Seeds

Michael co-founded Code Club Aotearoa and in this interview we talk about the work that organisation is doing with primary aged school children to teach them how to code.  We also talk about his background on rural farms in New Zealand and experience living for several years in the Amazonian jungle before he got into his career in IT.  We also discuss his involvement in Canterbury Tech - and what...

Amy Marsden is a co-founder of Te Mapua which translates as "the precious children" and works to provide camps and other activities for kids in need.  In this interview we talk about her early life and what influenced her to work full time with children.  We also talk a lot about her Maori heritage and the impact that has had on her thinking and approach to the work she does now and in particular...

Joanna is the President of the Auckland District Law Society.  She is also the founder of Pidgeon Law in Auckland which is a boutique property and commercial law firm.  She has been involved with a variety of not for profit and charity committees such as the Selwyn Foundation and Auckland City Mission and these are discussed in the interview.  We also talk about growing up with a famous lawyer fat...

Jonathan Lee is a professional photographer who has traveled the world taking photos and through them telling amazing stories.  In doing this he often supports social enterprises and other great causes.  In this interview we talk about his early life in Hong Kong, immigrating to the United States as a child, what formed him and gave him a sense of direction, his involvement in the Beacon Food Fore...

Ben set up the social enterprise Fill Their Lunchbox and in this episode shares his journey.  We learn about his childhood and hard times during high school, losing a friend during the Christchurch earthquakes and his resulting depression and how all these factors led to his being inspired to start Fill Their Lunchbox which not only feeds children who wouldn't get a lunch otherwise but also works...

Growing up in an international family that spanned the globe, working as a lawyer before starting to work for a variety of charities particularly in the health sector and then becoming the CEO of the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation in Melbourne, Australia which the is the largest and oldest community foundation in Australia and funds many charities and social enterprises. Catherine Brown is the...

Traveling the country at 11 as a boy soprano, studying acting and working as a professional actor and then working internationally as an opera singer before becoming an activist with Greenpeace, working with Sustainable Cities and the "Redesigning Resources Business Leadership Group" then founding the Hillary Institute to honour those around the world doing great things in mid career and working w...

On falling in love at first sight, the impact of a friend passing in your 20s, a lifelong love of skiing and travel, co-founding a marketing agency, deciding to retire but then getting a prognosis you never expected to receive and what you learn from that. John Hammond co-founded marketing agency Beck & Caul.

Growing up in the Philippines with dreams of Space and interplanetary travel, how a scholarship to the International Space University in France has led to a unique career as an international space consultant, co-authoring "Realizing Tomorrow: The Path to Private Spaceflight", working as Chief Impact Officer at Singularity University and the study of how to leverage exponential technologies for glo...

Growing up on a Yorkshire Dales hill farm, living in South East Asia during the Vietnam War era, pursuing an academic career, founding the Hawthorn Press, developing 'Stroud Common Wealth' and establishing community land trusts and social businesses and what that term "Common Wealth" actually means. Martin is a former academic, business consultant, Quaker, publisher with Hawthorn Press, founder of...

Growing up in Rotorua, being involved in the fishing industry and co-founding the New Zealand Salmon Company in the mid 1980s, working as Chief Executive at the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce for more than 20 years and the leadership lessons learned over his career.  Peter Townsend is about to retire as the Chief Executive of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce. Visit: https:/...

Ambitions to be a superhero as a child and how that affected the decision to become a policeman and then work for many years as an anti-human trafficker, the highs and lows, including burn-out and depression and what you learn through that. Gary Shaw is now the Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Kathmandu. 

Growing up in Italy, working as a researcher of economic models at the Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, joining the finance world as an investment banker before co-founding OPES Impact Fund which focuses on investing in early stage social enterprises in Africa and India. Elena Casolari is the Co-founder and Executive President of OPES Impact Fund and she is also a Board Member of Social Enterpris...

Joining the Peace Corps in 1964, studying at Harvard Business School and then joining the faculty before being involved in co-founding the Social Enterprise Initiative there. Dr James Austin is Emeritus Professor at Harvard Business School in the Eliot I. Snider and Family Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus Co-Founder Social Enterprise Initiative Harvard Business School. http://www.hbs...

What the Eden Project is, the concept of weaving together entertainment with education, operating as a global social enterprise with expanding operations in China, Australia, America and a proposal for the red zone in Christchurch. David Harland is the CEO of the Eden Project in England which has large biomes at the site in Cornwall in which there are a wide variety of plants from all over the wor...

Growing up in Kenya and what life is like in the city of Nairobi, what impresses about Western culture when viewed from an African perspective, how community is different, the opportunities people may take for granted here and what it means to find your purpose.  Mark Ambundo has been in New Zealand for less than a year and in this conversation gives his unique perspective on what we probably take...

On what makes coming home from overseas so special, working with entrepreneurs as 'Start-Up Activator' at Ministry of Awesome, the scary/exciting moment you decide to launch out on your own and finding joy and purpose by taking the time to slow down. Kit Hindin is the Start-Up Activator at the Ministry of Awesome which was founded after the earthquakes to make things happen in Christchurch.  They...

Co-founding the Australian Social Enterprise Thankyou at 19, being transparent about the ups and downs of the journey, what keeps you going on an entrepreneurial marathon, the importance of purpose as your foundation and what the future holds. Daniel Flynn co-founded Thankyou, a social enterprise started in Australia which aims to end global poverty.  I spoke to him during the Social Enterprise Wo...

Building a network of urban farms as a social enterprise, their potential to help the young people involved find their purpose and the chance to participate in the next stage of Cultivate Christchurch through "Broccoli Bonds" with the ability to receive fresh veges if you invest. Bailey Peryman is the co-founder of Cultivate Christchurch, which is a social enterprise that inspires young people to...

Working in Silicon Valley in the 1970s, what resilience is in an organisational context, how theory was turned into a living labratory when the earthquakes hit Christchurch and what organisations can do to improve their resilience before a crisis hits. Dr John Vargo is an Executive Director of Resilient Organisations Ltd based in Christchurch, New Zealand. https://resorgs.org.nz/

What it feels like to turn 10, what kids can teach adults and what they wish we knew, the keys to developing a growth mindset, some innovative transport ideas, how to reduce pollution and what it means to be a good friend.  

The one where we learn about a childhood without TV but plenty of imagination, becoming a Member of Parliament, how the earthquakes sparked the decision to become Mayor, the future for social enterprises and both the challenges and unique opportunities facing Christchurch today. "This is an opportunity to do things that you couldn't do before.  It is a time where our city can really provide an upl...

The one where we talk about when a national identity forms if you are a child of immigrants, starting your first charity at 15, empowering others as a Social Enterprise lawyer in post Earthquake Christchurch and moving to Tokyo to help grow the Pechakucha movement worldwide. "Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you should do nothing." Visit Pechakucha ぺちゃくちゃ

The one where we talk about what it takes to leave working in the corporate world behind, what B Corps actually are and the process to become one, what changes are needed to have more purpose driven people and societies and how medieval history fits in to all this. Visit Grow Good

The one where we learn about a childhood in Mexico, introducing the BlackBerry to Europe with Vodafone, being involved in IT startups in England and how all these unique experiences combined to provide a perfect background to working as the CEO at Kilmarnock Enterprises, a world leading example of a Social Enterprise based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Visit Kilmarnock Enterprises