Many Paths, One Purpose: Madeleine Shaw on Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business

In this episode, we chat with Madeleine Shaw, a serial social entrepreneur, author, and changemaker whose work spans sustainable menstrual products, upcycled fashion, and community driven initiatives.Madeleine first made her mark in the early 1990s by founding everyware designs, a sustainable design studio, and later co‑founding Lunapads (now Aisle), one of the world’s earliest B Corporations to commercialize reusable, eco‑friendly menstrual products. Through Aisle, she helped build a sustainable menstrual care category and contribute to menstrual health education and access in communities around the world.Madeleine’s first book, The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World, distills her philosophy that business tools can be powerful vehicles for social change, and invites more people to bring their unique vision into purposeful work.Today, she continues to explore creative, regenerative practice from upcycling textiles and teaching sewing workshops to mentoring emerging changemakers, all rooted in a deep belief that all purposeful projects can help reshape how we live, work, and care for each other.I am a serial social entrepreneur, designer and author based on unceded traditional Coast Salish territory. I have founded and co-founded multiple for-profit and charitable organizations, most notably Aisle (formerly Lunapads), a groundbreaking B Corporation that was one of the first companies worldwide to champion sustainable menstrual health and equity. In 2025 I re-launched everyware designs, the fashion label that I originally founded in 1993. Lunapads were among hundreds of products, accessories and garments that I designed and made until 2000, when I elected to dedicate myself to Lunapads' development. Following the sale of the company in 2023, I felt called to revisit my former creative passion, this time through upcycling. My first book, The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World, was published in October 2021. (she calls herself a textile alchemist)@everywaredesigns on InstagramMadeleine's WebsiteMadeleine on YouTubeWe talk to visionaries and game-changers who are doing things differently; using their businesses to do more good in the world. Join us as we dive into the stories and strategies of companies driven by purpose, not just profit. Each episode uncovers unique strategies, challenges, and the deeply satisfying rewards of using business as a platform for change. We offer listeners practical insights on building businesses that are not only successful but also socially and environmentally conscious. You really can make both profit and a positive impact—come join us to find out how others are doing just that.Leena Manro is an award-winning writer, director, and co-founder of All Purpose, an award winning B Corp-certified creative agency based in Vancouver. As VP of Strategy and Storytelling, she leads an in-house team that creates powerful, purpose-driven media for corporate clients. With over a decade of experience, Leena has directed hundreds of narrative projects across diverse genres, earning awards for their cinematic quality and storytelling depth.Leena is driven by a passion to make a meaningful difference in her community, environment and the planet. She’s drawn to collaborating with people and initiatives that strive to make the world a better place.All Purpose is proud to be B Corp certified. B Corps are companies verified to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. The B Corp Movement transforms our economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet.Through this podcast, one of our aims is to showcase the impactful work of fellow B Corps, to inspire others to embrace purpose-driven practices that make a difference.B Corp Certification We would love to hear from you! Send us an email: [email protected] or follow us on LinkedIn . Let us know what you think of the podcast and if you have any topic or guest suggestions.We appreciate if you could subscribe to the the podcast (it's free!) by following the link below. And we'd love a rating if you are enjoying the podcast!Listen to Up to So Good: The Purpose of Business Up to So Good: The Purpose of Business is produced by All Purpose; a creative design and media agency located in Vancouver Canada. Follow the link to find out more about who we are and what we do.Website We're Up To So GoodYou can watch our episodes at YouTube Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Up to So Good!