How Startups Can Lead the Charge Toward a Regenerative Economy with Julia Zhou

Send a textIn this episode, I spoke with Julia Zhou, co-founder of Tidal Impact, and President of the Sigma Squared Society. Julia shared her journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family to co-founding Tidal Impact with a focus on shifting businesses from merely reducing harm to creating a meaningful impact.We explored how startups can play a pivotal role in building a regenerative economy and why they are uniquely positioned to adopt sustainable practices faster than larger corporations. Julia also explained the importance of redefining success beyond financial metrics, stressing the need to focus on the positive societal and environmental outcomes a company can achieve.We discussed the work of the Sigma Square Society, a network fostering connections among young entrepreneurs, and how building emotional intelligence and personal awareness are crucial for driving systems change.Julia emphasized the need for businesses to develop a theory of change to measure long-term impact and shared her thoughts on the evolving world of impact investing, where diverse funding models are necessary for different types of impact-driven companies.We covered:Tidal Impact’s mission: Helping businesses measure and manage ESG and create positive impactStartups' role: How they can lead the charge in building a regenerative economyRedefining success: Moving beyond financial metrics to focus on impactThe Sigma Square Society: Supporting young entrepreneurs and fostering systemic changeTheory of change: A framework for measuring long-term goals and impactImpact investing: The need for diverse funding models to support various businessesPersonal stories: Julia’s journey and insights on aligning business goals with personal valuesLessons learned: Challenges in systems change, team building, and securing fundingWhere to find Julia:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-zhou-3a94a5b3/- Website: Tidal Impact,  Sigma Squared SocietyWhere to find Michel:- Newsletter: Stun and Awe- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelgagnonSupport the show Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here. You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected]. Support the show on Patreon Follow us: LinkedIn Twitter