Brand on Purpose

Margo founder Antya Waegemann discusses the trauma of sexual assault, the stigma attached to victims and the importance of conducting a rape kit – and how these points led her to becoming a sexual assault advocate. After discovering that thousands of rape kits are left untested, Antya took a stand to address the issue by redesigning a rape kit that aims to empower assault survivors by offering them the help and care that they deserve. Antya sheds light on the importance of having empathy for survivors and the ongoing demand for justice. Tune in to hear more about Antya’s role as a sexual assault advocate and the plans she has to bridge the gap between survivors and healthcare providers. Learn more at margokit.com.This episode contains discussions of sexual assault and survivor trauma, listener discretion is advised.Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Julie Strickland, Nina Valdes, Andrew Hutchings, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Neil Blumenthal and VisionSpring CEO Ella Gudwin discuss the “buy a pair, give a pair” partnership that transformed the glasses industry and the widespread impact the organizations have had around the world. Diving into how the organizations work together, the duo pull back the curtain on how Warby’s glasses sales support VisionSpring’s efforts to bring glasses and vision education to emerging regions. Coming up with the idea for Warby Parker with some friends while at Wharton, Neil discusses how social impact is baked into the fabric of the company and why being a digital-native company allowed for a seamless pivot following the onset of COVID-19. Coming from a public health background, Ella offers her perspective on fighting misconceptions about glasses around the world and shares insight on how VisionSpring pivoted to providing PPE during the pandemic, thanks to the consistent support of partners like Warby. Listen in to hear their thoughts on leading during times of crisis, and learn more at warbyparker.com and visionspring.org. Note: Due to technical difficulties, this episode was recorded in multiple parts in November and December 2020.Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Julie Strickland, Nina Valdes, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rescuing Leftover Cuisine CEO and Co-Founder Robert Lee discusses how he followed a gut feeling to leave his financial services job and pursue a fulltime career donating otherwise unused food to those in need. Born with a food-saver mentality, Robert has taken the nonprofit to new heights, partnering with restaurants, grocery stores and other food businesses to donate over 5 million pounds of food to homeless shelters and pantries. Aaron and Robert discuss how 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. is wasted, COVID-19’s impact on the business, and how individuals can make an impact themselves, daily. Listen in to learn why Robert believes there is a food distribution, not just waste, issue in the world, and learn more about the company + ways to volunteer at rescuingleftovercuisine.org.Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Katrina Waelchli, Julie Strickland, Parker Jenkins, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brand on Purpose will return in January 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Chief Social Responsibility Officer & Global Head of CSR Balaji Ganapathy talks about the IT services, digital and business solutions company’s purpose journey and its mission to connect youth, women and marginalized groups to opportunities in the digital economy. Part of the 152-year old Tata Group of companies, TCS recently became the world’s most valuable information tech company, leveraging its extensive history to quickly adapt to an ever-changing world and meet new challenges head-on. Balaji also touches on the focus of TCS leadership on reskilling its workforce as new technologies arise, the Group’s $200M pledge for COVID19 relief, the importance of working as one organization and team during times of crisis, and dealing with widespread misunderstanding of AI. Tune in to hear why Balaji refers to TCS as the world’s oldest purpose-driven company, and learn more at tcs.com.  Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Katrina Waelchli, Julie Strickland, Parker Jenkins, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hims & Hers Founder and CEO Andrew Dudum highlights how the digital health platform is leading the charge in virtual health, of which has drastically risen in popularity - and necessity - during the pandemic. Launched just three years ago, Hims & Hers serves with the mission to be “the front door” in today’s current healthcare system, as nearly 80% of U.S. rural counties don’t have a doctor close by. In conversation, Andrew and Aaron discuss how Hims encourages men to take care of themselves and seek treatment for often stigmatized health concerns, the company’s recent IPO, and the launch of a full mental health category where users can seek free online therapy. The two also talk about how Hims & Hers seeks to be more gender inclusive and the potential company changes that could come to fruition as a result. Tune in to hear more about how the pandemic is permanently shifting the healthcare system and learn more at forhims.com and forhers.com.Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Katrina Waelchli, Julie Strickland, Parker Jenkins, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raising Our Hands author Jenna Arnold discusses equality, vulnerability, and the importance of finding and using your voice during this challenging, polarizing and politicized time. Exploring the themes covered in the book, Jenna offers her unique perspective on privilege and shares insights from her years of conversations with white women across America about their identity and role in the country. Raising Our Hands is a call to white women – but relevant beyond that demographic – to stop avoiding hard conversations and to step up, mobilize, and listen to the marginalized voices that have been ignored for too long. Tune in to hear more about Jenna’s other roles as a Women’s March National organizer and Chief Impact Officer at Rethink, and learn more at jennaarnold.com.Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Katrina Waelchli, Meg Ruocco, Parker Jenkins, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BioLite CEO Jonathan Cedar shines a light on how many people around the world lack clean, affordable household energy, which leads to meals cooked on smoky open fires and little or no electricity in homes. After learning about these issues, Jonathan founded BioLite, which offers products designed to cook, charge, and light off-grid households by harnessing surrounding energy. Through the company’s unique Parallel Innovation model, BioLite targets both off-grid households in emerging markets and outdoor recreation users seeking no-fuel cooking and charging. Jonathan and Aaron discuss how this model provides an anchor revenue stream from the outdoor recreation users that allows the company the time and space needed to determine an economically sustainable business model to effectively serve the emerging market customers that most need these products. Tune in to hear why Jonathan thinks we need to change how we think and talk about purpose and sustainability when it comes to business, and learn more at bioliteenergy.com.Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Katrina Waelchli, Meg Ruocco, Parker Jenkins, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abbey Wemimo co-founder of Esusu, a financial technology platform that helps disenfranchised and financially excluded individuals seek a better, more fiscally prosperous future, believes where you come from shouldn’t determine where you’ll go. Abbey and Aaron explore housing as a basic human right, discuss how Esusu helps individuals build money and credit that is deemed essential to securing housing and wealth in the U.S., and why companies like Esusu are essential to leveling out the playing field especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also discusses why Esusu’s mission is so important to him personally, and the incredible, collective sacrifices his mother made to get him to where he is today. Tune in to hear the meaning behind the company name Esusu, and learn more at esususavings.org.Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Katrina Waelchli, Meg Ruocco, Parker Jenkins, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Honey Pot Founder and CEO Bea Dixon touches on the founding of her plant-powered hygiene product company and how she’s leveraged her platform to discuss racial, gender and economic justice. Bea began creating The Honey Pot products from her own kitchen sink, and now the company is in nearly every major retailer. In conversation, Bea discusses the recent Target advertisement that received backlash and how Target has had such a strong impact on the company’s success, how The Honey Pot works to normalize previously-thought taboo conversations around period talk, and how the company – and Bea’s own personal healing – came to fruition following a dream where her passed grandmother visited her. Tune in to hear about Bea’s journey and learn more about the company at thehoneypot.co.  DISCLAIMER: In the course of Aaron and Bea’s engaging conversation, there is some more explicit language than usual in this episode. It’s still a fascinating discussion, and we hope you enjoy listening. Production Credits: Aaron Kwittken, Jeff Maldonado, Dara Cothran, Lindsay Hand, Katrina Waelchli, Meg Ruocco, Parker Jenkins, and Mathew Passy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices