Social Entrepreneur

An Umbrella Made from Ocean-Bound Plastic, with Deirdre Horan, Dri

(For show notes and a full transcript, see https://tonyloyd.com/deirdre-horan). Dri produces durable, fashionable, and environmentally sustainable umbrellas from ocean-bound plastic. As a fifteen year-old, Deirdre Horan left her comfortable home in Acton, Massachusetts to join a youth group traveling to...

Grants, Challenges, and Incubators (Oh My!) with Shubham Issar of SoaPen

For a full transcript and extended show notes, see https://tonyloyd.com/shubham-issar. Shubham Issar and Amanat Anand go from the UNICEF Wearables for Good Challenge to Shark Tank and beyond. Shubham Issar and Amanat Anand grew up in New Delhi but met...

Can Meta be a Force for Good? An Interview with Emily Dalton Smith

Is it possible for the company formerly known as Facebook to be a force for good? There are some bright spots.  NOTE: For a full transcript of the conversation, go to https://tonyloyd.com/emily-dalton-smith If you want to hear bad news about Meta,...

Think Against the Grain for Regenerative Farmers, with Dan Miller, Steward

For extended show notes, see: https://tonyloyd.com/dan-miller Steward is a community of borrowers and lenders who support regenerative farming. Can a farm make the earth healthier? Regenerative farming is a set of practices that rebuild soil health by restoring carbon and nutrient...

The Many Faces of Service, with Kate Glantz, Luma Legacy

For complete show notes, see: https://tonyloyd.com/kate-glantz Luma Legacy: A Fairer, Kinder World “Luma Legacy is a segment within Luma Pictures,” Kate explains. “It’s a magical creative studio that's been in the world for about 20 years. The bread and butter of the...

Katherine Venturo-Conerly and Tom Osborn, Shamiri Institute

For extended show notes and a full transcript, see https:://tonyloyd.com/shamiri-institute Half of the young people in Kenya have elevated depression and anxiety. 45% of the disease burden comes from anxiety and depression. The Shamiri Institute has an answer. Kenya has been...

Kick Off, Season Four

I’ve been thinking about you. You want to live a life of significance You feel compelled to serve a cause greater than yourself. You see a need in the world that you can’t unsee. There’s a cause that burns in your heart. To make...

A Traveler’s Guide To World Peace, with Aziz Abu Sarah, MEJDI Tours

NOTE: For extended show notes, see https://tonyloyd.com/aziz-abu-sarah MEJDI Tours sees tourism as an opportunity to transform lives through dual narratives and by strengthening local communities. Aziz Abu Sarah is a peace-builder, social entrepreneur, cultural educator, and author of Crossing Boundaries:...

Tap into the Strengths of Neurodiversity, with Isabella He

NOTE: For full show notes, see https://tonyloyd.com/isabella-he. High school students work on behalf of those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).   In the United States, 1 in 54 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Unemployment rates for individuals with ASD are...

A Sense of Justice for Women and Girls, with Judith Martinez, InHerShoes

What would you do if you were 1% more courageous? Judith Martinez is a leader at the intersection of social justice and the future of human capital. She is the CEO of InHerShoes, the modern woman’s community for courage. When...

Eliminate Plastic from Your Oral Care, with Kathy Ku, Juni Essentials

Helping bamboo farmers and women in impoverished regions become self-reliant while eliminating plastic waste. If Kathy Ku’s name is familiar to you, you might have heard about her previous social venture in Uganda, Spouts of Water. I interviewed Kathy in...

Screen Printing with a Social Mission, with Sara Weihmann, New Avenues INK

Offering paid job training for youth. Sara Hart Weihmann is the Director of Social Enterprise at New Avenues for Youth in Portland. She oversees a portfolio of workforce development social enterprises that offer goods and services to the local community....

Changing Lives through a Second Chance, with Karen Lee, Pioneer Human Services

People who were involved in the criminal justice system are more than their labels. Karen Lee is the Chief Executive Officer of Pioneer Human Services. She was born during the 1960s civil rights era. “During my lifetime, I’ve seen quite...

How to Have Stuff without Breaking the Planet, with Sandra Goldmark

What Sandra Goldmark learned from a seven-year experiment fixing stuff. Sandra Goldmark is the Director of Sustainability and Climate Action at Barnard College. For seven years, she ran Fixup, a popup repair shop for household items of all kinds. It was...

The Purpose-Driven Social Entrepreneur, with Karim Abouelnaga, Practice Makes Perfect

NOTE: For a full transcript of the conversation, see: https://tonyloyd.com/karim-abouelnaga. Close the Opportunity Gap through high-impact programs before, during, and outside of school hours. Karim Abouelnaga is CEO of Practice Makes Perfect, a company he founded when he was 18...

Denise Withers, Author of Story Design: The Creative Way to Innovate

If you want a better future, you need a better story. “Leading change has never been tougher,” Denise Withers says. “Fear, apathy, and uncertainty have paralyzed most of the world, making it almost impossible to engage people in even the...

Housing Affordability Through Small Homes, with Nichol Beckstrand, YardHomes Minnesota

YardHomes Minnesota uses a prefabrication approach and an innovative financing model to create affordable housing. YardHomes Minnesota is creating housing affordability by building and maintaining accessory dwelling units (ADUs). “We are a startup that focuses on delivering ADUs in Minnesota as a...

Set Goals Aligned with Your Values, with Ruth Biza, #ThisIsMyEra

For every planner and course sold, #ThisIsMyEra helps a child with an education. #ThisIsMyEra produces a 90-day planner that helps you set goals that align with your values. They also provide online courses to help you get clear on your...

The Urgency to Go Tree Free, with Zoë Levin, Bim Bam Boo

For extended show notes, see https://tonyloyd.com/zoe-levin Trees Should Capture Carbon, Not Crap We know the problems with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions: Climate change, rising sea levels, flooding, droughts, wildfires, ocean acidification, climate refugees, political instability, and a lot more. We know...

Using Human-Centered Design to Prevent Maternal and Infant Deaths, with Karima Ladhani, Giving Cradle and Barakat Bundle

For extended show notes, go here: https://tonyloyd.com/karima-ladhani/ 80% of maternal and infant deaths are preventable. Dr. Karima Ladhani is the daughter of immigrants. Her parents moved from India to Uganda. In 1972, Ugandan president Idi Amin expelled Asian minorities. He gave...

A Safe Space in Times of Crisis, with Katherine Woo, Airbnb.org

Airbnb.org to support emergency response around the world. Natural disasters are on the rise. Climate change has accelerated wildfires and hurricanes. Healthcare workers are responding to the global pandemic. People find themselves displaced without warning. Who better to provide a...

The Power of Voice to Make an Impact, with Regina Larko, #impact Podcast

For extended show notes, see: https://tonyloyd.com/regina-larko A place and a community shaped Regina Larko. Regina Larko was born and raised in Vienna. “Three generations raised me,” Regina says. “My great-grandmother played a huge role in raising me. Her generation had...

A Muscle for Innovation, with Tom Dawkins, StartSomeGood

How do we get more people involved in social innovation? NOTE: For extended show notes, see https://tonyloyd.com/tom-dawkins Tom Dawkins is the founder of StartSomeGood, the leading home of cause-driven crowdfunding, innovative partnerships, and social entrepreneur education. I first interviewed Tom...

Wrap-up of Season Two and Kick-Off Season Three of Social Entrepreneur

In season two, we’ve been telling stories of a just and equitable transition to a clean energy future. The Coronavirus is a wakeup call. If you don’t know by now, the way we’ve been living isn’t working for the earth. Most...

A Former Oil Executive Transforms Waste to Energy, with Dave Goebel, enVerde

enVerde converts organic waste into sustainable clean energy. The Office for Technology Commercialization (OTC) is the office at the University of Minnesota whose mission is to facilitate the transfer of technology to licensees. This allows for the development of new...

An Ecosystem of Environmental Entrepreneurship, with Sebastian Sajoux, Arqlite

For extended show notes, look here: https://tonyloyd.com/sebastian-sajoux/ 93% of plastic is not recycled.   Only seven to nine percent of the plastic that is generated on an annual basis is recycled. Sebastian Sajoux explains, “The plastics go to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF, pronounced “Murph”), and then...

Turn on Your Heat Without Heating Up the Planet, with Steven Downey, Harmony Fuels

How do you reduce your carbon footprint without breaking the bank?   Did you turn on your heat this week? A lot of people in the northern hemisphere either already did, or they will soon. For 12 million homes in the US, that meant...

Parents: Reduce Your To-Do List and Your Carbon Footprint, with Lauren Gregor, Rent-a-Romper

For a extended show notes and a full transcript of this conversation, see https://tonyloyd.com/lauren-gregor. Rent-a-Romper makes parents' lives easier while reducing the negative effects of the fashion industry.   For just a moment, think about your clothes. At some point in time, you...

When Sustainability Isn’t Enough, with Mary Jane Melendez, General Mills

General Mills is blending regeneration and philanthropy to create impact. How do you feed a hungry world without destroying the planet? And, how do you do so in a way that is just and equitable? Agriculture and forestry activities generate...

Comfortable, Efficient, and Healthy Buildings, with Deepinder Singh, 75F

Optimizing building energy efficiency can be complicated and expensive. According to Deepinder Singh, it doesn’t have to be. The world has more than 230 billion square meters of building space with another 65 billion square meters coming online in the...

Healing is in the Environment, with Robert Blake, Solar Bear

Solar Bear is a Native American owned solar installation company. Robert Blake of Solar Bear has a habit of mashing up two problems and coming up with a solution. His driving philosophy is “healing is in the environment.” Solar Bear...

Delivering Efficiency with Marc Kuo, Routific

Routific uses AI to cut mileage and drive time by 20%-40%. Marc Kuo is the Founder & CEO of Routific. He is a routing expert with nearly a decade of experience in last-mile logistics. But he didn’t always work in logistics. “Being...

Environmental Change in the Midwest, with Janet McCabe, Environmental Resilience Institute

The Environmental Resilience Institute helps midwestern communities understand and prepare for environmental change.  There’s something powerful about understanding how a global trend impacts your local community. For example, it’s one thing to hear about world hunger. It’s another to hear about...

A Just and Equitable Transition to a Clean Energy Future, with Ry Brennan

The problems are systemic and complex. So are the answers. Globally, the United States accounts for 5% of the world’s population, but we produce 15% of the energy-related CO2 emissions. Coastal flooding, hurricanes, drought, and fires are all related to...

Jessica Hellmann, Geofinancial Analytics and the Institute on the Environment

If you could invent a post-pandemic world, what world would you create? I hear a lot of people talking about the desire to return to “normal.” However, normal was unsustainable. Before the pandemic, there was another crisis, an environmental crisis. A...

A Systems view of the Climate Crisis (and Coronavirus) with Jonathan Foley, Project Drawdown

Kickoff, Season Two, Social Entrepreneur

In season two, we are telling stories of an inclusive and just transition to a clean energy future. Happy Earth Day! Welcome to Season Two of Social Entrepreneur. You already know that we tell positive stories from underrepresented voices, focused on...

Introducing Thrive. Connect. Contribute.

Positive stories of resilient people who thrive in life, connect with others, and contribute to the world in the face of adversity. Who do you know who is modeling resilience during difficult times? Have you heard any good stories lately?...

Cohort Opportunity at Lunar Startups, with Amanda Heyman and Danielle Steer

Lunar Startups creates opportunities and access for underestimated entrepreneurs. The deadline to apply to Cohort 2 is January 13. Danielle Steer, Managing Director of Lunar Startups, describes the events leading to the formation of their organization as a “serendipitous perfect...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Kathleen Kelly Janus

Kathleen Kelly Janus is the author of Social Startup Success: How the Best Nonprofits Launch, Scale Up, and Make a Difference. Note: We have been counting down the top twelve popular podcast interviews of 2018. This interview with Kathleen Kelly...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Emily Hunt Turner, All Square

All Square is a craft grilled cheese restaurant and training institute that breaks down barriers for those with a criminal record. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve popular podcast interviews of...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Jeff Ochs, Venn Foundation

The Venn Foundation uses Program-Related Investments in surprising new ways. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve popular podcast interviews of 2018. It is a people’s choice award, determined by the number...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Gator Halpern and Sam Teicher, Coral Vita

Coral Vita is growing climate-change resilient coral in order to restore dying coral reefs. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve popular podcast interviews of 2018. It is a people’s choice award,...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Matt Scott, Let’s Care

Matt Scott asks if there is an easier way to tell your story and build your brand. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve popular podcast interviews of 2018. It is a...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Isaac Hunja, Sky.Garden

Sky.Garden is a SaaS e-commerce platform built for retailers in Africa. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve popular podcast interviews of 2018. It is a people’s choice award, determined by the...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Elizabeth Sarquis

Global Gaming Initiative provides a suite of tools and services to make it easier for game developers and publishers to produce and monetize games for social good. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Elisa Birnbaum

In the Business of Change features stories of changemakers who use the power of business to address society’s most pressing problems. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve popular podcast interviews of...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Mondo Davison, The Black Tech Guy

Mondo Davison, known as “The Black Tech Guy,” is on a mission to inspire a generation of black youth to pursue a life in tech. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Meghan French Dunbar, Conscious Company Media

Join Conscious Company Media’s World-Changing Women’s Summit and discover ways to take your leadership, your workplace, and your impact to the next level in a rejuvenating environment amid the redwoods of Santa Cruz County. Register today and save 10% when...

Top Twelve Popular Podcasts 2018, Jessica Jackley

Jessica Jackley and Reza Aslan are exploring what it means to live in an interfaith family. Note: Between now and the end of the year, we’re counting down the top twelve popular podcast episodes of 2018. It is a people’s...