Purpose 360 with Carol Cone

Balaji Ganapathy returns to Purpose 360 as a leader with decades of experience shaping one of the world’s most purpose-driven organizations and a renewed vision for what comes next. Longtime listeners will recognize his journey from building impact at Tata Consultancy Services to scaling global social initiatives. Now, he is launching his own venture, Social Positive. But throughout his career, one throughline remains: purpose is not a side effort. It plays the same role technology once did, serving as the ultimate driver of innovation, growth, and long-term relevance.

We invited Balaji to share the insights he’s gained from more than two decades of leading purpose at scale, and to unpack what it truly takes to turn intention into impact. He challenges leaders to rethink purpose as a growth engine while outlining the four critical gaps holding back progress today: from misaligned funding and execution challenges to measurement limitations and barriers to scaling proven solutions. He also introduces Social Positive’s approach, including a practitioner-led community, data-driven insights, and an AI-enabled decision tool, all designed to help leaders better align resources, strategy, and action.

Listen for insights on:

• Why “purpose is the new tech” still holds true
• Creating shared measurement across partners
• Leading with a “society first” mindset
• Using AI to accelerate social impact work 

Resources + Links:

• Watch this episode on YouTube!
• Balaji Ganapathy’s LinkedIn
• Social Positive
• The Collective
• ImpactScape
• Rika

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

Bombas was already thriving—scaling rapidly, achieving billions in sales, and donating more than 200 million items to people experiencing homelessness—when founder David Heath recognized that the company’s next phase of growth would require a different kind of leadership. He made the intentional decision to step aside as CEO, and Jason LaRose, a seasoned operator with experience scaling brands, was thoughtfully brought in—first as president, then as CEO—creating a seamless transition rooted in shared respect for Bombas’ purpose, culture, and product excellence.

We invited David Heath and Jason LaRose to share what it really takes to navigate a founder-to-CEO transition while preserving the soul of a purpose-driven company. They discuss the importance of humility, trust, and deep respect for what’s already been built, as well as the discipline required to scale without disrupting culture or diluting mission. From Jason’s intentional “listen-first” leadership approach to David’s continued role as a strategic partner, their conversation reveals how purpose can act as a north star through change and growth. They also explore how Bombas continues to innovate, expand into new categories and channels, and grow its giving network, all while proving that purpose isn’t a tradeoff to profitability, but a driver of it. For purpose-driven leaders, it’s a compelling story of how one leader passes purpose to the next—and how impact can grow without losing what matters most.

Listen for insights on:

• Recognizing when founder leadership must evolve
• Building trust before stepping into CEO role
• Scaling operations without compromising mission integrity
• Protecting culture during periods of rapid growth

Resources + Links:

• Watch this episode on YouTube!
• David Heath’s LinkedIn
• Jason LaRose’s LinkedIn
• Bombas Impact Report
• Bombas Giving Partner Directory
• Previous Purpose 360 Episode: The Love That Bombas Socks Made

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

Many companies today are choosing silence over visibility when it comes to their social and environmental commitments. What might appear as retreat or inconsistency is, in fact, something more deliberate. Christopher Marquis describes this phenomenon as “strategic hibernation,” or a calculated pause in external communication driven by political tension, stakeholder scrutiny, and shifting expectations. Rather than abandoning purpose, companies are pulling back publicly while continuing the work internally, protecting their capabilities, talent, and long-term investments. But this creates a critical tension: how to navigate risk without eroding trust or losing momentum on the very issues that define a company’s impact and identity.

We invited Christopher Marquis, Author and Sinyi Professor of Chinese Management at the University of Cambridge, to unpack this moment and what it means for purpose-driven leaders. Christopher explores why strategic hibernation is not the same as “green hushing,” and outlines how organizations can remain disciplined in communications while actively maintaining their core assets and preparing for when conditions shift. He shares insights on how companies can continue investing in sustainability and social impact behind the scenes, why internal alignment and values-based leadership matter more than ever, and how leaders can thoughtfully assess political risk without compromising their long-term mission.

Listen for insights on:

• Maintaining employee trust during uncertainty
• Protecting culture as a strategic asset
• When to re-engage publicly on issues
• Global perspectives on corporate silence

Resources + Links:

• Christopher Marquis’ LinkedIn
• Harvard Business Review: Is This a Moment for Strategic Hibernation?
• Christopher Marquis’ Website

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

Baltimore faces a set of deeply interconnected challenges: aging and unsafe housing, high energy costs for families with limited means, and a generation of underemployed youth struggling to access meaningful work. These overlapping issues reveal a systemic gap highlighting an opportunity to rethink how housing, workforce development, clean energy, and economic mobility can be addressed together.

We invited Brendan McCluskey, President at Trident Builders, to share how his team is tackling these challenges through a bold and collaborative model. Brendan explains how Trident Builders is transforming vacant homes into energy-efficient housing using modular construction and solar technology while creating training and job pathways for underemployed youth. He also shares how partnerships across business, nonprofits, and community leaders are helping scale solutions.

This discussion offers a compelling look at how one company is rethinking the role of business in solving complex social problems and how leaders across sectors can identify opportunities within their own work to build solutions that strengthen communities.

Listen for insights on:

• Supporting small, community-based developers to keep wealth local
• Collaborating across sectors in addressing systemic community challenges
• Connecting environmental sustainability with economic mobility 

Watch this conversation on YouTube!

Resources + Links:

• Brendan McCluskey’s LinkedIn
• Trident Builders
• The Bmore Co-Op

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

Playspaces are often dismissed as “nice-to-haves” with their colorful swings, slides, and monkey bars, but KABOOM! was founded on the urgent belief that they are an essential community infrastructure. The organization’s origin traces back to a tragic moment when two children lost their lives playing in an abandoned car because there was nowhere safe to play in their neighborhood. That devastating inequity sparked a movement to ensure that where a child lives does not determine whether they have access to safe, joyful play. Today, as KABOOM! celebrates 30 years, the organization has evolved from building individual playgrounds to advancing a data-driven, systems-level strategy to end playspace inequity for good.

We invited Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!, to talk about why play is a critical investment in children’s futures and how meaningful, lasting impact happens when communities shape the solutions themselves. In this episode, Lysa shares how KABOOM!’s co-creation model ensures that playgrounds are designed with kids and neighbors, not simply delivered to them, leading to deeper stewardship and significantly higher usage. She also explores how collective action by residents, municipal leaders, and corporate partners helps scale long-term transformation. And importantly, she highlights the environmental and public health dimensions embedded in today’s playground design. At its core, this work makes clear that designing for children is one of the most powerful strategies for shaping stronger communities and a more equitable future.

Listen for insights on:

• Co-creating with residents for lasting neighborhood ownership
• Building cross-sector partnerships that endure
• Embedding climate resilience into community infrastructure 

Watch this episode on YouTube!
Resources + Links:

• Lysa Ratliff’s LinkedIn
• What Is Playspace Inequity
• The City of Uvalde and KABOOM!

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

Sustainability is at a pivotal moment. Amid political backlash, greenhushing, and growing scrutiny of ESG and DEI, many have questioned whether the movement has lost momentum. We invited Andrew Winston, globally respected sustainability advisor, bestselling author, and recently named #1 management thinker in the world with Paul Polman by Thinkers50, to share his perspective on where sustainability truly stands. Drawing on his recent Fortune article, “2025: The Year Sustainability Didn’t Die,” Andrew explains why critics have misread the signals. While companies may be quieter publicly, the underlying drivers of climate impacts, demographic shifts, market forces, and technological innovation continue to accelerate action across sectors and geographies.

This conversation explores where meaningful progress is unfolding, from China’s rapid expansion in clean energy and electric vehicles to investments in decarbonization and electrification. Andrew examines why sustainability is often held to a higher ROI standard than other business investments, how leaders can better articulate long-term value creation, and what courage looks like in today’s climate of uncertainty. This conversation ultimately centers on a deeper question facing every executive: Is the world better off because your business is in it?

Listen for insights on:

• Why sustainability continues despite political backlash
• Making a stronger ROI case for sustainability
• Balancing AI innovation with decarbonization goals 

Resources + Links:

• Watch this conversation on YouTube
• Andrew Winston’s Website
• Fortune: 2025: the year sustainability didn’t die
• Net Positive
• Andrew Winston's Books

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

In a moment defined by disruption and accelerating change, Carol Cone sits down with one of the world’s most seasoned CEO observers to decode what’s really keeping leaders up at night. Alan Murray, journalist, former CEO of Fortune, and now Founding President of the WSJ Leadership Institute, has spent decades in candid conversation with the heads of the world’s largest organizations. What emerges from this exchange is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how today’s CEOs are navigating geopolitical instability, AI transformation, cultural division, and fragile trust. Drawing on insights from hundreds of top executives, Murray makes a compelling case: the greatest challenges facing CEOs are no longer purely strategic or technological but are profoundly human.

At the heart of the discussion is a powerful tension shaping the C-suite: while AI dominates boardroom agendas, the real work lies in culture, trust, and human alignment. Murray also shares why empathy has emerged as a defining leadership competency, how purpose and moral clarity are becoming competitive differentiators, and why organizations that successfully engage and inspire their people will outpace those that rely solely on technological advantage. This is a deeply strategic dialogue about leading through volatility, humanizing organizations in an AI-driven era, and building cultures resilient enough to thrive amid constant change.

Listen for insights on:

• Turning AI ambition into measurable value
• Differentiating through talent and not just tech
• Reframing empathy as strategic leadership
• Preparing young leaders for human-centered work

Resources + Links:

• Watch the full conversation on YouTube
• Alan Murray’s LinkedIn
• The WSJ Leadership Institute
• Podcast: WSJ Leadership Institute Presents: Leaders

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

JUST Ice Tea was born from a refusal to let a company’s purpose and impact disappear. JUST Ice Tea’s roots trace back to Honest Tea, a pioneering brand built on the idea that beverages could be better for people and the planet. But when Honest Tea was ultimately discontinued after being sold, something incredible happened. The founders and long-standing partners across the supply chain came together with a shared resolve that fair trade and environmentally responsible tea would not end with Honest Tea. In just 90 days, their commitment brought the newly created JUST Ice Tea to consumers. And only two years later, JUST Ice Tea has surpassed the revenues of Honest Tea.

We invited Seth Goldman, Co-Founder and CEO of JUST Ice Tea—as well as Board Member for Beyond Meat and PLNT Burger—to share the lessons, setbacks, and mindset that shaped his journey. Seth reflects on resilience in the face of loss, the power of long-term relationships, and why impact must be built directly into the product, supply chain, and culture of a company. He offers insights on stakeholder capitalism, the responsibility of boards and investors, and the importance of finding hope where it isn’t obvious. His story is an invitation to believe that business can scale purpose, deliver justice, and create profit—one bottle at a time.

Listen for insights on:

• Outperforming traditional growth strategies through resilience and values
• Embedding impact directly into products, not just marketing
• The power of stakeholder relationships in moments of change 

Resources + Links:

• Seth Goldman’s LinkedIn
• JUST Ice Tea
• Mission in a Bottle
• Purpose Pledge

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

Patagonia has long stood as the north star for companies striving to create meaningful impact and proving that business can thrive with purpose. Today, Patagonia stands alone in its ownership model: it has one shareholder—the planet. Instead of “going public,” Patagonia famously “went purpose,” restructuring in 2022 so that 100% of its voting stock flows into the Patagonia Purpose Trust to guard its values, and 100% of its non-voting stock now supports the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit fighting the environmental crisis. Each year, every dollar not needed to run the business moves directly to protecting nature. It’s a business that invites people into the beauty of the outdoors while safeguarding the planet that makes those adventures possible.

We invited Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia—and one of its very first employees—to reflect on the decades of learning, experimentation, humility, and courage that shaped Patagonia’s journey. Vincent explores topics from the company’s early fiber-to-farm revelations and culture-defining philosophy classes, to its iconic “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign, industry-shaping activism, and bold ownership redesign. For any leader or organization seeking to deepen its impact, Vincent offers rare insights into what it truly takes to build a business where profit becomes a byproduct of purpose.

Listen for insights on:

• Transforming harm discovery into long-term environmental innovation
• Challenging consumerism through bold, values-led storytelling
• Building company culture through shared responsibility and lived values
• Collaborating across industries to advance standards and certifications

Resources + Links:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Vincent Stanley
• Patagonia’s Ownership
• The Responsible Company
• Patagonia Action Works

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360

Purpose 360 convenes leading voices in social impact, business, and philanthropy at the start of every year and asks them to share their predictions for what lies ahead. As we enter 2026, purpose leaders are navigating rapid advances in AI, growing pressure on social sector funding, shifting workforce expectations, and a renewed focus on culture, leadership, and human connection. Together, these experts offer perspectives on how purpose-driven work is evolving and what it will require next.

This year, we invited Artis Stevens, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; Kevin Martinez, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship at ESPN; Alexandra Amouyel, President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation; and Alan Murray, Founding President of the Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute and former CEO of Fortune Media, to share their predictions for 2026. Drawing on backgrounds that span nonprofits, philanthropy, corporate leadership, and media, they explore both the opportunities and tensions shaping the future of purpose.

Listen for insights on:

• AI as a powerful opportunity and a critical responsibility
• Why human connection, leadership, and values matter more than ever
• The growing need for focus, clarity, and authentic activation of purpose inside organizations
• Practical advice for early- and mid-career professionals

Resources + Links:

• Artis Stevens’ LinkedIn
• Artis Stevens’ Purpose 360 Episode
• Kevin Martinez’s LinkedIn
• Kevin Martinez’s Purpose 360 Episode
• Alexandra Amouyel’s LinkedIn
• Alexandra Amouyel’s Purpose 360 Episode
• Alan Murray’s LinkedIn
• Alan Murray’s Purpose 360 Episode (Part 1)
• Alan Murray’s Purpose 360 Episode (Part 2)

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360