Disruptors for GOOD | Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises

Hosted by Causeartist

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338

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Aug 2026

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Disruptors for GOOD is a podcast that showcases global social entrepreneurship and social enterprises committed to ethical fashion, impact investing, climate mitigation, sustainable travel, and businesses generating positive global impact. Through in-depth interviews, Grant Trahant, the founder of Causeartist, engages with innovative and impactful startups and brands worldwide.

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August 4, 2026Episode 24332 min

How Business and Consumerism Can Create Meaningful Impact with David Gaines - Author & Owner of La Terza Coffee

In this episode of Disruptors for Good , I speak with entrepreneur, author, and La Terza Coffee owner David Gaines about ethical supply chains, direct trade coffee, conscious consumerism , and the responsibility businesses have to the people they affect. David shares how his career evolved from operating a small business alongside nonprofit work to acquiring La Terza Coffee and building a business where commercial growth and social impact reinforce one another. The conversation explores the realities of the global coffee industry, including exploitative labor practices, generational poverty, and the role direct trade relationships can play in creating a more equitable system. David also discusses the ideas behind his books , Radical Business and Why We Buy, Why It Matters , and offers a practical framework for treating employees, suppliers, customers, competitors, communities, and the environment with dignity. In This Episode David and Grant discuss: David’s early career working simultaneously in business and the nonprofit sector Why he acquired La Terza Coffee How social impact became embedded in La Terza’s business model The labor and economic challenges within the global coffee supply chain What direct trade means and how it differs from traditional commodity sourcing La Terza’s long term relationship with coffee producer Katia Duke in Honduras How improving coffee quality can increase income for producers Why Katia used increased revenue to build a school in her community The limitations of certifications such as fair trade and organic labels Why direct relationships can sometimes provide more transparency than certification How businesses can measure their impact across multiple stakeholder groups Why profitability is necessary for a sustainable social enterprise The role of healthy competition in improving an entire industry How consumers can use everyday purchases to support better business practices The difference between healthy consumption and overconsumption Why David believes consumerism reflects humanity’s interconnectedness How anger can reveal the problems people are called to address David’s vision for strengthening coffee shops and other community gathering spaces About David Gaines David Gaines is an entrepreneur, author, and the owner of La Terza Coffee. Before joining La Terza, David spent approximately 15 years operating a small business while also working within the nonprofit sector. He initially created the business to provide financial independence while pursuing mission driven work, but eventually realized that dividing his time between two organizations limited both his income and his potential impact. David later acquired La Terza Coffee from a college friend who had founded the company in the early 2000s. The opportunity allowed David to combine his interest in business strategy with a company that already had social responsibility embedded in its sourcing model. His work with La Terza led him deeper into conscious capitalism and social enterprise. He became involved with the Social Enterprise Alliance, serving as a local chapter leader and later as a national chairperson. Through his books and business leadership, David explores how companies and consumers can create meaningful change by recognizing the humanity of every person involved in an economic transaction. ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

July 16, 2026Episode 24233 min

Meet Harbor Fund: Bringing Philanthropic Capital Into Hollywood

In this episode of Disruptors for Good , Grant Trahant speaks with Lindsay Hadley , founder and CEO of Harbor Fund , about building a new financing model for films designed to influence culture and create social impact. Harbor Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses philanthropic donations to invest in socially meaningful films. Rather than funding a single project through a traditional grant, Harbor Fund takes an equity position in selected productions. When a film generates a financial return, that capital flows back into the fund and can be invested in future projects. The result is an evergreen model that combines philanthropy, impact investing, and independent film financing. Lindsay shares how her 20-year career in nonprofit fundraising led her into filmmaking, why scripted narratives can sometimes create more cultural influence than documentaries, and what Harbor Fund looks for when evaluating hundreds of film submissions. She also discusses the difficult state of the entertainment industry, the importance of established talent and strong intellectual property, and why commercial viability is a critical part of Harbor Fund’s impact thesis. ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

June 23, 202639 min

Andrew Sweet, VP of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation + New Show Announcement: Intelligence for GOOD

This is the first episode of our new show Intelligence for GOOD. Subscribe here on Apple Podcasts and Spotify . In the inaugural episode of Intelligence for GOOD, I sit down with Andrew Sweet, Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation , to explore how AI is already being used to solve real-world challenges in agriculture, education, healthcare, workforce development, and public services. Andrew brings a unique perspective to the conversation. From serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo and a presidential appointee at USAID, to leading global COVID-19 initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation, his career has focused on tackling complex challenges at scale. The discussion also explores Rockefeller's remarkable connection to the origins of artificial intelligence. In 1955, the Foundation funded the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, the gathering where the term "artificial intelligence" was first coined and the modern AI field was born. Today, nearly seventy years later, Rockefeller is helping shape how AI can be deployed for public benefit around the world. In This Episode The untold history of The Rockefeller Foundation's role in the birth of artificial intelligence How AI is helping millions of smallholder farmers improve crop yields and livelihoods Why developing countries often have a more optimistic view of AI than the United States The growing importance of AI sovereignty and locally owned AI infrastructure How AI can expand access to public benefits and government services Why AI literacy should become a core part of education The rise of solo entrepreneurs building businesses with AI tools How states like Maryland and West Virginia are preparing citizens for an AI-driven economy The role philanthropy can play in ensuring AI benefits everyone, not just a small group of technology companies Why Andrew believes AI can help reduce inequality rather than increase it Key Takeaways AI is already creating measurable social impact. From Digital Green's Farmer.Chat platform reaching millions of farmers across multiple countries to new AI-powered health and education tools, practical applications are delivering results today. The biggest opportunity may be where talent is scarce. Rather than replacing workers, AI can fill critical gaps in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education where there simply are not enough professionals available to meet demand. AI literacy is becoming essential. Just as previous generations needed proficiency in Microsoft Office and internet tools, future workers will need a working understanding of AI systems and how to collaborate with them effectively. Public services are ripe for transformation. AI has the potential to make government services more accessible, responsive, and human-centered by reducing complexity and improving citizen experiences. Optimism matters. While risks deserve serious attention, Andrew argues that society needs more conversations about the opportunities AI creates, especially for entrepreneurship, workforce development, and global problem solving. About Andrew Sweet Andrew Sweet is Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation, where he leads AI partnerships and strategy initiatives. Before joining Rockefeller, Andrew served as a presidential appointee at USAID, worked with Dalberg Advisors in Africa and the United States, and began his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo, West Africa. His work today focuses on helping governments, nonprofits, and communities leverage emerging technologies to improve lives and create economic opportunity. ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

June 15, 20266 min

Causeartist Weekly Brief - From Rare Earths to Clean Water: The Startups Building the Next Impact Economy

In This Episode • Climate tech investment reaches $40.5 billion in 2025 • Why investors remain bullish on clean energy, grid modernization, and industrial decarbonization • How Nimble is reducing electronic waste through circular consumer products • Phoenix Tailings' mission to build a cleaner domestic rare earth supply chain • Clear Robotics and the future of autonomous electric vessels for waterway management • The role of the Bezos Earth Fund in advancing climate and conservation efforts • How the UNICEF Venture Fund supports frontier technology startups in emerging markets • Finance Earth's approach to unlocking private capital for environmental solutions • Recent funding rounds from Clear Robotics, Campground, and Cocoon Carbon • New research showing AI is creating more technology jobs than it is eliminating across Europe Featured Organizations Companies: • Nimble • Phoenix Tailings • Clear Robotics Funders: • Bezos Earth Fund • UNICEF Venture Fund • Finance Earth Recent Funding Covered • Clear Robotics, $1.75M • Campground, $2.2M • Cocoon Carbon, $15M ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

June 9, 20268 min

New Report: AI Is Creating More Tech Jobs in Europe Than It's Eliminating

A new Linux Foundation report shows AI is driving a net hiring effect of +27% across European tech organizations in 2026. The real barrier to AI value isn't the technology itself, t's the foundational readiness to deploy it safely. Key takeaways European organizations expect a +27% net hiring effect from AI in 2026, with smaller organizations trending most positive. Security concerns (51%) and skills gaps (44%) are the top barriers to realizing AI value -- not the technology itself. Organizations are 3.7x more likely to upskill existing staff than hire externally for AI and strategic tech roles. Open source is the leading strategy for AI implementation among European organizations, cited by 54% of respondents. The dominant narrative around AI and employment has been one of displacement. But a new report from the Linux Foundation and LF Research tells a more complicated story: in Europe, artificial intelligence is a net job creator, at least for now. The 2026 State of Tech Talent Europe report , surveyed European organizations across multiple sectors and found an aggregated net hiring effect of +27% expected in 2026, dropping to +17% in 2027. It's a solid signal that AI adoption is opening roles faster than it's closing them, at least at the organizational level. ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

May 28, 2026Episode 24123 min

How Nest Is Building the Business Infrastructure the Global Artisan Economy Never Had

Rebecca Van Bergen, founder of Nest , joins Causeartist to discuss 20 years of building business and financial infrastructure for artisan and maker economies across 123 countries. The conversation covers how Nest supports micro and small creative businesses, the structure of their accelerator programs, the Makers Future Fund in partnership with Etsy and Pinterest, and why the handmade economy may be more durable than most people assume. Guest Rebecca Van Bergen is the founder of Nest, a nonprofit organization that provides business development support, financing, and market access to artisan and maker businesses globally. Nest operates in 123 countries and supports over 4,000 micro and small businesses through its Artisan Guild, e-learning platform, and cohort-based accelerator programs. Topics Covered The founding of Nest in 2005 and its connection to the early microfinance movement Why loans alone are insufficient without business education and market access The scale and data challenges of the global handcraft economy How the Artisan Guild works and who it serves The structure of Nest's business accelerators, including the sustainability-focused cohort and the UNHCR refugee artisan program Why grants paired with education outperform education alone The Makers Future Fund: capital and financial literacy for US maker businesses How Etsy and Pinterest contribute as funders and recruitment networks The ripple effects of artisan income on women, families, and communities Lessons from 20 years of running a nonprofit social enterprise The intrapreneurship opportunity inside large companies Why AI and automation may accelerate demand for handmade goods Key Insights Financing is consistently the top need reported by guild members across every geography. The Makers Future Fund was built specifically to address that gap for US-based maker businesses who have no viable path to formal credit. Nest pairs every accelerator with a small business grant. Business advice without capital to act on it has limited value. The grant closes that gap. The artisan economy is extremely difficult to quantify because most transactions occur in the informal economy. That data gap has historically caused the sector to be dismissed as niche and non-scalable. Nest's network of 4,000 businesses is part of how the organization builds a more accurate macro picture. Rebecca's framework for social entrepreneurs: stop looking at the 20-year horizon. Look at your feet, do three concrete things today, and repeat. Twenty years of that compounds into real distance. As AI proliferates, Rebecca sees a counter-movement building. People increasingly want objects made by human hands. She expects the market to develop two coexisting extremes: robotically produced goods and deeply human handcraft. Both will persist. Organizations and Programs Mentioned Nest Artisan Guild Nest Connect (e-learning platform) Makers Future Fund Makers United UNHCR refugee artisan accelerator program Etsy Pinterest Target Novica 10,000 Villages Muhammad Yunus / microfinance ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

May 27, 20262 min

A Causeartist Announcement

Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast. Today’s episode is a little different. After years of building Causeartist as a media platform spotlighting impact startups, founders, investors, and innovators, we’re entering a completely new chapter. Causeartist is now officially a nonprofit organization. And honestly, this decision came from something simple. The mission became bigger than a media company. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to interview incredible founders, nonprofit leaders, impact investors, climate innovators, technologists, artists, and builders from all over the world. And one thing became very clear to me. There are millions of people working every single day to solve massive problems in the world, but many of their stories never get told. A lot of these founders and organizations are building in areas like climate, education, healthcare, financial inclusion, food systems, AI for good, community development, and so much more. But many of them are doing this work without enough visibility, without enough media support, and without enough long-term storytelling infrastructure behind them. We want to help change that. The vision for Causeartist moving forward is to build a lasting home for the impact economy. A place focused on impact startup storytelling, founder and innovator interviews, educational media and research, ecosystem databases and directories, podcasts and live conversations, community collaboration, and resources for people building positive change in the world. At its core, Causeartist is built around one belief: There are millions of people using their talents, creativity, skills, and businesses to improve the world, and their stories deserve to be seen. That belief has guided this platform from day one. And now becoming a nonprofit allows us to think longer term. It allows us to focus on building something durable. Something mission-first. Something that can continue spotlighting innovators and builders for years and decades to come. I also just want to say thank you. Thank you to every founder who trusted us with their story. Every investor who shared insights. Every nonprofit leader, partner, listener, reader, and supporter who has been part of this journey. You helped shape what Causeartist has become. And honestly, we’re just getting started. I’m incredibly excited for what we’re building next. More stories. More founders. More conversations. More tools and resources for the people trying to create a better future. So thank you for being here. Thank you for believing in this mission. And let’s continue building together. See you in the next episode. ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

March 17, 2026Episode 24032 min

How Givebutter Grew From a College Dorm to $9B in Donations - Max Friedman, CEO of Givebutter

Max Friedman didn't set out to build one of the most widely used fundraising platforms in the nonprofit sector. He and his two co-founders, Ari Krasner and Leon Cohen, started with a simpler observation: the tools available for people who wanted to raise money for a cause were either expensive, hard to use, or both. And the fees were rarely transparent. That was 10 years ago. Today, Givebutter has processed nearly $10 billion in donations, acquired nonprofit media brand We Are For Good , launched financial products for nonprofits, and is pushing past 150 employees with plans to hit 200 by end of year. Friedman joined the Disruptors for Good podcast to talk about the journey, the hard stretches, and what the next decade looks like for Givebutter and the broader nonprofit tech space. ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

March 10, 2026Episode 23934 min

Inside Impossible Metals and the Push for Responsible Deep-Sea Mining

The technology for harvesting critical minerals from the ocean floor has barely changed since the 1960s. Big tracked vehicles. Vacuum dredges. Sediment plumes. The same architecture, decade after decade. Oliver Gunasekara looked at that and saw an opportunity. He's the CEO of Impossible Metals , a deep tech startup building a fleet of autonomous underwater robots designed to collect polymetallic nodules from the seafloor with a fraction of the environmental disruption of conventional methods. On this episode of Disruptors for Good , Oliver walks through the technology, the regulatory landscape, the environmental tradeoffs, and why he thinks the first commercial deep sea mining operations are closer than most people realize. ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

March 7, 202623 min

Grove Collaborative: Impact Business Case Study

Grove Collaborative is one of the most ambitious experiments in mission-driven consumer commerce of the past decade. Founded in 2012, it started as a subscription delivery service for eco-friendly cleaning products and grew into a publicly traded company with a $1.5 billion peak valuation. Along the way, it became the world's first plastic-neutral retailer, earned B Corp certification, and pioneered transparency tools no other retailer in the category had attempted. Then it nearly fell apart. From 2022 onward, Grove faced declining revenue, a delisting threat, an executive overhaul, and the painful acknowledgment that its flagship environmental commitment, 100% plastic free by 2025 — would not be met. The company has spent the past two years rebuilding: operationally, financially, and strategically. This case study covers the full arc. The founding thesis, the growth decisions that worked, the ones that didn't, the financial turbulence after going public, and how Grove is attempting to rebuild as a leaner, more durable business without walking away from its core mission. Full Case Study ---------------------------------------- Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist , a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.