The Social Impact Startup

Melissa Loh and Joy Souligny are on a mission to get more women investing. With a similar passion of helping women become economically empowered, they became the cofounders of Investera, an educational platform and community designed to help women build their financial intelligence.

Although money is a relevant topic for everyone, for so long women have been left out of the conversation. Joy and Mel are working to rebrand what financial education looks like by making it relatable and accessible so that women know how to invest in themselves and their futures.

In our conversation we discuss:

• Their incredible, serendipitous cofounder story
• Why learning about finance isn’t just about money - it’s about participating in the global economy
• Why it’s important to reset your money mindset and to know your net worth
• Why building wealth doesn’t have to conflict with your values
• And why it’s never to late to start investing in your future

As advocates for empowerment and sustainability, Mel and Joy are leading the way for a new era of investing, one that is inclusive, impactful and accessible.

LEARN MORE:

• LinkedIn
• • www.linkedin.com/in/jsouligny
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaloh/
• Instagram: investera.io
• Website: www.investera.io

WORKSHOP:

Bitcoin for Beginners

April 13, 2021

Promo code “TMAbitcoin”

https://www.investera.io/events

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Stacy Anderson is the founder of KENT, a sustainable super natural basics company that is elevating the standard of slow fashion. Not only are the products made with organic, plant-based materials, but their supply chain is ethical and transparent. A product that makes an impact everyday, because they are 100% Pima cotton, they are compostable and breakdown in 3-4 months, compared to other intimates that include synthetic materials and plastics that can take 100’s of years to breakdown.

Stacy is Canadian born but has worked globally in fashion, architecture and sustainability, eventually settling in Los Angeles to bring KENT to life.

In our conversation we discuss:

• The shift we are seeing in the fashion industry in regards to sustainability
• How to authentically market progress without misleading consumers (i.e. bye greenwashing)
• Why sustainability can always be in alignment with your brand identity
• Her process building a slow-growth startup and why it’s important to embrace the process, not just the end product
• And why you should think of your business as a piece of clay

Stacy has worked hard to build a business that is not only sustainable, but circular in  nature. In social impact, the problems we face are often complex but Stacy has found a way to address each issue related to her business with innovation and intentionality. She has created the ultimate business model for ethical consumption and is truly paving the way for a new standard in slow fashion.

Connect with Stacy & KENT

https://www.wearkent.com/

https://www.instagram.com/wearkent/

https://www.facebook.com/wearkent

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Alexa Bussmann is the Founder of Novel Hand, the place where activism meets impact. They are a community bringing awareness to global humanitarian issues through writing & content creation.

Alexa built Novel Hand when she noticed a disconnect in her generation. While there exists concern for current humanitarian issues, it can be difficult to find ways to actually make an impact, especially when taking into consideration how complex many of these problems actually are. She wants to bridge the gap between the passion people have for social issues and turn that into actionable steps for innovative solutions.

In our conversation we discuss:

• Her journey into entrepreneurship
• The difficulty of impact measurement
• How to make an impact through technology
• The importance of humility vs. ego when leading a team in the social impact space
• The importance of adopting a growth mindset.

Alexa aspires to encourage meaningful impact and believes that education and awareness is the first step towards that.

Connect with Alexa & Novel Hand:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NovelHand/

Instagram: @novel.hand

Twitter: @novelhand

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7KjTCGlC21rEOaP61UN0Ri?si=Mc7dBHunThuxwKGSEwA6JA

Subscribe to newsletter: https://novelhand.com/subscribe/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/novel-hand-dot-com/

Nikita Chatterjee is the Co-Founder of Paani Solutions, a company dedicated to promoting the accessibility of clean water for low-income communities in rural India.

Nikita grew up in a family that prioritized giving back. Formerly on the pre-med track, she changed her field of interest to entrepreneurship in the realm of public health after a trip to India. Although the concept of providing clean drinking water is not new, the product they are developing at Paani Solutions bridges the gap between new technology and everyday cultural behaviors because they hope to refine, not change, the methods of water filtration that already exist. Ultimately they want to decrease the prevalence of water-borne illnesses.

In our conversation we discuss:

• Her journey into entrepreneurship
• Her inspiration to start Paani Solutions
• The process of product development
• The importance of respecting tradition and culture
• Their strategic method for distribution so that the consumer doesn’t have to pay for it
• And why alignment with mission is integral to building a strong team

Water should be a basic human right and Nikita alongside her team at Paani Solutions are doing the work to ensure that people have access to the resources they deserve.

Connect with Nikita:

https://www.paanisolutions.com/

https://www.instagram.com/paanisolutions/

https://www.facebook.com/paanisolutions/

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Tazin Khan Norelius, also known as Taz, is a data rights activist, cybersecurity specialist and the Founder of Cyber Collective, a Cyber Security, Privacy, & Data Ethics Research Company.  They are a community-centered research organization that hosts events to teach and understand the ways data and privacy impact consumers.

An interesting fact about Taz’s career in Cybersecurity - she didn’t choose cyber security - it chose her. As she worked within the industry, she noticed that there was a serious disconnect between the industry and what consumers actually understood about their rights. She launched “Tech with Taz”, a video series to educate the public about their rights when it comes to data, a project that ultimately laid the foundation for Cyber Collective.

In our conversation we discuss:

• How a chance encounter led to her career in Cybersecurity
• Why corporate culture stifles growth and why she needed a break from it in order to find her voice again
• Why cybersecurity should not be an afterthought, especially for small businesses.
• Her advice to consumers on how to “consciously click’
• How why her Self-care routine includes a  digital detox - every week

A multifaceted and brilliant woman trailblazing through a predominantly white - and arguably dull - space, Taz is successfully blending two worlds - creativity & policy - in a way that will undoubtedly transform the landscape of her industry.

Connect with Taz:

https://techwithtaz.com/

https://www.instagram.com/techwithtaz/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/techwithtaz

https://www.cybercollective.org/

Support Cyber Collective’s iFundWomen Campaign!

https://ifundwomen.com/projects/cyber-collective

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Dr. Tara Shirazian is working to build a global community for women’s health. She is an OB/GYN and founder of both a non-profit, Saving Mothers, and for-profit company, Mommy Matters. While in medical school she had the opportunity to travel and participate in mission programs, giving temporary resources to communities with great need. Uncomfortable with this model, she decided to develop and implement sustainable programs  through her non-profit Saving Mothers that would serve the communities long-term.

The success of her programs has empowered women, both in terms of their health and their livelihoods. Because of the limitations of the non-profit model, she launched Mommy Matters to not only create better health products for women, but to have a more sustainable and reliable source for funds in order to grow Saving Mothers.

In our conversation we discuss:

• Her journey into medicine & becoming a global women’s health advocate
• Building up resiliency
• The why and how behind her organizations
• Why she believes change can come if businesses implement social impact at the inception
• And why her legacy is training next generation of women’s health providers

As a true advocate for women’s health, Tara is creating a community to support, uplift and empower women.

Connect with Tara

https://savingmothers.org/

https://www.instagram.com/savingmothers/?hl=en

https://mommymatters.com/

https://www.instagram.com/becausemommymatters/?hl=en

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Lauren Malone is passionate about helping female entrepreneurs succeed. Growing up with her mother as a role model, she witnessed firsthand that women can be successful at anything they choose to do - despite what society may say. With a strong work ethic and a history of coaching people, Lauren decided she wanted to launch her own business to help others. While planning her launch & timeline, Lauren found out that she was expecting her first child. Like any of us would do, she hopped on Google, typed in “starting a business while pregnant” and the results were “don’t do it”. So, despite the resounding no’s, she ignored the noise and did it anyway. She proceeded to build a successful coaching business and write her own book about being an expecting entrepreneur. She wanted to be a pioneer in changing the narrative that when you become a mother, suddenly you are the side character in your own story.

Lauren aspires to remind women that they are multifaceted, they are the main characters in their stories, and that all it takes is a change of mindset.

In our conversation we discuss:

• Finding the right career path for you personally vs. what others tell you
• Why traditional education isn’t right for everybody
• How to rid yourself of limiting beliefs
• Learning how to be the main character in your own story
• The power of affirmations
• Why being “busy” can be destructive to your progress

Lauren is empowering women to confidently step into who they are meant to be as they build a business.

Connect with Lauren:

https://www.instagram.com/laurenmalone_ee/

https://www.lemontreecd.co.uk/

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Sunny Wu is the founder of ourCommonplace, an ethical marketplace for the conscious, fashion-forward consumer. As a first generation Taiwanese-American, Sunny grew up seeing her community, and specifically her own mother, excel at entrepreneurship by tapping into the needs of the community.  With a background in fashion & luxury, Sunny decided to tap into the needs of the fashion community by curating a one-stop marketplace for all things ethical.

At ourCommonplace they believe that it is their responsibility to create a space where consumers can feel confident about how they allocate their purchasing power. By supporting socially eco-conscious companies, they are accelerating the movement towards a more conscious society in an effort to be in alignment with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Her journey from luxury and fashion into ethical consumerism
• The negative impacts of the fast fashion industry
• Holding brands accountable to higher standards
• Creating affordable impact for people at different price points
• The responsibility of the private sector to work towards the UN’s Sustainable Development goals
• Why ultimately she hopes in the future their company won’t exist

Sunny envisions a world where the values and standards that they are upholding at ourCommonplace become the norm industry-wide - and she is doing the work to make that happen.

Connect with Sunny & ourCommonplace

https://www.ourcommonplace.co/

https://www.instagram.com/ourcommonplace.co/?hl=en

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Valerie Smith is the Founder of Klei Beauty, a sustainable self-care brand based in Brooklyn, NY. They believe that taking care of self should never be at the expense of others. For that reason they are 100% 1. Cruelty-free, 2. Water-free, 3. Natural, 4. Recyclable and 5. Charitable. They are on a mission to provide affordable self care while operating with a social impact business model giving 10% of their profits back into the Brooklyn community at three different non-profits.

Valerie started her career in the fashion industry in buying and planning. Although her roles in fashion gave her insight into how manage data & strategically plan, the industry wasn’t right for her.

She started Klei as a side project without the expectation of it becoming its own company. Unhappy at her corporate job, the growth of her company allowed her to plan her exit from fashion. She set a date and financial goal, working & saving for an entire year before making the leap from a 9-5er to being a full-time entrepreneur.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why taking a leap of faith can be the best thing to do for your mental health
• How she bootstrapped her business & the moment that changed everything
• How she creates her sustainable, water-free formulations
• The tools she uses to help grow & scale her business
• And why she believes that there’s never a “good time” to start a business & if you want it, you can never start soon enough

Valerie’s story shows that it’s important to give yourself the green light to take risks - even if you are incredibly risk-averse -  and proves that you can give back to your self while giving back to your community.

Connect with Valerie & Klei Beauty

https://kleibeauty.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kleibeauty/

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/

Amrita Thadani is the Founder of NEOCOCO, a mission-driven apparel company that creates jobs for women refugees and displaced women.

Amrita was born in India but moved to the United States to study fashion at Parsons in NYC. Working in both NYC and LA in the fashion industry, Amrita always knew she wanted to create something herself and that she wanted to work directly with small groups and artisans. Her involvement with a non-profit allowed her to connect with women refugees but as the attendance of group meetings slowed down, the reality became clear: what the women truly needed were jobs.

Utilizing the women’s skillset of hand embroidery, they collaborated to create the designs you’ll see on NEOCOCO’s products today. What started as a community building event evolved into NEOCOCO, a company that has expanded to employ eight women and exists as one of the few slow fashion businesses that gives women economic opportunity and freedom while being profitable themselves.

You’ll learn:

• How to lead an impact-first business
• What constitutes a slow fashion company
• Why collaboration is one of the biggest ways to grow
• How economic empowerment can completely change a  woman’s life and her confidence
• Why it’s important for small brands to build impact into their models at the start
• What it would take for big fashion brands to switch gears and expand their impact
• And why conversations of growth should be rooted in circulatory and sustainable practices

With impact and economic empowerment at the forefront, Amrita & NEOCOCO are taking the fashion industry by storm.

Connect with & support NEOCOCO

https://neococo.com/

https://www.instagram.com/neococo_tribe/?hl=en

Our intro theme song is “Pico & Westwood” by Esbie Fonte. Check her out here:

https://www.esbiefonte.com/