Disruptors for GOOD | Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In this episode of the Disruptors for Good podcast, I speak with Colleen and Maggie Clines, the Co-founder and Creative Director of Anchal. Anchal is an innovative nonprofit creating sustainable jobs for women through fashion and empowering them to a life beyond the sex trade.With backgrounds in design, sisters Colleen and Maggie Clines lead Anchal by placing design at the center of the brands everyday practice. It all started in a design studio. Colleen Clines was taking a graduate seminar at the Rhode Island School of Design that took her on a trip to India in 2009, a trip that changed the trajectory of her life forever. While in India, Colleen was introduced to the exploitive world of the commercial sex trade and the extreme lack of opportunity for women in the community. It was in this moment she was inspired to design more than beautiful landscapes, she was determined to create positive social and environmental change using design.While Colleen was scheming ways to collaborate with the amazing women she’d met in India, her sister Maggie was in college working on socially conscious architecture projects -- discovering creative ways to repurpose a retired uranium facility. Maggie and Colleen would trade stories on their design experiences and wonder how they could unite their passions.After returning home, Colleen and her classmates raised $400 by selling handmade notebooks and notecards. They used the funds to purchase a sewing machine, sewing instruction, materials and a stipend for the first collective of artisans.In 2010, Anchal officially became a 501(c)3 non-profit and we expanded the project by partnering with Vatsalya, an NGO in Ajmer, India. In 2012, Maggie joined her sister to co-lead Anchal and stitch by stitch, a global sisterhood started to grow.   Today, Anchal has trained and employed over 500 women and is an internationally recognized brand known for award-winning designs and handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces that empower exploited women living in India and Kentucky.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:ImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In this episode, I speak with Michael Pellman Rowland, Board Member at Baseline Wealth Management, on the future of food technology and how it helps mitigate the threats of climate change.Michael previously worked as a Senior Vice President in wealth management for 15 years at Morgan Stanley in New York. He specializes in portfolio management, financial planning, and impact investing.Michael graduated with an economics degree from Hamilton College and has held Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor (ADPA) designations. He is an active thought leader in impact investing and was recently included in the inaugural list of Forbes Top Millennial Wealth Advisors. He is passionate about food sustainability and has a column on Forbes.com that covers the ‘future of food.’ Michael and his wife dedicate a large part of their free time to animal welfare.About Baseline WealthBaseline's mission is to make a difference for their clients, while also delivering financial returns. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations can help decide where best to invest. By putting ESG factors at the heart of their investment process, the company believes they can generate outcomes for clients while also addressing some of the greatest challenges on Earth.Baseline has developed a robust in-house expertise on ESG investments, and apply this knowledge to client portfolios so that it aligns perfectly with financial and personal goals. As an extension of this initiative, the company leverages its expertise in Impact investing, sourcing unique and bespoke investment opportunities that are positively reshaping the world as we know it.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out the Impact Investor platform here - Discover Impact Investors from around the world.Partner with us - Learn moreWe are powered by:Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In episode 115 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Bryan Buckley, Co-founder of Helmand Valley Growers Company and Battle Brothers Foundation, on bringing medical cannabis to military veterans dealing with PTSD and at significant risk of suicide.As a Special Operations Team Commander with Marine Raiders, Bryan led multiple teams in deployments to Operation Enduring Freedom-Trans Sahara (Africa), South East Asia, and Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan (Helmand Province). Developed rapport with numerous host nation forces, enhanced capability and capacity within the host nation units, and briefed US Ambassadors. Led a 20 man Marine Raider Team to Afghanistan that mentored, trained, and conducted over 40 combat operations with an Afghan Special Operations Battalion. Bryan also deployed twice to Operation Iraqi Freedom with Marine Infantry and Marine Reconnaissance.Bryan, is an accomplished sales and operations leader. Distinguished background in leadership, policy, training, management, operations and strategic decision making. Adept in negotiation, alliance formation and organizational communication. Ability to forge productive partnerships among stakeholders and reach high-level decision makers within sophisticated organizations, ensuring free and productive flow of information. Counsel and assist those within and in association with governmental agencies, along with private sector, to adopt best practices in compliance with applicable regulations and statutes. Bryan is a graduate of Villanova University. Awarded Bronze Star Medal with "Combat Distinguishing Device" for Heroic ServiceAwarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received during combat operationsAbout Helmand Valley Growers Company(HVGC)The Helmand Valley Growers Company was founded by United States Special Operations Veterans (Marine Raiders). Since its inception, HVGC has been in discussions with some of the cannabis industry’s top researchers and has developed a veteran based protocol to effectively prove the benefits of medical cannabis.Over time, and through HVGC presentations and seminars, the principles of HVGC realized a recreational brand will be a monetary success and will help fund the ultimate mission of HVGC, providing medical cannabis to the veterans of our United States Military.As a service disabled veteran owned business, HVGC is intimately aware of the daily challenges that veterans face as a result of their time spent on the battlefield. Some of these wounds are not visible to the naked eye.America is facing a wide-scale opioid epidemic that has taken countless lives; not excluded from this crisis, the veteran community has been critically impacted.When the U.S. Military deploys to the combat, roughly 60% of those deployed will be prescribed opioids upon return to the United States, and over half will develop a dependency/addiction.This has caused far too many vets to lose their way, and in an ever-increasing pandemic, take their own lives.HVGC began its outreach into the veteran community by observing first-hand and listening to the suffering of America's veterans. The founders knew right then that the cause was worthy; and that the mission was defined. The next step moved Bryan and the team into researching medical cannabis and speaking with the top experts in the field.As their research progressed, the answer to this crisis became clear: develop alternative medical solutions for those suffering with pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, sleep disorders, and most critically, are at significant risk of suicide. The recreational cannabis and branding will be used to assist in accomplishing these goals and ultimately serve as a profit center for HVGC.Medical Cannabis for PTSDIn 2014, a study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, revealed that patients with PTSD experienced a 75-percent decrease in their symptoms upon using medical cannabis.However, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is mandated to follow federal regulations regarding cannabis. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance, which makes the drug illegal on a federal level. As a result, the VA does not recommend cannabis as a treatment for veterans.Furthermore, cannabis use is prohibited at all VA medical centers, including facilities located in states where cannabis is legal.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:Partner with us - Learn moreImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In episode 114 of the Disruptors for Good podcast I speak with Joe Waltman, Executive Director of GiveCrypto and Product Manager at Coinbase on using crypto and blockchain technologies to deliver funds directly in the hands of the impoverished and the unbanked.GiveCrypto is a nonprofit created by Brian Armstrong, the founder of Coinbase, to distribute cryptocurrency to people living in poverty. By using crypto and blockchain technologies, the organization put funds directly in the hands of individuals living in difficult circumstances around the world.Join the world's most trusted place to buy and sell cryptocurrency. Try Coinbase here. (affiliate link)Examples we discuss on how GiveCrypto has impacted lives around the world:Direct crypto payments to individuals living in refugee camps where currencies are forbidden inside the campsDirect crypto payments to women living with domestic violence issues and no financial means to leave their abuserHelping local merchants accept crypto paymentsHelping impoverished individuals set up crypto walletsDelivery simple financial services to individuals left behind by traditional banking systemsAccording to Groundswell, there is substantial evidence that unconditional cash transfers are an effective way to help people. Distributing crypto is similar to transferring other forms of money to people. The organization expects many recipients will find ways to convert the crypto into their local currency. Some may transact crypto-to-crypto as well. It may also help spark economic growth by giving access to property rights and financial services on an open network. A great deal of work needs to be done to test these hypotheses and see what it most effective.The GiveCrypto MissionThe mission is to financially empower individuals by distributing cryptocurrency to those most in need. GiveCrypto connects donors and recipients anywhere in the world. Over the past three years, they've impacted the lives of thousands of individuals and their families via direct crypto transfers.Over one billion people have a smartphone but don't have access to basic financial servicesThe organization not only identifies recipients in need and distribute funds to them - they also connect those people to a truly open financial system. All it takes is access to the internet.Crypto democratizes the philanthropic process. As a society and donors, we can send cryptocurrency directly to any recipient and they’ll receive it instantly. This includes people without bank accounts and those living in places where fiat money is “broken”.Watch the how it works video.How will the fund operate?GiveCrypto.org will be an evergreen fund (or endowment) that is designed to live and grow forever. It will grow in value based on new donations and if the value of cryptocurrency continues to grow.What types of currencies will you accept?GiveCrypto.org is cryptocurrency agnostic. The organization currently accept the following currencies: BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, XRP and ZEC.Is my donation tax deductible?Yes. Donations through the site are tax deductible through our fiscal sponsor the Pledge Group. You will need to provide your name and email (and receive a receipt) for the donation to be tax deductible. You can also donate anonymously but the donation will not be tax deductible.How do you prevent fraud?The organization uses a combination of data collection validated with backchecks, verifiable evidence and blockchain analysis to minimize and prevent fraud.Where do recipients use the funds?The organization recruits at least one vendor that accepts payment in cryptocurrency. Additionally, recipients hold the crypto and exchange it between themselves. In the future, GiveCrypto will offer cash-out options.Are you programs OFAC compliant?Yes. They've have drafted a comprehensive sanctions compliance policy and screen all of our program participants against all relevant lists.See more FAQs here.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:Partner with us - Learn moreImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In this episode of the Disputers for Good podcast, I speak with Alex Stephany, the founder of Beam, on solving homelessness using crowdfunding technology at scale.Beam is a crowdfunding platform that enables new career opportunities for homeless men and women. Beam uses technology and global citizens to help fund skills training and education to homeless individuals. With the Beam platform, you can help someone start a new career and leave homelessness for good.The platform works like this. Each person on the platform is referred to Beam by an established homeless charity or their local council. They receive a dedicated support specialist - a Beam employee who supports them all the way into their new career! The support specialists conduct basic security checks to make sure the referred person is mentally and physically ready to enter full-time employment. After that they help each person develop a tailored career plan, building on their unique strengths and interests.Once approved to be on the Beam platform, we as global citizens, can choose to help fund one person’s training or fund everyone equally. You can choose support once or monthly. You’ll get an email introducing you to a new person you’re supporting every month and learn more about their individual storyThe founder of Beam, Alex Stephany, was inspired to build Beam after getting to know a homeless man at his local Tube station in London. The man had spent decades out of work. Alex would buy him cups of coffee and pairs of socks, but could see his condition going from very bad to even worse.When the man had a heart attack, Alex asked himself: “What could we do to make a real difference to that man’s life?” The answer lay in giving him the skills to support himself. Alex knew that’d cost much more than a coffee. But what if everyone chipped in?Before Beam, Alex ran the parking app, JustPark, which he grew from 2 to over 40 people and still support as a Board Advisor.  At JustPark, he had his first experience with crowdfunding when he led a record-breaking equity crowdfunding round - what was the largest crowdfunding round for a startup in history.He is also the author of a book on the sharing economy called The Business of Sharing, and also advised the city of Seoul as part of the Mayor's Sharing Economy Advisory Panel.Watch his TED Talk here.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:Partner with us - Learn moreImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In episode 113 of the Disruptors for Good podcast I speak with John Blood, Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer at Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, on the company's mission to eliminate harmful drinking around the globe. In this episode, John is also joined by Bill Novelli, founder of Business for Impact at Georgetown McDonough School of Business.The Business for Impact initiative at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business released an in-depth case study on the current status of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev)’s Global Smart Drinking Goals (GSDGs). This is a ten-year voluntary initiative by the world's largest brewer to reduce harmful use of alcohol.The GSDGs began in 2015 and will run until 2025. The report is an assessment of AB InBev’s progress during the first five years. Within the report, titled AB InBev and Smart Drinking: An Analysis of How the World’s Largest Beer Company Contributes to the Reduction of Harmful Alcohol Use, Georgetown recognizes AB InBev as an industry leader for its pioneering efforts to promote “Smart Drinking” through investments in excess of a quarter-billion dollars since 2015.The findings suggest that businesses can play a role in addressing global social challenges, when there is commitment from the top, understanding the need to embed smart drinking into the commercial strategy as recommended by public health experts, and a willingness to go beyond traditional corporate philanthropy to create shared value for both business and society. Specifically, AB InBev’s Global Smart Drinking Goals initiative has been successful in bringing together public health and corporate leaders to work collaboratively toward the common goal of reducing harmful drinking.In 2010, the WHO prioritized confronting harmful alcohol use as a global public health imperative, calling for action by governments, civil society organizations, academia, and the alcohol industry. In response, ABI announced in 2015 it would contribute $1B to reduce harmful drinking globally through a new initiative, the Global Smart Drinking Goals (GSDGs). In doing this, ABI established itself as an industry leader committed to helping to solve harmful drinking across the globe. Now - the Business for Impact initiative at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business released an in-depth case study on the work ABI has done as part of this $1B commitment: what works, what doesn’t, and how alcohol companies can be part of the solution. Case StudyThe harmful use of alcohol causes approximately 3 million deaths every year. Thus, societies are grappling with how to safely allow for the production and consumption of alcohol while protecting public health. Public health leaders recognize that just as industry contributes to the problem of harmful drinking, it might also play a significant role in solving it. With the launch of the GSDG initiative, ABI has proven that reducing harmful drinking is a priority for the company, and that the global organization is striving to go beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to create shared value for business and society. Case Study Key FindingsThe alcohol industry must deepen public health collaboration.To drive norm and behavior shifts, social marketing campaigns must be launched as long-term, year-round initiatives in multiple markets across the world.The alcohol industry should engage in policy advocacy, i.e. lend a voice to public policies supported by public health experts.Commitment from the top is key. As is collaboration between public health, corporate leaders, government and nonprofit entities to have a positive impact on society.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:Partner with us - Learn moreImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast!In this episode of the Disruptors for Good podcast, I speak with Noora Sharrab, the Co-founder and CEO of Sitti on creating a social impact brand inside of a Palestinian Refugee Camp.In 2014, Noora Sharrab and Jacqueline Sofia began working with a motivated group of women in Jordan’s Jerash “Gaza” Refugee Camp to build the foundation for a social enterprise that would educate, employ and empower the community’s women and girls. Today, Sitti maintains its commitment to providing fair wage employment to its all-female staff, as well as providing financial and in-kind support to several beneficiary programs that contribute towards the enterprise’s social mission.The Sitti product line, which began with a signature square bar of handmade, cold-pressed olive oil soap, has since grown to a line of 10+ popular skincare and home good items; including curated products through partnerships with ethical brand names. Sitti has evolved into a multi-national brand that can be found in the shops of retailers and distributors across the Middle East and North America.Noora Sharrab is the co-founder and CEO of Sitti. Sharrab, whose ancestral family is from Gaza, has always felt a special bond with the women of Jerash “Gaza” Refugee Camp in Jordan. As the co-founder and regional director of Hopes for Women in Education, an international NGO and one of several Sitti beneficiaries, she has worked tirelessly to provide educational opportunities to refugee girls and women throughout the MENA region.In addition to her work in Jerash, Sharrab also worked for several years in humanitarian development with the United Nations regional Jordan office. She received her M.A. in Political Science with a specialization certificate in Forced Migration and Refugee Studies, as well as her B.A. in Political Science from York University. She currently lives with her family in Toronto, and works between the Middle East and Canada.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:ImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In episode 112 of the Disruptors for Good podcast I speak with Sophia Wang, Co-Founder of MycoWorks, on disrupting the fashion industry by creating a biomaterials company that has developed natural alternatives to leather and plastics using mushroom mycelium technology.In 2013, with artist and inventor Phil Ross, Sophia co-founded MycoWorks, a biomaterials company that has developed natural alternatives to engineered wood, leather and plastics using mushroom mycelium technology.Her creative practice includes choreography, performance, writing, curation and producing original dance and multimedia works. Sophia has danced for Xavier Le Roy, Tino Sehgal, Jerome Bel, Amara Tabor-Smith and Xandra Ibarra, and co-founder of the Brontez Purnell Dance Company. Since 2015, she has co-produced Heavy Breathing, a discussion and movement workshop series that has featured over 45 presenting artists working at the intersection of performance, visual arts and pedagogy.Sophia also holds a PhD in English specializing in 20th and 21st century experimental American poetry, and a BA in English and Visual Arts.MycoWorks create materials at the intersection of art, nature and biotechnology using mycelium, one of the earth’s most regenerative resources. The company's mission is to create a platform for the highest quality materials using Fine Mycelium™. Their first product, Reishi™ offers partners in the fashion industry an option for leather that is neither animal nor plastic, yet uncompromising in quality and aesthetic expression.The company announced last year the closing of a $45 million Series B financing to scale up and meet demand for Reishi™, the leading natural, non-animal leather material. WTT Investment Ltd. (Taipei, Taiwan) and DCVC Bio co-led the round, with major participation from new investors Valor Equity Partners, Humboldt Fund, Gruss & Co., and others, and existing investors Novo Holdings, 8VC, SOSV, AgFunder, Wireframe Ventures, Tony Fadell, and others.About Mushroom MyceliumA breakthrough in materials science and biotechnology, Fine Mycelium is an advanced manufacturing platform for high performance materials in fashion and footwear. The company's proprietary technology has enabled a new class of premium, non-animal materials that are the next evolution in mycelium.Mycelium is one of the earth’s most powerful agents of regeneration and carbon sequestration. These fine, root-like threads are grown on the byproducts of agriculture and lumber, transforming plant matter into their own biomass.Unlike “mushroom leather,” which is compressed mycelium, MycloWorks patented Fine Mycelium technology engineers mycelium during growth to create the proprietary, interlocking cellular structures that give our material its superior strength and durability.Exclusive to MycoWorks, the Fine Mycelium process offers the unique advantage of total control over quality and customization.Fine Mycelium materials are custom-grown to our brand partners’ specifications for performance, aesthetic features and more. This gives brands creative control to design from the material on up, while minimizing waste and ensuring consistent quality. Actionable traceability of the Fine Mycelium process allows our experts to capture and apply data at defining moments during production, fully optimizing our products from initial growth to harvest.Today, the team is growing in order to scale and deliver Reishi to an even broader range of partners in fashion, footwear and beyond. Together, they’re working towards a world where mycelium enables resilient, creative solutions for any industry dependent on animal and petroleum-derived products.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:Partner with us - Learn moreImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In episode 111 of the Disruptors for Good podcast I speak with Brandon Nicholson, Executive Director at The Hidden Genius Project, on using computer science, business, and technology to transform lives and communities for young people of color.An Oakland native, Founding Executive Director Brandon Nicholson has always felt a deep sense of commitment to promoting equity in the public realm, particularly in the education space. Previously, he was a Senior Associate at Social Policy Research Associates (SPR), where he conducted research, evaluation, and analysis across a range of key social policy areas.Brandon has conducted substantial research in the areas of education and youth development, with a particular focus on issues of equity and access in K-12 education for underserved populations. He has considerable experience investigating linkages among race, class, and youth development.The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities.The Hidden Genius Project was founded in 2012 by five Black male entrepreneurs/technologists who were unnerved by the dramatic juxtaposition between the high unemployment of Black male youth and the plethora of career opportunities within the local technology sector. To address this challenge, the founders established a program to connect young Black males with the skills, mentors, and experiences that they need to become high-performing entrepreneurs and technologists in a 21st century, global economy.STEM employment opportunities have become the fastest growing segment of jobs in the U.S, with 71 percent of which involving computing. The Hidden Genius Project prepares Black male youth to participate in and meaningfully contribute to the 21st Century, global, tech-economy.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out:Partner with us - Learn moreImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com

---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Financial Management: Full-cycle bookkeeping, accounting, and tax compliance.Growth & Marketing: Data-driven strategies to maximize your reach and revenue.Investor Readiness: Preparing you for capital raises with pitch decks, financial models, and due diligence support.HR & Administration: Streamlined hiring, payroll, and benefits management.Technology & Security: Expert IT support, platform integration, and cybersecurity.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In this episode of the Disruptors for Good podcast I speak with Claire Coder, Founder of Aunt Flow, about quitting college at 19 to start an organic tampon company, fighting for women's menstrual issues, and raising $1.5 million.Claire Coder is the Founder and CEO of Aunt Flow. Committed to ensuring everyone has access to menstrual products, Coder dropped out of college to pursue Aunt Flow. The social enterprise now stocks over 100 companies and schools with freely accessible menstrual products ranging from Viacom, Jeni’s Ice Creams, and Bark Box to Stanford and Brown University. They have donated over 125,000 menstrual products to menstruators in need in the USA.Headquartered in Ohio, Aunt Flow ensures every bathroom outside the home is stocked with freely accessible menstrual products. Four years of grit and hustle has positioned Aunt Flow to sell to hundreds of companies and schools, raise venture capital from top firms, and give back 500,000 menstrual products to people in need.Check out:Partner with us - Learn moreImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow Spotlighting impact startups, brands, and founders.We feature social impact startups, conscious brands, and visionary founders shaping the future of business. Join thousands—subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exclusive interviews, the latest funding rounds, digital tool reviews, and curated products fueling the impact economy.To learn more, please visit causeartist.com