Community
Since 2019, I have interviewed more than 80 Social Venturers to talk about how they're supporting (social) entrepreneurs in their community, what challenges they encounter, and how they move forward despite the obstacles they face. These are their stories.
Esmeralda Herrera
Born and raised in the Bronx, Esmeralda Herrera is an ecosystem builder who works at the intersection of business and social impact to support local entrepreneurs. As Director of Programs and Community Relations at Communitas America, Esmeralda manages an accelerator in the Bronx that works directly with founders – primarily women and entrepreneurs of color […]
Isabelle Swiderski
Isabelle Swiderski started her agency in 2007 and since then has worked with social entrepreneurs around the world to bring their ideas to live and scale their impact. “Initially, my team and I were working with not for-profits exclusively on branding, storytelling, annual reports, websites – the usual communications. Then I became really interested in […]
Bistra Kumbaroska
Head, heart, and social innovation Bistra Kumbaroska is the co-founder and managing partner of Heartbeats Innovation and Communication, a Vienna- and Ljubljana-based agency (more on that later) that works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs and organizations to discover, strengthen and expand their social and environmental impact. “Our company name says it quite well: We focus on innovation […]
Tomás de Lara
Collaboration: the most important engine of life “In 2011, I co-founded Engage: a technology, business strategy and consultancy for social change, civic engagement and social innovation projects. Our goal was to give power back to the crowd by facilitating online collaboration. I have been fascinated with the idea of hosting deep and meaningful conversations ever […]
Jessie Elisberg
I was introduced to Jessie through our mutual friend and impact maker Lee Crockford. What transpired in our conversation was a deep commitment to helping social entrepreneurs thrive and – in times of COVID-19 – survive. Jessie shared some great insights and examples from members of the International Youth Foundation’s (IYF’s) YouthActionNet initiative and how […]
Cameron Madill
Cameron Madill is CEO at Pixelspoke, a worker-owned coop that focuses on websites and digital marketing for social impact organizations. Based in Portland, Oregon (like Rick Turoczy), Cameron is not only IN one of the U.S.’ centers of purpose-driven businesses – he has been instrumental in building it over the last four years! “Portland first […]
Fay Horwitt
Fay and I have moved in the same circles of Startup Champions Network and the ESHIP community for a little over a year now but it wasn’t until I moved to the Research Triangle area in November that we had the opportunity to sit down and have an actual conversation about the work and interests […]
Ilka Hennet
Earlier this year, I had high hopes of meeting a representative of the BMW Foundation in person on my visit to Berlin. Between my time in Toronto and conversations with Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter, I had met my fair share of Responsible Leaders, yet still hadn’t had a chance to talk to the organization that had created […]
Banks Benitez
As CEO, Banks is responsible for the organization’s strategy and long-term direction. A Denver native who joined Uncharted in the spring of 2012 as an unpaid intern, Banks has served in a variety of roles: leading entrepreneur selection, managing the mentor network, leading the expansion of the Institute around the world, managing the organization’s day-to-day […]