The Bodacious Optimist

In this episode of 'The Bodacious Optimist' hosted by Sascha Mayer, co-founder of Mamava, the focus is on the operations and manufacturing side of the business. Sascha interviews her co-founder Christine Dodson, who oversees manufacturing at Mamava. They discuss the challenges and successes encountered as they decided to take on their own manufacturing during the pandemic to gain cost control and enhance product development. The episode highlights the significant role played by Mark Wiggins, whose manufacturing expertise facilitated the transition. Additionally, they talk about integrating a maternalistic corporate culture in a traditionally male-dominated manufacturing sector and the unique organizational culture at Mamava that includes equal benefits for all employees. The episode underscores the importance of making transformative changes in manufacturing, especially for women, and closes with Christine's personal reflections on entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and maintaining a strong company culture.

00:00 Introduction to Sascha Mayer and Mamava
01:19 Meet Christine Dodson: Co-Founder and Operations Head
03:00 The Decision to Take on Manufacturing
05:49 Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry
09:29 Integrating Maternalistic Culture in Manufacturing
16:04 Challenges and Learning Curves in Manufacturing
21:10 Advice and Reflections on Entrepreneurship
24:24 Looking Ahead: Optimism for the Future

Toyya Lassere is the Senior Director of Guest & Team Member Experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. In this episode, she shares her journey from a life centered on care to a successful career in entertainment management that  spans music, film, and professional sports at premier venues, including U.S. Bank Stadium and SoFi Stadium. Toyya talks to Sascha about the strides made in gender equity in the workplace and what it means to be a service-oriented leader.

Mentions:
Solar Records
Kevin Warren
Arthur Blank

Sonia Strobel is the cofounder and CEO of Skipper Otto, a community supported fishery based in Canada that provides consumers with premium fish and seafood direct from small-scale fishermen (think: CSA for seafood). In this episode, Sonia shares her experience partnering with B Lab on creating more rigorous certification standards for the seafood industry, building a brand from a network of partners, and what we can learn from indigenous communities and their foodways.

Mentions:
Skipper Otto
B Lab / B Corporations
Local Catch Network 

Alysia Montaño is an Olympic athlete, a seven-time USA Outdoor Track and Field Champion, an entrepreneur, and a mother. In 2019, Alysia’s op-ed in The New York Times about the inequities in her Nike sponsorship brought worldwide attention to the barriers and career conflicts faced by professional athletes who are athletes and mothers. On Mothers Day 2020, Alysia founded &Mother, which is dedicated to breaking the barriers that limit a woman’s choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood. 

Mentioned:
&Mother
Alysia Montaño NYT Op Ed

Adam Davidson is one of the godfathers of podcasting, the cofounder of NPR’s Planet Money, and a longtime contributor to many popular podcasts including Freakonomics and This American Life. He has written for such esteemed publications as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and the New York Times Magazine. He is also the author of The Passion Economy, a book that profiles entrepreneurs who have leveraged their passions to create meaningful work and build thriving businesses. In this episode, Adam shares some of the history of podcasting, explains the passion economy, and lends advice to Sascha on how to make a successful podcast.

Mentioned:
Planet Money
The Passion Economy
Freakonomics on AI

Jen Saxton is a serial entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Tot Squad, a baby services marketplace that connects new parents with health, wellness, and safety services— like car seat installation, babyproofing, doulas, sleep consultants, and more. In this episode, Jen talks to Sascha about building and selling her first company, how assuming the resiliency of “a cockroach” has helped keep her businesses alive in tumultuous times, and what she is most optimistic about moving forward.

Mentioned:
Tot Squad at Target
Tot Squad at Amazon

Kelly Brush is a mother, athlete, healthcare professional, and the inspirational leader behind the Kelly Brush Foundation (KBF)—an organization dedicated to making active and engaged lives a reality for those who have experienced a spinal cord injury. In 2006, Kelly crashed and injured her spinal cord while racing for the Middlebury College ski team. After undergoing rigorous rehabilitation for her new life in a wheelchair, Kelly and her family created the foundation—just months after her accident—as a way of channeling the support she received in her recovery and to share the power of sport for physical and mental health, confidence, and community building. In this podcast, Kelly shares her story and talks with Sascha about KBF’s aim to influence culture and how all humans are living adaptive lives.

Mentions:
Kelly Brush Foundation
“What Can a Body Do? By Sara Hendren

Nic Longo is the Director of Aviation at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV). In addition to being the busiest airport in Vermont (and New England’s fifth busiest and second busiest commercial service airport when it comes to landings and takeoffs), BTV is home to the F35s of the Green Mountain Boys (Vermont’s Air National Guard), the fast-growing start-up BETA Technologies, and, of course, the place where Mamava piloted our first lactation pods. In this episode Nic talks about his career path, optimistic leadership style, and approach to making this community-oriented airport a delightful user experience.

Mentioned:
Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport
BETA Technologies 

Roxanne Vought is the Executive Director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR). VBSR is a statewide, nonprofit business association founded 34 years ago by a group of pioneering socially responsible businesses in Vermont, including Ben and Jerry’s and Gardener’s Supply Company. VBSR’s mission is to leverage the power of business for positive social and environmental impact. In this episode, Roxanne and Sascha talk about the evolution of the organization as corporate social responsibility has become more mainstream, where the B Corp movement intersects with VBSR, and how Roxanne leads in the face of radical change.

Mentioned:
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility
B Corporations 

Michael Jager is the cofounder of the design studio Solidarity of Unbridled Labour. For more than 30 years, Michael has been designing and collaborating with international brands like Burton Snowboards, Xbox, and Patagonia. In this episode, Michael talks to Sascha about how his love for music became a love for art and inspired his career in multidisciplinary brand design, which includes building the Burton brand, and the origins of Mamava. Michael shares how his philosophy of Living Brand design was inspired by his roots growing up close to nature in rural Vermont. This episode is a master class for anyone interested in category-creating brand design, and the inevitability of needing to embrace change in business and life.

Mentioned:
Hard’ack Mountain 
Burton Snowboards
Solidarity of Unbridled Labour
No Bullshit Strategy by Alex M H Smith