Sustainable Leadership: Lessons From Nature and Business

This episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, hosted by Dave Roberts, features Vanessa Thompson—founder of the Sustainability Experts Group and a leader in sustainable business practices. Vanessa shares her journey from early mentorship and work in clean tech startups to consulting for major organizations. The conversation explores how lessons from nature and biomimicry can drive innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in business. Through real-world case studies, Vanessa and Dave discuss the importance of authentic mission, collaboration, systems thinking, and embracing failure as a learning tool. The episode offers practical advice for leaders and organizations seeking to create positive, lasting impact.Vanessa's Bio and Contact InformationVanessa Thompson has worked in sustainability and finance for the past ten years. She has worked at the UN Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, the World Bank, JLL Spark Ventures, and numerous Silicon Valley startups. Her podcast has hosted Olympian Venus Williams, Eric Schurenberg (former CEO of Inc. & Forbes Magazine), Philip Hoare (Chief Operating Officer of AtkinsRéalis), and Lisa Neuberger Fernandez (former head of Innovation at Accenture). She graduated Summa Cum Laude from U.C. Berkeley with a B.S. in Environmental Economics and earned an MBA from Santa Clara University. Her innovative book will be released next year, redefining how sustainable leadership can accelerate business innovation. 🔗 Connect with Vanessa Thompson:LinkedIn: Vanessa ThompsonWebsite: vanessathompson.comThe Sustainability Experts: thesustainabilityexperts.comTo find out more about Dave, go to davidrobertsmsw.com and his author page psychologyprofessorandminister.com