Ripples of Radical Generosity

"It becomes this really fun conversation where the kids are learning and exploring alongside you. Because so many of us are still learning about these topics and unlearning every day.”

In this episode, hear from Shelby Kretz, founder of Coralus Venture Little Justice Leaders. Shelby joins Coralus Development Guide Loren Walsh to discuss her journey to becoming an entrepreneur and how her company empowers the next generation of social justice leaders through monthly subscription box learning resources.

They also discuss:

• Shelby's motivation to start Little Justice Leaders following the 2016 election
• The content creation process which involves input from parents, teachers, and content experts with lived experience in the topics covered
• The impact of her Venture so far, which includes empowering children to engage in conversations about social justice and seeing themselves represented in the curriculum
• Challenges and learnings include the importance of community, authenticity, and addressing teacher turnover and affordability
• Her journey in the Coralus community thus far
• What's next for Little Justice Leaders

"Jim Crow would create, for the Black community, access to water issues so people could not easily and readily access pools and water spaces that were safe and clean. That resulted in families who didn't get that skill set to pass it to generations. And it then created this fear, which then led to drowning."

In this episode, hear from Trish Miller, founder of Coralus Venture SwemKids. Trish joins Coralus Development Guide MJ Ryan to discuss how SwemKids teaches swimming skills and water safety programming to communities with high rates of drownings. Trish and her team address barriers to swimming, including access to pools, cost of lessons, and hair maintenance, through strategic location choices, scholarships, and product development.

They also discuss:

• Trish's personal connection to swimming and how her background in public health led her to start SwemKids.
• SwemKids' marketing strategies, including vinyl billboards and direct mail marketing.
• Trish's experience in the Coralus community so far, including sessions with a venture CFO and connections with other Ventures.
• Trish's ask and a challenge for listeners.

"People are very aware of our obligations around reducing our emissions. But chemical pollution is an equal priority. Climate change, biodiversity loss and chemical pollution are elevated to the same level in terms of a triple sanitary crisis."

In this episode, hear from Kate Bromfield, founder of Coralus Venture HazEL. Kate joins Coralus Development Guide Loren Walsh to discuss HazEL's tools for chemical risk management, born out of Kate's experience working in chemical regulation in New Zealand and Australia since 2018.

They also discuss:

• HazEL's role in prioritizing chemical risks, promoting transparency and reducing harm in the chemical supply chain.
• A case study involving a food manufacturing client
• Challenges in entrepreneurship include raising awareness about the importance of addressing chemical pollution
• Kate's experience in the Coralus community thus far.

In this episode, hear from Stacey Mareroa-Roberts, founder of Coralus Venture Ignite Your Gift. Stacey joins Coralus Development Guide MJ Ryan to discuss Stacey’s journey so far, her background studying law and how it led to her founding Ignite Your Gift, and her company’s advisory, coaching, and mentoring practices grounded in Maori principles and values. Stacey begins the conversation with a karakia, expressing gratitude to the Creator and seeking blessings for everyone present.

They also discuss:

• Holistic development, covering aspects like purpose, heart space, emotions, communication, and mental well-being
• Maori principles and language such as manaakitanga and aroha
• Stacey’s experience in the Coralus community so far
• How the application process prompted reflections on her business impact

In this episode, hear from Awhina Murupaenga, founder of Coralus Venture Whatu Creative. Awhina joins Coralus Development Guide MJ Ryan to discuss Awhina’s focus on sharing Maori storytelling and visual languages through traditional art, and her upbringing as part of the Kōhanga Reo movement of Māori immersion education style.

They also discuss:

• Starting Whatu Creative in response to the needs of her people in the far north during COVID
• The excitement of her initial launch, selling out 200 craft kits within an hour
• An origin story involving Maori gods and the weaving technique Tukutuku
• How Whatu Creative aims to bring back lost symbolism and storytelling through traditional patterns
• Acknowledging the responsibility to pass on traditional knowledge

TW: This episode contains mentions of self-harm, violence, and bullying.

In this episode, hear from Rachel Downie, founder of Coralus Venture Stymie. Rachel joins Coralus Activator Connie Henson to discuss Rachel's entrepreneurial journey, which stemmed from her background as an educator for 30 years. The tool that Rachel developed, Stymie, has grown into an anonymous online reporting tool — delivering over 100,000 notifications in the last year alone.

They also discuss:

• The importance of courage in addressing issues like mental health and family violence
• The challenges and rewarding moments in transitioning from teaching to entrepreneurship
• Support from Coralus in providing support, mentorship, and a loving community
• Rachel's goal of spreading Stymie to every school around the world
• The importance of leaning into uncomfortable conversations to address harmful behaviours

In this episode, hear from Elisha Watson, founder of Coralus Venture Nisa, in a conversation with Development Guide MJ Ryan. Nisa was founded by Elisha in 2017, and up until July 2023, Nisa had provided employment to 29 women from refugee and migrant backgrounds. In December 2022, Elisha put Nisa up for sale and in June 2023, they announced they were closing.

"In the final 5 weeks of business, it became really clear that Nisa's loyal customers valued the products that Nisa's staff made in their Wellington workshop.
This response inspired Production Manager Pam Lowe to make a last-ditch effort to save Nisa; the jobs Nisa provides; and to keep making the clothing you love into the future.
Together with other members of the Nisa team, a new plan emerged, and a hugely successful PledgeMe campaign launched. After funding their campaign goal in the first 24 hours, they ended the campaign with double the original goal. This made it possible for Nisa to re-start, re-stock and begin to create new employment opportunities to women from refugee and migrant backgrounds."

They also discuss:

• Elisha's vision behind starting Nisa, which was to create job opportunities for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
• How Nisa grew and expanded its product range to include bras, socks, bathing suits, and activewear.
• Elisha's next steps and the pathway to selling the business.
• The community's overwhelming support, which led to allowing the business to continue operating.
• Nisa's new team members, including those from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
• Elisha's advice for entrepreneurs and learnings from her journey.

"It's been a really interesting opportunity to dovetail 30 years of working in gender-based violence, to being now in a position to utilize technology in a way to create safer spaces."

TW: This episode contains mentions of gender-based violence and sexual violence.

In this episode, hear from Mary Lobson, founder of Coralus Venture REES. Mary joins Development Guide MJ Ryan to discuss REES’s trauma-informed, survivor-centered software as a service that gathers critical data to inform gender-based violence prevention. Since launching in September 2020, REES has evolved beyond campuses and is now partnering with the National Hockey League to create a centralized reporting system called the Respect Hockey Culture Center.

They also discuss:

• How REES aims to reduce barriers to reporting and create a more inclusive and safe environment for anyone in the hockey ecosystem.
• The importance of timing, perseverance, and being open to unexpected opportunities in the entrepreneurship journey.
• Mary’s background in social services, and how her ability to follow her vision has contributed to REES’s success.
• Valuing the ability to work on her own terms and listening to feedback while balancing openness to new ideas.

“We wanted to be able to create a sense of a peace of mind. That's one of the things I'm always talking to people about. When you're tired of being tired, you just want a peace of mind.”

In this episode, hear from LaTesha McIntosh-Smith, founder of Coralus Venture A Peace of Mind Counseling Services. LaTesha joins Development Guide Loren Walsh to discuss her background as a licensed clinical social worker and her journey into entrepreneurship, A Peace of Mind's four-tiered approach: outpatient mental health clinical services, integrative wellness services, civic engagement, and educational department, and the company's civic engagement initiatives to give back to the community.

They also discuss:

• Her company's emphasis on helping individuals find fulfilling careers rather than just jobs
• Challenges faced, including financial struggles, especially opening during the pandemic, and difficulty accessing financial assistance
• Her experience with the Coralus community thus far, especially connecting with other healthcare-related Ventures
• Plans for the future, including establishing a nonprofit arm
• Current programs, like Career Pathways to Success, aiming to support youth facing barriers in education and life

"As a designer, those are the responsibilities that you need to take on board. We've got a world where we've only got finite resources. We can't just keep on making more and more and more, it's just costing the planet far too much."

In this episode, hear from Liz Mitchell, founder of Coralus Venture The Wool Revolution. Liz joins Development Guide Loren Walsh to discuss her background as a fashion designer with over 25 years of experience, challenges with the wool supply chain in New Zealand, and the environmental impact of the fast fashion industry.

They also discuss:

• Liz's connection with wool and its value, which led her to explore local wool production.
• Experimenting with different processes like hand-spun yarn, weaving, and needle felting to create textiles and products.
• The breakdown of supply chains during COVID which made local production more appealing.
• Liz's PledgeMe crowdfunding campaign.
• The circular economy aspect of wool, highlighting its sustainability, including creating living fleeces and biodegradable products.

"Wrapping paper is single use packaging. It's pretty single use packaging, but it is single use packaging. I want to keep that tradition. I love giving gifts. I love Christmas, I want all the trimmings. I just want to do it better."

In this episode, hear from Emma Conyngham, founder of Coralus Venture Waste Free Celebrations. Emma joins Development Guide MJ Ryan to discuss how she started the business, the global problem of single-use packaging during holiday seasons, and employing refugees, informed by her time living and working in Afghanistan as an aid worker.

They also discuss:

• The move next year to help one of her employees set up a business in Afghanistan
• Partnering with other Coralus Ventures to expand to 2 other holidays, including Matariki
• The recent Venture retreat and NZ Summit
• What's next for Waste Free Celebrations: including getting into gift wrap stations in malls and expanding to retail spaces.

"There's this idea of a sponge city. So trying to have the city actually absorb rainwater through things like tree canopies and permeable pavements. We know that climate change is changing our weather patterns. So how do we adjust to that?"
In this episode, hear from Becky Shaw, CEO of Coralus Venture Stormflow Surfacing. Becky joins development guide Loren Walsh to discuss her journey with Stormflow Surfacing so far, the importance of permeable pavement in managing extreme weather events, and how Stormflow Surfacing helps to reduce flooding, protect water quality, and rethink how cities are built.

They also discuss:

• Customer experiences which highlight the slip-resistant surface and the ability to prevent ice formation in winter.
• The company's research and development to improve its product and ensure long-term permeability.
• The company's latest grants to support research, launch a new website, and make improvements.
• Their experience as a Venture in the Coralus community so far.

In this episode, hear from Emily Bland of Coralus Venture SucSeed. Emily joins development guide MJ Ryan to discuss her journey to creating SucSeed (beginning with an MVP held together with duct tape!), lessons learned, and her company’s pivots along the way.

They also discuss:

• Emily's personal growth and from her entrepreneurial journey
• A celebration of SucSeed paying off their venture loan, and getting support from the Coralus community
• What’s next for SucSeed, including telling the stories of real-life superheroes based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals

"Be prepared to make a lot of mistakes. Make what may not have been the best choice in hindsight, and be okay with it and make a new choice from wherever we land." — Mayumi Young, CPA MOMS

In this episode:

Hear from Mayumi Young, founder of Coralus Venture CPA MOMS. Mayumi joins development guide Loren Walsh to discuss the “one way revolving door” that led her to start CPA MOMS, some of the big challenges and lessons she’s learned along the way, what’s next for CPA MOMS, and her experience in the Coralus community thus far.

“The advantage of our technology is that we can support and predict if a certain medication will work for the patient or not.” — Margaret Magdesian, Ananda Devices

In this episode

Hear from Margaret Magdesian, founder of Ananda Devices. Margaret joins Coralus Development Guide MJ Ryan to discuss her background as a biochemist and pharmacologist, the path that led her to start Ananda, and her invention, which makes testing medications neurological diseases possible by creating a model of the human nervous system on a chip. They also discuss Margaret's experience in the Coralus community and celebrate the repayment of her Venture loan.

They also discuss:

• How this innovation reduces animal testing and delivers better medications to patients
• Getting her first contracts with cosmetics companies (L'Oreal)
• Experiences in Silicon Valley and fighting for a seat at the table
• Getting a contract with the FDA to become the gold standard for drug testing
• Her advice for people who are thinking of starting a business
• The challenges of disrupting structures that are very fixed
• Reflections from the Coralus PEI retreat this past June

"Blood is precious and everyone needs it. We all understand the need to donate — why not think about that in terms of a device that can allow you to donate blood to yourself?" — Gillian Henker, Sisu Global Health

In this episode

Hear from Gillian Henker, President and Co-founder at Sisu Global Health. Gillian joins Venture Development Guide Loren Walsh to discuss Sisu's flagship medical device, Hemafuse, and its impact on healthcare systems including a recent deployment in Ukraine. They also touch on Gillian's background as an engineer and what led her to invent Hemafuse.

They also discuss:

• How Hemafuse works as an auto transfusion device
• Sisu's journey so far including fundraising, partnerships, and some challenges faced
• Reaching global markets including in Sub Saharan Africa
• How Hemafuse addresses a lack of blood resources and can be used wherever there are surgeons and operating rooms
• What's next for Gillian and Sisu Global

"Every single time we're thinking about an innovation: a new flavour, packaging upgrades, or who we're hiring... we're thinking about it through the lens of impact and connecting with people in the community."

— Sheena Russell, Made With Local

In this episode

Meet Sheena Russell, founder of Made With Local. Sheena joins Coralus Development Guide MJ Ryan to discuss her journey of starting Made With Local, beginning from a farmers market table, and their subsequent growth trajectory while keeping values-alignment at the forefront of everything the company does. The two also celebrate Made With Local's milestone of paying off their Coralus Venture loan!

They also discuss:

• Building their own bakery in 2022 with support from the Coralus community
• Recently closing their fiscal year with $3m in revenue
• Challenges faced along the way
• Making the decision to stop fundraising
• Ensuring they are using business as a force for good and supporting positive buying decisions

"It's honey. But it's something totally different than what people know honey to be. It's what honey used to be before agriculture."

— Liz Connell, African Bronze Honey / 10000 Beekeepers

In this episode

Meet Liz Connell, founder of African Bronze Honey / 10000 Beekeepers. Liz joins Karley Cunningham to discuss her company, which produces sustainable and ethical African forest honey. The podcast discusses the positive impact of the project on both the beekeepers' lives, the bees, and the environment. They talk about how the honey from African forests differs from conventional store-bought honey, as it comes from a healthy environment, contains antioxidants, and is sustainably produced.

The also discuss:

• How the project initially started as an alternative to cutting down trees for income by encouraging beekeeping
• Their growth to involve thousands of beekeepers and create a positive impact on the local economy
• Finding new markets for forest honey, such as working with food and beverage manufacturers, supplement companies, and distilleries
• Joining the Coralus community as an Activator through the Export Development Canada (EDC) cohort
• What's next for African Bronze Honey / 10000 Beekeepers

"The moment when I dropped my baby was probably an ultimate parent low. So to know that that horrible moment has evolved into something so awesome… It's really easy to see the silver lining and things now."

— Hayley Mullins, Inventor of Joeyband™

In this episode

Catch up with Hayley Mullins and Sarah-Almaza Cox, co-founders at Joeyband™. Hayley and Sarah join Coralus Development Guide, MJ Ryan, to discuss the ups and downs since starting the company, the evolution of the product, and the positive impacts of the Joeyband™ for parents, infants, healthcare workers, and insurance providers. They also share how they met through Coralus and how funding from the community has helped support their vision.

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"Almost every foundational step of being in New Zealand came from that Coralus network. It was great to feel that that network extended beyond business."

— Kim Aitken, Aitken Frame Homes

In this episode

Catch up with Kim Aitken of Coralus Venture Aitken Frame Homes! Kim joins Activator Karley Cunningham to discuss coming to New Zealand at the start of COVID, finding new networks through the Coralus community, the challenges of solving housing insecurity, and the importance of community values alignment. She also shares details about her project Truss House, what it aims to do, and what's next for Aitken Frame Homes.

"When you have that attachment to going out, finding, and sourcing materials, it feels really wrong to just pour it in a plastic cup and then move on."

— Anong Beam, Beam Paints

In this episode

Catch up with Anong Beam of Coralus Venture Beam Paints, as she shares exciting new updates about the business (including interior paint and nail polish lines!). Anong joins MJ Ryan, Coralus Development Guide, to discuss Beam Paints' approach to sustainability, exploring the world of patents, and Anong's background as a visual artist.

"That's really important to us at the end of the day is having that mutual understanding, and people who really believe in this positive impact that we're wanting to create in the world." — Nivatha Balendra, Dispersa

In this episode

Catch up with Nivatha Balendra of Coralus Venture Dispersa, as she shares exciting new updates about the business. Nivatha joins Steph, Coralus Storytelling Lead, to discuss what's been happening at Dispersa, future plans, and insights into the Venture experience at Coralus.

"Ocean health is critical to human health in the long run, and one of the best ways that we can regenerate the local ecology in this area is through regenerative ocean farming."

— Bretton Hills, Ondine Oceanfarm

In this episode:

Meet Bretton Hills of Coralus Venture Ondine Oceanfarm! Bretton joins Activator Jessica Lax to talk about regenerative ocean farming, her love for creative problem solving that led her to the industry, and collaborating with Coralus Ventures Nada and Skipper Otto.

They also discuss:

• Creating assets that support community growth
• Bretton's plan to build a community harvest centre
• Eutrophication, the over abundance of nutrients ending up in the water
• Creating a new way of being by interfacing the wild space with culture
• Building a team that values autonomy and celebrates each other's strengths
• How the farm prioritizes symbiotic relationships between different species
• Her #ASK for the Coralus community

"People just don't see this as a job that they can do, because they don't see many other women out there doing it. It can be quite a lonely path and people needed to come into this as a group."

— Leah Robson, Your Energy Your Way

In this episode

Meet Leah Robson of Coralus Venture Your Energy Your Way! Leah joins Activator Hannah Senior to talk about her background in IT, what led to a career transition into the energy industry, and 4 barriers women face when trying to break into the field.

They also discuss:

• Your Energy Your Way's role as a social enterprise to bring women into the construction sector
• How joining the industry as a group allows women to support each other and feel less alone
• The challenge as an entrepreneur to find a balance of fixing all the social problems we see
• Stories of impact from previous projects
• Working with people who are values aligned
• Being selected as a Venture and joining the Coralus community

"In order for us as a country to get better, we have to close the disparity gap. By bringing attention to how marginalized groups in this country are treated and don't have access to basic things like mental health services."

— Brittany Hardy, The Hardy Clinic

In this episode:

Meet Brittany Hardy of Coralus Venture The Hardy Clinic! Brittany joins Activator Lisa Dyson to talk about Brittany's life (including discovering therapy, going to grad school, and living + working overseas), how the Venture got started, and the importance of bringing access to mental health services for marginalized groups.

They also discuss:

• Online therapy throughout the pandemic and the access it has given folks
• The importance of racial matching in therapy
• Her experience as an entrepreneur, and the importance of work-life balance
• Some of the challenges she’s faced along the way
• The academy at The Hardy Clinic
• Getting selected as a Venture and joining the Coralus community

"When you are in landfills, you see how things quickly reached their end of life. But it's really long before they've ever reached their end of use."

— Christal Earle, Brave Soles

In this episode

Meet Christal Earle of Coralus Venture Brave Soles! Christal joins Activator Megan Tong to talk about how the Venture got started, the differences between circular and sustainable fashion, and how we can start to think differently about the use of materials in the products we purchase.

They also discuss:

• The connections she's made with people working in landfills
• Adopting her daughter and bringing her to Canada from the Dominican Republic
• Learning about business and entrepreneurship on the job
• The importance of being insatiably curious about everything
• Collecting impact data and sharing transparency around pricing and sustainability
• What’s next for Brave Soles

"The of culture of silence and shame around sexual violence is what keeps us separated, and what keeps us from activating for a movement."

— Zoë Condliffe, She's a Crowd

In this episode:

Meet Zoë Condliffe of Coralus Venture She's a Crowd! Zoë joins Activator Gabrielle Martinovich to talk about how She's a Crowd came to be, how policymakers can use data to add a gender lens to their work, and the importance of centring relationships and survivor stories.

 They also discuss:

• Her background in crowd mapping and lived experience as a survivor of gender-based violence
• Using feminist consciousness raising techniques to support survivors in creating new meaning every time they share their stories
• Approaching their work through an equity and intersectional lens to make sure everyone sees themselves represented and feels included
• Storytelling as a way of making social change and building connection/validation
• Being selected as a Coralus Venture, and building relationships in the community
• What’s next for She’s a Crowd

"One of the big themes is this idea of moving from individual to community. How in times like this, do we turn to each other? Do we work together? And do we create a stronger ecosystem together by supporting one another?"

— Nat Geffen, Community Experience Manager at Coralus

In this episode

In this episode, we'll hear from Coralus community members as we celebrate and reflect on stories, milestones, and the impact we co-created together throughout 2022. From a new name, and exciting partnerships, to fostering connections between community members, it's all contributed to an incredible year.

“Kelp forests are declining because of increased temperatures, and kelp forests are just like rainforests on land — they support an incredible amount of biodiversity. If kelp forests are in trouble then that has roll-on impacts for the rest of the food chain.” — Jo Lane, Sea Health Products

In this episode

Meet Jo Lane of Coralus Venture Sea Health Products! Jo joins Activator Gabrielle Martinovich to talk about how she got started with Sea Health Products, her background as a marine biologist, and raising awareness about the importance of kelp forests.

They also discuss:

• The differences between seaweed and kelp
• The state of kelp farming in Australia and relying on farmed vs. wild kelp
• The benefits of kelp farming and what we can use kelp for
• What’s next for Sea Health Products
• An ask for listeners in the community

“The notions of being a responsible business owner has taken the forefront of our entrepreneurship journey. We’re a holistic company and we’re trying to look at circularity as as a sustainable business model.” — Danielle Ruttenberg, Remark Glass

In this episode

Danielle Ruttenberg of Coralus Venture Remark Glass joins Danielle Cadhit, Activator and Director of Systems + Emergent Strategy, to talk about the business, their focus on supporting their local community, and their time in the Coralus community so far.

They also discuss:

• Remark's partner nonprofit Bottle Underground and how the two organizations work together
• Stories of impact and customer feedback
• Remark Glass’s fair chance hiring program
• What’s next for Remark Glass
• An ask for listeners in the community.

"As a startup, you have the decision to make — do I want to make it cheap, make more profit, or do I want to do the right thing? And so far we have really stuck with our values and we've done the right thing." — Aniyo Rahebi, Good Edi

In this episode 

Catherine Hutchins and Aniyo Rahebi of Coralus Venture Good Edi join Activator Connie Henson to talk about how they got their start, how they consider sustainability in their supply chain, and growing their business through authentic connections.

• The lack of infrastructure to process disposable coffee cups
• Proving the concept through trials in a home kitchen
• Staying values-aligned and considering the sources of their entire supply chain
• Working with cafes to position their cups
• Becoming part of the Coralus community
• Some of the challenges they’ve faced along the way
• What’s next for Good-Edi

"This actually has a lot of potential to be a social enterprise that is for the planet, for people, but also is a delicious product and actually can provide a functional benefit for the consumer."

— Vanessa Murillo, I Am Grounded

Vanessa Murillo of Coralus Venture I Am Grounded joins Activator Connie Henson to talk about starting the business, her background in a family of coffee entrepreneurs, and the importance of listening to customers to shape future product innovations.

• The coffee fruit, the bean, and the problems I Am Grounded is solving
• Her “roller coaster” journey as an entrepreneur, from hand making and distributing bars to cafes and grocery stores
• How her background in marketing and advertising helped grow the business from the ground up
• The advantages of being a small startup and having the ability to be nimble
• Launching the company amidst challenges brought on by the global pandemic
• What it’s like being part of the Coralus community of support

"400 million tonne of plastic waste is produced around the world each year. A third of it is single-use packaging, and single-use packaging makes up half of all ocean litter."

— Nada Piatek, Again Again

Nada Piatek of Coralus Venture Again Again joins Activator Evie Ashton to talk about how they got their start, what problems they're solving, and the technology behind their platform that makes the solution possible.

• The importance of having champions at the community level
• Lessons learned during the pandemic
• What it really means to “close the circle” in a circular economy
• Meeting vendors and packaging producers in their space
• What’s next for Again Again
• Becoming a Coralus Venture and their ASK for the community

“Plant based meat makes up 1% of total meat sales. Plant based seafood makes up 1% of plant based meat, and they’re predicting that plant based seafood will grow to be $1.3 billion within the decade.”

— Aki Kaltenbach, Save da Sea

Catch up with Aki Kaltenbach of Coralus Venture Save da Sea, who is currently raising capital for her business. Aki joins Venture Development Guide Loren Walsh to discuss Save da Sea’s future plans, shares insight into the plant-based seafood market, and how folks from the Coralus community and beyond can support.

"There are hundreds of people and now thousands of people who created the conditions for all of this to work. What I hadn't done was receive that memo. Nothing we are doing here is about one person alone. It's about all of us together."

— Vicki Saunders, Founding Activator at Coralus

In this episode 

This special episode of the Ripples of Radical Generosity podcast was recorded live at the 2022 Coralus Confluence. Join us to hear from Founding Activator Vicki Saunders to learn more about our new name, and how we're shifting our focus from supporting individuals (SheEO) to the collective (Coralus), as we enter a phase of regeneration and transformation.

Humans are the only species on this planet to create what is known as garbage. We're the only species that creates materials or products that cannot be reintegrated back into a natural ecosystem. So we are in a very unique position to have that responsibility to be able to manage these products and manage these materials."

— Chloé Dubois, The Ocean Legacy Foundation

Chloé Dubois of Coralus Venture The Ocean Legacy Foundation joins Activator Karley Cunningham to talk about how the company's mission, the problems they solve, their impact to date, and becoming a Coralus Venture.

• Taking small actions towards causes that you care about
• Finding a community who can help you
• Plastic depots acting as hubs of education, build relationships
• How to choose great partnerships and finding commonalities
• Representation and diversity when finding solutions to the plastics problem

"We actually create businesses that help contribute to a healthier world for all of us. Businesses are better when they are better for people and better for the world."

— BE Alink, The Alinker

In this episode

Catch up with BE Alink of Coralus Venture The Alinker as we celebrate 5 years of being in community together. BE joins Venture Development Guide Loren Walsh to share how the Alinker came about, stories from her time as a Coralus Venture, and reflections on being part of the perpetual loan model + legacy.

"The systems weren't built by us, for us. And so we're rebuilding something that is really healthy for everyone involved. The planet, people, the businesses, shareholders — everyone."

— Patrice Mousseau, Satya Organic Skin Care

In this episode

Catch up with Patrice Mousseau of Coralus Venture Satya Organic Skin Care as we celebrate 5 years of being in community together. Patrice joins Venture Development Guide Loren Walsh to share why she started Satya, stories from her time as a Coralus Venture, and reflections on being part of the perpetual loan model + legacy.

"I believe that people don't have to do sustainability perfectly. That you have to do what you can when you can do it, and always try to keep improving that. Jack59 is not perfect by far. But we're getting there, and we're holding ourselves accountable."

— Vanessa Marshall, Jack59

Vanessa Marshall of Coralus Venture Jack59 joins Activator Faryn Jacobs to talk about how the company got started, their impact to date (they've prevented over 500,000 plastic bottles from ending up in the landfill!), and the support after becoming a Coralus Venture.

• Applying for B Corp status and centering sustainability
• What it's like wearing many hats as a founder
• Vanessa's dream collaborations
• What's next for Jack59
• Vanessa's ask for the Coralus community

"All the capital we talk about, the social capital, the knowledge capital — that ends up being added to the money, and then it's fused or multiplied by trust, care, generosity."

— Anastasia Mourogova Millin, Dark Matter Labs

Anastasia Mourogova Millin and Jenny Grettve of Dark Matter Labs join Activator Danielle Cadhit to talk about their partnership with Coralus, mapping the complex nature of the ecosystem, and different pathways of what it means to be in this community.

• What drew Dark Matter to their partnership with Coralus
• Some of the methodologies used to map the co-benefits and spillover values of the community
• Creating art and a visual story of the partnership
• Approaching the partnerships using different methodologies
• How the Coralus community invites all ages + stages to participate, ensuring everyone gets something out of the organization and experience
• The spiral journey visualization of transforming of self + systems
• Human behaviour + assumptions that shape our existing market economy structures

"We wanted to look at it from a systemic change point of view. We can create more affordable ingredients if we integrate waste from the start." — Nivatha Balendra, Dispersa

Nivatha Balendra of Coralus Venture Dispersa joins Activator Danielle Cadhit to talk about her journey to founding Dispersa (starting from a science fair project), their work in creating biosurfactants and reducing dependency on natural resources, and their business model as an ingredients company.

• How to make ingredients more accessible and affordable to integrate them in consumer products
• Nivatha's background and getting started in STEM
• Finding supporters along the way + reaching out for help
• Building the Dispersa team and growing the company
• Becoming a Coralus Venture, and support from folks who encouraged her to apply
• Dispersa's Ask for the Coralus community

"Consumers can only choose what they're offered. If consumers demand something, companies will listen."

— Kristin Kagetsu, Saathi

Kristin Kagetsu of Coralus Venture Saathi joins Activator Bryn Bamber to talk about her business, tackling period poverty, and how this creates a ripple effect in other areas of the lives of menstruators.

• The taboo of menstruation and why the reusable options don’t necessarily solve all the problems
• Kristin's start in mechanical engineering and her journey to Saathi
• The company's manufacturing process
• Their new program for plastic avoidance credits
• Challenges they've faced + overcome in the past year
• Stories of impact in the local community and beyond
• Their role as a systems change business and what’s coming next
• Saathi’s ask for the Coralus community

"Over a third of the food we produce is wasted. And then you've got over 800 million people who don't have enough to eat. It's proven that we have enough food, it's just a matter of getting it into people's hands."

— Seema Sanghavi, Founder of Cooks Who Feed

Seema Sanghavi of Venture Cooks Who Feed joins Activator Karley Cunningham to talk about finding her niche, how Cooks Who Feed got started, and the importance of building a sustainable and ethical business.

• Seema's motivation behind starting the business
• Stories from the women employed by Cooks Who Feed
• Challenges that the business has faced, especially during COVID
• Establishing values-aligned strategic partnerships
• What it's been like since joining the SheEO community

"They saw the decline that so many seniors had over the last two years now. And we know that the way to help seniors to rebound is for them to engage in quality fitness."

— Emily Johnson, Founder of StrongerU Senior Fitness

Emily Johnson of SheEO Venture StrongerU Senior Fitness joins Activator Miri Koller to talk about the Venture, how it got started, and supporting and educating activity directors to improve senior living. Emily and Miri also share more about an opportunity for Activators working in the senior living industry to collaborate and support one another.

• Who her customers are and how they help support the end users
• Providing materials that allow people to all learn at their own pace
• Reaching people in different countries
• Joining SheEO as an Activator and becoming a Venture

"Our oceans are under great threat. Over a billion kilograms of plastic garbage is entering oceans every single year. This is equivalent to over a million elephants, or over 4 million SUVs. A huge amount of garbage."

— Dr. Elaine Leung, Founder of Sea Smart

Meet SheEO Venture Sea Smart! Founder Dr. Elaine Leung joins SheEO Activator Karley Cunningham to discuss the importance of protecting our oceans (even if you don't live near one), empowering students with the ripple effect of change, and accessing unrestricted funding for charities.

• Exciting news from the Visa She's Next Grant Program
• The growing presence of microplastics in our environment + bodies
• Collaborations with other Ventures in the SheEO community
• How the SheEO community can support Sea Smart with monthly donations and corporate partnerships

Additional resources and readings from Elaine:

"By making those connections in this very safe environment, it allows people to get all of that support and access they need."

— Kerstyn Comley, Co-Founder of MeeToo Education

Meet SheEO Venture MeeToo! Co-founder Kerstyn Comley joins SheEO Activator Joanna Denton to tell us all about the platform, how they got started, and how it works to help young people with mental health challenges.

• The importance of having peer-to-peer support
• Adapting support for various age groups
• Creating a safe environment
• Normalization of the problem
• And making time for her own mental health

"What's truly important in life and what we're going after here — in the end, it's people, it's relationships. It's how we're bringing value to each other and how we're bringing value to this community."

— Shari van de Pol, Founder of CATTLEytics

Meet SheEO Venture CATTLEytics! Founder Shari van de Pol joins SheEO Activator Karley Cunningham to tell us all about the business and what they do, her career trajectory, and finding and knowing what's important to you.

• Her side hustle and lifelong dream to build a treehouse
• Creating community and putting trust first
• How being a parent shapes her life as an entrepreneur
• Her time in the SheEO community so far

"I want to make sure that those hotels and resorts understand that accessibility is really not as hard to achieve as they might think. And we're here to help."

— Kelly Twichel, co-founder and CEO of Access Trax

Meet SheEO Venture Access Trax! Founder Kelly Twichel joins SheEO Activator Vanessa Hall to tell us more about her journey from Occupational Therapy student to entrepreneur, and her time in the SheEO community thus far.

• How AccessTrax is being used across industries for accessibility
• Impact stories from folks who have used AccessTrax
• What's next for AccessTrax and their North Star
• Her ASK for the SheEO community

“We need to have new ways and new tools to be able to help actually tackle the effectiveness of the therapy.”

— Emmanuella Michel, Founder of CogniXR Health

TW: This episode contains mentions of mental illness and suicide.

Meet SheEO Venture CogniXR Health! Founder Emmanuella Michel joins SheEO Activator Faryn Jacobs to tell us more about what led her to found the company, how the B2B2C model looks for patients who want to access care, and what it was like applying as + becoming a SheEO Venture.

• Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) and how the virtual environment can support patients
• Her WHY in transitioning to digital health and experience working in the field of mental health
• Supporting patients and families where they are at
• Using new tools to support remote + digital therapy
• Her ASK for the SheEO community

"The pandemic definitely accelerated it, and helped people realize that we can't continue as normal. We have to do things, we have to act in a way that is considerate for everyone in our society."

— Aoise Keogan-Nooshabadi, Co-Founder of Supply Change

Meet SheEO Venture Supply Change! Co-founders Beth Pilgrim and Aoise Keogan-Nooshabadi join SheEO Activator Hannah Senior to tell us more about what Supply Change does, supporting social enterprises to make sure they're procurement ready, and meeting buyers where they're at.

• Challenges that social enterprises face in securing contracts and how Supply Change helps
• The return on investment of social enterprises — and how they may not always have a higher cost
• Impact reporting for social enterprises and buyers
• Building their custom tech platforms
• The growth of social enterprises since the pandemic
• Trying out revenue models as a new business
• Their time in the SheEO community thus far