Welcome to the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk to business leaders and movement builders to learn more about how they are building a people first economy. 

This edition of the PFE Podcast comes to you in part by our Move Your Money Campaign, a campaign we created to highlight the importance of our local financial institutions and how they contribute to an equitable and sustainable economy. Joining Emmanuel Ibarra, host & producer of the PFE Podcast, on this episode is Manny Barragan, AVP Client & Treasury Associate at Beneficial State Bank (BSB). BSB is a Certified B Corp Bank headquartered in Oakland California, but with locations all along the west coast.

Beneficial State Bank, since their inception has been committed to leading the banking industry in innovative impactful practices that contribute to the well-being of their communities and of the planet. They envision quote “an economy that restores our planet and extends prosperity to all, and this vision guides every aspect of their work.

This episode is sponsored by Lake Michigan Credit Union.

Welcome to the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk with business leaders and movement builders who are building a people first economy.

In this episode of the People First Economy Podcast you’ll hear part 2 of our Sacred Economy conversation, hosted again by the PFE Director of Community Engagement, Kathleen Roark. In part 1, Kathleen spoke with Rabbi David about the research he conducted through a multi-faith lens to the commonality within the various religious perspectives to learn how to participate in and build up a Sacred Economy.

In Part 2, you’ll hear Kathleen and Kevin Lum, founder of Foundry Financial, talk about what is means to be a spiritual entrepreneur, about the importance of understanding of where your money is going and living your values through your spending, and how you can use your purchasing power to support the kind of world & economy that cares for people.

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Foundry Financial and Retirement Made Simple 

Welcome to the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk with business leaders and movement builders who are building a people-first economy.

This episode of the PFE Podcast comes to you as part of Gift Local, Gift Good, a campaign designed to be a resource to our members and our audiences to help them shop locally and shop sustainably. In this episode, you'll hear our host, Emmanuel Ibarra, interview Ron Knox about a report titled 'Boxed Out' which covers the history of how large companies ( Walmart/Amazon/Kroger/Dollar General, etc) have exerted their power to dominate markets unfairly and to stamp out competition at the expense of our communities.

Ron Knox is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and a writer for their Independent Business Initiative.

The Institute for Local Self Reliance is a national research and advocacy organization that partners with allies across the country, like People First Economy, to build an American economy driven by local priorities and accountable to people and the planet.

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 7 of the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk to business leaders and movement builders who are leading the charge in building a people first economy. This episode is part of our Nourish Our Community campaign, an initiative we started last year to highlight the importance of our local food system.

Joining Emmanuel Ibarra (Good For Michigan - Impact Manager) on the podcast is Javier Olvera from Supermercado Mexico and Elissa Sangali from Northern Initiatives. 

In this episode you hear Javier’s story behind Supermercado Mexico, how he stepped away from a career in engineering to establish and grow a series of successful Mexican grocery stores with a few of his family members. Together they acquired their first store, La Tapatia, back in 2006 which evolved into the three stores that are now known as Supermercado Mexico. About three years ago, Supermercado Mexico began working with Northern Initiatives (NI), a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), to complete a number of projects. Elissa Sangalli, President of NI, shared insight into how support is provided by Northern Initiatives to businesses engaged in their programming.

Supermercado Mexico is a mexican grocery store with three locations in Grand Rapids and Wyoming founded in 2006 and co-owned by Javier Olvera and a few family members.

Northern Initiatives is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) serving businesses in communities around Michigan and northern Wisconsin.

Welcome to Episode 6 of Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast! This episode covers a program developed by B Lab US & Canada called the LEVEL Program, a program created to for businesses that are led by people of color who identify as women. This program provides participating businesses the resources needed to: measure and improve their impact, tell their story, adopt legal stakeholder governance, and certify as a B Corp. Our Program Director, Alice Jasper (PFE Program Director) recorded this conversation with Andy Fyfe (Director of Equitable Growth at B Lab US & Canada) and Cee Stanley (Owner of Green Heffa Farms) both of which played a key role in creating this program.

B Lab US & Canada is one of six global partners of the B Lab global network. They foster and mobilize the growing community of people and businesses working towards a more fair and inclusive economy in the United States and Canada.

Green Heffa Farms is a 15 acre regenerative farm this is also a tea company, a natural health brand, an educational resource, and now a Certified B Corp.

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Welcome to Episode 5 of Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast: a podcast that brings insight into how our business community and our partners are all working towards building and participating in a People First Economy. In this episode of the podcast, you’ll hear our two directors here at PFE, Kathleen Roark and Alice Jasper, talk about about the meaning of PLACE and place-based movements (ie. localism, which has a focus of building stronger local communities, organizations, and over all a stronger local economy) and how it ties into the broader sustainability movement which aims to enhance businesses and greater society in a way that is better for all. Our two main programs at People First Economy (Local First of West Michigan and Good For Michigan) center both of these ideas, and they overlap in so many ways. We’re excited to bring you this conversation that highlights the concepts and ideas that fuel our work!

Welcome to Episode 4 of Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast! In this episode, you'll hear Rabbi David J.B. Krishef, from the Congregation Ahavas Israel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, interviewed by Kathleen Roark, Director of Engagement at PFE, to talk about the Sacred Economy concept. This concept was researched by Rabbi David through a multi-faith lens when he wanted to find the commonality within the various religious perspectives on how to participate in and build a Sacred Economy. Rabbi David writes the popular “Ethics and Religion Talk” column for therapidian.com and the Grand Rapids Press, frequently speaks and appears on interfaith panels within the Grand Rapids community, and has taught Hebrew and Judaism courses at local colleges.

Welcome to episode 3 (of season 2) of the People First Economy Podcast! Our program director at PFE, Alice Jasper, interviewed Nathan Stuck, of B Local Georgia and Ad Victoriam Solutions, about his work with B Academics and growing the B Corp Movement. B-Academics is a global network of educators and researchers who work to accelerate the global sustainable business movement. This network studies this movement and fosters collaborations between members of academic institutions and organizations that strive to achieve the B Corporation Certification. Nathan is working to bring this global movement to his state and help make Georgia the model region for where this kind of innovation can take place.

Welcome to Episode 2 (Season 2) of the People First Economy Podcast ! In this episode you’ll hear a conversation between our host, Emmanuel Ibarra, and two founders from Mallowfields, Jessa Challa and Carla Siler-Maddalena. Mallowfields is an employee-owned software engineering company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who’ve just achieved their B Corp Certification. Listen to this podcast to some insight into why/how they achieved their B Corp status and how they’ve built out their business.

Check out Mallowfields at mallowfields.com to learn more !

This podcast is brought to you by Northern Initiatives, a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Northern Initiatives provides both the capital and know-how you need to grow your business, acquire one, or start one of your own. Check out Northern Initiatives today, at northerninitiatives.org

Welcome to Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast ! On this first episode of our new season, Emmanuel sits down with the president of People First Economy, Hanna Schulze, to talk about the big changes that have taken place at the organization over the past two-ish years and about what we have in store for this next year in 2022. You'll also get to know more about Hanna, her history with PFE and her outlook on life ! 

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If you're interested in jumping on the podcast to talk about how you're building a people first economy, connect with us at : [email protected]