For most of human history, women cared for the dead. They prepared bodies and guided families through grief. Then death became a business, and women were pushed out. In this episode of What Does It Profit? , Dr. Dawn Carpenter brings you inside the death care industry with Doris Amen and Alexandra Mosca, two New York funeral directors who have spent decades working with the dead and bereaved in an industry that once told them they didn't belong. Today, women make up just 15 to 20 percent of fune...
Apr 29, 2026•9 min•Season 6Ep. 8
In this episode of What Does It Profit?, Dr. Dawn Carpenter explores what happens when a business begins with a simple question. Where do people go to belong? More women are starting businesses than ever before. Yet ownership does not always mean access. Women still face barriers to capital, growth, and recognition. In spaces like game store ownership, those gaps are even more visible. Whitney Wolfe did not set out to become an entrepreneur. She set out to create a place where people could gathe...
Apr 15, 2026•8 min•Season 6Ep. 7
A board game may look simple. A set of pieces. A set of rules. A way to win. But every game is a system. It teaches us what to value, how to compete, and what success looks like. In this episode of What Does It Profit? , we follow the unexpected journey of Elizabeth Hargrave, a health policy consultant turned award-winning game designer, whose hit board game Wingspan reshaped an entire industry. What began as a simple idea, a game about birds, became one of the most successful and celebrated boa...
Apr 01, 2026•9 min•Season 6Ep. 5
In Season 6 of What Does It Profit?, Dr. Dawn Carpenter explores dignity at work by stepping inside industries where women are still underestimated and often unwelcome. In this episode, we meet Aine O'Dwyer, a civil engineer and the CEO of Enovate Engineering. Raised on a dairy farm in Ireland, Aine learned early the value of discipline, perseverance, and hard work. Those lessons carried her across the Atlantic to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where she pursued civil engineering while ...
Mar 18, 2026•7 min•Season 6Ep. 5
In Season 6 of What Does It Profit? , Dr. Dawn Carpenter goes inside industries where women are still underestimated and often unwelcome to explore how they are reshaping the meaning and structure of work. In this episode, we meet Judaline Cassidy, a master plumber, union leader, and founder of Tools & Tiaras, a nonprofit that introduces girls to welding, carpentry, plumbing, and the power of the skilled trades. Judaline was one of the only women in her plumbing program in Trinidad. She late...
Mar 04, 2026•10 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Less than 10% of truck drivers are women. The open road has long been seen as a man's world. But that is changing. In 2012, Jess Graham left an abusive relationship and enrolled in CDL training within days. Weeks later, she was licensed and on the road with her ten-year-old daughter, living together in the cab of a truck. For Jess, trucking was not just a job. It was a path to stability, speed, and self-determination. Every mile out there is different from your last mile. That's a new opportunit...
Feb 18, 2026•8 min•Season 6Ep. 3
What happens when women enter one of the most dangerous, male-dominated professions... and change it from the inside? In this episode of What Does It Profit , Dr. Dawn Carpenter goes from D.C. firehouses to wildfire lines to meet the women fighting fire with fire. At Camp Spark in Washington, D.C. , Lieutenant Roshawnda Drake is building a pipeline for the next generation of women firefighters. Out West, Lou Bean, Heidi Leib, and Ashley Nalley are reshaping wildfire response and prescribed burni...
Feb 04, 2026•18 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Women have always worked. But when women entered the U.S. labor force in large numbers during the 1970s, equal pay did not follow. In this episode of What Does It Profit? , Dr. Dawn Carpenter explores the history of women's labor rights—from the rise of the Nine to Five movement to the equal pay fight led by Lilly Ledbetter. Through organizing, unions, and the law, women challenged workplaces that relied on their labor while undervaluing their work. Featuring labor historian Lane Windham and the...
Jan 21, 2026•13 min•Season 6Ep. 1
This season on What Does It Profit , host Dr. Dawn Carpenter steps into the worlds where women are least expected—and often least welcomed. From firehouses to funeral homes, construction sites to game design studios, meet the women breaking barriers and reshaping the meaning of work itself. Their stories reveal courage, solidarity, and the power to build a more inclusive future of work. Subscribe now to hear how these women are redefining what's possible—and what's profitable—for us all. Connect...
Oct 15, 2025•2 min
In this episode, we delve into the challenges faced by airline pilots and flight attendants, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a national pilot shortage and increased workloads, safety is at risk as pilots and cabin crew work longer hours without adequate rest. Former airline captain Mike Simkins shares his experiences with fatigue and the pressures of the industry, highlighting the misconception that safety is the top priority for airlines. Flight attendant Sybil Bryant discusses ...
Dec 18, 2024•11 min
In this episode, we delve into the harrowing experiences of Amazon warehouse worker Wendy Taylor, who suffered a serious injury while under immense pressure to meet unrealistic productivity quotas. Despite her injuries, Taylor was denied proper medical care and forced to return to work, highlighting the grueling conditions faced by Amazon employees. The episode also discusses the Warehouse Protection Act , aimed at improving workplace safety and workers' rights. As workers advocate for dignity a...
Nov 29, 2024•10 min
This episode explores the resurgence of black lung disease among coal miners, particularly due to toxic silica dust exposure. We revisit the Season 3 story of Joe and Elizabeth Opyoke, highlighting the dangers miners face. Cecil Roberts, President of the United Mine Workers of America, discusses the preventability of black lung disease and the need for stricter regulations on silica dust. Recent federal regulations aim to limit silica exposure, but enforcement remains a challenge. The episode em...
Nov 15, 2024•17 min•Season 5Ep. 3
This episode we take listeners back to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. This was one of the deadliest industrial tragedies in U.S. history, claiming 147 lives due to locked exit doors and inadequate safety measures. This tragedy sparked significant reforms, including the establishment of OSHA and mandatory safety regulations. Historian Hasia Diner shares that the fire changed public perception about workers' rights, leading to increased support for unions. Journalist Kim Kelly empha...
Nov 01, 2024•13 min•Season 5Ep. 2
In the Season 5 premiere of What Does It Profit , we explore the pressing issue of worker safety at Dollar General. Our journey begins with a bus trip to Nashville, where employees from nine states rally for fair pay and improved safety conditions. The episode highlights alarming safety violations, including blocked fire exits and inadequate staffing, which have led to numerous injuries and fatalities. We hear from workers and experts advocating for change, emphasizing the need for accountabilit...
Oct 18, 2024•13 min•Season 5Ep. 1
To our long-time listeners... welcome back. To those who have just found us, we are the podcast that examines the social and moral value of business. In the 5th season of What Does It Profit , we grapple with what it means to feel safe at work. We talk to historians and workforce safety experts, but most importantly we talk to workers themselves. From the surviving family members of those who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in NYC to the brave Thomas Cook Airlines pilot who refused ...
Sep 02, 2024•4 min
In the final episode of the fourth season of the What Does It Profit? Podcast, Dr. Dawn explores the impacts of artificial intelligence on religion . Dr. Dawn speaks to Josh Franklin, a rabbi at the Jewish Center of the Hamptons in New York, who used the chatbot ChatGPT to help write one of his sermons. Rabbi Franklin tells us his thoughts on how he hopes AI can be used as a tool for people to become more spiritual. We also hear from Mark Graves, a researcher and director with the organization A...
Dec 27, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 6
On this episode of the What Does It Profit? podcast, hitch a ride along with Dr. Dawn as she explores the potential impacts of artificial intelligence on public transportation in the U.S. In this episode, we hear first from Bill Domanico, a retired New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) driver, who talks about the ways technology changed during his career. We then turn to Barry Wilson and Anthony Garland with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, which represents DC's Washington...
Dec 06, 2023•11 min•Season 4Ep. 5
This Thanksgiving week on the What Does It Profit? podcast we're taking a break from this season's AI theme to extend some thank you-s. Listen in for a re-air of our award-winning Season 3 episode, "Brewing Change: Labor Organizing at Starbucks." Loyal listeners know that in this episode we left off with the story of the triumph of unionizing efforts in Buffalo, New York, which is where Starbucks Workers United got started. We also left off anticipating the annual shareholder meeting where conce...
Nov 22, 2023•23 min
In this unexpected mini-episode, Dr. Dawn pivots from our regular programming to reflect on President Biden's sweeping executive order on AI. The executive order, passed on October 30, 2023, is the Biden Administration's attempt to reconcile tech companies' demand for profit and unchecked innovation while ensuring the public trust of Americans given the rapid rise of AI in just the past year. To better understand the executive order, Dr. Dawn speaks to Ben Winters, the Electronic Privacy Informa...
Nov 08, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 4
In this episode, Dr. Dawn examines the newest addition to the construction industry's toolbox: AI technology. In this episode, we learn that AI is like a double-edged sword: While AI technology certainly threatens jobs in the construction industry, it's also ushering in a new era of efficiency and safety. We begin this episode in conversation with Bella McCann, the president of the woman-owned and Washington, D.C.-based construction company, Cann Construction . McCann takes us to a renovation si...
Oct 25, 2023•11 min•Season 4Ep. 3
In this episode, Dr. Dawn heads straight into the scene of the action, Paramount Studios in Hollywood, where writers and actors are fighting an existential battle that stems in large part from AI. We look beyond the glitzy Hollywood sets to learn more about how AI threatens the livelihoods of creatives in an industry where most struggle to even make ends meet. We set the stage for what feels like a David and Goliath story as we spotlight the battles writers and actors have been fighting against ...
Oct 11, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Welcome to Season 4. In this kick-off episode, we travel with Dr. Dawn to the hometown of tech, San Francisco. We start the season this way because we feel that it's important to start in the real world before we venture into the virtual one. Dr. Dawn shares her observations of fear, hope, and heart. Special thanks in this episode to the Faithful Fools , the quirky souls in the Tenderloin who remind us all to keep it real. WDIP is powered by the Solidarity Economy Workshop at Georgetown Universi...
Sep 27, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Welcome to Season 4 of What Does It Profit. In this season, we're bringing you six stories about the hottest topic on the planet-- artificial intelligence (AI). Wanting to see firsthand what all the hype is about, Dr. Dawn packs up the WDIP production team and heads to Silicon Valley. In Season 4, we connect the dots between AI and the social and moral value of economic life. We dive into the impacts of AI in the entertainment industry, corporate management, public transportation, engineering, f...
Sep 06, 2023•4 min
We've reached WDIP Summer School 2023. Our final lesson might seem a bit technical, but attention to this detail can make all the difference to the success of a social purpose enterprise. In class today, we learn that how a business is incorporated has a real impact on how a business venture can manage a social mission. Benefit Corporations provide entrepreneurs with a tool to change the culture of business investment and operations. We urge you to rewind to Season 3, Episode 4 (April 13): Solla...
Aug 17, 2023•7 min
Welcome to WDIP Summer School. It's not summer school for those who have failed. It's summer school for those who want to catch up, and for those who want to get ahead. Every two weeks throughout the summer, we'll look back on lessons learned from Season 3 which was all about making change… right where you are. In class today, we explain the circular economy– a vision for a more sustainable, stable, and resilient economic system. As it gains steam in cities and towns across America, we will expl...
Aug 02, 2023•5 min
Welcome to WDIP Summer School. It's not summer school for those who have failed. It's summer school for those who want to catch up, and for those who want to get ahead. Every two weeks throughout the summer, we'll look back on lessons learned from Season 3 which was all about making change… right where you are. In class today, we explain modern child labor. We are not talking about cutting the lawn or doing the dishes, or even the retail or food service work we associate with first-time jobs. We...
Jul 21, 2023•5 min
Welcome to WDIP Summer School. It's not summer school for those who have failed. It's summer school for those who want to catch up, and for those who want to get ahead. Every two weeks throughout the summer, we'll look back on lessons learned from Season 3 which was all about making change right where you are. In class today, we explain "Greenwashing" and "Social Washing"– two ethically similar ideas that are important to understand for anyone who believes that there is a social and moral value ...
Jul 05, 2023•5 min
Welcome to WDIP Summer School. It's not summer school for those who have failed. It's summer school for those who want to catch up, and for those who want to get ahead. Every two weeks throughout the summer, we'll look back on lessons learned from Season 3 which was all about making change right where you are. In class today, we explain the ESOP– the employee stock ownership plan and how it is an important tool for creating community wealth. We urge you to rewind to Season 3, Episode 1: Recovery...
Jun 21, 2023•5 min
In this episode, Dr. Dawn wraps up Season 3 by sliding into home plate. She takes us on a journey inside professional baseball. We hear the incredible story of how an inspiring group of athletes, allied with social justice advocates, finally took a stand to demand that the work of minor league baseball players was worth a living wage. Remarkably, and without much fanfare outside the world of baseball, a collective bargaining agreement was reached between the minor leaguers and Major League Baseb...
May 10, 2023•19 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In this episode, Dr. Dawn takes us on a trip to find her roots in rural North Carolina. She is the granddaughter of an orphan who worked in the NC textile mills in the 1940s. Without much to go on, Dr. Dawn leans on insights from James Benton, author of Fraying Fabric , and Jimmy Warlick, historian and documentarian of the Workers' Legacy Project to fill in the gaps. Dr. Dawn gives us the context of the industrial past only to introduce us to the inspiring efforts of a new generation of North Ca...
Apr 26, 2023•17 min•Season 3Ep. 5
