Future Optimist

Dr. Klein Ileleji is the CEO of JUA Technologies International, and he has dedicated his life to agriculture and engineering. Discover how his curiosity led him down multiple career paths, ultimately leading him on a journey from his home in Nigeria around the world. He is a professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University and the co-founder of JUA Technologies, a company that makes solar-powered food dryers for small farmers in the developing world. He distilled his decades of experience into a meaningful product to combat food insecurity, and he has my deep admiration for that.  ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com ➡️ https://juatechnology.com

Quinn Fitzgerald is the co-founder and co-CEO of Flare, a smart, fashionable bracelet that provides 24/7 safety without drawing attention to itself. The product was designed to prevent sexual assault, but its features are perfect for a range of unwanted situations. The bracelet can call 911, notify friends/family that you’re in distress, help you receive an incoming phone call/text message, and more. By tapping into an unfortunate but very real need, Quinn has seen her business explode, getting her millions in funding and placement in TIME, Fast Company, Forbes, and more. I’m humbled and honored that she’s here with us today to share her story.  ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com ➡️ getflare.com

Lizia Santos is the founder of CityCatt, a tech start-up that provides more unique and authentic travel experiences. ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com Lizia switched careers from journalism to start-up founder, all while raising three children, making her accomplishments all the more impressive. Her unique perspective on life and travel all led to her founding a better way for us to get connected using technology and explore new destinations. She’s been featured on CNBC and was recently ranked #33 in a list of the 100 best CEOs disrupting tech, so here’s Lizia Santos, founder of CityCatt.

Joining me today is Christina Merrill, President & CEO at the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation. ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com For the last 30 years, Christina has dedicated her life to improving health outcomes and quality of life for transplant and cancer patients. Her foundation has helped more than 100,000 patients and their families, they specialize in people with a cancer diagnosis and those in need of a transplant, and they provide financial assistance, educational information, and emotional support programs at no cost. She’s committed herself to a truly noble cause, so I’m honored to have her on the show today.

Arnold Leitner is the founder, CEO, and president of YouSolar. His innovative approach to solar power and battery storage has gotten him millions in investments. ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com He’s spent two decades innovating in solar, founding two prominent companies in the space called SkyFuel and ReflecTech before his latest endeavor. YouSolar’s modular battery grid and solar panel combo allows you to dramatically reduce your need for grid power (or eliminate it), and it can keep your house running in the case of a power failure. It’s tech I hope someday all of us can have in our homes.

Alvaro Silberstein has a remarkable story to tell. Born in Chile, Alvaro’s life was turned upside down in a car accident that left him paralyzed. ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com He soon witnessed the ways in which the world can be inaccessible to people with disabilities, making travel difficult or impossible. He made a personal journey to Torres del Paine national park in Chile, and his feat attracted media attention, leading him to the idea of starting a service to help others with more accessible vacation, travel, and adventure tours. His company, Wheel the World, has received millions in funding and has been featured on major media outlets. He helps people like him reach destinations they never thought possible, and found meaning and success in his own life in the process.

Cullen Schwarz is the co-founder of DoneGood, an e-commerce platform that is like a more ethical version of Amazon. ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com They only work with vendors who have vetted their supply chains and offer quality products—products that are better for the planet and for their customers. They only work with companies committed to human rights, fair wages, worker empowerment, and the protection of wildlife and the environment. Cullen is an alumnus of the Harvard Innovation Lab, and his B Corp is a “Best in the World” award-winner for excellent social and environmental impact. We talk about how he left behind a profitable career in big-league politics to pursue what really mattered to him and lead a more authentic life. 

We are on a break from the interview today, so I wanted to squeeze in a quick thank you before the 100th interview drops next week.

Today we get a bit silly on the podcast, showcasing a product that made me laugh out loud the first time I saw it. ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com Collin White is the co-founder of Tootles, flatulence suppressing underwear made from activated carbon fiber. You might think this is just a gag gift (a number of people have already discreetly given me pairs, apparently trying to drop a hint), but actually it’s based on the field medical work of Collin and his father, Dr. Robert White. They co-created Stitches Medical, a line of science-backed garments for hospitals, to suit the many awkward and unusual clothing needs of patients.

David Cutler is the founder of Fortuna Cools, an innovative start-up that’s going to completely change the way you think about coolers. ➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube ➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com Ok, you might not be thinking about coolers on a daily basis, per se, but if you want to head out and bring some drinks with you on a hot summer day, odds are good that you’re putting your drinks into a plastic cooler. But what if there was a better way of both keeping things cool and, you know, not creating throwaway products that will never decompose, forever polluting our oceans and land such that future generations will likely only know us as the “plastic era” people? Too far? You love plastic that much huh? Ok, well, I’m deeply inspired by David’s Story. His optimism and determination led him to found a company that will have a profound impact on how foods are kept cool around the world, on an industrial and consumer scale.