Mission Driven Podcast

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, Damien Masselis reflects on one of the most important lessons behind building Pai Seedlings Foundation: that solving complex social and environmental problems is not just about having the right technical solutions — it’s about trust, listening, and understanding the fears that prevent change from happening.After years of trying to help farming communities transition away from chemical agriculture, Damien realized that pushing harder wasn’t working. The breakthrough came when his team slowed down, stopped trying to convince people, and focused instead on what he calls “radical listening” — creating the time and trust necessary for communities to define what a better future meant for themselves.The conversation explores Damien’s unconventional path from MBA graduate to regenerative agriculture leader in Northern Thailand, the realities of rebuilding degraded farmland, why “small is beautiful,” the challenge of scaling human-centered work, and how long-term, values-aligned partnerships have allowed Pai Seedlings to grow without compromising its mission.Key Takeaways- Trust matters more than technical solutions- Regeneration must work within real economic constraints- Human-centered work is difficult to scale- Values-aligned funding creates different possibilities- Entrepreneurship is more sustainable when rooted in service Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Pinky Poe about Bringing Business Rigor to Social Enterprise — and why compassion and creativity alone are not enough to build lasting impact. After a successful global corporate career, Pinky returned home to the Philippines and was struck by the immense talent, resilience, and heart she saw in underserved communities. But she also recognized something missing: the discipline, structure, and operational rigor required to turn that energy into enterprises that could truly scale and sustain themselves. We explore what happens when mission-driven founders neglect the “enterprise” side of social enterprise, why so many ventures struggle in the messy middle, and what Pinky learned after launching 50 community enterprises in five years — only to realize that without systems and structure, impact fades. We also discuss her decision to build an outsourcing firm focused on accounting, compliance, and financial literacy — the overlooked foundations that allow founders to make better decisions, extend their runway, and build organizations that outlast their passion. This conversation is a candid look at what it really takes to move from compassion to capability — and why bringing business rigor to social enterprise may be the most mission-aligned decision a founder can make. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Cheryl Jacob, Founder and Chief of Growth and Impact at Resonate & Co, about her work helping mission-driven entrepreneurs scale. We begin with a direct challenge to investors: their responsibility isn’t to personally deliver every layer of support, but to find and fund the people who know how to provide it—whether that’s operational expertise, systems support, coaching, or even mental wellbeing resources—based on what founders are actually struggling with. From there, we explore the realities facing social entrepreneurs today: navigating the "valley of death" between startup and scale, building hybrid nonprofit/for-profit models as global aid tightens, and ensuring founders themselves don’t burn out before their organizations mature. This is a candid conversation about ecosystems, responsibility, leadership growth, and designing organizations that can endure long enough to deliver lasting impact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Dr. Legena Henry, Founder and CEO of Rum and Sargassum about when an unexpected result sparked the innovation that lead to the development of a local biofuel. It was a moment that came during student-led summer research project in Barbados, and it was “lucky mistake” became the foundation for a venture working to transform a regional environmental crisis into a renewable transportation solution. It is a great conversation that also dives into the process for commercialization inside a university system, negotiating IP and royalties (as part of a spin-out), and navigating entrepreneurship as a family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Mission Driven, I’m joined by two members of Mayani's Mission Driven Dream Team, JT Solis and Oochie San Juan. Part of a seven-person founding team behind Mayani, a Philippines-based agritech working to rebuild smallholder value chains from the ground up, and through our conversation, we speak about how this incredible team think about “mission DNA” across a seven-founder team, how they make decisions, and how they approached fundraising during one of the toughest markets in recent years—while staying intentional about the kind of investors they bring to the table. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, Theresa Carrington, Founder of Ten by Three, shares her 20+ year journey building a model to end extreme poverty through entrepreneurship. She discusses the origins of the organization, the deep impact created through artisan partnerships across seven countries, and the importance of quality, data, and story in scaling sustainable change. Theresa also reflects on critical milestones, hard decisions, and what has kept her focused through betrayal, burnout, and global complexity. Her insights into resilience, founder transition, and influencing policy with humility and proof make this a powerful episode for anyone building mission-led work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Erika Sinner, who recently took over TinySuperheroes (TSH) from its founders, and is looking to take Tinysuperheoes mission forward to support 5 million beneficiaries. What began as a heartfelt initiative to empower children facing illness and disability is now undergoing a powerful transformation under Erika’s leadership. Erika shares how she stepped in at a moment of burnout for the founding team, acquiring the organization and reimagining its future. She walks through her bold plan to transition TSH from a for-profit to a nonprofit structure, her ambitious goal to reach 5 million children in five years, and how she's bringing a private-sector mindset to nonprofit operations. The conversation explores how Erika is building a lean, mission-driven team, reshaping the funding model, and turning a heartfelt community initiative into a scalable, sustainable movement. This is a powerful story of vision, execution, and leading with both heart and strategy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, Tiffany Yeh maps out an early-stage founder’s roadmap to scale as she brings a novel, electricity-free cooling material from lab gel to real-world impact. It's an incredible discussion that speaks to how she has learned to lean into trust —of customers, teammates, and herself— to power fast learning: sees co-designing with early adopters as the key part of her iteration process, and is laser focused on build out a global supply chain and team to support her vision for scale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Max Nelen, founder and CEO of Agros, a climate-smart agritech startup scaling solar irrigation systems for smallholder farmers across Southeast Asia. While we explore Agros' origin story and pilot in Myanmar, the highlight of our conversation is Max’s deep dive into the real, gritty work of scaling. From adapting the product based on farmer feedback to building trust in new markets, deciding when to enter a new country, and navigating the cultural and operational challenges of a growing team, Max offers one of the most honest and insightful takes on what it really means to grow a mission-driven enterprise in emerging markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak down with Ralph Becker, founder of Urban Greens, a Manila-based vertical farming startup about coming to accept that pivoting is part of the process. Through our conversation. Ralph opens up about launching one of the Philippines’ earliest urban farming businesses, the steep learning curve of building in an emerging market, and the difficult decision to shift away from production toward a service-based model. From typhoons wiping out early systems to navigating high electricity costs, Ralph shares the hard-won insights every founder needs to hear — especially those wrestling with whether it’s time to pivot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Alasdair Pocock, founder of Socially Responsible, about his a new platform focused on increasing charitable donations across Hong Kong and his view that the key to scaling the right way is not the fast way. Drawing from his personal experience with disability support and his desire to create scalable impact, Alasdair shares the journey of building technology infrastructure to support local NGOs—many of which struggle for visibility and funding despite their deep community work. From tackling sector-specific challenges like Hong Kong’s Section 88 certification, to pivoting from a B2C donation app to a corporate giving platform, Alasdair offers a candid look into the realities of building a mission-led venture. If you're interested in philanthropy or how tech can enable social change, this episode is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Sam Lee, founder of Good Bricks about pivoting his business from CSR consulting to commercializing green technologies. Through our conversation, Sam shares his transition journey, the importance of letting go, and the lessons learned from building scalable environmental solutions that address one of Asia’s most polluting industries — traditional brick kilns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, we speak with Teresa Chahine, Senior Lecturer at Yale School of Management and Faculty Director of the Social Innovation Initiative, about the power of social entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo. Through our conversation, Teresa shares her journey into social entrepreneurship and her perspective on what it takes to drive lasting social change. Drawing from both academic and practitioner experience, Teresa discusses the evolving meaning of entrepreneurship, the need for measuring agency over metrics, her 10-stage framework for creating change, and the role of academia in transforming systems. The conversation provides rich insights for aspiring changemakers, researchers, and funders alike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Dr. Jason Blackstock, founder and CEO of How To Change The World, a social enterprise dedicated to empower tomorrow's changemaker to address complex sustainability challenges through experiential learning. Through our conversation, Jason explains how his personal journey—from quantum physicist to climate negotiator to professor—revealed a pressing need for experiential, interdisciplinary learning in higher education, and dives into how he has spent the last 10 years building How to Change the World to address that need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Reece Tisdale—founder of Bluefield Research—about global water challenges and he is building a water advisory business to help his clients better understand, and invest in, the challenges they face.. Through our conversation, we speak about the importance of disciplined product development, aligning that to the business model, the importance of mentors to keep you on track and end it with some key advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the knowledge-based services space. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, David Guendelman, a seasoned veteran in social entrepreneurship and co-founder of Do Good CFO, shares his extensive experience as a fractional CFO helping mission-driven entrepreneurs scale. David delves into the vital role of fractional CFOs, highlighting their strategic importance in scaling organizations, guiding financial decision-making, and securing mission-aligned capital. From understanding cash flow and margins to navigating complex fundraising rounds. Through this episode, David also discusses how fractional CFOs can provide crucial support at various stages of business growth, helping entrepreneurs achieve financial success without losing sight of their mission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speaks with Giva Kuppusamy, founder and CEO of GK Aqua, about his journey to revolutionize aquaculture in Malaysia. Through our discussion, Giva shares how he built a biotechnology-driven model for monosex freshwater prawn production, the challenges of scaling a capital-intensive business, and his approach to building an ecosystem for sustainable aquaculture. The conversation dives into technological innovation, including RNAi-based gene silencing, the challenges of funding and scaling, and the business model balancing post-larvae sales, farming, and premium product development. Giva also reflects on team building, resilience, and lessons learned from pitching to investors. His approach to food security, economic empowerment, and sustainable aquaculture offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs seeking to merge science and business for impact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I'm joined by Carl Eneroth, a documentary filmmaker and the founder of the Stockholm Social Innovation Lab to speak about his path to becoming a mission driven filmmaker. Carl's work focuses on sustainability, democracy, and climate solutions, as he strives to capture the stories of changemakers who embody the positive transformation they wish to see in the world. We explore Carl's journey from business school to filmmaking, the power of storytelling, and how his unique approach to interviews uncovers deeply personal narratives that drive change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven podcast, I speak with Fernando Casado, co-founder and general partner of Incremental Climate Tech Fund about his journey into climate investing and the unique challenges of balancing financial returns and impact. With a background in sustainability, Fernando highlights the need for patience, resilience, and clear metrics in the climate tech space and how the fund identifies promising startups focused on decarbonization and systemic change, and what makes a good investment in this high-stakes industry. Through our conversation, Fernando also reflects on the learning curve of being an investor and offers advice for those new to the space, emphasizing the importance of joining a fund before making direct investments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Katy Yung, the co-founder and CEO of the Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFI), about the growing role of family offices in impact investing, the findings from SFI's recent transformational wealth report, and how the next generation of investors is shaping the future of sustainable finance. Katy has over 15 years of experience in impact investing and is building a community focused on catalyzing private asset owners towards sustainable and impact investing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Robert Munson, the Managing Director of Marketing, Communications, and Storytelling at the Sorenson Impact Institute and President of SOCAP, about the critical role of entrepreneurship in solving societal challenges, the evolving landscape of impact investing, and the strategies necessary to scale mission-driven initiatives. Through our conversation, Robert shares his experiences and insights on fostering collaboration within the impact ecosystem, the importance of actionable research, and the need for generational change to sustain and amplify impact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, we speak with Jit Bhattacharya, co-founder and CEO of BasiGo, about his mission to electrify public transportation in Africa. Jit shares insights into the critical need to electrify Africa’s public transportation, the challenges and opportunities in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, and the complex dynamics of building a clean energy business in emerging markets. He highlights the role of renewable energy, the importance of financing innovation, discusses BasiGo’s unique business model, and the need to venture capital to bring it to scale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, we speak with Van Ly, co-founder of Raise Partners, about building a leading ESG consulting firm in Vietnam.A path that both founders are passionate about, and as ESG has become a "hot topic" over the last few years, they have seen increased interest in the topics, community growth, and opportunities to deliver impactful projects to their clients.All of which are aligned with their core values and mission, and offer lessons to anyone who is looking at starting their own firm.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction to Mission Driven Podcast and Van Ly01:56 - Early Influences and Career Path05:07 - Moving to Vietnam, and Early Lessons from first job07:07 - Founding Raise Partners (With Mimi Vu)09:39 - The Mission/ Vision of Raise Partners11:03 - Vietnam’s Sustainability & ESG Landscape12:47 - Supporting SMEs in ESG13:39 - Bridging International and Local Efforts14:45 - Communicating the ESG Story15:03 - Final ReflectionsLISTEN TO THIS PODCAST AT:Spotify: Apple: Amazon:acast: iHeart: ABOUT VAN:Van is a partner at Raise Partners, a social and environmental impact consulting practice in Vietnam. She thrives in brokering partnerships, mobilizing people behind social impact programs and initiatives, and helping others communicate about the impact they are making in their communities and around the world. She has extensive experience working in the private sector in corporate citizenship, branding, and communications and in the NGO sector in stakeholder engagement, fundraising, communications, and program management. In 2020, she co-founded Raise Partners, a collaborative women-led consulting practice sharing expertise with organizations that contribute to the betterment of humanity. She currently serves as Co-Chair for AmCham Vietnam's ESG Committee and a Non-Executive Member of the Board of Directors of Avaaz, the world's largest global campaigning movement. FOLLOW VAN: Website: http://www.raisepartnersvn.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/van-ly-8265422/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Tanvir Uddin about his journey as founder of Wholesum to deliver a pioneering platform for ethical investing and impact.Through our conversation, we speak about the strategies and insights that are driving the movement towards socially responsible investing, uncovering the opportunities and challenges faced in proving the market for ethical investments, and building his proof of concept.ABOUT TANVIR: Tanvir is Founder and CEO of Wholesum, a platform to increase access to unique ethical and impact-focused investments. He was previously Co-Founder & CFO of a venture-backed electric vehicle marketplace and e-commerce SaaS start-up called Vyro and was a Commercial Manager at the leading Australian solar fintech, Brighte. Prior to his entrepreneurial career, Tanvir was a management consultant at McKinsey in Sydney and worked in impact finance in Indonesia with the Clinton Foundation/Acceso and Saudi Arabia with the Islamic Development Bank.Tanvir holds a PhD from the University of Sydney where he examined the intersection of Islamic law and sustainable development through microfinance programs. He has published several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters exploring Islamic fintech, access to finance and sustainability.FOLLOW TANVIRWebsite: www.investwholesum.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtanvirauddin/ABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In this episode of The Mission Driven podcast, I speak with Tim Gocher, Founder and CEO of Dolma Impact Fund, about his 10 years of impacting in Nepal. One of the earliest Impact investors, we speak to the founding story of Dolma Fund, the evolution of Nepal's impact investment landscape, and why he aligns his success with Nepal's future ability to attract additional/ larger funds.ABOUT TIM:Dolma Fund Management is the largest private equity fund manager focused on Nepal, with investments across renewable energy, technology, healthcare and manufacturing. Before Dolma, Tim worked at Deloitte Corporate Finance in London, J.P. Morgan in New York and energy giant E.On. As an entrepreneur, he has started and sold two successful technology businesses. Tim is Hon. Professor of Sustainable Business at The University of Nottingham and Guest Lecturer at London Business School where he gained his MBA. He was awarded the OBE in the 2022 Queen’s Jubilee Honours List for services to British investment and economic development in Nepal.Tim is also a Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Essex, serving HM The King.FOLLOW TIM:Website: https://www.dolmaimpact.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timgocher/ABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Vikas Garg, Founder of abillion, about his vision to inspire a billion individuals to adopt a more sustainable way of life.With more than a million users on his APP alerady, core to executing his vision is analyzing, and leveraging, user data to help users make better decisions, f&b owners improve their menus, or brands know what trends are happening and when to launch their products.It's an incredible conversation about having a big vision, and what it takes to execute on it.About Vikas: Vikas Garg is the Founder & CEO of abillion, a social commerce app that’s enabling people in more than 180 countries to live more sustainably through consumption that’s better for them, and better for the planet. Before creating abillion, Vikas managed over $10 billion for investment banks, hedge funds, and the public pension funds & sovereign wealth funds of California, Canada, Abu Dhabi & Singapore. Vikas was awarded Credit Suisse’s Global Citizenship Award and his work has been featured by CNN, CNBC, BBC, Forbes, the Financial Times, and other publications around the world. He graduated with a degree in history and economics from Emory University and is based in Singapore with his wife and daughter and the abillion team.Follow Vikas:Website: www.abillion.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/vikasgarg.abillionvegLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikas-garg/ About RichDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, of the Mission Driven podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Devika Malik, the visionary Founder of The Wheeling Happiness Foundation, about the shared mission she has with her mother to elevate the lives of individuals with disabilities in India.An accomplished paraolympian, Devika approaches entrepreneurship with incredible tenacity, and is backed by crystal-clear vision for change.Through our conversation we speak about the founding of the organization, the role of mentors (aka coaches) to help ensure accountability, and overcoming the challenges of being a young entrepreneur.Prepare to be inspired as we uncover the entrepreneurial mindset driving her endeavors and the profound impact she is making in the lives of individuals with disabilities.About Devika:An international para-athlete, counsellor and co-founder of the Wheeling Happiness Foundation, Devika Malik is a resounding global voice in the sphere of inclusivity for people with physical, emotional and social challenges.Born with hemiplegia, a condition that causes paralysis to one side of the body, Devika developed a sensitised worldview from early on. She not only overcame her disability to become an international para-athlete but has also become an inspirational role model through her work with people facing different types of challenges – educating economically under-privileged children; vocational training for rehabilitated sex workers & AIDS-affected children; and emotional and physical rehabilitative techniques for physically challenged individuals.Today, she is a leading voice for young people with disabilities in the Commonwealth and the United Nations and has represented India at many international forums, including the Commonwealth Youth Forum and Bright Ideas Talk at Commonwealth Secretariat.In 2021, Devika was awarded the National Youth Award by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports; and the Queen’s Young Leader Award in 2015 for her work with underprivileged people with disabilities and towards disability awareness and universal inclusion in India. She has been honoured amongst the Women Transforming India by Hon. Vice President and United Nations; and was listed as an honouree on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List 2020. In her career as a para-athlete, Devika has won three medals at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix, and multiple golds at the National Para-Athletics Championships between 2010 and 2015.Devika holds the unique honour of being one of only two youngsters, chosen from across the Commonwealth, to speak at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 (CHOGM) in London in front of Heads of State of 53 nations, including the Indian Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi and the entire Royal Family. She also addressed high-level stakeholders at the first-ever global Disability Summit in London in 2018.Follow Devika: Website: https://www.wheelinghappiness.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devikamalik394Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devika.malikQYL/Twitter: https://twitter.com/devikamalik_394LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devika-malik-a4377345About RichDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Through this conversation, I speak with Andy Klump about his 15 year journey to to build one of the world's leading solar energy and storage services firms.It's an incredible conversation about entrepreneurship, the need to constantly adapt (as an entrepreneur), and the need for entrepreneurs to continue identifying, acquiring, and leveraging the resources needed to build culture, empower teams, and find scale.ABOUT ANDYMr. Klump is the founder, owner, and CEO of Clean Energy Associates (CEA), a solar energy and storage engineering services firm established in 2008 which serves investors, developers, EPC contractors, utilities and other downstream clients in the areas of supply chain management, quality assurance, independent engineering, and business intelligence. CEA’s team of 200+ professionals including 135+ engineers with a presence in 13 countries have worked with clients in over 70 countries and completed over 145GW of solar and 15GWh storage projects valued at $96B+. CEA’s team of professionals exhibits a deep commitment to the core values and purpose and has obtained NPS score of 80 from customers and team members as a validation of its unique culture.Follow Andy:Website: www.cea3.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aklump/ABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Spitzer is a mission-driven entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to building businesses that solve big problems at scale. It’s a journey that started seeing the socio-economic and environmental challenges faced in the region, and coming to the belief that private business was the best way to address those issues.In the years that followed, Spitzer built a vertically integrated forestry products manufacturer (TPP) that planted over 100 million trees as part of its business model, and shortly thereafter built Mountain Hazelnuts. An organization that has become one of the largest private employers in Bhutan.While Spitzer's journey into mission-driven may seem counterintuitive, Spitzer's work highlights the impact that mission-driven entrepreneurs can play in addressing large scale social and environmental issues, and through this interview I hope you will be inspired to think about how you too can deliver impact AT SCALE.About DanielDaniel Spitzer is Chairman & CEO of Mountain Hazelnuts Group, a major agri-business that is planting 10 million hazelnut trees on deforested mountain slopes in Bhutan. The Company’s mission is to generate strong financial returns while creating sustainable income for 15% of Bhutan’s population, while addressing the country’s key social and environmental issues. Since 1993, Daniel has developed ventures that successfully combine financial objectives with social and environmental goals, including Plantation Timber Products, which he built into China's largest sustainable forestry company. With state-of-the-art processing facilities and 1,000 PTP retail stores, PTP engaged 700,000 subsistence farmers in planting fast-cycle trees used to produce fiberboard panels as an import substitute for plywood made from SE Asian rainforests. Previously, Daniel was Partner & Managing Director of the General Atlantic Group in Asia. Spitzer received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Masters degree from Stanford University. Daniel is married to his business partner, Teresa Law, with whom he has a grown son and daughter.Follow DanielWebsite: LinkedIn:Facebook:About RichDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I interview Jimmy Pham, the founder of KOTO, and explore his impactful work in improving the lives of disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.Jimmy's journey began over 15 years ago when he decided to return to Vietnam and discovered his mission. It all started with his support for a small group of street kids.During our conversation, we discuss Jimmy's quest to find his purpose, reflect on the early days of KOTO, how he defines success, and the lessons he has learned through the last 15 years as he has built this incredible organization.About Jimmy:Jimmy Pham AM is the unstoppable force and visionary founder behind Vietnam’s leading social enterprise KOTO (Know One, Teach One). Over the last 21 years, KOTO has impacted the lives of over 1000 street kids and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam. KOTO was named finalist for the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award and was also awarded the inaugural UNICEF Vietnam Zero Award for Social Innovation for its work championing the rights of children and youth. Jimmy was recognised as a World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader in 2011, and appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to the community through KOTO in 2013. Jimmy received South Korea’s POSCO TJ Park Prize in 2017 and has now been featured on CNN, BBC, LA Times and The New York Times.Follow Jimmy: Website: https://www.koto.com.au/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-pham-am-402258151/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimmyphamkoto/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KOTOFoundationAbout RichDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steven Moore is a former leadership chief of staff in the House of Representatives who founded the Ukraine Freedom Project. Initially, UFP helped evacuate Ukrainians from hot spots like Kyiv and Kharkiv. Now, the organization provides food, medical supplies, generators, Starlinks and other needed supplies to the front where international organizations and larger NGOs don’t go.Moore has extensive relationships in Washington D.C., both on the Hill and off. He utilizes these relationships to provide help to Ukraine in ways other aid workers cannot. He also uses the Ukraine Freedom Project’s 501(c)(3) status to educate policymakers on the situation in Ukraine.Follow Steven:Website: ukrainefreedomproject.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.e.mooreLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-moore-7884a04/Email: [email protected] RichDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with mission-driven entrepreneur Sabrina Mustopo about her journey as founder of Krakakao.A “farmer-to-bar” social enterprise founded with a mission to improve the livelihood of Indonesian cocoa farmers and the sustainability of cocoa farming.Timestamps:About Sabrina: In 2013, Sabrina founded Krakakoa Chocolate, a "farmer-to-bar" social enterprise working directly with smallholder cocoa farmers to produce organically grown award-winning Indonesian chocolate. In partnership with SwissContact, Krakakoa has provided training to about 1,000 farmers living in the sensitive border areas around national parks in Lampung, Sumatra and in West Sulawesi, to help improve their livelihoods and the sustainability of cocoa farming.Krakakoa Chocolate has won a total of six medals at the 2017 Academy of Chocolate (AOC) Awards in the United Kingdom, making them the first Indonesian chocolate maker to win any AOC award.Follow Sabrina:Website: https://krakakoa.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinamustopo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrinamustopoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabrinamustopoAbout RichDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Tom Dawkins, co-founder of StartSomeGood and LendForGood, about the current landscape for social innovation and entrepreneurship. Through our discussion, we spoke about the general trends that are creating opportunities, but also around the core challenges that entrepreneurs often find themselves grappling with.In particular, the challenges around finding the investment required as they are in the "middle ground" of having to come to scale, but closely tied to that, the challenge of articulating their grand vision for social impact while simultaneously outlining practical steps to engage stakeholders effectively. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Neha Upadhyaya about her work in rural India as the founder of Guna Organics.Neha's journey began with a powerful sense of purpose sparked by surviving an earthquake, which led her to witness firsthand the struggles of affected villages. Instead of opting for the conventional path of joining an NGO or government agency, Neha chose to take matters into her own hands by founding a new organization.Through our conversation, we speak about her journey, and the lessons she has learned along the way as a young founder who has done incredible work to empower so many women.About NehaNeha Upadhyaya is a social entrepreneur based in New Delhi, India. She graduated from King’s College London and worked in the education sector in the U.K. Her focus was with children suffering from Juvenile diabetes , Autism , ADHD etc. She observed their lifestyle , was reluctant in treating them with western medication and received trainings in organics and Macrobiotics from Daylesford organic school , Wholefood Harmony and Navdanya Bina Vidyapeeth which have proven to be alternative healing practises.Upon her return to India , she founded Guna whose vision is to empower women farmers through vertical integration of organic farming and solar technology for post harvest management and rural electrification in the hilly terrains of Ladakh , J&K India. She was the recipient of Future Leaders Connect (2018) & Social Impact India award (2017) by the British Council. Recently , Guna and her work won prototype grants and awards named Entrepreneur Excellence award by I.I.T. Delhi (2017) and Smart fifty solutions that will transform India by I.I.M C.I.P. (2018).She has won full scholarship to study sustainability and responsible leadership from Govt.of Sweden with the course titled Swedish Institute Management Programme 2017. She recently won a fellowship from Earthwatch Institute to facilitate SDG’s in mountain communities.She is well recognised by the media and featured in Economic Times , Time out New York , India Today , CNBC Young Turks.Her NGO won the prestigious small grants programme from GEF UNDP and Ministry of environment, forests and climate change in 2017. With a strong commitment to environmental sustainability , she envisions an inclusive , equitable and healthy society where men and women support each other in every aspect of life and enjoy their right to realise their full potential.Follow Nehawebsite: http://gunaorganics.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neha-upadhyay-249279a8/About RichDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Mayuree Aroonwaranon, a mission-driven entrepreneur dedicated to building a platform to close the loop on Thailand's waste.Through our conversation, we speak about what sparked the initial idea, the process for understanding the pain point to be solved, and the lessons she has learned about building teams, raising capital, and maintaining passion.ABOUT MAYUREEMayuree is the Co-founder & CEO of GEPP Sa-Ard and the creator of GEPP Platform – Thailand’s first waste management system. Highly specialized in implementing organizational transformation, she founded GEPP in order to change how waste journey should be traceable and transparent and how all of us need to change our mindset from “disposal” to “management” when it comes to our own waste.FOLLOW MAYUREELinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayuree-gepp/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayuree.aroonwaranon.5/Website: https://gepp.meABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Mission Driven, I speak with my good friend ( from Thunderbird) Kian Seah about his work to end plastic waste by driving circularity throughout the value chain.It’s an incredible conversation that speaks to the megatrenda driving circularity, the structural challenges of closing the loop, and learning to take the “lessons” from failures along the way.ABOUT KIANSeah Kian Hoe (“Kian”) is the founder and managing director of Heng Hiap Industries (HHI). Established since 2002, HHI is a fully integrated plastic recycling company, being the FIRST company in the world to receive Ocean Bound Plastic Certification co-developed by NGO Zero Plastic Oceans and Control Union. Having developed Smart Plastics to address plastic manufacturers’ need for high quality, customized recycled plastic resin, Kian also designed the Smart Factory in Johor Bahru from the ground up. The factory is GBI-certified (“Green Building Index”) Gold and is now producing PLASHAUS Ocean Plastic while implementing a full track-and-trace program that directly addresses plastic consumers’ concerns about marine pollution.HHI Smart Plastics has reached the shores of 38 countries globally including China, Japan, Australia, India, and multiple countries in Europe, meeting customers’ high performance standards and stringent requirements in quality. In the last 18 years, Kian and HHI have won multiple accolades for business leadership and product innovation – the more notable ones being: the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) in the World in the category of environmental leadership (2013), The Edge newspaper of Malaysia named him “The Michaelangelo of Recycling” (2018) and most recently, Frost and Sullivan awarded HHI “2020 Malaysia Smart Waste Solutions Technology Innovation Award”.FOLLOW KIANWebsite: http://www.henghiap.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kian-seah-95428914ABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Project Dignity founder Koh Seng Choon about his work to bring his social enterprise to scale.It is a journey that started 15 years ago, and over this time he has been focused on perfecting the business model, processes, and leadership models to deliver impact at scale... and hopefully become the first social enterprise to IPO on a MAIN board.ABOUT SENG CHOON:Mr Koh Seng Choon is the founder and Executive Director of Project Dignity, Singapore’s first social enterprise for the disadvantaged and people with disabilities.The aim is to help these people regain a sense of dignity through their work. Project Dignity comprises of- Dignity Kitchen – hawker or street training centre for disabled and disadvantaged- Dignity Mama – second hand bookshop managed by the mothers and their challenged children- Dignity Cottage - bird’s nest processing for lower functional disabled youth- Dignity Meal – free meal for foreign workers and the poor- Dignity Angels – engages professional to support charities and corporate in their corporate social responsibilitiesMr Koh Seng Choon is an engineer by training and holds a MSc in Computer Integrated Manufacturing. His career spans UK, USA, India and China. Authored of three books – Elements of Success: Business, Elements of Success: Education and Elements of Success: Living – of which the first book mentioned is a best-seller in India.He is also the owner and management consultant of Christopher Benjamin Consultancy Services which help Chinese companies to develop business in India and Indian companies for the China market. He is an adjunct lecturer at SP Jain School of Global Management.FOLLOW SENG CHOONWebsite: http://dignitykitchen.sg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sengchoon.kohLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kohsengchoonABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

n this episode of the Mission Driven podcast, I speak with Charlie Cooksey, the founder and CEO of WEPOWER, A social enterprise dedicated to empowering the black and Latino communities to reimagine and shape a future that honors their humanity and dignity.ABOUT CHARLI: Charli Cooksey is a St. Louis native and the Founder & CEO of WEPOWER, a non-profit organization building power to create education and economic systems that nurture our lives. Before this, Cooksey worked as an English teacher through Teach for America; she co-founded an educational access venture called inspireSTL (during her tenure, each senior class of inspireSTL Scholars celebrated 100% high school graduation and four-year college acceptance rates. Additionally, inspireSTL has inducted seven classes of scholars, and it is on track to serve approximately 400 scholars annually); Cooksey then went on to serve as an Executive-in-Residence at United Way - with a focus on education innovation; and prior to WEPOWER, she served as the Interim Executive Director/Lead Catalyst of Forward Through Ferguson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Romain Diaz about his work to invest into early stage mission driven entrepreneurs, and how Satgana brings together an ecosystem to support the scale of their portfolio companies.ABOUT ROMAINRomain Diaz is an entrepeneur and venture builder who has travelled the world creating companies. Now he leads Satgana, a venture-builder in the climate space. Satgana's mission is to be a launchpad for climate and planet-positive ventures.Through an extensive network of advisors and collaborators Satgana invests human and physical capital into young start-ups, assisting them through some of the most challenging periods. FOLLOW ROMAINWebsite: https://www.satgana.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romaindiaz/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romain.diazABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven podcast, I speak with Nathalie Kylander about her work leverage the leverage the power of grassroots entrepreneurship to end extreme poverty through her organization Trickle UpAn organization that identifies, trains, and funds, more than 25,000 women each year, and through this work has measurably proven their impact to the communities they serve as these women gain grow businesses, gain social status, and at times, even take on leadership within their communities.ABOUT NATHALIENathalie Laidler-Kylander is an authority on the economic empowerment and the inclusion of women in extreme poverty, focusing on the pivotal role of financial, social, and psychological resilience in establishing enduring solutions for women emerging from extreme poverty. She strongly believes in the transformative potential of women's solidarity to drive social change and economic growth, emphasizing the ripple effects that result from collaborative efforts to shape a different future for women, their children, and their communities.Currently serving as the President and CEO of Trickle Up, Nathalie leads the organization’s mission to partner with women living in extreme poverty to build economic opportunity and drive inclusion. Her passion lies in advancing the social and economic inclusion of women, advocating that investing in women—who subsequently invest in themselves and their families—is the most effective strategy to break the inter-generational cycle of poverty.FOLLOW NATHALIEWebsite: https://trickleup.org/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-laidler-kylander-8aa90510/ABOUT RICHDriven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.FOLLOW RICHWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerCONTACT [email protected]#richbrubaker #missiondriven Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mission Driven Podcast, I speak with Tara Susanto about her inspiring work with Indonesian farmers aimed at preventing deforestation. Kicking off our discussion, Tara highlights the critical importance of addressing deforestation in Indonesia, citing its impact on biodiversity, climate change, and the livelihoods of indigenous communities. Following that, we spend our time speaking about the work she has done over the last 18 months to create pilots, pivot when things aren't working, and the power of community partnerships to deliver impactABOUT TARATara's early career involved working in e-commerce and FMCG, which ultimately led to a realization that a radical change in human consumption is due. After spending about a year carbon trading with her partner, Tara discovered that a core issue developing nature-based carbon removal projects stems in community -- a safe, reliable, and accountable community is crucial to succeed. Bumiterra was founded in 2022 for that reason: to build community-powered and centric reforestation programs, so that each vulnerable local and community member can achieve income security through nature restoration, not nature extraction, and bringing power back into their own hands. In doing so, Tara is committed to be a leader that upholds the rights of the voiceless and the vulnerable. Bumiterra's just the beginning.FOLLOW TARAWebsite: https://www.bumi-terra.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with the founding  team at Vulcan Augmetics about the work they are doing in Vietnam to  bring affordable and highly functional 3D printed prosthetics to the  market.Besides their passion for the product, and the awesomeness of the  product itself, I continue to reflect on the dynamic between the  founders. Rafael’s crazy visions operationalized by Ella’s process and  translation skills.The energy between them in amazing.About Entrepreneurs For Good Series:Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose  mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and  economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about  their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have  had to overcome.It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but  catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a  challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non)  that brings a solution to the marketAbout Vulcan:Using 3D printing technology and maker-based manufacturing technology,  Vulcan Augmetics is developing and putting affordable, modular  prosthetics in the market.Follow Vulcan:Website: https://www.wearevulcan.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vulcanaugmetics/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vulcan-augmetics/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vulcan_augmetics/About Rich:Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard  Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire,  and equip those around him to take their first step. Acting as a  catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government,  corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together  knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case  for sustainability.Follow Rich:Website: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerInstagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact Rich:[email protected]#Sustainability #innovation #Entrepreneurship Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Hannah Wonjo from Good Deeds Day about how they have created a movement that engages  millions of people around the world every year to do a “good” deed.About Entrepreneurs For Good Series:Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose  mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and  economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about  their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have  had to overcome.It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but  catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a  challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non)  that brings a solution to the marketAbout Good Deeds Day:Good Deeds Day is an annual tradition of good deeds. All over the world,  hundreds of thousands choose to volunteer and help others, putting into  practice the simple idea that every single person can do something  good, be it large or small, to improve the lives of others and  positively change the world.Follow Hannah:Website: https://www.good-deeds-day.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannah.wojnoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahwojno/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GoodDeedsDayAbout Rich:Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard  Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire,  and equip those around him to take their first step. Acting as a  catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government,  corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together  knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case  for sustainability.Follow Rich:Website: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerInstagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact Rich:[email protected]#Sustainability #innovation #Entrepreneurship Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Edwin Keh about the work that he is  doing to develop and support innovations that will drive circularity in  the fashion and textiles, and speak about various steps along his career  path have led him to where he is.About Entrepreneurs For Good Series:Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose  mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and  economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about  their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have  had to overcome.It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but  catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a  challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non)  that brings a solution to the marketAbout Edwin:Edwin Keh is the CEO of The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and  Apparel. He is also on Faculty at the Wharton School, University of  Pennsylvania and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology  where he teaches supply chain operations.Until April 2010 Edwin was the SVP COO of Wal-Mart Global  Procurement. Edwin co-founded the Consortium For Operational Excellence  in Greater China (COER GC) sponsored by the Wharton School and Tsinghua  University.Edwin had a career as senior executive with several US consumer goods  and retail companies. He was the Managing Director of Payless  Shoesource International, Donna Karan International, and Country Road  Australia. He also worked for the United Nations High Commission for  Refugees.Edwin serves on multiple industry and educational boards. He advises several other social enterprises.Follow Edwin:Website: http://www.themillsfabrica.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/edwin.kehLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwin-keh-b8618b2/About Rich:Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard  Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire,  and equip those around him to take their first step. Acting as a  catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government,  corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together  knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case  for sustainability.Follow Rich:Website: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerInstagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact Rich:[email protected]#Sustainability #innovation #Entrepreneurship Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Vy Vu about how  the organization she helped launch, FitFam, went from a handful of  friends working out together in a local park to hundreds of participants  getting up regularly to participate in more than 50 weekly events.Through our conversation, we  focused a lot on how to build a  community, and the challenge of building a business model around it  where the interests of the community remain front and center.Topics I believe are critical at this time.About Entrepreneurs For Good Series:Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose  mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and  economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about  their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have  had to overcome.It is a series that we hope will not only engage and  inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action.To  identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model  (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market.About Rich:Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard  Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire,  and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with  government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring  together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their  business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerInstagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected]#richbrubaker #SocialEntrepreneurship #founderstory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Illac Diaz about the work that he is doing  at Liter of Light, and how he is building a business model that helps  communities move forward. It is a business model rooted in his belief  that communities can solve their own problems, but in helping them, he  creates a problem (that he must solve) for his own business model.About Entrepreneurs For Good Series:Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose  mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and  economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about  their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have  had to overcome.It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but  catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a  challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non)  that brings a solution to the marketAbout Illac:Illac Diaz is a social entrepreneur working to empower communities  through pioneering programs. His name ‘Illac’, that was given to him at  birth, is an Aztec term meaning ‘god of light’, which is just  coincidence. Illac founded the MyShelter Foundation in 2006 to promote  grassroots sustainable development through capacity-building and  employment-generating projects.Follow IllacWebsite: https://literoflight.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illacancellotti.diazLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ildiaz/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/illacdiazAbout Rich:Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard  Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire,  and equip those around him to take their first step. Acting as a  catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government,  corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together  knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case  for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/richbrubakerInstagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected]#EntrepreneursForGood #SocialEntrepreneurship #Innovation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I speak with Brian Cotter about why he sees UNICEF  as a great platform to leverage his entrepreneurial spirit and tool set  for the greatest impact.It is a great conversation, where he shows a lot of self-awareness  about how he sees entrepreneurship, as an entrepreneurship, but also as a  tool set and mindset that can click into larger organizations… and at  the end he gives some insights into how those debating the best path for  them can make a better decision.About Entrepreneurs For Good Series:Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose  mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and  economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about  their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have  had to overcome.It is a series that we hope will not only engage and  inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action.To  identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model  (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market.AboutAbout Brian:Brian helps organizations identify, analyze, and solve the increasingly complex challenges they face in Vietnam and globally.Over the last 10+ years in Vietnam he has developed a broad set of  experiences with forays into retail, hospitality, I.T., and consulting.  He helps companies grow, redefine their structures, and installed  processes that have lead to new and successful results.I’ve also been a keen observer and supporter of the startup ecosystem  in Vietnam and regularly participate in events as a judge, mentor, and  speaker.Follow Brian:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdcotter/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briandcotterTwitter: https://twitter.com/CotterVNAbout Rich:Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard  Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire,  and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with  government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring  together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their  business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerInstagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected]#richbrubaker #SocialImpact #UNICEF Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this Episode of Entrepreneurs for Good, I speak with my good friends Jeffrey Delkin and Rachel Speth.The are the founders of one of the EARLIEST sustainability minded brands, Bambu, that I EVER came into contact, and are AMAZING people.In our conversation, we speak through what was behind their jump from their corporate careers, the REALITIES of working with renewable/ natural materials, how they have had to adjust (and GROW) through their last 15 years.We had a lot of fun. There are a TON of lessons.They are great people.Watch it. Enjoy it. Like it. Share it.About Entrepreneurs For Good Series:Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action.To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market.AboutBambu:More than just bamboo products, we are makers of contemporary eco-friendly products created from renewable materials such as bamboo, cork, coconut, hemp and other sustainable materials. Created with imagination and integrity our unique designs that celebrate form, color and texture using low impact materials and processes. Design with the planet in mind.Follow Bambu:Bambu Website: https://www.bambuhome.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bambuliving/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bambuhomeTwitter: https://twitter.com/bambuhomeYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/user/bambubrandAbout Rich:Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.Follow RichWebsite: http://www.richbrubaker.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubakerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubakerInstagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubakerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubakerContact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.