Founders For Good

Alex Price is the former CTO and Co-Founder of Ecologi. Ecologi makes positive climate action, simple and affordable for individuals and businesses all over the world.

In this episode we cover:

• The current state of climate change 
• Who can make the biggest difference? People, governments, or businesses?
• Ecologi’s focus on reforestation and carbon reduction projects  

Want to listen to the full interview, click below:

• Website: http://bit.ly/3Kr8Rbt 
• Apple: http://bit.ly/3K69uFR 
• Amazon: http://bit.ly/3Mangu3 
• Spotify: http://bit.ly/3KnnNHz 

Our Host: Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected] 

Our Guest: Alex Price, Founder and CTO of Ecologi.
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/remotealex/ / https://ecologi.com/

Molly Johnson-Jones is the Co-Founder and CEO of Flexa. Flexa certifies and scores companies based on how flexible they are, then showcases to talent all over the world why these companies are great to work for. 

In this episode we cover:

• Molly’s definition of flexible working 
• The confusion around terms like remote, hybrid and flexible working 
• The biggest blockers to offering flexible working 
• How the pandemic affected flexible working 

Want to listen to the full interview, click below:

Website: https://bit.ly/3zrXF86
Apple: http://bit.ly/3M6wqrr 

Amazon: http://bit.ly/3zqXUAw 

Spotify: http://bit.ly/3MdLl2X 

Our Host: Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected]

Our Guest: Molly Johnson-Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of Flexa.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-johnson-jones/ / https://flexa.careers/

Tessa Clarke is the Co-Founder of OLIO. OLIO is an app that connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses, so surplus food and household items can be shared, not thrown away.

In this episode we cover:

• The scale of food waste globally 
• Where food waste occurs most
• People’s ignorance in how food waste contributes to climate change 
• How OLIO is solving the problem 

Want to listen to the full interview, click below:

• Website: http://bit.ly/3zrXF86 
• Apple: http://bit.ly/3m3s0a7 
• Amazon: http://bit.ly/3zwwDwh 
• Spotify: http://bit.ly/3K6qbkM 

Our Host: Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected]

Our Guest: Tessa Clarke, Co-Founder and CEO of OLIO.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tecook/ / https://olioex.com/

A brief message to say thanks for listening and your ongoing support - it's hugely appreciated!

If you're newer to the podcast, please go back and check out some of the earlier episodes. We've had a range of inspiring guests making the world a better place in many different ways. 

We are working hard on getting a top line-up of guests for Season 3. In the meantime we'd love your help with a few things:

• Please share any feedback on how we could improve the podcast
• If you have any suggestions for topics we should cover or guests we can interview, let us know
• Take 30 seconds to rate and review the podcast on your player of choice

For any messages please reach out to Craig Turner on [email protected]

Founders For Good will be back very soon! 

Michael Millership is a Co-Founder and Trustee of The Felix Project. 

The Felix Project was set up by parents Jane and Justin Byam Shaw in honour of their son Felix, who died of Meningitis in 2014. Justin discovered a charity in Oxford that was taking surplus food and redistributing it to local charities. He saw the opportunity to apply this model in London and enlisted the help of his good friend Michael and set up The Felix Project in 2016.

Every year in the UK millions of adults and children struggle with food insecurity, whilst the food industry generates 3 million tonnes of perfectly good food. The Felix Project works with wholesalers and supermarkets to rescue this food and redistribute it to over a 1000 charities and schools in London. 

As one of the co-founders and trustees, Michael shares more about The Felix Project journey, the issues we face in the UK when it comes to food waste and food insecurity, and the challenges in building a successful charity.  

Volunteer here: https://thefelixproject.org/help-us/volunteer-london

Highlights:

• 01.42: The genesis of The Felix Project and how it started 
• 05.05: UK food waste and food that can be repurposed 
• 08.21: The reasons for food waste pre-retail
• 10.52: London has the highest level of food insecurity in the UK  
• 12.48: The variety of people suffering from food insecurity 
• 14.30: What needs to be done in the long term?
• 18.46: The Felix Project today
• 26.11: The importance of volunteers and the work they do
• 33.16: Michael’s proudest moments with The Felix Project 
• 38.11: The toughest part of running a charity
• 43.01: What attracts people to work for The Felix Project? 

Volunteer here: https://thefelixproject.org/help-us/volunteer-london

Our Host:
Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent, a business that helps Tech For Good startups to scale their product, design and engineering teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected] 
 
Our Guest:
Michael Millership, Co-Founder and Trustee of The Felix Project.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-millership-9b15528/ / https://thefelixproject.org/ 

Our Sponsor:

Jobs For Good. The only job platform to find the best jobs in sustainability, impact and much more.
www.jobsforgood.io / https://bit.ly/3wjwJa0

Our Producer:
Jabriel Al-Suhaimi. Jabriel is a podcast aficionada, editing and producing podcasts for many, including himself.
https://www.jabrielalsuhaimi.com/ / https://twitter.com/jabealsuhaimi 

Our Content and Marketing:
Rachel Loosley, Content and Marketing Manager at Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelloosley/ / [email protected] 

Brett Wigdortz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Tiney, previously Founder of Teach First. 

Brett spent 15 years building Teach First. A non-profit that combats inequality in our education system by giving disadvantaged children the education they deserve. Teach First attract, train and recruit great teachers and headteachers into primary and secondary schools in low-income areas.

His current venture Tiney focuses on early years childcare and support. Brett noticed the huge demand for childcare in the UK but the lack of supply, even though there were lots of talented people interested in becoming childminders. Tiney helps people get registered, trained and licensed as childminders, then gives them everything they need to run a successful small business. 

As an experienced social impact entrepreneur of 20+ years, Brett shares lots of interesting insights and advice in this episode. 

Highlights:

• 03.26: The problems with the UK education system today
• 04.54: How does Teach First help solve these problems?
• 05.51: The barriers to top graduates teaching in low income areas
• 11.17: Childcare in the UK and Tiney - the scalable tech solution for childminding 
• 16.45: The “Tiney Home” building a nurturing environment for children
• 24.14: Building a non-profit versus VC funded tech startup
• 26.55: Early career leadership mistakes and the importance of mentors
• 29.24: How did Brett know it was time to step down as Teach First CEO? 
• 31.25: The decision to co-found Tiney and how to find the right Co-Founders
• 35.00: Brett’s take on what people want from a career

 
Our Host:
Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent, a business that helps Tech For Good startups to scale their product, design and engineering teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected] 
 
Our Guest:
Brett Wigdortz, Co-Founder and CEO of Tiney.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-wigdortz-obe-5ba64b/ / https://www.tiney.co/ 

Our Sponsor:
Jobs For Good. The only job platform to find the best jobs in sustainability, impact and much more.
www.jobsforgood.io / https://bit.ly/3wjwJa0

Our Producer:
Jabriel Al-Suhaimi. Jabriel is a podcast aficionada, editing and producing podcasts for many, including himself.
https://www.jabrielalsuhaimi.com/ / https://twitter.com/jabealsuhaimi 

Our Content and Marketing:
Rachel Loosley, Content and Marketing Manager at Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelloosley/ / [email protected] 

Emilie Vanpoperinghe is the Co-Founder and CEO of Oddbox.

Oddbox are tackling the global crisis of food waste, one of the main contributors to climate change. 

Did you know 40% of all food produced globally goes to waste? The majority of this waste happens in two areas, before produce reaches the retailers and supermarkets, and in our own homes. 

Oddbox have built a network of 60 different growers and 300 farms to rescue surplus and wonky fruit and veg from, that supermarkets are unable to use. They distribute this perfectly good food to consumers all over the UK and help educate people on minimising their food waste at home. 

In this episode Emilie explains the extent of the food waste problem, how we can solve the problem together, the Oddbox journey, funding and product diversification. 

Highlights:

• 04.54: Up to 40% of all food produced is waste, where does the most waste occur?
• 08.49: The reasons for perfectly good surplus and wonky produce going to landfill 
• 12.21: The impact of food waste on the planet 
• 15.09: Emilie’s advice for how we need to tackle food waste
• 20.37: The story of how Oddbox started
• 24.00: Validating their idea and finding their first customers
• 32.48: How Covid helped and hindered the business
• 39.03: The Oddbox funding journey, crowdfunding vs VC
• 49.11: The best part of being the CEO and Co-Founder of Oddbox

Our Host:
 

Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent, a business that helps Tech For Good startups to scale their product, design and engineering teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected] 

Our Guest:

Emilie Vanpoperinghe, Co-Founder and CEO of Oddbox.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilievanpoperinghe/ / www.oddbox.co.uk  

Our Sponsor:

Jobs For Good. The only job platform to find the best jobs in sustainability, impact and much more.
www.jobsforgood.io / https://bit.ly/3wjwJa0

Our Producer:

Jabriel Al-Suhaimi. Jabriel is a podcast aficionada, editing and producing podcasts for many, including himself.
https://www.jabrielalsuhaimi.com/ / https://twitter.com/jabealsuhaimi 

Our Content and Marketing:

Rachel Loosley, Content and Marketing Manager at Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelloosley/ / [email protected] 

Keiran Whitaker is the Founder and CEO of Entocycle.

Did you know in the UK and EU, we are 95% dependent on protein imports? And the majority of this protein isn’t what we eat, it’s what we use to feed the animals that we eat! The way we currently source and consume protein is taking a huge toll on our planet and is not sustainable.

Keiran created Entocycle to accelerate a global shift to sustainable protein using insects. Insects are a much more efficient and sustainable source of protein requiring less land, water and development time compared to meat and plant based proteins. There are even insects like the Black Soldier Fly that can feed on food waste and turn that into a natural fertiliser.

Keiran discusses the exciting future of insect protein and how that can help tackle food poverty and climate change. 

Highlights:

01:43: Keiran’s upbringing and interest in sustainability
06.08: What is “sustainable protein?”
08.30: The main types of insect protein and products in the market
12.26: How did Kieran first discover the potential of insect protein
14.46: What is Entocycle?
21.44: Ensuring investors align with your values and mission
25.24: The Entocycle products and their revenue model
28.18: How are Entocycle using their Series A funding
34.15: The transition from scuba diver to startup founder
39.36: Two things to do to hire people that take your company to the next level 
43.17: How Entocycle attract top talent

Our Host:
Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent, a business that helps Tech For Good startups to scale their product, design and engineering teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected]

Our Guest:
Keiran Whitaker, Founder and CEO of Entocycle.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/keiran-olivares-whitaker/ / https://entocycle.com/

Our Sponsor:
Jobs For Good. The only job platform to find the best jobs in sustainability, impact and much more.
www.jobsforgood.io / https://bit.ly/3wjwJa0
 

Our Producer:
Jabriel Al-Suhaimi. Jabriel is a podcast aficionada, editing and producing podcasts for many, including himself.
https://www.jabrielalsuhaimi.com/ / https://twitter.com/jabealsuhaimi

Our Content and Marketing:
Rachel Loosley, Content and Marketing Manager at Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelloosley/ / [email protected] 

Matthew Owen is the Founder of Cool Earth.

Cool Earth is a charity that believes the most effective way to fight climate change is to protect the best carbon-storing technology that already exists: the rainforest.

And the best way to protect the rainforest? It’s not carbon credits or tree planting apps, it’s supporting the indigenous people who have been guardians of the rainforest for thousands of years. Cool Earth gives cash direct to rainforest communities enabling them to fund local projects and tackle the root causes of deforestation. 

In this episode I chat to Matthew about his career journey from finance to charity, the current state of climate change, the most impactful changes we can make, why tree planting apps aren’t the solution and his journey building Cool Earth. 

Highlights:

• 01.43: Matthew’s journey from finance to charity 
• 04.49: The current stage of climate change and is there still hope?
• 09.39: The damage that’s been done to the rainforests 
• 10.35: The attempts to protect the rainforests over the decades 
• 16.32: Tree planting apps – helping to solve the problem or not? 
• 21.53: The most impactful ways to affect climate change 
• 25.56: Cool Earth and their approach to protecting the rainforest 
• 31.52: How do the indigenous people use the money
• 36.24: The harsh reality of charity fundraising 
• 47.20: Matthew’s motivations and why it’s soon time for him to take a step back 
• 51.55: Matthew’s advice on building a charity from the ground up 

Our Host:

Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent, a business that helps Tech For Good startups to scale their product, design and engineering teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected]

Our Guest:
Mathew Owen, Founder of Cool Earth.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-j-owen/ / https://www.coolearth.org/ 
 

Our Sponsor:

Jobs For Good. The only job platform to find the best jobs in sustainability, impact and much more.
www.jobsforgood.io / https://bit.ly/3wjwJa0

Our Producer:

Jabriel Al-Suhaimi. Jabriel is a podcast aficionada, editing and producing podcasts for many, including himself.
https://www.jabrielalsuhaimi.com/ / https://twitter.com/jabealsuhaimi 
 

Our Content and Marketing:

Rachel Loosley, Content and Marketing Manager at Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelloosley/ / [email protected] 

Dr Owain Rhys Hughes is the Founder and CEO of Cinapsis.

After years of working in the NHS, Owain saw an acute problem with how the system worked. There was a large disconnect between primary care and specialist care. This led to many patients being referred when it wasn’t needed, adding to the NHS workload and taking weeks for patients to be seen. 

So Owain left the NHS to build Cinapsis. Their technology plugs the gap between GP’s and specialists, giving GP’s instant access to their specialist colleagues to get the advice and support they need. This has massively reduced wait time for patients, helped patients get faster diagnosis and treatment, and cut down the workload for the NHS.   

A massive win-win for everyone. 

Highlights:

01.37: Deciding on a career in medicine

03.50: Owain’s honest opinion on the current state of the NHS

07.03: The issues with how GP’s refer patients to clinics 

14.29: What is Cinapsis and how it’s improving things for patients, medical professionals and the NHS

18.04: How do you become an approved NHS supplier? 

22.47: Covid accelerated the adoption of Cinapsis 

29.49: How hard was it for Owain to leave his career in medicine and build Cinapsis?

33.49: Life as a surgeon vs life as a Founder

42.44: Owain’s views on remote, hybrid or office based. 

Our Host:
Craig Turner. Founder of Confido Talent, a business that helps Tech For Good startups to scale their product, design and engineering teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigturner7/ / www.confidotalent.com / [email protected] 
 

Our Guest:

Dr Owain Rhys hughes, Founder and CEO of Cinapsis.
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/owainrhyshughes/ / https://www.cinapsis.org/ 

Our Sponsor:
Jobs For Good. The only job platform to find the best jobs in sustainability, impact and much more.
www.jobsforgood.io / https://bit.ly/3wjwJa0

Our Producer:
Jabriel Al-Suhaimi. Jabriel is a podcast aficionada, editing and producing podcasts for many, including himself.
https://www.jabrielalsuhaimi.com/ / https://twitter.com/jabealsuhaimi 
 

Our Content and Marketing:
Rachel Loosley, Content and Marketing Manager at Confido Talent.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelloosley/ / [email protected]