Social Change Leaders Podcast: Recent Episodes

Traci & Stephanie

Exploring the intersection of social change leadership, in the public, private and non profit sectors hosts Stephanie Malon-Rufi and Traci Warnberg-Lemm bring you interviews with thought leaders on the front lines. Packed with tips, actionable ideas and stories to inspire, this podcast will energize your efforts to make an impact in the world.

You can't see the whole picture when you're stuck in the middle of it.

Anonymous

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

The Social Change Leaders Podcast is back after a 6 month break! In this episode, Stephanie and Traci share reflections, lessons and reminders during the ‘pauses’ in their lives. They discuss what has helped them sustain their efforts and expand their vision. In their conversation, they discuss:

What Stephanie and Traci have been up to the last 6 months
What Traci and Stephanie have discovered / re-discovered for themselves
What is next for Traci, Stephanie and the Social Change Leaders Podcast

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Social Change Leaders Quiz
Traci, Social Motion
Stephanie, Spark Good

We are weaving the future on the loom of today

Grace Dawson
Do you see and think about the different systems impacting your social change efforts? With the current challenges we face now as we emerge from a global pandemic, social change can feel even more out of reach. It is important to understand the integration of systems when addressing our biggest community challenges. Co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm shares some observations about the emerging landscape of system change and how to maximize your impact as we move into 2023.

In this episode you will:

+ Learn what ESG is and how social change leaders can have more impact
+ Consider how to deepen your personal equity learning and practices and more effectively push for systemic change
+ Hear how social innovators and social change leaders can better map and change systems to have more impact
+ Hear about new research from the University of Maine that suggests that social change may depend on the relationship between beneficial behaviors and policies.
+ Understand why looking deeper at systems helps us better address our own biases and limited understanding

In this episode we reference:
- Spark Good, Stephanie - Spark Good
- Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
- Article: New research shows what it takes to make society change for the better

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

As a social entrepreneur, do you find sales challenging? Does setting prices and then talking about them make you cringe? Take a listen to this episode where co-host, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, has a conversation with Kat Luckock, founder of Share Impact, about her work with social entrepreneurs specifically in the area of sales. Through the conversation with Kat you will:

Learn about how Kat first started working in the social enterprise field
Understand why sales can be so challenging for social entrepreneurs and the work Kat does to work through the mindset blocks
Listen to the importance of messaging in the sales process
Hear about Kat’s focus on revenue generation, especially sales, which has led to the development of her aligned sales strategy.
Learn about how Kat approaches working with her clients on pricing

More about Kat Luckock:

Kat Luckock, Founder of Share Entrepreneur Coach, is passionate about helping social enterprise Founders & Leaders achieve their vision for social + environmental change with sustainable income streams, confident sales and a clear strategy. She is expert at helping you communicate your purpose and social impact in a way that attracts ready-to-buy customers, clients and partners.

She provides coaching, mentoring and training to help women generate revenue and sales in a fully aligned way to who they are and build their business with a strategy that works for them and the way they want to live their life (which is often not “conventional”).

She hosts the Creating Social Impact podcast.

Kat Luckock, Share Impact

“What really draws me to this business

is the power we have as women to change the world.”

Casey Gromer

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

As you continue to grow your business, do you struggle with how to grow your team? Do you know how to use team members the most effectively? How can you build an effective team even for a small business? We get into all of these topics and more on this episode with C-Suite Boutique Founder and CEO, Casey Gromer. Co-host, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, has a conversation with Casey about her work building a business catering to women CEOs by offering a custom business blueprint, strategic growth planning and fractional integrator services. Through our conversation with Casey you will:

Learn about what a fractional integrator does and how it may benefit your business
Understand the difference between a visionary leader versus a fractional integrator style leader
Hear Casey’s unique approach to delegating, something many entrepreneurs often get wrong
Learn tips for making you first hire(s) and how to set them up for success in your business
Listen to best way to use your team even if you are a start-up business
Understand how part-time expert help can be invaluable as you grow your business
Hear Casey’s passion to changing the way we ‘do business’ recognizing that many of the systems supporting business growth are broken and don’t support the additional responsibilities many women have within their households and communities

More about Casey Gromer:

Casey is host of Female Founders Breaking Boundaries podcast where she encourages women to ditch traditional, male-dominated business advice in favor of more realistic, workable ways of running their business while still achieving success. As founder of C-Suite Boutique, Casey and her team currently serve women entrepreneurs as Fractional Integrators.

Casey Gromer, C-Suite Boutique

Casey Gromer on LinkedIn

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you experience entrepreneurial burnout? Are you constantly running around wearing all the hats and putting out fires? This episode is a replay of a workshop that co-hosts Stephanie Malon-Rufi and Traci Warnberg-Lemm presented as part of Twin Cities Start-up Week. In this episode, they walk you through an assessment tool that will help you identify:

areas in your business that need better systems in place
the types of support you need to keep the business on the right track
good time management skills that work and how to maintain good boundaries
if you are properly managing your health and well-being

In this episode we reference:

Free download: Building a Business That Doesn’t Burn You Out
Spark Good, Stephanie - Spark Good
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

“The number-one thing that you will have to sacrifice to be great, to achieve what you are capable of, and to execute your plans, is your comfort.”

-Brian P. Moran & Michael Lenningston, 12 Week Year

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you started to think about planning your 2023? Now is the time to decide when you will be doing this important part of getting ready for the new year. In this episode, co-host Stephanie Malon-Rufi goes solo and talks about the annual planning process she does for herself and with her clients. In this episode, you will:

Understand why reflection is a powerful planning tool
Learn about the importance of reconnecting and refining your vision
Hear about the book 12-Week Year and some of the key takeaways Stephanie recommends implementing in your planning and execution process
Understand the necessity of setting goals along with a detail action plan
Hear key tips to stay on track with your action plan and how to measure your progress
Learn about the personalized annual planning package Stephanie is offering to listeners this year!

In this episode we reference:

2023 Annual Planning Package with Spark Good
Spark Good, Stephanie - Spark Good

“Start every morning with deliberate thinking

and thanks giving!!!”

-Invajy

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you fallen out of practice with your gratitude routines and habits? This is the time of year when we take time to connect with loved ones, get ready for the holiday season, and reflect on the things we have gratitude for. Sometimes in life, we have to ‘dig a bit deeper to final gratitude. If you have traditionally had a gratitude practice you may have fallen out of practice with it. In this episode we discuss a few ways to spread gratitude to others which puts us in the mindset of appreciation and can help us feel more grateful as well.

In this episode, we reference:

Episode #062: Being Grateful Because of 2020 Episode #011: The Importance of Building a Practice of Gratitude Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion

Stepahnie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

Is Your Business Impacting Social Change? Quiz

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

The Social Change Leaders Podcast is 3 years old! To celebrate, some of our former podcast guests are back giving social change leaders updates, lessons learned and some inspiration. In this episode, we will hear from Nancy Meyer, Elaine Rasmussen, Brenden Kumasari and Ann Price to share updates on their work in the social change landscape and ecosystem to effectively do social change, fund it, communicate the value, and evaluate community efforts.

In this episode we referenced:

Episode #024: Moving the Money: Connecting Investors and Underestimated Entrepreneurs

Episode #070: Better Communication to Scale Your Idea and Have More Impact: Expert Tips from Brenden Kumarasami

Episode #116: Engaging Communities to Evaluate Social Change

Episode #120: ‘INTRA’preneurship - Leading Organizational Change from Within

Community Possibilities Podcast: Understanding the Why and How of Social Change with Traci Warnberg Lemm

Stephanie Malon-Rufi: Social Enterprise as a strategy for social change

Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion

Stepahnie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

Is Your Business Impacting Social Change? Quiz

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

The Social Change Leaders Podcast is 3 years old! To celebrate, some of our former podcast guests are back giving social change leaders updates, lessons learned and some inspiration. In this episode, we will hear from Carl Young, Bukata Hayes and Stacy Wells who all share updates on the work they are doing in the community around racial equity and how the equity leadership space has evolved.

In this episode we referenced:

Episode #5: A Community Based Approach to Mental Wellness

Episode #8: Increasing a Community's Consciousness and Capacity to Address Race

Episode #40: Thoughts from Minneapolis: How did we get here? Where do we go from here?

Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion

Stepahnie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

Is Your Business Impacting Social Change? Quiz

The Social Change Leaders Podcast is 3 years old! To celebrate, some of our former podcast guests are back giving social change leaders updates, lessons learned and some inspiration. In this episode, we will hear from Felicia Boone, Sarah Turino and Jory Mickelson who all shared updates on how they are integrating wellness, self improvement and continuous learning while doing social impact work.

In this episode we referenced:

Episode #30: Wellness + Self Care Series: Finding your Body-Mind-Spirit Connection

Episode #32: Wellness + Self Care Series: Writing as Self Care

Episode #78: Tilling the Soil for Equity Leadership

Jory Mickelson Poem/Song

Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion

Stepahnie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

Is Your Business Impacting Social Change? Quiz

The Social Change Leaders Podcast is 3 years old! To celebrate, some of our former podcast guests are back giving social change leaders updates, lessons learned and some inspiration. In this episode, we will hear from Felicia Boone, Sarah Turino and Jory Mickelson who all shared updates on how they are integrating wellness, self improvement and continuous learning while doing social impact work.

In this episode we referenced:

Episode #30: Wellness + Self Care Series: Finding your Body-Mind-Spirit Connection

Episode #32: Wellness + Self Care Series: Writing as Self Care

Episode #78: Tilling the Soil for Equity Leadership

Jory Mickelson Poem/Song

Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion

Stepahnie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

Is Your Business Impacting Social Change? Quiz

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

John O’Donahue

How do you renew yourself and your life? How do you deal with new rhythms in your personal & professional life? Co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm shares some of her thoughts about an article she stumbled across about self-renewal and shares some important questions social change leaders should ask themselves when new rhythms show up in life.

In this episode you will:

Hear how all leaders have times in life where they are in need of self-renewal, clarity or re-inventing
Listen to Traci discuss an article by Jordan Kassalow about the power of self-renewal
Consider how renewal for social change leaders and social entrepreneurs might require different lenses and questions
Ask yourself a few questions that may trigger some new thinking, ideas to help you refresh and renew your role as social change leader

In this episode:

Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Article, The Power of Self Renewal

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

John O’Donahue

How do you renew yourself and your life? How do you deal with new rhythms in your personal & professional life? Co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm shares some of her thoughts about an article she stumbled across about self-renewal and shares some important questions social change leaders should ask themselves when new rhythms show up in life.

In this episode you will:

Hear how all leaders have times in life where they are in need of self-renewal, clarity or re-inventing
Listen to Traci discuss an article by Jordan Kassalow about the power of self-renewal
Consider how renewal for social change leaders and social entrepreneurs might require different lenses and questions
Ask yourself a few questions that may trigger some new thinking, ideas to help you refresh and renew your role as social change leader

In this episode:

Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Article, The Power of Self Renewal

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

John O’Donahue

How do you renew yourself and your life? How do you deal with new rhythms in your personal & professional life? Co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm shares some of her thoughts about an article she stumbled across about self-renewal and shares some important questions social change leaders should ask themselves when new rhythms show up in life.

In this episode you will:

Hear how all leaders have times in life where they are in need of self-renewal, clarity or re-inventing
Listen to Traci discuss an article by Jordan Kassalow about the power of self-renewal
Consider how renewal for social change leaders and social entrepreneurs might require different lenses and questions
Ask yourself a few questions that may trigger some new thinking, ideas to help you refresh and renew your role as social change leader

In this episode:

Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Article, The Power of Self Renewal

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

John O’Donahue

How do you renew yourself and your life? How do you deal with new rhythms in your personal & professional life? Co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm shares some of her thoughts about an article she stumbled across about self-renewal and shares some important questions social change leaders should ask themselves when new rhythms show up in life.

In this episode you will:

Hear how all leaders have times in life where they are in need of self-renewal, clarity or re-inventing
Listen to Traci discuss an article by Jordan Kassalow about the power of self-renewal
Consider how renewal for social change leaders and social entrepreneurs might require different lenses and questions
Ask yourself a few questions that may trigger some new thinking, ideas to help you refresh and renew your role as social change leader

In this episode:

Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Article, The Power of Self Renewal

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”

Bill Drayton

Is your business impacting social change? Did you know that it can? In this episode, co-host Stephanie Malon-Rufi talks about how a social impact business is a growing model becoming more widely used. However, not all know how to integrate this model into their own business. In this episode you will:

Understand what a social impact business is
Learn about how a traditional business model differs from a social impact one
Hear how growing consumer trends make a social enterprise a financially good move
Learn three actions you can take immediately to create more social impact in your business
Take Stephanie’s New Quiz - Is Your Business Impacting Social Change

In this episode we referenced:

Stepahnie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

Is Your Business Impacting Social Change? Quiz

5 C's For Successfully Building a Social Change Business:

https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/126

https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/127

https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/128

“The gap between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.”

-Gandhi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

The Social Change Leaders Podcast is three years old! We look back at some of our lessons learned, and share our reflections on what are some practices and things that have helped us sustain this effort. In our conversation, we discuss:

How we met and determined to launch a podcast over 3 years ago
Some of the stats from the podcast including listeners from 86 countries around the globe
Bulleted list of some of our lessons learned from doing 3 years of podcasting

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Social Change Leaders Quiz
Traci, Social Motion
Stephanie, Spark Good

Note to self: Don’t measure your progress using someone else’s ruler.

-Anonymous

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you feeling the end-of-the-year crunch? Do you have some goals that you haven’t finished yet or maybe haven't even started working on? It is the last quarter of the calendar year and for many this is a time when we start to push to get our goals accomplished. In this episode, Stephanie and Traci talk about how to approach this last stretch of the year so that you can accomplish important goals but also so you don’t burn out. Through these tips you will:

Learn the importance of celebrating accomplishments
Understand how to prioritize
Know how to be realistic
Be challenged to think about how you spend your time
Learn about how to measure your progress
Be encouraged to write down your action steps and timeline
Think about how you will stay accountable to this work

To learn more:

Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

"The big aha for me, having studied populations of the long-lived for nearly a decade, is how the factors that encourage longevity reinforce one another over the long term. For people to adopt a healthful lifestyle, I have become convinced, they need to live in an ecosystem, so to speak, that makes it possible. ... The power of such an environment lies in the mutually reinforcing relationships among lots of small nudges and default choices."

-Dan Buettner

Do you consider the impact of ecosystems in your personal and professional life? Co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm shares some of her thoughts and observations from her month in Greece in this solo episode. She shares how the culture in Greece has mutually reinforcing habits and practices that support health and wellness in individuals and communities. Listen as she considers how her lessons, observations and insights from Greece might challenge us all to build similar ecosystems.

On this episode you will:

Hear a little bit of history about the Greek God Asklepius and why the symbol of snakes are used in modern day medicine
Listen as Traci shares a bit about the Mediterranean diet and how it is central to life in Greece
Understand a bit about the Greek ‘hours of common silence’
Hear stories of modern Greek hospitality and how that value has roots in ancient civilization
Hear about the value of spending time outdoors
Listen as Traci shares a few unique Greek traditions and its impact on creating community connections and linkages
Consider what ecosystems might better support mutually reinforcing relationships

To learn more about Traci:

Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

"The big aha for me, having studied populations of the long-lived for nearly a decade, is how the factors that encourage longevity reinforce one another over the long term. For people to adopt a healthful lifestyle, I have become convinced, they need to live in an ecosystem, so to speak, that makes it possible. ... The power of such an environment lies in the mutually reinforcing relationships among lots of small nudges and default choices."

-Dan Buettner

Do you consider the impact of ecosystems in your personal and professional life? Co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm shares some of her thoughts and observations from her month in Greece in this solo episode. She shares how the culture in Greece has mutually reinforcing habits and practices that support health and wellness in individuals and communities. Listen as she considers how her lessons, observations and insights from Greece might challenge us all to build similar ecosystems.

On this episode you will:

Hear a little bit of history about the Greek God Asklepius and why the symbol of snakes are used in modern day medicine
Listen as Traci shares a bit about the Mediterranean diet and how it is central to life in Greece
Understand a bit about the Greek ‘hours of common silence’
Hear stories of modern Greek hospitality and how that value has roots in ancient civilization
Hear about the value of spending time outdoors
Listen as Traci shares a few unique Greek traditions and its impact on creating community connections and linkages
Consider what ecosystems might better support mutually reinforcing relationships

To learn more about Traci:

Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

Everybody wants what it looks like, not everybody wants what it feels like.

Jesse Ross Jr.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can real change be made to move us to more equitable and inclusive workplaces? What does knowledge of self have to do with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work? Listen to our inspiring conversation with Jesse Ross, CEO of Mr. Jesse Ross. Jesse is a DEI consultant, executive coach, and international speaker. He is also a community activist living and doing the work in Minneapolis. In our conversation you will hear:

About Jesse’s background in organizational development as well as human development and how he uses that in the DEI consulting work now
How DEI work within organizations and companies requires expertise in change management, conflict resolution and interpersonal communications
Jesse describe the importance of self cultural awareness and the blind spots we all have
How Jesse supports teams in organizations he consults with
Jesse explain the value of approaching challenges and change with curiosity
Jesse’s perspective on the importance of change happening inside ourselves and then looking to others before trying to adapt and change
Jesse describes the importance of having clarity on one’s own core values

More about Jesse :

Website, Jesse Ross

Jesse is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant, executive coach, and international speaker who has delivered over 400 speaking engagements at colleges, conferences, and corporate and nonprofit companies, with a large number of Fortune 500 companies. Jesse offers training, workshops, evaluations, assessments, and strategy development for your school, business or organization. Jesse has been engaging his audience with his Morning Minute call-to-actions on his Instagram and LinkedIn page since before our world went into civil unrest.

Jesse Ross’ Black Wealth Redistribution Project

Everybody wants what it looks like, not everybody wants what it feels like.

Jesse Ross Jr.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can real change be made to move us to more equitable and inclusive workplaces? What does knowledge of self have to do with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work? Listen to our inspiring conversation with Jesse Ross, CEO of Mr. Jesse Ross. Jesse is a DEI consultant, executive coach, and international speaker. He is also a community activist living and doing the work in Minneapolis. In our conversation you will hear:

About Jesse’s background in organizational development as well as human development and how he uses that in the DEI consulting work now
How DEI work within organizations and companies requires expertise in change management, conflict resolution and interpersonal communications
Jesse describe the importance of self cultural awareness and the blind spots we all have
How Jesse supports teams in organizations he consults with
Jesse explain the value of approaching challenges and change with curiosity
Jesse’s perspective on the importance of change happening inside ourselves and then looking to others before trying to adapt and change
Jesse describes the importance of having clarity on one’s own core values

More about Jesse :

Website, Jesse Ross

Jesse is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant, executive coach, and international speaker who has delivered over 400 speaking engagements at colleges, conferences, and corporate and nonprofit companies, with a large number of Fortune 500 companies. Jesse offers training, workshops, evaluations, assessments, and strategy development for your school, business or organization. Jesse has been engaging his audience with his Morning Minute call-to-actions on his Instagram and LinkedIn page since before our world went into civil unrest.

Jesse Ross’ Black Wealth Redistribution Project

Radical simply means grasping at the roots.

-Angela Davis

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Is the social impact of your business more of something that makes you feel good or is it integral to your work? How integrated are your social change efforts into your business operations? In this episode, co-host, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, addresses how you can go deeper with your social change work and how you can more closely align it with your business vision. In this episode, Stephanie discusses:

The three main ways you can have impact through your business
The need to think about the bigger social change that you want to be a part of with your business
The concept of ‘effective altruism’ and how it relates
Why you might want to rethink you food drive activity for something that has deeper impact and a greater connection to your work and vision
How you need to put ‘skin in the game’ with your social impact
Five questions to help you think about how your can better integrate your social impact with your business

In this episode, we reference:

Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good
SCLP Episode #92: Collaborating to Promote Equity and Transform Healthcare, A Conversation with Ivelyse Andino, Founder of Radical Health

More about Stephanie Malon-Rufi

Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Owner of Spark Good, is a business consultant and leadership coach working with entrepreneurs who want to build their businesses to be a vehicle for social change. Stephanie has a passion for sparking good in the world with having 20+ years of experience working with social enterprises, start-ups and nonprofits and an MBA with a focus on entrepreneurship. She specializes in the areas of strategic business planning, revenue growth, marketing & communications and helping entrepreneurs be the leaders they want to be. She also co-hosts the Social Change Leaders Podcast, geared for social innovators with tips, actionable ideas, and stories to inspire from the front lines of social change.

Radical simply means grasping at the roots.

-Angela Davis

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Is the social impact of your business more of something that makes you feel good or is it integral to your work? How integrated are your social change efforts into your business operations? In this episode, co-host, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, addresses how you can go deeper with your social change work and how you can more closely align it with your business vision. In this episode, Stephanie discusses:

The three main ways you can have impact through your business
The need to think about the bigger social change that you want to be a part of with your business
The concept of ‘effective altruism’ and how it relates
Why you might want to rethink you food drive activity for something that has deeper impact and a greater connection to your work and vision
How you need to put ‘skin in the game’ with your social impact
Five questions to help you think about how your can better integrate your social impact with your business

In this episode, we reference:

Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good
SCLP Episode #92: Collaborating to Promote Equity and Transform Healthcare, A Conversation with Ivelyse Andino, Founder of Radical Health

More about Stephanie Malon-Rufi

Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Owner of Spark Good, is a business consultant and leadership coach working with entrepreneurs who want to build their businesses to be a vehicle for social change. Stephanie has a passion for sparking good in the world with having 20+ years of experience working with social enterprises, start-ups and nonprofits and an MBA with a focus on entrepreneurship. She specializes in the areas of strategic business planning, revenue growth, marketing & communications and helping entrepreneurs be the leaders they want to be. She also co-hosts the Social Change Leaders Podcast, geared for social innovators with tips, actionable ideas, and stories to inspire from the front lines of social change.

If you don’t build a social business model that includes paying yourself (the leader), then you are not building a sustainable business model.

Stephanie Malon-Rufi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you bring home a regular paycheck from your social business? Do you have a plan to be paid regularly from your social business? Do you want to have a sustainable business that lasts and can grow? Many social entrepreneurs do not pay themself or do not pay themself enough. In this episode, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, owner of Spark Good, goes solo and talks about why it is critical to have a plan to begin paying yourself from your social business. You can earn a living and use your business as a vehicle for social change! In this episode, Stephanie discusses:

Common reasons social business owners do not pay themself
Some simple questions to ask yourself if you are not paying yourself at all or not paying yourself enough
How to start paying yourself (or paying yourself more)
Why it is important to pay yourself if you want a sustainable and strong social business
Some resources to help you get started

In this episode, we reference:

Download the Social Business Check-Up
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good
SCLP Episode #137: Conquering Your Money Mindset Blocks

If you don’t build a social business model that includes paying yourself (the leader), then you are not building a sustainable business model.

Stephanie Malon-Rufi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you bring home a regular paycheck from your social business? Do you have a plan to be paid regularly from your social business? Do you want to have a sustainable business that lasts and can grow? Many social entrepreneurs do not pay themself or do not pay themself enough. In this episode, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, owner of Spark Good, goes solo and talks about why it is critical to have a plan to begin paying yourself from your social business. You can earn a living and use your business as a vehicle for social change! In this episode, Stephanie discusses:

Common reasons social business owners do not pay themself
Some simple questions to ask yourself if you are not paying yourself at all or not paying yourself enough
How to start paying yourself (or paying yourself more)
Why it is important to pay yourself if you want a sustainable and strong social business
Some resources to help you get started

In this episode, we reference:

Download the Social Business Check-Up
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good
SCLP Episode #137: Conquering Your Money Mindset Blocks

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

"If I had more time I would have written a shorter letter."

- Mark Twain

Are you confident when talking about the social impact you are trying to make? Do you struggle with making a clear and concise statement about the work you are doing? Putting a persuasive pitch together that is short and interesting can be a challenging task, but we make it simple for you. We have created a template called the Social Impact Pitch to help you create an effective and good pitch about the work you are doing to bring positive change to the world.

In this episode you will:

Learn about what a social impact pitch is and how it will benefit you and the work you are doing
Hear why taking some time to develop a social impact pitch is important
Discover the key elements of a social impact pitch so you can create one for yourself
Get some tips on important things to keep in mind when developing your social impact pitch
Learn how the social impact pitch can be the beginning of an ongoing conversation and a relationships
Learn a few tools to use once you have your social impact pitch that will improve your delivery and confidence

To learn more:

Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good
Social Change Leaders Podcast episode #12, How to Increase Your Confidence and Maximize Your Impact, a conversation with Polly Meyer, Executive Presence Coach
Get the “Social Impact Pitch” download.

It is necessary to do a systems analysis of your life.

Look at where you gain power and where you lose power.

Frederick Lenz

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you struggle to get it all done? Do you find that some of the important work is ignored because you are reacting to the urgent matter of the day? What are some of your favorite systems? If you have some good systems for yourself or if you are looking for some new ideas to refresh them, this is an episode for you. Co-hosts Traci and Stephanie share some of their main systems to help them stay on track in work and in life.

On this episode you will:

Understand the importance of developing good systems in your work and life.
Hear Stephanie share some of her preferred systems including a ‘Friday Box’ and her favorite online task management tool
Hear Traci share some of her favorite choices for systems including a simple travel / life binder and a ‘moxie box’ to support your efforts in doing things that require a bit more courage
Consider what systems you use that have worked well for you and how might you incorporate more of those systems in your life

To learn more about Traci and Stephanie:

Spark Good, Stephanie - Spark Good
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Hello and Welcome to SCL podcast. The summer is quickly winding down and we wanted to pause this week to remind all of us to make sure we are all enjoying and appreciating these last few weeks of the summer. So here is an encore episode for you with some tips and ideas about how to refresh your gratitude practice.

It is that time of year when we take time to connect with loved ones, get ready for the holiday season, reflect on the past year and often talk about gratitude. The reality is that as we are finishing out 2021, we are still in the midst of a global pandemic and still experiencing the challenges that it brings. These days it might feel like you really need to ‘dig deep’ to find all you are grateful for right now. If you have traditionally had a gratitude practice you may have fallen out of practice with it. These days can be hard. In this episode we remind ourselves about why this practice is important and offer some new questions to help prompt you to think about the different ways you are grateful.

In this episode, we reference:

Episode #062: Being Grateful Because of 2020 Episode #011: The Importance of Building a Practice of Gratitude

Get in the Game - By building civic engagement and advocacy into your life and work, we can collectively close the gap between where we are and where we want to be.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Would you like to gain confidence in your advocacy skills so you can have more impact on the issues you care about? Are you concerned about the state of public life? Policy and civic engagement and advocacy enables all types of organizations to address the root causes of social problems and to create lasting, systemic change. Advocacy is an important tool in system change. In this third episode of the 3-part series we delve into the world of civic action. In this episode we:

Consider your civic strengths and determine where your civic ‘sweet spot’ is and how to lean into that
Prepare you to confidently speak to a civic issue that matters to you
Learn how to map some key people and organizations for you to partner with and have more impact
Hear a bit about partner effectively with government on issues you care about
Make a plan for you to ‘get in the game’ and have more impact in the months and years ahead

In this episode, we reference:

For more information on Traci, you can visit Social Motion
FREE - Get In the Game: The Change-Makers Guide to Civic Advocacy LINK HERE

I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept

Angela Davis

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Would you like to gain confidence in your advocacy skills so you can have more impact on the issues you care about? Are you concerned about the state of public life? Policy and civic engagement and advocacy enables all types of organizations to address the root causes of social problems and to create lasting, systemic change. Advocacy is an important tool in system change. In this second episode of the 3-part series we delve into the world of civic skills. In this episode we:

Learn what civic engagement and advocacy is and why your voice is important in those discussions
Learn what civic skills are and how they are important in today’s world
Understand the various ways social change leaders can engage in civic advocacy
Download a short civic assessment to discover your strengths and areas for improvement as a social change leader engaged in civic advocacy
Set the groundwork for you ‘get in the game’ more deeply

In this episode, we reference:

For more information on Traci, you can visit Social Motion
FREE - Get In the Game: The Change-Makers Guide to Civic Advocacy LINK HERE

“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.”

-Angela Davis

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Would you like to gain confidence in your advocacy skills so you can have more impact on the issues you care about? Are you concerned about the state of public life? Is your voice as a social change leader being heard in the public and civic arena? Are you taking aligned actions to create system change? Advocacy is an important tool in system change. In this first episode of the 3-part series Traci: 1) discusses the importance civic engagement and advocacy and the unique role social change leaders play, 2) guides you through simple steps to get clarity and begin taking action on issues important to you, and 3) shares simple habits and tools so you can create social change by building civic advocacy into your life and work.

In this episode we:

Learn what civic engagement and advocacy is and why your voice is important in those discussions
Understand how civic advocacy is aa key tool in bringing about system change
Are reminded that challenges we face today are not entirely new and you are not alone in your frustration
Hear how social change leaders as professionals seeking common good need to have your voices heard in civic areas
Understand why social change leaders are at a high risk for burnout, health issues and breakdowns in relationships
Reflect on what currently keeps you grounded, healthy and well as well as discover new self-care practices you may want to create as you engage in civic advocacy
Clarify what ‘hot button’ issues that you want to focus on and be an effective advocate for
Discover your advocacy ‘WHY’

In this episode, we reference:

For more information on Traci, you can visit Social Motion
FREE - Get In the Game: The Change-Makers Guide to Civic Advocacy LINK HERE
Stanford Social Innovation Review - The Connection Between Inner Well-Being and Social Change LINK HERE

“The more clarity and focus you have around what you are offering the world, the easier it will be to authentically sell and have a positive social impact.”

Stephanie Malon-Rufi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you use your business as a vehicle for social change? Have you clearly defined your target audience(s)? Are you crystal clear on what exactly you are selling and the social impact you are seeking? It can be tempting to create and customize offers so that everyone can buy, but this can make your marketing efforts and sales process messy and undefined. In this episode, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, owner of Spark Good, goes solo and walks you through a set of 6 simple and powerful questions to get clarity on your offers. Get the free ‘Social Business Check-up” download now and listen to this episode to help you get clarity on the who, what, when, where, why and how of your social business offers so you are generating more revenue and having an impact.

In this episode, we reference:

Download the Social Business Check-Up
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

More about Stephanie Malon-Rufi

Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Owner of Spark Good, is a business consultant and leadership coach working with entrepreneurs who want to build their business to be a vehicle for social change. Stephanie has a passion for sparking good in the world with having 20+ years of experience working with social enterprises, start-ups and nonprofits and an MBA with focus on entrepreneurship. She specializes in the areas of strategic business planning, revenue growth, marketing & communications and helping entrepreneurs be the leaders they want to be. She also co-hosts the Social Change Leaders Podcast, geared for social innovators with tips, actionable ideas, and stories to inspire from the front lines of social change.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this second part of the two-part series, listen to more interviews from the Midtown Global Market, a multicultural food destination in south Minneapolis. Inspired by national, well-known public markets like Seattle’s Pike’s Place, the Midtown Global Market also serves as a community business incubator. Currently, the Midtown Global Market houses over 40 businesses with over 22 cultures represented. In this second part of the series, we talk with Mostafa, owner of Dar Medina and Trung Pham, owner of Pham’s Rice Bowl. Hear their personal journeys and their experiences as entrepreneurs in the Midtown Global Market.

Through our conversation you will:

Meet Trung Pham and learn about his journey from a corporate job in Seattle to becoming a business owner at the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis
Discover how Trung Pham’s business background and Asian cultural heritage launched Pham’s Rice Bowl and how he has incorporated customer feedback into his business decisions
Understand how Trung embraces a positive mindset has sustained him during many challenges such as start-up,the housing crisis 2008, the challenges of the COVID pandemic, supply chain issues, George Floyd civil unrest, etc.
Hear Trung’s advice for those just starting out with a business idea
Learn how Trung partnered with Second Harvest Heartland on a community effort with 12-15 other restaurants that created over 2.5 million meals for families in need and employed new staff
Meet Mostafa and learn about his journey from being an entrepreneur in Morocco to moving to the U.S. and how a visit to visit to the Midtown Global Market launched his dream of opening a business
Learn about Dar Medina, a Moroccan owned family operation built on a great love for the people and tribes of Morocco, and a passion for keeping the traditions of Morocco alive in the rapidly modernizing world
Understand specifically how Mostafa supports 21 families in Morocco that make handicrafts such as shoes, jewelry, leatherwork, purses and backpacks
Learn about the shipping challenges Mostafa’s faced during COVID and how he addressed them

More about Midtown Global Market

Midtown Global Market

Friends of the Midtown Global Market

Neighborhood Development Center

Dar Medina

Pham's Rice Bowl

The Midtown Global Market has an authenticity that we want to maintain and we hope is the ultimate draw.

Mike Temali, Founder Neighborhood Development Center

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this 2- part series, you will hear several interviews highlighting the story and the impact of Midtown Global Market, a multicultural food destination in south Minneapolis. Inspired by national, well-known public markets like Seattle’s Pike Place, Midtown Global Market is similar in concept but is different because the market also serves as a community business incubator. Currently, Midtown Global Market houses over 40 businesses with over 22 cultures represented. In this episode, we speak with Mike Temali to learn the history of the market. Mike is Founder and President of the Neighborhood Development Center, a non-profit which co-owns, develops and manages the Midtown Global Market.

Through our conversation you will:

Learn about the origins and founding of the Midtown Global Market
Listen to Mike discuss how the vacant building was originally a home to a lot of pigeons and turned into a thriving business center for Minneapoils residents
Hear about the private, government and nonprofit entities that partnered together to launch this community business incubator for entrepreneurs within the community
Learn about how the business owners of the market survived COVID pandemic as well as the riots right outside the market that occurred following the murder of George Floyd
Listen to Mike describe the engagement of a variety of systems and groups within the community such as various communities of color/culture, the business community, customer communities, etc.
Discover and hear about the future plans for the Midtown global market including a beauty node

More about Midtown Global Market

Midtown Global Market

Friends of the Midtown Global Market

Neighborhood Development Center

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing. ”

— Arundhati Roy

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Given the events of the recent weeks, we wanted to replay an episode we both found great encouragement from - about how social change can happen when there does not seem to be shared beliefs or perspectives. In this encore episode, Nisha Anand shares what she has learned about finding common ground and creating shared solutions that can and do lead to transformation. Enjoy this encore episode with Nisha Anand, CEO of Dream Corps.

Can we create social change with others who do not share the same beliefs or perspectives? In our conversation today with Nisha Anand, she talks about how we can do this and why we should. Nisha is an Indian-American activist and the CEO of Dream Corps, a nonprofit that works to bring people together across racial, social, and partisan lines to create a future with freedom and dignity for all. In our conversation you will:

Hear about Nisha’s activist background which originated in high school
Learn about Dream Corps’ mission and how the organization seeks to address the toughest problems by creating shared solutions
Listen to Nisha describe her understanding of how to use love as a force for good, how it supports inclusion and why it is vital for leaders
Learn about the framework Dream Corps uses, called the ‘4 corners of power’
Hear some stories about the way Nisha used connection and common ground to make big strides in creating social change
Listen to the story behind one of the best pieces of advice she has learned from her mentor, Van Jones, ‘Hope it’s your fault and it usually is.’
Hear Nisha’s thoughts on what qualities are important for today’s leaders
Learn Nisha’s tips for social change leaders today including….

More about Nisha

Nisha Anand is an Indian-American activist, mom of two teenagers, and leader for racial justice. Once a radical grassroots activist arrested in Burma for passing out pro-democracy leaflets, Nisha’s expansive organizing experience and work with mentors like Van Jones, solidified her belief in the power of working with ‘unlikely partners to find real solutions. As Dream Corps’ CEO, Nisha leads a diverse group of people who are learning, like her, the value of unconventional relationships. Nisha’s journey from punk-rock protester to common ground champion is documented in her TED talk, The Radical Act of Choosing Common Ground.

Nisha Anand

DreamCorps

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

- Maya Angelou

What do empathy and emotional intelligence have to do with social change leadership? As we are finding our way to the other side of the COVID pandemic and are in what many call “The Great Resignation,” we look at how empathy and emotional intelligence can be leaders' greatest tools for creating healthy and sustainable workplaces and communities. While we are not experts on this, we wanted to share a few things we have discovered and share ten habits and actions we can all be doing to build our empathy and emotional intelligence muscles. Today was talk about:

What emotional intelligence and empathy are and is and why it is important
Some of the benefits to being an empathetic leader
Why leaders might want to adopt practices and habits that make them more emotionally intelligent and empathetic
Ten ideas for habits and practices that build our emotional intelligence and empathy ‘muscles’

Referenced in This Episode:

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

Brene Brown

Empathy is the Most Important Leadership Skill According to Research

Simon Sinek’s Speech about Empathy

To learn more about:

Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion

Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.” ― Arianna Huffington More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you know if your social business is having the impact you want? Is it creating the positive social change you envisioned? Is it serving you as the founder and business owner? Do you know what you need to strengthen? In this episode we answer these questions. Host Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good, takes her experience and expertise to provide a tangible 6-part framework to narrow in on key areas. The Social Business Check Up will help you identify and work on key areas to strengthen your business. Mid-year is a great time to do this review, but it can really be anytime. Whether you identify as a social entrepreneur, social enterprise owner or social business founder, this episode is for you. And be sure to download the workbook that goes with this episode!

On this episode you will:

Understand how a check-up is different than an organizational or business assessment
Listen to why a social business check-up is important
Hear what you should review and reflect on as you begin this process
Learn about the 6 key areas you should be reviewing to determine what needs strengthening in your business
Get a set of questions within each of the 6 areas to help you evaluate and set action steps for yourself
End with key priorities that have emerged for you

In this episode, we reference:

Download the Social Business Check-Up
Episode #003: What is a Social Enterprise
Episode #043: Taking Time to Work ‘On not In’ Your Social Enterprise
Episode #023: The Importance of Coaching for Social Innovators
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Spark Good

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

‘Pay Yourself First’

What happens when individuals and families are supported in building asset ownership? What practices might have the biggest impact and normalize wealth building? Can saving for a sunny day help reduce poverty and build generational wealth? This is what we discussed today with Wacinque A.K. BeMende, the founder of KaizenRhino. We talk about his experience and passion for everyone understanding personal finance as well as how we can address issues of poverty by creating an investment class. Through our conversation with Wacinque you will:

Listen to Wacinque discuss how an early teacher taught him the power of compounding interest
Learn how former US enslaved troops in Nashville had a bank in 1864 that helped black troops save money for the future; a story that inspired Wacinque
Hear about Wacinque’s background working in the finance industry and what he learned about the value of an income producing account
Understand a few foundational wealth building ideas that everyone benefits from including owning an income producing account for supplemental income
Hear Wacinque share his ideas about how to help normalize wealth building with dividend stocks in order to produce supplemental income
Learn how consumers can buy stock in products they use regularly that pay dividends and help build wealth
Discover how using the philosophy of ‘Build Right, Build Over Time’ could shift and undo generations of poverty
Hear Wecinque explain how experience is more important than knowledge and the importance of saving for a ‘sunny’ day

More about WACINQUE -

Wacinque A.K. BeMende the Founder of KaizenRhino. Wacinque served 40 years in the military and volunteered with programs serving unbanked and low income families with tax preparation, financial coaching and debt reduction. He has extensive knowledge and has been an adjunct instructor in personal finance. His entrepreneurial passion that led him to design the Global Permanent Investment Account. We are talking with Wacinque about his passion for everyone understanding personal finance and how we can address issues of poverty by creating an investment class.

Asset Ownership Standard Petition http://chng.it/KQczCdfyP

Email: wacinque@krsi-19.com

Book: Triumph of the Optimists link HERE

"Leading by building learners is one of our best tools for system change and social transformation."

-Traci Warnberg-Lemm

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you use learning to support your social change efforts? Do you know if those learning activities are effective? Are you cultivating system change through learning? In this episode we explore learning as a leadership tool for system change. In the episode, you will:

Hear why learning is important to system change
Learn why we often ‘miss the boat’ with learning and learn some things to do about it
Discuss how to use formal learning to support system change
Get information about a quiz available to assess your skills in developing learning activities
Learn about informal learning
Have an opportunity to consider how your learning programs and training activities may or may not be having the impact you desire
Learn some simple ways social change leaders can get better at designing learning and why they should
Hear a key question to ask to better cultivate system change through learning

In this episode, we reference:

For more information on Traci, you can visit Social Motion
To take the short Quiz, LINK HERE

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Margaret Mead

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

What happens when you engage marginalized communities to ask adolescent girls what they want to see changed? What happens when you work with them and partner with local organizations to begin addressing the social change they want to see? In our conversation today, we talked about just this! We speak with Julia Lynch, Founder of Global Girl Project. Julia identifies as a queer woman of color who believes in the power of girls and women to create the change they want to see in their communities. We talk about the approach of Global Girl Project to work with marginalized adolescent girls specifically in countries in the Global South. Through our conversation with Julia you will:

Learn about Global Girl Project’s approach to working with girls of the Global South through asking the girls what it is they want to see changed especially when it comes to addressing gender and racial inequities
Listen to how this initial inquiry leads to the girls creating their own community event to highlight the change they want to see
Hear how Global Girl Project uses the Blended Learning Leadership Initiative as an entry point to the more work they do with the girls
Understand the meaning of the term Global South and how it replaces the colonial term ‘developing countries’
Hear how Global Girl Project strategically collaborates with organizations embedded in these communities
Understand how the Global Girl Project helps the girls to realize both their own voice and the power that they have, both needed in order to create change.
Discover how Global Girl Project does development by leveraging solutions that come directly from the community

More about Julia Lynch

I am queer woman of colour who believes in the power of girls and women to create the change they want to see in their communities. I am the founding director of Global Girl Project, which is an international NGO that mobilizes the most marginalized girls in our world to become agents of social change. I am a boat dweller, a Capoeirista and a believer in the power of being of service to others and stepping outside your comfort zone to create true and meaningful change.

Global Girl Project

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.

Sheryl Sandberg

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

When was the last time you reflected on your role as a leader? Do you know what type of social change leader you are? In this episode, we talk about what makes a leader, the 5 types of social change leaders and give you a chance to reflect on your own leadership. It is important that social change leaders find time to self reflect on a regular basis.

On this episode you will:

Understand how today’s problems and challenges are complex and require skilled and well-rounded social change leaders that can be flexible and nimble.
Hear what defines a leader is and how it does not need to involve a title or running a large organization
Consider the characteristics and tips for the five types of social change leaders including
- The innovative social change leader
- The operational social change leader
- The strategic social change leader
- The collaborative social change leader
- The innovative social change leader
Have an opportunity to reflect with five key questions geared for social change leaders
Hear how coaching can support social change leaders to be more effective and have more impact

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader Are You Quiz - LINK HERE
Leadership Coaching - Click here to download
Spark Good, Stephanie - Spark Good
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast episode #10 on Mindset for Social Innovation www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/010

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care

Theodore Roosevelt

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you struggling to effectively manage change? Podcast co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm and Sarah Horst, Change Effectiveness Partner at Hennepin Healthcare shared their thoughts during the 2022 Minnesota Department of Health Learning Days Conference. They discuss the human side of change and how it has impacted our work and personal lives during COVID. Listen as Traci and Sarah share observations, lessons learned, funny stories and suggestions for managing change as individuals, teams, and organizations.

In this episode you will:

Learn more about the role of leaders in managing change
Hear about change patterns and the ‘arc of change’ from the William Bridges Transition Model
Revisit time-tested change management resources and receive tips for applying them
Understand how change can depend on the quality of the relationships we have
Hear about the importance of leaders paying attention to loss, endings and letting go prior to implementing change
Understand some ways to manage the messiness of change and why focusing on everyday improvement helps
Revisit the importance of leaders being humble and open

In this episode we referenced:

Social Motion

William Bridges Transition Model

“Strategic planning is the continuous process of making present entrepreneurial (risk-taking) decisions systematically and with the greatest knowledge of futurity; organizing systematically the efforts needed to carry out these decisions; and measuring the results of these decisions against the expectations through organized, systematic feedback.”

-Peter Drucker

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you have a strategic plan for your social business? Do you think that strategic plans are only needed for large corporations or nonprofits? In this episode, co-host Stephanie Malon-Rufi explains why EVERYONE needs a strategic plan, plus the benefits of strategic planning and what you need to think about when you do it. In this solo episode, she covers:

How to define some key terms. Strategic plan, business plan, business strategy, strategic planning –- what do they all mean?
Why do her clients all have a strategic plan but not all have a business plan
How a strategic plan actually guides your day-to-day work and decision making
Key benefits for your as a leader to have a strategic plan
The topics you cover while doing strategic planning

Connect with Stephanie:

Spark Good Website

Stephanie’s LinkedIn Profile

Work with Stephanie:

Spark Session

Spark 1:1 Coaching

Spark Day

"If you hang around four broke people, you're sure to be the fifth!"

Nathaniel Johnson

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How is your relationship with money? Does even bringing up the subject of money make you a little antsy? In this episode we have an energizing conversation with Natalie Bullen, a wealth and money mindset coach and the CEO of Unapologetic Wealth. Natalie talks about how we need to be more empowered and confident in talking about money and, most importantly, in receiving it. For leaders who are from ‘helping professions’ or who are in the nonprofit world or for many entrepreneurs, there can be a scarcity mindset around money. This shows up as “there isn’t enough money” or “I can’t have any more money.” These are the types of mindset blocks that Natalie helps to break down. In this episode, you will:

Learn the importance of not ‘going it alone’ when building wealth
Listen to the influence of Natalie’s parents (who were Black Panthers when she was a child) and their influence on who she is today
Hear Natalie talk about her opinions on apologizing and why ‘Unapologetic Wealth’ became her business name
Understand the importance of joy and abundance in creating a positive money mindset
Hear Natalie talk about about common blocks people have around building wealth including unworthiness
Learn a few ways to address money blocks you may be dealing with in your life such as forgiving yourself for past mistakes and not harboring resentment
Hear Natalie’s understanding of how to allow space for things to grow
Understand why you cannot ‘budget’ your way into wealth but rather you need to focus on how to bring more money in

More about Natalie Bullen

Natalie Bullen is a wealth and money mindset coach from Mobile, AL. As the owner of Unapologetic Wealth LLC, she teaches women service-based entrepreneurs to prioritize peace and profit and view sales as service so they can step into the wealth they deserve and desire. An anti-hustle and pro-abundance coach, she shuns traditional personal finance values rooted in shame, guilt and fear and encourages followers to dream bigger, increase their prices and magnify their gifts.

Website

Instagram

Facebook

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

If, as a leader, you are not creating hope and helping people see the way forward, chances are, no one else is either.”

-From book Strengths Based Leadership

What is hope? What does hope have to do with you as a leader? Inspired by the overlapping of three major faiths celebrating holy seasons simultaneously this year, we see one of the common threads in them is hope. And while hope is not a strategy, it is a key component in leadership. Today was talk about:

What hope is and why it is important
Why leaders need to adopt hopefulness as part of their leadership
The four core beliefs all hopeful people share
What leaders can do to motivate others who they lead
Five questions to consider about how you can better use hope in your leadership

To learn more about:

Traci, Social Motion

Stephanie, Spark Good

You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.

- Angela Davis

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

When was the last time you collaborated to change a system? With the challenges of the pandemic, distrust in leaders and political polarization, system change can often feel out of reach. But think about who you can collaborate with on that path of radical transformation. A critical element of system change is collaboration. In this episode, Traci discusses some tips to change systems through effective collaboration. In this episode you will:

Learn more about the role of system change
Hear about what ‘upstream’ approaches mean
Understand how success in any collaboration between organizations rests on the quality of relationships
Reflect on the importance of remembering that we all are part of systems and interact with them and can support system change
Understand the importance of good communication and common language
Hear more tips including how to effectively get to the root cause of issues

In this episode we referenced:

Social Motion

Ep. #125: Think in Systems: A New Paradigm For Social Change Leadership

Clarity is power.

The more clear you are about what you want and what you need to get there, the more likely you are to achieve it.

Stephanie Malon-Rufi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you ever feel overwhelmed that you feel stuck from moving forward? Do you have a headache thinking of everything you have to do? What are the ways that you help yourself through it? In this episode, Stephanie Malon-Rufi shares her process that she uses for herself and with her clients. She shares the three parts of what she suggests everyone do when they are in complete overwhelm and looking for clarity: Breathe, Everything Out and Evaluate.

We referenced ways to connect with Stephanie:

Spark Good Website

SCLP Ep. #096: A Mid Year Check-in With Your Social Enterprise

Work with Stephanie:

Spark Session

Spark 1:1 Coaching

Spark Day

"I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change,

I am changing the things I cannot accept."

-Angela Davis

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

With a long history of health inequities in the U.S. is it possible to bring real change and health justice to our communities? Can social entrepreneurship be part of this solution? In this episode we have an inspiring conversation with Dr. Omolara Thomas Uwemedimo where we dive into the way she is guiding indigenous women and women of color to lead and create health justice, health impact, health equity, and build a health justice movement. And how she is using the social enterprise model to do this. In our conversation you will:

Learn about Dr. Omolara’s origins in New York with Nigerian immigrant parents leading to her early career as a pediatrician
Hear about the health crisis that led to Omolara to learn about ‘weathering,’ how it impacts black women and how it led her to begin her business Melanin and Medicine.
Learn about the factors such that seem to be a ‘perfect storm of medical underserved’ such as social, political, economic exclusion caused by racism that puts stress on individuals above and beyond other groups.
Hear how Dr. Omolara started her new business moved to support women to move from work life integration to social entrepreneurship
Learn about Omolara’s framework about ways that social entrepreneurs can get funding outside of their own wallet and outside of traditional investors for equity models.
Listen as Dr. Omolara discusses how she leads from the inside out and the mindset that requires
Learn how Dr. Omolara started a sustainable business that scaled rapidly in the first 18 months
Get Dr. Omolara’s advice on the importance of being grounded in your values and knowing your expertise

More about Dr. Omolara:

Dr. Omolara Thomas Uwemedimo is a business development and funding coach for women of color in healthcare and is a serial entrepreneur, growing 2 companies to multi-six figures in revenue in less than 18 months. During her intrapreneurial career as a pediatrician for over 15 years, researcher & professor for over a decade, she secured $2 million in grant funding and has led inter-professional teams to build and scale healthcare delivery and research programs to achieve health equity for marginalized youth and families. Her work has been defined by a passion for social justice, serving as an advocate and working as a global physician across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Melanin & Medicine Podcast

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."

Leo Tolstoy

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

When was the last time you thought about how a big system change is needed? Are you expanding your focus from isolated symptomatic issues and leading with a broader systems view? When was the last time you did some reflecting on your ability to lead system change? With the challenges of the pandemic, distrust in leaders and political polarization, social change can often feel out of reach. Leading system change is going to challenge you in ways you may not be aware of. In this episode, Traci asks listeners a series of reflective questions about their readiness to do the heavy lifting and hard work of system change. In this episode you will:

Learn about system thinking is and why is is important for social innovators and social change leaders
Hear how addressing root causes with more grit and vigor is required to address today’s challenges
Reflect on questions about your readiness to do system change.
Understand how changing systems is going to require leaders to
Deepen your sense of empathy
Gain new or freshen up your skills in things like collaboration
Be more humble
Challenge your views and practices in equity and your image of yourself
Be willing to learn and create places where people can be learning together

In this episode we referenced:

Social Motion

Ep. #125: Think in Systems: A New Paradigm For Social Change Leadership

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How does your purchase of vegan food, beauty and fashion products support changing our world? Did you know that vegan products in all of these industries are growing rapidly, especially in food? In this episode, we have an inspiring conversation with Jenny Stojkovic, founder of the Vegan Women Summit. We talk about veganism as a fast growing segment in the food industry because of its environmental benefit (compared to meat based food production) and because of advances in food technology. We also address women founders of businesses in food tech who receive less than 3% of venture capital funding; Jenny is seeking to change that. Lastly, we discuss the need to empower sustainability-minded women founders in the food tech industry.

In our conversation you will:

Hear about Jenny’s background working in Silicon Valley and the funding inequities she observed with women in the food tech industry
Listen to Jenny talk about how animal free innovation is the future of food, beauty and fashion industries
Learn about the various factors that are leading to growth in plant-based space including heightened awareness about the food system and supply chains
Hear how Jenny is working to build a more sustainable world and kinder food system by empowering women through the Women Vegan Summit
Hear how the Vegan Women Summit has grown into a powerful and network of female entrepreneurs, investors, CEO’s and vegan influencers
Listen to Jenny’s advice for social change leaders who have an idea and a passion they want to explore

More about Jennifer :

Jennifer Stojkovic has built her career as an internationally-recognized community relations leader for the world’s largest tech companies in the capital of innovation, San Francisco. During her career in tech, Jennifer became increasingly interested in blending her passion for change in the food system with her experience and network in Silicon Valley. Jennifer launched VWS in early 2020 with a sold-out global conference, the Vegan Women Summit. Focused on building equitable and diverse representation of women leaders from around the world and partnering with major tech brands, VWS is the world’s first events and media organization dedicated to building a kinder food system and empowering female leadership. Learn more about Vegan Women Summit here.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you using your evenings to prepare yourself for restorative nights and productive days? Your evening routines can help you sleep better, stay true to your intentions and make the most of your days. In this episode, Stephanie and Traci talk about the common elements of their own evening routines, rituals and habits you may want to incorporate into the end of your day. They also share a few key questions to ask yourself to help shape your evening routine.

In this episode we reference:

Stephanie’s business Spark Good
Traci’s business Social Motion
Episode #011: The Importance of Building a Practice of Gratitude
Ep. #124: Getting the Most Out of Your Day: How to Set-up Your Morning Routine

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can real change be made to move us to more equitable and inclusive workplaces? What does knowledge of self have to do with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work? Listen to our inspiring conversation with Jesse Ross, CEO of Mr. Jesse Ross. Jesse is a DEI consultant, executive coach, and international speaker. He is also a community activist living and doing the work in Minneapolis. In our conversation you will:

Hear about Jesse’s background in organizational development as well as human development and how he uses that in the DEI consulting work now
Listen to how DEI work within organizations and companies requires expertise in change management, conflict resolution and interpersonal communications
Listen to Jesse describe the importance of self cultural awareness and the blind spots we all have
Learn how Jesse supports teams in organizations he consults with
Hear Jesse explain the value of approaching challenges and change with curiosity
Understand Jesse’s perspective on the importance of change happening inside ourselves and then looking to others before trying to adapt and change
Listen to Jesse describe the importance of having clarity on one’s own core values

More about Jesse :

Website, Jesse Ross

Jesse is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant, executive coach, and international speaker who has delivered over 400 speaking engagements at colleges, conferences, corporate and nonprofit companies, with a large number of Fortune 500 companies. Jesse offers trainings, workshops, evaluations, assessments, and strategy development for your school, business or organization. Jesse has been engaging his audience with his Morning Minute call-to-actions on his Instagram and LinkedIn page since before our world went into civil unrest.

“Awareness is the greatest agent for change”

- Eckart Tolle

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Can you really have a business that creates social change? Yes, you can! Are there some elements to this type of business that are different? Yes, there are! Creating a business AND having social impact may sound challenging but it is possible. In this third of a three-part series, Stephanie Malon-Rufi (owner of Spark Good) reviews the 5 key areas (or the 5 C’s) that all social entrepreneurs need to know and pay attention to as they develop and grow their market-based business. Stephanie expands on the fourth and fifth C’s; Change and Care. In this episode you will:

Hear about the 5 C’s to successfully build a social change business: Competition, Cha-ching, Community, Change and Care
Listen to Stephanie talk about the fourth “C” Change
Learn about how change extends beyond your business model and goes into your business process, can disrupt industry standards and how advocacy is also a key tool for change.
Listen to Stephanie talk about the fifth “C” Care
Understand how care is all about you, the owner/founder. Care for self is critical when you are leading a business for social change.

We referenced ways to connect with Stephanie:

Spark Good Website

LinkedIn Profile

Instagram page

SCLP Ep. #003: What is a Social Enterprise and Social Entrepreneurship?

SCLP Ep. #035: Can You really Make Money Doing Good?

Her First $100K

SCLP Ep. #088: Building a Triple Bottom Line Business

Work with Stephanie:

Spark Session

Spark 1:1 Coaching

Spark Day

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still.

- Chinese Proverb

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Can you really have a business that creates social change? Yes, you can! Are there some elements to this type of business that are different? Yes, there are! Creating a business AND having social impact may sound challenging but it is possible. In the second of a three-part series, Stephanie Malon-Rufi (owner of Spark Good) reviews the 5 key areas (or the 5 C’s) that all social entrepreneurs need to know and pay attention to as they develop and grow their market-based business. Stephanie expands on the second and third C’s; Cha-ching and Community. In this episode you will:

Hear about the 5 C’s to successfully build a social change business: Competition, Cha-ching, Community, Change and Care
Listen to Stephanie talk about the second “C” Cha-Ching….also known as money.
Learn about the the 5 sections of Cha-Ching: knowing your numbers, pricing, profit, funding and money mindset.
Listen to Stephanie talk about the third “C” Community….also known as money.
Understand the 3 types of Communities to have: Network, Partners/Collaborators and Experts/Support.

We referenced ways to connect with Stephanie:

Website

LinkedIn Profile

Instagram page

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

-Barack Obama

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Can you really have a business that creates social change? Yes, you can! Are there some elements to this type of business that are different? Yes, there are! Creating a business AND having social impact may sound challenging but it is possible. On today’s episode, Stephanie Malon-Rufi (owner of Spark Good) highlights 5 key areas that all social entrepreneurs need to know and pay attention to as they develop and grow their market-based business. Stephanie dives into the first one, competition. In this episode you will:

Learn some key highlights of Stephanie’s experiences and how it has shaped her work today
Hear Stephanie’s list of the 5C’s to build a sustainable social business
Listen to Stephanie talk about the first C: Competition
Learn why competition is a good thing and how you can reframe the way you view it
Understand why it is important for social entrepreneurs to understand that competition always exists
Hear a common mistake social businesses sometimes make that can affect their social impact

We referenced ways to connect with Stephanie:

Website

LinkedIn Profile

Instagram page

“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”

-Alexander den Heijer

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you see and think about the different systems impacting your social change work? With the challenges of the pandemic, distrust in leaders and political polarization, social change can often feel out of reach. However, it is vital to understand and change systems when addressing our biggest community challenges. Today, Traci discusses the topic of system change as a new paradigm and tool for social change leaders. In this episode you will:

Hear about stories and tools Traci plans to bring the social change leader audience in 2022
Learn what system thinking is and why it is important for social innovators and social change leaders
Hear why system change can be frustrating
Understand why looking deeper at systems helps us better address our own biases and limited understandings
Hear Traci discuss how we can learn together this year to do the work of system change to address our many challenges

We referenced:

Social Motion

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you starting your day off right to make the most out of your day? Are you spending the day working in alignment with your goals and greater visions? Learn about how your morning routine can help you make the most of your day and benefit your overall health and mindset. In this episode, Stephanie and Traci talk about the elements of morning routines, rituals and habits you may want to consider.

In our conversation we discuss:

How the routines and systems you have in place are as important as setting goals
The benefits of having a morning routine on your health, mindset and productivity
Why creating a routine that works for you is important
How to identify the important habits / rituals and routines you want to incorporate into your mornings
Ideas for morning rituals and routines you may want to consider incorporating into your morning
Some key questions to ask yourself to help shape your morning routine

In this episode we reference:

Stephanie’s business Genuine Impact
Traci’s business Social Motion
Book, Atomic Habits by James Clear
Ep: #033: The Importance of Building a Practice of Gratitude
Ep. #089: Affirmations as a Path to Change
Ep. #105: Managing and Reducing Decision Fatigue
Ep. #107: Setting Mindset and Habits for Social Impact

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can communities collectively heal together during traumatic events? In our conversation with Carl Young, we hear about his work on Community Healing Teams in the city of Minneapolis during the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd. In our conversation you will:

Hear about the grassroots model used to help communities in Minneapolis grieve and heal during the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent trial of Derek Chauvin
Understand the team of healers involved and the type of work they did with community members
Listen to how the healers were funded to do this work.
Hear Carl describe the impact of having community healing teams supporting the community
Learn about the need for more nimble, creative solutions on the grassroots level to heal communities; especially for communities of color

More about Carl

Carl Louis Young is the founder and owner of Increasing Life Chances 4 You. Mr. Young has worked in Minnesota’s mental health field for over 15 years. He currently works as a mental health practitioner and is a doctoral scholar in behavioral health at Grand Canyon University. Mr. Young meets regularly with community partners and provides a variety of mental health services and supports to Minnesota’s African / African American community

Increasing Life Chances 4 You, Carl Young, Increasing Life Chances 4 You

Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #40: Thoughts from Minneapolis

Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #5: A Community Based Approach to Mental Wellness

And suddenly you know it is time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.

Anonymous

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Welcome to 2022! In this episode Traci and Stephaine dive into what is on the horizon for our world, for their own businesses and for the Social Change Leaders podcast. You will listen as they:

Discuss the challenges and environment that social change agents find themselves in today
Learn about the new format of Social Change Leaders Podcast and what you can look forward to in 2022
Walk through the services and support offered by Stephanie and Traci for social change leaders
Learn how Social Motion works to energize civic, policy and community-based solutions and support leaders that drive them.
Listen to Stephanie’s new business name in 2022 and some details about the work she does with entrepreneurial leaders who use their business as a vehicle for social change.

In this episode we reference:

Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world”

Joel A. Barker

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you started planning your 2022? Maybe you have thought about it but haven’t quite finalized some of your big goals. As we enter 2022, Stephanie and Traci discuss how to create a powerful vision statement and how to get started setting goals & action steps for 2022 with ease and calm. In this episode, we:

Understand why reflection is a powerful planning tool
Learn about vision statements, why they are important and how to create one of your own
Discuss goals, how to set goals and how to plan for the year ahead
Walk through a free download that supports you in reflecting on the past year, drafting a vision statement, setting goals and action steps for 2022
Discuss some important resources, such as coaching, to support you following your roadmap and achieving your 2022 social impact goals

In this episode we reference:

Download the worksheet
Episode #68: 12 Year-End Reflections Questions for Social Innovators
Episode #69: Creating a Vision and Plan for 2021
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you work within an organization and feel that making change is nearly impossible? Are there usually a lot of great ideas for making change but none of them stick? In this episode we talk with Nancy Murphy Founder & President of CSR Communications about intrapreneurship as a framework for creating change within an organization. Nancy shares some concrete examples of how this is done. It IS possible to disrupt and innovate from within! This conversation is especially inspiring for those who are in large organizations or work within government where they want to bring about lasting social change both within and outside of these places.

In our conversation you will:

Hear about Nancy’s background in understanding stereotypes about gender roles and the value of building alliances to disrupt the status quo
Learn about intrapreneurship and how it is different from entrepreneurship
Understand some of the typical mistakes that intrapreneurs make
Discover why Nancy believes intrepreneurs are the ‘unsung heroes’ in organizations
Listen to Nancy discuss how people leading change within organizations need to operate more like Indiana Jones
Understand the difference between managing versus leading change
Hear Nancy’s three tips for social change leaders that she thinks would have a big impact on our organizations including topics of resistance, empathy and emotion

More about Nancy Murphy

Nancy’s spent her career saying what others are afraid to – and learning to say it in ways that others will listen. She’s the founder and president of CSR Communications and creator of Intrapreneurs Influence Lab. Her passion is teaching leaders how to make organizational change stick.

From challenging stereotypes of girls in her Catholic school more than 40 years ago, to her first job after college convincing nonprofits to engage youth volunteers, or her role as board chair of a global nonprofit transforming the way we do international development.

Nancy’s worked in philanthropy for Steve and Jean Case’s family foundation, as a federal government program officer with the Corporation for National & Community Service, and as a global consultant for APCO Worldwide, where she designed and implemented sustainability, community engagement and philanthropic strategies for companies such as UPS and Johnson Controls, and nonprofit organizations including W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation. Nancy mentors and advises executives from local governments, federal agencies, global nonprofits, foundations and Fortune 100 companies.

As a trainer and speaker, Nancy has shared her expertise from Kuala Lumpur to Kansas City and London to Las Vegas. She holds a master’s degree in public affairs from University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School, a master’s in health communication from Boston University, and a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from University of Dayton.

CSR Communications

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Today we have an inspiring conversation with Karen Lee, CEO of Pioneer Human Services, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit social-enterprise organizations in the United States. Pioneer partners with communities to transform society by honoring the humanity of people, reducing the impact of discriminatory mass incarceration and empowering people to live safe, healthy, productive lives. Pioneer operates several revenue-generating businesses that provide living wage jobs as well as serve over 10,000 people a year through its diversion, treatment, housing and job training programs. In our conversation you will:

Hear about how Karen’s background in logistics, civil rights law, and public utilities all serve well in her role as CEO of Pioneer Human Services, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit social-enterprise organizations in the United States
Hear how Pioneer started as a nonprofit with a single home for individuals formerly incarcerated
Understand from Karen’s experience how social enterprises most successfully start small and with an upfront investment of cash
Learn about how Pioneer supports 10,000 individuals per year through residential facilities, employment coaching, childcare and other social services
Discover how Pioneer prioritizes and operates with 50% mission employment positions at all levels of the company
Listen to Karen describe their company’s business acquisitions as well as growing enterprises from within the company
Hear success stories of individuals formerly incarcerated and how they gained skills and moved up in the company
Understand Karen’s perspective on the role of social enterprise and the importance of advocating for and providing opportunities for career progression given the current wealth divide in the United States
Hear Karen’s thoughts on what qualities are important for today’s social change leaders

More about Karen:

Karen Lee is the Chief Executive Officer of Pioneer Human Services, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit social-enterprise organizations in the United States. Pioneer provides career paths and living wage jobs for a population many disregard. There they believe every person has value and potential and their work is centered on helping them realize both.

Her mission is to empower people to change their lives and give them the tools and support they need to be successful. Karen is passionate about second chances. The resiliency of the people she serves humbles and inspires her and also continually strengthens her resolve to step up the fight against the injustices people face every day.

Website - Pioneer Human Services

Karen Lee LinkedIn

FB Page - Pioneer Human Services

Mass Incarceration Quiz

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you planning for how you will make the most out of the time in the new year? How are you figuring out how the important work gets done that is going to move you and your social initiative forward? On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci talk about their top strategies for how to best stick to the goals you are setting for 2022.

In our conversation we discuss:

The importance of prioritizing important work rather than the urgent work
Some key questions to ask yourself about scheduling important actions and scheduling around your energy
How to identify the important habits / rituals and routines to help you stick to your goals
The importance of getting outside support such as coaching to keep you accountable to your goals
How to focus and celebrate progress - not perfection

In this episode we reference:

Stephanie’s business Genuine Impact
Traci’s business Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #079: Are you Prioritizing the Important Work?
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #044: 6 Types of Outside Support That Can Maximize Your Social Impact

Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.

Arundhati Roy

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Can we create social change with others who do not share the same beliefs or perspectives? In our conversation today with Nisha Anand, she talks about how we can do this and why we should. Nisha is an Indian-American activist and the CEO of Dream Corps, a nonprofit that works to bring people together across racial, social, and partisan lines to create a future with freedom and dignity for all. In our conversation you will:

Hear about Nisha’s activist background which originated in high school
Learn about Dream Corps’ mission and how the organization seeks to address today's toughest problems by creating shared solutions
Listen to Nisha describe her understanding of how to use love as a force for good, how it supports inclusion and why it is vital for leaders
Learn about the framework Dream Corps uses, called the ‘4 corners of power’
Hear some stories about the way Nisha used connection and common ground to make big strides in creating social change
Understand Nisha’s perspective on the power of social media and the challenges that presents
Listen to the story behind one of the best pieces of advice she has learned from her mentor, Van Jones, ‘Hope it’s your fault and it usually is.’
Hear Nisha’s thoughts on what qualities are important for leaders to have and cultivate
Learn Nisha’s tips for social change leaders today

More about Nisha

Nisha Anand is an Indian-American activist, mom of two teenagers, and leader for racial justice. Once a radical grassroots activist arrested in Burma for passing out pro-democracy leaflets, Nisha’s expansive organizing experience and work with mentors like Van Jones, solidified her belief in the power of working with ‘unlikely partners to find real solutions. As Dream Corps’ CEO, Nisha leads a diverse group of people who are learning, like her, the value of unconventional relationships. Nisha’s journey from punk-rock protester to common ground champion is documented in her TED talk, The Radical Act of Choosing Common Ground.

Nisha Anand

DreamCorps

Winning does not always mean you get the prize. Sometimes you get progress and that counts.

Stacy Abrams

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

What is evaluation? Why is it important for social change leaders to incorporate evaluation into their work? We dive into these questions and more in this episode where we talk with Ann Price, President of Community Evaluation Solutions, an evaluation consulting firm. Much of Ann’s work involves supporting community coalitions and nonprofits to measure and evaluate projects with a focus on systems change. She has a podcast, Community Possibilities and her book with co-author Dr. Susan Wolfe, Community Consulting: A Practical Guide to Collaborating with Communities is due out in 2023. In this episode we:

Hear about Ann’s background in working with adolescent addiction, prevention and community psychology
Discover what Ann has learned about how social change leaders can best measure their impact and be good stewards of resources
Hear Ann’s thoughts on why evaluation and creating community strategies is important
Learn about how nonprofit leaders can best know if they are making a difference
Understand the importance of having the right questions and the right people at the table when starting to evaluate a program or project
Discover how and when an organization can begin measuring and evaluating its work
Understand the importance of engaging a coalition
Hear Ann’s perspective on how to understand and address root causes to today’s challenges

More about Dr. Ann Price

Dr. Ann Price is President of Community Evaluation Solutions, an evaluation consulting firm she founded in 2004. Much of Ann’s work is with community coalitions and nonprofits with a focus on systems change. Ann and her team conduct evaluations in many areas including youth substance abuse prevention, youth development, foster care advocacy, education, and public health. She conducts training throughout the country on coalition development, coalition evaluation, evaluation use and evaluation capacity. She has a podcast, Community Possibilities and her book with co-author Dr. Susan Wolfe, Community Consulting: A Practical Guide to Collaborating with Communities is due out in 2023.

Learn more about Community Evaluation Solutions here.

In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

It is that time of year when we take time to connect with loved ones, get ready for the holiday season, reflect on the past year and often talk about gratitude. The reality is that as we are finishing out 2021, we are still in the midst of a global pandemic and still experiencing the challenges that it brings. These days it might feel like you really need to ‘dig deep’ to find all you are grateful for right now. If you have traditionally had a gratitude practice you may have fallen out of practice with it. These days can be hard. In this episode we remind ourselves about why this practice is important and offer some new questions to help prompt you to think about the different ways you are grateful.

In this episode, we reference:

Episode #062: Being Grateful Because of 2020 Episode #011: The Importance of Building a Practice of Gratitude

For the final 2021 encore episode, we want to replay another one of our popular episodes with Anna Tsanir. We recently attended a Women Biz event in Twin Cities and Anna Tsanir won the Social Enterprise award of the year. We were so excited for her and were reminded again about what an incredible biz model this is. Two Bettys Cleaning Company translates values into meaningful actions through a business model that goes beyond profit. Two Bettys uses non-toxic and eco-friendly cleansers, strives to take great care of their employees, builds great relationships with customers and advocates fair labor practices. Anna’s is an amazing entrepreneur and we know you will be inspired by this episode that illustrates the true meaning of a triple bottom line.

Can a cleaning company create social change? It sure can! Does being a values-driven, social enterprise increase customer sales and loyalty? Yes, it does! Can a business both improve lives and benefit our planet? You better believe it! This episode shares an inspiring story of how a residential cleaning business transformed into being a social enterprise that addresses systemic issues for domestic workers in the U.S. and the greenwashing of the cleaning industry. As we talk with Anna Tsantir of Two Bettys Green Cleaning Company, you will:

Hear the story of how the business began and how it quickly shifted to address inequalities in the cleaning industry.
Understand the ways Two Bettys is a triple bottom line business and the advantages of this model.
Discover the ways in which the company engages with issues associated with domestic workers in the U.S. both in its employment practices, advocacy and social justice work.
Hear about how the company addresses the greenwashing of cleaning supplies and how Two Bettys is leading the way in using and developing non-toxic cleaning supplies and implementing zero waste practices.
Learn about the challenging times and dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, how loyal customers stuck with the company and the way that the business is building back stronger.
Listen to Anna’s reflection about the lessons she has learned over the years of building this triple bottom line business.
Be challenged to think about the layers of social impact you can bring to your operations!

More about Anna Tsantir and Two Bettys

Anna Tsantir is a business owner and mother of two. In 2007 Anna hung up her teaching and arts non-profit hats when she and her former business partner founded Two Bettys Green Cleaning Company by combining the things she believes in – art, social/eco justice, and supporting the community she lives and works in. Two Bettys disrupts business as usual by paying a living wage with benefits, not polluting and making a profit.

Two Bettys website

TwoBettys on Instagram

For more about your podcast hosts:

What Type of Social Change Leader are You? (QUIZ)
For more information on Traci, visit her company website, Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie, visit her company website, Genuine Impact.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can we make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological damage or disadvantage to anyone? I believe we are bringing forth the very improvement to free-enterprise capitalism that can deliver on that promise.

Buckminster Fuller

This week we present another encore episode with economic futurist and social entrepreneur, Joel Hodroff. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the impacts of poverty and we know as a result of the pandemic, many more people face lower and deteriorating qualities of life. Joel speaks to some of the history of our economic system as well as some ideas for how to create a Win-Win Economy Through Better Free Enterprise and People/Planet-Centered Design. His ideas are not only possible now but perhaps even more needed! We hope you enjoy this encore episode.

Listeners will:

Learn how economic history is built on ever-improving technologies that drive ever better money design and greater economic efficiency. We will also explore how money’s origins in a time of scarcity still impacts business and commerce today.
How social entrepreneurs can help lead the world from win-lose competition over money to win-win cooperation that closes disparities and lifts everyone up together.
How to move from money-centered design of economics and commerce to people and planet-centered design.
Hear examples of how better free enterprise could close current disparities to benefit consumers, businesses and communities alike.
Learn how social innovators can help to usher in for-profit business models that drive economic cooperation.

In this episode we reference:

Visa Founder Dee Hock article about how Visa introduced the age of digital currency - link here
Lean Start Up book by Eric Ries - link here
Joel Hodroff’s White Paper: Sustainable Prosperity Now! Awakening a Green Revolution of the Heart: link here
Email: Joel@scryp.io
Joel Hodroff on linkedin

“It is self-awareness that allows the best business-builders to walk the tightrope of leadership: projecting conviction while simultaneously remaining humble enough to be open to new ideas and opposing opinions.”

-“How Leaders Become Self-Aware” by Anthony K. Tjan

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Today we have another encore episode. The pandemic has forced people to examine their leadership style, ability to deal with change and self care habits. All of these require a high level of self-awareness. In this episode we talk about one of the most effective things you can do as a leader; to become self-aware. By doing this you can not only have more impact in your work but you will be more effective with your team, as a communicator and in setting important boundaries. We will go through some important steps to build deeper levels of self-awareness. In this episode we discuss:

What self awareness is and why it is important
How to recognize ego-based leaders and why they are toxic
Building self awareness to be a better social change leader through the following:
- Begin to really see yourself as a leader and embrace that role
- Understand your own style, motivations, strengths and weaknesses
- Embrace ongoing learning
- Align your work with your values

In this episode, we reference:

Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #51: Using Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation to Improve the Lives of All Seniors: A Conversation with Lisa Marsh Ryerson, President AARP Foundation
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #25: Culture and White Body Supremacy: A Conversation with Resmaa Menakam
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #50: What Type of Social Change Leader Are You?
Quiz - What Type of Social Change Leader Are You?
Online Course: Turn Your Passion Into Impact
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

The best leaders don't know just one style of leadership - they're skilled at several, and have the flexibility to switch between styles as the circumstances dictate.

Daniel Goleman

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Welcome to this encore episode of the Social Change Leaders Podcast! On today’s episode we will share with our audience the types of social change leader and tell where you can take the quiz to help determine, ‘What Type of Social Change Leader Are You?’ To take the quiz, go: HERE

On today’s episode we we discuss:

How today’s problems and challenges are complex and require skilled and well-rounded social change leaders that can be flexible and nimble.
Three leadership practices that ALL social change leaders should have including; mindset for social change, commitment to life-long learning and cultural awareness and literacy.
Characteristics and tips for the five types of social change leaders:
- The innovative social change leader
- The operational social change leaders
- The strategic social change leaders
- The collaborative social change leaders
- The innovative social change leaders

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader Are You Quiz
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #10: Mindset for Social Innovation
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #075: The Role of Inspiration in Leadership
Social Change Leaders POdcast Episode #087: The Role of Collaboration in Leadership
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #091: The Role of Operations in Leadership
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #093: The Role of Innovation in Leadership
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #097: The Role of Strategy in Leadership

“We change the world not by what we say or do,

but as a consequence of what we have become.”

- Dr David Hawkins

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

This week, we present an encore of a previously released podcast focused on the work of Dr Josh Eha. Dr. Josh has close to 20 years experience helping patients free themselves from physical, mental, and emotional bondage through acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and Emotional Releasing techniques. Patients demonstrate time and time again the necessity and effectiveness of releasing practices for stress, anxiety and depression that are the root of most modern chronic disease. Dr. Josh explains his emotional releasing practices to let go of negative emotions from the body.

In our conversation:

Dr. Josh Eha discusses his background and experience in healing, including how he switched from a western medicine track to the field of Chinese medicine
We learn about the importance of managing negative emotions and the impact those emotions have on our physical health.
Dr. Josh describes how unresolved emotions lead to stress which affects our sleep, eating and general well being
We explore the importance of acknowledging emotions as a first step to deeper healing
Understand how Dr. Josh unlocks issues with individuals by doing emotional releasing techniques that lead to better emotional and physical health
Learn how Dr. Josh works with clients to increase self-awareness and how this allows access to deeper parts of ourselves
Explore how the root of fear is insecurity and listen while Dr. Josh explains how each of us can start to shift our fears through techniques he uses with clients
Dr. Josh describes how social change leaders can have more impact by acting out of love versus fear
Dr. Josh shares his thoughts on how we create the world around based on the vibration we put out and how that can get reflected back to us
We hear about Dr. Josh’s own daily wellness and self-care routines including a specific meditative practice he follows
Dr. Josh shares what you can do in 2 minutes to transform your day

In this episode we reference:

Website: Dr. Josh Midwest Specialty Acupuncture

Facebook: click here

LinkedIn: click here

Episode Encore: How to Practice Radical Love and Social Justice Parenting

A Conversation with Dr. Traci Baxley, Founder and CEO, Social Justice Parenting

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

“The only way forward is through, together” - Nichelle Smith

This week, we present an encore of a previously released podcast focused on the work of Traci Baxley, the creator of Social Justice Parenting. Social Justice Parenting is a philosophy rooted in radical love and activism. Traci’s work focuses on supporting families with intentional parenting today for a more humane world tomorrow. In this encore episode, we:

Hear Traci’s own story of how she came into this work stemming from her own feelings of belonging for herself and others, especially the need to rally around children who are marginalized
Understand how parents can and need to move from fear-based parenting to embracing radical love
Learn about the framework for radical love that Traci developed with the acronym R.O.C.K.S.
Hear Traci’s own experience raising bi-racial children
Understand Traci’s views about how communities need to come together to pool resources, be more engaged, advocate in our schools and collectively close the academic gap
Listen to Traci’s advice for how to keep moving forward with your mission even when you feel defeated

In this episode we reference:

Traci’s TEDX Talk
Social Justice Parenting website
Simon Sinek “Start with Why”
Traci (Brown Schooling) on Instagram

Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but moments.

Rose Kennedy

This is the 2 year anniversary of the Social Change Leaders Podcast! Thanks to all of you for being part of this journey. In our conversation, you will hear:

How the podcast got started and its initial goals
Reflections based on 2 years of podcasting
The ways podcast guests have inspired Traci and Stephanie
Traci and Stephanie’s perspectives on what this podcast has meant to them personally and professionally
Details about how to work with Traci and Stephanie to support your social change efforts
How you can be part of this community creating social change

Mentioned in this episode:

Traci’s business, Social Motion

Stephanie’s business, Genuine Impact

Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.

-Malcolm Gladwell

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

As we head into quarter four of this year---we know this is often the busiest time of year for people. With more demands on our time and energy and money, it is important to remember to take care of our mindset and continue developing habits to support our goals. Do you need to refresh your mindset and reset some habits? If so, this episode is for you! In this episode:

Get some ideas for how to get re-energized around creating positive mindset and helpful habits
Learn about the importance of setting habits in order to prevent burn out and help you have more impact
Hear about the importance of gratitude and get some ideas for how to recommit to this practice
Consider the following questions to
- Write about a time you implemented a new habit and it stuck.
- Ask yourself, what are the most important habits I can create that will have the biggest impact on my goals?
- What type of environment/support do I need to create to support the habits I want to build?

In this episode we reference:

Stephanie’s business Genuine Impact
Traci’s business Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast Ep. #089: Affirmations as a Path to Social Change
Social change Leaders Podcast Ep. #076: Four Quick Ways to Shift Your Mindset
Social Change Leaders Podcast Ep. #062: Being Grateful Because of 2020
Social Change Leaders Podcast Ep. #045: 5 Common Mindset Blocks for Social Impact Leaders
Social Change Leaders Podcast Ep. #018: Living with Intention
Social Change Leaders Podcast Ep. #011: The Importance of Building a Practice of Gratitude
Social Change Leaders Podcast Ep. #010: How to Develop and Lead with a Mindset of Social innovation

Reaching your peak doesn't mean to get there once and be there forever it is about understanding the tools that you have available to always get there again and again. It is about raising awareness, building habits and always striving to do your best.

- Julia Arndt

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Can one social innovator have an impact on global poverty through public policy?

In this episode, we talk with Julia Arndt, the founder of the Peak Performance Method. This unique model combines critical productivity, mindfulness and leadership tools to help forward thinking individuals and organizations. Julia is a stress management trainer and international speaker who helps high performers sustain their performance over time. In this episode we:

Hear about Julia’s background growing up in Germany and living and working in France and now living in California
Discover what Julia has learned by training high performers from companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Uber and others
Hear Julia’s thoughts on burnout and the importance of preventing it
Learn about how by the age of 12 we have created a set of beliefs in our subconscious mind that stay with us into adulthood
Understand how we can rebuild our brain circuits and create new beliefs and habits
Discover how our brains are wired to protect us from dangerous situations and how that can be a barrier to peak performance
Understand the importance of having awareness around one’s limiting beliefs
Hear Julia’s perspective on some of the most common limiting beliefs people experience
Learn some of the many ways we can get into a meditative state
Hear Julia describe the importance of self care for social change leaders, who often find themselves in a sympathetic state

More About Julia Arndt

Julia Arndt is the founder of the Peak Performance Method, a unique model combining critical productivity, mindfulness and leadership tools to help forward thinking individuals and organizations develop the next workplace superpower through scalable programs. Julia is a stress management trainer and sought-after international speaker.

In this episode:

Julia Arndt

Dr. Joe Dispenza

The truth is, it is not about will power, it is about reducing decisions.

- Robyn Conley Downs

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you felt burnt out from all the decisions you are making each day? Did you know that it is estimated that the average adult makes 35,000 decisions per day?! When we have too many decisions it can tax our brains and leave us mentally and physically exhausted. This leads to decision fatigue. Co-host and social business coach, Stephanie Malon-Rufi, leads us through this episode about what decision fatigue is, why you should pay attention to it and what you can do to minimize experiencing it. In this episode:

Learn about the definition of ‘decision fatigue’ and its origins
Hear some of the ways decision fatigue shows up
Understand the importance of recognizing decision fatigue in both your personal and professional life
Get some ideas and tips to reduce or eliminate some of the decisions you make that will reduce the effect of decision fatigue
Consider the following questions:
- Have you ever experienced decision fatigue?
- Do you experience this regularly? When does it most often happen?
- What have you put into place to help prevent decision fatigue?
- What is one change you can make to reduce this in your life?

In this episode we reference:

Stephanie’s business Genuine Impact
Vanity Fair Article Interview with President Obama
How to identify when you are experiencing decision fatigue
Decision Fatigue Is Destroying Your Focus, Motivation and Drive
4 Decision-making tactics that can help you master the art of making better choices

Connecting people, organizations and systems to learn and lead together is one of the most powerful tools for social change.

-Traci Warnberg-Lemm

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

What is the role of learning for people engaged in social change? Why is this important? What are the most effective ways to do this? Co-host and learning design expert, Traci Warnberg-Lemm, addresses these questions and talks about the power of peer-based learning. Listen to some tips and ideas for making collaborative learning more effective. In this episode:

Learn about different collaborative learning structures such as learning communities, learning collaboratives, cohort-based learning, and peer to peer learning
Understand why peer-based learning is important today
Hear some important elements of collaborative learning and how to make them the most effective
Get some ideas and tips to facilitate effective and sustainable collaborative learning experiences
Hear some ideas for how to facilitate positive relationship building within a learning community
Understand why coaching skills and coaching questions are important to peer-based learning
For more information on Traci, you can visit Social Motion
To take the quiz, ‘Are your learning activities designed for results and impact?’ LINK HERE

"To be successful you have to be dumb enough to think you can change the world and smart enough to know how.

Clint Borgen

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Can one social innovator have an impact on global poverty through public policy? In this episode, we talk with Clint Borgen, Founder of Borgen Project, a non-governmental organization that fights global poverty through advocacy and civic engagement. Clint is one of leading poverty-reduction campaigners in the United States. In our discussion we talk about the founding of the Borgen Project and how it works to impact policy related to global poverty. In this episode we:

Hear about Clint’s background and the ‘why’ behind creating the Borgen Project
Discover how the Borgen Project started from nothing and grew to an organization with volunteers in 50 states and a $1 million budget from small donations
Hear Clint discuss his increased awareness of how citizens can have an impact on government policies and political leaders to address social challenges including poverty
Listen to Clint describe how many public leaders really care about social issues, but much of policy is driven by constituents
Learn how Clint describes the scale of impact working in the political and public policy realms
Hear how the Borgen Project built an active, grass-roots effort in all 50 states and the strategy behind that
Learn about some of the statistics about global poverty and what it would take to eliminate that
Hear Clint’s suggestions for social change leaders

More About Clint Borgen

Clint Borgen is the Founder and President of The Borgen Project, an organization working to bring U.S. political attention to global poverty. Borgen works nationally with Congressional leaders to build support for legislation that improves conditions for people in developing nations. He is widely regarded as one of the leading poverty-reduction campaigners in the United States.

www.borgenproject.org

Whatever you do won’t be enough, try anyway.

-Barack Obama

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

What does inclusivity in the workplace mean? Are businesses and organizations truly making authentic changes to be inclusive? In this episode, we talk with Nick Alm, co-founder of Mossier, which helps organizations recruit and retain LGBTQ+ talent and advances LGBTQ+ employment equity across generations and borders. In our rich conversation today we talk about the work Mossier does to help businesses and organizations not only recruit but retain LGTBQ+ talent, the need for trust to be built with employers and LGBTQIA2S+ job seekers. In this episode we:

Hear about Nick’s background and the history and founding of Mossier
Understand some of the challenges to workplaces given 46% of LGBTQIA2S+ report they still work ‘in the closet’ due to a lack of a supportive environment
Learn about how leaders can work to create inclusive workplaces by starting to rebuilding trust with the LGBTQIA+ employees
Listen to Nick describe how Mossier helps businesses and organizations not only recruit but retain LGBTQIA2S+ talent
Discover some of the system-level elements in organizations that need to be addressed to provide inclusive and safe workplaces and how Mossier supports organizations in that challenging work
Hear how COVID has impacted Mossier business model and what changes it has made in the last year
Discover how data is not always an indicator of leaders’ efforts to promote inclusive workplaces
Learn Nick’s suggestions for social change leaders to remain authentic and have an impact

More About Nick Alm and Mossier

Nick (they/them) grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota. While pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Minnesota, they co-founded The Carlson School’s first undergraduate LGBTI student organization. Through this group, they developed a passion for advancing conversations about the LGBTQ community in corporate America, as well as globally.

Nick co-founded Mossier in order to help organizations recruit and retain LGBTQ+ talent, and utilize the revenue to LGBTQ grantees in East Africa. To date, Mossier has funded and supported ten LGBTQ-owned businesses within the tourism and agriculture space. Learn more about Mossier here.

There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.

Audre Lorde

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

What should social change leaders know about intersectionality? In this episode, we talk with Brandon Parkes, CEO / Founder of Parkes Philanthropy. Parkes Philanthropy is a social impact firm dedicated to equipping nonprofits, corporations and individuals with the ideas, resources and support they need to positively impact the world. Brandon discusses intersectionality and how social change leaders can build an organizational culture of inclusion. In this episode we:

Hear about Brandon’s extensive background in the nonprofit and corporate sectors
Learn about intersectionality and examples of various ways our compound and multi-dimensional identities resonate with the world
Hear how the framework of intersectionality is used to understand systematic injustice and social inequality
Discover how Brandon and Parkes Philanthropy helps organizations look at their work, their policies and programs through an intersectional lens
Learn Brandon’s tips and ideas for how leaders can build an internal culture of inclusion
Get ideas from Brandon about the process of having difficult conversations
Hear Brandon’s advice for social impact leaders

More About Brandon Parkes

Brandon Parkes is the CEO/Founder of Parkes Philanthropy. A social impact firm dedicated to equipping nonprofits, corporations and individuals with the ideas, resources and support they need to positively impact the world. With a mixed background working in corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion and nonprofit management, he gained extensive experience supporting effective philanthropic strategy that increases social impact, external/internal engagement and nonprofit capacity building. He was humbled to be named one of CauseArtists’s “20 Inspiring African Americans Impacting the World Through Social Impact & Social Innovation,” named one of Startup Boost’s NYC 33 under 33, and has been featured in several publications such as Nonprofit Technology News, Blacks in Technology, Blavity and WhyWeGive. It’s Brandon’s passion to empower any constituent looking to make a positive social impact.

Link to Parkes Philanthropy HERE

Remember to Celebrate Milestones as you prepare for the road ahead

- Nelson Mandela

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

This is the 100th episode of the Social Change Leaders Podcast! Thanks to all of our listeners for being part of this journey. Thanks to all the many social change leaders working in many sectors to make our communities better places where we all can thrive. This 100th episode shares some reflections on what we have learned and some thoughts about the role of social change leaders in ‘setting the pace’ as we move forward. In our conversation, you will hear about:

What motivated us to launch this podcast
Some of the podcast guests we have learned from
Traci and Stephanie’s perspectives on what trends and practices they see in the area of social change leadership
The unique role social change leaders play and how that role is evolving
The growing ecosystem for social enterprises and social entrepreneurs
How collaboration and partnering continue to be essential tasks for social change leaders and the need to keep refining these skills
Consumers’ increased desire for business to have clear social impact
How learning itself is a tool for social change and how leaders should ensure learners have cultures for learning as well as cohorts and communities for learning
The increasing need for transparency in all sectors
The need for social change leaders to becoming more skilled at culture and system change
The importance of aligning personal and organizational values to work being done
The role of Social Change Leaders in improving individual and collective ‘civic agency’

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Traci website
Stephanie website
QUIZ - What type of social change leader are you?
QUIZ - Are your learning activities designed for results and impact?
Ep. #004: What is Policy Entrepreneurship?
Ep. #008: Increasing a Community's Consciousness and Capacity to Address Race
Ep. #014 Creating a Vision and Planning for More Impact in 2020 (Part 1)
Ep #015: Creating a Vision and Planning for More Impact in 2020 (Part 2)
Ep. #024: Moving the Money: Connecting Investors and Underestimated Entrepreneurs
Ep. #035: Can You Really Make Money Doing Good?
Ep. #036: Social Impact Launch Stories
Ep. #047: Collaboration for Social Impact
Ep. #064: Launching and Growing Impact-Driven Businesses, with Connie Rutledge, CEO of FINNOVATION Lab
Ep. #066: Understanding Abolitionism and Transformative Justice
Ep. #071: Partnering with Government: 7 Strategies to Create Change
Ep. #072: Converging for Change: Democratization of Energy Markets
Ep. #077: Learning as a Tool for Social Transformation
Ep. #083: 4 Simple Steps to Begin Having an Impact While Making Money
Ep. #088: Building a Triple Bottom Line Business
Ep. #098: Spotlighting and Supporting African-led Social Ventures
Ep. #099: Aligning for Healthier Work Environments: A conversation with Tristian Williams, Founder Boomloop Group

“Victorious warriors, win first, and then go to war, while defeated warriors, go to war first, and then seek to win.”

Sun Tzu

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

What should social change leaders know about organizational alignment and organizational health? In this episode, we talk with Tristian Williams, an organizational leadership strategist and the founder of Boomloop Group. Tristan is also the author of Fruition Power, a book about how to achieve more, lead well and conquer overwhelm. We talk about the importance of one’s work and alignment with their personal mission and purpose, and how organizational alignment is the single greatest competitive advantage in any business. In this episode we:

Hear about Tristian’s background growing up with little means and how that forced him to get creative and start his first business when he was 14
Learn about the path that Tristian took with his education and early career and how he left a lucrative law firm job because the work was not in line with his purpose
Understand how when you are out of alignment with the work you are doing it can affect both your physical and mental state
Hear how Tristian thinks businesses need to approach reentry into physical work spaces from virtual ones
Learn the meaning behind the company name Boomloop and the three pillars of organizational health
Listen to Tristian’s opinion of businesses embracing social change and taking a stand on certain issues
Learn about Boomloop’s organizational assessment and hear how you can get 25% off of it for your own business or organization

More About Tristian Williams: Tristian Williams is an organizational leadership strategist. After spending nearly a decade leading multi-generational marketing and sales teams and training on the topics of peak-performance and leadership, he founded Boomloop Group to help leaders grow healthy organizations that support employee retention and revenue growth. Tristian is the author of Fruition Power: How to Achieve More, Lead Well, and Conquer Overwhelm.

Visit Boomloop Group HERE

People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.

-Maya Angelou

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Did you know that social impact ventures founded by expats typically grow twice as fast as comparable ventures led by local Africans? Listen to how our guest is working to change that. In this episode of the Social Change Leaders Podcast, we talk with Evan, the co-founder of Mighty Ally Institute, a nonprofit training institute that equips African-led, early-stage social ventures for growth through brand workshops, tools and coaching. Evan shares her passion for supporting African-led social ventures that are typically unseen, unheard and underfunded. In this episode we:

Hear about Evan’s background in Kenya and her early understanding of African brands and the culture surrounding business promotion
Hear how Evan discovered that early-stage entrepreneurs and brands in Africa were unseen, unheard and unserved and how the Mighty Ally Institute is helping fill a gap
Understand Evan’s work to change the narrative of African brands on the ‘micro-level’ in order to have an impact on a ‘macro-level’
Hear how Evan and her team are supporting early stage entrepreneurs with local, long-term, peer-based workshops that utilize coaching
Learn about the funding challenges that existed because African brands did not speak the ‘language of fundraising’
Hear what the the “4-A Framework’ (Ambition, Approach, Application, Alignment) is and how it is used with African brands seeking to have a social impact
Discover how accelerators are used to leverage funds and support African brands
Hear Evan’s advice for fellow social change leaders about getting started, getting clear on the problem and the importance of focus

More About Evan Wanjiru

Evan is the co-founder of Mighty Ally Institute, a nonprofit training institute that equips African-led, early-stage social ventures for growth through brand workshops, tools and coaching.

She previously, headed marketing and comms at various private sector organizations and has a strong background in collecting and actioning customer insights, cultivated during her time as head of the qualitative department at TNS RMS in Nairobi. She more recently worked with and helped support many early-stage entrepreneurs in the East African region at SHONA, an accelerator based in Kampala,

Evan is passionate about ensuring African-led ventures and brands are seen and heard, particularly those involved in creating a positive impact on society.

Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there.

John P. Kotter

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you a leader that is strategic? Is strategy your dominant leadership style? For leaders who are tackling community challenges and addressing social issues, strategy is critical. Listen to Stephanie and Traci discuss the strategic leadership style. In today’s episode: you will:

Hear about the role strategy plays in leadership
Understand different styles of leadership and why it is important to know our dominant leadership style
Hear about why strategic leadership matters and how social change leaders can be more strategic and have more impact
Learn about some of the benefits to organizations when a strategic leadership style is present
Hear some tips if you are an strategic leader

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader are You? (QUIZ)
For more information on Traci, you can visit her company website, Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie, you can visit her company website, Genuine Impact.

Keep Moving Forward!

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you regularly check-in with your social enterprise? Or do you typically get to the final month of the year and then wonder what those goals are that you wanted to achieve? Mid-year is the perfect time to do a check-in. It is a good time to reflect on your work, determine your plan for the rest of the year and hopefully get re-energized.

On today’s episode we:

Review the social enterprise check-up; a 6-part framework to increase the sustainability of your social enterprise
Discuss what a mid-year check-in is and why it is important
Hear key questions to ask yourself when doing this check-in
Learn about who should be involved in this process and why
Get some tips about how to do this check-in most effectively

In this episode, we reference:

Download the Social Enterprise Check-Up
Episode #074: Social Enterprise Check-Up: A 6-part framework to increase sustainability
Episode #003: What is a Social Enterprise
Episode #043: Taking Time to Work ‘On not In’ Your Social Enterprise
Episode #044: 6 Types of Outside Support That Can Maximize Your Social Impact
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Genuine Impact

More about Stephanie Malon-Rufi

Stephanie works with visionary founders who have created a valuable purpose to their work. Entrepreneurs who have a social mission at the heart of what they do but also need to have a sustainable business model. She helps them move past feeling overwhelmed or stuck. Together, she helps social entrepreneurs make sure they:

have a sound foundation
are poised for the growth you want
develop the roadmap to get there

Her services are designed to help you move forward with making a difference – making an impact. To help you go from feeling stuck to energized while getting crystal clear on what steps to take next. The work is real – it is genuine.

Stephanie created this 6-part framework based on her personal knowledge and experience having been involved with start-ups as well as operating social enterprises for years. She also works with many social entrepreneurs (especially over the past year when COVID hit) and was able to see what was most helpful for those leaders to pivot and remain sustainable.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

What exactly is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? What should social change leaders know about CSR? In this episode, we talk with Caitlin Kawaguchi, Chief Operating Officer at Parkes Philanthropy. She is helping build an innovative new impact consultancy that helps nonprofits, corporations, and individuals to effect positive change in the world. In this episode, we discuss corporate social responsibility and learn from Caitlin’s experiences in working across multiple sectors to create change. In this episode we:

Hear about Caitlin’s background in the nonprofit and corporate sectors and within advocacy organizations
Learn what CSR (corporate social responsibility) is and why it is important
Get ideas about how a CSR strategy can establish a system of values and help companies have an impact in the world
Hear how companies are important to our communities as employers, but also as entities that drive culture and engage in engage policy-making
Hear how corporate clients are understanding, in new ways, the value of doing good and how doing good can improve a business bottom line
Learn the power consumers have in asking questions of corporations and businesses to drive change and have impact
Discover the importance of setting impact goals that are aligned with organizational values, measurable and actionable.
Listen to Caitlin discuss how to ‘institutionalize’ impact as a way to inspire action as well as shift culture and policy
Hear ideas for how communities of practice, coalition groups and strategic business partnerships are supporting CSR goals of business

More About Caitlin Kawaguchi

Caitlin Kawaguchi has worked over the last seven years to catalyze impact across sectors with nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and companies. As the COO at Parkes Philanthropy, she is helping build an innovative new impact consultancy that helps nonprofits, corporates, and individuals effect positive change in the world.

Prior to Parkes Philanthropy, she was the Founding Director of Marketing & Partnerships at Bird + Stone, an impact e-commerce startup raising funds and inspiring action for causes. She also has extensive experience creating cross-sector, shared-value initiatives, including co-leading Project Belize, PwC’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program in partnership with Belize’s Ministry of Education.

In addition to her work in corporate impact, Caitlin also has extensive nonprofit experience, most recently advising on digital strategy for nonprofits and coalitions working on youth justice reform and opportunity youth policy issues.

Link to Parkes Philanthropy HERE

Connect with Caitlin on Twitter or Instagram

Communication works for those who work at it

John Powell

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How do you most commonly communicate with others in your social change efforts? Most likely, you are using email regularly in your work. But email can become draining and ineffective quite quickly. It may be worth stepping back to evaluate how you use email, when you use email and what results you want from it. In today’s episode, co-hosts Traci and Stephanie share eight tips for more effectively using email as a communication tool in your social change efforts.

For more information on Traci, you can visit her company website, Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie, you can visit her company website, Genuine Impact.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them

-Albert Einstein

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you a leader that innovates easily and regularly? Is innovation your dominant leadership style? For leaders who are tackling community challenges and addressing social issues, innovation is critical. Listen to Stephanie and Traci discuss the innovative leadership style. In today’s episode: you will:

Hear about the role innovation plays in leadership
Understand different styles of leadership and why it is important to know our dominant leadership style
Hear about why innovative leadership matters and some of the benefits of being good at operations and management
Learn about some of the benefits teams and groups when an innovative leadership style is present
Hear some tips if you are an innovative leader

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader are You? (QUIZ)
For more information on Traci, you can visit her company website, Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie, you can visit her company website, Genuine Impact.
Episode 10, How to Develop and Lead with a Mindset for Social Innovation

“Until the Lion tells its tale, the Hunter will always be glorified."

-Zimbabwean Proverb

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can a social enterprise address health disparities and support healthcare transformation? In this episode, we talk with Ivelyse Andino, owner of Radical Health, the first Latina-owned-and-operated Benefit Corp in New York City. Radical Health is a social enterprise that facilitates healthcare fluency, promotes self-advocacy, and forges collaborative conversations and relationships with cutting-edge healthcare technology. Radical Health aims to ‘come alongside’ and partner with historically marginalized communities to transform healthcare. In our conversation with Ivelyse, you will:

Hear Ivelyse’s personal experiences with healthcare systems and the impact she sees when communities come together to learn from one another
Understand Ivelyse’s perspective on the importance of individuals knowing how to navigate healthcare systems and building trust with those systems
Learn what health care fluency is and why it is important in addressing health disparities and transforming health care
Understand to the 4 steps to health care fluency
Learn about the work Radical Health is doing in New York City and the plans to intentionally and collaboratively expand, scale and grow
Hear Ivelyse describe how social change leaders can be ‘early and not wrong’ as well as other advice

More about Ivalyse Andino

Ivelyse Andino is an award-winning, Afro-Latina, health equity innovator born and raised in the Bronx. She is a Roddenberry Fellow, as well as the founder and CEO of Radical Health and a Commissioner on the NYC Commission on Gender Equity. In founding Radical Health — the first Latina-owned-and-operated Benefit Corp in NYC — she combined her expertise in healthcare and her passion as a community organizer. Coming from an historically-marginalized community herself, Ivelyse initially built Radical Health around her kitchen table and hearing first-hand from voices who are otherwise never given a say in their own healthcare destiny. Through Radical Health, Ivelyse is transforming healthcare by facilitating healthcare fluency and self-advocacy, as well as forging a relationship between meaningful face-to-face conversations with cutting-edge technology.

https://www.radical-health.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ivelyse/

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

– Vincent Van Gough

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How effective are you at operations and management? Is performing operations your dominant leadership style? For leaders who are tackling community challenges and addressing social issues, operations are critical. Listen as Stephanie and Traci discuss the operational leadership style. In today’s episode: you will:

Hear about operations and its role in leadership
Understand different styles of leadership and why it is important to know our dominant leadership style
Hear about why operational leadership matters and some of the benefits of being good at operations and management
Learn about some of the benefits teams and groups when an operational leadership style is present
Hear some tips if you are an operational leader

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader are You? (QUIZ)
For more information on Traci, you can visit her company website, Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie, you can visit her company website, Genuine Impact.

“A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.”

-Nicole Snow

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can a social enterprise support indigenous communities and use the principles of fair trade? In this episode, we talk with Ana Lázaro about her experience leaving the corporate world to have a deeper impact. Ana launched Ekiitaya, a social enterprise that utilizes her business skills and supports an indiginous community close to her. She shares her inspiring story of growing up in a rich culture in Colombia and how it led her to launch her social enterprise. As we talk with Ana you will:

Hear the story of how Ana grew up with a rich sense of community and deep connections in La Guajira, Colombia.
Learn how Ana launched Ekiitaya - a company that designs, develops and creates mochilas (hand bags and purses) hand in hand with indigenous communities.
Understand the ways Ekiitaya supports and promotes the know-how and traditions of artisans in indigenous communities in Colombia through products
Hear how Ana gives back a portion of the profits to a foundation to further support the artisan community and the education of youth
Hear Ana describe the impact and importance of effectively ‘telling the story’ of her social enterprise
Learn Ana’s 3 big lessons in launching a social enterprise, Ekiitaya, during the past year

More about Ana Lázaro and Ekiitaya:

Ana Lázarowas born and raised in La Guajira, Colombia. Growing up along the Caribbean Sea surrounded by the influence of indigenous people and their cosmovision, made her realize we need to care for our world and take everyday actions that help us to care for it. However, that sense only grew to become a social business after she came back from China where she lived for 9 years. After leaving China, she decided to turn a traditional product into a piece of fashion. That’s how Ekiitaya was born.

Ekiitaya Website

Ekiitaya on Instagram

It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen

-Muhammad Ali

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you effectively using affirmations to have more impact? Did you know positive affirmations can raise the level of the feel good hormones in your brain and thus push your brain to develop new neural pathways for positive and optimistic thinking? In this episode we want to talk about a practice that all social change leaders can and should do - the practice of using affirmations in our daily lives. You will learn:

What an affirmation is and why they are important
The benefits of using affirmations both for personal health and wellness and for professional growth
Ways to approach implementing a practice of utilizing affirmations
Some inspiring affirmations to get you started
Tips on how to write your own powerful affirmations

In this episode we reference:

Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
Stephanie website - Genuine Impact
Traci website - Social Motion

If you want something done,

give it to someone who is busy.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Can a cleaning company create social change? It sure can! Does being a values-driven, social enterprise increase customer sales and loyalty? Yes, it does! Can a business both improve lives and benefit our planet? You better believe it! This episode shares an inspiring story of how a residential cleaning business transformed into being a social enterprise that addresses systemic issues for domestic workers in the U.S. and the greenwashing of the cleaning industry. As we talk with Anna Tsantir of Two Bettys Green Cleaning Company, you will:

Hear the story of how the business began and how it quickly shifted to address inequalities in the cleaning industry.
Understand the ways Two Bettys is a triple bottom line business and the advantages of this model.
Discover the ways in which the company engages with issues associated with domestic workers in the U.S. both in its employment practices, advocacy and social justice work.
Hear about how the company addresses the greenwashing of cleaning supplies and how Two Bettys is leading the way in using and developing non-toxic cleaning supplies and implementing zero waste practices.
Learn about the challenging times and dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, how loyal customers stuck with the company and the way that the business is building back stronger.
Listen to Anna’s reflection about the lessons she has learned over the years of building this triple bottom line business.
Be challenged to think about the layers of social impact you can bring to your operations!

More about Anna Tsantir and Two Bettys

Anna Tsantir is a business owner and mother of two. In 2007 Anna hung up her teaching and arts non-profit hats when she and her former business partner founded Two Bettys Green Cleaning Company by combining the things she believes in – art, social/eco justice, and supporting the community she lives and works in. Two Bettys disrupts business as usual by paying a living wage with benefits, not polluting and making a profit.

Two Bettys website

TwoBettys on Instagram

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."

- Helen Keller

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How collaborative are you? How effective are you in this? Is collaborating your dominant leadership style? For leaders who are tackling community challenges and addressing social issues, collaboration is critical. In today’s episode: you will:

Hear about collaboration and its role in leadership
Understand the 5 different styles of leadership and why it is important to know our dominant leadership style
Hear about why collaborative leadership matters and some of the benefits of being collaborative
Learn about some of the benefits teams and groups when a collaborative leadership style is present
Hear some tips if you are a collaborative leader

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader are You? (QUIZ)
For more information on Traci, you can visit her company website, Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie, you can visit her company website, Genuine Impact.

Success is liking what yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

Maya Angelou

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you been thinking about how your work can make more of a social impact. Or starting a social enterprise? Or launching a program that benefits the people and planet? Stop delaying and start taking action! Now is the time to be the change you want to see in the world. Hosts Traci and Stephanie want to help you do this effectively. They share the top 3 success factors to effectively make your idea for social change come to life and be successful.

In this episode, we reference:

Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
Stephanie website - Genuine Impact
Traci website - Social Motion
Episode #85: Using Your Zone of Genius to Create Social Change

“The goal in life is not to attain some imaginary ideal; it is to find and fully use our own gifts.”

-Gay Hendricks

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you noticed that some types of work keep you energized and other types totally drain you? What if you could always feel energized from the work that you do? In this episode listen to hosts, Traci and Stephanie as they talk about Zones of Genius. You will learn:

A brief overview of the book The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks which originated this concept of Zone of Genuis
The four zones people work in, including the Zone of Incompetence, Zone of Competence, Zone of Excellence and Zone of Genius.
Questions to ask yourself to figure out your Zone of genius.

In this episode we reference:

Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
Stephanie website - Genuine Impact
Traci website - Social Motion
Guy Hendricks The Big Leap

Here’s the truth about racial injustice: It is not just a Black America problem or a people-of-color problem. It is a problem for every American. It is keeping us from fulfilling the promise of liberty and justice for all. And it is holding our nation back from realizing our full potential. We are all a part of George Floyd’s legacy. And our job now is to honor it and to honor him.

-Vice President Harris

The Podcast is based in the Twin Cities and we wanted to take this episode and acknowledge the events of the week with the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

Black Lives Matter

“The best way to have social impact and generate revenue, is to strategize, collaborate, break some rules, and operationalize your passion.”

-Traci Warnberg-Lemm and Stephanie Malon-Rufi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you wondered how you can create social change and make money? Can you really do both? The corporate world of making money and the nonprofit, charity and government world of social change are coming together in unique ways. There is a lot of room for creativity in the emerging social business and social enterprise field. On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci discuss four first steps you can take to do this. In our conversation we discuss:

Learn about some of the current options and paths open for social enterprise and social business models and the role pricing plays in them
Understand how the nonprofit model can also be a revenue generating model
Hear common types of social business / social enterprise models that people launch and examples of each:
- Opportunity Employment: Organizations that employ people who have significant barriers to mainstream employment.
- Transformative Products or Services: organizations that create social or environmental impact through innovative products and services.
- Donate Back: businesses that contribute a portion of their profits (or even 100%) to nonprofits that address basic unmet needs. Or it can be donating a product such as the one-for-one model.
Learn about the 4 ways to get started including:
- Learn what others have done / get inspired
- Give some thought to your ‘why’ or your vision
- Share Your ideas with others
- Get support
Hear about the Turn Your Passion Into Impact Course if you are ready to take the next steps

In this episode we reference:

Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
Podcast Episode #035: Can You Really Make Money Doing Good?
Podcast Episode #03: What is a Social Enterprise and Social Entrepreneurship?
Stephanie website - Genuine Impact
Traci website - Social Motion

Be the Change You Want to See in the World.

Gandhi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

The city of Minneapolis is going through a challenging time as the trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer charged in the killing of George Floyd, is underway. Community members are grieving, hoping, and many are fearful and anxious. Today, we hear from Don Samuels about the founding of the ‘Healing our City’ initiative and Don’s thoughts on what social change leaders should be aware of, think about during this time and do. In this episode, you will:

Hear about Don’s extensive background in the public, private, nonprofit and faith sectors and how that has informed his work
Learn about the ‘Heal Our City’ effort started after the killing of George Floyd
Hear how individuals came to the gathering space / prayer tent to meditate, pray and bear witness with other community members
Hear about the reprisal of the prayer tent when the Derek Chauvin trial was started with a virtual multi-faith meditation, reflection and 9 minutes and 39 seconds of silence
Learn a bit about the history of North Minneapolis and the multi-layered elements to this community
Hear Don’s reflections on how a sustainable way forward is to collaborate and conspire together across differences
Be challenged to be the change you wish to see in the world

In this episode:

Healing Our City

More about Don:

Don immigrated to the US from Jamaica in 1970 to study Industrial Design. He resigned from executive R&D leadership, at Hasbro Toys, for a partnership in Red Racer Studio, inventing toys for major manufacturers. Don and his wife Sondra concluded that White Flight and Black Middle-Class Flight were the major contributors to the concentration of poverty and its repercussions, in Urban America. 24 years ago, they moved to the challenged Jordan neighborhood, in North Minneapolis. They quickly became strong voices for peace and leaders for unity and collaboration. With their urging and support, Don was first elected to the Minneapolis City Council in February 2003.

As a Council Member, he directed unprecedented levels of funding to his North Minneapolis community, ensuring remarkable recovery from a devastating tornado and the Great Recession. Don co-sponsored the Ban the Box resolution, which later became state law, giving ex-offenders a greater chance at careers. Don ran for mayor of Minneapolis in 2013.

Don cofounded the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ), where his wife Sondra now serves as CEO. He graduated, in 2001, from the Luther Seminary and is an ordained minister. He currently serves on the boards of Luther Seminary, Twin Cities Rise, Center for Action and Contemplation and Trust for Public Land- Minnesota. He is CEO of MicroGrants, making grants to low-income individuals to start and boost their businesses and careers, and the Lights On! program: Now, when a driver is pulled over for a broken light in the state of Minnesota, instead of a ticket or lecture, they receive a voucher for free repairs up to $250.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

– Benjamin Franklin

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Many of us are creating trainings or learning events for colleagues, coworkers or even for clients. Are you engaging the correct people prior to planning? Have you identified why you are doing the training? Do you know how much planning goes into a learning event? In today’s episode, co-host Traci Warnberg-Lemm walks us through 3 important considerations to make before you develop a course, training or learning event. In this episode, you will:

Learn how often training is not necessarily the answer to our challenges
Hear about the importance of understanding and identifying the behavior changes desired from a learning event
Learn one of the best ways to move your learners to implement what they learned and to change behavior
Understand the types of people that should be engaged prior to attending a learning event
Recognize how much time goes into developing a training event
Hear about what needs to happen after the event

In this episode, we reference:

For more information on Traci, you can visit Social Motion
To take the short Quiz, ‘Are your learning activities designed for results and impact?’ LINK HERE
For more information on the course, LINK HERE

Podcast Episode #77 Learning as a Tool for Social Transformation, LINK HERE

Leaders must build ecosystems that support learning and ones that create safe places for trial and error during the implementation of learning.

Traci Warnberg-Lemm

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you confident that your learning efforts help you achieve your organizational goals? Are you as a leader supporting ongoing learning for colleagues and team? In today’s episode, Traci walks us through why and how leaders can build ecosystems and cultures for learning. We discuss why leaders need to think bigger about how they can support learning beyond the training. In this episode, you will:

Learn about what organizational culture is and how it impacts you and your team
Hear about some of the benefits that come from organizations with a positive learning culture / ecosystem
Learn about 7 ways leaders can build an ecosystem for learning

In this episode, we reference:

For more information on Traci Warnberg-Lemm, you can visit Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Genuine Impact
To take the quiz, Are Your Learning Activities Designed for Results and Impact? LINK HERE
To register for the March 29 webinar, ‘Top Tips to Design Learning for Impact’ LINK HERE
For more information on the course, Collaborative Integrated Learning Academy, LINK HERE
Podcast Episode #023: The Importance of Coaching for Social Innovators LINK HERE

What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.

-Dwight Eisenhower

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you run around putting out fires each day? Do you feel like you are on the hamster wheel and not sure when you will get off? When you are letting the days run you, instead of you running the day, you most likely are not getting to the important work. The important work is what is going to get you ahead and keep your organization or business sustainable. In this episode, co-host Stephanie Malon-Rufi leads us through the Eisenhower Matrix framework to help you categorize your work, set priorities and determine what actions to take.

Hear about the origins of the Eisenhower matrix and how it has been adapted over time
Learn the difference between importance and urgency
Understand why it is helpful to go through this exercise as you prioritize your activities and plan your time
Learn how to determine which tasks you should eliminate, confine or delegate, focus on and make time for doing
Hear about how you can use time management tips to help with some tasks you need to confine or minimize

In this episode, we reference:

Social Enterprise Check-up Download
Episode #74: Social Enterprise Check-Up: A 6-part framework to increase sustainability
Episode #46: Top 10 Time Management Tips for Social Innovators
Episode #43: Taking Time to Work ‘On not In’ Your Social Enterprise
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Genuine Impact

More about Stephanie Malon-Rufi

Stephanie works with visionary founders who have created a valuable purpose to their work. Entrepreneurs who have a social mission at the heart of what they do but also need to have a sustainable business model. She helps them move past feeling overwhelmed or stuck. Together, she helps social entrepreneurs make sure they:

have a sound foundation
are poised for the growth you want
develop the roadmap to get there

Her services are designed to help you move forward with making a difference – making an impact. To help you go from feeling stuck to energized while getting crystal clear on what steps to take next. The work is real – it is genuine. Stephanie created this 6-part framework based on her personal knowledge and experience having been involved with start-ups as well as operating social enterprises for years. She also works with many social entrepreneurs (especially over the past year when COVID hit) and was able to see what was most helpful for those leaders to pivot and remain sustainable.

We all do better when we all do better.

Paul Wellstone

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you taking some of the important steps needed to support diversity, equity and inclusion goals in your organization? Do you review & actively live into your organizational mission, vision and values? Are you leading by example and doing your own deep work to effectively lead and build a culture of equity? Today, our guest is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant Felecia Boone. Felecia shares poignant stories from her upbringing and describes how those shaped the work she does today. In our conversation we:

Hear how crucial it is to have a mission statement and values that are used within an organization as living documents
Learn about the importance of social change leaders doing their own self care when engaged in anti-racism work
Understand how social change leaders need to learn the art of “turning up the heat, but not too hot” when supporting equitable practices
Learn about the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and other assessments that will support
Understand the importance of getting out of our heads and getting into our hearts while making embodied anti-racist practices a habit
Discuss the importance of recognizing when individuals are hitting the wall and need a bit of space / support
Hear about the importance of leveraging the skills, expertise and assets within your organization to best [ be better allies, co-conspirators and activists] build diversity, equity and inclusion practices
Hear about the importance of leveraging the skills, expertise and assets within your organization so everyone can be better allies, co-conspirators and activists while build diversity, equity and inclusion practices

More about Felecia:

Felecia A. Boone is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant in local government, where she is also the administrator of a Diversity Leadership Mentoring Program. Outside of work, she serves as vice-president of the Minneapolis Area Synod in the ELCA; is chair of the nonprofit Crossroads Community Organization board; is a member of the Board of Regents at Wartburg College; serves on the board of several other equity-focused community organizations; and leads and collaborates on a range of committees at her home church, Calvary Lutheran, always through a racial equity lens. Felecia is also a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).

To connect further with Felecia:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/feleciaboone/

https://www.facebook.com/felecia.boone

A leader’s most important role is supporting the development of others to better equip them to scale their impact and create social transformation.

Traci Warnberg-Lemm

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you wish you had a leadership superpower that created results and impact? Do you incorporate learning into your work and that of your team? Do you ever struggle with having training or learning opportunities that are effective? Today we explore learning as a leadership tool for social change. In this episode we examine learning as a key component to great leadership. In today’s episode, you will:

Understand how and why learning is an important element of social change and social transformation
Learn about the importance of learning to individuals, teams, organizations and systems
Hear about some of the challenges with the learning today
Have an opportunity to consider how your learning programs and training activities may or may not be having the impact you desire
Learn some simple ways social change leaders can get better at designing learning and why they should
Hear about 3 ways individuals can do a ‘deeper dive’ into how to build learning activities that will maximize results and social impact

In this episode, we reference:

For more information on Traci, you can visit Social Motion
To take the short Quiz, LINK HERE
To register for the March 29 webinar, ‘Top Tips to Design Learning for Impact’ LINK HERE

For more information on the course, LINK HERE

When you change the things you look at, the things you look at change

Wayne Dyer

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you know when you need to shift your mindset? What tools do you have that help you quickly do that? This week we are going to talk about 4 simple ways to shift your mindset and how to know when you need to use them. On today’s episode we:

Discuss how a positive mindset sets us up for success
Define some of the common ways to identify if you need to shift your mindset:
4 simple tips to quickly and easily shift your mindset

In this episode, we reference:

Coaching with Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Coaching with Traci - Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast episode #10 on Mindset for Social Innovation LINK HERE
Social Change Leaders Podcast episode #55 on Understanding When You are ‘Hitting a Wall’ LINK HERE

Do you find yourself inspired on a consistent basis? Do you inspire others? Do others inspire you? Inspiration can be the catalyst of great ideas and forward movement to achieve them! Knowing where we get our inspiration can be helpful on our journey to create innovative social change. In this episode we examine inspiration, especially how it can be a key component to great leadership. In today’s episode, you will:

Understand what inspiration is and where it comes from
Hear about why inspiration matters and the benefits of being inspired
Reflect on research that shows how inspiration can be activated and cultivated in each of us
Hear about why social change leaders should follow their own inspiration to have more impact
Learn about the importance of inspiration in leadership and the benefit to teams with inspiring leaders

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader are You? (QUIZ)
Harvard Business Review, Why Inspiration Matters
Liz Gilbert Ted Talk
The Secrets of Inspiration
For more information on Traci, you can visit her company website, Social Motion
For more information on Stephanie, you can visit her company website, Genuine Impact.

You have to work on a sustainable business model first so your social enterprise will have the impact you want.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you know if your social enterprise is sustainable? Do you know what you need to strengthen? Where do you start? In this episode we answer these questions. Co-host Stephanie Malon-Rufi takes her experience and expertise to provide a tangible 6-part framework to increase your sustainability. The Social Enterprise Check Up will help you identify and work on key areas to strengthen your social enterprise. On today’s episode we:

Review how a check-up is different than an organizational or business assessment
Discuss why a social enterprise check-up is important
Learn about the 6 key areas you should be reviewing to determine what needs strengthening in your social enterprise
Get a set of questions within each of the 6 areas to help you evaluate and set action steps for yourself

In this episode, we reference:

Download the Social Enterprise Check-Up
Episode #003: What is a Social Enterprise
Episode #043: Taking Time to Work ‘On not In’ Your Social Enterprise
Episode #023: The Importance of Coaching for Social Innovators
Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Genuine Impact

More about Stephanie Malon-Rufi

Stephanie works with visionary founders who have created a valuable purpose to their work. Entrepreneurs who have a social mission at the heart of what they do but also need to have a sustainable business model. She helps them move past feeling overwhelmed or stuck. Together, she helps social entrepreneurs make sure they:

have a sound foundation
are poised for the growth you want
develop the roadmap to get there

Her services are designed to help you move forward with making a difference – making an impact. To help you go from feeling stuck to energized while getting crystal clear on what steps to take next. The work is real – it is genuine.

Stephanie create this 6-part framework based on her personal knowledge and experience having been involved with start-ups as well as operating social enterprises for years. She also works with many social entrepreneurs (especially over the past year when COVID hit) and was able to see what was most helpful for those leaders to pivot and remain sustainable.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

“The only way forward is through, together”

Nichelle Smith

It is February 2021 which in the United States is also Black history month. With humility and respect we do recognize Black history is actually American history. This month serves as a reminder of that history and the contributions Black Americans have made; many of these contributions under challenging and impossible circumstances, and many of them unacknowledged and unappreciated at the time and still today. This is not something we only must do during the month of February, but every month.

This week, we wanted to do an encore of a previously released podcast focused on the work of Resmaa Menakem, a healer, author, trauma specialist and podcaster. In this episode Resmaa shares his thoughts and insights about racialization as pedagogy and white body supremacy. In our conversation, we dive into:

Key concepts about the impacts of racism on black and brown bodies
The concept of white body supremacy as the standard by which all bodies of humanity are measured and why white people must get comfortable with that term
How black and brown bodies can be harmed when white people seek validation and comfort from people of color
The recent work Resmaa has done with author and speaker Robin DiAngelo about identifying and combating White Fragility
How current policies and procedures allow white body supremacy to multiply
Why Resmaa believes white people must engage in a longer-term, embodied process of work and self study to transform as individuals to better address the dismantling of white body supremacy
Why white people must learn to create their own culture to better hold space for discomfort when discussing race
Resmaa’s creative ideas about how to leverage technology and other innovative fields to support anti-racism work

In this episode:

Resmaa Menakem
Robin DiAngelo
Resmaa Book, My Grandmother's Hands, Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
“Black History Month 2021: The Only Way Forward Is Through, Together” by Nichelle Smith

More about Resmaa Manakem:

Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, SEP, has appeared on both The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Phil as an expert on conflict and violence. He has served as director of counseling services for the Tubman Family Alliance; as behavioral health director for African American Family Services in Minneapolis; as a domestic violence counselor for Wilder Foundation; as a certified Military and Family Life Consultant for the U.S. Armed Forces; as a trauma consultant for the Minneapolis Public Schools; and as a Cultural Somatics consultant for the Minneapolis Police Department. As a Community Care Counselor, he managed the wellness and counseling services for civilians on fifty-three US military bases in Afghanistan. Resmaa studied and trained at Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, as well as with Dr. David Schnarch (author of the bestselling Passionate Marriage) and Bessel van der Kolk, MD (author of the bestselling The Body Keeps the Score). He currently teaches workshops on Cultural Somatics for audiences of African Americans, European Americans, and police officers. He is also a therapist in private practice.

It is exciting to see innovation, equity, and investment finally converging for the change we need in the energy industry.

-Nina Axelson

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you curious about how you can better engage and support clean energy efforts in our communities? What is the democratization of energy and what does that mean for everyday citizens? What innovations are having an impact on the energy industry? Today, our guest is Nina Axelson, vice president of sustainability and outreach for Ever-Green Energy overseeing sustainability objectives and performance, government affairs, community relations, and communications. In our conversation we:

Hear Nina describe how the role of a single champion can have a transformational impact on environmental efforts and initiatives
Learn about the ‘democratization of energy’ and what it means for consumers and citizens as environmental products and services are becoming more available
Understand how the convergence of public policies and infrastructure, private markets and civic community-based organizations are driving change in the energy industry
Learn about the innovations happening in the energy sector and the challenges to deploying and scaling those innovations
Understand the challenges that exist in pivoting old infrastructure to new systems and what is being done to make that happen
Hear about current trends and where energy experts believe we are heading in the next 10-20 years
Listen to 5 suggestions Nina has for that you can do keep positive environmental change moving forward

More about Nina:

Nina Axelson is the vice-president of sustainability and outreach for Ever-Green Energy. Axelson has oversight for sustainability objectives and performance, government affairs, community relations, and communications, launching the company’s corporate social responsibility platform in 2019. Axelson has served as project manager and lead author for technical studies and master plans, including the nation’s largest solar thermal array and recently completed aquifer thermal energy storage analyses. She has led technical studies for the Department of Energy and International Energy Association. Axelson currently serves on the board of directors for the International District Energy Association and Clean Energy Economy Minnesota.

In this episode:

Clean Energy Economy Minnesota

Ever-Green Energy

If liberty and equality, as it thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost.

- Aristotle

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you want to support good governance and good government? What can you do as a social change leader to effectively partner with government agencies on shared community goals? Join us and hear 7 strategies to partner with the government and create change. And download the tip sheet here. On today’s episode we:

Review the complexity of the social challenges we face
Discuss the dynamics of politics and governance
Understand how today’s problems and challenges are complex and require good partners and collaborators
Consider the need for all types of social change leaders to partner with government to support good governance and work on community challenges
Learn 7 strategies for how social change leaders can effectively partner with government to create change

In this episode, we reference:

Parenting with Government to Create Change download
Quiz - What type of Social Change Leader Are You?
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
What is Policy Entrepreneurship? (Podcast Episode #4)

Be insane or be the same!

- Brenden Kumarasami

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you communicating effectively to best scale your ideas and have more impact? Communication is a critical skill of social change leaders. Today we are talking with Brenden Kumarasami, the founder of MasterTalk. Brenden helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs and changemakers improve their communication skills to have more impact. Join us as Brenden discusses the work he does and shares some key skills that social change leaders can begin doing TODAY to start having more impact.

In our conversation we:

Hear about Brenden’s journey to found MasterTalk, a youtube channel that seeks to answer any and all questions individuals have about communication
Listen to Brenden share one important question that leaders should ask themselves to become a better communicator & effectively spread their ideas
Learn about the ‘puzzle method’ - and hear why Brenden recommends using this process to prepare presentations
Hear Brenden share some of the his thoughts on the his favorite communication tips from the best speakers and communicators in the world
Understand why asking yourself hard questions is important for personal and professional growth
Are challenged as social change leaders to consider a few questions for yourself

More about Brenden:

Brenden is the founder of MasterTalk, a YouTube channel he started to help the world master the art of public speaking and communication. He coaches purpose driven entrepreneurs on how to master their message and share their ideas with the world. Find Brenden’s YouTube channel here.

Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.

African Proverb

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you started planning your 2021? Today Stephanie and Traci continue the conversation about transitioning from 2020 to 2021. In this episode, we discuss how to create a powerful vision statement and how to get started setting goals & action steps for 2021. In this episode, we:

Learn about vision statements, why they are important and how to create one of your own
Discuss goals, how to set goals and how to plan for the year ahead
Walk through a free download that supports you in drafting a vision statement, setting goals and action steps for 2021
Reference examples of a goals, strategies and actions that you can reference as you start to plan your 2021
Discuss some important resources, such as coaching, to support you following your roadmap and achieving your 2021 goals.

In this episode we reference:

Download the worksheet here
Episode #014: Creating a Vision and Planning for More Impact in 2020 Part 1
Episode #015: Creating a Vision and Planning for More Impact in 2020 Part 2
Episode #037: 3 Questions to Ask if You Are Ready to Launch
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

From quiet reflection will come even more effective action.

Peter Drucker

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you taken time to reflect on 2020? The new year is a time many reflect on the year that has passed and begin planning for the one ahead. Listen as Stephanie & Traci share some year-end rituals and activities to consider as 2020 comes to an end. This episode also walks through 12 year-end reflection questions for social innovators, social entrepreneurs and social change leaders. In our conversation we:

Discuss some of the collective events and challenges we have experienced in 2020
Share some rituals such as cleaning and decluttering, expressing gratitude for things in the year, reviewing your habits and many others
Discuss the importance of making peace with things still lingering in your life and a few ways to do that
Walk through 12 year-end reflection questions social innovators, social entrepreneurs and social change leaders

In this episode we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader Are You Quiz - Link Here
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Download the worksheet here.

This is the season when people of all faiths and cultures are pushing back against planetary darkness. We string bulbs, ignite bonfires and light candles and we sing.

Anita Diamant.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Did you know that the term “Holidays” actually refers to “Holy Days?” So, when we wish someone Happy Holidays we are acknowledging and respecting their preferred holy days - in an inclusive manner. It is the time of year when many holy days are celebrated around the world. Listen to what some of these are and learn the common themes: darkness into light, truth, goodness, reflection, dancing, singing, prayer/meditation, and wisdom.

Bring your gifts to the work, dig in and enjoy it.

Jason Sole

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

“Defund the Police” has become a popular phrase used this past year and elicits strong reactions. In this episode we move beyond this phrase to talk about what abolitionism and transformative justice truly means in a powerful conversation with Jason Sole. Jason is the co-founder of the movement Humanzie My Hoodie, a criminal justice professor, author, activist and abolitionist. Jason both talks about the ways that our current system does not work for all citizens and also paints a picture of what it could look like if we reimagined how our society addresses issues of housing, food, addiction, mental health and other key social issues often left to the police to handle.

In the episode we:

Hear the story of Jason’s early life in Chicago and how he eventually ended up in Minnesota
Learn the story of how the Humanize My Hoodie movement got started by a challenge Jason had for his college classes to understand the negative stigma of hoodies sweatshirts being work by people of color.
Be inspired by how Jason Sole and his business partner and friend Andre launched and the initial Humanize My Hoodie clothing line which has turned into a national brand and movement
Understand the abolitionist education framework and its central theme of speaking truth and taking bold action
Hear Jason discuss current and historical abolishionists including Harriet Tubman who sought to abolish slavery, not trying to get nicer plantations for slaves
Hear how abolitionists are leading the way to eliminate systems that do not work and how they are pushing for reallocation of resources to improve communities
Abolitionists can see a dream where all are healing from trauma and coming together to heal. Dream of a different world and putting resources to put these dreams into fruition
Hear a real-world examples of simple actions being taken to meeting needs can better solve problems
Be challenged to understand how white people can do a deeper dive and use privilege to have conversations and work to soften the hearts of those that support practices and policies that hurt people of color
Hear Jason talk about the need to liberate yourself before you can liberate other people and how to be creative in the way you love other people
Learn about how you can get involved whether it is through the Allies workshop

In this episode we reference:

Humanize My Hoodie

Humanize My Hoodie Ally Online Workshop

Humanize My Hoodie Documentary

Ava DuVernay’s Film “13”

Jason Sole’s website

Prison By Any Other Name by Maya Schenwar

More about Jason Sole:

Jason Sole works with organizations and individuals who believe that there must be equity for there to be freedom and that there must be a radical redefining of criminality for there to be justice.

Jason has been a criminal justice educator for a decade (served as an assistant professor at two academic institutions) and is currently an adjunct professor at Hamline University. He is a national keynote speaker and trainer. He’s the past president of the Minneapolis NAACP in which he launched several public safety initiatives (e.g., Warrant Forgiveness Day) that led to harm reduction in Hennepin County. Sole was a 2013 Bush Fellow who focused on juvenile delinquency and recidivism throughout the state of Minnesota. He helped launch Mayor Coleman’s Community Ambassadors Program, which led to a 63% reduction in juvenile crime in the first year. In 2014, he published his memoir, From Prison to Ph.D.: A Memoir of Hope, Resilience, and Second Chances. He recently served as the Community First Public Safety Initiatives Director for the City of Saint Paul. In addition, Jason is the co-founder of the Humanize My Hoodie Movement in which he’s challenging threat perceptions about Black men through clothing, art exhibitions, and workshops.

If you call and no one answers, go anyway.

Rabindranath Tagore

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is an international human rights crisis. How do girls and women that have been exploited overcome the trauma and create a livelihood? Today we talk with Sarah Symons, Founder and Executive Director of Her Future Coalition, an international non-profit and social enterprise fighting human trafficking and other severe gender violence with shelter, education and employment. In our conversation we:

Learn about Sarah Symons had a career as a songwriter for TV and film and how seeing the film, The Day My God Died, became her inspiration to support women and girls that had been involved in human trafficking
Discuss the work of the nonprofit, Her Future Coalition, and it current work in India and Nepal - the epicenter of the sex trafficking
Learn about the long-term intensive programs that help individuals overcome trauma, address health issues and mental health challenges, secure housing and create a livelihood
Hear about how Her Future Coalition partners with local-based organizations such as rescue shelters and ‘red-light’ areas where children are at high risk for sexual assault and exploitation
Become inspired by success stories of girls and women who are have become leaders in their communities
Learn about how poverty is one of the primary risk factors for trafficked children and young adults and solutions require systemic solutions
Hear Sarah describe how she got her start in an imperfect and messy way, but believed that the perfect is the enemy of the good
Understand how Sarah came to embrace storytelling as method of raising money and how Her Future Coalition is supported primarily through jewelry proceeds and individual giving
Learn how Sarah has built a global team for this work including hiring women who were former participants in the program that lived the experience of being trafficked
Hear Sarah’s lessons learned and advice for others wanting to make a contribution
Get inspired by Sarah’s philosophy of ‘let’s see what love can do’

In this episode we reference:

Film, The Day My God Died
Her Future Coalition
Ted Talk, Living Heroically - from slavery to success
Book, Standing In the Way

More about Dr. Sarah Symons:

Sarah Symons is the Founder and Executive Director of Her Future Coalition, an international non-profit and social enterprise fighting human trafficking and other severe gender violence with shelter, education and employment. Over the past 15 years, Her Future Coalition has helped over 5000 women and children in India, Nepal, Cambodia and Thailand to get out of slavery and exploitation, and to build safe, independent and successful lives.

Standing in the Way: From Trafficking Victim to Human Rights Activist

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” James Baldwin

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

There has been a growing ecosystem to support social entrepreneurs and social businesses in the U.S and beyond. What does this support system look like? What resources are available for those who are wanting to launch or scale their social enterprise? Today we talk with Connie Rutledge, CEO of FINNOVATION Lab. FINNOVATION Lab launched in 2017 to empower and support professionals and entrepreneurs who use business to address environmental, economic, and social issues. It champions changemakers in the community who believe in solving systemic social problems through the power of business.

In our conversation we:

Learn about Connie’s experience in the entrepreneurial, venture capital and social business spaces. And how she brings her lens on the world to try to understand our inequalities between gender, race and class. How can we harness the power of the market to be a positive force for change?
Hear about how FINNOVATION Lab began as the brainchild of Jackie Berglund, founder of Finnegans Brewery, one of the longest running social enterprises in the state of Minnesota. She developed FINNOVATION Lab out of the desire to create the resources and support for social entrepreneurs that she wished she had 20 years ago.
Understand the goals of the 9-month FINNOVATION fellowship program geared towards social entrepreneurs in the idea phase of a social venture.
Learn about the new mastermind program launching in January 2021 for impact-driven CEOS that want to scale; Social Business Collective. Stephanie (Genuine Impact) is teaming up with FINNOVATION Lab to provide this program for social impact businesses that are growing with leaders that want to connect with peers, get advice, and learn more on important topics.
Hear about how a mastermind group can be a key ingredient to build accountability, community and be a catalyst for growth.

Finnovation Lab

Social Business Collective

About Connie:

Connie Rutledge is a leader in the Twin Cities community of entrepreneurs. With over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship and business management, her expertise ranges from concept design, market analysis, and fundraising to product development, operations, and strategic partnerships. Her passion is supporting innovators with practical advice and strategic analysis so they can recognize their vision in a socially and financially sustainable way.

Connie has developed and taught courses in entrepreneurship for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and the University of Minnesota. She also coordinated the Minneapolis/St. Paul Mini Maker Faire, attracting over 5000 makers, artists, and curious families every year. She holds a BA in sociology from the University of Tulsa and an MPA from the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota.

May we grow back not to what was, but instead toward what we can become.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

This episode is being released on the third Thursday in November of 2020 which is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Many of us will be preparing large meals with fewer people around the table due to the increased social distancing practices brought on by the increase in COVID cases. As with many things that have happened in 2020, this holiday is a good time to reconsider and revamp how we understand our history, how we understand our current challenges and how we look at the Thanksgiving holiday. In our conversation we:

Discuss briefly the history of the national Thanksgiving holiday in 1863 under President Abraham Lincoln and the date change under President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Share two articles about the origins of Thanksgiving and reconciling and coming to terms with the history of colonization in the United States
Offer 2 questions for social change leaders:
- How are we educating and challenging ourselves?
- How are we challenging others in our lives - especially those who may not see it the same way?

In this episode we reference:

Cortney Tunis - Reconciling the Origins of Thanksgiving
Dr. Esther Liberman - The Thanksgiving Dilemma/ Reconciling the Fine Line Between Celebrating Gratitude and Commemorating Colonization

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Be grateful for the hard times too. They have opened your eyes to the things you weren’t paying attention to.

- Anonymous

Has it felt hard to be grateful in 2020? As you end the year are you thinking about all the things that did not happen because of 2020? Today we want to challenge you to think about 2020 differently. Gratitude is important! We want to share experiences and things in 2020 that we are grateful for - not just despite the pandemic but sometimes BECAUSE of the pandemic.

In our conversation we:

Review and acknowledge the challenges we have experienced individually and collectively in 2020
Discuss the reasons why gratitude is important and the benefits it provides including:
- Emotional benefits
- Social benefits
- Personality benefits
- Career benefits
- Health benefits
Talk about various ways to practice gratitude in your daily life
Highlight what Traci and Stephanie are grateful for because of 2020 and encourage our listeners to do the same

In this episode we reference:

Benefits of Gratitude, Positive Psychology
Traci website
Stephanie website

We all do better when we all do better

Paul Wellstone

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

As social change leaders work to be more inclusive and address structures and systems of racism and oppression in our communities, we take a look at one of the important ones to tackle - health care. This week we discuss bias, leadership and health equity with Dr. Veronica Svetaz. Dr. Svetaz is a physician at Hennepin County Medical Center (where she also works in the Center for Health Equity Leadership) and an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota. She is nationally recognized for her work as the Director of Aqui Para Ti youth development program and her extensive research and writings. Dr. Svetaz was recently named as one of the seven examples of local leadership by the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. In our conversation we:

Listen to the story of Dr. Svetaz’s journey that started in Latin America with a deep spirit of doing things together in community
Hear about the impact of being a teenager under military government shaped Dr. Svetaz’s ideas around democracy, advocacy and caring for each other
Learn how Dr. Svetaz came to the United States and began working with adolescents and how that turned into a fellowship and residency
Hear Dr. Svetaz discuss her experiences with the role of women in leadership and how that impacted her career choices
Understand the connection she shared with Latino families and how she learned the importance of vicarious resilience and gratitude
Learn about the difference between chronic conditions and chronic illness and how working with community in strength-based manner supported her in becoming an expert in the area of health equity
Hear about the important role of leaders, but how leadership is one of the most difficult things to change
Hear about inclusive spaces and how social change leaders can become more aware of structures and systems of oppression in the communities including understanding the bias, discrimination, stereotyping and racism experienced by marginalized communities
Reflect on the transformative power of deeply listening and human sharing
Understand how health equity is rooted in being aware of and starting work the social determinants of health
Learn how Dr. Svetaz defines and supports activism and activation in patients

In this episode we reference: Book, Promoting Health Equity Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Adolescents

More about Dr. Veronica Svetaz:

Maria Veronica Svetaz, MD, MPH, FSAHM, FAAFP is a Faculty Family Practice and Adolescent Health Boarded physician at HCMC Department of Family and Community Medicine, and an Assistant Professor at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Minnesota. From Argentina, Dr. Svetaz completed her medical school, Internal Medicine and Chief Residency at the University of Buenos Aries, Argentina. She came to the University of Minnesota in 1996 to join the Division of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health LEAH training program for a two-year fellowship. At the same time, she completed a Master in Public Health, Maternal, and Child Major and completed her Family Medicine Residency at Region's Hospital. She was a member of the National team that drafted the 2002 "Consensus Statement on Health Care Transitions for Young Adults with Special Needs," endorsed by AAP/AAFP/ACP/ASIN (published in Pediatrics, 2002). She had been the Medical Director of Aqui Para Ti/Here for You youth development program since its beginning in 2002. This program has received multiple National Awards, most importantly the 2014 Millar Award for Innovation in Adolescent Care, by the Society of Adolescent Health (SAHM). It is currently overseeing a system-wide initiative to make HCMC (safety Net Hospital) teen-friendly. Her research includes working with bilingual youth, chronic illness and youth, issues around parenting that youth, educating practitioners to better work with minority youth, on how to use CBPR (Community Based Participatory Research) and how to support Health Equity. She is currently the Chair of the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) 's National Diversity Committee (authored 2 Position Papers on Health Equity) and is a National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health's Board Member. She sits on the Health Equity Advisory Board at Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) and is also part of DHS Behavioral Health Homes' Advisory Committee.

The reason we do what we do is because everyone matters.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How does the U.S. Healthcare System compare to other countries? Can we really improve care and cut costs at the same time? Who is the best advocate for our own healthcare? In part 3 of our civic series, we discuss health care policy, health costs and care, leadership and generational social change with Dan Pelino. Dan will walk us through our role as health care consumers, the role of ‘trusted healers’ and elements of the US healthcare system. Please join us to:

Hear about Dan’s background and work in healthcare and wellness
Learn about US health care expenditures and quality compared to other nations
Understand the key challenges in the US healthcare system and how patient-centered and team-based care can improve care and reduce costs
Learn about some of the data that supports the value of having a primary care doctor and a relationships with a care team
Learn about what patient-centered medical homes are and how they can support our individual and collective health and wellness
Hear Dan’s thoughts on leadership and the role of leaders in healthcare reform
Understand the actual time it takes for social change to take root and become embedded in our society
Be introduced to the concept of a ‘trusted healer’ and consider people you have in your family or social groups that would fall into this category
Be challenged to step forward and be your own best health advocates and healers

In this episode we reference:

Dan Pelino

Trusted Healers

We fight for lost causes not because we always think we are gonna win, but because someone needs to keep the battle going.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Election season always brings to light important civic topics and this year, big questions. Is voter fraud a real threat? Is the voting system still reliable? Will we know the election results on election night? How do we know what information to trust? And, perhaps even more importantly, how can we better improve citizen engagement and expand civic education? This week we tackle these questions in a conversation with Professor David Schultz, a Political Science and Law professor at Hamline University in Minnesota. He is a nationally and internationally sought-after expert on civics and government topics. He authored many books, legal treatises, and articles on topics including election law, eminent domain, law, public policy, legal and political theory, and the media and politics. In our conversation we:

Hear about how Professor Schultz developed a passion for voting, public affairs and civics at a young age
Discuss the importance of civic education in supporting citizens to engage with the government to make change
Highlight the importance of good listening skills in our noisy democracy
Hear David’s thoughts on the importance of media literacy and citizens discerning between good and bad information
Discuss how important it is for citizens to get out of our bubbles and try to talk to others
Learn about the importance of starting discussions with a little bit of healthy doubt
Understand an effective way to share what you believe by highlighting the reasons ‘why’ we have those beliefs
Hear David’s thoughts on the integrity and reliability of US elections and the checks and balances in the US voting system
Understand when we can expect to know election results
Discuss the importance of civic education, citizen engagement and why getting involved, citizens can make a difference

In this episode we reference:

Schultz's Take Blog

Strong Democracy by Benjamin Barber

Good Governance Depends on the Ability to take responsibility by both administrations as well as people.

Narendra Modi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

As we approach the U.S. 2020 elections, where many big elections are occurring in all levels of government (including presidential), it is important to think about the role and responsibilities we have to American democracy. We are not born being good citizens or participants in democracy. Being an effective member of a democracy must be learned, cultivated and practiced. And with only 55% of the eligible voting population voting in 2016, we know that there is work to be done in this area.

On today’s episode, Traci will share some of her work in government and civic education and share some key questions to reflect on in the coming weeks and months. In our conversation, we:

Hear Traci’s story of serving as an election observer in Sri Lanka in 2001
Review some basic definitions including politics and government
Discuss some of the current challenges to American democracy
Consider the value of social innovation and policy entrepreneurship as path to a better and more effective democracy
Present Key Questions we should ask ourselves including:
- How am I educating and evolving myself to be a better participant in democracy?
- How can we support and elect candidates who have integrity and are collaborative? - represent values that we hold
- How do we prepare the next generation of informed, engaged participants in our democracy
- What is our responsibility to to engage in respectful conversations & build bridges with the many people in our lives who actively, passively or unknowingly support the oppression of so many of our friends and loved ones
Highlight the signs of optimism in social innovation and policy entrepreneurship

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Traci website
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode 4: What is Policy Entrepreneurship?
Thomas Friedman’s Thank You For Being Late

Pursuing purpose Is less about skillset and everything about your mindset. Believe bigger

- Junita Flowers

Social change leaders and More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Specifically, in our conversation we:

Hear about Junita’s early fascination with entrepreneurship, her passion for baking and her experience being in an abusive relationship all led her to find her purpose in founding Junita’s Jar in 2015.
Learn about the social entrepreneurial model Junita followed to launch her mission-driven, retail cookie company that uses food to engage young people in conversations about relationships and domestic / relationship violence.
Discuss how the social impact Junita wants to have has evolved and seeks to 1) remove stigma and shame around relationship violence, 2) educate college students about domestic and relationship violence, 3) inspire college students to take action.
Understand how Junita learned to be succinct and more effectively communicate her mission so she can expand her audience and have more impact
Listen to Junita discuss some of the people and things that were helpful along the way including the Finnovation Fellowship Program and how it helped her understand and clarity how to make everything work.
Learn about the the value Junita found in meeting with women of color who were also growing their business and how this helped her overcome obstacles and build her up.
Hear Junita explain how there is never a perfect time to launch your passion and how clarity comes when you are in motion
Learn about Junita’s future plans to continue to expand and grow the business side of the company while replicating and scaling up the impact of her ‘cookies and conversations’ model

In this episode we reference:

Junita's Jar

Finnovation Lab

One year = 365 Opportunities

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

The Social Change Leaders Podcast is one year old! We look back at some of our episodes, share our reflections and what we have learned. In our conversation, we discuss:

The importance of getting started and why now is the time to dive in and get out of your comfort zone
The value of partnering and doing things together
How keeping focused on our passion and our why has been helpful
Being flexible
The importance of communication
Keeping a sense of humor in new ventures and endeavors
Setting deadlines & how they seem to almost magically happen
Creating space and time to plan, think, create and brainstorm

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Traci website
Stephanie website
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #49

If you can’t imagine getting through whatever you are going through…...just try imagine getting through the next tiny little bit, the next 5 minutes, hour or day, whatever feels manageable.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you running out of gas? Do you feel like you are losing steam and need to recharge? Over the past month, we have noticed ourselves and others expressing the feeling of ‘hitting a wall.’ Having a loss of energy and feeling constantly fatigued. As we are still in the throws of the global pandemic and as we enter the fourth quarter of 2020, we want to talk about why we all seem to feel depleted, tired and have a sense of loss. We will also discuss what we can do about it. In our conversation, we cover:

The myriad of reasons we are hitting this wall from what is going on for individuals, families and the societal systems we rely upon
The definition of surge capacity and how ours are depleted
Common emotions we feel when we hit the wall
5 Ways to cope with ‘hitting the wall,’ including:
- Situation acceptance
- Honoring feelings
- Expecting less from yourself
- Elevating relationships
- (Re)building your resilience bank

Referenced in today’s conversation:

ARTICLE: Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful
Dr. Michael Maddaus, The Resilience Bank Account

About Your Hosts:

Traci Warnberg-Lemm is the owner of Social Motion, a training, coaching and consulting company that energizes civic, policy and community-based solutions and supports leaders that drive them. Traci has over 20 years of experience serving local communities, nonprofits and government agencies, in the United States and abroad. Social Motion provides coaching and consulting services, organizational development support, small and large group facilitation, and strategic impact planning to support organizations to better collaborate, innovate and create systemic change. Learn more about Social Motion here.

Stephanie Malon-Rufi is owner of Genuine Impact which works with emerging and young socially-driven organizations interested in growing their impact and laying the groundwork for long-term sustainability. Stephanie draws upon her 15+ years of experience in nonprofit and for-profit management along with her MBA education to collaborate with organizational leaders (and sometimes with their board or business partners) in developing solutions to keep moving forward and have their desired social and/or environmental impact. Stephanie serves as a strategic growth coach and consultant for changemakers looking to take their social enterprise to the next level and feel confident in the steps to do it. Learn more about Genuine Impact here.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy,

not on fighting the old but on building the new.”

Socrates

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the systemic inequalities of our global economic system. At the same time, citizen and community action is increasing across the globe as our complex problems require cooperation and collective action. Have you thought about a way that you can contribute and have a social impact right now? Do you have an idea for a business or program or nonprofit that you have wanted to start? On this episode, Stephanie and Traci discuss trends and areas of growth in the social change arena and why NOW is the perfect time to start that social enterprise, launch that nonprofit or social impact business that makes a contribution to the collective.

We go through 7 current trends in social change and hope they challenge you to think about how to deepen the impact you are having in our world. Now is the perfect time to put some of those ideas and dreams into motion.

In our conversation, we:

Talk about why now is the perfect time to pivot and start that new initiative
Look at the intersection of sectors and highlight how our most challenging problems need multi-sectoral solutions including the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Understand opportunity in the area of government, policy and social innovation
Discuss how the business sector is becoming increasingly more transparent about their sustainability and impact-driven practices
See how social innovation can be used to address wellness and health care
Dive into how consumer demand has driven the need for businesses to be engaged in solving community challenges
Discuss the growing ecosystem to support purpose-driven business which create benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders
Highlight other factors indicating an increase in the social businesses including, generational shifts in how they view business as needing to play a bigger role in addressing social problems, the rise of benefit corporations, and the increase in impact investing and the urgent need for people across all sectors to address deep structural racism.

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Turn Your Passion into Impact Course launching October 1st
Traci website
Stephanie website

“It is self-awareness that allows the best business-builders to walk the tightrope of leadership: projecting conviction while simultaneously remaining humble enough to be open to new ideas and opposing opinions.”

-“How Leaders Become Self-Aware” by Anthony K. Tjan

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you see yourself as a leader? What type of leader are you? Are you looking to improve your skills and have more impact as a leader? In this episode we talk about one of the most effective things you can do as a leader; to become self-aware. By doing this you can not only have more impact in your work but you will be more effective with your team, as a communicator and in setting important boundaries. We will go through some important steps to build deeper levels of self-awareness. In this episode we discuss:

What self awareness is and why it is important
How to recognize ego-based leaders and why they are toxic
Building self awareness to be a better social change leader through the following:
- Begin to really see yourself as a leader and embrace that role
- Understand your own style, motivations, strengths and weaknesses
- Embrace ongoing learning
- Align your work with your values

In this episode, we reference:

Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #51: Using Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation to Improve the Lives of All Seniors: A Conversation with Lisa Marsh Ryerson, President AARP Foundation
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #25: Culture and White Body Supremacy: A Conversation with Resmaa Menakam
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #50: What Type of Social Change Leader Are You?
Quiz - What Type of Social Change Leader Are You?
Online Course: Turn Your Passion Into Impact
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

“All of us, whichever job or project we choose to take on, do something to change the culture. That social impact, positive or negative is our choice. It turns out that all of us are social entrepreneurs. It’s just that some people are choosing to make a bigger (and better) impact than others. It’s a spectrum, not a label.”

-Seth Godin

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you wondered how you can earn money while also having a positive impact on the community? You can! On today’s episode we share the three main ways to have an impact on the social and/or environmental problem that you are helping to solve while also generating revenue.

On today’s episode we:

Discuss how you can integrate resources, partners and business structures in your life to have positive social or environmental impact.
Walk through the three main ways that you can have an impact:
- Through giving (time, resources, money)
- Through your offer (products and/or services)
- Through how you operate (vendors, partners, employment structure)
Learn various ways to have impact that range from simple to more complex.
Emphasize the importance of starting somewhere to begin having an impact.

In this episode, we reference:

Turn Your Passion Into Impact
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launch October 1, 2020. Learn more here and sign up today!

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

Martin Luther King

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can a large organization use social entrepreneurial principles in its everyday work? How can social innovation and human centered design be integrated into the work done to solve big community challenges? Listen to this dynamic conversation about how these important principles are used by AARP Foundation as they address challenges faced by today’s seniors living in the United States. In today’s episode, we talk with Lisa Marsh Ryerson, the president of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) Foundation, the charitable affiliate of AARP. Since she took the helm, AARP Foundation has developed pioneering initiatives, explored new avenues for collaboration, and secured unprecedented funding to support programs and services that truly change lives. In our conversation we:

Hear about the history, mission and especially the big, bold vision of the AARP Foundation
Learn about the innovative partnerships AARP is developing to advance solutions that help vulnerable older adults increase their economic opportunity and social connectedness.
Discuss the shared challenge of ending senior poverty and how there are 37 million individuals 50 and older already living in poverty or one life event away from living in poverty
Understand how poverty is not due to an individual failing and requires a multidisciplinary approach to solving it that includes new and bold solutions to issues like housing, jobs, wages, food security, social connection / social isolation
Discuss the growing public health issue of social isolation
Hear Lisa describe how physical distancing due to COVID-19 cannot become social disconnection and how the AARP team has brought in social entrepreneurs to use lean startup and human-centered design to address social isolation with chatbots and other innovations
Address the myth that when older adults retire they will have income to support their life, when in fact retired adults often need skills and tools to generate income into their older age
Learn how the entire AARP organization uses innovation including an Innovation Lab that looks for start-up companies at various stages that are driving social impact tools
Understand how AARP supports various social innovators through in-kind support and how it launched a program using AR (Augmented Reality) so families and individuals can remain connected with each other
Hear about what Lisa has learned about how to do innovation well which includes following the process of innovation and lean startup to inform an approach, make good choices, solve problems and drive grants. On any given day, we can fall in love with a great idea in search of a problem. It is important to look at the root problem and test idea
Discuss how human-centered design is critical when working with vulnerable and low income population because of ageism, structural racism and inequality. This holds organizations like AARP accountable to work in an inclusive way.
Learn about AARP’s practice that no idea makes it into the room unless it has a minimum of 50 conversations, inputs or insights from the people the idea (or solution) is intending to serve
Discover how AARP Foundation understands their role, their own strengths and assets and how they use good strategy along with collaboration and partnerships in their work
Find out about the largest, free, volunteer driven tax assistance service with 36,000 volunteers that serve millions people per year on tax assistance and various other programs that support savings as a way to prepare for retirement

In this episode we reference:

AARP Foundation https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/

More about Lisa Marsh Ryerson:

Lisa Marsh Ryerson is president of AARP Foundation, the charitable affiliate of AARP. A bold, disciplined and collaborative leader, she sets the Foundation’s strategic direction and steers its efforts to realize an audacious vision: a country free of poverty, where no older person feels vulnerable. Since she took the helm, AARP Foundation has developed pioneering initiatives, explored new avenues for collaboration, and secured unprecedented funding to support programs and services that truly change lives. Ms. Ryerson has spearheaded innovative partnerships with other organizations to create and advance effective solutions that help vulnerable older adults increase their economic opportunity and social connectedness.

What type of Social Change Leader are you?! Take the quiz and find out!

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launch October 1, 2020. Learn more here and sign up today!

The best leaders don't know just one style of leadership - they're skilled at several, and have the flexibility to switch between styles as the circumstances dictate.

Daniel Goleman

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Welcome to the 50th episode of the Social Change Leaders Podcast! On today’s episode we will share with our audience a new quiz to help determine, ‘What Type of Social Change Leader Are You?’ To take the quiz, Go HERE

On today’s episode we we discuss:

How today’s problems and challenges are complex and require skilled and well-rounded social change leaders that can be flexible and nimble.
Three leadership practices that ALL social change leaders should have including; mindset for social change, commitment to life-long learning and cultural awareness and literacy.
Characteristics and tips for the five types of social change leaders:
- The innovative social change leader
- The operational social change leaders
- The strategic social change leaders
- The collaborative social change leaders
- The innovative social change leaders

In this episode, we reference:

What Type of Social Change Leader Are You Quiz - link here
Genuine Impact, Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Social Motion, Traci - Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast episode #10 on Mindset for Social Innovation www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/010

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launched October 1, 2020. Learn more here and sign up today!

You many never know what results come from your action.

But if you do nothing, there will be no result.

-Gandhi

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

This podcast started out as a labor of love for social change leaders. Next week will be our 50th episodes and we have some exciting announcements coming up. On today’s episode we will look back and discuss what we have learned launching and doing a weekly podcast. We share some of the secrets from behind the scenes, lesson learned and answered some of the questions we have received from people about doing a podcast.

In our conversation we discuss:

The nine tools we use every week to produce and release each episode
How much time it really takes to have a podcast
The benefits of having a partner in podcasting
How we plan our episodes and find guests
Advice for others who are starting a podcast
Lessons we learned that can be applied to launching a podcast or any venture or new project

In this episode, we reference:

Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Traci - Social Motion

When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.

Ethiopian Proverb

Social change leaders and More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Social innovators solving community challenges are recognizing more and more the importance that culture plays in developing solutions. Are you creating a solution that is culturally competent/responsive? Or, is it culturally specific? What is the difference? In this episode we have a conversation with Angela Reed who will explain the differences. Angela is the Director of Support Services at Turning Point, a nationally known and Minneapolis-based organization that provides culturally specific chemical health, housing, supporting services and training for the African American community. Angela will talk to us about culturally specific services and ways organizations can partner with culturally specific organizations to be more culturally responsive and competent. Angela also talks about the use of the Collective Impact Model to better serve their clients and how some of their key partnerships work.

Specifically, in our conversation we:

Hear Angela explain the difference between culturally competent and culturally specific services and learn how organizations can partner to become more culturally competent.
Discuss the Improving Impacting Factors approach that Turning Point takes and how it leads to the Awareness to Action Model that they use.
Learn about the nimble approach Turning Point takes to respond to the changing needs of the community it serves.
Understand the collective impact model and how Turning Point implements it.
Learn how Angela and Turning Point evaluate potential new partners and train them.
FInd out about Turning Point training on culturally-based training for others working with their clients and why it is important.

In this episode we reference:

Connect with Angela Reed at Turning Point : https://ourturningpoint.org

Collective Impact Model - link to article: https://www.sopact.com/perspectives/collective-impact-model

Unity is strength ... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved

Mattie Stepanek

Social change leaders and More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In today's episode we discuss collaboration. Collaboration is a skill that social change leaders must acquire and constantly improve in order to engage and energize individuals and groups to accomplish mutual goals. Collaborative leadership involves bringing the right stakeholders together to do the right things to meet community goals. Many of our challenges today require multi-sectoral partnerships between the public, private and nonprofit sector which require skilled collaboration. In this episode we:

Define collaboration
Clarify the similarities and differences between a partnership and a collaboration and how they are often used interchangeably
Describe why collaboration in critical to social change activities
Share examples of successful collaborative efforts
Discuss our 8 tips for effective collaboration; 1) Focus on Relationships, 2) Cultivate a Collaborative Mindset, 3) Develop Common Purpose and Goals, 4) Create Good Communication Patterns, 5) Embrace and Leverage Differences, 6) Develop Collaboration / Partnership Strategies, 7) Foster / Promote Collaborative Behaviors, 8) Set blended and measurable goals, but focus on progress

In this episode we reference:

Coaching with Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Coaching with Traci - Social Motion
Tip Sheet Download

Run the day or the day runs you.

Jim Rohn

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Are you making the most out of the time you have available? How are you figuring out how the important work gets done that is going to move you and your social initiative forward? Using the rock, pebble, sand in a jar analogy is helpful when you plan how to use your time to make sure it is helping you achieve your goals for social change. But how can you build in better time management practices to make sure you are staying focused, being efficient but also allowing for the creativity often needed by social innovators? On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci talk about their top 10 list of time management strategies and actions to make sure you are making the most of your time.

In our conversation we go into detail about our top 10 list:

Creating a ‘not to do’ list
Not letting unimportant details drag you down
Building a system that allows you to capture flashes of creativity
Taking time for self-reflection
Using a timer
Setting and reviewing goals regularly
Taking frequent breaks
Taking time to plan
Focusing on managing your attention, not your schedule
Decluttering and organizing your workspace

In this episode we reference:

Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #14

Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #15

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside changes along with it.

Steve Maraboli

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

As we continue to do socially impactful work, there are some common mindset traps that all social impact leaders can fall into on a regular basis. Getting stuck in these mindset blocks can have a big impact on many areas of our life: not only the work we are doing but our confidence, energy, relationships, health, fulfilment and success. If we can learn to understand more about these common pitfalls and get strategies for how to avoid them, we can change our mindset and change the results we are getting in almost every area of life. And, we can have greater social impact. This week we are going to talk about what mindset is, common mindset issues and how social change leaders can manage mindset challenges.

On today’s episode we we discuss:

How to define mindset and understand how it plays a critical role in how we handle situations
Five common mindset issues that social change leaders face
Steps and strategies social change leaders can take to manage common mindsets

In this episode, we reference:

Coaching with Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Coaching with Traci - Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast episode #10 on Mindset for Social Innovation www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/010

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launched June 29, 2020 but you can still join.. Learn more here and sign up today!

Be Strong enough to stand alone,

smart enough to know when you need help,

and brave enough to ask for it.

Anonymous

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Social change leaders like you are doing important work. But as you launch, develop and more deeply engage in your social impact efforts, you may find you hit some road blocks or stall out a bit. This is the perfect time to bring in additional support and assistance and perspective from the outside. This can be very valuable when you have a challenge you are wrestling with or a new idea you need feedback on. When you are launching and doing social change work it is important to get help, advice and consultation from others. On today’s episode we will give you six ways you can best use outside support to amplify and maximize your social impact.

In our conversation we discuss:

Why social change leaders should get outside perspective and support to maximize their efforts
6 different ways to utilize and get outside support to build and support your social impact effort including facilitated retreats, one-on-one coaching, group coaching, masterminds, mentors/advisors and biz besties.

In this episode, we reference:

Coaching with Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Coaching with Traci - Social Motion
Social Change Leaders Podcast episode #23 on coaching www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/023
Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launched June 29, 2020 but you can still join.. Learn more here and sign up today!

Most entrepreneurs fail because they are working in their business rather than on their business.

Michael Gerber

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

As you launch and grow your social change work do you often find yourself drowning in all your 'to dos' that are urgent, but rarely being able to work on what is important? When you are launching and operating your work around social change it is easy to get caught up in all the things you need to do. But it is equally critical for social change leaders to work ‘on’ their business or organization and not only ‘in’ it. On today’s episode we will give you the nuts and bolts about how you can do this deeper work on your own through the creation of a retreat. We will give you ideas about how you can create space to think, create and innovate as it pertains to your social change work.

In our conversation we discuss:

Why social change leaders should schedule time to get away and work ‘on’ their business
Some suggestions for planning a retreat for you to focus on your social impact efforts or business including the who, what, when, where, why and how to do this for yourself
What elements are needed to make sure your social impact retreat is productive, fun and inspiring.

In this episode, we reference:

Book, E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
Work On It, Not Just In It article

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launched June 29, 2020 but you can join anytime . Learn more here and sign up today!

If you think you are beaten, you are

If you think you dare not, you don't,

If you like to win, but you think you can't

It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost

For out of the world we find,

Success begins with a fellow's will

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are

You've got to think high to rise,

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But soon or late the man who wins

Is the man who thinks he can.

Walter D. Wintle

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Across the USA Black Male Educators make up about 2% of all educators despite research indicating the impact educators of color have on all students. Black Male Educators are faced with so many challenges in the field of education. From isolation, racial bias, racial inequities, self hate, tokenism and the simple fact that the system was never designed for people of color let alone black men. Jonathan C. W. Jones is developing a socially innovative approach to supporting all educators, especially Black male educators, so that they can better serve all students.

Jonathan is a seasoned award winning educator, founder of Ideation4, working with educators, schools, districts, nonprofit professionals and under resourced communities through grant workshops, coaching, consulting and innovation. He believes in the power of ideas and helping others realize they have the power to make their ideas into reality.

This publication is created in the spirit of decolonizing these educational oppressive challenges and UpLift current Black Male Educators

In this episode with Jonathan we talk about:

Jonathan’s unique path to becoming an educator which included mentoring, starting college in his mid-20’s, discovering that he loved research and continuing on to earn a masters in special education.
With 94% of teachers spending their own money on classroom expenses and an average teacher spending $740/year, Jonathan shares how he works with educators to find more funding sources and how this work led him to starting his own business, Ideation4.
Jonathan stresses the importance of storytelling in the work he does and shares his belief that while storytelling has caused much harm it is also the way that we will be able to heal.
His new philanthropic innovation, UpLIFT, is dedicated to celebrating Black male educators in the USA combining vivid visuals and reflections to combat oppressive experiences.
Jonathan shares two of the challenges he faced being a Black male educator, often the only one, in a school. These experiences fueled him to also nurture a community as part of his UpLIFT project.
His opinion of what is missing from current teacher education and the way that professional development should be approached.
Jonathan’s opinion about what is working and how to get more Black males into the field of teaching.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

School Leadership Expert, Principal Kafele

FB: @ideation4

Twitter: @ideation4_sjc

Instagram: @ideation_4

Website: https://www.ideation4.com

Jonathan C.W. Jones - Jonathan has worked in the field of education for over 25 years as an educational aid, special education teacher, instructional coach and administrator. He is an educator and social entrepreneur focused on empowering people to voice their ideas, tell their story and secure resources to do Good for their communities. As an educator he experienced first hand a variety of inequalities in his classrooms, schools and school districts. He began researching grants to see if he could meet the needs of classroom supplies and materials to implement innovative ideas that would keep students engaged and achieving. As his grant award portfolio began to grow he started to provide professional development training for he peers so that they could address similar needs.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launch June 29, 2020 and you can join anytime. Learn more here and sign up today!

About Social Motion: Social Motion helps leaders to have greater impact in their professional and personal lives so they can have greater impact on our community and world. www.socialmotion.co

About Genuine Impact: Genuine Impact Consulting and Coaching works with social entrepreneurs and social enterprises to bring clarity and focus so they can make a greater impact. www.genuineimpact.net

“Do we settle for the world as it is, or do we work for the world as it should be?”

Michelle Obama

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Today we discuss how to social change leaders can sustain hope and action. In our conversation we:

Discuss the current social change work that is being done is not just in the margins but the significant changes happening at the micro level and systems being challenged at the macro level.
Discuss active hope vs. passive hope and the importance of social change leaders living with active hope
Share the importance of leaders developing an embodied practice for social change
Reference the various ways we can engage in activism personally, professionally, and in our communities
Talk about our upcoming course, Turning Your Passion into Impact: 5 Steps to Generate Revenue and Make a Difference. This course is a 5-lesson, step-by-step, video-based curriculum that will give you clarity, direction and momentum to turn your passion into social impact and revenue.

In this episode we reference:

Article by Tacoma Torch, White People Exhausted After 5 Straight Days of Opposing Racism
Turning Your Passion into Impact: 5 Steps to Generate Revenue and Make a Difference Course

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launch June 29, 2020. Learn more here and sign up today!

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and reactions in the Twin Cities and around the world, we wanted to invite Carl Young back to the podcast. Carl is a social change leader, a mental wellness professional who does a lot of community-based work and a black man living in Minneapolis.

In this episode with Carl we talk about:

Carl’s experience growing up as a black man in the south contrasted with living in Minnesota for over several decades
The historical context of the relationship between black people with the Minneapolis police department and the U.S. police force in general
Why Carl believes the George Floyd incident was different than former police murders and why it ignited a global response?
What Carl thinks about the increase in white people joining in the antiracist movement
Carl’s advice for our listeners who want to bring about positive social change. What needs to be done on a personal, micro and macro level?

More about Carl Young:

Carl Young, MS, co-founder of ILC4Y,Increasing Life Chances 4 You

Connect with Carl on Facebook and catch some of his live videos where he shares his thoughts and perspectives

Carl Young, MS, is the founder of Increasing Life Chances 4 You. Carl specializes in working with survivors of trauma, PTSD, substance abuse, neglect, mental/physical abuse, domestic abuse, those struggling with life transitions, anxiety and depression, and those needing just that little "push and guidance" to help them move forward toward accomplishing their personal and professional goals. Carl is dedicated to addressing issues of diversity and equity in the mental health system and advocates for individuals who may need culturally competent life coaching and mental health support. His passion is to improve individuals’ success professionally, personally, in school and at home; thereby increasing their life chances.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launch June 29, 2020. Learn more here and sign up today!

About Social Motion: Social Motion helps leaders to have greater impact in their professional and personal lives so they can have greater impact on our community and world. www.socialmotion.co

About Genuine Impact: Genuine Impact Consulting and Coaching works with social entrepreneurs and social enterprises to bring clarity and focus so they can make a greater impact. www.genuineimpact.net

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

“A collection of the proper knowledge for the proper purpose is an incalculable and powerful assortment of assets with no force too mighty to conquer.”

Black Topographical Center

Just a few weeks ago, the murder of George Floyd took place and since that time, Minnesota, the entire country and the world is once again grappling with issues of white supremacy, justice, white privilege, and racism. This week, we wanted to do an encore of a previously released podcast focused on the work of Bukata Hayes and Stacy Wells. They discuss their Write on Race initiative that was born out of a Minnesota community wrestling with how to be better prepared for a racist incident - exactly like what we are experiencing right now. In this episode, you will:

Meet Bukata Hayes and Stacy Wells and learn how they piloted an innovative approach to help a community to understand and think critically about race and its impact on our individual and collective lives.
Listen to how they developed the community-based journaling project, Write on Race to be Right on Race, and how it prompted a 90% white community to learn about how race impacts many areas of public life such as education and health care.
Understand the transformation that occurred from this project that spanned two years allowing people to use their head and their hearts to discuss race honestly and courageously.
Hear about what Bukata and Stacy learned as they launched this socially innovative community effort and how they have continued to move their work forward in other ways.

To purchase their book, Write on Race to be Right on Race, please click here

To participate in COVID-19 Write on Race (WOR) initiative or get on a waiting list for the next opportunity, sign up TODAY at https://www.mankatodiversity.org/contact-us and provide your name, email address and type "WOR COVID 19" in the comment box.

Follow the blog, Love and Struggle, Examining Issues Impacting Black Life and Social Justice at https://love-and-struggle.com/

More about Bukata Hayes: The most important thing about me is that I am the son of Dia Damani and Karen Hayes, husband to Lisa and father to Damani, Jalen, Zavier, and Zuri. In addition to this, Bukata has served as the Executive Director of a non-profit focused on diversity, inclusion and equity in Southern Minnesota since September, 2006. In this role, he spearheads the organization’s efforts to include ALL across various dimensions of differences. Additionally, he facilitates systems change processes, organization culture change, anti-racism work and inclusion/equity initiatives with K-12 school districts, higher education, community organizations, for- profit businesses and governmental agencies across Southern Minnesota, the state and the Midwest. Contact Bukata at buhayes@gmail.com

More about Stacy Wells: Stacy Wells is a dedicated educator and equity thought leader with a variety of professional experiences, including leadership in the public and private sector; public school teacher and district wide administrator; and higher education faculty. She has over twenty years of training and facilitation experience. Her areas of specialty include teacher preparation, curriculum writing, and leadership development and coaching embedded in cultural competence and equity. She earned her B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Drake University, and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas. Stacy and her family currently live in Bloomington, MN and she is an Equity and Inclusion Director with the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Contact Stacy at swellmn@gmail.com.

Traci, Social Motion, and Stephanie, Genuine Impact, have teamed up to bring you an online course - Turn Your Passion Into Impact.

Do you want to live a life of impact that allows your work to align with your values, fit into your lifestyle, generate revenue and create social changes? But, just like so many people, you struggle with worrying about taking that leap? Will I have enough time? Can I make money? What do I do first?

This is exactly why we created our Turn Your Passion Into Impact course for you. Our passion is supporting social change leaders just like you. We know that unleashing the creativity, skills and talents of people like you we are making our contribution to a better world for our kids.

The course is designed for you to take at your own pace. Video lessons and worksheets will be released weekly for the five weeks of the course. Lessons launch June 29, 2020. Learn more here and sign up today!

This week, we are participating in #podcastblackout in solidarity with others protesting the mistreatment, violence and murder happening in this country.

Black Lives Matter

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you been thinking about how your work can make more of a social impact. Or starting a social enterprise? Or launching a program that benefits the people and planet? Stop delaying yourself from taking action! Now is the time to be the change you want to see in the world. Listen to this replay of our virtual workshop to walk you through the 3 questions you need to ask yourself first. We will let you know the key pieces you need in place so you are ready to launch. Be sure to grab the download worksheet as you follow along.

UPDATE: The course begins June 29, 2020. Learn more here: https://www.socialmotion.co/turn-passion-into-impact

In our conversation we:

Touch on the common fears people have when they think about starting
Provide our own launch stories to going out on our own and starting our businesses
Go through the three key questions, provide the context in which to think about these questions and ask additional coaching questions for each.
HIghlight our upcoming course, Turning Your Passion into Impact: 5 Steps to Generate Revenue and Make a Difference. This course is a 5-lesson, step-by-step, video-based curriculum that will give you clarity, direction and momentum to turn your passion into social impact and revenue.

More about the course -

The lessons will include the following:

Week 1 - Clarifying Your Why / Vision / Purpose / Mission

Review and clarify your values, skills, vision, purpose, mission, and your ‘why.’ We will work to align these with the social impact you want to have.

Week 2 - Develop Your Social / Business Concept

Explore how to take the items from week 1 and learn about different options to monetize it. An emphasis will be on starting lean with a minimal viable product or service

Week 3 - Create Strategies for Marketing and Partnerships

Develop key strategies to market your product / services as well as develop strategic partnerships. You will also have template to easily create key talking points and key messages to give you confidence talking about your social impact ideas / plans.

Week 4 - Setting Habits and the Right Mindset

Understand the importance of habits, mindset, time management and other key strategies to set yourself up for success.

Week 5 - Creating your Customized Action Plan

Bring everything together and create a customized action plan that fits your life so you can turn your passion into impact and revenue!

In this episode we reference:

Virtual workshop download
Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
Stephanie website - Genuine Impact
Traci website - Social Motion

“A Journey of a Thousand Miles begins with a Single Step.”

Lao Tzu

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you wondered why your idea for that social enterprise, nonprofit or social impact business is still inside your head? On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci talk about the most important part of launching that idea to earn money by doing good things for people and the planet - GETTING STARTED! Stephanie and Traci are going to share their launch stories as well as a few stories of fellow social entrepreneurs and innovators that have been guests on the Social Change Leaders Podcast. We hope you are inspired and take courage from some of these stories!

In our conversation we:

Discuss how being an entrepreneur / social entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart, but how it can be a great career option
Hear how Stephanie launched her social-based business by reframing her work and lifestyle as an entrepreneur
Learn about Traci’s launch story and why she feels it has allowed her to have more impact
Discuss how social enterprises, nonprofits or social impact businesses can be started as a ‘side hustle’ and why you may want to consider this option
Hear a recap of how LaPorsche Jymi left a steady job and turned her revolutionary head ware business into a social enterprise that helps mentor youth and combat cycles of poverty
Get inspired by a recap of how Alysha Price followed her passion, secured a fellowship and developed her own social enterprise
Understand how Carl Young and a business partner are using their business to address health disparities from many angles

We also talk about our upcoming course, Turning Your Passion into Impact: 5 Steps to Generate Revenue and Make a Difference. This course is a 5-lesson, step-by-step, video-based curriculum that will give you clarity, direction and momentum to turn your passion into social impact and revenue.

UPDATE: The course begins June 29, 2020. Learn more here: https://www.socialmotion.co/turn-passion-into-impact

In this episode we reference:

Link to Register for May 26 Virtual Workshop
Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
SCL Podcast #5 Carl Young
SCL Podcast Episode #9 - Alysha Price
SCL Podcast #22 - LaPorche Jymi
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #34: Why now is the time to start
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #35: Can I really make money while doing good?
Stephanie website - Genuine Impact
Traci website - Social Motion

Chase your passions and money will come. Chase money and you may never find your passions.

Colin Wright

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Have you wondered how you can earn money by doing good things for people and the planet? It is possible! On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci talk about the different ways that people can make money while also providing a benefit to the collective.

In our conversation we discuss:

The difference between a for-profit and a non-profit structure and the ways people earn an income in both structures
The definitions of a social enterprise and a social entrepreneur
The three more common types of social business / social enterprise models that people launch and examples of each:
- Opportunity Employment: Organizations that employ people who have significant barriers to mainstream employment.
- Transformative Products or Services: organizations that create social or environmental impact through innovative products and services.
- Donate Back: businesses that contribute a portion of their profits (or even 100%) to nonprofits that address basic unmet needs. Or it can be donating a product such as the the one-for-one model.
How to use a skill you have in an organization that does good through consulting and why this is can be best way to start

We also talk about our upcoming course, Turning Your Passion into Impact: 5 Steps to Generate Revenue and Make a Difference. This course is a 5-lesson, step-by-step, video-based curriculum that will give you clarity, direction and momentum to turn your passion into social impact and revenue.

UPDATE: The course begins June 29, 2020. Learn more here: https://www.socialmotion.co/turn-passion-into-impact

In this episode we reference:

Link to Register for May 20 Virtual Workshop
Link to Register for May 26 Virtual Workshop
Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #3 about social enterprises
Social Change leaders Podcast Episode #34 about why now is the time to start
Tech Dump
Newman’s Own
Stephanie website - Genuine Impact
Traci website - Social Motion

The time is now. The Person if you.

Nido R. Qubein

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Do you have a little voice inside you that is nudging you to finally launch that thing or take that leap into having more impact? Or maybe you have wanted to take the leap into going out on your own. On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci will be talking about why NOW is the perfect time to start that social enterprise, launch that nonprofit or social impact business that makes a contribution to the collective.

In our conversation:

We talk about why now is the perfect time to pivot and start that new initiative
We look at the intersection of sectors and highlight how our most challenging problems need multi-sectoral solutions including the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
We discuss how the business sector is becoming increasingly more transparent about their sustainability and impact-driven practices
We discuss how consumer demand has driven the need for businesses to be engaged in solving community challenges
We see how business sector changes have led the way for more business to adopt authentic and integrated cause-related marketing practices
We talk about how funders are now more interested in supporting deeper outcomes that delivering more impact than in the past
We highlight other factors indicating an increase in the social businesses including, generational shifts in how they view business as needing to play a bigger role in addressing social problems, the rise of benefit corporations, the increase in impact investing and the growth of ecosystems to support the social enterprise community.
We discuss how COVID-19 has further validated the need for more social change leaders to start that social enterprise, launch that nonprofit or social impact business that makes a contribution to the collective.

UPDATE: The course begins June 29, 2020. Learn more here: https://www.socialmotion.co/turn-passion-into-impact

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Link to Registration for May 20 Virtual Workshop
Link to Registration for May 26 Virtual Workshop
Turn Your Passion into Impact Course
Traci website
Stephanie website
The Good Startup “Top 7 Rising Global Impact Investing and Social Impact Trends for 2020”

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature.

Michael Faraday

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How often do you incorporate play into your life? Getting into the mindset of play can help you to reduce stress, deepen your connection with others and be a better leader. On today’s episode, you will hear about how to use our senses and incorporate more play into our lives. Our guests, Nicola Kapala and Katie Strand, are creative partners collaborating on a video project to bring concepts of interplay and connection. Together they lead us through how social change leaders can adapt the mindset of play and the benefits of doing so.

In our conversation:

Nicola and Katie each share their own story about how they came to work in the realm of play, senses and intimacy coaching.
We understand how play and curiosity can be critical in helping to live through challenging times, build resilience and decrease stress.
We define what play is and what it is not and give examples of what play looks like in personal as well as professional settings.
Learn how play is used in leadership settings to invite and engage participation, problem-solve and heal, and to promote creativity and productivity
Nicola uses her interplay framework to lead us through a 90 second exercise to help us release energy and frustration and get into the mindset of play.
Nicola and Katie share a key question we ask ourselves to easily access a place of play.
We learn how play and intimacy are related and can enhance and deepen our relationships.

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Nicola Kapala website
Nicola Kapala Linked In
Katie Strand website
Dr. Stuart L Brown - Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul

Nicola Kapala: For the past fifteen years Nicola has been working with teams and individuals at the intersection of integrative health and leadership science. Using the mediums of water and gravity, play therapy and integrative practices such as shiatsu, yoga and water massage she works from a mind/body approach to help people gain greater vitality and connection to their lives. A self confessed “neuroscience nerd” Nicola blends her background in business development and social sciences to facilitate and guide people to align themselves to their purpose and joy.

Katie Strand: Katie Strand is an Emmy-Nominated Film Producer and Coach. Her projects have been featured on Rock the Vote with the WNBA, HBO, PBS, NBC, MTV, Fox and over 20 national commercials including Super Bowl commercials and Deadpool 2. A modern-day renaissance woman, Strand also hosted the Catalyst Podcast (Catalyst Festival in Duluth), practices Martial Arts, Aerial Acrobatics, Stand Up Paddleboarding, and dances swing, tango, salsa and Zouk. For the better part of 25 years, Strand has been leaning-in to personal growth and self-actualization, which led her to earn a Master’s in Spiritual Psychology, and a Bachelor’s in Communications/Film, graduating with honors and magna cum laude.

Sometimes the truth depends on a walk around a lake.

- Wallace Stevens

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How often do you do creative writing in your life? Have you ever tried to write as a way to relax and take care of yourself? Today, our guest is Jory Mickelson, a writer, educator, and retreat facilitator living in Bellingham, Washington. Jory helps us understand how writing and being in nature are important self-care practices. Jory is a writer, educator, and retreat facilitator living in Bellingham, Washington. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, you can still benefit from the practice of writing.

In our conversation:

Jory shares his background especially how nature was an important part of his childhood and has inspired his writing
Jory offers a variety of suggestions for those wanting to do more writing including the importance of scheduling time for a writing practice
Jory gives listeners a specific exercise they can try at home to kickstart a short and simple writing exercise
We listen to a poem written and read by Jory
Jory also talks about his own self care practices and writing routines

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Book, Wilderness Kingdom by Jory Mickelson, Floating Bridge Press
Poet Ted Kooser, Poet Laureate
Joy Harjo, Poet Laureate
Billy Collins, Poet
Poet, Jane Kenyon
The Artists Way , Author Julia Cameron

How you can connect with Jory:

Jory Mickelson website
Email: interlucent@gmail.com

More about Jory:

Jory’s work has appeared in Sixth Finch, The Puritan, Jubilat, Mid-American Review, Diode Poetry Journal, The Rumpus, Ninth Letter, Vinyl Poetry, The Collagist, and other journals in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Jory is the recipient of an Academy of American Poet’s Prize and they have received fellowships from the Lambda Literary Foundation and The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico. They’re first full-length collection WILDERNESS//KINGDOM was published in 2019.

Jory is a graduate of the University of Idaho’s MFA Program and the former Poetry Editor of 5×5 Lit Mag and the creator of the blog Literary Magpie. They have taught workshops and retreats on a wide variety of topics including writing and wilderness, mindfulness, zines, creative writing, and poetry as a spiritual practice. They live in Bellingham, WA.

“We change the world not by what we say or do,

but as a consequence of what we have become.”

- Dr David Hawkins

More information can be found here.

On today’s episode we speak with Dr Josh Eha. Dr. Josh has close to 20 years experience helping patients free themselves from physical, mental, and emotional bondage through acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and Emotional Releasing techniques. Patients demonstrate time and time again the necessity and effectiveness of releasing practices for stress, anxiety and depression that are the root of most modern chronic disease. Dr. Josh explains his emotional releasing practices to let go of negative emotions from the body.

In our conversation:

Dr. Josh Eha discusses his background and experience in healing, including how he switched from a western medicine track to the field of Chinese medicine
We learn about the importance of managing negative emotions and the impact those emotions have on our physical health.
Dr. Josh describes how unresolved emotions lead to stress which affects our sleep, eating and general well being
We explore the importance of acknowledging emotions as a first step to deeper healing
Understand how Dr. Josh unlocks issues with individuals by doing emotional releasing techniques that lead to better emotional and physical health
Learn how Dr. Josh works with clients to increase self-awareness and how this allows access to deeper parts of ourselves
Explore how the root of fear is insecurity and listen while Dr. Josh explains how each of us can start to shift our fears through techniques he uses with clients
Dr. Josh describes how social change leaders can have more impact by acting out of love versus fear
Dr. Josh shares his thoughts on how we create the world around based on the vibration we put out and how that can get reflected back to us
We hear about Dr. Josh’s own daily wellness and self-care routines including a specific meditative practice he follows
Dr. Josh shares what you can do in 2 minutes to transform your day

In this episode we reference:

Website: Dr. Josh Midwest Specialty Acupuncture

Facebook: click here

LinkedIn: click here

"You can't hate your body into a shape you will love."

Ijeoma Oluo

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How do you find wellness in your life? Are you trying to find alignment with your mind, body and spirit? On today’s episode we offer a fresh perspective to this topic of wellness with our interview with Sarah Turino. Sarah Turino is CEO of Whole Woman Wellness and creator The Whole Woman Wellness Formula. For nearly 17 years, Sarah has helped smart, successful women take control of their health holistically - body, mind and spirit. Sarah is a Wellness Coach, Holistic Personal Trainer, and RYT 500 Yoga Guide and Mentor. Her specialty is making complex philosophy, physiology and functional fitness approachable and accessible. Prior to creating The Whole Woman Wellness Formula Sarah was in the radio and television industry for nearly 20 years. Sarah is also an author of one book, “The Illusion of Balance” and produces video trainings and virtual wellness programs.

In our conversation:

Sarah shares her journey to creating Whole Woman Wellness
She explains the four pillars of the Whole Woman Wellness Formula (Nourish, Movement, Calm and Love) and her layered approach to teaching these elements to those she works with in the program.
Hear how Sarah reframes the meaning of wellness away from our culture of diet and exercise and redefines the meaning of fit to not equate to thin
Learn what Sarah does each day to practice her own self-care and wellness
Sarah shares three tips that social change leaders can practice daily: fresh air, breathing and moving your body.
She guides us on a calming exercise that is helpful to use especially when experiencing fear or anxiety
Sarah also talks about how she started her current business, the important social components of her work and her recommendation of hiring a business coach
If you want to learn more about working with Sarah, she invites our listeners to join her on her 3-day wellness challenge.

Mentioned in today’s conversation:

Brene Brown
Kristen Neff
Sarah’s 3-day wellness challenge
Ijeoma Oluo
Ese Eniwumide

How you can connect with Sarah:

Whole Woman Wellness
Sarah Turino on Instagram
Whole Woman Wellness on Facebook
Whole Woman Wellness YouTube Channel
Whole Woman Wellness on Pinterest
Sarah Turino on LinkedIn

How we value and honor our own bodies impacts how we value and honor the bodies of others.

Sonya Renee Taylor

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/029

On today’s episode we speak with Vimbai Madzura. Vimbai holds a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Policy, Administration and Community Practice from Arizona State University and a Master of Arts in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin. In her current role, she is responsible for directing the work of Minnesota’s version of the federal health home initiative. In addition, she is tasked with strategic planning and works to ensure an equity framework addresses social inequities in her program work area.

Vimbai is also a licensed Zumba® Instructor, and holds an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) group fitness instructor certification and is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) certified personal trainer (CPT). Vimbai is committed to supporting others in reaching their health and wellness goals and leads effective and enjoyable group exercise classes in dance fitness and strength training. Vimbai teaches classes for a national fitness club chain, as well as for a high intensity interval functional training program, F45.

In our conversation, we discuss:

The background and experience of Vimbai Madzura, a fellow social change leader and fitness enthusiast
How Vimbai took her passion for working out, supporting others in getting healthy and turned it into a second source of income.
Tricks for how to keep fitness routines and habits in your life
Why social change leaders and helping professionals should incorporate regular exercise as a tool to avoid compassion fatigue and support overall wellness
Vimbai’s advice for how to keep committed to an exercise and fitness routine

In this episode we reference:

For more information on Vimbai's F45 schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/f45minnesota.

You can find information about Vimbai's Zumba® classes on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dancefitnessbyv and learn routines at https://www.youtube.com/channel/VDanceFitness. Her weekly online Zumba® classes are offered free of charge, however donations can be made through PayPal at https://www.paypal.me/DanceFitnessbyV. She can also be reached by email at vmadzura@hotmail.com for more information.

Shared leadership ... is less like an orchestra where the conductor is always in charge, and more like a jazz band, we're leadership is passed around … depending on what the music demands at the moment and who feels moved by the spirit to express the music.

- Philip Schlechty

More information can be found at https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/028

We are absorbing a lot of news and information about COVID-19 on TV, in our social media feeds, from papers and magazines, in our emails and from our friends and family. On today’s episode, Traci shares some positive stories you may or may not have heard about and consider what lessons may be in these stories for social change leaders about how to bring ideas, creativity, innovation and leadership to your work.

Traci has over 25 years working with communities in the United States and abroad, specifically working within nonprofits and government in the areas of innovation, collaboration, learning and systemic change. In this episode, Traci will share how social change leaders should:

Bend the rules and rebel sometimes: Listen to several stories about doctors on the front lines of battling the COVID-19 pandemic and how they pushed against rules in order to benefit the greater good.
Build civic culture and engagement: The need for citizens to engage with civic and political leaders is important and public policy right now matters. In times like this, our civic and democratic health matter.
Keep a sense of humor, even during hard times: Stories, videos, memes are popping up each day to help bring some humor during these times and relief.
Collaborate, partner and enlist others: Listen to some examples of innovation happening to address this pandemic and understand the importance of partnering between and among public, private and nonprofit sectors. Global cooperation and work together has been incredible.

In this episode, we referenced:

Story about Dr. Helen Chu - here
Story about social isolation modeling - here
Story about ventilator innovation - here

Try this perspective shift. Instead of seeing “social distancing” and travel bans as panic, try seeing them as acts of mass cooperation intended to protect the collective whole. This plan is not about individuals going into hiding. It's a global deep breath...an agreement between humans around the planet to be still. Be still, in hopes that the biggest wave can pass without engulfing too many of the vulnerable among us.

Dr. Lindsay Jernigan

More information can be found at https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/027

There is great uncertainty right now in our world with the COVID-19 outbreak. People are isolating in order to ‘flatten the curve’ and do their part to level out the infection rate and keep our medical system from being unable to handle the demand. It is unknown how long it will last and what the damage will be a result. But there are some things that remain known. Your mission and the social challenge you are addressing will still be prevalatest. The work you are doing still matters. The world still needs your voice and your work.

Co-host Stephanie Malon-Rufi has spent over 15 years working with nonprofits, start-up social businesses and social enterprises. She has worked with many leaders who have had to work in the face of uncertainty, make key decisions in hard times and develop strategies to allow enterprises to survive and thrive. And she already works virtually! In this episode, you will hear her 10 strategies to try out during the recent COVID-19 outbreak as many of us are ‘social distancing.’

Go Virtual! Find virtual ways to offer your revenue-generating services. Get creative. Innovate! Lessons, meetings, coaching sessions, classes – these can all be done virtually. Give it a try!
Work ON your enterprise! I know I have a list of projects I want to do for my business. And these are projects that actually are going to help me to grow. Do you have some? For example, map out your content, learn a new social media platform, write your email nurture sequence, etc.
Reduce news intake! It is important to be updated on what is happening but also important not to get sucked into the 24-hour news cycle. it is distracting and anxiety-producing.
Learn and grow with books! Currently I am reading Contagious Culture by Anese Cavanaugh and Infinite Mindset by Simon Sinek. And I have a lot more ready to go. What book are you reading?
Listen to podcasts! Social Change Leaders Podcast has been releasing episodes weekly, we have 26 so far! Take a listen to some of our episodes.
Boost your immune system! Sleep, avoid eating and drinking sugar, get vitamin D, take a daily probiotic and drink water.
Get outdoors! You can still get fresh air and take a walk outside, visit a park. Move your body. This is also a great way to combat some of the fear and anxiety that this situation brings.
Look for the good! In times like these there is a lot of good happening. Make sure you are paying attention. You can even keep a list of what you notice each day.
Be the good! What can you do or offer during this time? It can be offering to shop for an elderly neighbor, so they don’t have to go out. It could be having consistent phone calls with loved ones who live elsewhere. Have your kids draw pictures to mail to nursing homes since visitors are banned right now. Do you have a helpful product that you can give away to those in need? Spend some energy and time on creating good in this situation.
And if you have kids spending more time at home…. co-create a daily schedule, work together to brainstorm ideas of what they can do, have them help keep the house clean…..Work Together!

We referenced: Genuine Impact

Learn more about working with Stephanie here

If Not You, Who?

Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world.

- Archimedes

For more information, visit: https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/026

On today’s episode we speak with Jules Porter, Esq and MBA, and learn how and why she is leading the way toward a more diverse video gaming industry. In this episode, we discuss:

Jules’ diverse background and how her commitment to learning led her to careers in the military, engineering, the legal system as well as launching the first Black woman-owned company to launch a console video game, Seraph 7 Studios.
How the $164 billion gaming industry is larger than the world-wide sports industry.
How the development of video games is impacted by the fact that 3% of gaming programers represent people of color and about 5% of the industry is women
The influences of media conditioning and how that informs our perception of race, especially in rural and more segregated communities.
Some of the barriers faced by women and people of color entering the gaming industry and by those participating in gaming
How Jules managed to launch a video gaming company and why she is doing a kick-starter campaign to support artists and other professionals to fill diversity gaps in the gaming industry. Across all industries, Black women receive less than 1 % of the funding provided by venture capitalists, thus using alternate avenues to acquire funding, such as Kickstarter, is imperative.
The cool concept behind her fist game, Ultimate Elder Battle Royale.
The way that Seraph 7 Studios is also a social enterprise. Seraph 7 Studios, LLC, portrays people of color in a positive light, provides positive heroes for young girls and kids of color, and improves the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) competence and confidence of local high school students.
Jules’ philosophy of ‘lifting as we climb’ and how her work supports students to build skills and confidence for a future in the gaming industry by learning art, storyboarding, animation, gaming physics, gaming architecture, C++, etc.

In this episode:

Seraph 7 Studios Kickstarter Page

Serph 7 Studios Website

Connect with Jules and Seraph 7 Studios on -

Twitter: https://twitter.com/seraph7studios

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seraph7studios

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM7XMO17aoXLYebeeBf-gJQ

More about Seraph 7 Studios

Founded by JD/MBA student Jules Porter in her parent's basement (like all other tech companies), Seraph 7 Studios, LLC is a console video game development company that empowers compelling change through diverse storytelling and empowering local youth. Seraph 7 believes in powering social change by bringing unique and meaningful diverse story-lines to the video game medium and teaching local students how to code for console platforms (Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Xbox One, and Sony PlayStation.

“One sick elephant doesn’t stop a circus; so figure it out.”

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

On today’s episode we speak with Resmaa Menakem, a healer, author, trauma specialist and podcaster. Resmaa shares his thoughts and insights about racialization as pedagogy and white body supremacy. In our conversation, we dive into:

Key concepts about the impacts of racism on black and brown bodies
The concept of white body supremacy as the standard by which all bodies of humanity are measured and why white people must get comfortable with that term
How black and brown bodies can be harmed when white people seek validation and comfort from people of color
The recent work Resmaa has done with author and speaker Robin DiAngelo about identifying and combating White Fragility
How current policies and procedures allow white body supremacy to multiply
Why Resmaa believes white people must engage in a longer-term, embodied process of work and self study to transform as individuals to better address the dismantling of white body supremacy
Why white people must learn to create their own culture to better hold space for discomfort when discussing race
Resmaa’s creative ideas about how to leverage technology and other innovative fields to support anti-racism work

In this episode:

Resmaa Website: here
Robin DiAngelo Website: here
Resmaa Book, My Grandmother's Hands, Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies: here

More about Resmaa

Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, SEP, has appeared on both The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Phil as an expert on conflict and violence. He has served as director of counseling services for the Tubman Family Alliance; as behavioral health director for African American Family Services in Minneapolis; as a domestic violence counselor for Wilder Foundation; as a certified Military and Family Life Consultant for the U.S. Armed Forces; as a trauma consultant for the Minneapolis Public Schools; and as a Cultural Somatics consultant for the Minneapolis Police Department. As a Community Care Counselor, he managed the wellness and counseling services for civilians on fifty-three US military bases in Afghanistan. Resmaa studied and trained at Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, as well as with Dr. David Schnarch (author of the bestselling Passionate Marriage) and Bessel van der Kolk, MD (author of the bestselling The Body Keeps the Score). He currently teaches workshops on Cultural Somatics for audiences of African Americans, European Americans, and police officers. He is also a therapist in private practice.

More information can be found at: www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/024

‘Level Up’

Ciara

On today’s episode we speak with Elaine Rasmussen, Founder and CEO of Social Impact Strategies Group, and Stephannie Lewis, their Director of Strategic Partnerships. Social Impact Strategies Group (SISG) a Black/Native-led certified B-corp social enterprise. SISG provides facilitation and consultation on racial equity and social impact audits, education workshops for investors & underestimated entrepreneurs, and produces the annual ConnectUP! MN Summit which promotes and grows inclusive and equitable entrepreneur ecosystems that drive positive, sustainable social impact grounded in economic justice.

Listen to this lively conversation filled with thoughtful insights and innovative ideas about how to co-design an ecosystem that prioritizes equitable access to resources, capital & networks. In our conversation, we dive into:

Why investors and support systems need to shift to invest in and work with underestimated entrepreneurs (those who are women, people of color and LGBT) also known as the Missing MIddle Entrepreneurs (MME).
How authentic relationship building and cross-pollinating networks of investors and businesses are critical to building a better entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The State of the Work Report 2019 published by SISG that proposes a framework and recommendations to addresses these disparities and equity gaps in the Minnesota entrepreneur ecosystem.
SISG’s annual ConnectUP! MN conference that supports state-wide black and brown women and underestimated entrepreneurs by bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and supporting entities within the ecosystem. And how this unique 2-day culturally grounded gathering can be replicated in other cities and states.
The story of Elaine’s experience in impact investing and how it inspired her to launch SISG and create a space and support for entrepreneurs who have made it to ‘first base’ but need guidance to move forward and scale to make it to ‘third base.’
Elaine and Stephannie’s advice for launching a business and partnering with others to grow it, including the importance of giving yourself grace, why women should raise their prices and embracing the motto “I Don’t Do Favors, I Do BUsiness”
How Elaine and Stephannie are working to make Minnesota the best place to have a business, not just start a business, for everyone.

In this episode we reference:

ConnectUP! MN Conference link here
Social Impact Strategies Group:
Elaine Rasmussen: elaine@socialimpactnow.com
Stephannie Lewis: slewis@socialimpactnow.com
Social Handles: @SISG_, @connectupmn, @connectup_, @YERasmus
Grab your “I Don’t Do Favors, I Do Business” t-shirts here!

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

Albert Einstein

On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci discuss coaching. Listeners will:

Learn about the history of coaching and the current booming industry of coaching
Hear stories of how coaching has supported and helped Stephanie and Traci to grow their businesses and personal lives
Understand how coaching is different from consulting and therapy and what you can expect from a coach
Be encouraged to think about how working with a coach may improve your personal and professional lives
Hear about the key benefits of coaching
Learn about the coaching that Traci and Stephanie each offer

In this episode we reference:

Coaching with Stephanie - Genuine Impact
Coaching with Traci - Social Motion
Ted Talk - Adul Gawande, ‘Want to get Great at Something? Get a Coach’ link here
Coaching Download here

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

African Proverb

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

On today’s episode we speak with LaPorsche Jymi, the Founder & CEO of H&H, a social enterprise that empowers impoverished girls through trade skills training and job opportunities. H&H designs and produces revolutionary satin lined baseball caps and other products that conveniently help to integrate haircare with traditional headwear, enhancing the hat wearing experience.

Listeners will:

Hear how LaPorsche built and grew a business around a solution she created to address a challenge in her life
Learn about the how LaPorsche developed and filed for a patent for her product idea that benefits women and men who often suffer from dry and damaged hair
Understand how LaPorsche helped turn her business into a social enterprise that helps youth develop resources and connect with mentors to create a plan to combat the vicious cycle of poverty
Be inspired from what LaPorsche has learned from leaving a steady job to building a successful business
Hear some of Laporshe’s advice for how to support the community and how and why social innovators and business owners should collaborate.

In this episode we reference:

H&H Headwear - link here
To connect with LaPorsche Jymi and H&H on social media:
- Facebook
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Use this coupon code for free shipping on your order: SOCIAL2020

More about LaPorsche Jymi

LaPorsche Jymi is the Founder & CEO of H&H. In June 2018, she launched the social enterprise that has dedicated its mission to empowering impoverished girls through trade skills training and job opportunities. With support and some financial backing from Ivy Tech, she has been able to launch and scale the business with the knowledge, network, and resources needed to be successful.

In 2020 LaPorsche Jymi began a key partnership with Arsenal Tech High School. She is launching a sewing program on the campus that will enable her to grow her production team while empowering more underserved youth. In addition to that, Arsenal Tech has also approved a sales training course designed to teach high school students how to build their confidence and financial literacy through sales.

Born and raised in Gary, IN, LaPorsche is using her own experience in growing up in poverty to help youth develop and connect with the resources and mentors needed to create a plan to combat the vicious cycle of poverty. Her new goal is to utilize H&H as the foundation needed to propel children living in underserved areas forward so that they can unlock their greatest potential and understand the importance of paying it forward.

Culture can become a secret weapon that makes extraordinary things happen.

Jon Katzenback

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In order to maximize your impact, social innovators and social change leaders need to understand the role of culture and have skills to leverage, influence and transform culture. Traci has over 25 years working with communities in the United States and abroad, specifically working within nonprofits and government in the areas of innovation, collaboration, learning and systemic change. In this episode, Traci will share:

Why culture changing skills are important to social innovators
The power we all have as individuals to change culture
Six steps to create culture change that include doing the following:
- Diagnose current culture
- Define desired shifts you want to make in the culture
- Identify behaviors and develop programs to engage people in behavior change
- Do it - work to change the culture
- Align Systems and processes to desired culture
- Evaluate and make improvements

We referenced:

Social Motion
Anese Cavanaugh book, Contagious Culture, click here
Click here to download 6 steps to create culture change here

To learn more about working with Traci click here

Marketing is now longer about the stuff you make, but about the stories you tell.

Seth Godin

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, you will have the opportunity to learn about the five common marketing mistakes social leaders make and ways to avoid them. When you are the social innovator who is bringing your idea into the world there are many moving parts for which you are responsible. Marketing needs to be central to your strategy. Inclusion of a marketing strategy can make or break you ability to develop, grow and scale.

Stephanie has spent over 15 years working with nonprofits, start-up social businesses and social enterprises. Through this work she has been a part of a lot of what works and doesn’t work. There are five common mistakes that social leaders make. Making a mistake does not mean everything is ruined. A mistake is an opportunity to learn and pivot. However, there are some mistakes that you can avoid, and thus save time. Let’s hear about the five most common ones.

Relying on the social mission to sell your product or service.
Targeting too broad of a market when you need to be more narrow
Not creating a full strategy for your offer because it is free
Not evolving from the founder’s story
Using too small of a definition of marketing

We referenced: Genuine Impact

Learn more about working with Stephanie here

Click here to download ‘5 Common Marketing Mistakes Social Leaders Make’

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Learning is a Treasure that will follow its owner everywhere Chinese Proverb

On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci share a few of their favorite podcasts and discuss how these podcasts may be helpful to social change leaders, social entrepreneurs and social innovators.

In this episode we referenced:

Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield

https://www.amyporterfield.com/amy-porterfield-podcast/

Speaking Your Brand with Carol Cox

https://www.speakingyourbrand.com

BizChix with Natalie Eckdahl

https://bizchix.com

The Brainy Business with Melina Palmer

https://thebrainybusiness.com

Story Brand with Donald Miller

https://storybrand.com

How I Built This with Guy Raz, NPR

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this

Stacking your Team with Shelli Warren

https://bizchix.com/category/team/

CopyBlogger

https://copyblogger.com/category/podcast/

Harvard Business Review

https://hbr.org/podcasts

What Works with Tara McMullin

https://explorewhatworks.com/whatworks/

Optimize with Brian Johnson

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/optimize-with-brian-johnson-more-wisdom-in-less-time/id1033620094

School of Greatness with Lewis Howes

https://lewishowes.com/blog/

Leading Learning with Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele

https://www.leadinglearning.com/podcast/

Corporate School Drop-Out with Lauren Allen

https://www.corporateschooldropout.com/podcast

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Commitment isn’t just trying, it’s deciding. Deciding what’s right for you. Deciding the time is right. Deciding you deserve it. Deciding there are no excuses or delays. Deciding how to keep your word - to yourself and in your life. - Oprah 2020 Vision: Your Life In Focus Workbook

On today’s episode, Stephanie and Traci share a few of their key take-aways from Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus event. You will:

Hear what Oprah learned when she aligned her show with her values and how those lessons about alignment can help social change leaders
Learn about what to do when you do not feel ‘in the flow’ of your life
Hear some takeaways from the Oprah 2020 tour about the importance of habits
Learn about the importance of being aware of the energy you bring into a room
Be reminded of the need for accountability

In this episode we referenced:

Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization that Thrives by Anese Cavanaugh
Atomic Habits: an Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Coaching with Stephanie, Genuine Impact
Coaching with Traci, Social Motion

To signup for the free LIVE webinar on Thursday January 23, 2020 (1-2PM CST), click here!

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization that Thrives

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

How can we make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological damage or disadvantage to anyone?

Buckminster Fuller

On today’s episode we speak with Joel Hodroff, an inventor, social entrepreneur and economic futurist.

Listeners will learn:

How economic history is built on ever-improving technologies that drive ever better money design and greater economic efficiency. We will also explore how money’s origins in a time of scarcity still impacts business and commerce today.
How social entrepreneurs can help lead the world from win-lose competition over money to win-win cooperation that closes disparities and lifts everyone up together.
How to move from money-centered design of economics and commerce to people/planet-centered design.
Examples of how better free enterprise could close current disparities to benefit consumers, businesses and communities alike.
About how social innovators can help to usher in for-profit business models that drive economic cooperation.

In this episode we reference:

Visa Founder Dee Hock article about how Visa introduced the age of digital currency - link here
Lean Start Up book by Eric Ries -link here
Joel Hodroff’s White Paper:Sustainable Prosperity Now! Awakening a Green Revolution of the Heart:link here
Email: Joel@scryp.io
Joel Hodroffon linkedin

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

On today’s episode we speak with Dr. Traci Baxley. Traci is the creator of Social Justice Parenting, a philosophy rooted in radical love and activism. Traci’s work focuses on supporting families with intentional parenting today for a more humane world tomorrow.

Hear Traci’s own story of how she came into this work stemming from her own feelings of belonging for herself and others, especially the need to rally around children who are marginalized
Understand how parents can and need to move from fear-based parenting to embracing radical love
Learn about the framework for radical love that Traci developed with the acronym R.O.C.K.S.
Hear Traci’s own experience raising bi-racial children
Understand Traci’s views about how communities need to come together to pool resources, be more engaged, advocate in our schools and collectively close the academic gap
Listen to Traci’s advice for how to keep moving forward with your mission even when you feel defeated

In this episode we reference:

Traci’s TEDX Talk
Social Justice Parenting website
Information on Traci’s online parenting course
Simon Sinek “Start with Why”
Traci (Brown Schooling) on Instagram

Quote:

The word love is most often defined as a noun yet all the more astute theorist of love acknowledge that we would all love better if we use the word love as a verb. - bell hooks

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net /episode/015

In this episode, you will have the opportunity to:

Learn the characteristics of a good vision statement
Understand the connection between vision, mission, goals and strategies. values
Begin developing a written vision statement by answering 3 questions:
What are the core values that drive you?
What is the ultimate impact you want to have / difference you want to make?
What do you want you life / organization / community to be like in 5-10 years
Begin to brainstorm 3 big goals for yourself in 2020
Generate ideas for how you will be accountable to yourself, your vision and your goals in 2020.

To download the worksheet and sign=up for the free LIVE webinar on January 23, 2020 (1-2PM CST), click here!

We referenced:

Social Change Leaders Podcast, Episode 14 “Creating a Vision and Planning for More Impact in 2020 (Part 1)”

The Brainy Business Podcast, Episode 70 “How to Set, Achieve & Exceed Brainy Goals”

Coaching with Stephanie, Genuine Impact

Coaching with Traci, Social Motion

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, you will have the opportunity to:

Learn about visioning and planning and why it is important to do on a regular basis
Understand the different ways you can create your vision including vision boards, visualization and vision statement creation
Hear how Stephanie and Traci approach visioning and planning in different ways to fit their personalities
Begin thinking about your vision and potential planning for 2020 and listen to Part Two which will include a useful worksheet to help you in this process

We referenced:

Danielle LaPorte, Core Desired Feelings
Getting Things Done, David Allen
12 Week Year, Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

Quote:

“Old Proverb”

A vision without a plan is just a dream.

A plan without a vision is just drudgery.

But a vision with a plan can change the world.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, you will:

Meet Jay Kiedrowski and learn Jay’s perspective on how innovation works in the public, private and nonprofit sector
Understand why the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs’ Local and State Government Innovation Awards were founded, how they highlight pioneering work being done in Minnesota schools, cities, counties, townships, and Native nations, and how a partnership allowed the awards to grow and have more impact
Hear three ways government innovators can move their work forward

In this episode, we reference:

Humphrey School Local Government Innovation Awards
Humphrey School State Government Innovation Awards
The Bush Foundation
Read here to learn more about Jay’s background

“Are we doing the work right? Or are we doing the right work. “

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In today’s episode you will meet Polly Meyer, an executive presence coach. You will:

Learn how Polly discovered and followed her passion to help individuals have a more powerful presence and therefore have more impact.
Understand how Polly’s alignment of personal values and her business mission allow her to support individuals to have more impact
Learn simple and practical tips you can do to build your own confidence and better communicate through words, body language and mindset.
Hear Polly’s ideas about how social innovators can more easily bring forward their creative ideas to funders and stakeholders.

A ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not what ships are for.

In this show we referenced:

Amy Cuddy 'Power Pose' TedX Talk - link here
*Special Offer for Podcast Listeners:* $100 off online course, The Art & Science of Extraordinary Executive Presence - Over 80 videos, Six work books, Hero Habits, and Bonuses, all designed to raise your confidence, enhance your executive presence, and increase your influence. Podcast listeners can use Coupon Code: SOCIAL CHANGE Link to Offer: https://www.pollymeyer.com/offers/58jHYQop?coupon_code=SOCIALCHANGE

More about Polly Meyer:

Polly Meyer is an executive presence engineer, professional speaker, online course creator, and media talent. Polly works with the rebels, the risk-takers and the underdogs, and is the trainer of choice for leaders who need to make powerful impressions and handle themselves well under pressure. Her training dives into presenting to stakeholders, personal branding, appearing in the media, succession planning, and developing the mindset needed to win BIG. Polly’s clientele includes political candidates, C-Suite executives, and business owners, helping them with high-stakes communication, strategic storytelling, and personal branding so they get noticed for all the right reasons.

Website: www.PollyMeyer.com

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, we discuss the importance of building a practice of gratitude. Specifically, you will:

Understand how gratitude is good for your personal health
Learn about how gratitude is good for groups and teams
Discover ways to build / enhance your own gratitude practice

In this episode, we reference:

https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-gratitude-research-questions/

“It is not happy people that are grateful. It is grateful people that are happy.”

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, we discuss something central and critical to social innovation - mindset. In order to best leverage socially innovative ideas and energy, we all need to collectively embrace a mindset for it. Specifically, you will:

Understand what mindset is and why it matters
Hear about why a mindset for social innovation is important to anyone who wants to create a better world
Learn about the 6 key characteristics of someone with a social innovation mindset
Learn some first steps so you can work toward a stronger social innovation mindset including actions you can take starting today as well as longer term strategies such as hiring a coach to guide you in the process of making mindset shifts.

In this episode, we reference:

Social Change Leaders Podcast Episode #7, 10 Ways to Build a Culture for Social Innovation
Carol Dweck, Mindset book and Ted Talk “Developing a Growth Mindset”
SSIR article https://ssir.org/articles/entry/essential_mindset_shifts_for_collective_impact
Simon Sinek Ted Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”

Click here for show download, Mindset for Social Innovation.

Both Stephanie and Traci offering coaching, and working on one’s mindset for social innovation is an area they can both address. A coach can help you to see mindset issues you don’t realize, help you develop strategies to alter your mindset and help you come up with concrete ways to stick with new activities and thoughts to support your desired mindset.

For more information on Traci, you can visit her company website, Social Motion.

For more information on Stephanie, you can visit her company website, Genuine Impact.

If you have a different mindset you will have a different outcome. - Jack Ma

In this episode, you will:

Meet Alysha Price and learn how her journey as a mom and co-parent led her to pursue her passions and develop her own social enterprise, The Price Dynamic.
Understand how Alysha’s alignment of personal values and her business mission is making her unstoppable on her path to strengthen families, especially those that require cooperative co-parents.
Learn about how Alysha decided to take a leap and apply for a Finnovation Fellowship in Minneapolis, Minnesota and how she will use this award will allow herself to scale up The Price Dynamic.
Hear about the book Alysha authored, It is Not Complicated, link here and why she created a guide for mothers who co-parent.
Learn about how a family decision led to the creation of the Family Meeting Cards, link here , a tool that can guide and support families through a decision-making that promotes quality interaction with kids and adults.

“Have the courage to do good when no one is watching.” Iyanlya Vanzant

Websites:

www.alyshaprice.com

www.thepricedynamic.com

www.familymeetingcards.com

https://finn-lab.com/fellowship/

More about Social Change Leaders Podcast:

The Social Change Leaders podcast explores the intersection of social change leadership, in the public, private and non profit sectors. . Packed with tips, actionable ideas and stories to inspire, this podcast will energize you to maximize your impact. The Social Change Leaders Podcast is a collaboration between Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Genuine Impact Consulting and Coaching, and Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, you will:

Meet Bukata Hayes and Stacy Wells and learn how they piloted an innovative approach to help a community to understand and think critically about race and its impact on our individual and collective lives.
Listen to how they developed the community-based journaling project, Write on Race to be Right on Race, and how it prompted a 90% white community to learn about how race impacts many areas of public life such as education and health care.
Understand the transformation that occurred from this project that spanned two years allowing people to use their head and their hearts to discuss race honestly and courageously.
Hear about what Bukata and Stacy learned as they launched this socially innovative community effort and how they have continued to move their work forward in other ways.

For more information about Write on Race, contact Bukata Hayes at buhayes@gmail.com or Stacy Wells at swellmn@gmail.com.

Follow the blog, Love and Struggle, Examining Issues Impacting Black Life and Social Justice at https://love-and-struggle.com/

“A collection of the proper knowledge for the proper purpose is an incalculable and powerful assortment of assets with no force too mighty to conquer.” Black Topographical Center

More about Bukata Hayes: The most important thing about me is that I am the son of Dia Damani and Karen Hayes, husband to Lisa and father to Damani, Jalen, Zavier, and Zuri. In addition to this, he has served as the Executive Director of a non-profit focused on diversity, inclusion and equity in Southern Minnesota since September, 2006. In this role, he spearheads the organization’s efforts to include ALL across various dimensions of differences. Additionally, he facilitates systems change processes, organization culture change, anti-racism work and inclusion/equity initiatives with K-12 school districts, higher education, community organizations, for- profit businesses and governmental agencies across Southern Minnesota, the state and the Midwest.

More about Stacy Wells: Stacy Wells is a dedicated educator and equity thought leader with a variety of professional experiences, including leadership in the public and private sector; public school teacher and district wide administrator; and higher education faculty. She has over twenty years of training and facilitation experience. Her areas of specialty include teacher preparation, curriculum writing, and leadership development and coaching embedded in cultural competence and equity. She earned her B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Drake University, and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas. Stacy and her family currently live in Bloomington, MN and she is an Equity and Inclusion Director with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

More about Social Change Leaders Podcast:

The Social Change Leaders podcast explores the intersection of social change leadership, in the public, private and non profit sectors. . Packed with tips, actionable ideas and stories to inspire, this podcast will energize you to maximize your impact. The Social Change Leaders Podcast is a collaboration between Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Genuine Impact Consulting and Coaching, and Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion.

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In today’s episode, you will have the opportunity to:

Hear about social innovation is and why it is the important today
Understand we need to create culture and systems for social innovation to take root and thrive
Learn 10 ways for YOU to start building and creating systems and culture for social innovation in your organizations and your community
Be challenged to lead with mindset of social innovation

In this episode, we referenced:

Linda A Hill, The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation
Deloitte, Thought Leadership on Workplace Culture
To learn more about working with Traci, visit www.socialmotion.co

Click here to download.

“Culture is not one aspect of the game. It is the game.” - Louis Gerstner, IBM

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, you will have the opportunity to:

Determine how to identify your target market(s) and that you will have at least two.
Understand the way you should describe your target market(s)
Hear about the difference between demographics and psychographics and why both are important.
Learn about four key areas (Distinguish, Describe, Determine and Describe) you need to flush out in order to create your marketing strategy for each target market.
Comprehend the other areas of our enterprise that you will need to consider when implementing your marketing strategy for your target markets.
Hear the story of TOMS shoes and how their company identified a social problem then created a market-based business to generate funds to address the social problem identified. Through this example you see how there are two distinct target markets requiring different approaches.

We referenced:

Toms Shoes

How I Built This with Guy Raz: Blake Mykoskie

Learn more about working with Stephanie on your marketing strategy here

Click here to download ‘Target Market Canvas for Social Enterprises’’

“Know what you want. Clarity is power. And vague goals promote vague results.” - Robin Sharma

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaderspodcast.net

In this episode, you will:

Meet Carl Young and learn about his journey into the mental health field and why he started Increasing Life Chances 4 You (ILC4Y)
Learn about the unique, community-based approach ILC4Y is taking to reduce mental health stigma, support individuals, families and the community in order to address health disparities
Have an opportunity to walk through a worksheet Carl uses to support mental wellness in our communities - worksheet available here: https://mailchi.mp/cc401ade8491/episode5
Hear about some of the challenges Carl has encountered as he innovates a solution to health inequities in Minnesota

“You don't owe your past an apology, You owe yourself a future.”

Carl Young, MS, co-founder of ILC4Y

www.ilc4y.com

More about Social Change Leaders Podcast:

The Social Change Leaders podcast explores the intersection of social change leadership, in the public, private and non profit sectors. . Packed with tips, actionable ideas and stories to inspire, this podcast will energize you to maximize your impact. The Social Change Leaders Podcast is a collaboration between Stephanie Malon-Rufi, Genuine Impact Consulting and Coaching, and Traci Warnberg-Lemm, Social Motion.

What is Social Enterprise and Social Entrepreneurship?

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, you will have an opportunity to learn:

What is a Social Enterprise? What is a Social Entrepreneurship? And how they are the same and different.
The three main types of business structures that support social entrepreneurship.
Specific examples of social enterprises that are in operating and making significant social impact on our world.
How you can support the social enterprise sector.

We referenced the following social enterprises in this episode:

Thomas Friedman's book, The World is Flat

Greyston Bakery

BioLite Energy

Newman's Own

Finnegans

Genuine Impact Coaching and Consulting

Ashoka

“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.” – Bill Drayton, Founder, Ashoka

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaderspodcast.net

In this episode, you will have an opportunity to learn:

What policy entrepreneur is and what policy entrepreneurs do.
he challenges we face and why policy entrepreneurship is important.
How social change leaders can be more effective by 1) building your own policy entrepreneur skills or 2) better leveraging and working with policy entrepreneurs

Click here to download ‘What is Policy Entrepreneurship?” [socialchangeleaders.net link]

“Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid of the box.” - Deepak Chopra

More information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

In this episode, you will have an opportunity to learn about some key steps to lay the groundwork for your social change including:

What is the challenge / problem you are addressing
What is your why
What is your vision
What is unique about your approach
How are you going to do it
What is your call to action

We referenced the Simon Sinek Ted Talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” which you can find here: https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en

Click here to download ‘6 Key Questions to Lay the Foundation for Impact’ go here: https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/002

When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. - Audrey Lourde

Introduction to Social Change Leaders Podcast

Show notes / more information can be found at www.socialchangeleaders.net

Welcome to the Social Change Leaders Podcast. In this episode, you will hear about:

Why the Social Change Leaders Podcast was launched
The challenges and environment that social change leaders and innovators are currently operating in
How the Social Change Leaders Podcast can support your social change efforts
How business owners and social entrepreneurs, Stephanie and Traci, seek to support individuals and organizations to better innovate, collaborate and create systemic change

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would solve most of the world's problems. - Gandhi