The Finding Impact Podcast

FIP 129: Using Design Thinking in the Needfinding Process, with Juliana Proserpio of Echos Innovation Lab

In this episode of the Finding Impact Podcast I talk to Juliana Proserpio, Co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Echos Innovation Lab, on using Design Thinking in the needfinding process. Juliana talks about her work at Echos Innovation Lab and how it supports organizations and entrepreneurs to use the design thinking mindset for accelerating cultural change and creating new services and business models to create desirable futures. On this podcast you will learn: How Echos Innovation Lab has bu...

FIP 128: The Elder Series with Jack Lowe of the Fit For Life Foundation

I'm very honoured to speak to Jack Lowe this week. He's come on share lessons learnt throughout his 40 year career in microfinance and the startup world. Jack was asked to become CEO of BlueOrchard Investments in 2004 -- a microfinance fund that he grew from $40 million to close to $1 billion, stretching to 45 countries. It became the largest private microfinance lender in the world. Jack graduated from Stanford in 1965, joined McKinsey in 1969, and went on to grow a string of successful startup...

How to shift your attitude to perform at your best

This episode is about the one thing that changes everything -- mindset. Or attitude. We're living in tough times, and often, our mindset, our attitude, our outlook, can hold us back. With fear, worry, panic, stress, all these different emotions entering our day at some point. All these things hold us back. But, with the understanding of how our minds work, and with the tools to shift our attitude, we can accept this new reality and choose to take action. I'm joined by Scott Roy, CEO of Whitten R...

FIP 126: How Business Can Respond to a Crisis with James Mwangi representing Safe Hands Kenya

James Mwangi of Dalberg Group on the podcast today. He's representing Safe Hands Kenya, a coalition of Kenyan businesses who've come together to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. They're distributing free hand sanitiser, soap, face masks and surface disinfectants to all Kenyans, as a first line of defence against COVID-19. Resources: SafeHandsKenya.com @SafeHandsKenya on Twitter Safe Hands Kenya on YouTube...

FIP 125: Venture Debt Fund for revenue-generating businesses during COVID-19 with Amanda Cotterman

Today's challenge is for those businesses who're seeing a temporary loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 crisis, but also anyone in the business of raising capital, and interested in different funding instruments. We've got Amanda Cotterman on the show, and we're talking about the fund she's raising, Equalife Capital's Africa Venture Debt COVID Recovery Fund. We help you understand whether this funding instrument is right for your enterprise or if you're a donor or investor, whether you might wan...

FIP 124: Using Design Thinking in the Needfinding Process with Elizabeth Knight

On this podcast you will learn: How Andy and Elizabeth are dealing with the new world of COVID 19 - structured journaling with pen and paper. (3:55) What is needfind and why is it important? (4:30) It’s important because it’s a shift in terms of how we think about entrepreneurship and creating value as an entrepreneur; building a business or enterprise around a need (real problem) rather than a singular idea gives greater scope to produce value and to solve a problem in a sustainable way; it’s a...

FIP 123: How this young founder is bootstrapping his EdTech Startup, with Cyril Michino of Chaptr Global

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we find out out how a young founder bootstrapped his startup and the lessons he learnt in wannapreneurship . We talk with Cyril Michino, co-founder of Chaptr Global and hear about his entrepreneurial journey having founded 2 startups by the age of 21 and learn that capital is not a barrier for starting up. Cyril shares his experiences around the challenges faced by young founders and how he’s innovating around such challenges by adopting innovative revenu...

FIP 122: How to build processes and systems for scale, with Boston Nyer of BURN Manufacturing

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are talking to Boston Nyer, co-founder of BURN. Boston's played a wide variety of roles during his 8 years at BURN, including COO, where he was tasked with setting up processes in their factory in Nairobi that makes more than one stove per minute. It's the largest of its kind on the continent. On this episode you will learn: An intro to his background, to BURN, and how BURN is structured. 1:48. How BURN is split up by departments. 6:00. Four pillars: 1...

FIP 121: Maintaining culture with growth through scale, with Paul Breloff of Shortlist

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are talking about the challenges of maintaining culture as your social business scales, and tactics for how to adapt and scale your culture, with Paul Breloff of Shortlist. Paul's company, Shortlist, helps companies build and develop their teams through a new approach to hiring. Particularly, we’ll be talking about Paul’s experience as he grew Shortlist’s team across two continents and to nearly 100 people and lessons he’s learned from the entrepreneur...

FIP 120: Adapting managment and leadership styles for scale

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are talking about how founders of social enterprises can transition from being a product builder to company builder, with Glynis Rankin from Creative Metier. Glynis is the CEO of Creative Metier, a niche consultancy that works with social impact investors and their investees to support social enterprises and small and growing businesses in emerging markets through executive coaching, human capital resources, and organizational strengthening. On this po...

FIP 119: Tips for young founders with Lamia Makkar who launched her first startup at age 13

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we’ve got Lemia Makkar and we're going to talk about Lamia's experience as a young founder, with the hope of inspiring and helping other young founders succeed at what they're doing. Lemia started her first non-profit Haiti: Hands On , at the age of 13, when at times she had to skip school to present to CEOs in Boardrooms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where she lived. Fast forward 8 years later, to today, and Lamia has kindly come on to share her expe...

FIP 118: Building entrepreneurial ecosystems in emerging markets with Maryanne Ochola of ANDE

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are starting off a new series to help social entrepreneurs understand and navigate the whole gamut of services and service providers in entrepreneurial ecosystems and we are talking with Maryanne Ochola, East Africa Regional Chapter Manager of ANDE (Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs), based in Nairobi. Maryanne shares her views on the different players in entrepreneurial ecosystems, roles they play and services they offer to help social entrep...

FIP 117: Hardware entrepreneurs II 3/3 – Deploying a network of kiosks, automated fuel dispensers, with Sagun Saxena of KOKO Networks

Sagun Saxena, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of KOKO Networks, is a company operating in Kenya and India that builds and deploys a dense network of kiosks inside local corner stores that distribute bio-ethanol for the modern cookers they sell. This is the third episode in our second 3-part series on invention-based entrepreneurs, supported by The Lemelson Foundation. The series aims to provide unique insights into some of the challenges and workarounds faced by entrepreneurs creating ha...

FIP 116: Hardware entrepreneurs II 2/3 - The inventor who's creating Africa's first CNC machines, with Simon Oshera of Proteq Automation

Simon Oshera is from Proteq Automation in Nairobi. We talk about Simon's invention that is set to propel manufacturing in Kenya to compete with the likes of China and other industrialised nations. Proteq Automation builds CNC machines, which are computer numerical control machines. CNCs control machining tools (drills, boring tools, lathes) and 3D printers by means of a computer to alter a blank piece of material (metal, plastic, wood, ceramic, or composite) to meet precise specifications by fol...

FIP 115: Hardware entrepreneurs II 1/3 - PayGo Energy with Mike Hahn

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are continuing our second series on hardware entrepreneurs, this one with Mike Hahn of PayGo Energy about his hardware development journey. This is the first episode in our second 3-part series on invention-based entrepreneurs, supported by The Lemelson Foundation. The series aims to provide unique insights into some of the challenges and workarounds faced by entrepreneurs creating hardware products in emerging markets. As many will know, from episode ...

FIP 114: When to say 'No' to more investment with Solonia Teodros of The Change School

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are talking to Solonia Treodos, Co-founder of The Change School, who describes why social entrepreneurs need a clear fundraising strategy and goal before starting their fundraising activities. Solonia shares her journey of fundraising for The Change School, with lessons from her experience of almost closing a fundraising deal, changing course and walking away from the deal and coming back to it later with a clear strategy. On this podcast, you will lea...

FIP 113: Funding for when things go wrong, with Caroline Bressan of Open Road Alliance

This week on the Finding Impact podcast, we will be speaking with Caroline Bressan, the Director of Social Investments at Open Road Alliance. This incredible service at Open Road Alliance provides capital (loans or grants) to social impact organizations (non-profit and for-profit) facing an unexpected roadblock during implementation. On this episode you will learn: The story behind why it was set up: founded in 2012 by psychologist and philanthropist Dr. Laurie Michaels to address the need for c...

FIP 112: Tips for Social Entrepreneurs Wanting to Apply to an Accelerator

Many social entrepreneurs will consider applying to an accelerator to help grow their business, so we reached out to a range of accelerators to hear what tips they have for people putting an application together. These tips come in three buckets - one on selecting the right accelerator, next on what will need to go into your application, and third on how to deliver a great application. Allie Burns - CEO of Village Capital: get clarity on the key milestones to grow your business i.e. building you...

FIP 111: Hardware entrepreneurs 3/3 - Creating a modem-cum-router device aimed at solving last-mile connectivity issues in Africa, with Erik Hersman

This is part three of a 3-part series on invention-based entrepreneurs, supported by The Lemelson Foundation. The series aims to provide unique insights into some of the challenges and workarounds faced by entrepreneurs creating hardware products in emerging markets. This third part episode is with Erik Hersman, co-founder of BRCK, which creates a modem-cum-router device aimed at solving last-mile connectivity issues in Africa. We're going to talk about the early prototypes, how they funded manu...

FIP 110: Hardware entrepreneurs - 2/3 Creating electronic hardware products for businesses in East Africa, with Mary Mwangi

This is part two of a 3-part series on invention-based entrepreneurs, supported by The Lemelson Foundation . The series aims to provide unique insights into some of the challenges and workarounds faced by entrepreneurs creating hardware products in emerging markets. This part two episode is with Mary Mwangi of Data Integrated Ltd. , and we are going to hear about her electronic hardware development journey on manufacturing products to improve security in public transport, and to reduce financial...

FIP 109: Hardware entrepreneurs 1/3 - Creating tools for manufacturing in Africa, with William Maluki

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are kicking off a new series on hardware entrepreneurs, this one with William Maluki of Gearbox about creating tools for manufacturing in Africa. This is the first episode in a 3-part series on invention-based entrepreneurs that aims to provide unique insights into some of the challenges and workarounds faced by entrepreneurs creating hardware products in emerging markets. On this podcast, you will learn: Why and how William invented a marvellous machi...

FIP 108: Last mile distribution 3/3 - How to pivot from a cash-based to a PAYGO model, with Washikala of Altech

This is part three of a 3-part mini-series on last mile distribution. This series is a collaboration between the Finding Impact Podcast and the Global Distributors Collective (GDC). The GDC is a collective of last mile distributors around the world, with over 140 members in over 40 countries, who cumulatively have sold more than 8 million life-changing products to last mile households. The GDC is dedicated to supporting and representing last mile distribution companies to help them reach underse...

FIP 107: Last mile distribution 2/3 - How to manage a merger of like-minded social enterprises, with Sita Adhikari and Alexie Seller of Pollinate Group

FIP 106: Last mile distribution 1/3 - How to pivot a distribution model from door-to-door to retail, with Philip Wilson of EcoFiltro

This is part of one of a 3-part mini-series on last mile distribution. This series is a collaboration between the Finding Impact Podcast and the Global Distributors Collective (or the GDC). The GDC is a collective of over 140 last mile distribution companies around the world, which helps them reach underserved customers with life-changing products like solar lights, clean cookstoves, water filters, and sanitation and nutrition products. The GDC has two main pillars of activity: It provides servi...

FIP 105: The view from inside an accelerator, with Fhiwa Ndou, formerly with MassChallenge

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we will be looking at the insider's view of accelerators with Fhiwa Ndou, formerly of Mass Challenge, well known venture accelerator in Boston, US. Fhiwa previously also helped setup the Mass Challenge accelerator in London and is currently Growth Manager at Lambda School. This is episode #3 in the 4-part series about accelerators for early stage social enterprises. In this episode, we look at various aspects of choosing accelerators such as: the role of ...

FIP 104: What I learnt from attending my first accelerator, with Nava Osembo of Enda Athletics

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we have part 2 of a new 3-part series about accelerators for early stage social enterprises. We are talking with Navalayo (Nava) Osembo-Ombati who is Co-founder and CEO of Enda Athletics, a Nairobi based running shoes manufacturer designing footwear to inspire customers to run like a Kenyan. Enda Athletics recently attended the SHONA accelerator program based in Kampala and just recently finished their second and final residential bootcamp. So we’re looki...

FIP 103: Do accelerators actually work? A look into the evidence, with Emily Eastman of GALI

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are kicking off a new 3-part series about accelerators for early stage social enterprises. We are talking with Emily Eastman, Global Partnerships Manager at Global Accelerator Learning Initiative (GALI), who has been working on the leading edge of accelerators for social impact. In this episode, we look at the overall evidence on the effectiveness of accelerators in helping entrepreneurs grow early stage companies - what makes for a great accelerator, ...

FIP 102: Why donor money is distorting the entrepreneurship ecosystem in East Africa, with Fiona Mungai of Endeavor

Fiona Mungai joined endeavour with six years of experience working in Private Equity and Asset Management in East Africa. Fiona started her career at British American Asset Managers and then at Actis — a leading pan emerging markets private equity fund, She he been a founding member and Board Director of the East Africa Venture Capital and Private Equity Association that has 100+ members. On this episode you'll learn: Endeavour supports high impact entrepreneurs. Why? Because high impact entrepr...

FIP: 101 Experience from a recent investment raise with Dr. Christie Peacock of Sidai Africa

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are talking to Dr. Christie Peacock, founder of Sidai. We're going to do an interview about her recent experience of raising a round for her social enterprise Sidai Africa. Sidai offers farmers solutions to the challenges they face growing crops and livestock productively and profitably. So Sidai trains farmers to help them farm more profitably, and provides support to franchisees, stockists and suppliers to help them grow their business. And they manu...

FIP 100: What I've learnt building my social enterprise after 100 episodes, interview by Andrew Foote of Sanivation

This is an interview to mark the 100th episode. Andrew Foote is the host. He's the co-founder of Sanivation - a social enterprise in Kenya that takes human waste from cities and converts it into fuel. Andrew is interviewing Andy Narracott, founder of Finding Impact. On this episode you'll learn: It's important to stop and celebrate in any social enterprise, to mark milestones and recognise how far you've traveled on your journey. It's good for your mental health, and it's good for building a pos...