Released June 16, 2016

Last month I sat down with Dr. Arun Sundararajan, NYU Stern professor and author of The Sharing Economy: The End of Employment and the Rise of Crowd-Based Capitalism.

Over the course of our spirited discussion, we touched on the emergence of hybrid institutions and the ongoing tug-of-war between community and brands.

For more, please visit www.instigating.co/podcast/arun-sundararajan

Or subscribe on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/instigatingco

The Power of Visibility: Shivani Siroya on Inventure and the Emerging Middle Class

The planets aligned and I had the opportunity to speak with a woman in high demand and nearly constant motion: Shivani Siroya, founder and CEO of InVenture. We discussed the emerging middle class, the secret sauce of context in our daily lives, and the frustration and fantasy that gave her the idea for this brave new world of data science and quality of life.

The process that led Shivani to create InVenture - what she describes as mobile technology and data science company - was an organic one. Raised in both India and the US, she always had a sense that the people around her, regardless of geography or means, were equal. As a part of her work for the UN Population Fund, she spoke with over 4500 individuals in 9 distinct markets, and this deep dive only broadened her concept of value when it came to people and their businesses. The more she spoke with people, the more she realized that banks have a massive blind spot when it comes to determining lendability: they didn’t see their prospective customers’ daily lives, or how they interacted with the world around them. In her own words, “We needed to create a system for financial services that put people on a level playing field.” Thus, InVenture was born.

InVenture allows members of the emerging middle class in developing nations to forgo the dusty old school FICO type score and apply for loans and credit directly via their smartphones. Not only that, but the decision takes only a handful of minutes - and if consumers are denied, they are given insights as to how to improve their “score.” InVenture determines a person’s lendability by comparing their answers on a short questionnaire to the mobile data gleaned from their smartphones, and within moments someone who was once invisible to banking institutions is now able to make purchases for their business or even pay to attend school. By using this technology to uncover previously obscured data points, the InVenture team aren’t just providing consumers with money - they’re giving people unprecedented access to a chance at improving their quality of life.

Join us as we delve into this massive onramp for the emerging middle class, visibility as a superpower, data privacy, and the future of InVenture. Will citizens of the world soon be using their smartphones to prove their lendability? Shivani firmly believes that fresh relevant data, rather than a static snapshot is a more accurate reflection of that person. “Our ability to see that, as a company, is our value.”

Shivani LInkedIn

Shivani Twitter

Shivani TED profile

Inventure site

For more visit: instigating.co

Production: www.moondogmarketing.com

Last month, I caught up with Henry Mason, global keynote speaker, Managing Director of Trendwatching, and co-author of Trend-Driven Innovation. We spent a sunny afternoon discussing crowd-sourced business models, the nuanced art of “trade jiu jitsu,” and the unexpected benefits when you play the role of the court jester.

For more, visit: instigating.co

I had the good fortune to chat with Francesca Pick, co-founder, writer, speaker, and big brain in the OuiShare think tank. We discussed the challenges and future of the global force and community that is OuiShare -- the upcoming OuiShare Fest, and… the death of the collaborative economy?

Released March 9, 2016

Episode 11 / Season 1

This week, I had a seriously spirited dialogue with Paul Kedrosky, investors, speaker, writer, entrepreneur, experienced navigator of the arcane bestiary of jargon, and contributing editor for Bloomberg. I was thrilled to hear his insights on what the future has in store for money, jobs, and value creation. As well we did explore a few interconnected corners as our conversation took off!

We discussed the peristaltic nature of marketplaces and the halting progress where recessions and expansions exist in ebb and flow. Paul is witty, candid and bold as ever.

For more, visit www.instigating.co

Produced by Kelly at Moondog Marketing

Released February 24, 2016

Episode 10 / Season 1

This week I had the opportunity to chat with prolific walker, thinker, writer, TED talker, and provocateur Nilofer Merchant, the “Jane Bond of innovation.” Nilofer spoke with me from Paris, where she has taken herself out of circulation in order to sink deeply into the idea of onlyness.

Whether you know her from TED talks, her books, or her columns in Forbes and BusinessWeek, you know that Nilofer isn’t just an author and a speaker - she’s a visionary. Named the “#1 person most likely to influence the future of management,” she is neither shy nor pretentious, especially not when it comes to discussing her radically inclusive philosophy. Simply put, she believes that every single person counts, and has the capacity and inclination to create value: not everyone with a degree, not everyone in her field, but everyone, full stop. This belief shapes the core articulation of onlyness.

For more, visit www.instigating.co

Produced by Kelly at Moondog Marketing

Episode 9. 

To subscribe, visit: http://www.instigating.co/podcast/

An interview with Imogen Heap.

Steve Sando' s “all in” approach to business proves that instigators take many forms.

In this week's show, we see what it looks like when we bounce back, ask new questions, and allow ourselves (and others), to be delighted by discovering new passions.

Episode 6. 

A conversation with Leanne Kemp