Just in time for Valentine's Day, Christy Floriani, founder of Freadom Promotions, shares her love for literacy and her journey as a social entrepreneur. With over 30 years of experience in family services and a master’s degree in social work, Christy brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation, discussing how literacy has the power to transform lives and communities. Through Freadom Promotions, Christy directs 100% of profits from promotional product sales to impactful literacy initiatives. She also shares her personal love story, where her passion for social impact intersected with finding her life partner, Brian, founder of Bernie’s Book Bank.
Key Takeaways:
The Literacy Crisis: Christy highlights the dire need for improved literacy in the U.S., with 35 million adults lacking basic reading and writing skills. She also explains how literacy correlates with better life outcomes and reduced incarceration rates.
Freadom Promotions' Mission: Learn how this social enterprise channels profits from promotional products toward literacy programs, making it easy for companies to align their purchasing decisions with social good.
Love and Social Impact: Christy shares her personal journey of meeting her husband, a fellow changemaker, and how their shared mission in literacy advocacy became the foundation for their work and relationship.
The Power of Purpose-Driven Purchasing: Christy discusses how corporate social responsibility and purpose-driven purchasing can drive systemic change while meeting business needs.
Inspirational Moments:
[00:00] Introduction to Christy Floriani and the Literacy Crisis
[06:13] The impact of Bernie's Book Bank on literacy and its inspirational business model.
[09:45] How Christy’s passion for literacy was shaped by personal and family experiences.
[16:08] The love story: How Christy met her husband through their shared dedication to literacy.
[24:34] The business model of Freadom Promotions: Why and how they give 100% of profits to literacy initiatives.
[34:29] Redefining success as progress and connection with others.
Meet Our Guest - Christy Floriani:
Christy Floriani is a mom, business owner, and passionate advocate for literacy. With over 30 years of experience in family services and a master’s degree in social work, Christy is on a mission to address the literacy crisis in the U.S. Her company, Freadom Promotions, is a social enterprise that channels 100% of its profits toward literacy initiatives, empowering communities to thrive through education. Beyond her professional work, Christy’s personal story of love and purpose inspires others to redefine success and make meaningful contributions to the world.
Website: Bernie’s Book Bank
Website: Freadom PromotionsLinkedIn: Christy Floriani
Inside Scoop:
Christy Floriani’s journey combines the power of love, literacy, and social impact. From her roots in social work to her current role as a social entrepreneur, Christy believes in lifting others up through education and purpose-driven action. Her company, Freadom Promotions, makes it easy for businesses to make an impact through their purchasing decisions.
Important Links:
Explore My Grants Course: Gain insider tips to secure funding for your nonprofit or social enterprise. Learn more at wendieveloz.com/grants.
DIY Templates & Resources: Get free templates and mini-courses to support your mission. Visit the Learn, Grow, Thrive University.
Listen to More Episodes: Check out all episodes of the Social Impact Level Up Podcast at wendieveloz.com/podcast.
Podcast audio/video management by Podcast Abundance. Find out more at www.podcastabundance.com/services
