Moving the Needle

This episode of Moving the Needle features Harold Martin, the esteemed, immediate past Chancellor of North Carolina A&T State University. As America's largest-ever historically Black university and one of North Carolina's top three public research universities, NC A&T contributes in diverse and growing ways to the U.S. and North Carolina economies. 

One of the greatest opportunities to improve economic mobility and generate wealth is quality education.  Today, we talk about why historically Black colleges and universities in general - and NC A&T specifically - are national assets worthy of investment, providing returns to our nation that cannot be replicated or replaced.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield 
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

President Biden appointed today's guest, Alejandra Castillo, to head the Economic Development Administration. In this role, she leads the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy.

For Assistant Secretary Castillo, having grown up in New York City and then the Dominican Republic, and as the daughter of entrepreneurs, she knows how small businesses can work with their communities to thrive. Under her leadership, EDA now requires authentic coalition-building across multiple stakeholders - including underestimated humans and communities - to access EDA resources. Listen to Alejandra Y. Castillo, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development talk about leading the Economic Development Administration and driving the U.S. toward inclusive prosperity. 

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield 
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Historically there are so many communities that have done a poor job of economic development and inclusive competitiveness, but we're talking about the communities that are getting it right.  Plus, what specifically is in the International Economic Development Council's Equitable Economic Playbook?

Nathan Ohle is the President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council - a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization serving economic development professionals. IEDC’s over 4000 members help create the best on-the-ground conditions in their regions throughout the world for high-quality jobs, vibrant communities, and improved quality of life.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield 
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Welcome to Moving the Needle, a podcast that explores how innovators and problem solvers are doing transformative work in cities and rural communities to create new pathways for generational wealth creation. Our goal is to lift up solutions that are giving us hope and light the way for policymakers, community leaders, philanthropists, private investors, and engaged citizens who care about equity and economic impact.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and edited and produced by Earfluence.

Today we explore how a transformed food system can pave the way for generational wealth creation, equity, and a sustainable future for communities.

4P Foods is working to revolutionize the food industry by connecting smallholder farmers with local consumers, and CEO Tom McDougall joins us to talk about the need to improve food ecosystems, considering their impact on local economies, the environment, and healthcare. Tom shares his firsthand experiences with the externalities and true costs of the industrial food system, shedding light on the importance of creating alternative strategies.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Historically there are so many communities that have done a poor job or economic development and inclusive competitiveness, but we're talking about the communities that are getting it right.  Plus, what specifically is in the International Economic Development Council's Equitable Economic Playbook?

Nathan Ohle is the President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council - a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization serving economic development professionals. IEDC’s over 4000 members help create the best on the ground conditions in their regions throughout the world for high quality jobs, vibrant communities, and improved quality of life.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

President Biden has appointed today's guest Alejandra Castillo to head the Economic Development Administration, leading the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy.

For Assistant Secretary Castillo, having grown up in New York City and then the Dominican Republic, and as the daughter of entrepreneurs, she knows how small businesses can work with their communities to thrive.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Today's guest is Darrin Redus, CEO of the Cincinnati Minority Business Accelerator within the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Accelerator has recently launched a $100 million transformational equity capital fund to fuel the creation of larger scale minority owned businesses, and Darrin is here to give us all of the details of what that means and the impact it will have in addressing long-standing economic inequities.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Rodney Williams saw it firsthand. His mom would get paid on Monday, and the bill would be due on Thursday. With getting to the bank, having the check clear, and having access in her account, sometimes that meant the check would bounce. And the lights would turn off. And the food in the refrigerator would go bad. And there would be a shut off fee PLUS a turn on fee PLUS a bounced check fee.  So being late meant a perpetual inability to get ahead.  Rodney saw all of this, and is doing something about it, as the co-founder and chairman of SoLo Funds.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

Christopher Gergen and Johnathan Holifield come from completely different backgrounds. One was born into power and privilege in a political family in DC. One grew up in blue collar Detroit where you had to work hard to survive.  Through their careers and personal growth, they've ended up with the same goals - to raise awareness that we're not all on an equal playing field - and ultimately move the needle in closing the generational wealth gap among races in the United States.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
• SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.

If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

• The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness: How Demographic Trends and Innovation Can Create Economic Prosperity for All Americans, by Johnathan Holifield
• Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives, by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek