Thanks for checking out the Awarepreneurs podcast! My name is Paul Zelizer and I am passionate - you could say obsessed - about the intersection of 3 things: a) conscious business, b) social impact and c) awareness practices. I believe these 3 movements are some of the most dynamic movements on our planet at this time. Around the world. people are discovering how to lead with compassion and create businesses that truly are a force for good. Each week, I do a deep dive interview with a thought leader in this intersection. Someone who has an enterprise that is market tested and already transforming many lives. I ask the gritty and sometimes challenging questions - like how they earn their money, how many people they help and what some of their biggest failures are. My goal for this show is to help you grow your businesses, enhance your well being and increase your social impact.
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60 recent
June 9, 202646 min
397 | Solar for Women with Riley Neugebauer
Bio: Riley Neugebauer is a licensed residential electrician and solar tradeswoman based in Colorado. She works as a technical trainer with Unirac, a solar racking manufacturer, and founded a non-profit, Solar for Women, to help create community, training opportunities, and advocacy for solar tradeswomen across the U.S. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Solar for Women group Paul's Strategy Sessions Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
May 26, 202648 min
396 | From Lean Startup to Incorruptible Social Enterprises with Eric Ries
Over the last two decades, Eric Ries's ideas about continuous innovation, long-term thinking, governance, and market reform have reshaped company building and management practices. He is the creator of the Lean Startup method, and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup; The Leader's Guide; and The Startup Way. As a founder, he has put his own ideas into practice with The Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE); Answer.AI, an AI R&D lab; the Lean Startup Co, which teaches and supports the implementation of Lean Startup; Virgil, a legal services startup; and IMVU, where the ideas that became the Lean Startup method were forged. On his podcast, The Eric Ries Show, he talks to guests including world-class technologists, thought leaders, and executives working to build profitable companies for the long-term benefit of society. Eric has served as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Harvard Business School and IDEO. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and three children. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Incorruptable site Miyoko Awarepreneurs interview The Lean Startup site Long Term Stock Exchange site Paul's Strategy Sessions Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
April 14, 202620 min
395 | My Strategic Pause to Protect Quality with Paul Zelizer
Bio: Paul Zelizer is the host of Awarepreneurs, the world's longest running social entrepreneur podcast, and a coach and consultant who works with clean energy companies and climatetech startups. My latest role is Fractional VP of Business Development for Pii Energy, a plug-in solar startup. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Pii Energy site TechFest 2026 site Paul on LinkedIn Facilitating Change Podcast Utah Tech Week site Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
March 31, 202649 min
394 | Creating Effective Impact Networks in Chaotic Times with Cole Hoover
Bio: Cole Hoover has spent 17 years designing the spaces where social impact leaders learn together. He's built fellowships, cohort programs, and learning communities serving over 1,500 changemakers globally—from social entrepreneurs in Ghana to corporate partners navigating sustainability transitions. His work focuses on community infrastructure: the peer networks, shared analysis, and coordination capacity that determine whether movements survive and scale. He is the founder of Ponto Social Impact Consulting. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Skoll Foundation site The Soil of Leadership book Cole on LinkedIn Facilitating Change Podcast Ponto Consulting site Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
March 10, 202647 min
393 | Economic Development - Leading Through Uncertain Times with Elyse Cherry
Bio: Elyse Cherry has served as the CEO of BlueHub Capital since 1997. Under Cherry's leadership, BlueHub has invested over $3.2 billion, leveraged an additional $16.1 billion, and built a national tax credit practice to: finance affordable housing, health centers, schools and other community facilities; create jobs; benchmark and drive down energy and utility costs. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Blue Hub Capital site Elyse on LinkedIn Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
March 3, 202654 min
392 | A New Business Model Rooted in Regeneration with Matthew Britt
Bio: Matthew Britt is driven by a lifelong passion for innovation and connection. He brings more than two decades of entrepreneurial experience to his work redefining how individuals and communities live. As Chief Execution Officer of The Food Biome and a leader in strategy and partnerships, Matthew helps homeowners, companies, builders, and communities integrate smart, regenerative systems for food and water. His work celebrates the global shift toward resilient, abundant living by showcasing world-class innovation in sustainability through education, technology, and hands-on demonstration. A former national champion hockey player turned entrepreneur, Matthew has built and scaled multiple mission-driven ventures. He is a part owner of Food Forest Abundance, a global movement designing and installing permaculture-based food systems that decentralize food and medicine production. He is also a founding partner of U2Treat, a blockchain company focused on aligning human energy with nature's regenerative power. Matthew is deeply committed to helping people reconnect with nature and reclaim self-reliance. By blending advanced technology with timeless natural principles, he works to create systems that generate true abundance. He is also the co-host of Seeds of Abundance, a show spotlighting visionary leaders and entrepreneurs who provide real-world solutions to the world's greatest challenges. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Commonstead site Matthew on LinkedIn Seeds of Abundance podcast Matthew's email Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
February 17, 202613 min
391 | Raising Smarter: How Cleantech Startups are Adapting with Paul Zelizer
Bio: Paul Zelizer has been a business coach and consultant for social entrepreneurs and cleantech companies for the past 18 years, the host of the Awarepreneurs podcast and co-founder of NM Tech Talks and NMClimate. A growing portion of his work is as a fractional VP of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships for cleantech startups and mission driven companies. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
February 10, 202650 min
390 | How to 100X Your Social Impact with Kurt Avery
Bio: Kurt Avery is the founder and president of Sawyer Products, a company at the forefront of innovation in outdoor protection and humanitarian aid. With a background in marketing for Fortune 500 companies and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, Kurt launched Sawyer with a mission to develop practical, life-saving solutions—most notably in water filtration and insect repellents. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a global force, serving both outdoor enthusiasts and vulnerable communities around the world. Through partnerships with over 140 nonprofits in more than 80 countries, Sawyer has helped provide clean water to millions, significantly reducing waterborne diseases and improving health outcomes in underserved areas. Kurt's approach to business is deeply rooted in purpose, faith, and impact—a philosophy he shares in his book, Sawyer Think: How a Small Company Disrupts Markets and Changes the World. Kurt and his company have been featured in major outlets, including New York Times, Yahoo Finance, and Newsbreak. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Sawyer Products site Sawyer Think book Sawyer Impact Stories Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
January 27, 202649 min
389 | Vetting Investors as Much as They Vet You with Lauren Howard
Bio: Lauren "L2" Howard is a telehealth program operator, mental health advocate, and women's champion who believes, above all, that isolation lies—it's not just you, and help is available. She is the CEO of LBee Health, a virtual mental health treatment program that supports people recovering from burnout, toxic work environments, and trauma, while also providing full-spectrum mental health care with an emphasis on accessibility and lower-cost options. Lauren is also the CEO of ElleTwo, a digital platform and community boldly calling BS on outdated ideas of "professionalism" for women and inviting them to join #teamdifficult as they redefine what leadership and success can look like. Across her companies and consulting work, L2 uses technology, storytelling, and care to build spaces where people can heal, tell the truth about what they're going through, and do work that feels more human and sustainable. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: LBee Health site Lauren on LinkedIn Different Not Broken podcast Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
January 13, 202649 min
388 | Navigating the Cost of Living Crisis with Fuzzy Jardine
Bio: Kolaiah "Fuzzy" Jardine, co-founder of HUI Mastermind, empowers Native Hawaiians and locals to build generational wealth through real estate in their homeland, the Pono Way. A former drug addict and dealer who spent time in federal prison, Fuzzy built a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio, including 100+ affordable homes and a $6 million rental portfolio. He uniquely teaches investing using Other People's Money and Time (OPM/OPT), making complex strategies accessible. Fuzzy's journey began from growing up with nothing, leading to addiction, drug dealing, and federal prison. His pivotal turning point came during incarceration, igniting his pursuit of real estate investing as a path to freedom and legacy. Through his unique experiences, Fuzzy developed the step-by-step HUI Framework to help aspiring investors ethically succeed in Hawaii's challenging market, proving that anyone can change their financial destiny. This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Fuzzy's site HUI Mastermind site Fuzzy on Instagram Paul's services Pitch an Awarepreneurs episode
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