Ecosystems For Change

In today’s episode, you’ll meet my friend David Hirsch.

David is one of those rare people who–within two minutes of talking to you–makes you feel completely seen, heard, understood, and valued. I hope you get some of that in this conversation. 

From his office in Chattanooga, TN, he shares with us his experience with burnout as a community builder. David talks about not only the mental and emotional toll, but the physical manifestations of his work-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Grounded in his experience as a youth worker, David has developed a unique approach to taking care of himself and others by deeply engaging our own support networks as an active selfcare practice. 

A full stack community builder who can't help but see the best in people, David Hirsch has sought to improve the lives of others by creating sustainability in their lives. This work spans personal, professional, spiritual, and familial considerations. Drawing from a varied background, and many wise friends/mentors/books, he is occasionally able to bring the right resource to the right person at the right time for the right reason... when he is paying attention, listens, and is not being a narcissist.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How ecosystem builders unconsciously push each other toward burnout
• Why ecosystem builders and the people in their lives need community support, not self care
• How asking for help builds stronger communities
• Why ecosystem builders need to work toward transfers of trust in their projects

Learn more about David Hirsch:

• Facebook: @hirschey8
• Connect with David on LinkedIn

Learn more about Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
• Leave a voice message!

Resources:

• BetterHelp
• Sustainable Youth Ministry: Why Most Youth Ministry Doesn't Last and What Your Church Can Do about It, Mark DeVries
• The Body Keeps The Score, Bessel van der Kolk
• Your Brain is Always Listening, David G. Amen

Today’s conversation takes place in Dayton, Ohio, where I caught up with Candace Dalmagne-Rouge, social entrepreneur, Zebra and mother of twin girls.

I wanted you all to meet Candace because she has lived the startup life of acceleration, ecosystem building, and Silicon Valley and has come out the other end intact to start a business that is deeply aligned with her personal experience and purpose.

I so enjoyed talking to her about spirituality, trusting your intuition and acknowledging the important transitions in life. 

Candace Dalmagne-Rouge is the Founder of Ceremony - helping people honor, heal and celebrate life. Through DIY ceremony kits, events and eventually retreats, her intention is to cultivate sacred, inspired space and bring people into power, presence and reverence for life.

With nearly a decade of experience supporting entrepreneurs, small businesses, and startup ecosystems both locally and internationally, Candace combines her knowledge in entrepreneurship with her passion for holistic wellbeing in this latest venture. 

Content note: This episode discusses miscarriage and child loss.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How Candace realized she needed a change from the hustle of working for Silicon Valley
• The practices that Candace uses to keep herself balanced and grounded 
• How creating space for ceremony has played an important role in Candace’s life and why she wants to bring that to others
• Why Candace says it’s critical to develop a relationship with your intuition for when things get tough

Learn more about Candace Dalmagne-Rouge:

• Ceremony
• Instagram: @holdceremony 
• Facebook: @holdceremony 
• Connect with Candace on LinkedIn 

Learn more about Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
• Leave a voice message!

Resources:

• Dr. Joe Dispenza

Today, I want you to meet Alex Boross-Harmer.

Alex used to be my Crossfit Coach and has since taken a completely new, holistic and empathetic approach to helping others move their body. Think sweating and panting, but fun.

From the 15th floor of their condo in Toronto, Canada, Alex talks about their transition from Barbie to Ken with an ink sleeve, making the fitness industry more human and honoring their own needs.

Alex Boross-Harmer is an activist, coach, teacher, social-worker-in-training, and communication-obsessed human. Equal parts rebel, academic, and want-to-be Ted Lasso, Alex uses mental-health-focused fitness as a vehicle to heal our collective oppression in a capitalist, patriarchal society. Alex's mission is to create spaces for others who, like them, felt like they "never quite fit in" in the world around them and want to feel not only safe but powerful expressing their full, unapologetically unique selves.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How pivoting to online classes as the pandemic started gave Alex the freedom to re-envision how they approach fitness
• How to find movement that brings you joy
• Why fitness professionals need to approach their clients as whole humans who don’t have to leave their feelings at the door
• How Alex prioritizes self care and rest, while working to let go of the shame or productivity culture

Learn more about Alex Boross-Harmer:

• ABH Movement
• Instagram: @abh_movement
• TikTok: @abh_movement
• Beneath the Armour

Learn more about Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
• Leave a voice message!

Resources:

Brené Brown: Dare to Lead podcast

Today, we’re headed to Melbourne, Australia, to talk to my good friend Isaac Jeffries.

He was kind enough to sit down after a late-night game of Aussie rules to talk to me about his experience working in the Australian and South Pacific social enterprise space.

We chatted about setting and upholding boundaries to ensure we don’t disappoint ourselves or the people around us who matter. We also talked about having the guts to share your work, managing your energy, and staying true to your ethical compass.

Isaac Jeffries works with people who want to do good and make money at the same time. He runs accelerator programs and coaching sessions with social entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses and stay financially sustainable.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How feeling responsible for something greater than ourselves can fuel action and burning the candle at both ends
• How Isaac now balances work that is energizing and work that is draining
• Why setting and keeping boundaries means getting comfortable with disappointing people
• Why your ethical reputation is far more important than your output reputation
• How making progress in secret can create longevity in your creativity

Learn more about Isaac Jeffries:

• IsaacJeffries.com
• Instagram: @evander.strategy

Learn more about Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
• Leave a voice message!

Resources:

• Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered, Austin Kleon

If you listened to the first two seasons of this show, you may have noticed that I ask each guest how they’re handling the demands of the work as systemic thinkers and doers.

Having worked in this space for years, I know that many of us idealists and hopeless optimists come dangerously close to burning the candle on both ends on a regular basis. 

And this is why we need to talk about burnout friends.

We cannot afford for any of us to break down, to quit. Who is going to change the world if all the changemakers are depleted and exhausted?

And what’s more, we’re not interchangeable. One ecosystem builder or social impact enthusiast lost is a huge cost. I firmly believe that we all have a unique gift that we bring into this world and when we lose someone to burnout, that gift will forever be lost to our community.

In season 3, I talk to practitioners who can help us build a solid foundation of physical, mental and emotional health so that we can stay in this game of ecosystem building for a long time to come!

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How I grappled with exhaustion and burning the candle at both ends
• Why just working harder isn’t the answer
• The systemic issues that leave so many ecosystem builders feeling spent and exhausted

Learn more about the contributors to the episode:

• Cara Meyer
• Jane Finnette 
• Lisa Millette
• Tracey Greene
• Tara McMullin

Learn more about Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
• Leave a voice message!

Resources:

• Martyr in Recovery
• What Works with Tara McMullin Ep 379: Why do we choose squeezing more in over taking time off? 
• Joe Maruschak’s Farewell Letter

Welcome to my second logbook, an in-between-seasons update on what’s been going on behind the scenes of this show and in my work in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, paired with a few observations from the field of ecosystem building here in the US.

In between seasons, I love giving you a little sneak peek into what I have planned over the coming weeks and how YOU can get involved! Let’s do it!

Thank you to my special guests Dr. Amy Beaird, TJ Wright and Lauren Mathena

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• What I’ve been working on at the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF)
• Conversations from the 2022 Startup Champions Network Summit
• What I’m working on for the fall at SCCF
• What’s coming in Season 3 of Ecosystems for Change and a way for you to get involved

Learn More About Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
• Leave a voice message!

Resources:

• Ecosystem Evolution: What's next for the doers, dreamers and makers in the Valley? - Shenandoah Community Capital Fund
• Startup Champions Network
• Ecosystems for Change S02E05: Thriving In a World of Ambiguity, Uncertainty, and Constant Change with April Rinne
• Ecosystems for Change S01E05: How to Manage Copycats and Grow Ecosystems Together with Darlisa Diltz

When we set out on this season, it was all about the great unknown of complex, adaptive systems. Scary, right?

I’ll admit, I was a little unsure myself whether we would be able to make systems thinking a little less intimidating and ultimately helpful to how we foster, build, and nourish ecosystems for change in our communities.

After hearing from our seven guests, I hope that things are a little less unknown. 

Let’s break it down and see what we can take away from this season.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How thinking and acting in complex, adaptive systems actually come naturally to humans, if we let it
• Why we need to let go of the illusion of control and linear thinking in order to take on the challenges we face
• How interconnectivity and mutualism are essential to social change
• Why we need to slow down in order to build meaningful solutions in community
• What kind of mindset shifts are required for leaders in complex, adaptive systems

Learn More About Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator

Resources:

• Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change, April Rinne
• Community: The Structure of Belonging, Peter Block
• The Dawn of System Leadership, Peter Senge, Hal Hamilton, and John Kania

In today’s episode, join me on a trip to the unceded territory of the Sandia Pueblos in New Mexico. I’m sitting down with Vanessa Roanhorse to talk about the Indigenous worldview, how it might inform our approach to thinking in systems, and what exhausts her about being asked to show up as an Indigenous female entrepreneur and educator.

Vanessa Roanhorse (Diné) is the CEO of Roanhorse Consulting, an Indigenous woman-owned company that co-designs wealth and power-building efforts that invests in thoughtful community-led efforts that put people back in the center.

Vanessa is a co-founder of Native Women Lead, a national organization that lifts Indigenous women in business. She sits on the boards of Groundworks NM, Delta Institute, Zebras Unite and is an advisor to Angels of Impact Fund. She is a 2021 Paypal Maggie Lena Walker’s Emerging Leader Awardee and a 2020 Conscious Company Media’s World Changing Women in Sustainable Business Awardee. She is a 2021 Purpose Fund Building Fellow and a 2020 Boston Impact Initiative Fund-Building fellow.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why systems work needs to reimagine capitalism and resource management entirely
• How a worldview that includes a plurality of truths and experiences informs Vanessa’s approach to systems change
• Why individuals need to decenter themselves and work towards community impact
• The basic groundwork and education non-Indigenous people in America need to do
• What morning practice keeps Vanessa grounded

Learn More About Vanessa Roanhorse:

• Roanhorse Consulting
• Twitter: @VRRoanhorse 
• Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn
• Instagram: @RoanhorseConsultingLLC

Learn More About Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator

Resources:

• Leanne Simpson
• Indigenomics, Carol Anne Hilton
• UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• Native Women Lead
• Common Future
• Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer
  
  

Today, we’re taking a trip to Berkeley, California, to talk to my favorite kind of trouble: Kate Sassoon, or as we call her: Sassy. 

Sassy has spent most of her life living in or working with co-ops. We talked about the role of stakeholder capitalism and global cooperativism and how both models help us rethink the current system. Sassy also shares what she learned from going undercover in Silicon Valley and what’s going on under the hood of cooperatives.

Kate “Sassy" Sassoon has spent over 20 years turning her passion for efficiency, effectiveness, and equity into a thriving consultancy offering facilitation, training, and organizational design to social enterprise organizations. She develops inclusive collaboration frameworks, energetic dialogue spaces, and authentic connections. Her work is known for being joyous, empowering, and deeply caring. She brings all that energy and a lifetime of experience with co-ops to the role of Director of Cooperative Membership at Zebras Unite Co-op. She holds 2 degrees from UC Berkeley - one in art and one in science, and approaches the world (and the work) with one foot firmly in each. She delights in deep questions, unexpected connections, and doing well by doing good.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why our capitalist norms of extraction and power concentration hinder our ability to imagine new mutualistic systems
• How stakeholder capitalism helps us bring more people to the table and recenter those who are most impacted
• What Silicon Valley can teach us about the power of narrative
• How the challenges in building cooperative companies that can make them more sustainable in the long-term
• Steps to take to actively engage with cooperatives in your sphere

Learn More About Kate "Sassy" Sassoon:

• Sassy Facilitation
• Facebook: @KSassoon

Learn More About Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator

Resources:

• "Zebras Fix What Unicorns Break"
• Rochdale Pioneers
• Mondragon corporation
• International Cooperative Alliance
• California center for cooperative development
• Zebras Unite
• N.K. Jemisin
• The Sharing Solution
• The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business, Erin Meyer
• For All the People: Uncovering the Hidden History of Cooperation, Cooperative Movements, and Communalism in America, John Curl and Ishmael Reed

Today’s conversation takes place in a small town north of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. 

I sat down with Lana Jelenjev, community alchemist, hospice worker for dying systems and midwife for new emerging systems. Lana introduces the two-loop model that explains her work and shares how she sets and upholds boundaries when helping others cross over from old to new. 

Lana is an avid fire starter, systems thinker and lifelong learner. She is an advocate of “self-full centric living” - a set of practices that you can use to help you live a legacy of connection, presence and fullness.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why systems stay stagnant and mechanistic 
• How the two loops model illustrates compassionate, sustainable systems change
• How to help people move from old to new systems
• How Lana’s practice of checking in with herself helps her set and maintain boundaries

Learn More About ​​Lana Jelenjev:

• LanaJelenjev.com
• Connect with Lana on LinkedIn
• Community Rituals

Learn More About Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com 
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator

Resources:

• Community Builder: Designing Communities for Change
• Zebras Unite
• Two loops model from Berkana Institute
• Michelle Holliday, The Age of Thrivability
• Crowdcast with Michelle Holliday: THRIVABILITY: A framework for regenerative leadership
• Morning Pages, Julia Cameron
• 6 Lenses Strategy