Founded On Purpose

Can we change the world by changing how we consume media? Ashwath Narayanan, co-founder and CEO of Social Currant, thinks so. In this episode, he discusses how purpose-led organizations can further their impact by embracing and investing in the rapidly evolving creator and media landscape.

Episode Summary
Ashwath Narayanan joins host Kt McBratney to talk about his work in the evolving media landscape and how investing in people (creators) rather than platforms (TikTok, Instagram, etc) is a winning strategy for change. He shares the challenges faced by nonprofits in adopting new strategies, and the significance of creativity in impact storytelling. They also touch on the complexities of content strategies and tactics, and the realities of being a content creator. Ashwath shares insights on learning from mistakes, trusting one's instincts as a founder, and the significance of building infrastructure to support the impact ecosystem.

Key Themes:

• Media consumption is a key factor in changing societal behaviors.
• Investing in people is crucial for the impact space and leads to more authentic storytelling.
• Nonprofits are beginning to recognize the value of content creators.
• Building capacity within organizations is crucial for success. Building infrastructure is key to supporting impact organizations.
• The disconnect between decision-makers and media consumers is significant.
• Finding joy in work is essential for sustaining energy. Rest and recovery is essential for sustainable work.
• Trusting your instincts is vital as a founder.

Sound Bites

• "Consumption is how we change the world."
• "Invest in people, not platforms."
• "It's all about connecting with people."
• "Long form never died."
• "You can't do everything all the time."
• "Being a content creator is a real job."
• "The algorithm doesn't listen to you."

Links & Resources

• Learn more about Social Currant
• Connect with Ashwath and Kt on LinkedIn 
• Read and subscribe to Keeping it Currant, the newsletter sharing insights on how to navigate the intersection of the creator economy and the political and social impact space.
• Building and/or investing with purpose? Sign the Pledge!  
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

What happens when purpose meets community? In this special live episode of Founded on Purpose, recorded at the vibrant Holiday UnCorporate Party, Paul Armstrong (General Partner at Renew VC) and Madilynn Beck (Founder & CEO of The Better Spot) join host Kt McBratney to explore how helping others shapes careers, communities, and even the future of entrepreneurship. Plus, hear from other inspiring guests as they share their unique takes on purpose and impact.

Episode Summary 
In this celebratory live recording at The Better Spot’s UnCorporate Party, host Kt McBratney sits down with Paul Armstrong (General Partner at Renew VC) to discuss his journey as a designer, communicator, and advocate for purpose-driven leadership. Paul shares how his role as a conduit between ideas and people has shaped his career and influenced his approach to impact and innovation.

But this episode goes beyond one conversation. We chat with Madilynn Beck (Founder & CEO of The Better Spot) about her purpose for the new year, and she shares her thought process distilling her professional and personal intentions into a single word. Featuring a diverse array of other voices — including founders, dreamers, and changemakers from the UnCorporate Party — listeners will hear perspectives on purpose that range from helping others and overcoming fear to building legacies and fostering motivation. This collective exploration of purpose offers a thought-provoking close to the year and a hopeful look toward the future.

Key Themes

• Purpose as a guiding force in work and life
• Helping others: from personal values to professional missions
• The evolving role of design and communication in leadership
• Insights from a live, dynamic community of founders and changemakers
• Building legacy and overcoming fear in entrepreneurship
• How purpose connects people and drives impact

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Connect with Kt, Renew VC and featured guests from the episode:
  • Paul Armstrong
  • Madilynn A. Beck
  • Caelyn Phillips
  • Kristin Slink
  • Reiko Jordan Brown
  • Whitney Ward
  • Tanisha Yorick-Allen
  • Nichole Healy
• Building and/or investing with purpose? Sign the Pledge!  
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

What does it take to build a supportive community for women and nonbinary people in male-dominant fields? In this episode, Old Girls Club founder Mallory Contois and host Kt McBratney delve into the unexpected parallels between relationships and business success. Mallory shares her take of the roles of support networks, partners, and friendships in achieving professional goals. Can who you choose as a partner impact your entrepreneurial journey? How important is context when it comes to who's giving you advice?

In this conversation, Mallory discusses her evolving purpose centered around lifting others, her recent wins in treating her passion project as a business, and the importance of community and human connection. She reflects on missed opportunities in her field, shares insights on learning from mistakes, and digs into why surrounding yourself with the right people matters. This conversation is packed with personal stories and reflections that highlight the interplay between personal growth, community building, and professional development.

Key Themes & Takeaways

1. The Power of Supportive Relationships
   Mallory reflects on the importance of choosing the right life partner and community, explaining how the people you keep close can influence your mindset, motivation, and career trajectory.
2. Advice vs. Input
   Mallory explains her approach to advice—viewing it more as "input" or "perspective." She emphasizes the value of contextualizing others' feedback within her own goals and experiences.
3. Balancing Play and Rest
   Whether spending time with her fiancé in New York or retreating to her parents' home in Connecticut, Mallory believes in balancing play with moments of quiet solitude.
4. Being Open to Growth and Change
   Her journey from COO to founder, product roles to community leader, shows a willingness to take risks, reframe personal limits, and stay open to life’s unexpected directions.

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Old Girls Club, a community for women and non-binary people in male-dominated fields
• Connect with Mallory Contois on LinkedIn and her personal website
• Connect with Kt and Renew VC on LinkedIn
• Building and/or investing with purpose? Sign the Purpose Pledge!  
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

How can we drive systemic change in the apparel industry while building a sustainable, community-driven brand? Marianna Sachse, founder of Jackalo, shares her journey of designing clothes that stand the test of time.

Episode Summary  

In this episode, Marianna Sachse, founder of Jackalo, dives into the world of sustainable fashion, focusing on durability and responsible production. A lifelong environmentalist who believes humans have the power to do better, Marianna shares her background as a social worker and how her passion for environmental impact led to creating Jackalo, the first circular children's clothing company in the US. From sourcing sustainable materials to designing clothing that withstands the wear and tear of childhood, Marianna discusses Jackalo’s mission to disrupt the fast fashion cycle and make one part of parenting easier. This conversation reveals how one founder blends her values of sustainability and social responsibility to inspire change across the apparel industry. 

Key Themes & Takeaways

• Sustainable Fashion: Marianna shares what sustainability means for Jackalo and how they operates differently from sourcing to production through to retail and disposal.
• Circular Economy: Jackalo’s innovative model, including a buyback program, extends the life cycle of its products while also supporting continuous learning and product development in service of sustainability. 
• Building Community: Through Jackalo, Marianna has cultivated a customer community that values sustainable products, slow fashion, and brand loyalty
• Resilience in Entrepreneurship: The conversation also touches on the challenges of being an impact-driven founder, including navigating economic hurdles and scaling a purpose-centered brand.

Links & Resources

• Connect with Marianna on LinkedIn 
• Browse Jackalo for the kids (and adults!) in your life
• Learn more about Jackalo's sustainability & circular model 
• Check out their innovative TradeUp program and Mend It Guide
• Connect with Kt and Renew VC on LinkedIn
• Building and/or investing with purpose? Sign the Purpose Pledge!  
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

What if peak performance isn’t about doing more but being more? Jason Cavnar unpacks how founders can harness mental health practices to drive innovation, foster resilience, and redefine what it means to lead sustainably in high-pressure environments.

Episode Summary

In this candid and deeply personal conversation, Jason Cavnar, executive director of the Founder Mental Health Pledge, discusses how founders can transform their mental health from an afterthought to a cornerstone of their success. Drawing from his own journey as well as well-documented systemic challenges in the startup ecosystem, Jason highlights why proactive mental health practices are essential for sustaining high performance in entrepreneurship.

The episode explores the interplay between mental well-being and peak leadership, why founders often feel trapped in survival mode, and how small daily rituals can lead to big changes. Jason shares stories about reimagining leadership through consciousness, embracing vulnerability, and using tools like travel and play to foster creativity and innovation. I Whether you’re a founder, an investor, or simply interested in building better systems, this episode offers actionable wisdom and a call to join the movement.

Key Themes

• Shifting from a break-fix model to proactive mental health practices.
• How wellbeing and performance are deeply interconnected.
• The Founder Mental Health Pledge: what it is and how it’s making a difference.
• Reframing "wrongness" in leadership as an opportunity for growth.
• The power of play, travel, and consciousness in sustainable entrepreneurship.

Links & Resources

• Learn more about the Founder Mental Health Pledge
• Connect with Jason Cavnar on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram
• Connect with Kt on LinkedIn and Bluesky
• Learn more about the Integratron
• Explore the work of Renew VC
• Sign the Purpose Pledge
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

How can we find genuine connection in the noise of the digital age? Kay Rodriguez, CEO of Outerly, shares how she's using outdoor experiences and a beginner's mindset to foster belonging at scale and counter the loneliness epidemic.

Episode Summary:
What does it mean to create true belonging in an increasingly disconnected world? Kay Rodriguez, CEO of Outerly, joins us to discuss her mission is to foster authentic interactions. She shares insights on building a human-centered company, embracing failure as part of the startup journey, and the importance of staying grounded in a mission-driven purpose. 

Kay tackles the tension between social media’s potential to connect and its reality of isolating people, and she and host Kt McBratney reflect on the role of nature, human interaction, and vulnerability in building a deeper sense of community. In this candid conversation, Kay also explores her own growth as a founder, including the importance of learning new skills and being comfortable as a beginner. 

Key Takeaways & Themes:

• Creating Belonging Through Nature: How connecting strangers through outdoor experiences offers participants a third place for belonging.
• The Problem with Social Media: While social media began as a way to connect, Kay talks about how its evolution into a space that isolates and fosters comparison, driving people away from genuine connection.
• Human-Centered Companies: Kay shares the value of building human-powered tech and fostering vulnerability in business relationships, even when it comes to investors.
• The Value of Being a Beginner: How embracing learning, new skills, and being a beginner is a powerful way to remain humble, creative, and adaptable.
• Growth vs. Individual Impact: While Outerly has ambitious goals for expansion, Kay remains focused on the individual impact each walk has on participants, emphasizing the importance of genuine human connection in a scalable business model.

Links & Resources

• Connect with Kay on LinkedIn 
• Explore Outerly and sign up for an outing near you
• Follow Outerly on Instagram and TikTok.
• Connect with Kt on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Renew VC
• Sign the Purpose Pledge
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

How can media be a vehicle for change in our noisy, fragmented world? Julian Walker, CEO of PushBlack, joins host Kt McBratney to discuss building a platform that reaches millions in the Black community with powerful stories, history, and a call to action. Hear about his journey, challenges, and insights into impact entrepreneurship as he shares what it takes to build and grow a purpose-driven media platform and the pivotal role of community engagement.

Julian Walker explores the evolution of PushBlack, a media platform dedicated to Black news, history, and issues. He shares how PushBlack has successfully tapped into the power of storytelling to build a connected, engaged community and drive social impact including voter registration and turnout. Julian also digs into the influence growing up in Little Rock has on him to this day, his journey from film school to leading PushBlack, and his broader vision for changing the narrative and amplifying Black voices for liberation. 

Key Themes & Takeaways  

• Building a Media Platform for Social Impact: Julian shares how PushBlack's focus on Black history, news, and awareness has fostered a dedicated following and supported its goal of social change.
• The Role of Storytelling in Community Building: PushBlack leverages stories to educate, inform, and inspire, creating a deeply engaged audience in the process.
• Challenges in Media Entrepreneurship:** From funding hurdles to content challenges, Julian offers insights into what it takes to sustain and grow a purpose-driven media platform.
• The Power of Community: Julian talks about how PushBlack has cultivated a strong sense of community, mobilizing millions for advocacy and positive change.

Links & Resources

• Learn more about PushBlack's work at PushBlack.org
• Interact with stories and podcasts centering Black history and experiences 
• Connect with Julian on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kt on LinkedIn and follow Renew VC
• Join our Community of Purpose

How can agency reshape creativity and entrepreneurship? Emily Best discusses how taking control of your story and vision is essential for thriving as a creator, building a company, and sparking lasting change in your community.

Episode Summary: In this inspiring episode, Kt McBratney talks with Emily Best, founder and CEO of Film Forward and Seed&Spark, a platform empowering creators with the resources and community they need to tell impactful stories. Emily dives deep into her personal and entrepreneurial journey, sharing wisdom on the importance of agency, the unexpected joys and challenges of leadership, and the power of creative autonomy. From her favorite part of the job—teaching workshops to creators—to her least favorite—fundraising—Emily offers invaluable advice for entrepreneurs and creators navigating uncertain terrain. Tune in for insights on how to trust your gut, when to seek advice, and why maintaining a clear vision is critical in the face of doubt.

Key Topics: 

• Emily’s journey founding and growing Seed&Spark 
• The importance of agency in creative and entrepreneurial ventures 
• Navigating advice and knowing which to follow 
• Emily’s daily grounding practice to stay connected with her inner voice in a Zoom-focused world 
• Why teaching creators is the most fulfilling part of her role 
• The intersection of creativity and purpose in the entrepreneurial space 

Notable Quotes: 

• “Your gut is only as good as the sum of your experiences up until that point.” 
• “Advice is only helpful if you have a clear vision of what you want and are trying to manifest.” 
• "I get to actually be there for the moment of impact, witnessing creators assume their agency. It’s the best part of what I do." 

Links & Resources:

• Explore Seed&Spark for creative funding and education and the Distribution Playbook for resources for building successful distribution strategies.
• Visit Film Forward for experiential learning with the world’s best short films.
• Learn about the Equal Rights Amendment and get info on screenings and events for the film Ratified 
• Share your personal stories about technology, starting with the mobile phone, at People's History of Tech. 
• Connect with Emily and Kt on Linkedin 
• Learn more about Renew VC
• Sign the Purpose Pledge
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

How do you mix centuries-old garments with modern business strategies? Fashion Conservatory’s Melinda Villareal takes us inside the vintage fashion world as she discusses her journey from passionate vintage clothing seller to building a growing retail platform that marries history with the future of fashion.

Episode Summary: In this episode, Melinda Villareal (CEO of Fashion Conservatory) dives deep into the vintage fashion world, sharing insights into the preservation versus personalization debate within the vintage community and the biggest missed opportunity in her industry.

Melinda also discusses the challenges of being taken seriously in both the fashion and startup worlds, how her team keeps vintage clothing alive for future generations, and the excitement she finds in restoring garments to their former glory. Whether you're a fashion enthusiast or curious about the business side of vintage fashion, this episode is packed with insights, history, and inspiration.

Key Moments:

• [00:04:30] Melinda's journey from a vintage enthusiast to CEO, and her mission to preserve history through fashion.
• [00:13:00] Exploring the tension between altering vintage garments and maintaining historical integrity.
• [00:22:00] Melinda's "hill to die on" about preserving vintage pieces and how her work ensures future generations can experience these unique garments.
• [00:27:00] How vintage fashion, often seen as "women's work," is undervalued in the business world and the challenges of running a vintage business in the startup ecosystem.
• [00:34:00] The opportunity Melinda sees in uniting fragmented vintage sellers and creating a stronger marketplace for one-of-a-kind pieces.
• [00:36:30] The joy and play Melinda finds in her work, from sourcing vintage clothes to overseeing garment restoration.
• [00:39:00] How to get started with vintage fashion and explore the vast archives on Fashion Conservatory’s website.

Top Quotes:

• "There aren't making 1950s dresses anymore. We need to preserve what we have." 
• "Play for me is unpacking boxes, washing something filthy, and seeing it get clean again." 
• "Fashion Conservatory is about preserving not just the glamorous pieces, but also the everyday wear that tells the story of people from the past." – 
• "The problem is the opportunity. And the problem of fragmentation in vintage fashion is exactly what we're solving." 

Links & Resources

• Connect with Melinda on LinkedIn 
• Visit Fashion Conservatory to explore vintage fashion. 
• Learn about fashion history in the Label Archive and their blog. 
• Follow Fashion Conservatory on Instagram and TikTok.
• Connect with Kt on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Renew VC
• Sign the Purpose Pledge
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

How do we build a better world by building software that adapts to us instead of the other way around? Founder and CEO of BetterCEO Mina Raver shares how her journey from a 10-year-old entrepreneur selling origami to a tech founder is rooted in challenging conventions and embracing innovation. Tune in to learn how cognitive differences and tinkering drive her work and leadership to  break down societal hierarchies and outdated systems

Episode Summary:
In this episode, Kt McBratney sits down with Mina Raver, founder of BetterCEO, to explore the intersection of accessibility, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Mina shares her unique perspective on how societal systems have historically limited accessibility and what needs to change for more inclusive environments. She also delves into her personal experiences of being a lifelong tinkerer, her journey as a solo founder, and the importance of play in her life. From discussing her neurodivergence and how it shapes her decision-making to revealing the challenges of being a tech founder limited by capital, Mina provides a thought-provoking and inspiring look at her work, leadership, and vision for a more accessible world.

Key Takeaways:
• Accessibility and Social Hierarchies: Mina explains how systemic societal structures have historically limited accessibility, from people with disabilities to mothers with strollers, reinforcing outdated hierarchies that don’t serve the majority.
• Cognitive Differences and Innovation: The conversation touches on the importance of understanding cognitive diversity and how rigid labels can stifle innovation. Mina emphasizes the need to build systems with everyone in mind.
• The Role of Play in Creativity: Mina shares how play with her family, whether through video games or imaginative activities with her children, helps keep her mentally fit and fuels her creativity.
• Entrepreneurial Challenges: One of Mina’s biggest challenges as a tech founder is navigating capital limitations, which often slow down progress. She also reflects on the transformative experience of building a team and seeing their collective contributions create something greater than she could have envisioned.
•  Navigating Advice as a Founder: Mina discusses how her synesthesia helps her visualize and categorize advice, allowing her to determine what resonates and what to reserve for later consideration. Trusting her gut is essential in her decision-making process.

Themes:
• Accessibility & Inclusion: The conversation underscores the importance of building systems that prioritize inclusivity and accessibility for all.
• Cognitive Diversity: Highlighting the value of cognitive differences, Mina encourages a broader understanding of how people think and process information.
• Entrepreneurial Grit: Mina’s journey from a 10-year-old entrepreneur to a tech founder reveals her deep passion for problem-solving and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
• The Power of Play: Play is a key element in both Mina’s personal and professional life, offering mental stimulation and creative energy.
• Building with Purpose: Throughout her career, Mina has focused on creating with purpose—whether it's her early ventures or founding BetterCEO, everything she does aims to make a meaningful impact.

Links & Resources

• Learn more about BetterCEO & download the free app
• Watch Mina's free coaching videos and more every Tuesday on the BetterCEO YouTube channel.
• Connect with Mina on LinkedIn and Instagram
• Learn more about Renew VC
• Sign the Purpose Pledge
• Connect with Kt on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose

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