NEXUS & The Poetry of Impact Podcast
Poetry of Impact is an invitation to impact-inspired investors, founders, authors and artists to figuratively strip off the suit and tie and change into our jeans…to together explore eternal topics often considered irrelevant or off-limits in “money” conversations: essence, loss, love, nature, and embodiment, just to name a few.
In this series, NEXUS members on the front lines of business, impact investing and philanthropy will discuss the ups and downs of their endeavors, what they’ve learned along the way and how they are continuing to push forward impactful solutions to some of our world’s biggest challenges.
Tune in to The Poetry of Impact Podcast to hear what ’s currently occupying the hearts and minds leading NEXUS members from around the world!
Available on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, and more!
Episode 18
Eliot Kotek and Jared Ruga are award-winning filmmakers who believe that media has the power to shift our perspective and behaviors in positive ways. Eliot is the Founder and CEO of The Nation of Artists, a production company and creative partner with social impact at its core, and Jared is the Founder and CEO of the socially conscious, ethos-driven media production house, Vavani Productions. They both know first-hand that filmmaking can be a powerful culture-building tool that amplifies voices and leverages storytelling for a cause. In this episode, we discuss the evolving role of media, from the digital renaissance of streaming to the disruptive influence of AI on content creation and consumption. We delve into the interplay between commercialism and philosophy in media and how content can change forms without losing its depth or impact. For content creators navigating the complexities of media consumption, this inspiring conversation offers practical insights and thought-provoking questions to ask yourself about the purpose and ethical dimensions of media, so be sure to tune in today!
Episode 17
Cameron Williams and Zack Richner join us to share their insights on the reasons behind the disappearance of local newspapers in the United States and the consequences communities face. But it’s not all doom and gloom! This conversation is filled with innovative solutions. While Cameron and Zack both grew up in the newspaper business, they’re still bringing fresh perspectives to the industry. Cameron Williams is the Chief Revenue Officer at The Ogden Newspapers and the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Nutting Company. Also joining us is Zack Richner, the Founder and Managing Partner of Arrandale Ventures. If you care about the quality of journalism, you’ll really enjoy this episode! Thanks for tuning in.
Episode 16
Tillie Walton is an award-winning conservationist, hydrologist, river guide, and speaker. As the host of Wild Rivers with Tillie on PBS, she uses her knowledge and passion to help people connect more deeply to self, others, and nature. Join us today as Tillie tells us about the immersive nature experience in high school that ignited her deep and abiding love for rivers and what she learned from coming into contact with the margins of life through her immersion in backcountry living. She shares how these experiences inspired her to study waterways from both a scientific and an experiential perspective before giving her insights on the unique annual river trips she hosts for influential leaders. Tune in to learn about the profound shifts that occur when folks embrace the discomfort of the backcountry and give themselves over to river time.
Episode 15
Josh Bernstein and Brett Howell are two founders with a passion for nature, problem-solving, and wild spaces. Josh is an explorer, educator, and storyteller, and the chair and founder of First Light Group, a collection of for-profit and nonprofit entities that elevate programming and content. Brett is the founder and executive director of Howell Conservation Fund, a company driving breakthrough solutions at the intersection of business, nonprofit work, and philanthropy. In today’s conversation, we learn about the journeys that led these two out-of-the-box thinkers to their shared belief in combating the world’s most pressing issues from a place of engagement, innovation, and solutions rather than a fear-based focus on problems. We delve into the profound impact of getting outside and spending time in the wild before learning how these two avid world travelers stay centered amidst the chaos of perpetual motion, and what they do to cultivate a curiosity-driven approach to collaboration across cultures. They also provide insight on how they managed to transcend traditional categories in their front-country work to create hybrid platforms that utilize diverse models of problem-solving, reflecting their deeply held beliefs on collaboration, innovation, and openness.
Episode 14
This episode features Tom and Alden Stoner, a collaborative father & daughter team who together lead Nature Sacred, an organization that builds urban sanctuaries that reduce stress, improve health, and strengthen communities. Tom is the Co-Founder and Alden is the CEO of Nature Sacred. In this episode, Tom & Alden tell the story of Nature Sacred’s evolution over the last few decades and how they anchor their success in ‘joy.’ It’s obvious in this conversation that their shared passion for elevating the human spirit enriches their relationship as father and daughter as well as the many, many others whom their work has touched.
Episode 13
In this episode, Karine Sarkissian talks about exploring her identity and finding her voice through art and tells us about the endless possibilities that can arise when design and art are integrated with impact. As founding partner at Tamar Capital, a single-family office based between the Middle East, The UK, and the US, she also shares how she and her brothers are transforming the family legacy through the family office and how she works to maintain balance in the everyday.
Episode 12
In this episode, Teal & Hari come together to discuss the magnitude of the problems of climate change and what’s causing the lags in addressing these problems. They illuminate their stories of how they individually arrived at nature as their focus. Teal, a partner at Galvanize Partners LLC and executive director of Lab to Land & Hari, managing partner at EcoAdvisors and co-founder of EcoInvestors Capital, discuss what stops capital from effectively addressing climate issues while providing a new perspective on how we might move forward.
Episode 11
In this episode, Jenna talks about the importance of integrating individuals’ stories and the broader socio-cultural context with data to ground our understanding of historical and present injustices. Jenna hopes to bring more people and organizations face-to-face with the realities of social and race injustices and to have their own visceral experiences that could then inform our current narrative.
Episode 10
In this episode, Bec & Adam Milgrom, Co-Founders of Tripple Ventures, talk all about sibling dynamics in the workspace and how their shared goals in impact amplify their familial relationships. Adam & Bec tell us about the immense feelings of responsibility, urgency, uncomfortableness and simultaneous joy in their roles of guiding capital. By deploying all the tools in their boxes, Adam & Bec take very practical yet immediate action to solve the most urgent issues we face today.
Episode 9
In this episode, Aaron Lee-Zucker, Founder & CEO of collab.health, and Andrea Lee-Zucker, coach, artist, activist, and impact investor, share about their dedication to self-work and helping others access their own regenerative energy. Between their many shared projects and individual endeavors, Aaron & Andrea illustrate their own capacity to drop into the invisible world to manifest a balanced, optimal life experience and invite us to do the same!
Episode 8
In this episode, James Sternlicht, CEO & Founder of The Peace Department, shares what it’s like to grow up with privilege and how he uses his circumstances to bring about positive change for others and the planet. James has a unique way of looking at the world as he integrates his interests with impact and seeks larger-scale, more permanent solutions as opposed to the fragmentation he sees in the market.
Episode 7
Reetu & Suraj Gupta, brother and sister duo, run the Easton’s Group of Hotels, Canada’s largest private hotel development firm and an early stage venture fund: Rogue Insight. In this episode, the two share stories of growing up Indian in Canada with their successful entrepreneurial parents. Reetu & Suraj both share a wild, palpable spirit for entrepreneurship that’s contagious!
Episode 6
In this episode, Oliver Libby, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of H/L Ventures, takes us on a tour of his optimistically skeptical mind, stringing together his family’s history in medicine and science, tales of late antiquity and modern-day stories of human connection. Not only does Oliver have a brilliant way of looking at the world, he is greatly skilled in applying the appropriate tools to bring real change to individuals and communities. Oliver brings openness, authenticity and, most of all, heart into his life and work.
Episode 5
In this episode, Jill Soffer, Co-Founder of Banking for Climate, offers up deep reflections on how her upbringing amidst a unique family structure, the loss of her mother in her teenage years and her experiences in nature have informed her path over the years, leading to the co-creation of Banking for Climate. She further outlines what needs to happen in these conversations around banking, fossil fuels, and climate so we can amplify the movement to critical mass. Jill shows up with a fierce femininity committed to caring for Earth and all its inhabitants.
Episode 4
In this episode, Will Weisman, Founder of KittyHawk Ventures, talks about his hunger for success early in his career and how this hunger has transformed through self-work over the last decade. He shares his journey to find contentment, neutrality and a sense of enoughness while still remaining highly engaged and excited about his work in venture capital.
Episode 3
In this episode, Milo Runkle, Founder of Mercy for Animals, takes listeners on a journey through the many pivotal moments that have shaped his present thinking. From finding his voice in animal activism and the passing of his mother to transformation through plant medicine and stepping down from the board of Mercy for Animals, Milo offers deep insights around spiritual healing, identity, and connection that naturally energizes and excites the heart.
Episode 2
In this episode Winston Ibrahim shares his perspectives on how innovations in health and wellness have the power to positively impact human potential. Winston talks about his relationship with water and single-use plastics and opens up about his deep desire to pursue his own passions amidst familial pressure.
Episode 1
The Poetry of Impact Podcast hosted by member Gino Borges kicked off its NEXUS member series with Marcus Whitney. In this episode, Marcus talks about the many phases of his life as a father, a Black entrepreneur, and a creative who wants to support solutions-oriented people.
