Aaron is joined by John Samuel, Co-Founder and CEO of Ablr, a digital accessibility and inclusion company supporting disabled individuals and the organizations that employ them. John walks Aaron through his own experience losing his vision from a degenerative eye condition and learning how few digital resources existed for people with vision impairments and other disabilities. He started Ablr with the goals of furthering digital accessibility, improving disability inclusion for companies and org...
Feb 21, 2023•32 min•Season 9Ep. 9
In this episode, Aaron is joined by Amy Peterson, CEO and Founder of Rebel Nell, to talk about what inspired her to launch the Detroit-based jewelry company focused on providing employment, equitable opportunity, and wraparound support for women with barriers to employment. Amy takes us through her career path, which began as a lawyer for the Detroit Tigers, as well as how getting the chance to meet with women staying at a local homeless shelter shifted her perspective on life. She also explains...
Feb 07, 2023•31 min•Season 9Ep. 8
Aaron sits down with CEO of CentralReach Chris Sullens to discuss CentralReach’s mission of leveraging technology to support individuals with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chris explains that 85% of adults with autism are unemployed and CentralReach is working to fix this through innovative digital assistive software. Aaron and Chris discuss how companies can develop more inclusive processes throughout their organization, why it’s difficult to get more companies to adop...
Jan 24, 2023•26 min•Season 9Ep. 7
In this episode, Aaron is joined by Erin Pash, Co-Founder and CEO of Ellie Mental Health, to talk about the importance of mental health services and how the company strives to make each session as comfortable and fun as possible. The mental health industry is full of barriers, and Ellie Mental Health has made it their goal to fill the gap and find innovative ways to break down these barriers for the communities they serve. The two also discuss Erin’s experience as a therapist in both clinical se...
Jan 10, 2023•40 min•Season 9Ep. 6
This week on Brand on Purpose, Aaron talks to Nadya Okamoto, the CEO and Co-Founder of lifestyle period brand August. Nadya shares what made her passionate about the period care space and what she has learned from building a brand that is dedicated to making high-quality period care more accessible. Tune in to hear Nadya and Aaron discuss marketing in the attention economy, why social media can be a double-edged sword, and how purpose-led brands can create change throughout an entire industry. H...
Dec 27, 2022•39 min•Season 9Ep. 5
We all hear how important it is to start saving young and consistently put money away for later in our lives. In this episode, Noah Kerner, CEO of Acorns, joins the show to talk about the company’s mission to look after the financial interests of the up-and-coming, beginning with the step of micro-investing. Noah and Aaron talk about the idea behind a feature of the app that rounds up every purchase you make to the nearest dollar and adds the difference to your portfolio, and why it makes invest...
Dec 13, 2022•37 min•Season 9Ep. 4
Jonathan Webb, Founder and CEO of AppHarvest, joins the show to talk about the sustainable food company that is designed to grow non-GMO, chemical pesticide-free produce, using only recycled rainwater at some of the world’s largest indoor farms. Aaron and Jonathan discuss the major challenges we are facing when it comes to food shortages and why it’s so important to reduce the amount of water used in agriculture as quickly as possible. Jonathan also identifies Controlled Environment Agriculture ...
Nov 29, 2022•33 min•Season 9Ep. 3
Chief Executive Officer at Reformation, Hali Borenstein, takes Aaron through her background in business, what she’s learned from being a leader in times of transition, and what being sustainable means in the fashion space. Hali explains how Reformation was created to be a catalyst for change in the fashion industry. The company constantly tries to improve its business practices, from having a D2C model that is responsive to consumer demand to emphasizing transparency by releasing quarterly susta...
Nov 15, 2022•32 min•Season 9Ep. 2
It’s our most joyful episode yet! Aaron is joined by Patrice Tanaka, Chief Joy Officer and founder of Joyful Planet, a business and life consultancy that helps individuals and organizations find and actively live their purpose. Patrice inspires us with her entrepreneurial spirit and looks back on her experience cofounding three award-winning PR and marketing agencies before starting Joyful Planet in 2016. The two discuss their shared passion for encouraging people to do what they love, as well a...
Nov 01, 2022•33 min•Season 9Ep. 1
Shawn Nelson, CEO of Lovesac, started his furniture company by “getting off of the couch” and acting on a business idea he had just after graduating high school. In this episode, Shawn walks us through the ups and downs that turned Lovesac into one of the most popular furniture companies in the U.S. Aaron and Shawn talk about some of the unfortunate realities of our global economy and why companies must start creating products that are designed to last a lifetime to truly be sustainable. Tune in...
Oct 18, 2022•39 min•Season 8Ep. 21
In this episode, Aaron is joined by Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, to talk about how the powerful grassroots network of mothers is fighting for greater public safety measures to protect people from gun violence. The two discuss the impact of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed by Congress, and why it’s just one step in the right direction of a much longer journey to address gun violence in America. Shannon also recalls the outrage she felt after the Sandy Hook Elementary S...
Oct 04, 2022•39 min•Season 8Ep. 20
Co-founders Walter and Norka Nimocks sit down with Aaron to talk about the founding and growth of Just Made, a tropical juice brand that is bringing the “secrets of the tropics” to the Unites States. The two share stories about what led them to launch Jude Made in 2016 after living and traveling around Latin America and being amazed by the flavors and superior health benefits of the unique fruits. Walter and Norka also discuss why they’ve made it a priority to be “just” with their farmers and do...
Sep 20, 2022•37 min•Season 8Ep. 19
President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises Lisa Lutoff-Perlo talks about her path in the cruising industry and Celebrity Cruises’ commitment to social justice, sustainability, and inclusivity. Lisa shares how running a cruise ship is like running a micro-city, with people from all around the world coming together to enjoy the experience. Because of this, she finds it extremely important to emphasize the company’s values across everything from sustainable business practices, prioritizing women in lea...
Sep 06, 2022•36 min•Season 8Ep. 18
In this episode, Aaron is joined by Who Gives a Crap’s Head of Impact, Robin Cho, and International Development Enterprise’s (iDE) VP of Communications and Marketing, Katherine Koch. Who Gives a Crap makes eco-friendly toilet paper and paper towels, donating 50% of all profits toward efforts to see a world where everyone has access to the basic rights of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). IDE is a global non-profit organization that empowers entrepreneurs to end poverty by engaging with busin...
Aug 23, 2022•34 min•Season 8Ep. 17
In this episode, Pernod Ricard SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Pam Forbus, sits down with Aaron to talk about responsible marketing within the alcohol and spirits industry, as well as engaging with important topics like hate speech, consent and voting in brand messaging. As a worldwide wine and spirits manufacturer creating Absolute Vodka, Avion Tequila, Jameson and more, Pernod Ricard considers themselves an ‘unlocker of human connection’ and understands the role marketing plays in creating sa...
Aug 09, 2022•27 min•Season 8Ep. 16
Fixer Founder and former GrubHub Co-Founder Mike Evans takes us through his goal of rejuvenating the trade education system in America, building his business as a lever for social change by empowering employees and what he learned about purpose in his time at GrubHub. Mike talks about the issues of the ‘gig economy’ and why Fixer is committed to training employees to be full-time handy people. Fixer started as a few of Mike’s friends getting paid to do jobs for other friends and has grown into a...
Jul 26, 2022•37 min•Season 8Ep. 15
TerraCycle Founder & CEO Tom Szaky shares the misconceptions around recycling, how he started innovative recycling company TerraCycle, and what lead to the creation of the Loop platform. For Tom, entrepreneurship was a passion from the beginning and he was committed to creating a business that sits at the intersection of profit and purpose. In the episode, Aaron and Tom discuss the anomalies in the recycling industry, the major turning point for TerraCycle, and how the company turns non-recy...
Jul 05, 2022•39 min•Season 8Ep. 14
Vermont Creamery President Adeline Druart talks about her experience growing up in France, her love for dairy products and how she worked her way up the professional ladder at Vermont Creamery. Growing up with dairy farmers as grandparents, Adeline was a cheese expert from the beginning. With the help of a good friend to translate English for Adeline, she moved from France to Vermont to intern at Vermont Creamery as a cheesemaker. In the episode, Aaron and Adeline discuss the company’s commitmen...
Jun 21, 2022•35 min•Season 8Ep. 13
In this episode, Canada Goose Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, Penny Brook, discusses the core brand ethos for Canada Goose, the brand’s commitment to supporting underrepresented communities, and how Canada Goose is making a difference in sustainable fashion. Helping customers find the warmth they seek since 1957, Canada Goose has grown from a single warehouse in Toronto into a global company and leader in performance luxury apparel. Aaron and Penny talk about the brand’s commitment to ...
Jun 07, 2022•34 min•Season 8Ep. 12
Charity Miles Founder Gene Gurkoff discusses his career as an attorney, the inspiration behind the Charity Miles app and the importance of staying active. To honor his grandfather who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Gene began running marathons to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. From there, Gene was inspired to create a platform that enabled people to turn their physical activity into money for charity. In the episode, Aaron and Gene discuss the app that was created before Charit...
May 24, 2022•31 min•Season 8Ep. 11
The Trevor Project CEO & Executive Director, Amit Paley, discusses his career trajectory at The Trevor Project, the impetus for the organization, and how it became the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQ young people. Inspired by the Academy Award-winning short film, “Trevor,” The Trevor Project was established after discovering there was no organization that provided resources for LGBTQ young people in the United States. Since launching its 24/7 phone...
May 10, 2022•37 min•Season 8Ep. 10
Hive Brands Co-Founders Thomas Ellis and Katie Tyson discuss their experience building a startup company, the challenges they’ve faced and how their backgrounds individually led them to co-create Hive Brands. Prior to Hive Brands, Thomas and Katie were exposed to the startup world early-on and noticed the extreme challenges that came with building a scalable business model. With a combined desire to create positive impact, Thomas and Katie were driven to create a marketplace that directly aligne...
Apr 26, 2022•42 min•Season 8Ep. 9
Pela Founder Jeremy Lang dives into his experience growing up on the Canadian prairies, shares the innovation behind Pela’s signature Flaxstic material, and discusses how his upbringing inspired the creation of Pela. Every year, more than 1.5 billion plastic phone cases are sold, and most of them end up in landfills. To combat this never-ending disposal problem, Jeremy spent years learning about plastic and experimenting with new materials to try to find an alternative to plastic that could be u...
Apr 12, 2022•29 min•Season 8Ep. 8
Shannon Farley, Co-founder and Executive Director of Fast Forward, shares the inception and growth of the organization and the importance of investing in technology that accelerates social impact. Before the company’s founding in 2014, Shannon came to the realization that the technology industry kept solving problems for the market and neglected solving for issues that impact basic human rights. Aaron and Shannon discuss the first organization to go through the accelerator program, why Fast Forw...
Mar 29, 2022•34 min•Season 8Ep. 7
In this episode, Co-founder & Chief Expansion Officer of Too Good To Go Lucie Basch dives into her career within the food industry, discusses the creation of the Too Good To Go digital platform, and reveals how vital fighting food waste is for the environment. When Lucie began working in the food industry, she quickly realized the immensity of food waste and that this issue wasn’t talked about enough in society. With 40% of the planet’s food ending up in the trash, Lucie’s vision of a better...
Mar 15, 2022•35 min•Season 8Ep. 6
CEO & Founder of Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers David Griswold discusses his experience working in the coffee business for 25+ years and how Sustainable Harvest has helped change how farmers and buyers interact. Ever since David was approached by a coffee bean farmer in Mexico, he was on a mission to learn the coffee importing business from the inside out. Although David faced many challenges in the beginning of his journey, he was able to construct a business model that was unique and...
Mar 01, 2022•37 min•Season 8Ep. 5
For Them Founder Chloe Freeman dives into their acting career, the inspiration behind For Them, and how they are challenging heteronormativity. While working in the media production industry, Chloe realized that there was a severe lack of gender diversity. With a mission to shed light upon those that are underrepresented, Chloe was determined to help the underlying needs of the gender-diverse community by creating a whole new category of holistic wellness. Aaron and Chloe discuss For Them’s nine...
Feb 15, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Author and Certified Fund Raising Executive Diane Lebson discusses her experience working in the philanthropic world and offers her expertise on what it truly means to volunteer. Author of “For A Good Cause: A Practical Guide to Giving Joyfully”, Diane has dedicated herself to giving back and mentoring others who are looking to dive into the nonprofit realm. Diane and Aaron discuss the skills and experiences she cultivated over more than twenty-five years as a nonprofit executive, the foundation...
Feb 01, 2022•53 min•Season 8Ep. 3
Hanahana Beauty Founder and CEO Abena Boamah-Acheampong delves into the challenges that she’s faced within the beauty industry and shares how Hanahana Beauty became a consciously clean skincare, beauty, and wellness brand. As a creative entrepreneur and mental health advocate, Abena wanted to focus on showcasing black women on a global scale. With the help of shea butter and the Katariga Women's Shea Cooperative in Ghana, her dreams became reality. Abena and Aaron dive into the misconceptions th...
Jan 18, 2022•36 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Pop Culture Collaborative CEO Bridgit Antoinette Evans unearths the intersection of pop culture storytelling and social change and discusses the basis of why the organization was created. Having launched in 2017, the Pop Culture Collaborative is an established network of philanthropic leaders, primarily women of color, who invest in the infrastructure of the pop culture world for social change. Aaron and Bridgit discuss the evolution of public sentiment and how it affects the social change field...
Jan 04, 2022•42 min•Season 8Ep. 1
