Your Retirement Is Funding What You're Fighting, With Erin Axelrod

What if the economy wasn't designed around manufactured scarcity but around meeting actual human needs?In this episode, Rachel sits down with Erin Axelrod, Partner at LIFT Economy and co-founder of the Force for Good Fund, to explore what it takes to architect an economy that works for everyone. Erin shares how permaculture principles became her framework for redesigning economic systems, why her team is working to redirect $44 trillion in retirement savings from Wall Street to Main Street through the Next Egg initiative, and what she learned helping Winona LaDuke build an Indigenous-owned, vertically integrated hemp textile cooperative.This isn't theory. It's an operational strategy from someone who's been doing the work for over a decade with regenerative farms, ocean restoration ventures, and community land trusts.If you've ever wondered whether it's actually possible to build profitable businesses that heal rather than extract, this conversation offers both the frameworks and the proof points.Chapters:00:00 - Meet the Economy Architect07:40 - From Me Economy to We Economy12:02 - The First Principle: Human Needs24:29 - The $44 Trillion Redirect32:13 - Winona's Hemp Vision41:54 - Raising Non-Extractive Capital45:28 - Democratizing CapitalKey Topics:10 Principles of Next Economy EnterprisesThe Next Egg initiative and retirement savings redirectNon-extractive capital and trust-based philanthropyPermaculture principles applied to business designIndigenous-owned cooperative supply chainsCommunity land trusts and housing justiceAbout Erin:Erin Axelrod is a Business Consultant and Worker-owner at LIFT Economy (lifteconomy.com), where she works with clients and facilitates a 9-month online learning journey called the Next Economy MBA, with 800+ alumni. She is a co-facilitator of the Next Economy Living program focused on personal life design for building liberatory communities of practice to escape from the traps of the business as usual economy. She co-founded the $1.1M Force for Good Fund, The Next Egg, and works with clients all over the country including Jonas Philanthropies & Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm. Erin lives and works in unceded ohlone territory with her partner, 2-year old daughter, in an extended multi-family household and tends to sheep and a small herd of dairy goats. When not working, she enjoys time with her family tending the land, growing mushrooms, planting trees, solar-cooking and harvesting & growing wild foods to make nutrient-dense foods for her friends. Resources mentioned:LIFT Economy Next Economy Living: Next Economy Living is LIFT's practical 6-month learning journey to design and create a values-driven life. This online program aims to deepen personal security and resilience practices to thrive and flourish amidst ecological and economic collapse.Next Economy MBA Program: The Next Economy MBA program was born out of the LIFT team's 10+ years of work with over 250+ social enterprises and organizations that are helping grow the next economy. We’re proud to have over 400+ alumni who have taken the course and are transforming organizations and industries around the world.Raising Mission-Aligned Capital Self-StudyLearn how LIFT Economy is helping Winona LaDuke bring a vision of an Indigenous-led bioregional hemp economy to life, starting with a toolbag produced by Patagonia: https://www.lifteconomy.com/winonas-hemp-patagoniaCrowdfunded Real Estate Projects Bring in Community Investors: https://shelterforce.org/2025/09/09/crowdfunded-real-estate-projects-bring-in-community-investors/The Next Egg Initiative: https://www.lifteconomy.com/the-next-eggEast Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative: https://www.pochousingnetwork.com/ebprecRachel Faggiano's Report (Fund for Racial Justice): https://r2i-lab.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ERISA-Follow-the-Money-Toolkit-1.pdf FOLLOW THE GUEST, ERIN AXELROD:Facebook: https://facebook.com/lifteconomyTwitter: https://twitter.com/LIFTEconomyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifteconomy/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/lifteconomyFollow the Host, Rachel Bernier-Green:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelberniergreen/Website: www.instagram.com/jointhryvo/Instagram: www.instagram.com/jointhryvo/LinkedIn (Company): www.linkedin.com/company/jointhryvo/Twitter/X: x.com/jointhryvoFacebook: www.facebook.com/jointhryvoTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@jointhryvoListening Links:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kmrlBqo4QHftlfmqo2Q32Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-purpose-profit-shift/id1829627732Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PurposeProfitShiftIf this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow business owner who needs to hear this.