Products With Purpose

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Jasper Driessens co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Glo Dollar

Glo is a new stablecoin created by the nonprofit entity Glo Foundation. It strives to give every person living in extreme poverty a dollar per day of income. This would effectively eradicate extreme poverty.

Jasper is a highly respected expert in the field of digital marketing and business strategy, with over a decade of experience in helping businesses of all sizes achieve their goals. And with a background also in computer science and Ai, Jasper is positioned well to lead Glo Dollar’s growth.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• Explaining crypto benefits while increasing credibility and trust
• How we can redirect the fruits of capitalism to do good through the "profits for good" model
• How DAO’s & Stable Coins can be used to create a more altruistic and ethical world
• Using crypto to prevent climate change and create meaningful results for the world

Make sure to stay until the end to hear Jasper’s book recommendation, and something forward-looking that he’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• Jasper's LinkedIn
• Glo Dollar

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Dimitry Gerhsenson CEO and co-founder of Enduring Planet

Enduring Planet’s mission is to ensure every climate business has the capital they need to fight climate change -- from inception to IPO. And they’re accomplishing it by helping climate entrepreneurs access non-dilutive capital quickly.

Prior to Enduring Planet, Dimitry built Meta’s Energy Access program, a $15M+ investing initiative that enabled energy access for 3M people and unlocked nearly $500M in additional capital in underserved markets like Kenya and India.

Outside of Enduring Planet, Dimitry sits on the board of Ecosafi, a Lowercarbon-backed climate startup enabling clean cooking in emerging markets.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• Needed skills for startup success, recognizing our limitations, and filling needs with other people
• How anyone can have a positive impact on climate change, no matter their job
• Understanding capital as a lever to solve climate change
• The importance of humility and recognizing one's limitations in building a successful business
• The importance of optimizing all aspects of entrepreneurship, including fundraising

Make sure to stay until the end to hear Dimitry’s book recommendation, and something forward-looking that he’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• Dimitry's LinkedIn
• Enduring Planet

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Charles Nduka CEO of Emteq Labs

Emteq Labs is the next-gen emotion analytics platform for the objective measurement of human responses in real time. Ideal for academic and clinical research, as well as content validation for creators and developers.

Charles is a leading facial musculature expert with over 20 years of surgical experience, including 10 years as a Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon (Queen Victoria Hospital).

Charles has an extensive background in research and development including clinical trials, has over 100 scientific publications, and is the Medical Advisory Board chair for the charity Facial Palsy UK.

Make sure to stay until the end to hear Charles’ book recommendation and something forward-looking that he’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• The technologies and innovative applications Emteq Labs is working on
• Helping people with facial paralysis through innovative feedback methods
• Improving healthcare by use of digital phenotypes for better diagnosis and treatment
• Revolutionizing mental health assessments by replacing subjective self-reporting with objective measures
• How understanding the drivers of mental health can prevent suffering and avoid side effects

-Relevant Links-

• Charles's LinkedIn
• Emteq Labs

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with AJ Tennant consultant and creator at AJ Tennant Communications

AJ enjoyed a 15-year career as a storyteller, copywriter, and communications manager. He pitched campaigns in advertising agencies, wrote speeches for slick politicians, and coached nervous doctors to talk to the media. He also taught ethics in schools for over seven years.

After completing a Regenerative Leadership Incubator in 2020, AJ established Better Conversations – a regular, free, workshop for people across the world to discuss empathy, humor, arguments, and friendships. Now AJ delivers workshops on the art and science of human connection.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• How we can connect better with others: Focus on mindfulness, be present, nonjudgmental, and curious
• Wow to tell your story by focusing on others, and highlighting unique qualities. Learn how to empower and change lives
• Practical tips and techniques to enhance your human connection skills
• How we can incorporate playfulness into our interactions to create joy and lightness
• How we can use AI to enhance human connection by providing useful responses, without replacing meaningful human interaction

Make sure to stay until the end to hear AJ’s book recommendation, and something forward-looking that he’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• AJ's LinkedIn
• AJ’s website

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• War for Kindness by Jamil Zaki

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Kirrily Graham Founder of Dovetail

For 18 years Kirrily was involved with the Christina Noble Children's Foundation as a volunteer, fundraiser, director, and in leadership roles

Kirrily brings her combined experience of working in hospitality, business development, training, and development as well as her work in the charity sector to her work now with Dovetail as we bring together the charity and business worlds.

Dovetail is all about building capacity in the amazing grass root charities that exist in Australia through empowering partnerships with small to medium size businesses that love to have a positive social impact.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• How Kirrily’s journey led her to understand how charities usually operate, and to see common challenges and weaknesses
• How charities can learn from and be supported by entrepreneurs
• How Dovetail is facilitating powerful and impactful partnerships between charities and small businesses
• How small businesses can gain customer loyalty (and grow) by demonstrating social responsibility
• The role social enterprises are playing in upgrading the way we solve problems sustainably

Make sure to stay until the end to hear her book recommendation, and something forward-looking that she’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• Kirrily's LinkedIn
• Dovetail

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• Uncharitable by Dan Pallota

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Josef Werker CEO and co-founder of Humble

Josef is most driven when innovation and technology create real impact. Prior to Humble, Josef was the managing director of Penbrothers for 5 years, another impactful local startup building remote teams for businesses all over the world.

Humble is a startup in Manila that's working towards creating a community where circular living is the norm. They help businesses sell their excess products sustainably and with high-value recovery. They also won the IdeaSpace Accelerator Program in January 2021 and have seen fast growth in their first 2 years.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• Some of the challenges of building a sustainable business and how education plays a big role in changing consumer behavior
• How we can encourage sustainable shopping behavior by focusing on quality deals and education
• How Humble is improving the reverse logistics of returns to help solve sustainability issues
• How we can build amazing teams by hiring to fill our weaknesses and trusting our subject matter experts to deliver
• How Josef invested in his team from a very early stage by hiring a transformational coach

Make sure to stay until the end to hear Josef’s learning sources and something forward-looking that he’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• Josef's LinkedIn
• Humble

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Duncan van Bergen Co-founder of Calyx Global

Duncan worked on creating ways to use nature to absorb carbon emissions and find new solutions for customers in the shift towards a net-zero future. He also led the Nature-Based Solutions program in Shell's New Energies division.

Calyx Global is committed to ensuring that the growth of carbon markets leads to more impact – in the fight against climate change, in the quest to maintain a healthy planet, and as a means to contribute to positive societal outcomes for individuals and communities around the world.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• Duncan’s journey that led him to a deep understanding of the carbon credits market
• Some of the challenges that have evolved related to carbon credit quality and why we need an independent service to provide more visibility
• How the demand growth of the voluntary carbon market can create opportunities for meaningful climate action
• How to hire the right people for the roles you need to fill in a startup while still moving quickly
• How to borrow the networks of people in your network to find and enlist the expertise and experience you need

Make sure to stay until the end to hear Duncan’s book recommendation, and something forward-looking that he’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• Duncan’s LinkedIn
• Calyx Global

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• Ministry For The Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with James Hatchman Co-founder & CEO at Voice of Health

James believes everyone deserves the opportunity to learn the tools needed to self-manage their mental health. He believes in normalizing mental health and innovating toward a new paradigm of mental well-being that inspires, empowers, and helps as many people as possible.

Voice of Health is a preventative mental health organization that has developed a social platform in the form of a mobile app that provides a safe place where you can connect and talk one-on-one with trained Active Listeners who empathize and understand you. Utilise well-being tools and develop strategies to self-manage your own mental well-being.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• How the most prominent lived experience of James' youth led him to create a startup in the mental health space
• Understanding empathy and active listening
• The power of changing our perspective or lens on the world
• Learnings from developing a sustainable business model and raising capital in the mental health tech space
• How critical it is to create a positive experience because of how human negativity bias can turn people away from solutions

Make sure to stay until the end to hear James’ book recommendation, and something forward-looking that he's optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• James' LinkedIn
• Voice of Health

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• Human Universe by Brian Cox

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Rajamanohar (Raj) Somasundaram CEO and co-founder of Aquaconnect

Raj, an IITK Alumnus has been recognized at the World Economic Forum as one of the 'Young Global Leaders-2012' and became a ‘TED Fellow in 2009’ for his exceptional leadership and contribution to emerging markets in “Mobile4Good” initiatives. He was also featured as part of the '40 UNDER 40 Ecosapiens' list by The New Indian Express for promoting sustainable aquaculture practices in India.

Aquaconnect is a full-stack aquaculture technology platform. Around 5 million rural farmers in coastal communities depend on shrimp & fish aquaculture, where traditional farming practices prevent them from achieving production efficiency and disease prediction.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• How technology can be leveraged to optimize the food value chain, especially in regions with fragmented landholdings
• By adopting technology on farms, we can improve the sustainability of protein production, especially in aquaculture
• How Aquaconnect enables farmers with advisory, inputs, market linkages, and finance
• The need to integrate solutions with the entire value chain
• How bringing transparency to the agro value chain leads to better data-driven decisions
• How Aquaconnect is reducing capital costs by 45% for farmers

Make sure to stay until the end to hear Raj’s book recommendation, and something forward-looking that he’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• Raj's LinkedIn and Website
• Aquaconnect

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
• Incognito by David Eagleman
• Lean Startup by Eric Reis
• Phantoms in the brain by Sandra Blakeslee and V. S. Ramachandran
• Surrounded by idiots by Thomas Erikson
• The Idiot Brain by Dean Burnett

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

In this episode of Products With Purpose, Eli spoke with Neetha Avalakki Founder & CEO of EatKind

Neetha is a seasoned technology leader with over 15 years of experience in building innovative products for start-ups. She has a proven track record of taking ideas from concept to launch and has experience building engineering teams from the ground up.

EatKind is an AI-driven recommendation tool that finds locally available plant-based alternatives for meat, egg, and dairy ingredients - for literally ANY recipe on the planet - regardless of cuisine, region, or food culture.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

• Transforming good intentions into business impact
• Don't sacrifice business metrics while focusing on business for good
• How to fuel startup success with passion, values, and energy
• How prioritizing finding a technical co-founder can reduce costly pivots
• How we can create and lean on our support system for motivation & feedback

Make sure to stay until the end to hear Neetha’s book recommendation, and something forward-looking that she’s optimistic about right now!

We hope you love this episode! If you do, please take time to share this with someone you think would be inspired by it!

-Relevant Links-

• Neetha's LinkedIn
• EatKind

-Episode’s Recommended Read-

• Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine

Support the show

- Connect with Eli -

• LinkedIn
• Instagram