S3 Ep. 7 Mara Zepeda – Ownership, Governance and Culture: Building Zebras, not Unicorns

In this episode, systempreneur Mara Zepeda joins us to talk about how Zebras Unite is creating the capital, culture, and community for the next economy.

Mara Zepeda is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Zebras Unite. As an international and intersectional hybrid cooperative, Zebras Unite’s members include founders, investors, allies, and ecosystem builders from around the world, with over 25 chapters across six continents. Previously, Mara founded a venture-backed software company, Switchboard (now Hearken).

We explore how the Zebra movement evolved from a manifesto they created, dissecting the difference between what they call Zebra companies and Unicorns. Additionally, we discuss how every business can be viewed as a vector for social change, the complexities and challenges of cooperative decision-making, the meaning of practicing mutualism and interdependence, and the effects of adopting a seasonal approach to energy management.

Full episode details and transcript can be found on our website: boundaryless.io/podcast/zebras-unite/

Key Highlights

• The Zebra movement and the qualities of a Zebra company
• Why we need to view business as a human rights issue
• The qualities of ownership, governance, and culture among Zebras
• Founders’ roles in money, finances, and budget decisions
• Case studies of ‘Zebras in the wild’

Find out more about the show and the research at Boundaryless at boundaryless.io/resources/podcast/

Thanks for the ad-hoc music to Liosound / Walter Mobilio. Find his portfolio here: boundaryless.io/podcast-music

Recorded on 20 January 2022.