LEAD WITH WE, with host Simon Mainwaring, is the podcast that reveals how brands survive in a crisis, thrive in a fast-changing market, and accelerate growth in a challenging future.
Discover how the world’s top companies and entrepreneurs are driving growth and impact that employees and customers now demand. What worked, what didn’t and what you need to do to get everyone to build your business.
Whether you’re a start-up, high growth company or large corporation, you’ll learn how to build your reputation, increase employee productivity, and inspire customers to promote your brand. Engaging, entertaining and actionable, this is your chance to listen in and learn a lot about how business does well and does good.
SIMON MAINWARING
Simon Mainwaring is a brand futurist, global keynote speaker, and bestselling author. He is best known as the author of We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World and the Founder and CEO of We First, a strategic consultancy that works with brands to define their business strategy, company culture, and brand communications.
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Latest Episodes
Climate Solutions out of Thin Air: Gregory Constantine, CEO of Air Company
SEASON 4, EPISODE 29 | FEBRUARY 7, 2023
Turning the air we breathe– and the carbon dioxide we produce– into products that enhance our daily lives. It’s not only possible but happening right before our eyes. Gregory Constantine is co-founder and CEO of Air Company, a technology, engineering, and design company that has developed a new process to turn carbon dioxide into value-added products, with a goal of demonstrating to the world that there is limitless potential in technology, and that it should be accessible to all. In this episode, he shares how to launch and scale a truly disruptive and purposeful company with multiple product lines and how to leverage that purpose to win investors, employees, and customers, and a brighter future.
Finding Your Way to Flourish: Dr. Katia Sol, Assistant Director of the Stanford Flourishing Project
SEASON 4, EPISODE 28 | JANUARY 31, 2023
The way we think about leadership is changing, both on a personal level and in the context of business growth and development. For a business to succeed, especially in the digital era, the conversations around what it means to lead must evolve with the changing societal landscapes. But when you are seeking reinvention, it’s easy to get stymied by the simple question: where do we start? Dr. Katia Sol is a lecturer at Stanford University as well as Assistant Director of the Stanford Flourishing Project, a weekly lecture series designed to enhance one’s own leadership toolkit and change-making capacity, as well as one’s ability to enhance collective prosperity and flourishing. In this episode, she shares how we can regenerate ourselves to show up most effectively for others and the planet, and how we foster a culture of purpose and service to navigate challenging times and course-correct our future.
Meeting the Moment for Mental Wellness: Taryn Bird, Senior Director of Social Impact, Kate Spade NY
SEASON 4, EPISODE 27 | JANUARY 24, 2023
Mental health and wellness has never been more top of mind. The global toll of the Covid-19 pandemic peeled back the layers on long-held stoicism, unearthing a growing crisis not only on a personal level, but one that permeates business and brands worldwide. Now, employers are asking themselves: What can we do to help? Taryn Bird is Senior Director of Social Impact at Kate Spade New York, a global fashion design company known for its colorful, playful designs and its commitment to creating high-quality products with personal style statements for each customer. In this episode, she shares how a company of any size can address a sensitive issue like mental health in ways that are deeply meaningful to employe
Sustaining a Healthier Future: Alison Writenour, CEO of Seventh Generation
SEASON 4, EPISODE 26 | JANUARY 17, 2023
Alison Writenour is CEO of Seventh Generation, a homecare products company that became a household name selling eco-friendly cleaning, paper, and personal care items with a focus on sustainability and the conservation of natural resources in both product development and marketing practices. In this episode, she shares how an industry leader reimagines its role to unlock new innovations, products, and growth, and how a purpose-led company of any size can accelerate and scale impact in ways that inspire everyone to build its business.
BEST OF: Bolt Threads’ Dan Widmaier: Reengineering Fashion & Beauty To Restore The Planet
SEASON 4, EPISODE 25 | JANUARY 10, 2023
In the Best Of episode, we look back at Dan Wideaier of Bolt Threads. Dan Widmaier is a bioengineer who’s taking on the fashion and beauty industries. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Bolt Threads, he’s ushering in a new era of regenerative lab grown materials that can help us reverse course when it comes to the health of our planet. In this episode Dan and I talked about the science behind Bolt Threads’ patented materials, and how they’re being adopted by big brands like Stella McCartney and Adidas. In what was a fascinating conversation, I heard about his growth strategy, how industry disruption can be used to create social and environmental impact, and why companies that don’t adopt regenerative practices could face existential problems.
BEST OF: Bryce Fluellen, Executive Director, Social Equity Franchise Everytable: Change Is Bigger Than You
SEASON 4, EPISODE 24 | JANUARY 3, 2023
In the Best Of episode, we look back at Bryce Fluellen of Everytable. Bryce Fluellen is the Executive Director of Social Equity Franchise at Everytable. They are redefining the fast-food landscape by selling nutritious, fresh, made-from-scratch food at fast-food prices in underserved communities. To that end, they’re reducing meal prices to meet the minimum income of each community. Bryce is a master chef who has worked with nationwide restaurants to drive systemic change to benefit underserved populations and communities. In this conversation, he shares how his passion for education and healthy eating serves the company’s rapid growth and the democratization of healthy, affordable food where it’s needed most.
BEST OF: JUST Capital’s Martin Whittaker On Holding Business Accountable
SEASON 4, EPISODE 23 | DECEMBER 27, 2022
In this Best Of episode, we look back at Martin Wittaker of JUST Capital. Whether you know it or not, JUST Capital is playing a crucial role in business by supplying the economy with critical knowledge that holds companies accountable based on what they hear directly from the American public and how the American public believes they should behave.
BEST OF: Futurist Sally Uren On How Volatility Unlocks Positive Change
SEASON 4, EPISODE 22 | DECEMBER 20, 2022
In this Best Of episode, we look back at Sally Uren of Forum For The Future. Sally runs a leading sustainability non-profit called Forum For The Future that works directly with big brands and business leaders to create global change. Together we discuss the future of humanity (literally), and how we’re seeing very different trajectories play out simultaneously in real time. And what I particularly love about this conversation is that Sally points to growing movements, such as regenerative agriculture and impact investing, as proof that we can build a positive future through our actions.
Why Sustainability Is Getting Better For Business: Koann Skrzyniarz, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Life Media
SEASON 4, EPISODE 21 | DECEMBER 13, 2022
KoAnn is the Founder and CEO of Sustainable Life Media, producers and conveners of the internationally respected Sustainable Brands community. Through Sustainable Brands, she and her team lead the global conversation about how 21st-century brands can, and are delivering new business value through innovation for environmental and social purpose. In this episode, we discuss the evolution of sustainability efforts around the world and the positive progress we’re making, as well as exciting and disruptive new companies, technologies, and collaborations that are unlocking huge marketplace opportunities in the future.
Making Climate Change A Human Rights Issue: David Clark, Founder and CEO of The Right Here, Right Now – Global Climate Alliance
SEASON 4, EPISODE 20 | DECEMBER 6, 2022
David Clark is the Founder and CEO of The Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance, an international initiative ensuring climate change is recognized as the human rights crisis that leading scientists and human rights advocates, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, have declared it to be. In this episode, he reveals the state of the climate movement and how companies large and small can participate in meaningful ways that support much-needed business growth while also course-correcting our future.
Paul Hawken & Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation
SEASON 4, EPISODE 19 | NOVEMBER 29, 2022
It’s hard to overstate Paul Hawken’s contribution to transforming the relationship between humanity, business and the natural world. His books and leadership have built the foundation and laid out the roadmap for how we work together to address the climate crisis. It was a privilege to speak with him about his new book: Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation.
Changing The Future Of The Face: Pascal Houdayer, Co-founder & CEO of Orveon
SEASON 4, EPISODE 18 | NOVEMBER 22, 2022
The beauty industry is undergoing a massive transformation. Pascal Houdayer is CEO of Orveon, a new and disruptive enterprise at the forefront of this reinvention. As a purpose-driven leader with 30+ years of experience in Beauty & Personal Care, he’s committed to exposing the dirty secrets of “clean” beauty and realizing his vision of “pure beauty” as part of holistic health and wellness. In this episode, he shares how to plan, launch, and disrupt a powerful and pervasive industry, and how to maintain your integrity, grow your business, and increase your impact even in these turbulent times.
Making Sure Waste Management Isn’t A Wasted Opportunity: Tom Szaky, CEO Of Terracycle
SEASON 4, EPISODE 17 | NOVEMBER 15, 2022
Waste is one of the most dire and distressing issues we face today both for our own lives and for the planet. Tom Szaky is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a global leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams polluting our planet. The company operates in 21 countries, working with the world’s largest brands and companies to recycle products and packaging that currently go to landfill or incineration. In this episode, he shares why it has become such a growing and seemingly intractable problem, and how we can fix it together to better serve our communities and future.
How The Mindset Of The Future Can Help Improve Your Business: Dr. Tom Hunsaker, Thunderbird School of Global Management
SEASON 4, EPISODE 16 | NOVEMBER 8, 2022
Dr. Tom Hunsaker is an international bestselling author and thought leader who previously served as Associate Dean of Innovation for the Thunderbird School of Global Management. He also helped to pioneer the Global Challenge Lab, a cutting-edge capstone course that engages students with global organizations to solve challenges related to growth and impact. In this episode, he shares what leadership can and must look like to ensure your company thrives in turbulent times while also scaling its impact. And how to find balance in your personal and professional lives to best serve business and our shared future.
Investing in a Better Future: Nelson Switzer, Managing Partner, Climate Innovation Capital
SEASON 4, EPISODE 15 | NOVEMBER 1, 2022
Nelson Switzer is a Managing Partner at Climate Innovation Capital. His career has included advising and leading the sustainability, environmental, and corporate responsibility offices of some of the world’s most influential companies, including Nestlé, PwC, Centrica, and the Royal Bank of Canada. He is recognized as a pioneer in the fields of sustainability strategy, sustainable finance, and ESG, and as an expert in climate change, water, and pollution. In this episode, he shares how the investor class and capital markets unlock bold opportunities to course-correct our future and how all stakeholders can collaborate to mitigate climate risks to business and the planet.
How To Have Massive Impact With The Click Of A Button: James Citron, Co-founder & CEO of Pledge
SEASON 4, EPISODE 14 | OCTOBER 25, 2022
James Citron is the CEO of Pledge, the world’s first software platform to empower brands to find their purpose and integrate impact into their core to create better businesses and achieve sustainable social impact. In this episode, he shares how to leverage technology most effectively to ensure that every donation dollar does the greatest good, and how companies, nonprofits, and donors can combine their efforts to provide much-needed support through these very turbulent times.
Leading By Listening: Starbucks’ Chief Social Impact Officer, Virginia Tenpenny
SEASON 4, EPISODE 13 | OCTOBER 18, 2022
When it comes to social impact, Starbucks has been leading the pack for decades. In fact, it’s hard to keep track of all their initiatives, from local community grants to groundbreaking standards it created to source ingredients like coffee beans and cocoa.
In this episode of Lead With We, I got the chance to chat with Virginia Tenpenny, Starbucks’ Chief Social Impact Officer, who shared how Starbucks brings purpose to life on a daily basis, the future of leadership, localizing large-scale impact, and the importance of treating your employees like partners.
Creating A Waste-Free Future: Matt Bertulli CEO of Pela
SEASON 4, EPISODE 12 | OCTOBER 11, 2022
Matt Bertulli serves as the CEO and co-founder of Pela, an international company leveraging sustainability to make “everyday products without everyday waste”. With products ranging from phone covers to sunglasses to Lomi composting machines, Pela sits at the forefront of how business reimagines and reengineers how we live while building a high-growth business. Inspiring and ingenious in equal parts, Pela reveals what a multistakeholder movement looks like to realize a sustainable future.
POV How To Lead With Vulnerability: Kevin Edwards, General Manager, Real Leaders
SEASON 4, EPISODE 11 | OCTOBER 4, 2022
Kevin Edwards is the General Manager and Host of the Real Leaders Podcast, a Top 100 Podcast for both US and Canada Business News. Since 2015 he’s recorded more than 500 interviews with impact CEOs to educate and inspire listeners about the future of leadership. In this episode, Simon and Kevin share how to combine your personal and professional lives to be the best leader you can be, and how business leaders can and must show up to thrive in these changing and challenging times.
Lead With Respect: Rob Cameron, Nestlé’s Global Head of Public Affairs and ESG Engagement.
SEASON 4, EPISODE 10 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
Rob Cameron is Nestlé’s Global Head of Public Affairs and ESG Engagement. He brings 25 years of experience in the fields of sustainability and corporate responsibility. Nestle is the world’s largest, most diversified food and beverage company. It has a unique global footprint and sells products in over 180 countries working to enhance the quality of life and build a healthier future for people across the. In this episode, we’ll discuss how a company with such a complex and consequential footprint leads with respect to ensuring what it makes and how it makes it serves as many people as possible. And the precious planet we share.
A Formula For Success: Brenda Demers, CEO at Smartypants
SEASON 4, EPISODE 9 | SEPTEMBER 20, 2022
Brenda Demers is the CEO of SmartyPants Vitamins, where she most recently led the company’s integration into the Unilever’s Health & Wellbeing collective — while propelling the business to a Top-10 share position in the multivitamin category through her focus on marketing and operational excellence. In this episode, she shares how to build and scale a company that not only wins over employees and consumers, but also drives extraordinary growth while creating critical impact. She also explains why the company believes so deeply in giving back by making a matching nutrient grant donation to children in need with every bottle they sell.
POV on the Business of Sustainability with GreenBiz’s Heather Clancy
SEASON 4, EPISODE 8 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2022
We’re excited to launch this new POV format where, once a month, I go head-to-head with a featured guest. For our first POV episode, we welcome Heather Clancy, the Vice President and Editorial Director at GreenBiz. GreenBiz Group is a media and events, member-based company that recognizes the inextricable link between climate change and social change. Join Heather and I in a critical discussion around the climate and sustainability landscape, how business is showing up, and why we both believe there is strong cause for optimism.
On A Mission to Save Our Home Planet: Patagonia’s Rick Ridgeway
SEASON 4, EPISODE 7 | SEPTEMBER 6, 2022
Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California with a mission to save our home planet. It was founded in 1976 by Yvon Chouinard and was the first B-Corporation in the state. Rick was Vice President of Environmental Initiatives and Special Media Projects for Patagonia for 15 years during which he founded the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. In addition to his accomplishments at Patagonia, Rick is recognized as one of the world’s foremost mountaineers. Along with Yvon and another friend, they were the first Americans to summit K2. He has done other significant climbs and explorations on all continents.
In this conversation, Rick discusses why and how Patagonia is fulfilling their mission to save our home planet. He also talks about how Patagonia walks the walk when it comes to sustainability and how it measures its financial performance with the overall health of the planet.
Rick is also the author of 6 books. His latest book, “Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the Edge of the Map” is a memoir that recounts some of his boldest expeditions. Rick estimates that he has spent over five years of his life sleeping in tents in distant locations around the globe, “Life Lived Wild” offers some insights to those adventures including his ascent of K2 to exploring a remote area of Tibet that no outsider had ever seen.
A Dose of Optimism: Tracey Franklin, Chief Human Resources Officer at Moderna
SEASON 4, EPISODE 6 | AUGUST 30, 2022
Tracey Franklin is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Moderna, a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company playing a critical role in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. Its enduring mission is to deliver on the promise of mRNA science to create a new generation of transformative medicines for patients. Over the last two years, they were challenged to do so while facing extraordinary pressures, expectations, and conditions. In this episode, Tracy shares how Moderna works to solve this global health crisis in real-time, how they manage through hypergrowth, and what steps they took to nurture a culture that brought out the best in their people so they could protect and save countless lives.
How To Balance Work, Play, And The Planet: Jessica Rolph, Co-founder & CEO of Lovevery
SEASON 4, EPISODE 5 | AUGUST 23, 2022
Jessica Rolph is the co-founder and CEO of Lovevery, a company best known for its award-winning subscription play kits, designed by child development experts and distilled to their purest purpose to be exactly what children need at each stage of life. In this episode, she shares how to design, launch, and scale a high growth and high impact business that combines the best interest of its customers, the greatest potential for profit, and the deepest commitment to the planet and our future while also balancing a happy family life.
Why Being Unreasonable Produces Great Results: Daniel Epstein, Founder & CEO Of Unreasonable
SEASON 4, EPISODE 4 | AUGUST 16, 2022
Daniel Epstein is the founder and CEO of Unreasonable. They are dedicated to supporting growth equity entrepreneurs and positioned to bend history in the right direction. Part investment firm, part media house, and most importantly a global community. Unreasonable partners with multinational institutions and respected brands to align them with impactful growth stage entrepreneurs. In this episode, Daniel shares how to launch, build and scale a collaborative ecosystem that not only gives entrepreneurs an unfair advantage to succeed but also provides every tool they need to scale the impact they want to realize in the world.
Aligning Climate Goals With Digital Transformation: Angela Baker, Chief Sustainability Officer at Qualcomm
SEASON 4, EPISODE 3 | AUGUST 9, 2022
Angela Baker is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Qualcomm, a leading global technology company enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. In this episode, Angela explains how 5G technology not only drives transformative innovation but also holds the key to myriad avenues of impact, from regenerative agriculture to education to health and safety. And how such technologies can accelerate and scale dramatic improvements in people’s lives at a time when it’s critically needed.
Living Your Values at Work: Carina Cortez, Chief People Officer at Glassdoor
SEASON 4, EPISODE 2 | AUGUST 2, 2022
Carina Cortez is the Chief People Officer at Glassdoor. Built on the foundation of increasing workplace transparency, Glassdoor offers insights into the employee experience powered by millions of company ratings and reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary reports, and more – all by the employees themselves. Carina is passionate about building the future of work and helping people find meaning in their work at a time when this is critical to every business. In this episode, she shares what she had to unlearn from her 20-plus-year history in HR during her first year at Glassdoor and how the company is leading with purpose, building a culture of transparency, and empowering organizations to rebuild their cultures to drive growth, productivity and impact.
A Grain of Hope: Caryl Levine and Ken Lee, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs at Lotus Foods
SEASON 4, EPISODE 1 | JULY 26, 2022
Over the past 25 years, Lotus Foods has imported over 25 million pounds of certified organic rice from a multi-country network of rice producers whose lives and communities have been transformed by access to markets and organic and fair trade premiums. In this episode, Co-Founders Caryl Levine and Ken Lee share how their commitment to organic and regenerative practices is generating more rice from less land, preserving valuable genetic biodiversity, saving hundreds of millions of gallons of water annually, and reducing methane gas generated by rice fields by over 40%.
Season 3
Bryce Fluellen, Executive Director, Social Equity Franchise Everytable: Change Is Bigger Than You
SEASON 3, EPISODE 26 | MAY 17, 2022
Bryce Fluellen is the Executive Director of Social Equity Franchise at Everytable. They are redefining the fast-food landscape by selling nutritious, fresh, made-from-scratch food at fast-food prices in underserved communities. To that end, they’re reducing meal prices to meet the minimum income of each community. Bryce is a master chef who has worked with nationwide restaurants to drive systemic change to benefit underserved populations and communities. In this conversation, he shares how his passion for education and healthy eating serves the company’s rapid growth and the democratization of healthy, affordable food where it’s needed most.
Adam Grogan, President at Greenleaf Foods: The Future of Protein Is Now
SEASON 3, EPISODE 25 | MAY 3, 2022
Adam Grogan is the President of Greenleaf Foods, a portfolio of leading plant-based protein brands including Lightlife Foods and Field Roast that are transforming the future of food. Greenleaf Foods, SPC is a wholly-owned, independent subsidiary of Maple Leaf Foods Inc, a one hundred year old iconic brand headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Adam leads Greenleaf’s strategic direction, financial performance, innovation, customer development and distribution. In this episode, he shares how Greenleaf plans to become the world’s most sustainable plant-based protein company on earth, how and why consumer purchasing habits are changing, and how to anticipate and capture emerging marketplace opportunities to accelerate business growth and a regenerative future.
Stacey Tank, Chief Transformation Officer, Heineken: Serving A Regenerative Future
SEASON 3, EPISODE 24 | APRIL 26, 2022
Stacey Tank is the Chief Transformation Officer at Heineken, the world’s most international brewer, where she oversees the company’s new growth strategy, ‘EverGreen’ and its latest sustainability and ESG vision, Brew a Better World 2030. She reveals how a complex, global enterprise reengineers its business and reimagines the role of its brands to not only serve moments of celebration that bring people together, but also a regenerative future that benefits all.
Seth Goldman, Co-Founder and Chief Change Agent of Eat the Change: Creating The Future of Food
SEASON 3, EPISODE 23 | APRIL 19, 2022
Seth Goldman is the, Co-Founder and Chief Change Agent of Eat the Change which is a food company focusing on sustainable and plant-based ingredients to empower us to, “eat the change you wish to see in the world.”
Before co-founding, Eat The Change Seth was the Founder of Honest Tea the multi-million organic tea company that was acquired by Coca-Cola in 2011 and is Chair of the board of Beyond Meat the plant-based meat substitutes company. In this conversation, Seth talks about why he is passionate about the future of food, and his optimism about good and sustainable food.
Michele Mosa, Director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America: Educating The Future
SEASON 3, EPISODE 22 | APRIL 12, 2022
Michele Mosa is the Director of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics America. In her role, Michele guides their transformative initiatives, including Samsung’s annual ‘Solve For Tomorrow’ Contest. The contest is open to all public school students and encourages them to build solutions and address the most pressing issues impacting society. Michele reveals why it is so critical for her company to support public teachers, help mentor the innovators of tomorrow, and build a brighter future – together.
Saskia van Gendt, Head of Sustainability at Rothy’s: Why Circular is now in fashion.
SEASON 3, EPISODE 21 | APRIL 5, 2022
Saskia van Gendt is an environmental scientist and the first Head of Sustainability at Rothy’s, the San Francisco-based, direct-to-consumer fashion company. Rothy’s items are made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles and post-consumer recycled materials. Saskia oversees their initiatives to use more reusable materials, design products that eliminate waste, and advance their goal of making the brand – and fashion industry at large – ever more circular to better serve our planet and future.
Wes Carter, President, Atlantic Packaging: On Empowering Purposeful Packaging
SEASON 3, EPISODE 20 | MARCH 29, 2022
Wes Carter is the President of Atlantic Packaging, the largest, private packaging company in the U.S. which has been operating for 75 years. As a third generation business owner, he is on a mission to make packaging smarter and sustainable. In this episode, we discuss the moral obligation he feels for packaging companies to care about environmental issues, inspire greater responsibility in customers, and innovate to better serve our future. He reveals the power of collaboration between competitors, partners, and policy makers to realize a new and transformative vision for sustainable packaging at a time it’s urgently needed.
Kathrin Belliveau, Chief Purpose Officer, Hasbro: Leading with Purpose and Play
SEASON 3, EPISODE 19 | MARCH 22, 2022
Since 1923 Hasbro has delighted generations with beloved toys, games and brands that are synonymous with childhood. Kathrin Belliveau is the first Executive Vice President and Chief Purpose Officer of the self-described “global play and entertainment company,” where she is charged with bringing their purpose to life in ways that make the world a better place for children, fans, and families. In this episode, Kathrin talks about why it’s critical for companies in all sectors to embrace sustainability and lead with purpose to drive growth, relevance and impact. From innovative packaging to building a purposeful culture, Kathrin explains the strategies Hasbro has used to be recognized as one of “the World’s Most Ethical Companies” eleven years in a row.
Public Sector Experience Can Lead to Private Sector Success with Bayer’s Daniella Foster
SEASON 3, EPISODE 18 | MARCH 15, 2022
Bayer is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world – generating $48.90 billion in revenue in 2021. At the helm of Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability for Bayer’s Consumer Health Division is Daniella Foster. Daniella joined Bayer in 2019 with a powerful vision for how consumer engagement and cross-sector collaboration can transform millions of lives including those in underserved communities around the world. With aggressive but attainable goals to be climate neutral by 2030 and net-zero by 2050, Daniella reveals how Bayer meets these targets while solving for complex global challenges.
In this conversation, Daniella candidly shares how her experience at the State Department is helping her accomplish big things at Bayer. She also talks about how she is using storytelling to educate consumers to live healthier and longer.
Creating Simple Solutions with Artistic Principals with WeTransfer’s Damian Bradfield
SEASON 3, EPISODE 17 | MARCH 8, 2022
Damian Bradfield is the Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer at WeTransfer, the leading cloud-based content-sharing platform that is in the business of making tools to shape and move ideas for creatives globally. While best known as a service to easily transfer large files to colleagues and loved ones, WeTransfer is a powerful storytelling company on a mission to make the internet more open and democratic. In my chat with Damian, we discuss how WeTransfer came to be, how it is creating impact through its editorial platform WePresent, and how a tech company builds and sustains critical trust at a time when others struggle.
Allmade’s Ryan Moor: How Sustainable Apparel Becomes Good Business
SEASON 3, EPISODE 16 | MARCH 1, 2022
It started with a punk-rock band in Seattle in the 90’s and a kid who had a knack for screen printing t-shirts from his bedroom. That entrepreneurial start led to the launch of ScreenPrinting.com in 2004 which generated $8 million in revenues in under three years. As his business grew so did Ryan, as a successful business owner and social change agent. Through Allmade he is now reimagining what eco-friendly, socially conscious apparel and printing looks like and challenging the biggest brands in the world to buy more responsibly, to make sure everyone in the supply chain is fairly paid fairly, and to ensure the clothing we wear each day gives back to those in greatest need.
Patagonia’s Rick Ridgeway: On A Mission to Save Our Home Planet
SEASON 3, EPISODE 15 | FEBRUARY 22, 2022
Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California with a mission to save our home planet. It was founded in 1976 by Yvon Chouinard and was the first B-Corporation in the state. Rick was Vice President of Environmental Initiatives and Special Media Projects for Patagonia for 15 years during which he founded the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. In addition to his accomplishments at Patagonia, Rick is recognized as one of the world’s foremost mountaineers. Along with Yvon and another friend, they were the first Americans to summit K2. He has done other significant climbs and explorations on all continents.
In this conversation, Rick discusses why and how Patagonia is fulfilling their mission to save our home planet. He also talks about how Patagonia walks the walk when it comes to sustainability and how it measures its financial performance with the overall health of the planet.
Rick is also the author of 6 books. His latest book, “Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the Edge of the Map” is a memoir that recounts some of his boldest expeditions. Rick estimates that he has spent over five years of his life sleeping in tents in distant locations around the globe, “Life Lived Wild” offers some insights to those adventures including his ascent of K2 to exploring a remote area of Tibet that no outsider had ever seen.
Unilever’s Jostein Solheim: Leading the Way in Diversity and Sustainability
SEASON 3, EPISODE 14 | FEBRUARY 15, 2022
Unilever is a purpose-led global company that owns over four hundred brands we use every day. Its purpose is to make sustainable living commonplace by empowering consumers to make responsible choices. In this episode, I have a great conversation with Unilever’s CEO of Health & Wellness, Jostein Solheim, about the new division he is leading for Unilever and his re-radicalizing of Ben & Jerry’s, the activist ice-cream brand he led for 8 years.
AppHarvest’s Jonatah Webb: Growing The Future
SEASON 3, EPISODE 13 | FEBRUARY 8, 2022
AppHarvest is a high-tech, controlled-environment agriculture company based in Morehead, Kentucky committed to solving the growing food crisis. They are a B-Corp on a mission to combine conventional agriculture techniques with today’s cutting edge technologies to dramatically increase crop yield using a fraction of the natural resources. Jonathan Webb is its Founder & CEO who shares why he decided to bring this project to his home state, why now is the time to act now on sustainable agriculture solutions and how we get it done together.
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Michel Doukeris: Planning For A Future With More Cheers
SEASON 3, EPISODE 12 | FEBRUARY 1, 2022
Anheuser-Busch InBev is the world’s largest beer brewer by both volume and revenue, whose portfolio includes more than 400 beer brands sold in over 150 countries. Under the leadership of its new CEO, Michel Doukeris, the industry-leading enterprise is revitalizing its brand with a new purpose and sustainability goals to drive future growth and impact. In this episode, I speak with Michel about his leadership philosophy and his ambitious 100-year plan. This roadmap hinges on the company’s commitment to “Dream Big To Create A Future With More Cheers” and Michel shares his advice for business leaders and entrepreneurs about how to navigate an ever-changing and challenging future.
Eddie Bauer’s Kristen Elliott: Sustainability as a Long Term Investment
SEASON 3, EPISODE 11 | DECEMBER 7, 2021
Eddie Bauer recently celebrated 100 years in business, and the iconic outdoor brand is focused on making the outdoors accessible to everyone. It’s a mission that deeply resonates with me as I believe that reconnecting to the natural world will help us repurpose business to restore the planet. In this episode, I speak with Eddie Bauer’s Vice President of Marketing, Kristen Elliot, about the many ways Eddie Bauer is bringing this mission to life, from their new outdoor gear rental program to working with underserved communities. Kristen also shared her advice for starting a sustainability journey which can seem daunting at first but should be viewed as a long term investment in brand equity.
John Hardy CEO Kareem Gahed: How Vertical Integration Enables Transparency
SEASON 3, EPISODE 10 | NOVEMBER 30, 2021
John Hardy is an ethical jewelry brand whose production facilities are based in Bali. In fact, they’re the biggest employer on the island. In this episode of Lead With We, I spoke with their CEO, Kareem Gahed, about how John Hardy employs local Balinese artisans to hand craft their pieces and build communities and a culture of humanity and courage. We dig into the details of what ethical production truly means in the jewelry business and how the company’s vertical business model enables greater transparency. Plus, Kareem shares how he hopes to level up the entire industry by setting an example and encouraging others to take a stand on today’s pressing social and environmental issues.
PepsiCo’s Maddy Kulkarni: Educating The Next Generation of Business Leaders
SEASON 3, EPISODE 9 | NOVEMBER 16, 2021
As PepsiCo’s Global Marketing Director of Sustainability & Purpose, Maddy Kulkarni has been an integral part of charting a new course for one of the world’s largest enterprises. And now she’s passing on that knowledge to younger generations as a professor at the University of Texas. She even created her own textbook!
In this episode Maddy and I chatted about the importance of educating the next generation of business leaders on how to blend purpose and profit, the case studies she uses from PepsiCo, and some of the exciting details of pep+ (pep Positive), a strategic end-to-end transformation of PepsiCo that will drive growth by restoring the planet and inspiring positive behavior change.
We First’s Simon Mainwaring: The Meaning of ‘Lead With We’
SEASON 3, EPISODE 8 | NOVEMBER 9, 2021
My new book, Lead With We, is officially out in stores and online, so in this episode we’re turning the tables and I’m in the hot seat for a change. In this episode Goal 17 CEO Greg Mollner, who has been our partner on this podcast from the beginning, interviews me about how my personal and professional journey led me to rethink business as usual and create the new business paradigm I lay out in the book to better serve humanity and the planet. Greg and I chatted about the collaborative strategies that every business leader can and should adopt to help solve today’s escalating challenges and unlock extraordinary growth.
Dr. Mark Goulston: What The World Needs From Today’s Leaders
SEASON 3, EPISODE 7 | NOVEMBER 1, 2021
Dr. Mark Goulston has had a fascinating career as a psychiatrist, from helping those contemplating suicide to assisting the FBI with hostage negotiation, and now coaching the world’s top executives at companies like IBM and Goldman Sachs to become better leaders through his company Michaelangelo Mindset. Oh, and did I mention he’s written nine books?
In this episode I spoke with Mark about the type of leader the world needs now and in the future and some of the techniques he uses to draw out leadership qualities like humility and empathy.
We also chatted about how business leaders can persevere through the relentless challenges of the pandemic by taking care of their own mental health and the power of women’s leadership.
Noodles & Company CMO Stacey Pool: Leading Through The Pandemic
SEASON 3, EPISODE 6 | OCTOBER 25, 2021
Stacey Pool became Chief Marketing Officer at the fast casual restaurant chain Noodles & Company just before the pandemic started. In this episode Stacey shares how she’s leading this purposeful company through these unprecedented times. We talked openly about how COVID has taught us to be vulnerable as leaders, the balancing act of looking out for the wellbeing of our employees while still providing opportunities for professional growth, and using transparency and innovation to stay ahead of rising consumer expectations around the environment in an industry that’s been hit hard by supply chain constraints.
Bragg Live Foods CEO, Linda Boardman, on Guiding A Purposeful Legacy Brand Into the Future
SEASON 3, EPISODE 5 | OCTOBER 19, 2021
Bragg Live Foods has been in the natural foods space for over a century. Now the family-owned original health food company is a movement for healthier and happier lives with CEO Linda Boardman at the helm. In this episode Linda and I spoke about how she’s leading the company at such a pivotal time in its history, especially given the explosion of clean food and her personal passion for health and wellness. Hear our deep dive conversation into how she’s capitalizing on today’s consumer trends and carrying forward the company values to drive a new era of growth.
Bolt Threads’ Dan Widmaier: Reengineering Fashion & Beauty To Restore The Planet
SEASON 3, EPISODE 4 | OCTOBER 12, 2021
Dan Widmaier is a bioengineer who’s taking on the fashion and beauty industries. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Bolt Threads, he’s ushering in a new era of regenerative lab grown materials that can help us reverse course when it comes to the health of our planet. In this episode Dan and I talked about the science behind Bolt Threads’ patented materials, and how they’re being adopted by big brands like Stella McCartney and Adidas. In what was a fascinating conversation, I heard about his growth strategy, how industry disruption can be used to create social and environmental impact, and why companies that don’t adopt regenerative practices could face existential problems.
Andrew Winston: Getting Your Company to Net Positive
SEASON 3, EPISODE 3 | OCTOBER 5, 2021
As we witness the acute effects of climate change and economic inequality, business needs radical reshaping. Andrew Winston has advised countless companies on how to create positive impact, and in his new book, Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take, he charts a way forward for the future. In this episode Andrew and I talk about what it means to be net positive, how he co-authored his book with former Unilever CEO Paul Polman who shared his experience at the helm at one of the world’s largest companies, and why net positive is the only path forward for business and humanity.
Unreasonable Group’s Wayne Suiter Matamoros: Repurposing Capitalism
SEASON 3, EPISODE 2 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2021
Business has the power to tackle the existential problems we face in today’s world, but first we must redirect market forces to support companies creating positive change. And that’s why I’m so excited to share my conversation with Wayne Suiter Matamoros, Managing Director of Product and Experience at Unreasonable Group, which runs a business accelerator called Unreasonable Impact focused on just that. Together with Barclays, Unreasonable Impact has invested over $6.5 billion in green economy companies that are disrupting some of the most harmful industries out there, while also creating jobs. I got to chat with Wayne about how he and his team think about creating big change on short timelines, what it really means to take an “unreasonable” approach to today’s biggest challenges, how to repurpose capitalism, and so much more.
Paul Hawken & Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation
SEASON 3, EPISODE 1 | SEPTEMBER 21, 2021
It’s hard to overstate Paul Hawken’s contribution to transforming the relationship between humanity, business and the natural world. His books and leadership have built the foundation and laid out the roadmap for how we work together to address the climate crisis. It was a privilege to speak with him about his new book: Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation.
In this episode of Lead With We, Paul and I talk about what “regeneration” means, the actions business and humanity must take to end the climate crisis in one generation, and where we stand as a business community when it comes to authentically embracing the practices that will regenerate and nurture life on earth.
Season 2
Common Future’s Rodney Foxworth: Shifting Capital to Shift Power
SEASON 2, EPISODE 25 | AUGUST 3, 2021
Common Future is a mission-driven non-profit organization that has diverted nearly $300 million into marginalized communities through grants and low-barrier loans since 2001. And they just received a game-changing gift from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott.
It was a pleasure to chat with CEO Rodney Foxworth on the precipice of this new chapter for Common Future. We spoke about his plans for building up this BIPOC-led organization to close the racial wealth gap in America, how his own experiences with racism inform this work, and how he and his team are building a powerful network of “wealth-holders” and “wealth-builders” to create lasting change.
Deanna Bratter Talks Sustainability At The World’s Largest B Corp: Danone North America
SEASON 2, EPISODE 24 | JULY 27, 2021
Deanna Bratter heads up sustainability at the world’s largest public benefit corporation: Danone North America. It’s a $6 billion food and beverage company with a massive portfolio of well-known brands.
It was so refreshing to get Deanna’s perspective on finding the intersections between purpose and profit when advocating for change within a behemoth organization like Danone. We also spoke about the responsibility of not only being a B Corp but also a Benefit Corporation and how that has helped Danone set benchmarks for progress across all parts of their business, and how COVID spurred optimism amongst sustainability practitioners.
Rachel Lincoln Explains prAna’s Responsible Packaging Movement
SEASON 2, EPISODE 23 | JULY 20, 2021
JUST Capital’s Martin Whittaker On Holding Business Accountable
SEASON 2, EPISODE 22 | JULY 13, 2021
Whether you know it or not, JUST Capital is playing a crucial role in business by supplying the economy with critical knowledge that holds companies accountable based on what they hear directly from the American public and how the American public believes they should behave.
In this episode, JUST Capital CEO Martin Whittaker and I had a thought-provoking conversation around the present and future of business. We explored how JUST’s public rankings help direct market forces to build a better future, where we are in the journey towards stakeholder capitalism, why it’s absolutely necessary to create a more equitable economy, and what business leaders can do to bring about this change.
AARP’s Jean Accius On Creating Age-Inclusive Workplaces
SEASON 2, EPISODE 21 | JULY 6, 2021
Diversity, equity and inclusion should be top of mind for any business leader, but we don’t often think about age when it comes to DEI.
In this episode of Lead With We, I’m sharing a conversation with AARP’s Jean Accius, who shared some fascinating research about how businesses benefit from a multigenerational workforce. We talked about why age diversity is a competitive advantage, how businesses can be more inclusive of workers over 50, and what Jean thinks the private sector can learn from nonprofit leadership.
Urban Remedy’s Paul Coletta On Reimagining Our Food System
SEASON 2, EPISODE 20 | JUNE 29, 2021
As CEO at Urban Remedy, Paul Coletta is pushing back against our industrialized food system by trying to cracking the code to bring ultra fresh, clean, and convenient food to consumers at scale.
In this episode of Lead With We, Paul and I chatted about taking an omnichannel approach to brand-building, partnering with hospitals, and his vision for how technology could help reduce food waste and make healthy food more accessible.
How Cleancult’s Ryan Lupberger Is Redefining “Clean”
SEASON 2, EPISODE 19 | JUNE 22, 2021
As a college student, Ryan Lupberger wanted cleaning products that were actually clean. But even nontoxic brands used wasteful plastic packaging. So he decided to create the eco-friendly, zero-waste cleaning brand, Cleancult.
In this episode of Lead With We Ryan shares how focusing on product efficacy helped everything else fall into place, partnering with CarbonFund to ensure operational sustainability, and the surprising advice he got from his parents for weathering the long and winding journey to business success.
Reimagining Capitalism With Harvard Professor Rebecca Henderson
SEASON 2, EPISODE 18 | JUNE 15, 2021
Rebecca Henderson teaches at the Harvard Business School, but she’s a vocal critic of “business as usual.” In fact, her scholarly research focuses on how we need to change capitalism in order to overcome the myriad of crises humanity is facing, and she recently published a book on the topic called “Reimagining Capitalism In A World On Fire.”
Rebecca and I have some things in common, so it was a pleasure to speak with her one-on-one about how we can shift our economic system to drive positive change in the world. It may sound daunting, but she gives some really actionable advice that any business leader or employee can put into practice.
Rachel & Andy Berliner: The Story Behind Amy’s Kitchen
SEASON 2, EPISODE 17 | JUNE 8, 2021
Rachel and Andy Berliner started Amy’s Kitchen based on their own need. Like many new parents, they needed some convenient meals after the birth of their daughter, Amy. But they couldn’t find high-quality, frozen, organic vegetarian food in stores, so they decided to make it themselves!
In this episode of Lead With We, I spoke with Rachel and Andy about how they helped bring about a major shift in the American food system, and how they built a business that aligns with their values.
Starbucks’ Virginia Tenpenny On Leading By Listening
SEASON 2, EPISODE 16 | JUNE 1, 2021
When it comes to social impact, Starbucks has been leading the pack for decades. In fact, it’s hard to keep track of all their initiatives, from local community grants to groundbreaking standards it created to source ingredients like coffee beans and cocoa.
In this episode of Lead With We I got the chance to chat with Virginia Tenpenny, Starbucks’ Chief Social Impact Officer, who shared how Starbucks brings purpose to life on a daily basis, the future of leadership, localizing large scale impact, and the importance of treating your employees like partners.
Google’s Michael Muñoz & Performance Paradigm’s Reggie Butler: Re-Centering Humanity in Business
SEASON 2, EPISODE 15 | MAY 21, 2021
Lots of companies are talking about diversity, equity and inclusion these days, but what does it mean to actually move the needle in those areas? Each of us has a role to play in bringing about a better future, and business leaders are uniquely positioned to create lasting change.
In this episode of Lead With We, I had the privilege of speaking with Michael Muñoz, Global Marketing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Lead at Google, and Performance Paradigm’s Reggie Butler about the lessons they’ve learned doing DE&I within today’s leading corporations. We spoke about re-centering our shared humanity in business, what needs to happen if we truly want things to be different, and more.
Square Roots’ Tobias Peggs Is Using Tech To Build A Better Food System
SEASON 2, EPISODE 14 | MAY 18, 2021
Whether we like it or not, our current food system is unsustainable. Luckily people like Tobias Peggs are re-engineering how food is grown and distributed in ways that are better for people and the planet. Using real time data and machine learning to create the right climate conditions for growing produce, Tobias’ company, Square Roots, uses refurbished shipping containers situated near local retailers which drastically reduces waste and carbon emissions.
In this episode of Lead With We, Tobias and I chat about how his experience working within Walmart led to his idea for Square Roots, the incredible power of tech in agriculture, creating the next generation of farmers, his purpose-driven approach to business and more.
Interface’s Erin Meezan: Taking Sustainability From “Why” to “How”
SEASON 2, EPISODE 13 | MAY 11, 2021
The modular flooring company Interface has one of the most forward-thinking sustainability visions in the building industry and the private sector in general. Interface’s late founder, Ray Anderson, pivoted the company to an aggressive sustainability path over 20 years ago, and it’s up to Chief Sustainability Officer Erin Meezan to continue and build upon his legacy.
In this episode of Lead With We, Erin and I spoke about going beyond the “do-no-harm” approach to sustainability and actually reinvigorating the planet by building a regenerative business model through partnerships, biomimicry, shared industry tools and more. When it comes to climate, the timelines we’re working against can be daunting, but listen to this episode and learn how there really is a better way.
In this episode of Lead With We, Tobias and I chat about how his experience working within Walmart led to his idea for Square Roots, the incredible power of tech in agriculture, creating the next generation of farmers, his purpose-driven approach to business and more.
MIT’s Sherry Turkle: Vulnerability Is A Superpower
SEASON 2, EPISODE 12 | MAY 4, 2021
I first met Sherry Turkle about ten years ago at a conference where we spent hours chatting about how rapidly advancing technology is changing our relationships to each other and ourselves, and how that affects all sectors of society. It’s something Sherry has spent her life studying as a psychologist and sociologist at MIT.
In this episode of Lead With We, I got the chance to reconnect with Sherry, who recently published a memoir called “The Empathy Diaries.” We spoke about how vulnerability is key to everything from great leadership to moving forward a society post-COVID, practicing empathy as an action, and so much more.
Coolhaus’ Natasha Case On Using Business to Shift Culture
SEASON 2, EPISODE 11 | APRIL 27, 2021
Natasha Case started in architecture and landed in ice cream after one of her professors compared a project of hers to a layer cake. So she took her creative energy and co-founded the premium ice cream brand Coolhaus with her wife Freya Estreller in 2009. Since then Natasha has used the brand as a platform to inspire other LGBTQ+ millennial entrepreneurs.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Natasha, chatting about the importance of partnering with other brands that share your values, how business can be a vehicle for positive cultural change and some of her tips for succeeding in the early stages of building a brand. Pro-tip: Sometimes you just have to buy a broken-down ice cream truck, tow it to a music festival and see where things go!
Bolthouse Farms’ Jeff Dunn Discusses Empathetic Leadership and Plant-Based Foods
SEASON 2, EPISODE 10 | APRIL 20, 2021
Jeff Dunn cut his teeth at Coca-Cola and gained even more experience in the food industry with the Campbell Soup Company. But where he found his passion was becoming CEO of Bolthouse Farms, a packaged foods company that grew out of a small Michigan farm in 1915. In fact, that passion led him to buy the company back from Campbell’s after selling it to them in 2012.
In this episode of Lead With We, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff about how differences in company culture led to the buy-back and taking an agile approach to consumer packaged goods. Plus, we discuss how the enormous demand for plant-based foods is reshaping our food system and how COVID opened up a conversation between Jeff and his leadership team about empathy.
Cooks Venture’s Matthew Wadiak: From Meal Kits To Regenerative Agriculture
SEASON 2, EPISODE 9 | APRIL 13, 2021
Matthew Wadiak went from being a chef to founding Blue Apron, the first meal kit company to go public, and now he’s disrupting food yet again through Cooks Venture. In his newest endeavor, Matthew is pioneering regenerative systems that span the entire value chain of animal agriculture.
I learned so much during my conversation with Matthew. Listen to the episode to understand more about the flaws he’s addressing in our current food system, building brand awareness online to challenge the status quo, and so much more.
CMO Wendy Hauteman On VSP’s Purpose After 65 Years In Business
SEASON 2, EPISODE 8 | APRIL 6, 2021
Following the company’s 65th anniversary, VSP Global’s Chief Marketing Officer Wendy Hauteman decided it was time to craft a new purpose statement. It wasn’t a marketing initiative, but rather a way to set VSP up for future growth in an increasingly competitive industry.
Wendy and I worked together to bring purpose to life at VSP. Listen to our conversation to find out how she got buy-in from all levels of leadership and brought employees along during the process, how VSP has kept purpose alive through a network of internal ambassadors, and how purpose has come into play at VSP in terms of innovation, responding to COVID and more.
CMO Wendy Hauteman On VSP’s Purpose After 65 Years In Business
SEASON 2, EPISODE 7 | MARCH 30, 2021
How Thistle’s Ashwin Cheriyan Motivates People To Make Better Choices For Themselves and the Planet
SEASON 2, EPISODE 6 | MARCH 23, 2021
Ashwin Cheriyan took the leap into entrepreneurship with his wife, Shiri Avnery, when he started the plant-based meal delivery service, Thistle, in 2013. He was a former corporate lawyer, and she was a climate scientist frustrated by how little people were talking about the environmental impact of reducing demand for animal products, let alone the impact on human health. They knew that getting people to shift their eating habits meant making plant-based meals more delicious and convenient.
In this episode of Lead With We, Ashwin and I talk about how his personal connection to healthy food has sustained him through the inevitable ups and downs of entrepreneurship, motivating consumers to make better choices, and so much more.
Why Muniq’s Marc Washington Decided To Launch His First Company During COVID
SEASON 2, EPISODE 5 | MARCH 16, 2021
Have you heard of the gut microbiome? There’s been a lot of buzz about scientific research about how the bacteria in our gut influences our overall health. And in this episode of Lead With We, I talk with first-time entrepreneur Marc Washington about how he launched a consumer nutrition brand called Muniq that uses gut health science to help people who struggle with health issues to take back control. We discuss the personal tragedy that led Marc down this path, his ambitious decision to launch the brand during a pandemic, and whether business is truly meeting the call to be more inclusive.
Aspiration’s Andrei Cherny Is Leveraging Consumer Spending For Good
SEASON 2, EPISODE 4 | MARCH 9, 2021
Andrei Cherny has had a fascinating career. He worked with Al Gore in the early days of raising awareness about climate change and helped start the Consumer Protection Bureau with Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Now, he’s taking on the exact same issues through his company, Aspiration. It’s a pay-what-you-want financial services model that allows customers to divest from things like gun manufacturing and fossil fuels.
In this episode of Lead With We, Andrei chats with me about what led him down this path, some of the lessons learned, and how the role of money is changing.
Why B Corp? B Lab’s Anthea Kelsick On Changing The Culture Of Business
SEASON 2, EPISODE 3 | MARCH 2, 2021
The B Corp movement was started by a group of conscious entrepreneurs in the early 2000’s who believed business should be about more than maximizing profits. Today, there are over 3,500 B Corps across the world. In this episode of Lead With We, I speak with Anthea Kelsick, the CEO of B Lab U.S. & Canada, which is the non-profit that certifies B Corps. We talk about the value of the certification process and accountability, how these companies collaborate on critical issues like reducing carbon emissions, and the incredible momentum around purposeful business today as we face mounting crises.
In this episode of Lead With We, Andrei chats with me about what led him down this path, some of the lessons learned, and how the role of money is changing.
Futurist Sally Uren On How Volatility Unlocks Positive Change
SEASON 2, EPISODE 2 | FEBRUARY 23, 2021
Thanks for joining us for another season of Lead With We. I couldn’t think of a better guest to kick things off than my dear friend, futurist Sally Uren.
Sally runs a leading sustainability non-profit called Forum For The Future that works directly with big brands and business leaders to create global change. Together we discuss the future of humanity (literally), and how we’re seeing very different trajectories play out simultaneously in real-time. And what I particularly love about this conversation is that Sally points to growing movements, such as regenerative agriculture and impact investing, as proof that we can build a positive future through our actions.
In this episode of Lead With We, Andrei chats with me about what led him down this path, some of the lessons learned, and how the role of money is changing.
Lead With We Is Back With NEW Episodes!
SEASON 2, EPISODE 1 | FEBRUARY 16, 2021
Season 1
Reflecting On 2020: What It Really Means To Lead With We
SEASON 1, EPISODE 27 | DECEMBER 15, 2020
Satori Capital’s Sunny Vanderbeck Explains The Move Toward ‘Conscious Capitalism’
SEASON 1, EPISODE 26 | DECEMBER 8, 2020
Sunny Vanderbeck launched his investment firm, Satori Capital, in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis. At the time, it was a difficult sell met with resistance within the institutional investment community: he wanted to invest in business as a force for good.
In this episode, Sunny explains how he puts conscious capitalism into practice, from investing with longer time horizons to transforming the employee experience at the company-level, to going above and beyond minimum environmental standards. At this time of great uncertainty and instability, I’m excited to share Sunny’s refreshing take on how the world is moving toward a more sustainable version of capitalism.
Modern Meadow CEO Andras Forgacs Is Transforming Consumer Products With Lab-Grown Materials
SEASON 1, EPISODE 25 | DECEMBER 1, 2020
Why Warby Parker’s Dave Gilboa Took A Stand on Voting in 2020
SEASON 1, EPISODE 24 | NOVEMBER 24, 2020
How Allbirds’ Tim Brown Is Innovating And Sharing To Solve For Climate Change
SEASON 1, EPISODE 23 | NOVEMBER 17, 2020
Mammut CEO Oliver Pabst On Reinvigorating A Legacy Brand With Purpose
SEASON 1, EPISODE 22 | NOVEMBER 10, 2020
Founded in 1862, Mammut built its reputation amongst outdoor enthusiasts by creating the strongest mountaineering ropes out there. Now, as they look to the future, my dear friend Oliver Pabst is leading the company with a new purpose: to create a world moved by mountains. Listen to my conversation with Oliver to learn how the company is leaning on their purpose to reach a diverse set of global consumers, how they partner with other companies on sustainability, and more.
How Charity Water’s Scott Harrison Gets People Hooked On Generosity
SEASON 1, EPISODE 21 | NOVEMBER 3, 2020
My friend Scott Harrison has had quite the personal journey. Scott was a nightclub promoter in New York City living the late night life, before he did a 180 with an intent to make an impact. After spending two years volunteering as a photojournalist in West Africa, he founded charity: water, which builds clean water sources for people in developing countries. Learn how Scott built one of the fastest growing non-profits in America. We discuss everything from how he views relationships with those who give to his organization, to how he set up a radically transparent model for tracking donations, to how he marries emotional storytelling with the latest technology to grow his global community.
Prima’s Christopher Gavigan On Building Consumer Trust Through Education
SEASON 1, EPISODE 20 | OCTOBER 27, 2020
Christopher Gavigan is a scientist-turned-entreprenuer who co-founded The Honest Company with actress Jessica Alba before going on to start one of the leading CBD brands, Prima. In each venture, he laid the foundation for success through education, by sharing his knowledge of how chemicals in everyday products affect our health. In this episode, Chris shares with me his passion for building deep trust with consumers and creating a better future through business.
Ben & Jerry’s Jay Curley On Why Delicious Ice Cream And Social Justice Go Hand-in-Hand
SEASON 1, EPISODE 19 | OCTOBER 20, 2020
Before becoming the Global Head of Integrated Marketing for Ben & Jerry’s, Jay Curley dreamt of working for the famous ice cream brand that has taken bold stances on key social justice issues, from marriage equality to ending mass incarceration and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. So how does a company like Ben & Jerry’s manage to keep growing and earning loyal employees and customers while speaking out on such controversial issues? In this episode of Lead With We, Jay Curley gives me an insider perspective based on his twelve years inside one of the most socially conscious and beloved brands out there.
Kara Goldin On Why Consumers Want Purposeful Products More Than Ever
SEASON 1, EPISODE 18 | OCTOBER 13, 2020
When you look up ‘disrupter’, I’m pretty sure Kara Goldin’s name is listed. Kara is the founder and CEO of Hint, Inc., and she completely disrupted the bottled water industry with her best known product, Hint water. As she was about to welcome her fourth child, Kara’s idea to help her lead a more healthy life, along with her bold, scrappy approach, led to the creation of top-selling flavored waters without artificial flavors in an incredibly crowded category. Kara also discusses her political activism around access to clean water in America and how she doesn’t let her own fear get the best of her, a core theme in her new book, Undaunted.
From Climate Scientist To Entrepreneur: How Adam Lowry Disrupts Crowded Consumer Categories
SEASON 1, EPISODE 17 | OCTOBER 6, 2020
Adam Lowry thought he would make a difference as a climate scientist, but instead, he’s changed the world through disruptive startups like Method, which makes eco-friendly cleaning products, and Ripple Foods, which uses technology to make high-protein dairy replacements that actually taste good. And he’s got another killer product on the way. Listen to this episode to hear how Adam has persevered in the face of industry attacks, how he approaches branding, and why he helped found the B-corp movement.
Bombas’ David Heath On Tackling Homelessness Through Socks
SEASON 1, EPISODE 16 | SEPTEMBER 29, 2020
Like many of the leading consumer brands in today’s marketplace, David Heath built a cult following around the mission of his sock company, Bombas. Bombas donates a pair of high quality, high performance socks to the homeless community for every pair they sell.
ThriveWorx’s Mike Mannina On Channeling Philanthropy Through Your Supply Chain
SEASON 1, EPISODE 15 | SEPTEMBER 22, 2020
Have you ever wondered how to get all your stakeholders on board when it comes to building a business model that benefits everyone? ThriveWorx has figured it out. Joining us this week is Mike Mannina the Co-Founder and CEO of ThriveWorx, a non-profit platform empowering companies to turn their supply chains into forces of community transformation. Mike and I have a great discussion on why business is the most effective tool for community development, in addition to learning how purposefully channeling philanthropic dollars to the people in your supply chain actually reduces business risk by strengthening relationships.
The North Face’s Arne Arens Gets Candid About Boycotting Facebook and Sustainable Growth
SEASON 1, EPISODE 14 | SEPTEMBER 15, 2020
The North Face is known for its outdoor apparel, but in July 2020 the company became known for being the first major brand to speak out about against hate speech on Facebook as part of the #StopHateforProfit campaign. Join me in conversation with Global Brand President Arne Arens as he takes us inside that bold decision, and how it connects directly to the mission of The North Face brand, and how ultimately making long-lasting clothing that’s meant to be recycled makes for great business.
OMAZE’s Matthew Pohlson On His Near Death Experience And Disrupting Charity
SEASON 1, EPISODE 13 | SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
If you are looking to be inspired by how a change of mindset can unlock joy and success in the entrepreneur journey, listen to this episode. Matthew Pohlson, Co-founder and CEO of Omaze joins me for an in-depth conversation about how his for-profit model is disrupting the non-profit space, the personal reasons behind his work, and a near death experience that forever changed his life, and his company.
Doug Palladini of VANS On Choosing Integrity Over Ubiquity
SEASON 1, EPISODE 12 | SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
In this episode, I have a great conversation with Doug Palladini, Global Brand President of VANS on how to build a purposeful brand by really listening to your customers and being truly authentic. Doug discusses how the company’s approach translated into their unique response to COVID 19 and more.
BlackRock’s Frank Cooper On Retooling Capitalism & How Sustainability Drives Growth
SEASON 1, EPISODE 11 | AUGUST 25, 2020
In this episode, I have a great conversation with Frank Cooper, Senior Managing Director, Global Chief Marketing Officer of BlackRock, the world’s largest hedge fund. Frank gets candid about the challenge climate change poses to business, what needs to change about capitalism, and how sustainability and purpose have become driving forces behind innovation. Frank also tells me why we should be optimistic about what we can achieve together through business.
CEO Blair Kellison Discusses How Traditional Medicinals Competes On Purpose
SEASON 1, EPISODE 10 | AUGUST 18, 2020
This week it was a pleasure to welcome Blair Kellison to the podcast, the President of herbal medicine company Traditional Medicinals. Blair offers insights on how his company has thrived since 1974 through long term decision-making, a holistic understanding of sustainability, and a carefully crafted company culture. He also shares his belief that the highest purpose of business is to address climate change and income inequality.
Joey Bergstein, CEO of Seventh Generation, On Building Products for People and Planet
SEASON 1, EPISODE 9 | AUGUST 11, 2020
Thrilled to have Joey Bergstein, CEO of Seventh Generation join me on the podcast this week. We talk about the Iroquois philosophy which inspired the formation of this eco-friendly home products company over 30 years ago, and how it has grown into one of the most profitable and purpose-driven pieces of Unilever’s portfolio. Joey shares information that any brand can learn from around building a virtuous cycle between creating products with integrity, advocacy and the bottom line.
VF Corporation’s Steve Rendle on “Balancing Purpose and Performance”
SEASON 1, EPISODE 8 | AUGUST 4, 2020
In this episode, I have a great conversation with Steve Rendle, the Chairman, President, and CEO of VF Corporation, who shares how a global enterprise pivots to purpose with a portfolio of twelve leading activity-based brands. Steve discusses how he mobilized that portfolio and its employees around issues like COVID-19 and what the future of leadership looks like to the benefit of all stakeholders in our future.
How Harry’s leverages its capital and culture to address men’s mental health
SEASON 1, EPISODE 7 | JULY 28, 2020
In this episode, I have a great conversation with Maggie Hureau, Head of Social Impact at Harry’s. She talks about how Harry’s aims to get more men access to mental health care through its philanthropic efforts and partnerships with nonprofits. Its partners offer mental health resources to men across a number of demographics, including those who identify as LGBTQ, veterans, those facing homelessness and more.
Jeni’s Ice Cream’s 20-year journey to becoming a community-centered, impact-focused business leader
SEASON 1, EPISODE 6 | JULY 21, 2020
This week I welcomed Jeni Britton, founder of Jeni’s Ice Cream to the podcast. If you don’t know Jeni’s – you should. We had a great discussion about their ingrained sense of community with a team of 800+ employees, her journey to becoming a true impact leader, and how critical it is to have business show up in social discussions. Jeni’s Ice Cream is a purpose-driven leader, a trailblazer in the industry and a company business can learn from. Enjoy!
Thrive Farmers mission to stabilize coffee pricing to support small farmers in Central America
SEASON 1, EPISODE 5 | JULY 14, 2020
Michael Jones talks about how THRIVE Farmers has designed a revolutionary new business model that for the first time in history decouples coffee from the toxic connection to volatile commodities markets, thereby aligning the interests of farmers with those who are buying and consuming their coffee. Thrive’s revenue sharing model creates stable and predictable long-term pricing for farmers, providing true economic sustainability, and transforming families and communities that produce coffee.
Greenbar Distillery’s Unexpected Journey To Become A Sustainability and Impact Leader
SEASON 1, EPISODE 4 | JULY 7, 2020
This is a fascinating episode with Melkon Khosrovian, the Co-Founder and Spiritsmaker at Greenbar Distillery. Melkon reveals the obstacles he had to overcome to be a truly impact-focused business, how they partnered with growers to launch some of the most carbon negative products and how they adapted to the COVID-19 crisis. Greenbar Distillery is a shining example of how business can be a force for good and drive growth by solving the pressing problems of today.
How SanMar Delivered High Growth, Sustainability and PPE Equipment for COVID-19
SEASON 1, EPISODE 3 | JUNE 30, 2020
A conversation with Jeremy Lott, Owner and President of Seattle based SanMar, on aligning economic strategies with a purpose-driven company.
A Conversation with TOMS on Transforming Lives, Scaling Impact and Redefining Business
SEASON 1, EPISODE 2 | JUNE 23, 2020
In this episode, I had a great conversation with Amy Smith, Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at TOMS. We talked about how TOMS is evolving how it turns business into a force for good and she gives great insights into the strategies and tactics they use to engage consumers so they can grow their business and its impact at the same time. This is something every brand must do to meet the new demands of their employees and customers, and there’s no better leader to learn from than Amy.
How IBM, Call for Code and Developers Worldwide are Tackling COVID-19
SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 | JUNE 16, 2020
In this episode, Bob Lord, Senior Vice-President of Cognitive Applications and Developer Ecosystems at IBM, inspires us with breakthrough innovations created by IBM, developers worldwide and its partners. He shares the strategies and tactics of true entrepreneurship that not only solve for today’s greatest challenges like the climate crisis and COVID-19, but also unlocks new and expansive opportunities for business. This is the power of technology, collaboration and impact at its best!