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Social impact trailblazer Lisa Kleissner co-founded KL Felicitas Foundation, Toniic, and Hawaii Investment Ready, all key players in the movement to bring down the barriers to impact investing. Lisa also brings her two decades of experience in impact investing and philanthropy to her work as a board member at Aqua-Spark and Real Good Fish. During this episode, she shares her story.
Tuning in, you will learn about her holistic approach to her work and her commitment to end siloing in the impact investment space. We touch on allocating appropriate returns and why the answer is often none at all. Lisa shares her thoughts on the role of government and the private sector in helping to move the needle and finding the middle point between what people think they want and what is truly necessary.
We dive into Lisa’s use of data to inform change-making, and she tells us why money is often far from the biggest obstacle. She also shares her perspective on reverse-engineering economic resilience for the communities that most need it. In closing, we talk about the vital importance of vision, and Lisa shares actionable advice for those who want to offer support. Lisa has plenty of hard-earned insights to share. Tune in today to benefit from her whole systems perspective and fine-tuned knowledge of making an impact.
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Key Points From This Episode:
• Lisa Kleissner’s social impact and investment background and her work today. [0:00:35]
• How she came to her whole systems approach and commitment to end siloing. [0:06:35]
• Her trailblazing work in impact investment and allocating appropriate returns. [0:13:14]
• Why it is necessary to work collaboratively with government and the private sector. [0:18:55]
• Finding the middle point between what people think they want and what is necessary. [0:21:19]
• How Lisa utilizes data to inform change with a pre-emptive approach to fire resistance to illustrate. [0:26:25]
• Obstacles that supersede the problem of money and why. [0:32:44]
• Reverse-engineering economic resilience with local resources. [0:38:50]
• How the story of Hawaiki Rising by Sam Lowe illustrates the importance of vision. [0:42:06]
• Advice for those who would like to offer their support. [0:47:15]
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Quotes:
“I learned that a business was a balancing act between the needs of the business and the needs of the community.” — Lisa Kleissner [0:09:34]
“Sometimes an appropriate return is no return. Oftentimes that’s the case.” — Lisa Kleissner [0:16:30]
“I’m realizing with my work in Hawaii, we have to bring in government philanthropy and the private sector. We have to work collaboratively.” — Lisa Kleissner [0:18:56]
“Every time we put data in combination with story, it’s like the one-two punch. It’s very hard for folks to look the other way and not do something, and get involved.” — Lisa Kleissner [0:29:24]
“Are we going to, as humanity, be ready to drop our egos and be present with our fellow citizens to craft that solution that is beneficial for everybody, including the natural environment?” — Lisa Kleissner [0:40:07]
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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Lisa Kleissner on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-kleissner-32904b63/
KL Felicitas Foundation — https://klfelicitasfoundation.org/
Aqua-Spark — https://aqua-spark.nl/
Toniic — https://toniic.com/
Hawaii Investment Ready — https://hiready.net/
Real Good Fish — https://www.realgoodfish.com/
Hawaiki Rising — https://www.powells.com/book/-9781617102004/7-0
Maui United Way — https://mauiunitedway.org/
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