Kaitlyn Allen: A Stitch in Time Saves The Planet!

In this episode, Sarah Tenisi speaks with Kaitlyn Allen, an expert in helping companies make strategic business-appropriate decisions regarding sustainability and energy transition.She sold her company, Global Affairs Associates, to ClimeCo last year. In addition to working in the ESG consulting space, Kaitlyn is also the Founder of MendIt, a digital marketplace for clothing repair and recycling, connecting existing businesses and consumers.Listen in as Kaitlyn discusses the idea that businesses prosper by innovating business models that help solve global challenges all while building prosperity. In other words, to create wealth without consuming more.Kaitlyn shares how businesses of every size and type can create new financial instruments to incentivize the behaviors which help solve global challenges. A lot of the time, this comes down to repacking the old in new, innovative ways, with a focus on “making sustainable consumption convenient and fun.”On the side of the consumer, raising awareness of sustainable business model innovations starts (and ends) with tiny, collective steps that eventually add up to mass acceptance of these environmentally friendly practices.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:●      [01:38] Solving global challenges via innovative business models●      [06:58] Creating a marketplace to highlight small businesses across America●      [13:12] Maintaining convenience while switching to environmentally-friendly business models●      [17:19] Changing attitudes to sustainability through the generations●      [24:48] Finding ways to bring together old things in a new way●      [29:40] Taking baby steps to make an impact●      [38:21] How the future will look once more people embrace these business model innovationsKey quotes:●      “There is a recognition today in the business and financial markets that there are very significant externalities which are not priced into the markets.”●      “We don’t have to make more stuff to prosper.”●      “How can we make sustainable consumption convenient and fun?”