Disruptors for GOOD | Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises

In episode 124 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Christoph Gorder, Chief Global Water Officer of charity: water, on the process of bringing clean and safe drinking water to millions around the world.Christoph Gorder joined charity: water in 2012 to lead the organization's global water investments in 28 countries. Since its founding in 2006, charity: water has raised more than $500 million and provided clean water to over 13 million people. In his role as Chief Global Water Officer, Christoph also oversees technology innovations that increase transparency and long-term impact of clean water programs.Prior to joining charity: water, Christoph spent 15 years leading disaster response operations and managing large-scale healthcare delivery programs around the world. He grew up in the Central African Republic and Nigeria, where getting clean water is still a dream for millions.About charity:water771 million people in the world live without clean water.That’s nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide. Or, twice the population of the United States. The majority live in isolated rural areas and spend hours every day walking to collect water for their family. Not only does walking for water keep children out of school or take up time that parents could be using to earn money, but the water often carries diseases that can make everyone sick.charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. charity: water works with local partners to implement sustainable, community-owned water projects in remote communities. Since 2006, thanks to their local partners and over a million supporters, they’ve brought clean and safe water to more than 13 million people around the world.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here. ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

In episode 123 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Lauren Muth, Founder of Studio Humankind, on the importance of website design for early stage nonprofits and social enterprises.Lauren holds a BFA in Design and MSJ in Digital Content Strategy. She founded Studio Humankind to specialize in ethical storytelling for organizations tackling complex social issues around the globe. Lauren remains steadfast in her dedication to dismantle inequity, promote diversity, and design a better world. She has ultimately built her mission around helping likeminded, passionate business owners attract conscious consumers, donors, and volunteers to their cause, as well as serving to increase their profits for long-term growth and impact.Lauren strives to not only learn more about giving back by bringing awareness to others through a visual platform, but to begin building a stage for this engagement and shed light on issues of the world not currently brought to our attention. She aspires to spend her life traveling the world, meeting new people and learning about different cultures. She lives her life rooted in her Christian faith, copious amounts of chai tea, and an undying devotion to love others.Check out her robust template gallery specifically created for nonprofits and social enterprises.Check out Laurens portfolio here, including her latest update of the social enterprise MADI Apparel ecommerce website.Lauren founded Studio Humankind to specialize in ethical, true storytelling for organizations tackling complex social issues around the globe. Her team develops strong foundations for deeply-rooted causes at the forefront of social justice that drive our world toward action.Her work represents the stories of movers and shakers, risk takers, activists, business owners, and nonprofit leaders who are turning ideas inside out and industry relationships upside down. Not only does her team help you attract your dream clients and conscious consumers, but they also work to increase your profits long-term through mindfully and strategically enhancing your vision, elevating your impact, and expanding your outreach. ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

Hasan Siber, Co-founder and CEO of Colive, discusses becoming a food entrepreneur in a conflict zone to address peacekeeping through business. They talk about the challenges of uniting Cyprus through olive oil, building a successful business, and the importance of sustainable agriculture. Hasan shares his dual role as CEO and truck driver, and their plans for online education on regenerative agriculture.

In episode 121 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Rodney Williams, Co-founder of SoLo Funds, on building a non-predatory FinTech startup for underserved communities in America.Check out the Partners here.Subscribe to the Causeartist Newsletter here.Rodney has been recognized with numerous awards, including Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 in 2012; the Ernst & Young EDGE Award in 2013; Cannes Gold Lion award in 2015; Tech Entrepreneur of the Year by Black Enterprise, 2016; NAACP Inspiring Innovation list 2017; 25 Inspiring Entrepreneurs Under 40 by Entrepreneur Magazine 2016; Entrepreneur of the Year in Connected World Communications in the Ohio Valley Region by EY in 2017; Ebony’s Power 100 in 2018 and CNBC Disruptor 50 List in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.Rodney attended West Virginia University, where he earned his BBA in finance, his BA in economics, and his MS in integrated marketing communications.Rodney also holds an MBA in finance & supply chain management from Howard University. He is a member of the 2019 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.SoLo Funds is a mobile lending exchange that connects lenders and borrowers for the purpose of providing more affordable access to loans under $1,000. SoLo was created to disintermediate the predatory payday lending system. Today, SoLo is one of the fastest growing fintech companies in the country.SoLo’s story starts the way every SoLo request begins: with someone needing a hand. Co-founders Travis Holoway & Rodney Williams were noticing that family members, friends, and roommates were asking for financial help here and there, and they understood why. There weren’t any fair, reputable options for small, short-term loans.They decided to create one by harnessing the power of community. SoLo was formed in 2018 to create a viable, non-predatory option for moments when life happens. SoLo tap's into the power of community and generosity to form an online safety net that is mutually beneficial to all of its members.Travis and Rodney know that SoLo is needed because they needed it. Our loved ones needed it. And they know that SoLo makes a difference because nearly 80% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.Today, SoLo is driven to new heights, but grounded in the same hope and mission: to build a community that enables financial autonomy for all. ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

In this episode, I speak with Adrian Rodrigues, Co-Founder of Provenance Capital Group, on the future of food and allocating capital into regenerative natural resource investments through blended capital structures.Adrian is a Co-Founder and a Managing Director of Provenance Capital Group where he helps develop blended capital structures that catalyze resilient biological systems and businesses. Before Provenance, Adrian co-founded the boutique consulting firm Hyphae Partners where he helped companies finance and build regenerative business models. Additionally, he worked at Patagonia within its Venture Capital arm Tin Shed Ventures, helping author a standard for Regenerative Organic Agriculture and exploring Regenerative Organic Land Funds. He is an experienced asset allocator, fundraiser, and business model innovator.Adrian spent six years at Morgan Stanley helping long time horizon investors manage their asset allocations and diligence investment opportunities across asset classes and sectors. He has also lectured on food innovation at the University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business and designed and taught an entrepreneurship intensive for farmers at the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture.Adrian is a graduate of Berkeley Haas’ full-time MBA program. At Haas, Adrian was a Portfolio Manager of the Haas Socially Responsible Investment Fund and a Member of the Center for Responsible Business’ Student Advisory Board. He also serves as an inaugural advisor for the Investor Resource Council of J.E.D.I. Collaborative, which aims to frame the business case for embedding equity, justice, diversity and inclusion into our entire food ecosystem. He received a B.A. in English from Williams College, studied English literature at Exeter College, Oxford University, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.Also mentioned in the podcast:Soil Wealth Report - Croatan InstituteSponsors for Educational OpportunityManagement Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT)About Provenance Capital GroupPCG is a financial services firm focused on allocating capital into regenerative natural resource investments. We offer our clients deep expertise, superior guidance,  bespoke access, and trusted partnership in the transition to an economy that is focused on people, planet, and profit.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 ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

If you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!In this episode, I speak with Dan Miller, Founder and CEO of Steward on creating an innovative online lending platform that helps fund the growth of regenerative agriculture for the next generation of regenerative farmers.Dan Miller is the Founder and CEO of Steward, a private lender providing regenerative farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and producers the capital they need to expand and sustain their businesses. And through our innovative online platform, qualified lenders have the opportunity to join in our mission and help fund the growth of regenerative agriculture by purchasing loan participations. It’s really that simple.Steward's story begins with its founder and CEO, Dan Miller. Ask Dan what inspired him to create Steward, and he'll tell you about early mornings spent crabbing with his father on the Chesapeake Bay.This was the experience that rooted him to the land, but it was a meeting with a well-known chef in Dan's hometown, Washington D.C., that would plant the idea of Steward in his mind. This chef spoke of the difficulties facing the independent farmers that supplied his restaurant: the more specialized the farms were, the harder it was to get a loan.Dan felt that instead of forcing farmers to fit within a box, it should be the other way around. So he committed himself to creating a system that empowers each unique farmer to steward their land sustainably, with consumers—the people with the most to gain from sustainable farming—having the opportunity to join in their success.After graduating from the Wharton School with a B.S. and M.B.A., Dan co-founded a pioneering investment crowdfunding business called Fundrise. In 2010, it was the first and largest real estate crowdfunding platform in the United States, and has since raised more than $500 million. It's this experience, combined with a passion for agriculture, ecology, and local food that led Dan to launching Steward in 2017.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts here.Check out the Impact Investor platform here - Discover Impact Investors from around the world.We are powered by:Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

In episode 120 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Olowo-n’djo Tchala, Founder and CEO of Alaffia on cultivating beauty, equality, and empowerment in West Africa and around the globe through personal care products.Olowo-n’djo Tchala, founder and CEO of Alaffia, was born and raised in the village of Kaboli, Togo. Growing up and working to support his family, he witnessed firsthand the injustices and inequalities many of the women in his village faced daily. After moving to the United States and going to University, he felt the responsibility to fight the injustices that existed in West Africa.In 1996, Tchala met his partner Prairie Rose Hyde, who was invited to his village as an environmental volunteer in the Peace Corp. Inspired by a shared calling to do right by the world, Alaffia, a social enterprise, was born. With an understanding of the value of indigenous West African resources and sustainable business ideologies, the two launched Alaffia’s first shea butter collective in 2003 and in 2004 established the Alaffia headquarters in Olympia, Washington.For the last nearly 20 years, Tchala’s green and fair trade organization has created sustainable programs in West Africa that have improved the lives of over 250,000 individuals. Proceeds from the sale of Alaffia’s beauty and personal care products are returned to communities in Africa, such as those in Togo and Ghana, to fund their multiple empowerment programs including Maternal Care, Reforestation, Regenerative Agriculture, Eyeglass, Bicycle and in 2021 Female Genital Mutilation Eradication.Since inception, they have built 16 schools, planted over 99,000 trees, provided more than 10,000 bicycles and 30,000 eyeglasses, donated school supplies to more than 37,000 students, and funded over 6,500 births. How does it work? Women’s cooperatives in West Africa handcraft indigenous ingredients, such as unrefined shea butter and African black soap, using traditional African methods. Products are then finished at Alaffia’s U.S. headquarters in Olympia, Washington. Proceeds from the sale of their personal care products are returned to communities in Africa, such as those in Togo and Ghana, to fund their community programs.Today, Alaffia is available in Whole Foods nationwide and continues to redefine the natural products industry through its values of Beauty, Equality and Empowerment, fair trade, and safe, efficacious hair, face and body care.Listen to more Causeartist podcasts hereHuge thanks to our Causeartist Partners - Check them out hereCheck out:ImpactInvestor.io - Discover impact investors from around the world.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with CanvaBuild amazing web platforms with Webflow ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

In episode 119 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Cliff Pollard, Founder of Cream Co. Meats, on creating a direct market for sustainable, regenerative and family-owned farms. If you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!CREAM CO.’S MISSION IS TO REVOLUTIONIZE A HIGHLY COMMODITIZED INDUSTRY BY CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY ANIMAL PROTEINS RESPONSIBLY.Cream Co. is committed to supporting and working alongside independent producers to deliver the highest quality, best-tasting meats we can find. Sometimes that means bringing best-in-class programs to new markets. At others, it's developing a new program from the grass up.At a minimum, all of the Cream Co. programs are hormone and antibiotic free. Most of their partners undergo annual third-party auditing including CCOF Organic, Land to Market™ Regenerative, Certified Humane, Non-GMO Project Verified, and American Grass-fed and Grass-finished.Through a decade working in the Bay Area food industry, Cliff has been constantly inspired by the local food movement. Over time, he began to envision a transparent marketplace that could support sustainable and regenerative ranches through an aggregate and direct marketing model, while providing customers the ease and efficiencies they depended on from large scale distributors.Cream Co. was founded in 2016 to even the playing field between mainstream and farm-direct distribution. The company sources meat and forges partnerships that value quality over quantity, flavor over convenience, and transparency at every step.Cream Co. is an Oakland based business committed to supporting local California ranches wherever possible; over 75% of their partners are small producers in California, Oregon, and Washington.Today, Cream Co. distributes, direct markets and directly invests in over 20 sustainable, regenerative and family-owned farms. They’ve built a team of industry veterans who care deeply about preserving the Bay's food community, and continually invest in their processing facility to deepen roots in Oakland.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 ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

In episode 118 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Garik Himebaugh, Founder of Eco-Stylist, on the state of the sustainable fashion industry and creating a one-of-a-kind personal styling experience for conscious consumers.Listen to our first interview with Garik in episode #65 here.Who wants to wear clothes made with child labor and toxic chemicals? Not you. Not us. From organic cotton oxfords to zero waste hats and sunglasses made from recycled plastic bottles, everything at Eco-Stylist is eco-friendly, socially responsible, and ethically sourced.At Eco-Stylist all ethical and sustainable brands are first researched with Remake’s sustainable brand criteria. This framework looks at the brand’s impact on both people and the environment. Through this framework the company thoroughly researches all of the brands on the platform, measuring the brand’s environmental and social impact. Finding sustainably and ethically made clothes can be hard work, Eco-Stylist makes it easy!We know it can be difficult to figure out if the clothes you’re buying check all the right boxes. Do the materials used to make your shirt have a negative impact on the environment? Are the people who stitched together your jeans being paid fair wages? Does this even look good on me?But before you call it quits and opt to buy the $15 sweatshirt from the fast fashion retailer that you know isn’t likely to be providing an acceptable workspace for their underpaid employees, know that we are doing the hard work of answering these questions for you. Using Remake’s sustainable brand criteria, we take the time to thoroughly research brands before we choose to partner with them. This criterion takes into consideration a number of factors, including transparency, environmental sustainability, maker well-being, use of sustainable raw materials, and the leadership of the brand within the ethical fashion sphere. If a brand passes, we partner with them and promote their products on our website.Eco-Stylist is convenient, ethical, and tailored to you. They host a Sustainable Brands Directory for everyone, curate stylish and sustainable clothing in an easy-to-use marketplace, and offer virtual + sustainable personal styling.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 ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

In episode 117 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Shannon Falconer, Co-founder and CEO of Because, Animals, on the future of sustainable pet food. If you enjoy this podcast, please rate and review the show. It's a huge help. Thanks!Shannon Falconer is a scientist with expertise in cell culture, microbiome, chemical-genetic and molecular mechanism-of-action studies. She is the co-founder of Because Animals - a start-up using science to create sustainable, humane, cultured meat-based food for dogs and cats.Shannon and her co-founder Josh, volunteered for years at the same cat rescue in Toronto. There they helped improve the lives of homeless cats and ease the overpopulation of strays and ferals. But the problem they truly bonded over was what they were feeding those cats: overprocessed, over supplemented meats from animals that cats were not meant to eat. And more than that, factory farms, the source of the vast majority of pet food, is devastating to the climate, our environment and to the lives of farmed animals.And so, while Shannon was working as a microbiologist at Stanford University and Josh was finishing his MBA from Indiana University, they came up with a solution to a problem they both thought a lot about: How do we feed our pets without harming other animals or the environment? The answer: Because, Animals.About Because, AnimalsBecause, Animals is a startup with a big mission: To make the most sustainable and nutritious food for dogs and cats on the planet — without ever harming any animals or the environment.By supporting Because Animals you will help bring an end to the raising of farm animals for slaughter. With fewer factory farms, we will lessen the devastating impacts of them – to our rainforests, oceans and climate. And, importantly, you'll also be aiding in the creation of safer and more nutritious food for our pets.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 ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.