recognised professional brand providing high-end haircare solutions for hairdressing salons and skincare (with Comfort Zone) for spas, that is known for its commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability. In 2016, Davines became a certified B Corp. Present in some 90 counties and with about 800 employees, Davines Group is a tremendous success story. In this conversation, we discuss Davide's career path, some of the critical choices he made, the route to and effects of becoming a B Corp, the use of La Carta Etica, the building of the Davines community, the use of a philosopher to help craft the direction of the brand, and much more. An enlightening story. If you've got comments or questions you'd like to see answered, send your email or audio file to nminterdial@gmail.com; or you can find the show notes and comment on minterdial.com. If you liked the podcast, please take a moment to go over to Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast channel, to rate/review the show. Otherwise, you can find me @mdial on Twitter.
Joshua Driver is the Founder of Selflessly, an all-inclusive software platform designed to create, manage, and report on a company's philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. Selflessly was Indiana's first dual Certified B-Corp and Domestic Benefit Corporation and Certified LGBTQBE from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Connect with Joshua here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuadriver/ https://selflessly.io/ This episode is sponsored by: DirectSuggest: https://www.directsuggest.com/subscribe.php?id=6992 Use Promo Code: HumanHR Namely: namely.com/humanhr CultureBot: https://getculturebot.com/humanhr Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci Don't forget to rate this podcast 5 stars, leave a review, and subscribe! Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company Traci Chernoff is actively employed by. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hrtraci/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hrtraci/support
If you are identify as neurodivergent, queer, or a woman leader and find it challenging to walk that "narrow band of acceptable behavior" between people-pleasing, kindness, and holding others accountable, this episode is for you. Dr. Brancu gives you a sneak peek into a live coaching session with such a leader and aims to offer a way to validate the challenges, find a way to lean into your strengths, while also learning some practice tips for effective communication within such a complex context.This is a live coaching call with a leader, Alisa Herr, who identifies as a neurodivergent and queer business owner and is looking for guidance about how to balance being an authentic, kind, supportive leader while also giving straightforward and direct feedback. We discuss the impact of gender, ADHD, autism and identity as it relates to these challenges. Alisa Herr is the founder and CEO of Unity Web Agency, a Certified B Corp that specializes in helping nonprofits and socially-responsible businesses make their websites more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable. Driven by a deep-seated desire to foster a sense of belonging and collective purpose, Alisa has cultivated a network of like-minded collaborators and clients who share a common ethos. As a neurodivergent and queer entrepreneur, she navigates the professional world with moxie, challenging the toxic hustle culture prevalent in the creative and tech industries. Alisa's commitment to authenticity shines through in her leadership style, as she embodies the principles she champions. Alongside her work at Unity Web Agency, she co-founded Unit of Impact, a platform empowering mission-driven companies to track and report their social impacts. Alisa holds an MS in Library Science from UNC-Chapel Hill and a BS in Psychology from Appalachian State University.https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisaherr/#autism, #ADHD, #neurodivergent #genderbias #gendersocialization #effectivecommunication #feedback #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipcoaching #leadershipidentityTune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
Kelsey Moses is the Excise Tax and Compliance Director and B Keeper (for B Corp Certification) at Lakefront Brewery and Events at B Local Wisconsin. Learn more about Certified B Corps & Benefit Corporations in this episode. The Person & Planet theme song is an original song by singer/songwriter Barbara Stephan. Click here to listen to “Gonna Be There.” --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/personandplanet/support
Maiya Holliday builds websites that make it easier for good people to do great work. And no, these aren't just your corporate, run-of-the-mill, cookie cutter websites. These sites are built with accessibility at the forefront, making it easier for everyone to succeed and allowing businesses to reach new customers. Through her background in international development and nonprofit work, Maiya noticed many organizations lacked functioning websites and a sustainable web presence. As society became more dependent on the internet, many organizations were falling behind, unable to keep up with current trends and spread their mission with the masses. Maiya took matters into her own hands, teaching herself how to code and develop websites. Eventually, she founded Mangrove, a purpose driven digital design agency. Mangrove finds success in helping conscious companies tell their story in a meaningful way, while also making websites accessible for all to experience. Tune in to
About Duncan is the Founder and Managing Director of Journeys With Purpose. Journeys With Purpose is a member of 1% for the Planet, The Long Run, and a Certified B Corp, and as B Corp's highest-scoring travel company it's been awarded “Best for the World: Environment 2022”. Our Vision is for A World Where All Life Thrives. Duncan passionately believes in […] Read full article: Episode 115: Spreading Rewilding Awareness And Advocacy Via Journeys With Purpose
Robert Holzer is the founder and CEO of Matter Unlimited, a social impact agency and Certified B Corp situated at the intersection of culture, capital, and cause. -- If you haven't yet had the chance, make sure to register for our 2024 Real Leaders Impact Awards. Our Impact Award winners gain access to a values aligned community, credibility through Real Leaders, and access to our network of Impact capital sources. Apply now to claim your discounted application https://eunbi5zgbx7.typeform.com/to/XNdfGsS2#app_first_name=xxxxx&company_name=xxxxx&work_email=xxxxx&campaign_name=xxxxx&channel=LN&owner=Z Also, check out Outsource Access for all of your Virtual Staffing Needs. At an affordable rate you can outsource the work you need to get done at an extremely affordable rate. You can find more info about them here using this link. https://outsourceaccess.com/
In this episode of Building Scale, we dive into being a Certified B Corp in the construction space with Graham Steers, the President of Melton Design Build. Graham shares his insights on everything that creates a great culture and we discover why Melton Design Build became a Certified B Corp. We explore the importance of accountability to environmental and community standards. Graham also discusses the challenges of the construction industry and how transparency and education can foster a sense of ownership among employees. As a Certified B Corp, Melton Design Build leverages its values in its marketing and sales process. Learn more about their investment in technology that aligns with their core ethos.
In this episode of Building Scale, we dive into being a Certified B Corp in the construction space with Graham Steers, the President of Melton Design Build. Graham shares his insights on everything that creates a great culture and we discover why Melton Design Build became a Certified B Corp. We explore the importance of accountability to environmental and community standards. Graham also discusses the challenges of the construction industry and how transparency and education can foster a sense of ownership among employees. As a Certified B Corp, Melton Design Build leverages its values in its marketing and sales process. Learn more about their investment in technology that aligns with their core ethos. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights on scaling a business. Don't forget to share this episode with your friends and colleagues to help us reach even more people! - Importance of becoming a B Corp for Melton Design Build - Balancing profitability and B Corp principles - Incorporating B Corp values into marketing and sales - Leveraging technology aligned with core ethos - Awareness of cybersecurity in the construction industry - Advice for the past: Have more fun and don't take things too seriously - Three pillars of scaling business: people, process, and technology Connect with Graham - Website: https://meltondesignbuild.com/ Phone: 303.473.9542 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-steers-54a7b157/ Connect with Justin & Will -Will's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willforet/Justin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justneagle/Learn More & Connect With Spot Migration - Website: https://www.spotmigration.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spot-migrationFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/spotmigrationYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Spotmigration Do you want to be a guest on the show? Go to https://buildingscale.net/guestsNeed to discuss your IT and Cybersecurity Strategy? Go to https://buildingscale.net/help
Keith Eshelman is the co-founder & CEO of Parks Project. Parks Project, founded in 2014, came from the idea that we can all do more to support America's parklands. In the early days, Keith volunteered at trail days in local national parks—through this, he realized that there was a huge lack of participation from the next generation. To change that, he created collections of apparel and accessories that would further connect consumers with parks to raise awareness of the projects taking place daily around the country and give folks a story to wear that supports outdoor conservation.In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro[01:01] What are Parks Project's products?[01:33] Where the idea of Parks Project came from[03:00] The progression of Parks Project products [04:59] Finding customers through organic influence[07:00] Knowing that “We're onto something”[08:17] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io/connect[09:13] Sponsor: Sendlane sendlane.com/honest[10:39] Insider perspectives for launching a brand[12:33] Ecom vs wholesale buyers[14:01] The evolution of the brand[15:30] Advice for founders finding product-market fit[17:30] Manage your relationships with your customers[18:39] Getting featured by Fast Company[19:18] There's still much to do and learn[19:54] The wellness aspect of Parks Project[20:44] Where to find Parks Project[21:08] Keith's tips when going to parksResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeCelebrating America's National Parks with a line of apparel, accessories and home decor parksproject.usConnect with Keith linkedin.com/in/keith-eshelman-a972473Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connectSchedule your free consultation with a Sendlane expert sendlane.com/honestIf you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
In this week's episode of The Humane Marketing Show, we have the pleasure of speaking with Tom Greenwood about the concept of a Humane Web. Tom is the co-founder of Wholegrain Digital, a trailblazing digital agency that prioritizes sustainability as a Certified B Corp. Renowned for his expertise in business, design, and web technology's role in addressing environmental issues, Tom is also the author of the enlightening book, Sustainable Web Design. Throughout our thought-provoking conversation, we explore the meaning of a Humane Web, its connection to ethical design, and the crucial role website owners play in contributing to a more humane web. We delve into best practices for prioritizing user wellbeing while achieving marketing objectives, discuss the social and environmental impacts of AI, and highlight successful examples of organizations embracing the principles of the Humane Web. Tune in now to gain a fresh perspective on the future of digital marketing and web design. In this thought-provoking episode we discuss about: How Tom's newsletter readers described a humane web and what Tom's definition is What humane web has to do with ethical design Best practices for website owner to do their part to contribute to a Humane Web The winners of a humane web: humans AND the planet The social and environmental impacts of AI How Tom sees the future of humane web and much more [00:00:00] Sarah: Hello, humane marketers. Welcome back to the Humane Marketing Podcast, the place to be for the generation of marketers that cares. This is a show where we talk about running your business in a way that feels good to you, is aligned with your values, and also resonates with today's conscious customers because it's humane, ethical, and non-pushy. [00:00:23] I'm Sarah z Croce, your hippie turn business coach for quietly rebellious entrepreneurs and marketing impact pioneer. Mama Bear of the Humane Marketing Circle and renegade author of marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. If after listening to the show for a while, you are ready to move on to the next level and start implementing and would welcome a community of like-minded, quietly rebellious entrepreneurs who discuss with transparency what. [00:00:52] Works and what doesn't work in business, then we'd love to welcome you in our humane marketing circle. If you're picturing your [00:01:00] typical Facebook group, let me paint a new picture for you. This is a closed community of like-minded entrepreneurs from all over the world who come together once per month in a Zoom circle workshop to hold each other accountable and build their business in a. [00:01:15] Sustainable way we share with transparency and vulnerability, what works for us and what doesn't work, so that you can figure out what works for you instead of keep throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. Find out more at humane.marketing/circle, and if you prefer one-on-one support from me. [00:01:37] My humane business coaching could be just what you need, whether it's for your marketing, sales, general business building, or help with your big. Idea like writing a book. I'd love to share my brain and my heart with you together with my almost 15 years business experience and help you grow a sustainable business that is joyful and sustainable. [00:01:58] If you love this podcast, [00:02:00] wait until I show you my mama bear qualities as my one-on-one client can find out more at humane.marketing/coaching. And finally, if you are a Marketing Impact pioneer and would like to bring Humane Marketing to your organization, have a look at my offers and workshops on my website@humane.marketing. [00:02:30] Hello, friends. Welcome back to another episode on the Humane Marketing Podcast. Today's conversation fits under the P of People of the Humane Marketing Mandala. If you're a regular here, you kind of already know what I'm talking about. And these are the seven Ps of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And if this is your first time here and you're curious about those seven Ps of humane marketing, you can go to humane.marketing/.[00:03:00] [00:03:00] One page, the number one and the word page, and download your one page marketing plan with the seven Ps of humane marketing. And this comes with seven email prompts to really help you reflect on these different PS for your business. So today I'm speaking with Tom Greenwood about a humane Web. When I first saw him, uh, talk about this in one of his newsletters, I was like, well, I just have to talk to Tom, but before you, I tell you a bit more about Tom. [00:03:33] Allow me a moment to share that. I just. Open the doors again to my marketing like we're human, a k a, the Client Resonator program. So this is my flagship program. It's a three month program that is tightly linked actually to this podcast because it follows the same framework, the seven Ps of the Humane Marketing Mandala. [00:03:57] It's a deep dive into these seven [00:04:00] Ps to help you discover who you are. What your passion is and then bring more of you to your marketing. Market from within, so to speak. So we're really kind of flipping the script and starting with ourselves rather than the usual marketing program that immediately goes to your ideal client, the avatar, and then focuses on, uh, techniques and strategies. [00:04:26] We're starting with ourself first, so it's almost like a business. Or a personal development slash business development program. Uh, it's more than just marketing. It really is building the foundation for your life's work. And we start with passion, personal power, and then go into the outer. So we start with the inner and then go into the outer, the people, the product, the pricing, the promotion, and the partnership with others. [00:04:56] We go deep in an intimate group and. [00:05:00] Really come out transformed with a business that you are truly aligned with. It's a hybrid program with a 20 to 30 minute video to watch each week. Uh, that shares a bit of the framework, the principles. And a lot of, uh, transparent information and kind of lived experience for, from myself. [00:05:21] Uh, it comes also with a beautiful workbook, with journal prompts, and then we have a live group call on Zoom each week to go deeper. So we, I'm not teaching anything on these group calls. I we're just having the space together to go deeper, and that's why. It's such a transformational program because we really get to share and uh, and. [00:05:46] Yeah, make it unique for each person. Who is it for? Well, whether you have one year, five years, or more than 10 years business experience, it's never too late to go back to create the [00:06:00] foundation and is instead of just a business, really create your life's work so you can truly market from. Who you are because that's when things flow freely is when you market from who you are. [00:06:14] And the best is always to hear it from other participants and not just ha have it all from me. So have a look at humane.marketing/program. There are plenty of testimonials. And also a handful of in-depth case studies that really show you the transformation that people have gone through. Book a call with me now to discuss if this is the right next step for you at this point in your business. [00:06:43] Again, it's starting in August. Uh, August 24th. I'm only running this live. Twice per week. So this is the last time, uh, this year it's a three month program, and yes, I would absolutely love to talk to you and see and find out [00:07:00] whether this is a good fit for you at this time. Okay with that, back to the P of People in today's episode. [00:07:09] So Tom Greenwood is the co-founder of Whole Grain Digital, a certified B Corp and Green Trail Blazer. In the digital agency world, Tom is known for writing and speaking about how business design and web technology can be part of the solution. To end environmental issues and is the author of the book Sustainable Web Design. [00:07:34] So in this, uh, thought-provoking episode, we discussed how Tom's newsletter readers described a humane web and what Tom's definition is of a humane web. What humane web has to do with ethical design, ethical web design. Best practices for website owners to do their part, to contribute to a [00:08:00] humane web, the winners of a humane web, humans and the planet, the social en and environmental impacts of ai. [00:08:11] How Tom sees the future of Humane Web, and I guess also AI and so much more. Let's listen to Tom and this concept of a humane web, which to me just sounds delightful. Let's tune in. Hi Tom Sok. See you and hang out with you for a little while to talk all things humane, like I just said offline. Right. [00:08:38] That's basically what we're here for. I heard you talking about Humane Web and I'm like, I gotta have him on the podcast. You're [00:08:47] Tom: humane. Yeah. And I likewise. I was excited when you reached out and I was like, huh, humane Marketing, like, great. We're on the same page. Yeah, exactly. [00:08:55] Sarah: So the, the. The way. Well, I've been on your email list [00:09:00] for a while, and then obviously when I saw you talking and actually asking readers about how a humane web would look like to them, uh, that's when you got my attention and I'm like, yeah, let's talk about this. [00:09:16] So I'm curious, um, what kind of answers did you get to this question when you asked your readers? [00:09:23] Tom: Yeah, it was really interesting and it, I mean, we got a lot of enthusiastic responses and it was, it was quite mixed. It sort of ranged from people talking about how um, basically like technology should be designed to like, respect humans in terms of like their privacy and their safety and, um, to make things more accessible in a sort of tangible ways to people with kind of maybe like a more like pie in the sky vision of like, A web that is like more personalized and it's actually like, like more like fragmented and [00:10:00] decentralized rather than this sort of like homogenized big tech kind of internet that, that we've come to. [00:10:07] Um, and then other people talking about like more like the experience that we have as humans and that actually, what if it was more. You know, like a garden that you can, or a library, like a place that you can kind of step into and browse calmly, slowly, mindfully relax into like find beauty and inspiration rather than it being like this high paced kind of intense experience that much of, much of the internet's become. [00:10:39] So it was really interesting just hearing kind of like that breadth of. Perspectives on like what that might mean. [00:10:45] Sarah: Hmm. Yeah. So interesting. I, I love this image of either the library or the the garden and why not a library in a garden. Exactly. Yeah. That'd be even better. So what that means to me is, yeah, you, [00:11:00] you said it after like what we're experiencing is something so intense and probably, um, Yeah. [00:11:09] It's more like the in our face experience where if you are going to a library, you are the one in control. You are the one who's going to look for information rather than just showing up and everybody's throwing information at you. Right. Is is that also what you Yeah. Exactly. Felt [00:11:25] Tom: that's what happened? [00:11:26] Yeah. Mm-hmm. That, that you are really in control of your own journey and, and it's your experience. For you to have and for you to lead rather than mm-hmm. You're kind of entering into these worlds where you're very much kind of led down a path. I mean, at best guided down a path at worst manipulated, you know, to perform certain actions. [00:11:48] Um, Yeah. And sort of, yeah, put people back in the driving seat in control of their own experience, um, in more of a conscious way. [00:11:56] Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. That's so much aligned with humane marketing [00:12:00] because it, it, in the end, pretty much everything on the web is some type of marketing now, you know? Yeah. It's like wherever you go, You, they want you to enter into a funnel and then basically control your mind and control everything you do. [00:12:16] So it's, yeah, it's, it's very much the same in terms of humane marketing. It's like, well in, give the power back to the people. Right? Yeah. And it seems like that's the same, uh, idea here on, on Humane Web. So, so was that also your definition if you thought of it before? Or did you think of even something else, um, that you can add here? [00:12:41] Tom: Yeah, I think, I think it was a, a mixture of a mixture of things, but I think, I mean, the whole exploration and, and it's still an exploration to be honest at this stage, but the whole exploration that, that some of us at Whole Grain are doing into this concept of a humane web really came from sort of a [00:13:00] frustration that the internet kind of in the early days, Did seem like something that was gonna be very democratic and, you know, allow people to have a voice and controller and experience and share information with each other and build communities and, and it has all of that potential. [00:13:21] And yet more and more it feels like this thing where it's like it's, it's very much like a domain controlled by these big tech companies and where. You know, as you say, like we're we're manipulated into these funnels. It's like it's the web has become a web of funnels. Yeah. And, you know, and, and you enter into it kind of almost at your own risk. [00:13:41] And, and it's not an equal relationship. You're very much like you're going in on their terms. They're doing things behind the scenes to manipulate you that you don't even, you're not even aware of. There's like legal terms that you're effectively agreeing to just by. Like visiting a site or [00:14:00] using an online service. [00:14:01] Um, and then, and then, and then it's like, you know, there's the, also the fallout of like mental health and the fact that actually like, yeah, the internet should be serving us as humans, and yet you have this like, huge mental health crisis that's in par related to our relationship with digital technology and the internet. [00:14:19] And, and it's like, well, something's really wrong here that it's. There are like big corporations that are making vast profits out of the web, but at the same time that it's not that there's not any good things have come from it for, you know, most of us, like we all get some benefit from it day to day, but like on some level it feels like this is, this relationship isn't working like it's unhealthy. [00:14:42] Um, so what would it look like if we reimagine that and said, well, okay, let's kind of go back to the beginning. Take all of the. I guess take capitalism out of it for a minute and sort of say, well, like, let's just look at it as a technology. Like [00:14:58] Sarah: what? Remind me, Tom, [00:15:00] what was the name of the, it's escaping me right now. [00:15:03] Like when it first started, what did they call it? Um, Some term that I'm, I'm forgetting right now, but they actually said it, it's a conversation, you know, the web is a conversation. Um, yeah. So, so really, yeah. That's what you're saying. We need to go back to, right. To, to these early days of the [00:15:24] Tom: internet. [00:15:24] Exactly, exactly. Sort of like today's technology, but with yesterday's principles maybe. Yeah, [00:15:32] Sarah: yeah. Yeah. So much so. Yeah, so true. It's, it's, it's almost like we've. Made such a big, yeah, we lost our way. We lost our way. It's, it's kind of like kids who are given, you know, the, the, the gadget and then they just like lose their way because they're so excited about this s gadget and all, all the things you can do with it, and it ends up going the wrong way. [00:15:58] It ends up [00:16:00] going to almost like, Evil. Right? That's what we've done with this technology and, and or we, we can discuss whether it's you and I, it's definitely the, you know, the, there's always money behind it somehow now. Yeah. Where that was not the intent of, uh, the internet back in the days. [00:16:18] Tom: Yeah. I think that's the thing that it's, there's, there's so much potential to make money by manipulating people that. [00:16:27] In a way that you can't really do as easily in a physical environment. You know, like, you, like digital technology can kind of capture people for like, most of their waking hours. You know, like it's very addictive. You've got your phone with you like all the time. Um, it can ping you and like, you know, pull your attention back in when you start ignoring it in a way that like the physical world can't. [00:16:49] And yeah. And likewise, it's very easy to do like sneaky things in terms of how you. How you manipulate people to perform certain actions or to think a certain [00:17:00] way in ways that if you were in a physical environment, would be a bit more like, I, I think just a bit more tangible for people to sort of see what's going on and think, Hmm, this doesn't feel quite right. [00:17:10] I'm not sure I wanna shop here. Um, right. Um, You know, and even things like privacy terms, you know, that you kind of get sort of forced to like click a button to say like, I agree before you come in. But there's some like giant legal contract behind it that they know that nobody's gonna read. Whereas if you went into a shop, you enter the supermarket and they said, well, before you enter, like, please sign this 30 page contract. [00:17:32] Yeah. You'd probably be like, nah, I, I'm not, I'm not gonna shop there. I'm gonna, I'm gonna go to the green grass. It's, you think about, it's insane. Yeah. Yeah. It is and it's very one-sided. It's sort of like, sign this or you can't come in. Um mm-hmm. So [00:17:47] Sarah: what's the solution? You're working on a solution? Um, what [00:17:53] Tom: is it? [00:17:53] Well, to say we're working on a solution might be overstating it, but we're exploring what [00:18:00] alternatives might look like and I think, I think there are. Like, none of this is like necessary, you know, like we talked about kind of the early days of the web when it wasn't like this on the web. I think the early, you know, pioneers of the web, like Tim Burners, Lee didn't envision it becoming like this. [00:18:17] No. Um, so I think inherently like the principal. Is that you could design and build digital services that don't treat people in this way. And start by actually thinking about like, how you serve their needs. What, what's really gonna be good for them as humans. And do it on the principle like you would've done like any kind of good business in the past where it's like, if we really serve people well, they'll keep coming back rather than if we, if we manipulate them and get 'em addicted. [00:18:49] Um, Then they'll keep coming back. Um, and I do think like there's some challenges in that for certain types of business models where the business models are [00:19:00] inherently based on that principle. Um, you know, some of the social media giants for example. It's like that's I. That's what they're built upon. But on the other hand, I think the vision we're trying to create is that if we actually created beautiful online spaces that treat people well and that they love being in and where they can build real, meaningful connections with other human beings or, or have space to just explore and learn things and, and enjoy things kind of on their own terms that. [00:19:30] Okay. They might not necessarily like, be able to compete head to head with, like Facebook for example. Um, on, but they're not trying to compete directly with Facebook. They're giving people an alternative. They're giving people a choice. It's like, go, you know, go and spend your time here because it respects you and it's a great place to be rather than go over there where you're being exploited. [00:19:49] Um, so yeah, it's so like we are, we are not, I don't think we're ever gonna be, be in a position where we can say, look, hey, look, we've got this solution, but I think we can let help with that [00:20:00] conversation of exploring the principles and trying to embed them into some of our own work and trying to like, You know, experiment with them and see what works and see what doesn't. [00:20:08] Sarah: And don't you think the change is gonna come from bottom up? Uh, not from the big ones. You know that they're not gonna change anything because their model works. It's exactly, it's not scarcity, uh, and addiction like you said. And so why would they change anything? Because the money keeps coming in. So they're not the ones who are going to change. [00:20:28] It's, it's the smaller ones and also, Us, the clients, the customers who are just fed up, uh, with being abused and manipulated. [00:20:38] Tom: Yeah, exactly. It's like the big tech companies have nothing. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose by, like, doing things in a more humane way, I think, which is really sad. [00:20:48] And I think it's a kind of, probably a reflection more of the broader mm-hmm. Structure of our society and economy. Um, but equally like we have a, we do have a lot of [00:21:00] personal. Like power over our own destiny. Like we're not actually like hooked into any of these things. Like we can choose to go wherever we want on the internet. [00:21:07] And um, and I think if people offer really humane alternatives, then hopefully, like a growing kind of number of people will start looking at those and thinking, yeah, okay, this feels like a better place to be. Totally. [00:21:24] Sarah: And, and I think what I've actually seen in the marketing world is that, Even small, uh, companies, one person companies, entrepreneurs, since the only models we had were the big. [00:21:39] Tech companies and the, you know, the, the ones that are basically manipulating everybody. This became the going model. Yeah. Everybody started using, even on the very small business level, using the same kind of, uh, you know, scarcity and, and manipulative approaches. Yeah. So over the last 20 years, um, [00:22:00] This just became the norm, right? [00:22:02] That, yeah, it was just a given. If you were in business, that's the way you had to market and, and, and use technology and, and, and all that and all actually all the tech that I'm using in my business, you know, where I'm trying so hard to create a humane business, the tech, uh, so I'm talking like shopping carts or, or e-learning programs. [00:22:26] It's all built on non-human, uh, principles. Yeah. It's all built on the idea. Let's get as many people in and seldom our crap. Yeah. [00:22:37] Tom: Basically. [00:22:38] Sarah: And it, and it's just really hard to actually use technology and yet doing in a, doing it in a humane way. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's really, really hard. [00:22:49] Tom: I think one of the sort of, I guess sort of classically, one of the. [00:22:54] The, the alternatives to that kind of hyper commercial model has in the, in the digital [00:23:00] space, has been the open source world, which is mm-hmm. You know, people building things with people for the people, um, and largely giving them away for free so that everybody can benefit from them. And I think that is probably where, like the solutions will come from. [00:23:15] Um, I understand. Mm-hmm. But, but as you sort of. Highlighted, like even some of those things have gone more in that kind of commercial direction just because that's the way things are done and, and some of those open source projects, as brilliant as they might be, have some sort of like commercial affiliation that sort of funds some of that community work. [00:23:36] And so the way that the projects are led has a bias towards like feeding that like kind of. Parent company or, um, whatever it might be, right? But, but I do think like that the, in pr in principle, the sort of the open source world is probably like the best, um, [00:24:00] place to, to get like a groundswell of, um, kind of bottom up change. [00:24:07] Sarah: I agree. Because it's also. You know, it's the people with the same values who come to create the solution and just give and, you know, know and trust and somewhere the money will come from. Yeah. But it doesn't mean that I have to exploit, um, uh, clients or, or potential, uh, customers. Yeah, [00:24:27] Tom: exactly. Yeah. [00:24:29] Sarah: So, so far we've talked about basically, uh, the win-win of the, the client and the seller, right? [00:24:38] Um, What I talk about and also what you were talking about is also, uh, a third win, which is the win for the planet. Yeah. Um, so talk to us how a humane web, and then maybe you can also talk a little bit about, um, web design, because that's also, uh, part of your expertise. Where is the [00:25:00] planet stand right now and how do we make it a winner as well in this [00:25:06] Tom: equation? [00:25:07] Yeah. So the, the environmental aspect is uh, something that's sort of, I think been left out of the conversation in the digital world largely until quite recently. And, and I think that's probably for a variety of reasons, partly because digital technology is relative relatively new in terms of its impact on our lives. [00:25:28] Um, but also because a lot of the environmental impact is sort of out of sight and out of mind. Um, You don't have like a chimney or an exhaust pipe on your computer and you know, it's sort of, it, it's a lot of, it's behind the scenes and we use terms like virtual, um, and the cloud as if like, the internet doesn't really exist, but it, it is a huge physical system. [00:25:52] You know, telecoms, networks that span the entire planet, um, satellites in space, like thousands of huge data [00:26:00] centers around the world. Billions of devices connected to the networks. So, If you take it as one big machine, it is the biggest machine that humans have ever created. And, and it consumes a huge amount of electricity. [00:26:13] You know, roughly the amount of electricity is the whole of the United Kingdom. Um, if you took it as one thing and the United Kingdom is like kind of one of the 10 biggest economies in the world. So that's, that's pretty crazy when you think about it. And. When you, uh, when you put that in terms of carbon emissions, which is essentially the emissions of producing all of that energy, um, it's, it's estimated generally somewhere between two and 4% of global carbon emissions, which is a lot because like aviation, which a lot of people think, you know, aviation's a serious problem, which it is. [00:26:49] Aviation is about 2% of global cognitions. Global shipping is about 2%. Um, I think steel is about, steel production is about 7%. So when you put, [00:27:00] you know, put that in context of basically the internet being somewhere in the range of two to 4%, um, and growing rapidly, especially with like the advent of, of, of AI and machine learning. [00:27:10] Um, it's, it's something that needs to be talked about. Um, and it hasn't really been talked about much until like the last two, three years really. Yeah, that's [00:27:25] Sarah: completely how I feel. I feel like this has just, yeah, probably emerged. Three years ago for me, where before I was like, well, I'm a virtual, you know, business owner, so I don't create any, any kind of problems. [00:27:40] And, and then starting to realize, okay, so, you know, there's all these different players that actually do, uh, impact how much carbon emissions I have. And, and you know, this was a, a whole. Transitions switching to, uh, a green or a greener host and, [00:28:00] and like making my website lighter and still working on that. [00:28:03] It's, it's like things that. You never think about just uploading, you know, two megabyte pictures on your website. Yeah. And then when you start to realize, wait a minute, they have to be hosted somewhere. And the, uh, and the server obviously runs on electricity, so every time you know this, this is creating carbon emissions. [00:28:24] So, so yeah. Tell us about ethical, um, you know, web design. Like what, what does that. Kind of just maybe a few really pragmatic tips that people can do right now to Yeah. Work on their website on, or at least become aware of that. Yeah. [00:28:44] Tom: You mean specifically from the environmental perspective? Yeah. Mm-hmm. [00:28:47] Yeah. So I mean, I think the, the, the way I find most helpful to think about it is that there's, there's a lot of waste on the internet. Um, And waste isn't good for [00:29:00] anybody, like any form of waste. And, but specifically in the internet, that waste generally is if you're wasting data, then you're wasting, you're wasting energy, um, which is bad for the environment, but it also has other. [00:29:14] Kind of commercial impacts and user experience impacts and so on. But that waste can come in a number of forms. Like first of all, like you just mentioned, you know, like having files that are just unnecessarily large, like image files, video files that are either like, maybe they're not required at all, but even if they are required, maybe they're, um, which is larger than they need to be, maybe they're, um, they're not optimized well, maybe they're not in like the most efficient file format. [00:29:42] Um, so. Looking at things like that. Um, things like tracking scripts. Tracking scripts can like be more, they can use up more data sometimes than like an entire, the actual webpage that you see. The stuff behind the scenes. And this comes into like the humane aspect as well. [00:30:00] The stuff behind the scenes that's like harvesting all of your data. [00:30:02] Um, they can actually be more code in there than there is in the actual, like, visible webpage that you're viewing. [00:30:09] Sarah: So you mean like Facebook pixel tracking, that kind of stuff. [00:30:13] Tom: Yeah. All that kind of stuff. All that kind of like ad personalizations, advert, you know, advertising scripts and mm-hmm. Things like that. [00:30:20] Um, wow. And the, and, and, and that's, I, I think that's kind of an interesting one to think about because it's, It's using energy in a number of places and not for your benefit. So you've got basically, like the advertising scripts have to be stored somewhere, like in a data center. Then they have to be sent over the internet, which uses energy to get to you. [00:30:43] Um, then they use energy on your device, which is your electricity that you paid for, um, to like spy on you or manipulate you by like, you know, manipulating the content. Um, and then they take the data, they. They've, they've [00:31:00] harvested about you and then use more energy to ship it back over the internet where it gets stored and analyzed in a data center. [00:31:06] Um, so, so like things like that where there's like, I mean things like that. There's a, there's a, there's a, there's a relationship between the environmental and there's like human aspect. But I think if you're designing something, actually being really mindful about tracking scripts is really important. [00:31:22] Cuz sometimes a lot of websites aren't even necessarily doing it. For good reasons. It's just like, oh, I've got a website so I'll stick Google Analytics on it. Um, and Google's really benefiting from that by getting all of that data. But you might not even, some people don't even really look at that data. [00:31:37] So I think things like that are good to think about. Also, from the environmental point of view, like where you host your website, you mentioned moving your website to a hosting provider that has a commitment to powering their data centers with renewable energy. That's kind of a. I'm not gonna say it's an easy win because depends whether like [00:32:00] how easy you find it to actually migrate your website, but um, usually they really help you with that. [00:32:04] Yeah, they normally it will help you like at do the migration. So it can be, it can be a low hanging fruit to reduce the environmental impact. Um, and I think just from a content creation point of view, just sort of being mindful about, um, like creating. Easy user journeys for people so they can find what they're looking for easily not creating unnecessary content, um, just for the sake of like search engines, for example, but actually making sure that your content is really tailored to humans and, and, and you're not doing things like putting in images of like just, um, like stock photography of people pointing at a whiteboard because you feel like you need to fill a space on the page. [00:32:47] You know, just be really mindful about. Like justifying the existence of everything. Um, if you can justify why it's there, then, you know, great. Um, but if you can't, then, um, obviously if [00:33:00] in doubt, leave it out. Um, it's sort of a simple mantra to the identifying and eliminating waste. [00:33:08] Sarah: It's so interesting because basically also here you're saying, let's go back to simplicity and, and basics and. [00:33:15] You know, simple design rather than cluttered, obnoxious, you know, too much content design. [00:33:22] Tom: Yeah. Yeah. And, and I think that's e just sort of, again, going back to the human perspective, that can be much easier on the mind as well. Yeah. Um, it's [00:33:31] Sarah: relaxing. It's more relaxing, right. Than Yeah. Having much content [00:33:37] Tom: on it all the, all the time. [00:33:38] Exactly. I think, you know, there's a lot of problems with just sort of overstimulation, um, On the internet. So, so I think that there's a, again, another synergy between sort of designing for the environment and designing for humans there. [00:33:52] Sarah: Yeah. You, uh, just a minute ago, you, you kind of addressed ai, uh, [00:34:00] And, and I, um, there's another great article that you actually published with a conversation between you and chat c p t about, um, the impact of ai, uh, to the environment and, and social, uh, impact and all of that. [00:34:17] Um, yeah, tell us a little bit about that. Uh, in, in, just in general, how AI impacts all of what we just [00:34:26] Tom: discussed. Yeah, so I, it was, I thought it would be really interesting just to sort of a ask an AI about the potential risks of AI and see, to see what it came back with. Um, I thought maybe I'll learn something, maybe it would teach me something. [00:34:44] I don't know. Um, maybe it will be biased. Um, um, I was actually like sort of pleasantly surprised that its answers seemed quite thorough and quite. Quite honest, um, in identifying that there is [00:35:00] like potentially a huge energy cost to AI in terms of just how much computing, um, power it needs, um, both to train the models and run the models. [00:35:11] Um, I think it gave me a figure of to train G P D three required, I think 500. CPU years, which is effectively like running a cpu, running a, running a computer for 500 years to train one model. Um, so it was, it was quite honest in, in that it did also highlight that there's potential benefits, um, from an environmental point of view. [00:35:33] If you can use that AI then to help humanity solve. Environmental problems and make other things more efficient, which I think is absolutely true. Um, but it also highlighted that the flip side of that is that it's all about what we choose to do with it. Like you could choose to use AI to like, to, to extract more fossil fuels from, from the ground, which is what the fossil fuel companies are using it for. [00:35:57] Um, and in fact, there was a big conference, I [00:36:00] think run by Amazon. Um, Specifically about that, like inviting all the fossil fuel companies to, to see what, how they could, how they could like, fi, discover and extract more oil. Um, wow. So, so that, that's kind of interesting that it, it like chat, G B T itself highlighted that. [00:36:19] Um, but then it also, like I asked it about sort of social impacts and it did, it did sort of, Quite honestly, like, explain that like, yeah, there's potential risk to people's jobs, um, in terms of being replaced by ai. There's risks of bias. There's risks of, um, big temp big tech companies, um, having more and more power because essentially like whoever has control of the AI has more power over a society and the, and the potential to like manipulate public opinion and, and potentially even influence democracy, which is something that it did. [00:36:57] Bring up. So, um, [00:37:00] yeah, I think it was quite well rounded I felt, in terms of what it highlighted. And of course, it's not really a, it's not a person. And that's the thing that it's like really hard to like get your head around when you start doing something, like trying to have a conversation with it. It's like, well, hard to like [00:37:13] Sarah: it or dislike it, you know? [00:37:15] Yeah, [00:37:16] Tom: right. I've, I've set myself a rule that I'm like, when if I did, you know, like when I did that, To not say thank you cause it sounds really simple, but as soon as, but you ask a question and you get an answer back that sounds like a human wrote you a message back. Right. And it's really easy to slip into that thing of thinking there's a person on the other side when there's not. [00:37:37] Um, and I don't know if you've seen the film X Mcna. Um, I haven't. It, it's, it, I mean, I think it's, I only watched it earlier this year because it sort of felt like this is the time in history where, The science fiction is suddenly catching up. Yeah. Like, like real life is mirroring science fiction and [00:38:00] Yeah. [00:38:00] It's, it's a film about, and like an, an AI that's been developed and um, and humans building relationships with it and the, and the boundaries between what's human and what's not being blurred and how that. That's a slippery slope, basically. Um, I won't spoil it for you, but Okay. But I, yeah, it's a, i I, it's a, it's a fascinating and very well made film, um, on this topic. [00:38:30] Yeah, [00:38:31] Sarah: I'll look it up and I'll definitely link to, to that article, the interview with, um, chat G p t, um, as we're kind of. Coming to close here. I I'm, I'm just, I always feel like, oh, so it's such a heavy topic. Right? And, um, when we started recording, um, offline, I told you I tried just to focus on the positive things. [00:38:58] So let's, let's do that [00:39:00] here as well. How do you see the future of Humane Web and, and what can we do to, you know, kind of counter effect the big tech and. The big companies and, and even if it's just in our own little bubble, but at least we're creating that vision and who knows what will come out of it, but at least we're living in that vision already. [00:39:25] What can we do? And, and then Yeah. Uh, from there, how do you see it evolve? Yeah, [00:39:30] Tom: sure. I, I think the main thing we can do is first, first of all, like stop and think about like what we. What we need as humans and how the technology can serve us, rather than the standard model now, which is sort of like, how do, how do we serve the technology? [00:39:49] Um, and you, you know, you spoke about it earlier about how. We go down this route of like, now there's like an established model of like how the [00:40:00] internet works and how the business models on the internet work being like those big tech companies. And so there's just a natural inclination to mirror that and just copy it. [00:40:10] And I think the, the best thing we can do is actually just stop and think, look inside ourselves about like, what would it look like if it was really serving my needs and serving the needs of of others. And actually just have the confidence to try to do things differently and not just copy the, kind of the standard template of how things are done these days. [00:40:32] Um, and I think if more and more people do that and. And importantly, more and more people share that and tell the story of how they're thinking about it and why they're doing things differently. Um, I think that's really powerful cuz then it can create that sort of like ground up change. Um, both in the, the way that people are thinking about the internet as well as the way that people are interacting with it. [00:40:58] Sarah: Yeah, 100%. [00:41:00] And, and that's definitely what we're trying to do here, and I know you are as well, and, and. You might think, because what we're seeing is the big tech everywhere, right? Mm-hmm. But the more you kind of are in these circles, the more other little circles you discover and you're like, wow, there's actually people like us everywhere. [00:41:21] Yeah, exactly. So that always gives me hope. I'm like, well, two years ago I didn't know about Tom Greenwood, and now I know that you've been working on this for years and years, and so. You know, there's, there's millions of us and that, that gives me hope. So I, I, uh, I couldn't agree more with you to just kind of. [00:41:41] You said stop and, um, kind of step into the confidence of doing things differently. And I think yeah, that is key because it is scary to, you know, not do what everybody else is doing. Um, So, yeah, if, even if it's just, you know, for your website, [00:42:00] and that's where again, uh, I'm gonna go back to my website and, and check that I don't have any kind of tracking code in there because Yeah. [00:42:08] I, I don't need it. Right. So, um, definitely, uh, yeah, [00:42:13] Tom: to start exactly, start from where you are and, and, and ask yourself questions about like, what it is that you are doing. If you are creating things on the internet, um, and. And just see where it, see where it leads, see what other people are doing. Yeah. Um, I mean, even on the tracking script one, like there are alternatives. [00:42:32] Like there's one called Plausible, for example, um, which is like, it gives you some data about how, like how many people are using your website, what, like what countries they come from, what web browsers they use, what pages they visit. But it is completely anonymized. It's very, very lightweight, energy efficient. [00:42:51] Um, Script. So there are some like kind of, there are alternatives to some of these like big tech [00:43:00] solutions that are actually trying to balance the sort of the human and the environmental side as well as providing some useful functionality it for when people do need it. Um, yeah. So yeah, it's worth looking for those as well. [00:43:12] Thank [00:43:13] Sarah: you. I, I would really encourage listeners also to sign up to your newsletter, so please share with us where people can find you and your newsletter and all your other good work. [00:43:24] Tom: Yeah, sure. So the newsletter, I'm, I'm very excited. This, um, just past 6,000 subscribers yesterday. Um, it's, it's called Kii Green. [00:43:34] Um, if you Google Kii Green Newsletter, you, you should find it. Um, and, and it's basically a monthly newsletter about like, Greening the internet, um, but in a very holistic way. So, you know, we talk about things like humane web as well. Um, and we started it about three years ago thinking that nobody would be interested. [00:43:53] So to suddenly like now be like, oh wow, there's like 6,000 people subscribe to this. That for me is like a source of optimism. [00:44:00] Um, again, that that [00:44:01] Sarah: means that there's all these people everywhere, right? And saying, yeah, me too. I'm in. [00:44:06] Tom: Exactly. Mm-hmm. Exactly. The, the, like, I think sometimes we. We don't realize that there's a lot of people out there that are thinking like we are thinking, or, or maybe they're thinking differently from we're thinking, but they're like, they really care about making things better. [00:44:20] Um, and we just don't know that they're out, they're out there. Um, right. So when we have things that kind of bring these voices together, I think that's really powerful. Mm-hmm. Um, so yeah, so the Curiously Green Newsletter, um, I mean, you can find me on LinkedIn, that's Tom Greenwood who runs Whole Grain Digital. [00:44:36] There's lots of Tom Greenwoods, but I'm, I'm, I'm that one. Um, And I also have a, um, I also have a, a personal newsletter about sustainable business on CK called Oxymoron, um, which you can look up on ck Um, yeah, so I guess they're the. They're, they're the key places to find me. And you have a book, right? I do have a book, yeah. [00:44:59] Yeah. I always [00:45:00] forget to mention that. Yeah. There you go. So I always have a book, um, about sustainable web design called Sustainable Web Design. Um, you can, you can get it direct from publisher, uh, which is a book apart.com, or it's now available as of about two weeks ago in a lot of bookshops. Um, so you could find it on Amazon and other kind of online bookstores as well. [00:45:22] Sarah: Wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing that. I always ask one last question here to every, uh, guest, and that is, what are you grateful for today, this week, this season? [00:45:36] Tom: To be honest, I, I am grateful for the fact that like we live in a world where we can have these sorts of conversations. You know, like we have the freedom to think and, and share ideas and, you know, even if not everything is. [00:45:52] Perfect. And not everything's always trending in the direction we wanted to. Like the fact that we have the opportunity to try and like do [00:46:00] something about it and connect with, with other people. Trying to do so is, is, is a wonderful thing, um, which I'm very grateful for. [00:46:09] Sarah: Yeah. I agree and I'm grateful for the work you are doing and and your team, so [00:46:17] Tom: thank you. [00:46:17] Sarah: Let's keep it up. Yep. So much. Thanks so much for being here, Tom. I hope you feel motivated and I. Inspired to create a humane web together. I highly recommend you sign up to Tom's newsletter. You'll find that@wholegraindigital.com. You can also, as Tom suggested to connect with him on LinkedIn. You find the show notes of this episode@humane.marketing slash 1 67, and on this beautiful page, you'll also find a series of free offers, such as my Saturday newsletter, the Humane Business Business Manifesto, [00:47:00] and the free gentle confidence mini course, as well as my two books, marketing like we're Human and Selling like we're human. [00:47:08] Thanks so much for listening and being part of a generation of marketers who cares for yourself, your clients, and the planet. We are change makers before we are marketers, so go be the change you want to see in the world. Speak soon.