Mind Yo' Business S8:E12 - The Business of Change: How Arts and Music Can Move the World

In this December episode of Mind Yo' Business, recorded in the Ruoff Mortgage Podcast Studio in partnership with Karan Rastall (NMLS#763395), Andrew sits down with Jess Reed, a leader whose life and career bridge local arts, global music empowerment, and nonprofit innovation. Jess currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Playing For Change Foundation, a nonprofit that uses music and arts education to build community, support children, and inspire positive change around the world.   Playing For Change is known for its global music collaborations that bring musicians from many cultures together to share songs and stories, as well as for building music schools and programs in under-resourced communities to provide ongoing education and creative opportunities.   Before her work with Playing For Change, Jess spent meaningful time in Bloomington, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees at Indiana University while working for the Bloomington Playwrights Project, an arts organization dedicated to developing and producing original theatre. Her path also took her to Glens Falls, New York, where she worked with the Adirondack Theatre Festival (ATF)—a professional nonprofit summer theatre focused on developing new and contemporary musicals and plays—through its summer programming and play development.   During the conversation, Jess and Andrew share a spirited debate about famous musicals and plays—from Rent to CATS—and even dive into how the satirical film Team America fits into the larger pop culture landscape. Their back-and-forth touches on how pop media, parody, and high art all influence public perceptions of the performing arts, and how these stories—whether heartfelt or outrageous—spark deeper cultural conversations.   Whether you're passionate about arts administration, nonprofit work, community empowerment, or the business of building creative movements, this episode offers insight into how one person's journey through diverse creative spaces can help make the world a better place.     PLAYING FOR CHANGE   Podcast Studio Sponsor Podcast Sponsor   Podcast Sponsor Podcast Sponsor   Episode 7-12 Sponsor       Episode 7-12 Sponsor