People Inspired By Purpose - Purposely Podcast

In this episode of Purposely, I’m joined by Joy Morozov, founder and director of Philanthropower, a consultancy that helps philanthropists and NGOs build trust-based partnerships that turn good intentions into real impact.Joy’s story is anything but ordinary. Born in Lebanon and raised across the Middle East, she grew up switching effortlessly between languages — now speaking more than five — and moving between cultures that didn’t always make space for women to lead. From a young age, she knew she wanted more than the life expected of her — so she pushed back, questioned limits, and carved her own path. That determination and curiosity have become her trademarks ever since.Her early career with the Financial Times and Thomson Reuters taught her the value of trust, brand integrity, and genuine connection. But after years in the corporate world, Joy felt an undeniable pull toward purpose. That calling led her to Light for the World, where she launched its UK chapter and learned first-hand that good intentions aren’t enough — real change comes from understanding what communities truly need and how to support them sustainably.Through Philanthropower, Joy now helps philanthropists and charities do exactly that. Her “MUST” framework — Mindset, Understanding, Strategy/Soft Skills, and Trust — captures her philosophy that effective giving starts with clarity, empathy, and relationships built to last.She speaks openly about what it takes to break into new markets, build credibility, and lead with conviction. Her success in the UK wasn’t luck; it was persistence, strategy, and an unshakeable belief that people give to people.Outside of work, Joy recharges through live music, travel, and the occasional off-grid retreat. Her journey — crossing cultures, sectors, and expectations — is a reminder that meaningful change takes both heart and rigour.

A warm welcome to Purposely SHORT.SHORT, as in not long — a weekly episode featuring one of our past guests and their expertise on a specific topic. The goal? To give you a useful insight you can action, helping you deliver on your charitable mission.In this episode, Tina McCafferty, CEO of Tōtara Hospice, shares her perspective on coaching, leadership, and building strong teams. Tina discusses why coaching and mentoring should be accessible to everyone, not just senior executives, and how a blended approach of coaching and mentoring can spark genuine insight and growth.She also reflects on her own leadership style, shaped by her Glaswegian roots — straight-talking, fair, firm, and supportive. Tina believes the best teams are made up of people who challenge each other, offer honest feedback, and contribute diverse strengths, not “mini-me” versions of the leader.This episode highlights how purposeful coaching and inclusive leadership can unlock potential, foster resilience, and create environments where people truly thrive.This episode of Purposely is brought to you by Trust Investments NZ and Benevity an all-in-one software solution that benefits employees, customers, nonprofits, and society.

In this episode of Purposely, I’m joined by Jake Bailey, speaker, author, and now General Manager of Inspire Foundation, a charity backing the next generation of exceptional young New Zealanders.Jake first captured national attention as a teenager, delivering a heartfelt speech at his school prize-giving just days after being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. That moment, and his remarkable resilience, inspired people around the world. But Jake is determined to be known for more than that chapter.Today, through his leadership at Inspire Foundation, Jake is focused on helping 15–23 year old's with outstanding talent across sport, arts, culture, and academia. The charity has supported more than 600 young people over the past 14 years, providing financial support, mentoring, wellbeing resources, and a community to help them thrive.We talk about:The lessons Jake learned from his own journey and why he’s focused on moving forward.The importance of authenticity and clarity in leadership and communication.How Inspire Foundation is making a difference for young New Zealanders and the vision for its future growth.This is a conversation about resilience, leadership, and purpose, an inspiring listen for anyone interested in how charities can unlock potential and create lasting impact.

A warm welcome to Purposely SHORT.SHORT, as in not long — a weekly episode featuring one of our past guests and their expertise on a specific topic. The goal? To give you a useful insight you can action, helping you deliver on your charitable mission.In this episode, successful entrepreneur Annette Presley shares a bit about her life journey, business success and her determination to help young women to overcome barriers and thrive.

In this episode we speak with Pablo Berrutti, Analyst at Stewart Investors and Co-founder of Altiorem, a nonprofit library created to strengthen the finance sector’s response to sustainability.Pablo shares how Altiorem grew from a simple idea into a living, evolving knowledge hub that pairs students with finance professionals to produce fresh insights. We talk about the challenges of building a sustainable funding model, the importance of keeping resources free and accessible, and why independence and integrity matter in financial education.We also touch on his interest in bringing Indigenous perspectives into financial thinking, recognising the value of wisdom from cultures that have cared for their environments for generations.For anyone working in finance, philanthropy, or the nonprofit world, this episode is both practical and inspiring. It’s about how knowledge, when shared openly and built with community, can drive real change.

A warm welcome to Purposely SHORT.SHORT, as in not long — a weekly episode featuring one of our past guests and their expertise on a specific topic. The goal? To give you a useful insight you can action, helping you deliver on your charitable mission.In this episode, James Stewart shares a compelling vision for the future of housing, investment, and community in New Zealand. He tackles the hard questions:What happens when home ownership rates continue to fall?How do we shift capital from unproductive property gains into businesses, jobs, and innovation?Why mixed-tenure housing developments can transform communities and create long-term social benefits.How progressive home ownership models can provide hope to young New Zealanders priced out of the housing market.James also explains how rethinking KiwiSaver, investment flows, and housing models could create a more productive, fair, and sustainable economy for the next generation.This episode is brought to you by Trust Investments and Benevity — the all-in-one software solution that benefits employees, customers, nonprofits, and society.

Welcoming Annette Presley to Purposely Podcast, we hear how a career defined by entrepreneurship has evolved into a focus on philanthropy, with a commitment to creating opportunities for young women and communities.In this conversation, Annette shares:Her early experiences in business, when female role models were rare and breaking through as a woman was a significant challenge.The influence of her grandmother, whose belief in her became a driving force, and why support and encouragement are essential for young women to thrive.Her views on education reform, including the need to equip young people with practical skills such as financial literacy, resilience, and public speaking.Why she launched the Dream Foundation and how she applies her entrepreneurial mindset to set measurable goals, build strong partnerships, and ensure accountability.Annette’s story is one of hustle, determination, disruption, and a belief that lasting change requires more than good intentions. Through her foundation, she is working to open doors for others and create practical, measurable impact in communities across New Zealand.

Welcoming Nicola Coom to Purposely.Nicola Coom has just stepped into the role of CEO at the Cancer Society New Zealand. For her, cancer is not just a cause but a lived reality, her own BRCA1 gene diagnosis, her family’s history with the disease, and the choices she’s made to protect her health all shape the urgency she brings to leadership.Every day in New Zealand, 77 people are diagnosed with cancer and around 10,000 die each year. Access to medicines lags behind most OECD countries, and Nicola is determined to change that. She wants donor dollars to deliver real impact, patient voices to drive health policy, and investment in research and clinical trials to accelerate progress.In this episode, Nicola shares how personal experience has shaped her vision for the Cancer Society, why innovation and technology must be part of the solution, and how she plans to keep cancer at the top of the national agenda.Tune in to hear Nicola’s story, her bold plans for the future, and why urgency and lived experience are essential to reshaping cancer care in Aotearoa.

Welcoming Aisha Daji Punga, CEO of Toitū, to Purposely.Aisha is an experienced leader whose career has taken her across industries and sectors, from FMCG and telecommunications to health and wellbeing. She’s led major organisations, including her time as CEO of the Starship Foundation, and now heads Toitū, one of New Zealand’s most recognised names in sustainability and environmental certification. In our conversation, she shares how clarity, connection, and purpose shape her leadership—and why she’s energised by the toughest parts of the job.Her path to Toitū has been anything but linear. Alongside her executive leadership roles, she also ran her own consultancy. But what ultimately pulled her back into a CEO role was people. “I love being around people. I love being connected. I love teams,” she says. Consulting provided stimulation, but lacked the shared purpose and momentum that come from leading a group with a common mission. Returning to that environment was about aligning “head, heart, and soul”—the combination she says fuels her best work.That philosophy is clear in how she leads. Progress happens when teams move together. Alignment matters more than hierarchy, and clarity is the means to get there. “You have to be clear to be kind,” she notes—a mantra that underpins how she handles everything from strategy to day-to-day conversations. Feedback from her board reinforces that clarity and decisiveness are already shaping Toitū’s direction.From her first day, Aisha set out to listen. She spent months in conversation with clients, staff, and industry partners—not just to surface what was working, but to hear the harder truths. Those insights became the basis for resets and pivots, with a willingness to say, “this is where we need to go now.” For her, listening and alignment aren’t delays to action; they are what make action possible.Sustainability wasn’t her specialist field, but that has never been a barrier. She’s surrounded herself with scientists and subject experts who, she says, “astound and inspire me every day.” Her role isn’t to know everything, but to connect people, scale impact, and make Toitū’s purpose resonate widely. “I don’t need to be an expert,” she says. “I need a certain level of understanding, but I don’t need to be all things to all people.”What comes through in conversation is a style of leadership that avoids jargon and pretence. She doesn’t claim mastery of every detail; what she offers is authenticity, focus, and a commitment to the purpose at the centre of Toitū’s work. Success, for her, isn’t defined by accolades. It’s found in the energy of her team, the trust of stakeholders, and the impact Toitū can deliver in a rapidly changing world.Looking ahead, Aisha remains grounded: listen deeply, adapt quickly, and never lose sight of purpose. It’s a simple formula, but one that offers a powerful model of leadership for complex times—clear, connected, and unapologetically purposeful.Thank you to our sponsors Trust Investments

In this episode of Purposely Podcast, we sit down with Rod Baxter, CEO of Kings Trust Aotearoa New Zealand, to explore how the Trust is helping 17- to 30-year-olds build confidence, enterprise, and opportunity.Rod shares:Why listening to young people is the starting point for meaningful changeThe challenges young people face as traditional entry-level jobs disappearHow the Trust’s enterprise programme and Hikano seed funding scheme are sparking new ventures with a 94% survival rateThe importance of “radical collaboration” in New Zealand’s crowded non-profit sectorInspiring stories of young entrepreneurs building businesses and giving back to their communitiesKings Trust Aotearoa is part of a global network with roots in The Prince’s Trust, but its approach is uniquely local—grounded in the voices, aspirations, and realities of young people across Aotearoa.Tune in to hear Rod’s journey, his vision for youth development, and why purpose sits at the heart of lasting impact.