Disruptors for GOOD | Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises

In episode 40 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Jen Lewis, founder and executive director of Purse & Clutch about ending the cycle of poverty through slow fashion.Jen believes good fashion is as much about the maker as it is about the finished product. It’s about art, about connection & about sustainability. By working directly with artisans in Guatemala, Mexico & Ethiopia, Purse & Clutch provides thoughtfully designed & ethically made handbags to help end the cycle of poverty - to be a part of changing the fashion industry for good.At Purse & Clutch, every purchase contributes to the mission of supporting long-term employment for men & women in developing countries with limited opportunities. These handbags are one of kind, slowly handcrafted by dedicated artisans.When the connection between maker & customer is made, the brand is able to participate in the celebration of fashion as art. From Gloria in Chiapas, Mexico who hand makes each & every pom pom in the collection to Higemengist in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia who is the mastermind behind the sewing machine & sews in such a perfectly straight line you’d think it impossible not to.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 ----------------------------------------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 39 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Katy Sherratt, CEO of Back on My Feet, on using the love of walking and running to combat chronic homelessness in America.Katy Sherratt leads Back on My Feet as Chief Executive Officer. An award-winning social innovation leader, Katy has taken Back on My Feet from early stage startup to sustainable organization with the integration of new holistic success measures for the program, consistent double digit financial and programmatic growth YOY, and geographic expansion of operations across the US.Katy has been recognized by The Economist’s Philanthrocapitalism program as a leader in social innovation and cutting-edge non-profit management and named among Authority Magazine’s 2019 ‘Female Disruptors’ and Women’s Running Magazine’s ‘Top 20 Game-Changers.’ Most recently, she was named a winner at the Social Innovation Awards. Katy and her work have been featured across multiple media and news outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Forbes, New York Times, ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox News, Inc.com, Entrepreneur Magazine, Thrive Global, Popsugar, Runners World and numerous women’s health magazines. Prior to joining Back on My Feet, Katy led global projects for Accenture in their UK and US-based Strategy Practices working with corporate clients, NGOs and nonprofits with clients ranging from leading Financial Institutions to the United Nations.Back on My Feet combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment resources. Operating in 13 major cities coast-to-coast, Back on My Feet recruits’ members at homeless and residential facilities and begins with a commitment to run three days a week.The second phase of the program, Next Steps, provides educational support, job training programs, employment partnership referrals and housing resources. Since 2007, Back on My Feet members have run more than 940,000 miles and obtained more than 6,500 jobs and homes. The organization has also engaged more than 150,000 volunteers and supporters across the United States. Every $1 invested in Back on My Feet returns nearly $2.50 to the local community through increased economic output and cost savings. Back on My Feet has chapters in the following cities: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C.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 ----------------------------------------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 38 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Roberto Milk, the Co-founder and CEO of NOVICA, on creating the world's largest impact marketplace. To date, NOVICA customers have helped send nearly $100 million to artisans around the world, and counting!NOVICA started with a dream to create a better world for artisans. Along the way, the team discovered something very important - as artisans around the world succeeded, there was also a visible and profound impact on the communities around them. Your purchases are that powerful. They directly and indirectly provide for education, help with health care, fund basic needs, support children, preserve disappearing arts, and of course, spread happiness around the world.The marketplace features the works of more than 20,000 artisans for sale, improving the economic prospects of artists in some of the world’s most remote areas. Showcasing their products on NOVICA, offers artisans fair prices, no binding contracts and the freedom to make a success of their craft by building a sustainable business.Through a successful microcredit partnership with, NOVICA also gives artisans access to no interest microcredit loans that help build their businesses, allowing them to purchase materials, supplies and even get assistance to support their growing businesses. Artisans through NOVICA, have already earned nearly $100 million in funds by selling on NOVICA.com. Roberto and his team are building a global infrastructure that will increase that number to $1 billion. According to the United Nations Development Programme, artisan activity is the second-largest employer in the developing world behind agriculture. NOVICA has empowered global artisans through greater access to international customers, freedom to set their own prices, and the ability to focus on their craft, creating a visible and profound impact on the communities around them. For this work and more, Roberto has been selected as the 2020 YPO Global Impact regional honoree for the Pacific U.S.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 ----------------------------------------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 37 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Ian Rosenberger, Founder of WORK, First Mile, and Day Owl on using plastic waste and bottles to create sustainable jobs and sustainable products.WORK places the poor into jobs in landfill communities. First Mile has redirected over 96 Million plastic bottles from landfills and the ocean and transformed them into consumer goods for global brands trying to find value in authenticity, transparency, and responsibility.Day Owl is a direct-to-consumer brand that has created a backpack out of First Mile materials that the team feels will prepare everyone to take on the world.  Ian works most in landfill community assessment, sourcing strategy, understanding how to translate impact into economic value, and leveraging impact in storytelling.He has spoken about his work at SXSW, Harvard Business School, and the United Nations. He is a 2016 Barclay’s Unreasonable Impact Fellow and currently sits on the Ocean Conservancy’s Technical Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Plastic Waste. To date, he has directed nearly $10 Million to need-based communities with too much plastic and not enough jobs. He is a brand new dad and believes that ending poverty and the plastic crisis is all but certain by the time he and his wife Raashi have grandchildren.In the podcast episode, Ian speaks about his journey to Haiti, starting a non-profit there, and eventually his original business THREAD International there that has become the foundation for his new ventures. After much innovation and partnerships with some of the largest brands in the world, including Ralph Lauren, Converse, and Timberland, Ian and his team have decided to go all in on making sustainability products for a new generation of consumers. 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 ----------------------------------------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 36 of the Disruptors for Good podcast, I speak with Chad Dime, Co-founder of Diff Charitable Eyewear on building a brand that has impacted a million around the world.Chad got his start in the eyewear industry by working with his father, where he developed a passion for bringing something new to the current eyewear market. Chad co-founded DIFF Charitable Eyewear with hopes of being a global leader in the eyewear industry with a focus on giving back. When DIFF Charitable Eyewear was founded, the vision was to have a positive impact on the world through quality, affordable eyewear. And in four years, the company has provided over 1.2 MILLION people with the reading glasses they need to live happy, healthy, and productive lives. Over the past few years, they’ve learned that doing even more is possible. Diff is completely committed, more than ever, to creating a world in which everyone has access to the vision care they need — whether that’s an eye exam, surgery, glasses, or medicine. Now through the expansion of their global mission, every pair of DIFFs sold helps provide the Gift of Sight, through their global partner SightSavers, because the brand truly believe VISION IS POWER. This partnership will allow DIFF to help provide the gift of sight for every pair of DIFFs sold, through medicine, surgeries, glasses, eye exams, and more.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 ----------------------------------------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 35 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 ----------------------------------------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 34 of the Disruptors for Good podcast, I speak with Austin Whitman, the CEO of Climate Neutral about combating climate change by putting a price on carbon emissions.Austin has spent the past 20 years of his career working on early stage environmental markets and technologies, with a dose of policy work along the way. His first venture into carbon offsetting began in grad school with a program he started to sell carbon offsets to his classmates.He firmly believes that solving the climate crisis demands participation from businesses. Austin has a joint MBA/MEM from Yale and a BA from Dartmouth. Now, as CEO of Climate Neutral, Austin is empowered by enlisting brands in the fight against climate change by showing them that paying for carbon pollution is cheaper and easier than they think.Climate Neutral is an independent non-profit organization working to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon world by putting a price on carbon emissions. The organization is enlisting brands in the fight against climate change by showing them that measuring and paying for their carbon emissions is cheaper and easier than they think.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 ----------------------------------------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.

Happy Holidays everyone. I am taking this week off, but I will be back next week with a new episode.Hope everyone is well. Thanks :)We are powered by:Charity Charge -  Charity Charity is the only credit card designed for nonprofit expenses. No Personal Guarantor required, easy accounting integrations, and a dedicated account manager.Vera - Vera is a simple way for businesses to offset their plastic footprint. By becoming Vera-Certified, you'll help create new jobs for people who collect ocean-bound plastic. You'll not only alleviate poverty, but also ensure that plastic never ends up in our oceans! The best part about Vera, is that everything is transacted through the blockchain, which creates a traceable, auditable supply chain that guarantees our promise. Join Vera's collective who already offset more than 40,000 plastic bottles every month!Buy Good Feel Good Expo - From fashion and beauty to lifestyle and travel, Buy Good. Feel Good. Expo celebrates the power of the conscious consumer. An uplifting weekend full of energizing entrepreneurs and brands with purpose, the Expo inspires the change maker within us all.Podcast Made with TransistorPodcast cover design Made with Canva ----------------------------------------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 33 of the Disruptors for Good podcast, I speak with Hayley Santell, the Founder of MADI Apparel about creating an ethical fashion brand using American manufacturing, giving back, and empowering women affected by domestic violence.I had the great opportunity to sit down and chat with Hayley at MADI HQ here in Kansas City. Hayley wanted to symbolize how vulnerable women can feel when they don't have access to new, clean underwear, so she decided to take the leap in 2012 and start MADI Apparel after learning underwear is the most requested item at most domestic violence shelters and sexual assault clinics in the United States.MADI Apparel is a women’s undergarment brand with the dedication to Make a Difference domestically and globally. MADI is founded upon the principles of American manufacturing, self-sustaining fabrics/packaging and socially conscious global impact through underwear donations.MADI does an amazing job in all aspects of their eco-system. The most impressive part of this eco-system is taking the time to develop a domestic manufacturing relationship. American made fashion has long been outsourced by major brands, who actually have the ability to set up domestic production, but choose not to do so due to profit margins and pressure from stock holders. It is so refreshing and exciting to see MADI’s approach out the gate to take on domestic manufacturing and impact local lives within her own community.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 ----------------------------------------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 32 of the Disruptors for Good podcast, I speak with Tamra Ryan, the CEO of the Women's Bean Project about ending the cycle of poverty for women who have been chronically unemployed due to addictions and/or incarceration.Tamra Ryan is the CEO of Women's Bean Project, a social enterprise that provides transitional employment, while operating a food manufacturing business, to women attempting to break the cycle of chronic unemployment and poverty.Tamra is a former partner and board member for Social Venture Partners-Denver, currently serves and part-time Interim CEO for the Social Enterprise Alliance, and is on the Council of Advisors for the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver.Congressman Mike Coffman (R-CO) recognized Tamra’s servant leadership and entered it into the Congressional Record of the 115th Congress, Second Session in May 2018. She was honored by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce as one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Colorado and is part of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Leadership Network.She was a presenter at TEDxMilehigh and is a highly sought-after speaker for topics such as compassionate leadership and social  enterprise. Tamra is the author of The Third Law, a book which highlights the societal obstacles and internal demons that must be overcome for marginalized women to change their lives. The Third Law has won numerous awards for women/minorities in business and social activism. She is currently working on her second book, Followship: How to be a leader worth following.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 ----------------------------------------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.