Design Economics Podcast with Vinny Tafuro

Join host Vinny Tafuro for a conversation with Miren Oca, founder and CEO of Ocaquatics Swim School, who built a Miami swim instruction institution over 32 years before transferring 100% of it to her employees through a perpetual Employee Ownership Trust on the company's thirtieth anniversary. Miren walks through why she walked away from private equity, how the EOT compares to ESOPs and worker cooperatives, what the transaction actually looks like, and how the trust's structure protects the company's mission and keeps wealth in the community it serves. This episode also explores the Own It culture Miren built over three decades, the role of financial literacy in preparing employees for co-ownership, and how Ripples of Impact extends the company's purpose beyond the pool.Links ReferencedMiren OcaOcaquatics Swim SchoolRipples of ImpactPurpose Trust Ownership Network (PTON)One Percent for the PlanetFlorida for GoodB1G1Books ReferencedDelivering Happiness (Tony Hsieh)The Man Who Broke Capitalism (David Gelles)Purchase books from our Bookstore.org bookstore ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for a conversation with Helena Norberg-Hodge, founder of Local Futures and pioneer of the new economy movement. Helena traces the economic forces that transformed Ladakh, a self-sufficient Himalayan culture untouched by the global economy until the 1970s, and what that experience revealed about the relationship between economic design and human happiness. From the destruction of local economies by deliberate policy to the structural case for localization, this episode explores what GDP cannot measure and what it will take to build the public understanding that real change requires.Local Futures WebsiteThe Economics of Happiness (Film)Right Livelihood AwardVia Campesina ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for a conversation with Tom Llewellyn, Executive Director of Shareable, exploring what a genuine sharing economy actually looks like. Tom traces the roots of community sharing infrastructure from the first tool libraries of the 1970s through 2,000+ Libraries of Things operating worldwide today, and examines mutual aid as a proven economic model — not charity. With the new Library of Things Toolkit launching March 19 at the Repair & Share Summit, this episode is both a conversation about economic paradigm change and a practical on-ramp for anyone ready to start building the commons in their own community.Tom's Work & Shareable:Shareable.netLibrary of Things Toolkit — new edition live March 19Sharing Cities: Activating the Urban Commons — free downloadThe Response podcast & documentaryMutual Aid 101Navigating Conflict in Movement SpacesEmergency Battery Network ToolkitTop 50 How-To GuidesRural Power CoalitionCities@TuftsEvents:Repair & Share Summit — March 19-20Referenced:Join or Die documentary — NetflixAsheville Tool Library ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for a compelling conversation with Dr. Pamela Shockley-Zalabak, former Chancellor of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and leading researcher on organizational trust. Their discussion explores the 50-year decline in social trust, reveals how the 2016 election exposed a crisis in social capital, and examines why orthodox economics has ignored trust despite its role as the market's true "invisible hand." Dr. Shockley-Zalabak shares insights from her decades of research across 400+ organizations and 20 countries, introducing her five-driver trust model and discussing her forthcoming book on navigating our current trust crisis. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro and guest John Feldman, filmmaker and founder of Hummingbird Films, for a conversation about how ecological documentaries challenge scientific orthodoxy. Over his forty-year career, John's work has evolved from defending traditional evolutionary theory to documenting how cooperation and symbiosis drive evolution and ecological health. Their conversation explores how this intellectual humility contrasts with the scientific overconfidence that plagues economics, and how interdisciplinary filmmaking can disrupt entrenched paradigms in both science and economics.https://hummingbirdfilms.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro and guest Tonya Donati, Founder and CEO of Mother Kombucha, for a conversation about building a certified B Corp through bootstrapped, regional growth. Tonya's journey from occupational therapist to beverage entrepreneur reflects a shift in business fundamentals—rejecting the venture capital model in favor of profitability, community anchoring, and stakeholder capitalism. Their conversation explores how B Corps formalize the paradigm shift from shareholder primacy to values-driven business, and how slow, sustainable growth is making traditional business fundamentals sexy again.Support the Design Economics Podcast on Patreon ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for an engaging conversation with guest Dr. Walter Balser, Clinical Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Florida. Dr. Balser teaches graduate courses on organizational leadership, technology leadership, and qualitative research methods, and his research examines the changing education ecosystem from the standpoint of decentralization, blended capital, and technological disruption. Their conversation explores the decentralization and paradigm shifts occurring in K-12 education and how AI will not replace teachers but instead may help scale the creative ability of education systems to meet students where they are.Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for a conversation with Dr. Stan Deetz, exploring why corporations—not governments—make most decisions affecting our lives. Stan reveals how externalized costs and the relentless pursuit of speed are destroying economic systems, from quarterly reporting cycles to high-frequency trading. They discuss practical solutions, including enforcing antitrust legislation, using transaction taxes to make short-termism expensive, and designing collaborative processes that enable diverse stakeholders to make creative decisions together where it matters most—in corporate boardrooms and community spaces.2025, Communication Theory at the Crossroads - Stan's newest book developing the theory of relational constructionism and co-generative democracy, providing frameworks for designing interaction processes that enable diverse groups to make creative, mutually beneficial decisions together.Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro and guest Dr. Melanie Sue Hicks, a workforce and employee experience expert with more than two decades of experience in organizational development and culture, for a conversation about workplace dysfunction and its broader economic impact. Today's conversation focuses on the hidden costs of employee disengagement, drawing from Dr. Hicks' research on psychological contracts and generational workplace dynamics. Dr. Hicks introduces the concept of "invisible snake bites" - the accumulated damage from unmet workplace expectations that costs the global economy $9 trillion annually.Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro and guest Thaddeus Squire, Chief Commons Steward at Social Impact Commons, for a conversation about fiscal sponsorship in the social sector. Thaddeus has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit management field, and today’s conversation focuses on the evolution of fiscal sponsorship. Thaddeus and his organization have coined the term “management commons” to better illustrate the nuance and breadth of what fiscal sponsorship can do beyond the transactional.Guest BioThaddeus Squire, Chief Commons Steward at Social Impact Commons, has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit management field, focusing on arts and cultural heritage. A serial nonprofit entrepreneur, he founded Peregrine Arts in 2004, a multi-arts producer, followed by Hidden City Philadelphia, among other curatorial projects. Links MentionedNational Network of Fiscal SponsorsThe UndersectorElinor OstromDavid BollierFree Fair and Alive, David BollierClick here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro and guest Dr. Riane Eisler, renowned systems scientist and author, as they explore her groundbreaking work on partnership systems and their impact on economic structures. Drawing from her 2019 book "Nurturing Our Humanity," co-authored with Douglas Fry, Eisler discusses how the biocultural partnership-domination lens reveals patterns that conventional economic frameworks miss, offering practical paths toward more equitable, sustainable economic systems. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for an engaging conversation with guest Dr. Eric Eisenberg, Senior Vice President for University-Community Partnerships at USF. Through the lens of design economics, they explore paradigm shifts in academia, the unique role of communication as an interdisciplinary bridge, and the challenges of creating innovative university-community connections. Dr. Eisenberg shares insights from his 30-year academic journey on how universities can evolve to become true metropolitan partners in addressing complex societal challenges. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for an engaging conversation with guest Ingrid LaFleur, a curator, Afrofuturist, and pleasure activist. Her groundbreaking work has been featured in prominent outlets such as The New York Times and Time magazine. Their conversation explores the roots of Afrofuturism, the impacts of nonlinear presence, and how Ingrid’s Dinkenish Method World Builds can guide us toward better futures.Authors & Books MentionedOctavia Butler, Wild Seed and Parable of the SowerNnedi Okorafor | Who Fears Death | BintiYtasha Womack | Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy CultureRasheedah Phillips | Dismantling the Master's Clock: On Race, Space, and TimeN. K. Jemisin | How Long 'til Black Future Month?About Ingrid LaFleur, aka Dr. XiluvaIngrid LaFleur is a cultural strategist, futures researcher, Afrofuture theorist, and pleasure activist dedicated to fostering equitable and just futures. As the founder of The Afrofuture Strategies Institute (TASI), she merges foresight methodologies with the cultural movement of Afrofuturism to cultivate Afrofuture consciousness and inspire transformative action.A recognized thought leader, LaFleur has shared her expertise through global talks and workshops, including engagements at the Centre Pompidou (Paris), TEDx Brooklyn, Harvard University, and Oxford University. Her groundbreaking work has been featured in prominent outlets such as The New York Times and Time magazine.LaFleur holds a Master of Science in Foresight from the University of Houston, where she honed her ability to envision and strategize for thriving, inclusive futures.Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro for an engaging conversation with guest Nathan Stuck, an entrepreneur, B Corp consultant, and the founder of B Local Georgia. Their conversation focuses on the collective impact of B Corps on the wider market and economy as more examples of successful B Corps illustrate how a better-designed business can support a better-designed economy.About Nathan StuckNathan is an award-winning leader in the B Corp community and the Founder of Profitable Purpose Consulting, a culture, impact, and B Corp consultancy. He founded and chairs B Local Georgia and serves on the board of B Academics, a nonprofit committed to research and experiential B Corp learning opportunities. He is also the Executive Director of BLD Southeast, a regional annual B Corp conference that brings together B Corps from the southeastern United States for a celebration of business as a force for good.Nathan teaches an MBA course on B Corps at the University of Georgia, is a regular speaker at conferences and on podcasts around the world, and hosts the B The Change Georgia podcast. His first book, Happy Monday: Designing Your Dream Career, was released in 2022, and his TEDx Talk was released in March 2023. Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanastuck/Company Website: https://www.profitablepurposeconsulting.com/Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/profitable-purpose-consulting/B Local Georgia Website: https://www.blocalgeorgia.com/B Local Georgia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/b-local-georgia/BLD Southeast Conference: https://bldsoutheast.comConnect with the show:Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro and guest Andy Hines, Assistant Professor and Program Director of the graduate program in foresight at The University of Houston as they discuss Andy’s new book Imagining After Capitalism. The book is the culmination of professional futurist Andy’s 10-year exploration of what comes next after capitalism. Arguing that the absence of compelling positive alternatives keeps us stuck in a combination of fear, denial, and false hope, he offers three “guiding images” for the long-term future.www.andyhinesight.comConnect with the show:Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★

Join host Vinny Tafuro and guest Dr. Paula Seymour, Assistant Professor and Program Director of Social Entrepreneurship at Flagler College, as they explore how design thinking can revolutionize economics for the 21st century. Learn about the three tenets of design economics and hear how visionary thinkers like Hazel Henderson, Marilyn Waring, Riane Eisler, and Kate Raworth have shaped this approach to creating more sustainable, human-centered economic solutions.Connect with the show:Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★ Connection to Design Economics TenetsThe Three Tenets of Design EconomicsAcknowledging Change: Recognition that economic paradigms have lifespans and must evolve with societyEmbracing Creativity: Economics must refrain from punishing creativity and embrace interdisciplinary approachesCultivating Literacy: Economic literacy is essential for a free, equitable, and flourishing societyKey Pioneering Thinkers DiscussedHazel Henderson: Critiqued GDP limitations, advocated for environmental considerations in economicsMarilyn Waring: Developed time-use surveys showing unpaid care work as the largest segment of the economyRiane Eisler: Created partnership vs. domination framework for economic systemsKate Raworth: Developed Doughnut Economics balancing human needs with planetary boundariesPractical ApplicationsB Corporations as a market-based implementation of design economics principlesTransparency and accountability in business as drivers of economic literacyKey Quotes"We find, support and share data-driven and design-centered economic ideas aligned with the three tenets of design economics... our vision is nurturing economic systems that cultivate rather than restrict our human potential." - Vinny Tafuro"Putting the needs of users first and observing how the user interacts with their environment and then generating ideas and prototyping and designing around the human needs is, again, an integral part of being a social entrepreneur and recognizing that we are not just designing to design, we're designing to bring about change for the greater good." - Dr. Paula Seymour"Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist." - John Maynard Keynes (quoted by Vinny Tafuro)"We're claiming to be truly sustainable, as businesses, as societies, but we're doing better with the environment... but we can't figure out the people. It's like, how do we measure it? And everybody's so scared to venture into the realm of the social side, what it means to be sustainable." - Dr. Paula Seymour"Economic literacy supports democracy. A well-informed citizenry is essential for a functioning democracy, and economic decisions affect education, healthcare, infrastructure, environmental policies, and citizens need this literacy to be able to hold leaders accountable." - Dr. Paula Seymour"How can you accommodate for two-thirds the largest part of your society if you don't even know it's there?" - Vinny TafuroConnect with the show:Click here to view the episode transcript. ★ Support this podcast ★