Next Economy Now Blog — LIFT Economy

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Vincent Stanley: Patagonia's Director of Philosophy on the Next Economy

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

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Our guest on Next Economy Now is Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia and a Visiting Fellow at Yale School of Management.

If you’ve been following Next Economy Now, you might notice that Vincent is the fourth person we have interviewed from Patagonia since this podcast was launched in the Fall of 2015. It’s no secret that we love this company.

Not surprisingly, our listeners do too. For instance, our interviews with Phil Graves, Managing Director of Tin Shed Ventures (Patagonia’s venture capital arm); Rick Ridgeway, VP of Environmental Initiatives; and Rose Marcario, Patagonia’s President and CEO, are the top three “most listened to” episodes of Next Economy Now of all time.

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So, what do Vincent and I discuss? Here are some of the highlights:

  • How he grew up in the 60’s in the San Francisco Bay Area and went to an alternative high school in Santa Cruz mountains

  • How an economic collapse, a car wash, and a postcard from his grandmother led to his working at Patagonia

  • Jonathan Rose’s book “The Well Tempered City,”

  • Bren Smith of Greenwave and 3D Ocean Farming

  • And finally, at many conferences that Vincent attends, people often say to him “I love your company. How can we scale what Patagonia does?” His answer to this question was very fascinating for me.

To listen to this podcast, please click the image at the top of the article. In addition to listening above, you can listen/subscribe to Next Economy Now on iTunes, Overcast, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting platform.

Ryan Honeyman is a Partner at LIFT Economy and author of The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good (Berrett-Koehler Publishers). LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @honeymanconsult or email him ryan@lifteconomy.com.

Rick Ridgeway: Why Patagonia is Moving from Sustainability to Regeneration

"When you dig down into any social justice issue, more often than not, the causes have some root in environmental degradation."  - Rick Ridgeway

In this episode of Next Economy Now, Ryan Honeyman, a Partner at LIFT Economy, interviews Rick Ridgeway, VP of Environmental Initiatives at Patagonia.

Rick Ridgeway is one of the originals at Patagonia. He was rock climbing buddies with Yvon Chouinard before Patagonia was founded in 1973.

In this episode, we discuss Rick’s background as a photographer and filmmaker, his time on Patagonia's board of directors, and why Rick got his first “real job” only 12 years ago. We also dive into Patagonia’s famous mission statement to “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”

As you’ll hear, Rick is especially interested in moving away from “causing no unnecessary harm” (or sustainability) to “doing good” (which is regenerative). Rick and I discuss how things like soil health, regenerative agriculture, rotational grazing, and clothing that benefits the climate are increasingly on Patagonia’s radar.

In this interview, Ryan and Rick discuss a number of topics, including:

  • Why Patagonia doesn’t mention solving social or community issues in its mission statement

  • What happened when Patagonia discovered forced labor in its Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers last year

  • Why the Sustainable Apparel Coalition is the largest trade association in apparel and footwear in the world

  • Whether he is optimistic or pessimistic about the future

  • Patagonia’s new initiatives in carbon sequestration

  • Why you should know Fred Kirschenmann (from the Aldo Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture), the Carbon Underground, and Kiss the Ground

  • And much more

You can also listen/subscribe to Next Economy Now on iTunes, Overcast, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting platform.

Janelle Orsi: Leveraging the Legal System towards an Equitable & Inclusive Next Economy

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

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In this episode of Next Economy Now, Erin Axelrod, a Partner at LIFT Economy, interviews Janelle Orsi, founder of The Sustainable Economies Law Center.

 

Janelle Orsi is an attorney living and working in Oakland, California. Her law and mediation practice is focused on helping individuals and organizations share resources and create more sustainable communities. She works with social enterprises, non-profits, cooperatives, community gardens, cohousing communities, ecovillages, and others doing innovative work to change the world. Her primary areas of legal specialty are real estate, small business, nonprofit, and estate planning law. In addition to her private practice, Janelle is Co-Founder and Director of the Sustainable Economies Law Center.

 

Janelle is the author of Practicing Law in the Sharing Economy and co-author of The Sharing Solution: How to Save Money, Simplify Your Life & Build Community, a practical and legal guide to cooperating and sharing resources of all kinds. Janelle also writes for Shareable.net.

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In this interview, Erin & Janelle discuss a number of topics, including:

  • What if people could divert their funeral financing into burial plot land conservation easements?

  • The radically transformative power of worker-ownership

  • What does the real sharing economy look like? Loconomics Cooperative as a model to emulate

  • What is a multi-stakeholder cooperative and why that might be important

  • Healthy workplaces and how to alleviate nonprofit burn-out

  • “Permanent real estate cooperatives” as an iteration of Community land trusts to lessen the divide and make land trusts accessible to a more diverse socioeconomic group

  • How to catalyze a consumer revolution to create a tipping point for cooperatives

 

Towards the end of the podcast, Janelle and Erin coin the term, “Democravore,” to indicate an idea of mobilizing groups of people to come together to prioritize food spending at worker-owned food businesses.

 

In addition to listening on B the Change Media, you can listen/subscribe to Next Economy Now on iTunes, Overcast, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting platform.

 

Erin Axelrod is a Partner at LIFT Economy, helping to accelerate the spread of climate-beneficial businesses, specializing in businesses that address critical soil and water regeneration. She is a shepherdess, indigo farmer and regularly forages for wild food in her home in rural Sonoma County. LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life. You can follow Erin on Twitter @erinaxelrod or email her erin@lifteconomy.com.

Mike Brady: Greyston Bakery's CEO on Hiring the Unemployable

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

SUBSCRIBE & RATE us on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or anywhere you find podcasts!

In this episode of Next Economy Now, Ryan Honeyman, a Partner at LIFT Economy, interviews Mike Brady, President and CEO at Greyston Bakery.

Mike is building on Greyston’s thirty year heritage as a model for social enterprise. He served on the Board of Directors of the Greyston Foundation before being named President of the Bakery in January 2012. Mike’s passion for social entrepreneurism and the use of business to solve social issues are fundamental to his work at Greyston Bakery.

Prior to joining Greyston, Mike launched the first incubator in the country dedicated to organic food production and distribution. He spent over 20 years in strategy and executive management positions identifying and exploiting new business opportunities in high-growth and transitional industries.

Mike is also a business advisor to the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) and is on an Advisory Council with the Urban Institute helping to promote policies for a more sustainable economy. Mike received his MBA from the Wharton School of Business and lives in New York City with his wife and sons.

In this interview, Ryan and Mike discuss a number of topics, including:

  • Greyston’s Open Hiring program

  • The suite of services needed to break the generational cycle of poverty

  • Greyston’s partnerships with Ben & Jerry’s and Whole Foods

  • Mike’s former career in internet startups

  • The book he most often gives as a gift

  • The thought leaders Mike looks to for inspiration

  • Why Greyston’s “Blondie” brownie might change your life

  • And much more

 


In addition to listening on B the Change Media, you can listen/subscribe to Next Economy Now on iTunes, Overcast, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting platform.

 

Ryan Honeyman is a Partner at LIFT Economy and author of The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good (Berrett-Koehler Publishers). LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @honeymanconsult or email him ryan@lifteconomy.com.

Rose Marcario: Patagonia’s CEO on Climate Change, Regenerative Agriculture, and Business for Good

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

SUBSCRIBE & RATE us on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or anywhere you find podcasts!

In this episode, LIFT Partner Ryan Honeyman (author of The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good) interviews Rose Marcario, CEO of Patagonia.

Rose Marcario assumed the role of President and CEO of Patagonia in January 2014. Prior to this, she served as Patagonia’s COO and CFO.

After joining Patagonia in 2008, Marcario embarked on transforming the company’s infrastructure to improve its operations and financial performance.

In addition to broadening business throughout Europe, Japan and Australia, she has helped Patagonia focus on innovation and the development of new product groups, processes, and technologies.

Prior to coming to Patagonia, Rose held leadership positions as the Director of Corporate Finance for L.A. Gear, Vice President Global Finance and Treasury for NYSE-listed International Rectifier Corporation, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NASDAQ-listed General Magic, Inc.; and Executive Vice President in charge of Mergers, Acquisitions and Private Placements for Capital Advisors, LLP; where she was responsible for over $2 billion in transactions in consumer products, services and technology.

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In this interview, Ryan and Rose discuss a number of topics, including:

  • Rose’s buddhist practice

  • How someone with a background in traditional corporate finance, mergers, and acquisitions ended up at Patagonia

  • Patagonia Works and the company’s new business lines, including Patagonia, Inc. (apparel), Patagonia Provisions (food), Patagonia Media (books, films and multimedia projects), and $20 Million & Change (venture capital fund)

  • Why food might be the future of Patagonia

  • Climate change and regenerative agriculture

  • And much more

You can also listen/subscribe to Next Economy Now on your favorite podcasting platform, including: iTunes, Overcast, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Ryan Honeyman is a Partner at LIFT Economy and author of The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good (Berrett-Koehler Publishers). LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @honeymanconsult or email him ryan@lifteconomy.com.

King Arthur Baking: Collaborative Leadership & Employee Ownership

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

SUBSCRIBE & RATE us on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or anywhere you find podcasts!

King Arthur Flour, founded in 1790, is America's oldest flour company. However, the company's approach to social impact, executive leadership, and stock ownership is very different from the vast majority of traditional corporations.

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In this interview, King Arthur Flour's three Co-CEO's: Karen Colberg, Suzanne McDowell, and Ralph Carlton, describe why they consider King Arthur Flour to be "America's oldest startup" because of the company's innovative leadership structure and 100% employee ownership model.

You can also listen/subscribe to Next Economy Now on your favorite podcasting platform, including: iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, Overcast, and TuneIn.

 Ryan Honeyman is a Partner at LIFT Economy and author of The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good (Berrett-Koehler Publishers). LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @honeymanconsult or email him ryan@lifteconomy.com.

Jessica Prentice: How to Increase Your Social and Environmental Impact

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

SUBSCRIBE & RATE us on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or anywhere you find podcasts!

LIFT partner Kevin Bayuk interviews Jessica Prentice, inventor of the term "Locavore" and founder of Three Stone Hearth--a cutting edge community financed, worker-owned cooperative enterprise in Berkeley California. Jessica and Kevin discuss the deliberate investments Three Stone Hearth makes to create social and environmental impact, both in the community and foodshed, and also within the company itself.

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You can also listen/subscribe to the Next Economy Interview Series on your favorite podcasting platform, including: iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

Erin Axelrod: Regenerative Businesses in Sonoma/Marin

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

SUBSCRIBE & RATE us on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or anywhere you find podcasts!

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

SUBSCRIBE & RATE us on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or anywhere you find podcasts!

Erin Axelrod is a problem-solver, systems-designer, entrepreneur and community organizer. After earning her BA in Urban Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University, Erin worked for four years as the City Programs Coordinator for Daily Acts Organization producing water conservation programs for cities, transforming lawns into food, and helping design and manage a successful greywater reuse education & installation program.

She received her Permaculture Design Certificate with Toby Hemenway and has worked with the Fibershed Project as a contributing author for an Economic Feasibility study for implementing a bioregional-scale regenerative textile mill in CA.

Her consulting with LIFT Economy has lead her to a specialization in accelerating the spread of climate-benefitting and land-based businesses in the Next Economy. She does this through a range of initiatives including client work with companies like North Coast Brewing Company, Kendall Jackson and Singing Frogs Farm, among others. She also convene's LIFT Economy's regenerative agriculture investor network (RAIN) and a Restorative Ocean Economies Field-Building Initiative. Erin lives and works on a Grassfed beef and Land Restoration Project, Freestone Ranch, just outside of her hometown of Petaluma. When not working, she loves to forage wild mushrooms, huckleberries, elderberries and bay nuts to make nutrient dense foods for her friends. A frequent public speaker, she has given presentations at conferences including Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP), Permaculture Voices Conference, FoodFunded, Sustainable Enterprise Conference, NorCal Permaculture Convergence, and the CA Greywater Conference. Email her at erin (at) lifteconomy (dot) com.