Episodes
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How can businesses be a force for good while still making a profit? B Corps are leading the way in redefining success in business. B Corps are organizations that are certified by B Lab for meeting high standards of social and environmental impact, transparency, and accountability. We spoke with Jorge Fontanez, CEO of B Lab U.S. and Canada, about the growing B Corp movement and how we all can get involved.
Jorge provides insights into B Lab's innovative approach to harnessing business as a catalyst for positive change. We discuss how B Corps are community-driven, with volunteer-led chapters creating local ecosystems. Jorge highlights the importance of education, storytelling, and collective action in shifting business culture. He shares B Lab's commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, recognizing more work ahead to engage marginalized communities.
Jorge also reflects on his career and explains the nuances of partnering with multinational corporations on the sustainability journey while maintaining high standards. He offers advice on finding purpose-driven work, whether starting your own socially-conscious business or changing organizations from within.
What You'll Learn:
- The B Corp certification process and how it drives better business practices
- Examples of how B Corps create positive community and environmental impact
- How B Lab helps scale purpose-driven companies through local networks
- Tips for evaluating your values to find fulfilling work or build an impactful organization
- Why transparency, accountability, and trust-building are key to benefitting all stakeholders
- How people of all backgrounds can get involved with the growing B Corp movement
- Why collaboration across sectors is critical to addressing systemic challenges
Join us for an inspirational look inside the B Corp movement empowering people to use business as a force for good. Discover how you can get involved or incorporate these lessons into your own career and leadership.
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How can we provide equitable transit access to underserved communities? Su Sanni, CEO and Co-Founder of Dollaride, is tackling this challenge by modernizing commuter van networks through his social startup. In this episode, Su talks about innovating at the intersection of mobility and social impact, lessons for social entrepreneurs, and how to design long-lasting solutions.
Su shares his origin story, growing up reliant on informal dollar van services in transit deserts of NYC. He later discovered family members were drivers, inspiring his entrepreneurial journey to improve the industry. Dollaride empowers drivers by providing software, financing, electric vehicles, and infrastructure to scale up operations.
We explore Su's philosophy on customer research and "failing forward" through constant iteration. He offers advice on skills like resourcefulness and adaptability that enable entrepreneurial success. Su also stresses the importance of work-life balance, having evolved from sleepovers at the office to more sustainable habits.
What You'll Learn:
- How transportation deserts impact people and the solutions available to people currently
- Methods for deep customer research when developing new solutions
- Su's lessons from evolving as a founder over 10+ years of startups
- The value of complementary partnerships that compensate for our weaknesses
- How entrepreneurs can find balance and avoid burnout
- Why impact-driven businesses need long-term sustainable models
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Episodes manquant?
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Can unconditional cash transfers help end extreme poverty? In this episode, we speak with Tyler Hall, Director of Communications at GiveDirectly, about how giving cash directly to those in need is transforming lives.
GiveDirectly has an innovative model of providing cash grants with no strings attached to people living on less than $1.90 per day. Recipients can use the money to buy food, pay for housing, cover school fees, invest in businesses, and more. To date, GiveDirectly has delivered over $300 million to more than a million people across Africa and Latin America.
Tyler explains how GiveDirectly uses mobile payments and data analytics to identify recipients, deliver funds, and track results. He shares what makes their approach different from traditional charity programs. We discuss research on the multiplier effects of cash aid and how it empowers agency and dignity.
Tyler also opens up about his career journey from comedy TV production into nonprofit communications. He reflects on finding purpose in work and offers advice on making career transitions between sectors. He also shares creativity hacks for professionals working in communications, marketing, and other creative fields.
What Youâll Learn:
1ď¸âŁ How direct cash aid differs from other forms of development assistance
2ď¸âŁ The philosophy behind GiveDirectly's unconditional approach
3ď¸âŁ Why Tyler sought more purpose-driven work beyond entertainment
4ď¸âŁ How to manage a global nonprofit team in ways that add value and rewards
5ď¸âŁ Tips for finding fulfillment and switching sectors in your career
6ď¸âŁ How to create time for creativity amidst busy schedules
Join us for an eye-opening look at how cash aid is reducing inequality and providing opportunity. Learn how GiveDirectlyâs model is challenging traditional charity. Discover why purpose-driven work matters with Tyler Hall.
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Could the clothing in our closets be secretly harming our health? In this compelling episode, our guest Alden Wicker, author of 'To Die For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick and How We Can Fight Back', unveils the shocking reality of the harmful chemicals used in the fashion industry and their link to various health problems, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, and fertility issues. We also discuss the importance of being informed about our clothing, including its origins and manufacturing process, to create a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry.
Alden also shares her career journey as founder of EcoCult, a leading sustainable style website, and offers career tips on balancing freelancing, leveraging networking, and accelerating serendipity through curiosity and connection.
What Youâll Learn:
Hidden health hazards in everyday clothing and home textilesHow the fashion industry promotes toxicity through misleading marketingWays to reduce your exposure through informed shopping habitsThe importance of ingredient transparency and chemical regulationsHow Alden built her career as an independent writer and expert on sustainable fashionNetworking and developing authentic professional relationshipsBalancing productivity, passion, and overall well-being as a freelancerAbout Be Social Change:
Be Social Change is a social impact community providing you with expert professional development, curated networking, and strategic coaching to help you grow a successful social impact career.
Access free social impact career resources and network with like-minded people at https://www.besocialchange.com
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Marcos SalazarJenn LishanskyRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps us support more people â just like you â in building successful social impact careers. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select âWrite a Review.â Then be sure to let us know what you enjoyed most about the episode! Also, if you havenât done so already, follow the podcast.
Guest Bio:
Alden Wicker is an award-winning independent journalist and author of To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick â and How We Can Fight Back (Putnam). She splits her time between managing her internationally recognized website EcoCult.com and contributing to publications like The New York Times, Vox, Wired, The Cut, and more. Sheâs made expert appearances on the BBC, Al Jazeera, NPR, CBC, and MSNBC, and has been cited by The New York Times, Teen Vogue, Complex, and Nylon as a leading voice in the movement.
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Celia Moreno is a Social Impact Lead at Lyft, one of a few major tech companies with a social and environmental mission. Celia offers an inside look into how major corporations integrate social impact into their core product.
She shares her journey into the world of social impact, her role in managing Lyft's transportation access programs, the importance of advocacy, and her experiences with technology in her role.
The conversation delves into the importance of being a 'jack of all trades' - or a generalist - with strong communication skills, and building relationships within an organization. Celia also candidly discusses her personal growth journey, the struggles she faced, and the inspiring human stories that fuel her work.
What You Will Learn:
1ď¸âŁ A unique approach to integrating social impact into core products.
2ď¸âŁ How advocacy plays an essential role within major corporations.
3ď¸âŁ The diverse set of skills that are instrumental in shaping a career in social impact.
4ď¸âŁ The use of technology in driving social impact and policy integration.
5ď¸âŁ The power of networking and building relationships across the organization.
6ď¸âŁ The significance of creativity, understanding the social impact landscape, and self-compassion in achieving success.
7ď¸âŁ Practical career advice for anyone looking to develop a career in social impact.
About Be Social Change:
Be Social Change is a social impact community providing you with expert professional development, curated networking, and strategic coaching to help you grow a successful social impact career.
Access free social impact career resources and network with like-minded people at https://www.besocialchange.com
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Reading news headlines, it is clear that there is no lack of urgent needs to create social change across the world. However, so many people feel stuck, lost, or unsure of how to make a difference in the issues they care about.
Regardless of where you work, there is a certain set of skills and mindsets that are absolutely crucial to becoming a changemaker.
Our incredible guest, Alex Budak, has studied exactly how to become a changemaker throughout his career and has authored a book on the topic, as well as teaches a course on it at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. He offers inspiring examples and valuable insights to both people currently working in the social impact sector as well as those who want to change the status quo.
ďťżWhat Youâll Learn:
The three essential pillars of becoming a changemaker: mindset, leadership, and a readiness for action. The importance of questioning norms and inspiring others to step forward towards change. The impact of community support on career growth and how 'microleadership' can create waves. How to embrace failure and venture into new territories with confidence. The role of personal mission in navigating a social impact career.About Be Social Change:
Be Social Change is a social impact community providing you with expert professional development, curated networking, and strategic coaching to help you grow a successful social impact career.
Access free social impact career resources and network with like-minded people at https://www.besocialchange.com
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Marcos SalazarJenn LishanskyRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps us support more people â just like you â in building successful social impact careers. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select âWrite a Review.â Then be sure to let us know what you enjoyed most about the episode! Also, if you havenât done so already, follow the podcast.
Guest Bio:
Alex Budak is a UC Berkeley faculty member, social entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He helps people from all walks of life become changemakers and create impact anywhere.
At UC Berkeley, Budak teaches his wildly-popular course âBecoming a Changemaker,â directs the Berkeley Haas Global Access Program, and teaches and leads Berkeley Executive Education programs.
His book, Becoming a Changemaker (Hachette, 2022), has been endorsed by Nobel Prize winners, Olympic athletes, and most meaningful of allâhis former students who are using these ideas to change the world.
A social entrepreneur at heart, Budak co-founded StartSomeGood, which has helped more than 1,200 changemakers in 50 countries raise millions of dollars to launch and scale new change initiatives.
A graduate of UCLA and Georgetown University, Budak has given lectures and keynotes...
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A lot of people reach a point in their career where they want more meaning and purpose in their work. However, many people donât exactly know how to transition into a career that makes a greater social impact. Being able to translate your skills and career assets - like your network - across sectors is crucial.
Our amazing guest Anthony Marios, Director of Business Development and Partnerships at charity: water, shares his career journey navigating from for profit work to an innovative nonprofit where heâs found fulfillment and success, and is actively contributing his skills to Be Social Change on a global level.
What Youâll Learn:
Insights into Anthony's professional journey, from his time at Zipcar to founding his own startup, Loose Cubes, and eventually joining Charity Water.Understanding the challenges and opportunities when transitioning from for-profit to nonprofit work.How to find the supportive culture you want to work in during a job search. Strategies for networking and cultivating strong professional relationships.How to build engaging partnerships from diverse sectors like the live streaming community and cryptocurrency.The importance of transparency in showing the impact of contributions.Career advice on managing a team, building self-awareness, trusting oneself, and fostering a culture of trust and development in the workplaceAbout Be Social Change:
Be Social Change is a social impact community providing you with expert professional development, curated networking, and strategic coaching to help you grow a successful social impact career. Access free social impact career resources and network with like-minded people at https://www.besocialchange.com
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Marcos SalazarJenn LishanskyRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps us support more people â just like you â in building successful social impact careers. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select âWrite a Review.â Then be sure to let us know what you enjoyed most about the episode! Also, if you havenât done so already, follow the podcast.
Guest Bio:
Since 2017, Anthony has led business development and creator relationships at charity: water, crafting and executing various partnerships and fundraising campaigns to help bring clean water to communities around the globe. He spent the earlier years of his career in marketing and sales roles at various startups (most notably Zipcar) before realizing that his talents would be better utilized at an organization dedicated to actually changing the world. Widely known by those close to him for his unshakeable optimism and endless energy, Anthony is excited to see the day when every person on the planet has access to clean water once and for all.
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In order to create systemic change, business has to be part of the social impact equation. But how can companies move towards a model that has social impact as part of their business strategy? And what does it take to build a successful career and make a significant impact in the world of corporate social responsibility (CSR)?
This weekâs guest, Monique Carswell, Director of the Center for Racial Equity at Walmart.org, share an incredible journey from entrepreneurial beginnings to her powerful CSR role at one of the largest companies in the world: Walmart.org. She shines a spotlight on the importance of authenticity, creativity, networking, and a firm set of values in growing a meaningful career and driving social change.
Monique's storied career path is a testament to her commitment to creating opportunities and access for others. She's held influential roles at Cosmo Girl, Hearst Corporation, Teach for America, and Comcast NBCUniversal, using each platform as a catalyst for financial empowerment within the black community. Her transition to Walmart in 2020 marked a pivotal moment, enabling her to use her business acumen and personal passion to amplify her social impact. Monique's unique perspective and lived experiences add a depth of understanding to the worlds of CSR, racial equity, and social justice.
What Youâll Learn:
The most impactful ways of practicing corporate social responsibility (CSR)How to build on your life experiences at each step of your career journeyThe importance of, and ways, to maintain and grow a network throughout your careerThe power of elevating racial and global equity in all workAbout Be Social Change:
Be Social Change is a social impact community providing you with expert professional development, curated networking, and strategic coaching to help you grow a successful social impact career.
Access free social impact career resources and network with like-minded people at https://www.besocialchange.com
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Marcos SalazarJenn LishanskyRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps us support more people â just like you â in building successful social impact careers. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select âWrite a Review.â Then be sure to let us know what you enjoyed most about the episode! Also, if you havenât done so already, follow the podcast.
Guest Bio:
Monique Carswell is no stranger to hard work and perseverance. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, her passion and dedication are reflected in Moniqueâs many accomplishments that showcase her executive leadership, community advocacy and international flair. With 17 years of experience encompassing a combination of philanthropy, marketing communications, strategic planning and program implementation, partnerships, nonprofit management, community relations, and social innovation, Monique has proven herself to be a leader within both the corporate and cause...
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What skills do you need to develop to create lasting change within a large organization?
Eli Malinsky, Deputy Director at the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program, joins us to shed light on the unique challenges and skill sets needed for driving social impact within some of the largest corporations in the world.
Eli shares his social impact career journey transitioning from a program manager at a small nonprofit to an executive director to a director at one of the most innovative nonprofits in the world, and how this experience shaped his understanding of the importance of learning how to navigate complex ecosystems while building a compelling business case for social impact initiatives.
We explore the evolution of the social impact space, touching on the shift towards more coordinated efforts and inclusive, diverse solutions. We dive into the importance of working purposefully and embracing personal growth in amplifying our social impact work
What Youâll Learn:
What is Intrapreneurship and how you can develop this skill set to drive change within your organization Creating social impact within large organizationsStrategies for introspection, finding purpose, and personal growthLeveraging emotional intelligence as a managerAbout Be Social Change:
Be Social Change is a social impact community providing you with expert professional development, curated networking, and strategic coaching to help you grow a successful social impact career.
Access free social impact career resources and network with like-minded people at https://www.besocialchange.com/
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Marcos SalazarJenn LishanskyRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps us support more people â just like you â in building successful social impact careers. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select âWrite a Review.â Then be sure to let us know what you enjoyed most about the episode! Also, if you havenât done so already, follow the podcast.
Guest Bio:
Eli Malinsky has devoted his career to helping leaders build a more just, equitable and sustainable world. Over the past 20 years, Eli has designed and delivered programs for thousands of social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs in public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Eli is currently Deputy Director of the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program, where he helps to guide the programâs strategy and operations. Eli also serves as director of Aspenâs First Movers Fellowship, BSPâs flagship leadership development program for change-makers inside of large companies. Prior to his role at the Aspen Institute, Eli spent ten years running coworking and incubator spaces for social entrepreneurs at the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto and New York City.
About The Aspen Institute:
The Aspen Institute Business and Society Program works with business executives and scholars to align business decisions and investments with the long-term
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Welcome to the Be Social Change Podcast, your go-to resource for weekly personal and professional development advice to help you build a successful social impact career.
Join Marcos Salazar and Jenn Lishansky, the team behind the social impact community Be Social Change, for expert career and business advice along with weekly interviews with innovative social impact leaders and entrepreneurs who share the skills and strategies they used to build successful careers at socially-conscious organizations (B Corps or social enterprises, nonprofits, CSR departments, sustainability initiatives, impact investing, and within government).
Weâre so happy to have you as part of the Be Social Change community and we look forward to supporting you on your own journey to Be Social Change in your work and life.
Subscribe today and join 30,000+ social impact professionals learning new skills, advancing in their careers, and making a greater contribution in the world.
-- ABOUT BE SOCIAL CHANGE --
Be Social Change is a social impact community providing you with expert professional development, networking, and coaching to help you grow a successful social impact career.
Access free social impact career resources and network with like-minded people at https://www.besocialchange.com/
