People First Economy Podcast
By Emmanuel Ibarra
People First Economy is an economic development nonprofit, based in Grand Rapids Michigan, leading the development of an economy grounded in local ownership that meets the basic needs of people, builds local wealth and social capital, functions in harmony with our ecosystem, and encourages joyful community.
People First Economy Podcast Jun 17, 2021
S2 Episode 10 - 'Move Your Money' with Manny Barragan from Beneficial State Bank
Welcome to the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk to business leaders and movement builders to learn more about how they are building a people first economy.
This edition of the PFE Podcast comes to you in part by our Move Your Money Campaign, a campaign we created to highlight the importance of our local financial institutions and how they contribute to an equitable and sustainable economy. Joining Emmanuel Ibarra, host & producer of the PFE Podcast, on this episode is Manny Barragan, AVP Client & Treasury Associate at Beneficial State Bank (BSB). BSB is a Certified B Corp Bank headquartered in Oakland California, but with locations all along the west coast.
Beneficial State Bank, since their inception has been committed to leading the banking industry in innovative impactful practices that contribute to the well-being of their communities and of the planet. They envision quote “an economy that restores our planet and extends prosperity to all, and this vision guides every aspect of their work.
This episode is sponsored by Lake Michigan Credit Union.
S2 Episode 9 - Sacred Economy Part II with Kathleen Roark and Kevin Lum
Welcome to the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk with business leaders and movement builders who are building a people first economy.
In this episode of the People First Economy Podcast you’ll hear part 2 of our Sacred Economy conversation, hosted again by the PFE Director of Community Engagement, Kathleen Roark. In part 1, Kathleen spoke with Rabbi David about the research he conducted through a multi-faith lens to the commonality within the various religious perspectives to learn how to participate in and build up a Sacred Economy.
In Part 2, you’ll hear Kathleen and Kevin Lum, founder of Foundry Financial, talk about what is means to be a spiritual entrepreneur, about the importance of understanding of where your money is going and living your values through your spending, and how you can use your purchasing power to support the kind of world & economy that cares for people.
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S2 Episode 8 - Boxed Out with Ron Knox of the Institute for Local Self Reliance
Welcome to the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk with business leaders and movement builders who are building a people-first economy.
This episode of the PFE Podcast comes to you as part of Gift Local, Gift Good, a campaign designed to be a resource to our members and our audiences to help them shop locally and shop sustainably. In this episode, you'll hear our host, Emmanuel Ibarra, interview Ron Knox about a report titled 'Boxed Out' which covers the history of how large companies ( Walmart/Amazon/Kroger/Dollar General, etc) have exerted their power to dominate markets unfairly and to stamp out competition at the expense of our communities.
Ron Knox is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and a writer for their Independent Business Initiative.
The Institute for Local Self Reliance is a national research and advocacy organization that partners with allies across the country, like People First Economy, to build an American economy driven by local priorities and accountable to people and the planet.
S2 Episode 7 - Nourish Our Community with Supermercado Mexico and Northern Initiatives
Welcome to Season 2 Episode 7 of the People First Economy Podcast, a podcast where we talk to business leaders and movement builders who are leading the charge in building a people first economy. This episode is part of our Nourish Our Community campaign, an initiative we started last year to highlight the importance of our local food system.
Joining Emmanuel Ibarra (Good For Michigan - Impact Manager) on the podcast is Javier Olvera from Supermercado Mexico and Elissa Sangali from Northern Initiatives.
In this episode you hear Javier’s story behind Supermercado Mexico, how he stepped away from a career in engineering to establish and grow a series of successful Mexican grocery stores with a few of his family members. Together they acquired their first store, La Tapatia, back in 2006 which evolved into the three stores that are now known as Supermercado Mexico. About three years ago, Supermercado Mexico began working with Northern Initiatives (NI), a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), to complete a number of projects. Elissa Sangalli, President of NI, shared insight into how support is provided by Northern Initiatives to businesses engaged in their programming.
Supermercado Mexico is a mexican grocery store with three locations in Grand Rapids and Wyoming founded in 2006 and co-owned by Javier Olvera and a few family members.
Northern Initiatives is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) serving businesses in communities around Michigan and northern Wisconsin.
S2 Episode 6 - Level Program by B Lab US & Canada w/ Cee Stanley and Andy Fyfe
Welcome to Episode 6 of Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast! This episode covers a program developed by B Lab US & Canada called the LEVEL Program, a program created to for businesses that are led by people of color who identify as women. This program provides participating businesses the resources needed to: measure and improve their impact, tell their story, adopt legal stakeholder governance, and certify as a B Corp. Our Program Director, Alice Jasper (PFE Program Director) recorded this conversation with Andy Fyfe (Director of Equitable Growth at B Lab US & Canada) and Cee Stanley (Owner of Green Heffa Farms) both of which played a key role in creating this program.
B Lab US & Canada is one of six global partners of the B Lab global network. They foster and mobilize the growing community of people and businesses working towards a more fair and inclusive economy in the United States and Canada.
Green Heffa Farms is a 15 acre regenerative farm this is also a tea company, a natural health brand, an educational resource, and now a Certified B Corp.
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S2 Episode 5 - Centering Place in Sustainability
Welcome to Episode 5 of Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast: a podcast that brings insight into how our business community and our partners are all working towards building and participating in a People First Economy. In this episode of the podcast, you’ll hear our two directors here at PFE, Kathleen Roark and Alice Jasper, talk about about the meaning of PLACE and place-based movements (ie. localism, which has a focus of building stronger local communities, organizations, and over all a stronger local economy) and how it ties into the broader sustainability movement which aims to enhance businesses and greater society in a way that is better for all. Our two main programs at People First Economy (Local First of West Michigan and Good For Michigan) center both of these ideas, and they overlap in so many ways. We’re excited to bring you this conversation that highlights the concepts and ideas that fuel our work!
S2 Episode 4 - A Sacred Economy with Kathleen Roark and Rabbi David J.B. Krishef
Welcome to Episode 4 of Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast! In this episode, you'll hear Rabbi David J.B. Krishef, from the Congregation Ahavas Israel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, interviewed by Kathleen Roark, Director of Engagement at PFE, to talk about the Sacred Economy concept. This concept was researched by Rabbi David through a multi-faith lens when he wanted to find the commonality within the various religious perspectives on how to participate in and build a Sacred Economy. Rabbi David writes the popular “Ethics and Religion Talk” column for therapidian.com and the Grand Rapids Press, frequently speaks and appears on interfaith panels within the Grand Rapids community, and has taught Hebrew and Judaism courses at local colleges.
S2 Episode 3 - Growing The B Corp Movement with Alice Jasper and Nathan Stuck
Welcome to episode 3 (of season 2) of the People First Economy Podcast! Our program director at PFE, Alice Jasper, interviewed Nathan Stuck, of B Local Georgia and Ad Victoriam Solutions, about his work with B Academics and growing the B Corp Movement. B-Academics is a global network of educators and researchers who work to accelerate the global sustainable business movement. This network studies this movement and fosters collaborations between members of academic institutions and organizations that strive to achieve the B Corporation Certification. Nathan is working to bring this global movement to his state and help make Georgia the model region for where this kind of innovation can take place.
S2 Episode 2 - Mallowfields with Jessa Challa & Carla Siler-Maddalena
Welcome to Episode 2 (Season 2) of the People First Economy Podcast ! In this episode you’ll hear a conversation between our host, Emmanuel Ibarra, and two founders from Mallowfields, Jessa Challa and Carla Siler-Maddalena. Mallowfields is an employee-owned software engineering company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who’ve just achieved their B Corp Certification. Listen to this podcast to some insight into why/how they achieved their B Corp status and how they’ve built out their business.
Check out Mallowfields at mallowfields.com to learn more !
This podcast is brought to you by Northern Initiatives, a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Northern Initiatives provides both the capital and know-how you need to grow your business, acquire one, or start one of your own. Check out Northern Initiatives today, at northerninitiatives.org
S2 Episode 1 - Building a People First Economy with Hanna Schulze
Welcome to Season 2 of the People First Economy Podcast ! On this first episode of our new season, Emmanuel sits down with the president of People First Economy, Hanna Schulze, to talk about the big changes that have taken place at the organization over the past two-ish years and about what we have in store for this next year in 2022. You'll also get to know more about Hanna, her history with PFE and her outlook on life !
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If you're interested in jumping on the podcast to talk about how you're building a people first economy, connect with us at : info@goodfor.org
Episode 11 - Bridge Street Market and Daddy's Dough Cookies
On this episode of the People First Economy Podcast, our host Emmanuel Ibarra met with Mitch Cook from Bridge Street Market and MarcQus Wright owner of Daddy's Dough Cookies to record a conversation around what participating in and supporting the local community looks like for Bridge Street Market as well as how Daddy's Dough Cookies has grown since launching their business back in the pre Covid times.
For more information on Daddy's Dough Cookies, visit their social media pages:
- https://www.facebook.com/daddysdough
- https://www.instagram.com/daddysdough/
- https://www.daddysdough.com/
For more information on Bridge Street Market, click here to visit their website.
Episode 10 - Food Justice and South East Market
On this episode of the People First Economy Podcast, you hear an interview with Alita Kelly, founder of the Grand Rapids based grocery store South East Market. She talks about opening South East Market during the pandemic, how community, food justice, and food sovereignty are central to her business as well as how intentionality is an important aspect of impactful and energy restoring business practices. If you're in Grand Rapids, make sure to stop in and support their work to create a more equitable and sustainable food system.
Episode 9 - Good Impacts & The B Impact Assessment
On this episode of the People First Economy Podcast, Emmanuel talks with Nick Beadleston from Good Impacts on his experience completing the B Impact Assessment in a race to achieve 80 points in 80 hours. Nick goes over what the B Impact Assessment is, his approach to taking the B Impact Assessment, and later he goes over what he learned form the process.
If you are interested in learning more about the B Impact Assessment and how to use it to inform how you use your business as a force for good or are looking for insight into how to strategically approach the assessment, this podcast episode is for you !
Check out Good Impacts, here : Doing Good Is Good For Business
Episode 8 - Northern Initiatives - Move Your Money Part Two
This month we bring to you a two part mini podcast series on the People First Economy's Move Your Money Campaign. This campaign was created to spread awareness around the importance of keeping your money locally, the impacts of our current financial system, and how to participate in building a more resilient place-based (local) financial system.
For part two, we invited Elissa Sangalli from Northern Initiatives to talk about CDFIs and the work that Northern Initiatives does to make an impact on communities around Michigan and parts of Wisconsin. She gives us insight into the impacts of our financial systems and the role CDFIs play in the economy.
This episode is brought you by Lake Michigan Credit Union. For more about the Move Your Money Campaign visit:
peoplefirsteconomy.org/move-your-money/
Episode 7 - American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) - Move Your Money Part One
This month we bring to you a two part mini podcast series on the People First Economy's Move Your Money Campaign. This campaign was created to spread awareness around the importance of keeping your money locally, the impacts of our current financial system, and how to participate in building a more resilient place-based (local) financial system.
For part one, we invited Derek Peebles from the American Independent Business Alliance, or AMIBA, to talk about the importance localism and place-based financial systems. He offers insight into his perspective on the current state of our financial systems and the role local financial institutions play in our economy.
For more about this campaign check out:
peoplefirsteconomy.org/move-your-money/
Episode 6 - July - The journey through the pandemic with Mitten Brewing Company and Long Road Distillers
This month's episode includes an interview with Chris Andrus owner of Mitten Brewing Company and Kyle VanStrien owner of Long Road Distillers. In late June, these two businesses, among others, collaboratively announced that they were guaranteeing their employees would receive a $15/hour minimum wage. We invited these two to provide more insight into their experience and how they arrived at this decision. An overall humanizing conversation that shed light on the decision-making process of restaurant owners during this Covid-19 Pandemic.
Episode 5 - June - Local First, Independents Week, and Small Business Rising
In this month's episode of the People First Economy Podcast you'll hear Emmanuel's conversation with Kathleen Roark, the PFE Membership Director, and Marta Johnson, a recovering policy advocate and social entrepreneur, about next week's Independents Week campaign as well as the important power and influence of small business.
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This episode of the People First Economy Podcast is brought to you by Frames Unlimited. Frames Unlimited is a fourth generation family business offering professional picture framing, custom and ready-made frames, art, wall decor, restoration services, and conservation framing by knowledgeable, creative associates. Visit their website at www.framesunlimited.com for more details and for other locations throughout Michigan.
Episode 4 - Holly Ensign-Barstow
In this episode you’ll hear a few announcements, a short recap of last months Ben & Jerry’s event with People First Economy's Marketing Director - Mieke Stoub, and a conversation with Holly Ensign-Barstow, the in-house expert of Policy and Stakeholder Governance at B Lab, to talk about Benefit Corporation Legislation.
Episode 3 - Milinda Ysasi
In this episode you'll hear Emmanuel covering our Ben & Jerry's event that will be taking place later in the month of April (Monday, April 19th at 9 a.m.) as well as a conversation with Milinda Ysasi, Grand Rapids City Commissioner and President of The Source, who will be moderating the conversation with Dave Rapaport, the Global Social Mission Officer at Ben & Jerry's.
Episode 2 - Alice Jasper and Kalsec INC
On this episode of the Podcast, Alice Jasper, the People First Economy's Program Director catches us up with what she's been up to.
In the featured conversation, Emmanuel speaks with Jim Justice and Ian Kennedy from Kalsec INC, a B Corp located in Kalamazoo, MI. Kalsec INC is an international leader in the development of natural spice and herb flavor extracts, natural colors, food protection, and advanced hop products for the manufactured food and beverage markets. Learn more on the podcast on how their business applies a sustainability-focused mindset to their practices !
Episode 1 - Public Thread/Good For Michigan Intro
Episode 1 - Public Thread/Good For Michigan Intro
Welcome to the first episode of the People First Economy Podcast (Formerly the Good For Michigan Podcast). In this episode you'll find a Good For Michigan program overview and an interview with the Founder of Public Thread, Janay Brower.
Public Thread is an innovative community-based upcycling company in Grand Rapids Michigan. What is that you ask? Listen to the podcast to find out !