The Social Impact Journal is a podcast talking to changemakers who are driving social impact across the world. In the journal, we aim to share stories, lessons and experiences from our guests to inspire our listeners to begin or continue working towards social impact.
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September 16, 2025Episode 5724 min
#57 - Community Led Innovation in Hudson New York with Gigi Danziger, Investor and Philanthropist
In this episode, Jack speaks with Gigi Danziger, an impact investor and founder of initiatives in Hudson, New York that champion community-led innovation. Gigi shares the story of how the HudsonUP initiative began — the first small-city Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot in the U.S. — and reflects on the evidence and lessons learned so far.We dive into:Why Hudson became the testing ground for UBI and how the idea emerged.The design of the pilot: 128 participants receiving $500/month for five years.Key findings: improved mental and physical health, increased employment, and a rise in entrepreneurship.Insights on building trust in communities where outside promises have often gone unfulfilled.Broader community initiatives beyond UBI — from medical debt relief, to affordable housing with steward ownership.Gigi’s philosophy on community, and purpose as foundations for thriving.Advice for others looking to replicate hyper-local, community-driven solutions in their own contexts.🌐 Learn more: The Spark of HudsonHudsonUP (UBI)Wally FarmsResources & Links📑 HudsonUP Study Findings (Year 4) — Jain Family Institute🐦 HudsonUP on X📸 The Spark of Hudson on InstagramStay ConnectedLinkedIn: SIJ MediaInstagram: @thesocialimpactjournalTwitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
May 1, 2025Episode 5636 min
#56 - How Can Your Organisation Become Fundable and Findable with Kevin L. Brown, MIGHTY ALLY
In this conversation, Jack met with Kevin L. Brown, Founding Partner and CEO of Mighty Ally.Kevin is a writer, a speaker, and CEO of the nonprofit hybrid Mighty Ally. He initially spent 15 years building private sector brands - from Apple to adidas, Formula One to fintech startups. And in his first four corporate gigs, Kevin helped each company scale towards acquisition, including one he co-founded. Then, a passion for the orphan crisis (his why) led to living in Uganda, followed by South Africa, Mauritius, and Malaysia. In 2017, he co-founded Mighty Ally — Uganda’s second-ever B Corp.Kevin is an Acumen East Africa Fellow, plus an advisor for two grantmakers: Roddenberry Foundation and Greenwood Place. He served on the board of Impact Hub, won a Valiente Award at SXSW and a NEXT Award for Startup of the Year, was named an Executive Influencer by Billboard Magazine, and proudly sports a torn Achilles from the Ironman World Championship.Three daughters from Uganda and China fuel his work to end poverty and injustice. Years ago, he and his high-school sweetheart wife sold their house, car, and everything they owned. And they set out as a nomadic family of five — with only a backpack and suitcase each — to live on every continent together by 2030.The episode covered:- The challenges faced by nonprofits, particularly the 'nonprofit starvation cycle.'- The 'Fundable and Findable Framework,' emphasizing the importance of brand clarity and effective communication in fundraising. - Kevin's insights on targeting donor groups, the role of AI tools in experimentation, and the significance of a well-designed website. - Reflecting on Kevin's journey of writing his new book also reflects on the journey of writing his book, 'Fundable & Findable: The Brand-New Way to Fix Your Nonprofit Fundraising.'Connect with Kevin on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinlbrown/Learn more about his new book here: https://fundablefindable.org/Chapters00:00 From Private Sector to Social Impact02:46 Understanding Nonprofit Challenges06:08 The Fundable and Findable Framework08:52 Communications and Clarity in Fundraising11:47 Targeting Donor Groups Effectively14:57 Experimentation and AI Tools in Nonprofits17:53 The Journey of Writing 'Fundable and Findable'20:53 Insights from the Book Launch at Skoll24:04 Key Principles for Nonprofit Success26:55 Crafting a Clear Mission Statement30:04 The Importance of Your Website33:14 Building a Budget-Friendly Website35:48 Final Thoughts on Nonprofit FundraisingKeep up-to-date with our socials here:Linkedin: the-social-impact-journal Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalTwitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
February 3, 2025Episode 5541 min
#55 - Building Leaders to Transform the Economy with Tom Rippin, Founder and CEO at OnPurpose
In this conversation, Tom Rippin shares his journey into social entrepreneurship, detailing his transition from academia to the commercial sector and ultimately to founding On Purpose, a program designed to train individuals for purpose-driven careers. He discusses the challenges and successes of launching the program, the growth it has experienced, and the evolving training needs of its associates. Rippin emphasizes the importance of integrating social and commercial skills to create impactful change. In this conversation, Tom Rippin discusses the structure and evolution of the On Purpose program, focusing on how it prepares individuals for transformational change in their careers and the economy. He highlights the importance of community, mentorship, and practical training in fostering leaders who can navigate complexity and drive systemic change. Rippin shares success stories of alumni who have made significant impacts in various sectors, emphasizing the need for a shift in values towards sustainability and health in organizations. He concludes with an inspiring message about the power of individual action in creating a better future.Chapters00:25Journey into Social Entrepreneurship07:45The Birth of On Purpose12:00Launching the First Cohort18:20Growth and Expansion of On Purpose22:14Training and Development Needs24:05Overview of the Program Structure29:00Understanding Transformational Change32:04Alumni Success Stories and ImpactConnect with Tom on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomrippin/Learn more about OnPurpose here: https://onpurpose.org/en/Keep up-to-date with our socials here:Linkedin: the-social-impact-journal Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalTwitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
November 25, 2024Episode 5425 min
#54 - Coffee, Cocoa and Colombia: The Reality for Smallholder Farmers
In Bogota, Jack meets Juan Carlos Castrillón Ferro, a Consultant, Entrepreneur, Researcher and Agrifood Expert based in Colombia.In the episode, we cover:- The challenges that smallholder farmers face in Colombia- New innovations in the coffee and cocoa sector- The impact of new regulations including the incoming European Union Deforestation Regulations (#EUDR)Connect with Juan Carlos on Linkedin here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/juankastrillon/Keep up-to-date with our socials here:Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalLinkedin: the-social-impact-journal Twitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
August 26, 2024Episode 5318 min
#53 - Changing The Way the World Sees Water with Georgie Murray, Belu
Want to be the first to know about the latest episodes and have your chance to ask future guests your own questions? Sign up to our newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/iTjWSwReleased in World Water Week 2024, Jack meets Georgie Murray, Brand and Impact Partnerships Lead at Belu to discuss how the social enterprise has given over £5,800,000 of net profits to Water Aid and to other nature-based projects in the UK.Belu is a U.K social enterprise, drinks and water filtration company. The company, which is based in London, supplies mineral water, tonic water, a range of flavoured mixers and filtration systems. In the episode, we cover:- The key elements of a successful corporate and charity partnership- The Story of social enterprise Belu- Purpose, People, Product and Profit- The importance of unrestricted funding Connect with Georgie on Linkedin here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-m-45aa5bb9/Keep up-to-date with our socials here:Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalLinkedin: / the-social-impact-journal Twitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
August 19, 2024Episode 5221 min
#52 - Why It's Important To Fail Forward in International Development with Emily Janoch, CARE
Want to be the first to know about the latest episodes and have your chance to ask future guests your own questions? Sign up to our newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/iTjWSwJack meets with Emily Janoch, Associate Vice President of Thought Leadership and Design at CARE to discuss the importance of failing forward.Emily started the CARE Failing Forward Podcast to create a space for staff and external stakeholders around the world to talk about the experiences they learn from failure, and how they use that to get better at our work.In the episode, we cover:- The importance of talking about failure- How to create an internal culture in which failure is embraced- The importance of centering local voicesIn her role at CARE, Emily focuses on ways to center local voices and evidence to make better decisions and create more impact. She is an expert in designing systems to capture and share information across many sources and with different stakeholders. With four-years of on-the-ground experience in West Africa and academic publications on community engagement and the human element in food security in Africa, she is especially interested in community-led development. Her work focuses on making sure that communities can engage in their own development for sustainable, appropriate results. Connect with Emily on Linkedin here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-janoch-7922514/Follow the CARE Failing Forward Podcast on PodBean here: https://careinternational.podbean.com/Keep up-to-date with our socials here:Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalLinkedin: / the-social-impact-journal Twitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
August 12, 2024Episode 5132 min
#51 - What Young People Need To Be Taught At Work with Carla Hoppe, Founder of Wealthbrite
Date: Monday 12th August 2024Jack meets with Carla Hoppe, Founder of Wealthbrite to discuss what young people need to be taught at work. Carla is the founder of Wealthbrite, whose mission is to help businesses cultivate financially and commercially savvy talent. Wealthbrite was born out of Carla's understanding of the critical need to bridge the financial skills gap, especially among early-career professionals. This gap is striking; while those at the top are fluent in the language of money, new starters lack the confidence and knowledge they need. The result? Poor financial literacy is costing the economy over £20 billion in lost output every year. Her career journey has been non-traditional. She began by studying English and French Law before qualifying as a corporate solicitor. She then transitioned into the tax world, working across the US and UK within the Big 4. In a rapidly evolving work environment, where businesses struggle to retain talent and social mobility in the UK is declining for the first time in 50 years, financial literacy is more crucial than ever. Through Wealthbrite, Carla is dedicated to closing this gap and empowering the next generation of leaders with the financial skills they need to succeed.In the episode, we discuss:- What skills are needed in a changing workplace?- Training the next business leaders- The importance of commercial awareness for young talent- Wealthbrite AcceleratorBeing commercially aware and knowing business to go in the workplaceConnect with Carla here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlahoppe/Keep up to date with the latest on the podcast on:Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalLinkedin: / the-social-impact-journal Twitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
August 5, 2024Episode 5034 min
#50 - Building Purpose Aligned Businesses at LSE Generate with Dr Paroma Bhattacharya
Date: Monday 5th August 2024To celebrate the 50th episode of The Social Impact Journal, we welcome Episode 1 guest Dr Paroma Bhattacharya back to the show to catch up about how her team at LSE Generate are helping to build purpose aligned businesses.Paroma is the Head of Social Innovation at LSE Generate. She leads Research and Programme Delivery in the domain of Social Innovation for LSE Generate, the Entrepreneurship Hub at the The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which supports current students, alumni and staff of LSE on their entrepreneurial journey.Paroma has a Ph.D. in Management and her research interests and expertise lie in the field of social innovation and entrepreneurship, with a focus on the organizational behaviour of start-up social enterprises, the incubation and acceleration of early-stage social venture teams and social business model innovation in the context of emerging economies. Paroma completed her Ph.D. in Management in 2021 from Durham University Business School, in association with the LSE Social Innovation Lab. After completing her Ph.D., she was a Post Doctoral Researcher at the LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa (FLIA) and the LSE Social Innovation Lab, working on her post-doctoral research project, funded by the ERC grant, ‘Individual Action through Social Organizations: The Case of Poverty’. From 2021-2023, Paroma was a Fellow in the LSE Department of Management, serving as a teaching faculty member for the Master's in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme. Her research, work, and field experience, in the domains of Social Innovation and International Development, spans across 13+ years and several countries, including India, UK, Denmark, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Rwanda.In the episode, we discuss:-Traits of a successful social entrepreneur-Legal structures for a social enterprise-How does a social entrepreneur balance the need for innovation and risk management?-Examples of exceptional social ventures -How LSE Generate supports social ventures?-Advice for a social entrepreneur in a moment of adversity.Connect with Dr Paroma here:Youtube - https://youtube.com/@drparomabhattacharya?si=43m-O4QgwdQBVXjNLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paromabhattacharya/Keep up to date with the latest on the podcast on:Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalLinkedin: / the-social-impact-journal Twitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
July 29, 2024Episode 4929 min
#49 - Inside the Mind of a Donor with Andy King, Director of Fireside Fundraising
Date - Monday 29th July 2024Andy King joins Jack Farren on The Social Impact Journal to share expertise as a fundraiser and discuss how a donor thinks.Andy King is an award-winning storyteller. In July 2022, Fundraising Magazine named him ‘the most influential fundraiser in the UK’. Andy’s passion is helping charities tell their most important stories to those with the power to change the ending. This has led him to kickstart corporate partnerships programmes from a standing start to a value of £450,000 per year in 18 months. In the episode, Andy and Jack discuss:- Storytelling to make the case for support for your charity or nonprofit- How donors read and respond to proposals and applications- How to make your applications stand out- The potential of AI in fundraisingListeners can access Fireside Fundraising's Recipe for Fundraising Success Workbook for free here: https://mailchi.mp/firesidefundraising/subscribeConnect with Andy here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-king-81331857/https://www.firesidefundraising.com/Keep up to date with the latest on the podcast on:Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-social-impact-journalTwitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
July 22, 2024Episode 4836 min
#48 - How Inclusive Economics can help us ALL thrive with Arunjay Katakam
Date - Monday 22nd July 2024Arunjay Katakam joins Jack Farren on The Social Impact Journal to discuss his new book 'Generation Hope: How Inclusive Economics can help us all Thrive.'Over the last two decades, Arunjay has had a front row seat in development and finance, both on the rich and poor side of the coin. He believes that our current economic system is broken and growth at all costs is unsustainable.Arunjay shares why he left investment banking for international development, why he decided to write the book and why he is now focused on building non-profit startups.Generation Hope explores the historical, political, economic, and cultural foundations that got us where we are today, and delves into what it’s going to take to insure that we are headed toward a sustainable future that benefits us all. Written in clear and compelling prose, the book addresses a wide range of today’s most pressing economic issues, from the macroeconomic challenges that humanity collectively faces, to our personal engagement with our current economic system.This book illustrates how to continue moving from a mindset of scarcity and survival to one of abundance and thriving, from narrow-minded self interest to an awareness that we are part of a much larger interconnected whole.All profits from the book will be donated to non-profit Acumen, and Arunjay explains in the episode why he decided to support Acumen.Listeners of the podcast can access a complimentary version of the book here: https://www.arunjay.com/compbookConnect with Arunjay here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arunjay/hi@arunjay.comKeep up to date with the latest on the podcast on:Instagram: @thesocialimpactjournalLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-social-impact-journalTwitter: @sijpodcastTiktok: @thesocialimpactjournal
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