CONSUME THE GOOD

Episode 3 of @consume.the.good is live!Daniel Flynn from @thankyou started with a uni assignment and one stubborn question: what if the everyday stuff we buy could help end extreme poverty?A company owned entirely by a charitable trust, and a whole lot of good done later… turns out, it could.In this episode we get into:– Challenging how (and what) we actually consume– The relentless campaign that forced their way into the big supermarkets– Why "victim mentality" is the death of ideas — and choosing optimism instead– How any business, even a small one, can do good without hurting its marginsAbout Consume The Good:Consume The Good is a podcast hosted by Aaron Bradley, cofounder of @slidecoffee — a space for thoughtful conversations about how we live, build, and consume, with a focus on good products, good stories, and good business leadership.

Aaron sits down with Dylan and Ellie from Project Pargo to trace the story behind a business built on one quietly powerful idea that a water bottle could help someone get clean water.It started in the back of a camper truck somewhere between Indonesia and Mexico. Three years on the road, no end in sight, and a slow realisation: in nearly every place they lived, locals couldn't safely drink the water coming out of their own taps. The seed for Pargo was planted long before the first cup was ever sold.This conversation unpacks what it actually looks like to build a values-led business from the ground up: the early days in mum's garage, the first wholesale orders, the messy reality of manufacturing, and what it's like running a business with your partner.Dylan and Ellie walk us through their 5% of revenue model, why they chose project-based giving over generic donations, and how 21 water projects later, over 60,000 people have been helped. They get honest about hiring, fear, leadership, conflict, and the parts of impact-led business that don't make it into the highlight reel.It's a grounded look at what happens when lived experience shapes the business you build and how every cup and bottle sold connects back to a real person, in a real community.If you've ever wondered what conscious capitalism can actually look like in practice, this one's worth your time.Timestamps:[02:00] — Welcome / meet Dylan & Elly[03:00] — The three-year trip that changed everything[07:00] — A water bottle that helps someone get clean water — the duh moment[09:00] — The stats: 2.1 billion people without safely managed water[14:00] — How do you not get overwhelmed by the scale of the problem?[17:00] — How the Sawyer filters work (and why they last 10+ years)[20:00] — Working in business with your partner[22:00] — Fear, and the head noise of starting something new[25:00] — Hiring your first employee — and the trap of doing it too soon[27:00] — Why the product has to stand on its own before the cause matters[31:00] — Breaking down the 5% of revenue model[35:00] — Why purpose-driven business has to come from real experience[36:00] — Elly's near-death in Nicaragua + a little girl in El Salvador[41:00] — Designing for real life — removing the pain points[44:00] — Bootstrapping wholesale + the power of community[47:00] — Advice for anyone wanting to start a business[52:00] — Privilege, opportunity, and what we do with it[56:00] — Doing the hard thing is easier than thinking about it[01:00:00] — Conflict resolution + "it's just cups and bottles"[01:01:00] — Leadership, learned along the way[01:05:00] — Where to find Pargo[01:07:00] — Transparency in giving — every dollar trackedAbout Consume The Good:Consume The Good is a space for thoughtful conversations around how we live, build, and consume. We explore business, ethics, and the systems we're part of — with a focus on good products, good stories, and good business leadership.Listen:Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/consume-the-good/id1886584931Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/5BQdyyExB7Dk92D7ZCnfXUYoutube →https://www.youtube.com/@CONSUMETHEGOODLinks:Slide Coffee Roasters — https://www.slidecoffee.com.auProject Pargo — https://www.projectpargo.comIf this resonated:Share it with someone who's thinking about building a business that actually gives back. Or leave a comment — we read them all.

In this episode, Aaron sits down with Stuart from Caravela Coffee to unpack what happens before green coffee reaches the roastery. They explore how coffee moves through the supply chain, why transparency matters, and what “prosperous pricing” can mean for producers.It is a grounded conversation about quality, trust, the C market, and the real cost of coffee at origin. If you have ever wondered how pricing decisions affect farmers, roasters, cafés and the final cup, this episode offers a clear and honest look behind the scenes.This conversation made me pause and rethink what we’ve accepted as normal in coffee, especially around pricing and responsibility.When you break it down, a small change at the café level can mean something significant at origin. But most of us don’t see that side of things, and I think that disconnect matters.This episode is part of trying to close that gap, even just a little.Timestamps00:00 — Intro + why this podcast took time to launch03:00 — What Caravela Coffee actually does08:00 — Milling, quality control and how coffee is assessed19:00 — Challenges producers face (disease, defects, labour)20:00 — The C market explained simply24:00 — Is specialty coffee actually fair?31:00 — Pricing, risk, and instability for producers36:00 — Why small price increases matter more than we think41:00 — Australian coffee pricing vs the rest of the world47:00 — How to know if your coffee is ethical55:00 — Transparency, trust and what data actually means01:04:00 — Final thoughts on relationships and long-term commitmentKey TakeawaysSpecialty coffee isn’t just about quality — the transaction behind it mattersTransparency without context doesn’t tell the full storyThe C market sets a baseline, but it doesn’t guarantee fairnessProducers carry the most risk in the supply chainSmall increases at the consumer end can have a meaningful impact at originLong-term relationships create stability for everyone involvedStuart works with Caravela Coffee, supporting roasters through a sourcing model focused on transparency, quality control, and long-term producer relationships across Latin America.Caravela Coffee: www.caravela.coffeeSlide Coffee Roasters: www.slidecoffee.com.auIf this conversation resonated, share it with someone who cares about where their coffee comes from.And if you’ve got thoughts or questions, we’re always open to the conversation.