People Helping People

What if the most powerful fundraising tool you have isn't your data? It could be a single five-second moment. Great missions don't always speak for themselves. Social entrepreneurs are often sitting on compelling, real-world stories (the very reason they started their work) but struggle to translate that into messaging that actually moves people. Adam breaks down why that gap exists and what to do...

What if every purchase you make is actually a vote for the kind of world you want to live in? Most of us have heard the phrase "vote with your dollar," but David Gaines has spent years figuring out what that actually looks like in practice. Building on the foundation of his first book, Radical Business , David returns to dig into the consumer side of the equation with his upcoming release, Why We...

What if "doing good" in business isn't a checkbox, but seven different relationships you're already part of, whether you realize it or not? About This Episode David didn't set out to become a coffee guy. He started as a business coach who got pulled into La Terza Coffee because his friend, a coffee expert with zero interest in the business side, needed help running the company he'd built. What Dav...

What if the reason social media feels pointless for your business has nothing to do with your content and everything to do with how you're using it? About This Episode Most early stage founders treat social media like a megaphone. They post, nobody responds, and they quietly give up. I've been there, and I'll be honest about it. I spent a year in speaking classes to get better on video, then avoid...

What if the reason your idea isn't working isn't the idea itself, but the questions you're asking before you build it? About This Episode Tracy Brandenburg has taught design thinking at Stanford's d.school, built three programs at Cornell, and helped student entrepreneurs go from "I already know the answer" to actually talking to real humans and learning something. Tracy unpacks what design thinki...

What does it actually take to build a social enterprise when you still have a day job, a family, and a world that won't slow down? Three years in, the Social Impact Mastermind has become one of Adam Morris's favorite things he does. The idea was simple: bring social entrepreneurs together at a similar stage in their journey, create a space where they can be honest about what they're struggling wit...

How can a small business owner find the time to change their community when they are barely finding the time to finish payroll? Small businesses are the soul of our local economy, yet many founders struggle to find a way to give back while juggling the daily chaos of running a company. Nevin Bansal saw this gap firsthand. Coming from a corporate background with endless resources, he realized that...

Can you actually build a meaningful business in a weekend and have it still be running years later? Social entrepreneurship can feel lonely, overwhelming, and undefined, especially when you care deeply about a cause but have no idea how to turn that passion into a functioning business. That's exactly the gap GiveBackHack was designed to fill. Adam Morris pulls back the curtain on the Columbus, Ohi...

What if the thing standing between you and the impact you want to make isn't a lack of resources, but a lack of confidence? Confidence is one of those words that sounds simple but hits differently when you're an entrepreneur trying to do something meaningful in the world. Adam Morris sits down with Rachyl Kershaw of Greater Columbus Consulting and Lachandra Baker of LBB Edutainment to dig into why...

How can you expect to change the world if you are constantly running on an empty tank? Social impact work is inherently heavy, but lately, that weight feels even more intense for many founders. Between massive federal funding cuts, the rapid acceleration of AI, and a general sense of global uncertainty, change-makers are finding themselves at the brink of burnout. It is a rational response to an i...

Are you struggling to explain what you do without launching into a long-winded explanation that leaves your audience more confused than when you started? Mission-driven leaders often fall into the trap of leading from behind, assuming that if the work is good, the supporters will simply find them. But as Brandy Nicole Walker, founder of Brandworthy Solutions, explains, "intention without clarity i...

Do you ever feel like your passion for change is miles ahead of the actual business model keeping you afloat? We have all been there. You get into this work because you love the community and want to solve a real problem, but then the business side of things starts to feel a little scary. It is easy to get stuck in imposter syndrome, wondering if what you are offering is actually worth the price t...

Tia Johnson was a mother of three climbing the corporate ladder in 2013 when she reached a breaking point. She knew she wanted to instill something more in her children and redefine what wealth really meant beyond just a paycheck. After a frustrated argument with her teenage son about a smelly trash bin, a lightbulb went off: nobody actually wants to clean their trash cans. What started as a relat...

Are you building your social enterprise in a "basement" of isolation, or are you developing it alongside the community you actually serve? Social entrepreneurship attracts people with a deep desire to solve community problems, but many of these founders fall into the trap of building their vision in total isolation. Adam Morris explores why the "perfect" plan often fails while the "messy" test suc...

Are you just making noise, or are you actually moving your audience from awareness to action? Hannah Nichol, the founder and CEO of Mane Impact , joins the show to share how values-driven brands can cut through the digital clutter. Social entrepreneurs often get caught in the trap of "Frankensteining" their marketing by piecing together random social media posts and emails without a cohesive plan....

How do you build a sustainable business when your primary goal is social change rather than just a bottom line? After a two-year break, People Helping People is back with Season 3. This season is all about the "how-to" of social entrepreneurship, helping you bridge the gap between having a heart for change and running a business that actually scales. Building a social enterprise is a unique challe...

How can your nonprofit embrace design thinking and experimentation to maximize your impact? Leah Kral, shares insights from her book, "Innovation for Social Change: How Wildly Successful Nonprofits Inspire and Deliver Results". She shares how she turned 20 years worth of PowerPoints from workshops and convert them into book form. She discusses strategies nonprofits can implement to become more inn...

What if you could support local coffee shops and be sustainable with your coffee habit at the same time? Aleksandra Brankov shares the story of Cafilia - a sustainable local coffee club that's transforming the coffee scene in Cleveland and soon launching in Columbus, Ohio. Cafilia's unique subscription model allows coffee lovers to connect with their community in local cafes while reducing waste t...

Fikret Zendeli shares the vision of Social Friday - an innovative global CSR initiative aimed at transforming unproductive Friday afternoons into opportunities for community service and team building. Fikret shares his journey repurposing Friday afternoons at his company into a movement that bridges the gap between businesses and their communities. Through engaging stories and insights, Fikret des...

Tara Barauskas shares the work at Community Corp of Santa Monica, and their transformative approach to creating affordable housing and fostering community resilience.  She takes us on a journey of how their initiatives not only provide homes but also build sustainable and inclusive communities, illustrating the profound social impact of their mission in one of America's most expensive regions. Rea...

Emily Kane Miller shares the journey of the Saas platform, Ethos Tracking, highlighting their mission to transform social impact through data-driven insights. This podcast shares how Ethos Tracking is redefining philanthropy and corporate social responsibility by providing actionable metrics to measure, manage, and magnify the real-world impact of social initiatives. Read the full transcript and s...

Pocholo Espina, founder of SIP PH, shares his transformative journey from a diver witnessing the impacts of plastic pollution to becoming a sustainability pioneer. He delves into the challenges and triumphs of introducing eco-friendly alternatives like metal straws in the Philippines and building a product based company aiming to inspire a broader societal shift towards environmental responsibilit...

Send us a text The inspiring journey of Emmanuel Trinity Nsaabanye, founder of era92 Creative, highlighting how his enterprise is combatting youth unemployment in Africa through creativity and technology. It explores era92's innovative approach to empowering young people with skills in design and digital technology, transforming their lives and communities -- and is a powerful testament to how adv...

Send us a text Lachandra B. Baker, founder of LBB Edutainment, delves into the transformative power of empathy and inclusion in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Sharing her personal journey and professional insights, Lachandra illustrates how empathy can break down barriers and foster authentic, inclusive environments. Read the full transcript and show notes Visit People Helpin...

Send us a text Neil Mehta, CEO of Givey, discusses how the platform is revolutionizing charitable giving by supporting small charities through digital innovation. He shares his journey from the tech industry to social entrepreneurship, and how Givey makes giving a seamless part of daily life, empowering local communities and driving grassroots change. Read the full transcript and show notes Visit...