A NEW MODEL FOR HOME OWNERSHIP: Yifan Zhang, CEO & Co-Founder of Loftium
Yifan Zhang is the CEO & Cofounder of Loftium, a Norwest and Threshold-backed startup that creates affordable homeownership in expensive cities through management of an onsite Airbnb. Loftium and Yifan’s own experience hosting has been featured in The New York Times, and Yifan was named in Entrepreneur’s “50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs”. Yifan served on former Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s Innovation Advisory Council and currently serves on Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell's One Seattle Civic Partnership. She was previously named Forbes “30 under 30” as the founding CEO of top mobile fitness startup GymPact. She is a Techstars alum and current mentor. Yifan graduated magna cum laude in Economics from Harvard University.  
Loftium is re-defining home ownership by providing buyers a home with built-in savings for a down payment.  Loftium makes the American dream of homeownership possible for people that may have ordinarily been left out by buying dream homes. Host to Own clients paying Loftium 1% of their home price while generating income from hosting AirBNB guests in their homes.  Learn more here. 
For this episode of the Impact Report Series Producer, Katie Ellman, speaks with Yifan about how Loftium is creating next-generation affordable housing  in cities around the United States. 
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#601: Yifan Zhang

Stories from the front lines of business and sustainability innovation.

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Join us on this special Earth Week episode of The Impact Report as we introduce our new host, Professor Renay Loper. Renay shares her journey to becoming a pivotal voice in sustainability and gives us a glimpse into the transformative education at Bard College’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability.
In this episode:
Renay’s personal leadership path and her role at Bard’s MBA in sustainability program.
The significance of asking “How are you arriving?” and its impact on personal and organizational leadership.
Insights into the GPS journey toward justice, equity, diversity, and anti-racism.
A reflection on the essence of leadership in sustainability and the power of leading from where you are.
Renay’s diverse professional background, from consumer banking in the U.S. to teaching English in Japan and civic engagement in Greece, illustrates the multifaceted nature of sustainability leadership. Her experiences have shaped her approach to building cross-sector partnerships and fostering tri-sector collaborations globally.
Tune in to discover how sustainability leaders are driving change and how Bard’s MBA program is nurturing the next generation of innovative leaders. Let’s celebrate Earth Week by diving deep into the stories of those making a real impact.
*Bonus* If you're new to the podcast and want to get familiar with the show, check out this helpful episode from last spring featuring Eban Goodstein, an economist and Director of the Bard Graduate Programs in Sustainability. He discusses leading the expansion of Bard's environmental policy and sustainability programs, as well as coordinating national climate change education initiatives across thousands of academic institutions. LISTEN HERE
Bard’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability cultivate leaders who break through existing systems, innovating solutions to critical social, environmental and economic challenges. 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class from M.S. in Environmental Policy degree at Bard CEP and the 10th graduating class from the Bard MBA in Sustainability program. The 2023 graduating MS EP, MS CSP, MEd and MBA classes will bring the Bard GPS alumni community to over 500!
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#701: Arriving with Purpose: Unveiling the New Voice of The Impact Report

Ending Energy Poverty One Bboxx at a Time:  Anthony Osijo, Chief Financial Officer at Bboxx
Bboxx manufactures, distributes and finances decentralised solar powered systems in developing countries and has head offices in London and Rwanda with operations across Africa and Asia.
As a vertically integrated business, their super platform business model is based on two pillars: a digital highway Bboxx Pulse®, Bboxx’s proprietary fully integrated operating system and a physical highway with our extensive on-the-ground network to provide goods, services and utilities across Africa. 
Bboxx  offers African households, businesses and communities a highly convenient and affordable way to access life-changing solutions, through data-powered logistics and innovative financing methods. They are expanding and scaling by forging strategic partnerships with governments and world-class corporates to provide access to any products and services to our rural and urban customers across Africa.
In January 2021 Bboxx, appointed Anthony Osijo as its new Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Head of Relationship Management, to support the company on its accelerated growth trajectory.
After serving as a long-term adviser to Bboxx over the last ten years, Anthony Osijo’s core responsibilities now involve leading the finance, accounting and relationship function of the global business. He has taken on the role as Bboxx’s former Group CFO Thomas Chevillotte joins French consulting firm Enea Consulting.
With over 20 years of working in financial services, finance and associated industries, Anthony is an internationally recognised financial leader. Most recently, he has worked as Managing Director responsible for Credit Agricole’s debt product sales and strategy.
Over the last three decades, he has worked across the globe in the UK, Europe and Asia – from a large Swedish Pension Fund, to UBS as a Director in the Equity Derivatives business, and to Deutsche Bank in Switzerland as Head of Investment Banking. At Credit Agricole in Hong Kong, he also worked on developing the business in Asia as COO and Head of Business Development and was Treasurer of ASIFMA (Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association). During the course of his career, he has been involved in raising millions for start-ups and sits on numerous charitable boards.
 
The Impact Report’s Series Producer, Katie Ellman speaks with Anthony for this episode of the Impact Report.

#615: Anthony Osijo

Brains Meet Beauty: René Graham, FOUNDER & CEO, Renzoe Box
A native of Texas, René Graham is a licensed architect and holds a Master in Architecture from Rice University. Before entering the world of product design, beauty-tech, and entrepreneurship founding Renzoe Box, Graham achieved significant and diverse experience in architectural practice and real estate development.She is the co-founder of LaurelHouse Studio, a boutique architecture practice and design studio based in Bryan, Texas. She is also the co-founder of BCS Modern, a real estate development company focused on design-driven community-based development in Downtown Bryan, Texas. Graham has taught at the University of Texas and Texas A&M University. She has received grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, has been featured on national TV, won the international Good Design Award®, received the 2022 Mayor's Impact Award, finalist for SXSW Pitch, is a Tory Burch Fellow & Ladies Who Launch Fellow, has raised funding from Andreessen Horowitz, and holds national & international patents & trademarks for Renzoe Box®. She has served as a design critic at Harvard University, SciArc, Syracuse University, Rice University, Texas Tech, Louisiana State, University of Texas, & Texas A&M University.
 
Bard MBA’s Rolena Richardson speaks with Rene for this episode of the Impact Report. 
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#614: Rene Graham

Better Soil Produces Better Wine: Laura Díaz Muñoz, Winemaker and General Manager of Ehlers Estate
“This is the philosophy I bring to my winemaking. I believe that if you start with great ingredients, there’s no need to complicate the process in the cellar.” 
Laura Díaz Muñoz’s winemaking perspective is rooted in the old world, shaped by a broad cross selection of cultures, regions and vineyard sites. She is driven by her own never-ending desire to learn and experiment. 
Laura joined Ehlers Estate as Winemaker and General Manager for Ehlers Estate in June of 2018. Located in the northern part of Napa Valley's St. Helena appellation, Ehlers Estate is a historic winegrowing site where premium grapes have been cultivated since the mid-1800s. The Ehlers Estate team prioritizes the preservation of their land and history by embracing organic farming practices.  Under Laura’s leadership, Ehlers has expanded their sustainability practices in response to a changing climate through the implementation of replanting efforts, and the use of biochar, vermifiltration and other methods. 
Bard MBA’s Erin Seglam speaks with Laura for this episode of the Impact Report.
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#613: Laura Diaz Munoz

The Importance of Acknowledging Disabilities in the Workplace: Hannah Olson,Co-Founder & CEO, Disclo
Hannah Olson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Disclo, an innovative HR software helping employees to safely disclose and ask for accommodations at work. Hannah’s own experience navigating her career while undergoing intensive treatment for Lyme disease sparked the idea for her first venture, Chronically Capable, now one of the largest and most-used disability recruiting platforms in North America. She is known globally for her disability advocacy, with recent features in Forbes, Inc Magazine, FastCompany, and more.
Bard MBA’s Jasmine Graham speaks with Hannah for this episode of the Impact Report.
ImpactReportPodcast.com

#601: Yifan Zhang

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