Subscribe to Next Economy Now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you find your podcasts.

What is the best way to help rebuild communities that have been left behind and forgotten? And is it necessary to throw out the manual and rather bring new ideas and fresh perspectives? To help answer these questions, we are joined today by the Founder and CEO of The Fingerpaint Group, Ed Mitzen.

The Fingerpaint Group is a full-service healthcare marketing firm aimed at improving the lives of those who need it most, and it has a new little sister which was also founded by Ed and his wife Lisa: Business for Good – on a mission to invest in people to build better businesses, stronger communities, and a more equitable world.

In today’s conversation, we learn about Ed’s unique ecosystem approach to philanthropy, how to identify and prioritize the help that is needed most, what you need to know and understand before seeking to help previously disadvantaged communities, the value of building relationships, the importance of teaching people how to problem-solve, and so much more! 

 

---

Key Points From This Episode:

•   Introducing Philanthropist, Executive Author, Entrepreneur, and Founder and CEO of The Fingerpaint Group, Ed Mitzen. [00:31]

•   Ed's professional background, and how he got involved in the work he does today. [01:06]

•   Insight into Ed's unique approach to philanthropy. [02:43]

•   Business for Good: the business side of philanthropy. [05:05]

•   What Ed has learned so far from his ecosystem approach to helping others. [07:44]

•   How to identify and prioritize the work that needs to be done in a neglected ecosystem. [10:25]

•   The inroads that Ed and his team have made in improving healthcare for others. [14:45]

•   Other requirements and considerations for rebuilding left-behind communities. [16:20]

•   The story behind Wealthy and White, and what Ed hopes readers will gain from it. [17:56]

•   How he navigates failure as an entrepreneur and mentor. [21:30]

•   The value of building strong relationships, and how to go about it. [24:25]

•   Unpacking the reciprocity of gifting. [26:01]

•   How Ed teaches problem-solving, and the importance of learning this skill. [27:13]

•   The biggest challenges he faces at work today and how he overcomes them. [28:41]

---

Quotations:

“We're not going to solve hunger with more food pantries; we need to get people up the income curve – good paying jobs, good healthcare – and that will help eradicate a lot of the challenges that societies face.” — Ed Mitzen [0:02:16]

“Nowadays, people want to come and work for companies that they know are trying to make the world a better place.” — Ed Mitzen [0:03:04]

“[We're] trying to use our entrepreneurial skills to help people in left-behind communities start or grow their companies.” — Ed Mitzen [0:05:38]

“I'm trying to show other white business owners that there's other ways to help besides just writing a cheque.” — Ed Mitzen [0:13:37]

“Healthcare is a tough one. We've tried to do what we can, but the whole system is a bit of a mess.” — Ed Mitzen [0:15:51]

---

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: 

Ed Mitzen: https://www.edmitzen.com/

Lisa Mitzen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitzen-81445412

The Fingerpaint Group: https://www.fingerpaint.com/

Business for Good: https://bfg.org/

Wealthy and White: https://www.powells.com/book/wealthy-and-white-9781544540979  

Caste: https://www.powells.com/book/caste-9780593230251

Albany Black Chamber of Commerce: https://albanyblackchamber.org/

Goldman Sachs: https://www.goldmansachs.com/

Albany Medical Center: https://www.albanymed.org/

---

Stay Connected To Next Economy News with our Newsletter!

Interested in receiving the latest news from the Next Economy? Sign up for our newsletter and receive monthly tips, advice, and resources from our team and partners: https://lifteconomy.com/newsletter 

---

Dive Deeper With The Next Economy MBA 

Interested in exploring Next Economy principles in a community of practice with other entrepreneurs, changemakers, and impact leaders? Offered in the spring and fall, the Next Economy MBA is a nine-month online course for folks who want to learn key business fundamentals (e.g. vision, culture, strategy, and operations) from an equitable, inclusive, and regenerative perspective.

Join the growing global network of 500+ alumni who are catalyzing a global shift towards an economy that works for all life. Learn more and sign up for news about upcoming cohorts: https://lifteconomy.com/mba.

---

Show Notes + Other Links 

For detailed show notes and interviews with past guests, please visit https://lifteconomy.com/podcast.

If you enjoy Next Economy Now, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it really helps folks interested in Next Economy work discover our show.

Stay Connected With Us On Social:

X: https://twitter.com/LIFTEconomy

Instagram: https://instagram.com/lifteconomy/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/LIFTEconomy/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/Lifteconomy

Music by Chris Zabriskie: https://chriszabriskie.com/