There are only two ways to run the world. Guns or lawyers. That's it. It's either the threat of force or the rule of law. Everything we call civil society, from the contracts that govern business to rights that protect our privacy and freedom itself, depend on that second path. And lawyers are the custodians of that path. Yet we too often forget this. We joke about lawyers, but they protect civil society so each of us can achieve our version of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Skye Perryman (https://www.instagram.com/skyeperryman/?hl=en), the President and CEO of Democracy Forward (https://democracyforward.org/), for an urgent conversation about how to preserve democracy. Skye traces her trajectory from her childhood in Texas, to a career in private practice, to her current role on the front lines of some of the most critical legal battles of our time. She unpacks why the rule of law must be protected, how autocratic tactics deliberately weaponize overwhelm and exhaustion, and why courage is the most valuable currency of this period in American history. Skye discusses the many legal causes Democracy Forward has taken on during the second Trump administration, and she reminds us of the power of being present in our communities and the importance of listening to the stories of other people’s experiences. And for all the lawyers out there, she explains why this is a do-or-die moment for the legal procession, and why it’s time to go back to the basics and defend the Constitution. This episode explores themes of the law, rights, democracy, purpose, autocracy, justice, community, and courage.

Guest: Skye Perryman

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

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Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

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• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:03:59 Early Memories of Doing Good
• 00:06:28 From Private Practice to Public Service
• 00:07:57 Founding Democracy Forward
• 00:10:11 The Value of Law Firm Training
• 00:12:58 Democracy Forward's Mission
• 00:17:30 Normalizing the Abnormal
• 00:21:20 Courage is the New Currency
• 00:29:52 A Call to Action for Lawyers
• 00:37:05 Building a Democracy That Holds Everyone

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Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.

When the world’s on fire, who shows up? Nonprofits. Yet few people know exactly how deeply embedded they are in daily life. They make our communities the special places they are, from animal rescues to food banks, schools to places of worship. But how can they survive, much less thrive, especially when the world around us is so chaotic and adversarial? There is perhaps no better person to answer this question than Joan Garry (https://joangarry.com/). 

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Nonprofit Leadership Lab (https://nonprofitleadershiplab.com/) founder Joan Garry for a candid and insightful conversation about why some organizations succeed, so many fail, and how all leaders and nonprofits can enjoy more success. Joan reconstructs her delightfully twisty career arc from working at MTV in the early 1980s to leading GLAAD in the late 1990s, to later realizing that her highest and best purpose was helping other nonprofit leaders succeed. She shares how she fell into activism by simply wanting to protect her young family from laws that weren’t inclusive of them, and how her membership-based business grew out of a decision to devote herself more fully to her family. She breaks down the common pitfalls that hold leaders from accomplishing their worthiest goals, and reveals hidden secrets to nonprofit success (hint: better board relations and better marketing!). This episode explores themes of leadership, purpose, scarcity, legacy, growth, and transformation.

Guest: Joan Garry

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:01:53 Early Memories of Doing Good
• 00:05:46 From MTV to Don King
• 00:08:12 Taking the Leap to GLAAD
• 00:09:58 Turning Around a Failing Organization
• 00:13:19 Why Nonprofits Are Messy
• 00:14:54 Building the Nonprofit Leadership Lab
• 00:18:45 The Biggest Challenges Nonprofits Face
• 00:21:00 The Vision for Scaling Impact
• 00:32:51 Advice for Nonprofit Leaders and Board Members
• 00:47:40 Legacy and Making Your Mark

Check out our Podcast: https:// (https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran)

Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.

Imagine you’re a healthy young adult with your entire life ahead of you. Then one day, doctors tell you you’re going to die. Not someday. Now. That happened to David Fajgenbaum (https://davidfajgenbaum.com/). But he survived. And now he’s pushing the frontiers of medical research to help save others.

In the debut episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by doctor, scientist, and nonprofit founder Dr. David Fajgenbaum for a powerful and inspiring conversation about how nearly dying from Castleman disease while in med school led him to found his nonprofit, Every Cure (https://everycure.org/). David traces his mother’s positive influence on him as a child to the impact her death from cancer had on his future. He shares how the love of his family brought him back from the edge of death, and how this led to the breakthrough research he is now pioneering on the frontlines of fighting disease. He reflects on how Every Cure went from an idea with zero dollars to a nine-figure mission in just a few years, and reveals practices that other organizations can follow. With vulnerability and insight, David demonstrates how personal struggles can become a force that changes the world. This episode explores themes of family, grief, resilience, vision, teamwork, and the preciousness of life itself.

Guest: Dr. David Fajgenbaum

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman and Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Host Scott M. Curran takes listeners inside the playbook of the world’s top social impact leaders—so anyone can learn to do more good, better.

As CEO of Beyond Advisers, a consultancy advising world-leading foundations, brands, and changemakers, Scott has spent more than two decades guiding transformative initiatives tackling humanity's hardest challenges. He previously served as General Counsel of the Clinton Foundation and teaches one of the nation’s first law school courses on Social Impact Law.

On this podcast, he sits down with the innovators reimagining how the world does good—bringing you conversations you won’t hear anywhere else: candid stories, proven strategies, and actionable insights listeners can use in their lives, careers, and missions.