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S3: Bogobrush: Heather and John McDougall #83

Bogobrush: Heather and John McDougall Hey there! This is Romy here for another episode of the Bonfires of Social Enterprise!  On this episode, we are going to hear from a creative brother and sister team making toothbrushes for some good causes. Fun!  And, of course, at the end, we have a great song from a…

S3: Hamilton Perkins Bags and Recycled Plastic #82

Hamilton Perkins Hamilton and his team are working with Thread International to make bags and other accessories from some of the recycled plastics in Haiti. He has very interesting story. Be sure to stay tuned for a great Detroit artist group called The Infatuations. You will feel like you are transported back in time with…

S3: Mile High Expansion in Denver Manufacturing Workshop – Episode #81

Mile High Workshop What’s going on in Denver social enterprise manufacturing these days?! Romy catches up with Andy Magel of the Mile High Workshop manufacturer in Denver, Colorado. Great song the end!   For Full Transcript Read Full Transcript Introduction Hi there! This is Romy and welcome back to another episode of the Bonfires of…

S3: Nique Love Rhodes #79

Nique Love Rhodes We have a social entrepreneur of a different kind, she is a rapper!  You will have an opportunity to learn how the social and business sides come together for impact with Nique Love Rhodes! We featured her once before on one of the other episodes, Bags to Butterflies, I think. You will…

S3: Jay Rayford of Social Sushi #76

Jay Rayford of Social Sushi Jay Rayford of Social Sushi catches us up on all of the changes in his social enterprise. He and his bigger team of four have been the champions of proving out your product through pop-ups!  You will hear how they really built a large following before even opening their restaurant.…

S3: Detroit Horse Power Rides Empowerment – Episode #72

Detroit Horse Power lifts, heals, and empowers! David Silver shares an update on all of their expansion in the hearts and minds of the Detroit Youth! Community partners make his organization strong and talent-rich. Great song by a Detroit artist! Kids and horses are a great match.   Full Transcript Read Full Transcript Romy: Hi…

S3: Up-Cycling Fire Hoses with Kresse- Episode #71

Kresse Wesling updates us on up-cycling used fire hoses and discarded leather for luxury use! Romy catches up with Kresse Wesling. Kresse shares intimate insights on thoughtful expansion and overcoming those times when other’s minimize your work. Great new product line and authentic conversations on social enterprise. Song included by Detroit artist at end. Fun…

S3: City Girls Farm: Let the Goat Scaping Begin! Episode #70

City Girls Soap becomes a Farm: Let the Goat Scaping begin! Amy McIntire joins Romy for an update on the goat farm. Amy shares how the business has evolved from just making soaps and lotions to conservation ‘scaping’. Join in to learn how she is putting ‘Kids on the Bus’ in this great catch up.…

S3: Bags to Butterflies of Detroit – Episode #69

Michelle Smart of Bags to Butterflies in Detroit! Romy interviews Michelle Smart, founder and creator of Bags to Butterflies. Learn how Michelle is empowering women returning from the prison systems to be all that they can be. Transformation and incredible business ideas are moving this social enterprise into possibility. Don’t miss the great Detroit artist…

S3: Khali Sweeney of the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program- Episode #68

Khali Sweeney of the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program in Detroit Listen in to the powerful testimony of a great leader, his overcoming a poor education and his will to push for experiences for the kids in the neighborhoods of Detroit. Hear why Khali has adopted the phrase ‘books before boxing.’  This is an incredible…

S3: Overflow Coffee Bar of Chicago – Episode #67

Overflow Coffee Bar – Brandon & Amanda Neely – Chicago Season 3 kicks of with a great social enterprise out of Chicago’s South Loop. Get to know owners Amanda and Brandon Neely and listen how they overcame fears, built community, and decided that free is no good! As they sourced ethical coffee, they built a…

S3: Impact Crushin’ – Top Six Countdown #66

Season 3: Top Six Impact Crushin’ BEhaviors   Welcome to Season Three of the Bonfires of Social Enterprise! This is Romy, and I am the host of today’s episode that we are calling ‘Impact Crush!’  We are doing a Top 6 countdown on behaviors we are crushin’ on. And, at the end, we are going…

S2: Henry Le of Imagtor in Vietnam #65

vietnam

Romy interviews Henry Le, co-founder of Imagtor, a professional photo editing service in Vietnam that is employing people with disabilities. At the end of the episode, listen for another great new song by Detroit artist, Grace Elizabeth Lee!

S2: Life Remodeled, Chris Lambert #64

Romy interviews Chris Lambert of Life Remodeled in Detroit – incredible passion, boldness, humility, and steadfastness all rolled into one mission. Hear about the incredible neighborhood transformations. Also meet Grace Elizabeth Lee as the featured artist at the end of the episode and her new song ‘Darling.’

S2: Ivan Gonzalez in Humboldt Park, Chicago #63

Ivan Gonzalez of Humboldt Park, Chicago – Social Enterprise Coach, Mentor, and Cross-Sector Facilitator

Romy interviews Ivan and learns about how his faith anchors and propels him to engage sectors and cultures for the common good.

S2: Playground Detroit with Paulina Petkoski #62

We have two sides of what we do, IRL and URL. The first part, IRL, is In Real Life, we work with people, and we produce events, we connect people to people, and we like to promote the creative economy. Promoting the arts and culture scene here through exhibits through really cool programming that includes film screening, Q & A panels, installations with other stores that are in the area. Anything that really allows people to connect with one another and experience art in a way that is really fun and unique.
The other side of it is online. We have had an online magazine since 2011 that we started to really get out all of the fun, creative, news that’s happening in this city that, at the time, wasn’t being told in the mainstream media. Since we started the online magazine, we’ve also expanded the digital media platforms that we have to a really, amazingly, robust, social media following that is growing, basically every week. We have really great Instagram following and Facebook; we use Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, anything that really allows our audience to engage with the creative people that we support and promote.

S2: Amy Kaherl of Detroit Soup #59

Romy interviews Amy Kaherl of the now famous Detroit Soup! Amy shares about how she started Detroit Soup, some of the barriers to success and grand plans for the people of Detroit. Amy is a visionary catalyst and passionate about people. Great song at the end by Tim Schumack of Assemble Sound.

S2: Kari Hughes of Buy The Change in Detroit #54

Romy Kochan interviews Kari Hughes of Buy The Change in Detroit, Michigan. Listen and learn about what inspired Kari to begin making a market for women entrepreneurs around the world. Kari discusses why she wanted to become a B Corporation and remain a for-profit company. She discusses the importance of acknowledging your successes over your gaps. Kari is a woman on a mission to help make markets for inspiring women and mothers who are overcoming around the globe. A for-profit example of great social enterprise.