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Season 1: A Visit to LA’s Downtown Women’s Center#39

Bonfires LA-Downtown Women’s Center Made by DWC – A Few Steps off Skid Row The Bonfires of Social Enterprise continues its series of stories inspired by Romy’s recent visit to LA, and her visit with attorney Cecily Jackson-Zapata, of the Sustainable Law Group. Joe Altepeter, Director of Vocational Education and Social Enterprise at the Downtown…

Season 1: Urbane + Gallant, Bonfires, L.A.#38

Combating Human Trafficking Through Jobs at Urbane + Gallant Bonfires of Social Enterprise podcaster Romy Gingras and Cecily Jackson-Zapata, Of Counsel with Sustainable Law Group, P.C. and Secretary of the Board of Directors of Social Enterprise Alliance, visited with the co-founder of men’s apparel company, Andrew Park of Urbane + Gallant . This men’s apparel company’s…

Season 1: Downtown Youth Boxing Gym Detroit#37

Detroit’s Place For Champion Kids The Downtown Youth Boxing Gym On this episode of The Bonfires of Social Enterprise with Romy Gingras, of Gingras Global we visit the Downtown Youth Boxing Gym in Detroit, Michigan. Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program executive director Jessica Hauser tells the story of the program. She tells why founder, Coach…

Season 1: Marion Janner United Kingdom#36

Marion who has mental illness and her support dog Buddy   Founder of Star Wards and Wardepedia The Bonfires of Social Enterprise talked to the North London based, one-woman dynamo, behind the social enterprise called Star Wards. Marion Janner and Bonfires-lady Romy Gingras, talk about how mental healthcare providers throughout the United Kingdom have come…

Season 1: Owen & Abbey#35

Creating Tables and Accessories from Reclaimed Lumber from Detroit and other Michigan Cities Kimberly Watts shared her story that takes the phrase, “If you want something done right, do it yourself,” to a whole new level. She explains how she added table maker and social entrepreneur to her impressive resume that includes more than 25…

Season 1: Catherine Johnson#34

Catherine Johnson, Assistant Director of the University of Michigan Center for Social Impact Catherine Johnson came home to Michigan, from Portland, Oregon, to take an important job. She’s the assistant director of the University of Michigan’s Center for Social Impact, which is “housed” at the Ross School of Business. This episode of the Bonfires of…

Season 1: Give Lyrics#32

Detroit music scene pro, April Woodard is the winner of this summer’s Detroit StartUp Weekend contest. That’s where she met Romy Gingras, of the Bonfires of Social Enterprise podcast. Romy and April talk about her award winning idea, called “Give Lyrics.”

Season 1: Pivot Point#31

Upcycling People and Things Romy Gingras, the host of The Bonfires of Social Enterprise podcast, visited Tim Adams, in Midland, Michigan. Midland is the home of a new program of the 1016 Recovery Network, called Pivot Point. Adams is 1016’s director of recovery enterprises. He and Romy talk about all the services Pivot Point provides…

Season 1: Garage Bands – Field Notes#30

Field Notes and Tips – A Series of Special Lessons from The Bonfires of Social Enterprise This is another of an occasional podcast by the Bonfires of Social Enterprise, and Romy Gingras of Gingras Global, that’s filed under Field Notes and Tips. In this episode, Romy talks to social enterprise owners who worry about being…

Season 1: Bonfires-Los Angeles, A Preview#29

A Short Podcast to Preview Upcoming Episodes Recorded in L.A.   This is a short podcast from The Bonfires of Social Enterprise, a preview of upcoming episodes about Romy Gingras’ visit to Los Angeles. Romy discusses the inspiring social entrepreneurs whom she met at the invitation of Cecily Jackson-Zapata of the Sustainable Law Group. Jackson-Zapata…

Season 1: Cecily Jackson-Zapata#28

Two Sustainable Business Consultants Rapping About Social Enterprise Los Angeles Attorney Cecily Jackson-Zapata Joins Romy Gingras on Bonfires In This Episode of The Bonfires of Social Enterprise Romy Gingras and Los Angeles based attorney Cecily Jackson-Zapata rap about the business of consulting and advising social enterprise businesses. You’ll be able to listen into a conversation…

Season 1: Play-Place for Autistic Children#27

Sterling Heights, Michigan Non-Profit Brings Community Together The Bonfires of Social Enterprise visited the non-profit social enterprise The Play-Place for Autistic Children. Host Romy Gingras talked with Shell Jones, who is President and CEO of this facility located in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Jones shared what inspired the idea for Play-Place and her goals for the…

Season 1: Elvis & Kresse, London#26

Elvis & Kresse Make Beautiful Things Out of Discarded Fire Hoses The Bonfires of Social Enterprise with Romy Gingras talks with Kresse Wesling, who, with her love, Elvis (James) Henrit own Elvis & Kresse. Kresse says she upcycles instead of recycles. She and Romy talk about why she works with discarded fire hoses and where…

Season 1: Detroit Ento#25

Don’t Step on That Bug! They’re Making Food & Medicine Out of Them! Detroit Ento is a a research and development firm that is doing research on all the things humankind can do with bugs, from crickets to meely worms to maggots, and more. Really. It’s about creating protein rich powders and other products from…

Season 1: Bamboo Detroit#24

Exploring a Collaborative Workspace In Downtown Detroit The Bonfires of Social Enterprise visits with Bamboo Detroit,a business incubator site in a historic Detroit building. Romy talks about why this place has a more “homey” feel to it than other businesses like it, with Bamboo Detroit’s “Community Lady’ Amanda Lewan. Despite it’s name, Detroit Bamboo isn’t…

Season 1: SPLT Rideshare#23

Romy Gingras, host of the Bonfires of Social Enterprise, introduces us to the team behind a brand new app,SPLT Rideshare. Splitting Fares. She met them through an organization called Techstars Mobility, which is mentorship driven business incubator, with locations in cities throughout the U.S. Romy’s venture into the field found her in Ford Field, the…

Season 1: Field Notes- Taking The Bait#22

“The Bait of the New Grape,” is part of a series of “Field Notes and Tips”, presented by The Bonfires of Social Enterprise. Romy talks about entrepreneuers taking the bait of wanting to do more to help their customers or clients. But, unforunately, they sacrifice the time and cash they need to keep their current businesses going.

Season 1: City Girls Soap#21

Goat farming in Pontiac. It’s about making products with that milk, using the goats to eat the overgrowth of a previously vacant lot to restore the landscape to it’s native messa-plain state. But more importantly, it’s about building a social enterprise while cuddling up with a kid or two! In this episode of Bonfires of…

Season 1: Field Notes & Tips – Natural Data#20

logo for Bonfires of Social Enterprise’s Field Notes and Tips This is the first of a series of “Field Notes & Tips,” from Romy Gingras, of Gingras Global Group, and the host of The Bonfires of Social Enterprise podcast. In this episode Romy takes the stress out of gathering data that some impact investors and…