Futures Collective
By Aqeel Camal
Futures CollectiveAug 26, 2018
#Quickpods - Brin Enterkin
During her sophomore year of college, Brin Enterkin started The African SOUP, an organization addressing the needs of 300 orphans in rural Uganda through a sustainable and replicable model. With a heart for social change, she then started Non-Profit Strategic Services, a small social business focused on grant writing and Nonprofit formation. In her spare time, Brin enjoys studying the concept of social businesses. After receiving foundational funding, she traveled to 8 countries on 3 continents to interview Ashoka Fellows and conduct research on the triple bottom line method. Brin graduated in May 2012 and immediately jet set off to Costa Rica to work for the Sullivan Foundation teaching and mentoring students on social innovation and entrepreneurship. Upon her return back to America, Brin took a one-year competitive fellowship position with the Woodruff Foundation. After hours, she is working to launch a social business venture located in rural Uganda. She also really loves coffee with friends and partaking in beautiful adventures.
What we discussFailure, legacy, tips to Brin's younger self, and productivity.
#20 Brin Enterkin - Chief Strategy Officer of Watson Institute
During her sophomore year of college, Brin Enterkin started The African SOUP, an organization addressing the needs of 300 orphans in rural Uganda through a sustainable and replicable model. With a heart for social change, she then started Non-Profit Strategic Services, a small social business focused on grant writing and Nonprofit formation. In her spare time, Brin enjoys studying the concept of social businesses. After receiving foundational funding, she traveled to 8 countries on 3 continents to interview Ashoka Fellows and conduct research on the triple bottom line method. Brin graduated in May 2012 and immediately jet set off to Costa Rica to work for the Sullivan Foundation teaching and mentoring students on social innovation and entrepreneurship. Upon her return back to America, Brin took a one-year competitive fellowship position with the Woodruff Foundation. After hours, she is working to launch a social business venture located in rural Uganda. She also really loves coffee with friends and partaking in beautiful adventures.
What we discuss- Overcoming barrier of comfort
- Building communities
- Working in international development
#Quickpods - Elyse Burden
Elyse Burden is a member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Education in 2018, and is the Co-Founder of Real World Scholars (RWS). RWS is a non-profit e-commerce platform that would allow any class to run a business right from their classroom with the funding, technology and support needed to make it a reality. Ten classes in 2015 grew to 250+ businesses in 34 states, ranging from K-12 and STEM to art. RWS was born out of a question I’ve been exploring myself: how can we better equip young people to be their best selves and become agents of change in their communities? Elyse is passionate about equity and elevating the voice, role, and contributions of young people as they do work that matters to them. I could not be more excited to explore her journey with you.
What we discuss
Failure, legacy, tips to Elyse’s younger self, and productivity.
#19 Elyse Burden - Co-Founder of Real World Scholars
#18 Kerstin Oberprieler - Gamification Expert & Co-Founder of PentaQuest
Kerstin Oberprieler is a leading gamification expert, and the Co-founder of PentaQuest. PentaQuest is on a mission to become the world’s leading provider of gamified experiences that nudge behaviour towards performance and positive culture. Kerstin is a sought-after speaker and presenter in Australia and internationally. Prior to pursuing her passion for gamification, Kerstin worked as a design thinking consultant for 7 years, with a focus on strategic design, user research, and digital design. With her background in psychology and commerce, Kerstin has a deep understanding of organisational challenges and goals, and how these can be addressed through individual and team motivation. Throughout all of this she has also represented Australia as a martial artist.
What we discuss:
Resilience
Balancing Commitments
Gamification for social change
#Quickpods - Kerstin Oberprieler
Kerstin Oberprieler is a leading gamification expert, and the Co-founder of PentaQuest. PentaQuest is on a mission to become the world’s leading provider of gamified experiences that nudge behaviour towards performance and positive culture. Kerstin is a sought-after speaker and presenter in Australia and internationally. Prior to pursuing her passion for gamification, Kerstin worked as a design thinking consultant for 7 years, with a focus on strategic design, user research, and digital design. With her background in psychology and commerce, Kerstin has a deep understanding of organisational challenges and goals, and how these can be addressed through individual and team motivation. Throughout all of this she has also represented Australia as a martial artist.
What we discuss:
Failure, legacy, tips to Kerstin’s younger self, and productivity.
#Quickpods - Ashley Edwards
#17 Ashley Edwards - Co-Founder & CEO of MindRight
#Quickpods - Amanda Gutterman
Amanda Gutterman is CMO at ConsenSys, a global formation of technologists and entrepreneurs building the Ethereum ecosystem, and co-creator of Ethereal, the leading blockchain event series. Amanda is also the founder of ConsenSys Catalyst, a marketing agency with expertise building blockchain brands. She was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2016.
Before ConsenSys, Amanda cofounded Slant, a digital media platform, and served as Special Projects Editor at The Huffington Post. Amanda graduated from Columbia University, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Her work has been covered in The New York Times, TechCrunch, Business Insider, and more.
What we discuss
Failure, legacy, tips to Amanda's younger self, what it's like being a young woman in STEM, and productivity.
#16 Amanda Gutterman - CMO of ConsenSys
#Quickpods - Cam Greenwood
Young, spirited and adventurous, 25 year old Cam Greenwood is the founder of the world’s first socially conscious surf brand, Monsta Surf - a business borne from a spirit of adventure and a global vision to inspire and empower people to ‘live passionately’ and launch fearlessly into a life of deep and purposeful adventure.
Discovering a love of surfing at age 16, Cam Greenwood decided to try his hand at shaping his first surfboard in the backyard of his parents Melbourne home. The passionate hobby soon sparked something far more purposeful - a socially minded vision which he explored on a life changing trip to Kenya, before returning to Australia to catapult his dream into a reality.
As a result, in late 2013 at only 20 years of age, Cam Greenwood launched the world’s first socially conscious surf brand Monsta Surf from the backyard of his parents home in Melbourne. Five years later the Monsta Surf Tribe has expanded to over 40 countries across the world and has been able to find its own unique voice in an incredibly competitive and saturated marketplace with the brand now being recognised as the surf industry’s first ‘social enterprise’.
Cam’s unusual brand of business success has attracted an abundance of attention with the young social entrepreneur now considered an international thought leader for the next generation with his success being featured on various platforms and media outlets such as Channel 9 News - a story on ‘Australia’s Young Leaders’, Channel 7, Smart Company, The Collective Hub and Business State Magazine.
Now a Brand Ambassador for The Bank of Melbourne and The Reach Foundation,Cam is regularly invited to share his story, unique view of leadership and socially minded business approach to a range of leading platforms
What we discuss
Failure, legacy, tips to Cam's younger self, and productivity.
#15 Cam Greenwood - Founder of Monsta Surf
Young, spirited and adventurous, 25 year old Cam Greenwood is the founder of the world’s first socially conscious surf brand, Monsta Surf - a business borne from a spirit of adventure and a global vision to inspire and empower people to ‘live passionately’ and launch fearlessly into a life of deep and purposeful adventure.
Discovering a love of surfing at age 16, Cam Greenwood decided to try his hand at shaping his first surfboard in the backyard of his parents Melbourne home. The passionate hobby soon sparked something far more purposeful - a socially minded vision which he explored on a life changing trip to Kenya, before returning to Australia to catapult his dream into a reality.
As a result, in late 2013 at only 20 years of age, Cam Greenwood launched the world’s first socially conscious surf brand Monsta Surf from the backyard of his parents home in Melbourne. Five years later the Monsta Surf Tribe has expanded to over 40 countries across the world and has been able to find its own unique voice in an incredibly competitive and saturated marketplace with the brand now being recognised as the surf industry’s first ‘social enterprise’.
Cam’s unusual brand of business success has attracted an abundance of attention with the young social entrepreneur now considered an international thought leader for the next generation with his success being featured on various platforms and media outlets such as Channel 9 News - a story on ‘Australia’s Young Leaders’, Channel 7, Smart Company, The Collective Hub and Business State Magazine.
Now a Brand Ambassador for The Bank of Melbourne and The Reach Foundation,Cam is regularly invited to share his story, unique view of leadership and socially minded business approach to a range of leading platforms
What we discuss
Purpose
The importance of rest
How to navigate through the storms of life
#Quickpods - Marine Tanguy
#14 Marine Tanguy - Founder of MTArt
#Quickpods - Maia Bittner
Maia Bittner is the Co-founder of Pinch and was previously the Co-founder and CTO of Rocksbox. She’s passionate about early-stage startups and empowering women in tech and runs a brunch meetup called Series XX that connects female investors, founders and engineers.
What we discuss
Failure, legacy, tips to Maia'a younger self, and productivity.
#13 Maia Bittner - Co-Founder of Pinch
Maia Bittner is the Co-founder of Pinch and was previously the Co-founder and CTO of Rocksbox. She’s passionate about early-stage startups and empowering women in tech and runs a brunch meetup called Series XX that connects female investors, founders and engineers.
What we discuss
- Navigating formal education while gaining real life experience
- Owning your 'weirdness'
- Creating opportunities for yourself
#Quickpods - Daniel Smith
Dan is a 28 year old social entrepreneur based in Byron Bay who is the co-founder of Clean Coast Collective, a not-for-profit lifestyle brand committed to cleaning up our oceans. Clean Coast Collective aims to stop plastic pollution at the source by selling modern plastic-free alternatives, and the profits from product sales then help fund massive beach clean up expeditions in remote Australia. To date, they’ve removed over 4 tonnes of coastal pollution.
What we discuss
Failure, legacy, tips to Dan's younger self, and productivity.
#12 Daniel Smith - Co-Founder of Clean Coast Collective
Dan is a 28 year old social entrepreneur based in Byron Bay who is the co-founder of Clean Coast Collective, a not-for-profit lifestyle brand committed to cleaning up our oceans. Clean Coast Collective aims to stop plastic pollution at the source by selling modern plastic-free alternatives, and the profits from product sales then help fund massive beach clean up expeditions in remote Australia. To date, they’ve removed over 4 tonnes of coastal pollution.
What we discuss
- Navigating your path to impact
- How to deal with burnout
- Making the right decisions
- Ways to find fulfilment and what it means to you
#Quickpods - Kate Crowhurst
Kate has a background in education as a teacher, she is an author of textbooks for the Australian Curriculum and a Federal education policy-maker. Kate currently works as part of the national financial literacy strategy, providing Australian teachers with professional development and resources. She is also the Founder of Advocate, an organisation connecting young voters in Canberra with their local politicians, directly engaging young people in democracy.
What we discuss
We talk about: Failure, legacy, tips to Kate's younger self, and productivity.
#11 Kate Crowhurst - Founder of Advocate
Kate has a background in education as a teacher, she is an author of textbooks for the Australian Curriculum and a Federal education policy-maker. Kate currently works as part of the national financial literacy strategy, providing Australian teachers with professional development and resources. She is also the Founder of Advocate, an organisation connecting young voters in Canberra with their local politicians, directly engaging young people in democracy.
What we discuss
- Youth political engagement
- Exploring avenues for social change
- Why education needs to innovate
#Quickpods - Saúl Zavarce
Saúl A. Zavarce C. is the Head of Advocacy at the Venezuelan Australian Democratic Council and Campaign/Youth Advocacy Officer at Plan International Australia. He is a Melbourne based Venezuelan-Australian human rights advocate, and youth worker who migrated to Australia in 1992. He holds a Master of International Relations, specialising in gender and radicalisation theory from Monash University.
What we discuss
We talk about: We talk about: Failure, legacy, tips to Saúl's younger self, and productivity.
#10 Saúl Zavarce - Human Rights Advocate & Youth Worker
Saúl A. Zavarce C. is the Head of Advocacy at the Venezuelan Australian Democratic Council and Campaign/Youth Advocacy Officer at Plan International Australia. He is a Melbourne based Venezuelan-Australian human rights advocate, and youth worker who migrated to Australia in 1992. He holds a Master of International Relations, specialising in gender and radicalisation theory from Monash University.
What we discuss
- The power of vulnerability
- How we can be effective advocates for social change
- Finding the issues we really want to make an impact on
- What an effective democracy looks like, and how best involve minorities/diversity of perspectives in the democratic process
#Quickpods - Eva Mackinley
Eva currently spends her time running The Last Straw, a campaign to end the use of plastic straws in venues around Australia. Over 100 venues across the country have changed their straw use so far, with over 4 million plastic straws being saved from use since the campaign started. Eva has been deeply involved in the social change space, and is undertaking her honours in Middle East Studies anda Diploma of Arabic at Deakin University.
#9 Eva Mackinley - Founder of The Last Straw
Eva describes herself as a social change hipster, having been working in the industry since before social change was cool. From the age of 15 Eva has devoted her life to social good, starting with volunteering her summer holidays working in the office of a Tasmanian youth empowerment organisation, to the leadership team of national fundraising campaign Live Below the Line, to consulting on youth participation across the country with MoHow, to taking the leap and founding her own initiative The Last Straw in 2015.
Eva currently spends her time running The Last Straw, a campaign to end the use of plastic straws in venues around Australia. Over 100 venues across the country have changed their straw use so far, with over 4 million plastic straws being saved from use since the campaign started. The Last Straw has been backed by the Foundation for Young Australians and Taronga Zoo, and has established partnerships with organisations around the country. In her free time, Eva is a member of the Start Up Tasmania board, Awesome Foundation Melbourne and is undertaking her honours in Middle East Studies anda Diploma of Arabic at Deakin University.
What we discuss
- Navigating your social change pathway
- Why sustainability is so important now
- How straws and waste impact sustainability
- Barriers to development solving issues in other countries
#Quickpods - Paige Kassalen
Paige was the only American, only female engineer, and youngest member of the ground crew of the world’s first solar-powered airplane (Solar Impulse 2) as it completed its historic flight around the globe. Paige is a a spokesperson for young women in STEM, inspiring the next generation to create their own path in STEM fields. Now in her role as a Market Analyst, she explores how new mobility trends, like autonomous vehicles and ridesharing, will create new material demands.
#8 Paige Kassalen - Engineer & Market Analyst
#7 Rose Duong - Founder of Clothes Loop
Social impact entrepreneur Rose Duong talks me through her journey and some key experiences in getting to where she is today. Rose is the Founder of Clothes loop, a fashion retailer where you can shop their products and swap them afterwards. With a passion for sustainability and fashion, Rose is a digital designer who believes the key to stopping fashion waste is though clothes sharing where it benefits not only the customers but retailers too. Rose also helps businesses build their technologies and ideas and lectures at RMIT in Sustainability and Design.
What we discuss
- The role of design in social change
- The importance of sustainability in fashion and clothing
- Where design and sustainability meet
- Navigating social entrepreneurship from a young age
#6 Jamie Skella - Futurist & Founder of Horizon State
Futurist and entrepreneur Jamie Skella talks with me about why we should be optimistic about technology like AI and blockchain. As well as the future of democracy and the media.
I resonate so much with Jamie who talks about something I absolutely believe in, and is one of the driving factors of why I started this podcast and Futures Collective as a whole. Technology like AI is automating and replacing jobs, there’s no doubt about that, but there is also incredible opportunities that can come out of all this innovation if we foster what makes us unique as humans. The best part is he also makes this podcast actionable and relevant to young people growing up today.
Jamie has spent 20 years in the design, building and advising of businesses across blockchain, eSports, machine learning, and even future food. He has formerly been the Executive Director at MiVote, and is now the Co-Founder of Horizon State, who are redesigning how societies collectively make decisions using distributed ledger technology.
What we discuss
- How automation and AI might affect our futures, and things we can do to prepare for that
- Democracy - what is wrong with it and how to shape an effective democracy
- Media influence and bias
- The importance of curiosity
#5 Lilia Tarawa - Bestselling Author & Holistic Lifestyle Coach
Lilia Tarawa is a #1 bestselling author, speaker and holistic lifestyle coach. She was born into New Zealand's infamous religious cult, Gloriavale. She broke free at eighteen years old.
In the 'real world' Lilia drifted not really knowing who she was. Now she's found a calling to 'empower people to live meaningful, passionate lives that belong to them'. Her life experience compelled her to a career promoting human rights, welfare and personal empowerment.
We talk about building meaningful relationships and navigating the world as a young person to find your passion and purpose. Lilia's TED talk has over 2 million views and we really dive deep into not just her incredible journey, but the holistic aspects of life that we can all develop.
What we discuss
- Building meaningful relationships
- Finding your passion and purpose
- Finding your path to fulfillment
#4 Stevie Dillon - Founder of Stevie Says Social
Stevie is an ex-lawyer turned social media marketer, and has spent the past ten years spent working with some of the biggest brands in Australia on marketing strategy and social media.
She is now the owner of Stevie Says Social, a social media consultancy which provides training, education and strategy services to service-based businesses looking to lift their social game.
She write extensively on the topic of social media, and has had her work featured in the likes of Social Media Examiner, Smart Company and Business Chicks.
What we discuss
- The importance of storytelling and authenticity in our public and private lives
- Expressing your unique stories and how we all have one
- What social media holds for the future - the possible dangers for the development of youth and the opportunities it presents
#3 Quardean Lewis-Allen - Founder & CEO of Made in Brownsville
Focused on the issue of minority underrepresentation in design and tech fields and youth unemployment, Quardean Lewis-Allen founded the nonprofit youth creative agency Made in Brownsville (MiB) in 2013 to provide a gateway for young people in his native Brownsville community to learn marketable hard skills in STEAM, access postsecondary education, gain or create employment, and rebuild their community in a way that benefits residents. He teaches Architecture at CUNY City College and is a 2016 Echoing Green Black Male Achievement Fellow. Prior to starting MiB, Quardean was the inaugural recipient of Community Solutions’ Greg “Jocko” Jackson Community Fellowship at the Brownsville Partnership. He has worked for the global architecture firm, Perkins Eastman. In 2011, he worked for the Chife Foundation to develop affordable housing typologies for an eco-sustainable new town in Anam, Nigeria with support from the Harvard Community Service Fellowship Grant. He studied social housing under Anne Lacaton in Paris and public art under Krzysztof Wodiczko. His work has been exhibited at Le Laboratoire in Paris, at the Afrika Museum in the Netherlands, and Harvard University.
Quardean has been a guest critic and lecturer on social advocacy in design at Harvard, Parsons The New School, Queens College and Pratt Institute. He is an honoree on the 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 list and a 2013 40 under 40 creative urban leaders Next City’s Vanguard. MiB is a recipient of the 2016 MAKINGOODESIGN Award, a $100K Neighborhood Challenge Innovation Award from New York City Small Business Services and NYCEDC, and a 2016 Excellence Award from the Center for Active Design. In 2015 MiB was a finalist in the AIGA Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award. They have been featured by NYTimes Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, JPMorgan Chase, and Al Jazeera.
What we discuss
- The role of design in youth empowerment
- Embracing your unique genius
- How young people can help transform communities for the better
#2 Tahir Carl Karmali - Artist Forbes 30 Under 30
Working across multiple mediums, materials, and photography, Brooklyn-based artist TahirKarmali’s interests lie in manipulating materials that perpetuate colonialism. He draws from his own experiences as a well-traveled Kenyan citizen to structure narratives around migratory identity. Karmali received his Masters of Digital Photography from the School of Visual Arts, New York. Selected exhibitions include “Jua Kali,” a part of “Making Africa,” High Museum of Art, Atlanta (2017), Kunsthal Rotterdam, Netherlands (2016), and Guggenheim, Bilbao, Spain (2015), among other venues; “PAPER:Work,” Art Africa Fair, Cape Town, and Pioneer Works, Brooklyn, both 2017.
What we discuss
- The role of art in addressing social issues
- The obstacles facing youth who want to pursue art and any 'unpredictable' careers
- How to balance finding economic, psychological and emotional fulfilment