Shows
The Righteous CapitalistsA Black Founder Walks into a Conference Room... - Marvin Francois, Co-Founder - oneKIN & TwiineoneKIN & the soon-to-be launched Twiine have BIPOC founders, which everyone says they want to fund. These ventures accelerate BIPOC businesses and help close the wealth gap, which everyone says is needed. In this episode, Marvin Francois, co-founder of oneKIN & Twiine, shares stories from his adventures trying to get this venture off the ground. He pulls back the curtain on what it is like for BIPOC founders to raise capital in an atmosphere that saw only 3% of all VC funds ($147B) go to Black founders in 2020.2021-06-101h 00
The Righteous CapitalistsKnown (Human) Value Item: Fairtrade Bananas - Jennie Coleman, President - Equifruit, Inc.Have you ever wondered how a big bunch of bananas that are gown in & transported from another hemisphere can cost under $2? Jennie Coleman, from the Fairtrade Certified banana co. Equifruit, details how this tropical fruit became a staple in northern households & why the exploitation of workers has persisted since the founding of banana republics. She also explains how the low price of bananas & the actual cost of improving conditions make this an industry that should be on the precipice of positive change.2021-05-0654 min
The Righteous CapitalistsA Sustainability Solution that Fits Like a Great Pair of Jeans - Beth Esponnette - Co-founder, UnspunPerhaps the answer to many intractable problems is to use technology to bring back the things from our past that worked. Beth Esponnette, co-founder of Unspun, is using tech to take us back to the day when clothing was custom made and built to last. This approach solves most problems inherent in today's fashion industry, and gives customers of all shapes and sizes clothing that fits. Yes, a better planet AND clothing that fits. Beth joins Doug to discuss all of it.2021-04-0158 min
The Righteous CapitalistsA $5 T-Shirt Does Not Sustain Anyone - Adila Cokar - Founder, The Good TeeWhat's the difference between a $5 t-shirt made by a large reputable company that talks about good wages and protecting the environment, and a $30 t-shirt made by a small brand that actually uses sustainable practices & pays well throughout their supply chain? Adila Cokar, founder of The Good Tee and practitioner of radical transparency, explains the costs and benefits of a fair trade t-shirt, & how she focuses on relationships with all her suppliers to assure harmony with her values. Certifications help too.2021-03-1846 min
The Righteous CapitalistsLet's Get Started with the Fashion Industry - Andrea Reyes - A. Bernadette & NYC Fair Trade CoalitionWe all know the apparel & fashion industry exploits people & the environment, but who can say no to cheap & abundant clothes. For decades, the industry has said they are improving but then comes another tragedy or revelation. We have yet to talk about the good, bad & ugly of the industry on here because we have felt the task too daunting. Until now. In this episode we dip our tows in with Andrea Reyes who explains where the water's warm, where it's cold, & where it's just an abyss.2021-02-111h 05
The Righteous CapitalistsIt Starts with a Name - Brad Flowers, co-Founder Bullhorn, Author of The Naming BookWould you use a search engine called BackRub? That was Google's original name. Had they gone to Brad Flowers, a naming expert & author of The Naming Book, or just followed the 5 steps from Brad's book, which he details in this episode, they would have come up with something much better & with more longevity than BackRub. But would they have been as successful? Find out on this great how-to episode during which Brad also shares very practical tips for becoming a BCorp, which his agency, Bullhorn, has done.2021-01-2847 min
The Righteous CapitalistsWho's Gonna Cook for Grandma? Adrienne Fudge - 40 Dreams CateringYour tax dollars help pay for home-delivered meals for the elderly that can either be cooked & delivered within a recipient's community, or cooked, frozen, and delivered from across the country? Adrienne Fudge, of 40 Dreams Catering, provides the former & is determined to maintain her community-based model, no matter how big she gets. In this episode, we are joined by Charles Rosen of Ironbound Farms to discuss Adrienne's methods & benefits relative to her giant, PE-backed, national competitor, Mom's Meals.2020-12-171h 01
The Righteous CapitalistsIt Just Makes Sense - Marietta Barral Zacker - Gallt & Zacker Literary AgencyOur earliest thoughts and aspirations are shaped by what we see and read in books, but the publishing industry has been a constricting force by hiring homogenous authors telling homogenized stories. Marietta Zacker, of the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency, talks about the effects of the historical exclusion of authors, illustrators and stories from marginalized communities, why this has happened, and how her and her colleagues are getting diverse and compelling stories into the hands of children & young adults.2020-11-1157 min
The Righteous CapitalistsIt's All Avoidable - Marvin Francois - CoFounder, oneKIN & TwiineAmazon & Etsy require advertising capital just to be seen on their platforms. So, where are people of color, whose communities have lower levels of investment capital available, supposed to go to sell their retail products? Enter Marvin Francois, co-founder of oneKIN and the soon-to-be launched live stream social commerce platform Twiine. Marvin and his partners are on a mission to provide POC-owned businesses with a robust platform through which they tell their stories, interact with customers and sell their products.2020-10-2251 min
The Righteous CapitalistsIt's Not the Pipeline, It's the Culture - Troy Prince - Wall Street Bound & Prometheus Capital ManagementWall St is detrimentally too white and male. Women & minorities, who achieve 60% better returns than their white male counterparts, manage a mere 1.3% of the $69 trillion in financial portfolios (Bloomberg). While Wall St says the lack of diversity is a pipeline problem, Troy Prince, founder of Wall Street Bound and Prometheus Capital Management, knows that it most definitely is not. Plain and simple, the problem is social capital...some have it, some don't, and he is doing everything he can to change that.2020-10-0950 min
The Righteous CapitalistsRegenerative Capitalism - Charles Rosen, TRC in Residence & Founder of Ironbound Hard CiderWe kick off our second year with one of our favorite guides on our journey, Charles Rosen. Through his diverse experiences, but especially through Ironbound, Charles now realizes that his success is tied to the success of everyone around him. This has been the driving force as Iron Bound has sought to be a sustainable creator of wealth, empowerment and progress for every stakeholder involved. And, thanks in part to the pandemic, Charles thinks they have found their road to viability.2020-09-2559 min
The Righteous CapitalistsHow About a Piece of That Economic Pie? - Jill Johnson, Institute for Entrepreneurial LeadershipJill Johnson spends her days figuring out how to bridge the gap between the social equality white Americans easily get behind for Black Americans, and the economic opportunity and access to capital that Black Americans need for any kind of lasting progress. Jill returns to The Righteous Capitalists to give some advice to all the people who are looking for what to do after the marches and after reading the anti-racist articles, to share the economic opportunity that has been elusive for Black entrepreneurs, business owners, and everyday Black Americans.2020-07-0750 min
The Righteous CapitalistsYou Want Paid Time Off with Your Good Pay - Kari Swenson, D.C. Area McDonald'sFair wages and benefits, like paid time off (PTO), are not the first things most people think of when they think of McDonald's. Kari Swenson, who owns & operates 8 McDonald's with her husband, Kenny, can't think of running her restaurants without providing good pay, PTO, predictable schedules & other benefits, while also earning a top award from the Green Restaurant Association. Kari & Jeff are prime examples of how businesses can be run for the betterment of all stakeholders, and operate contrary to much of an industry's 'business as usual.'2020-05-281h 15
The Righteous Capitalists30 Years in Business Teaches Something About Navigating Any Crisis - Sharon Rowe - ECOBAGSThe coronavirus caused millions of growing businesses to screech to a stop as if a deer just stepped onto their road to success. Sharon Rowe of ECOBAGS has been on that road for 30 years which has provided her with wisdom that prompted her to act decisively to ensure her employees maintained some income. Now, she watches as her Christmas, a/k/a Earth Day, passes her by as she's hopeful that this crisis will lead to changes in business & consumer behavior.2020-04-1531 min
The Righteous CapitalistsAuthorities will Get Us Through but Leaders Will Prevent This from Happening Again - Eric Martin - Adaptive ChangeWhat you think of as leadership is really authority, and authority is crucial in a time of crisis. Authority figures, like those in gov't, business & in your home, will get us to the other side of the corona crisis. Leaders will find ways to use this moment to create real change that makes us better off in the long run. Eric Martin of Adaptive Change Advisors talks with Doug about how any of us can become one of those leaders as long as we seize the opportunity correctly.2020-04-0326 min
The Righteous CapitalistsFrom Baseball Hats to Face Shields & Isolation Gowns in a Union FactoryAs one of the few remaining manufacturers in the US, Mitch Cahn & Unionwear are trying to fill the void left by all of the cost cutting, outsourcing companies that have contributed to our crippled supply chain for lifesaving healthcare products, including personal protection equipment. They have turned a factory that was gearing up to make baseball hats for the Olympics, the US Census, and presidential campaigns into a facility making face shields & isolation gowns for frontline healthcare workers.2020-03-3131 min
The Righteous CapitalistsFarmers Markets Are Proving Their Essentialness - Dan Lipow - The Foraged FeastFarmers markets are unexpectedly coming to our rescue. Dan Lipow, of The Foraged Feast, is learning that as the restaurant portion of his business is disappearing, another part is surprisingly thriving...farmers markets. They don't rely on long international supply chains & they are outdoors which is perfect for the time we are living in. Add online sales to Dan's world, which he just started, and he may end 2020 with the same revenue as last year.2020-03-2727 min
The Righteous CapitalistsFarms, Bars, Soccer Moms & Convicts Are All Connected - Charles Rosen - Ironbound Hard CiderIronbound Hard Cider, founded by Charles Rosen, is a company that straddles every strata of American society: farmers, urbanites, suburbanites, the economically well-off, and everyone else. And, Charles thinks deeply about everyone and how we are all connected in good times and now bad. According to Charles, the degree with which we acknowledge, celebrate, and truly rely on that interconnectedness will determine how we get beyond our current crisis.2020-03-2432 min
The Righteous CapitalistsThe Event is the Disappearance of Event - Matt Glass, EventageAmong the first things to go when the coronavirus arrived were big annual events like SXSW, Jazz Fest, and countless St. Patrick's Day parades (not to mention smaller and more meaningful events like weddings). Doug Zacker checked in with Matt Glass from Eventage to learn about how one event company is trying to keep employees whole and counsel clients. We also discuss the larger context of big events in a time when we are forbidden from getting together.2020-03-2123 min
The Righteous CapitalistsAllen Bromberger - Bromberger Law - Good Intentions Only Work if They are Baked InMost entrepreneurs don't start their businesses intending to exploit workers, the environment, customers or their community. At some point though, good intentions can crumble under the financial stresses of running a business and dealing with investors. Allen Bromberger of Bromberger Law helps entrepreneurs build a legal structure that supports and even requires multi-stakeholder decision making, and helps founders stay true to those original intentions from inception through exit.2020-03-1250 min
The Righteous CapitalistsMarjorie Perry - MZM Construction - A Black Woman Walks into a Construction Trailer....Until she started a commercial construction company, Marjorie Perry had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. She had tried a few other things based solely on opportunities that materialized in front of her. Construction was no different. Marjie started MZM construction upon seeing the opportunity created by affirmative action programs on public projects. With the door open, she still had to figure out how to run a profitable construction company, which took 17 years and makes for a great podcast.2020-02-2748 min
The Righteous CapitalistsMitch Cahn - Unionwear - Making Baseball Hat History in U.S. with Union LaborWho says that the only way for a manufacturer to make money is to send production outside of the USA? Not Mitch Cahn. After graduating from Wharton and working on Wall Street, Mitch decided he wanted to create something. So, in the early 1990’s he bought the distressed assets of a hat manufacturer in Jersey City, NJ, and very purposely brought back the unionized workers that had been employed there. Twenty-eight years later, Mitch’s company, Unionwear, is the only manufacturer of American made baseball hats produced by unionized employees. In fact, he is the go-to source for every pres...2020-02-1348 min
The Righteous CapitalistsJill Johnson - IFEL /WOCCON - The One Place Where Businesspeople Are Fine with FailureThis podcast explores how everyone can be included in capitalism’s prosperity in a time when too many people are left out, especially people of color and women. Jill Johnson, who founded the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) and the Women of Color Connecting (WOCCON) Summit, has an honest conversation with Doug about why our first 10 guests were 80% white men and what we can do about it. Too many people talk about diversity and inclusion, but too few businesses succeed at it. Here’s your chance to learn how to be a success.2020-01-3048 min
The Righteous CapitalistsEric Martin - Adaptive Change Advisors - Learn How to Snag Your Leadership Moment to Create Real ChangeWhy are we not getting leadership from our leaders? It's because we conflate leadership with authority, and those who are in positions of authority are rarely great leaders. All this is based on a definition of leadership that includes taking risks, prompting real change, and doing the hard works it takes to go from idea to reality. Eric Martin, founder of Adaptive Change Advisors, works with everyone from corporate CEOs to community organizers in his quest to democratize leadership. He believes everyone can be a leader by seizing the opportunities that present themselves every day. In this episode he...2019-11-2153 min
The Righteous CapitalistsJohn Gallucci - JAG-ONE Physical Therapy - People are not cookies, businessmen are not practitioners, outcomes are #1Since he was 12 years old, John Gallucci has been enthralled by the idea that an effective physical therapist can bring a patient from the crushing defeat of a serious physical injury to the victory of returning to the game of life. He started JAG Physical Therapy with one location that was itself on the brink of defeat, but has since grown it, with the help of a merger, into JAG-ONE Physical Therapy with 56 locations. Throughout, John has been a practitioner first, and a businessman second, an attitude he believes is vital to JAG-ONE's growth, as well as to the...2019-11-0744 min
Newark Is…NewarkBound Event (October 2019)Newark Is... was live on location at the NewarkBound event in October 2019 at Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment. Host Tamisha Hallman talks with Vic Nichols (2:45), Vince Baglivo (6:55), Walter Douglas Jr. (9:30), Talia Young (15:42), Jeff Billingsley (23:27), Tom Cosentino (35:03), Charles Rosen (43:58), Byron Clark (54:48), Doug Zacker (1:05:42), and Dontae Muse and Wilford Charles (1:15:25).2019-11-061h 23
The Righteous CapitalistsDan Lipow - The Foraged Feast - Big Pharma. Big Ag. Big Forage?Picking and selling herbs, mushrooms, berries and greens that occur in the wild, aka foraging, is a business. For Dan Lipow, founder of The Foraged Feast, for whom flavor is king, there could be no better business. It combines his knowledge and love of nature and cooking, while leveraging his ability to build relationships with often reclusive land owners, temperamental chefs, and misinformed farmers market shoppers. And, with local, organic, farm-to-table and foraged ingredients being in high demand, there’s a possibility that Big Forage is not far off.2019-10-2446 min
The Righteous CapitalistsRob Francis - Planned Companies - A Gen Xer Brings a 120 Year Old Company into the Age of MillenialsPlanned Companies, the 120 year old family business headed by Rob Francis, employs 3,700, mostly low-wage workers, who clean, maintain, secure and provide concierge services to office and apartment buildings, shopping malls, and retail stores. It’s a very competitive, low margin industry in which companies can secure contracts by simply offering the lowest price, often short-changing employees. Rob takes an alternate path - one that relies on effective training and advancement for employees, creating a culture of value, as well as educating clients about the benefits of Planned Companies’s approach.2019-10-1049 min
The Righteous CapitalistsPart 2 - Charles Rosen - Ironbound Hard Cider - It Tastes Pure, So It Is PureIn the second part of Doug's conversation with Charles Rosen, CEO & Founder of Ironbound Hard Cider, they discuss why Charles chose not to be a B Corp, not to be a nonprofit, not to be a benefit corporation, and why he doesn't call Ironbound a social enterprise. They also talk about Charles's plans for expanding the mission across the country but keeping Ironbound Hard Cider regional. Most importantly, the plan ensures the mission does not get co-opted by chasing profits.2019-09-2631 min
The Righteous CapitalistsCharles Rosen - Iron Bound Hard Cider - Not a B Corp, Not a Social Enterprise, Just a f@#$n BusinessEverything Charles Rosen has ever done comes into play while creating and running Ironbound Hard Cider. From his training as a lawyer, to his days making movies in Hollywood, to the time he spent traveling the country during the 2008 presidential campaign, to his experience starting an ad agency with socially-minded clients, it all informs his vision and every daily interaction. That's important because Iron Bound is about a lot more than making cider that will remain fresh and pure no matter what. It's also about regenerating farms and people with all sorts of other products born from a very...2019-09-1938 min
The Righteous CapitalistsMatt Glass - Eventage, Inc.Have you ever seen the Macy's Parade, rode or ran many miles for a charity, seen an outrageous marketing event staged in the middle of a heavily trafficked area, or participated in a large corporate event? If you have, you are familiar with the kind of events dreamed up and executed by Matt Glass and the company that he and his wife Jen founded, Eventage. Their company’s roots can be traced to the day they met while working on the Macy's Parade. Matt is the first to say that, “what we do is not rocket science;” howeve...2019-09-0547 min
The Righteous CapitalistsBecki Ueno - Sustainable Law GroupNext to every successful or infamous businessperson is at least one lawyer pointing out where the legal line is business tactics or finding a legal loophole to avoid the line altogether. The result is frequently more money for their client and themselves, but something less for employees, customers, the community or the environment. Becki Ueno and her partners at Sustainable Law Group are working to change that narrative with a different approach to providing business counsel and an innovative way to structure their clients’ businesses.2019-08-1448 min
The Righteous CapitalistsPaul Holtzman - Cedar Ridge Cafe & BakeryPaul loves employees who pay their own rent. He also loves giving hugs to customers as they come in to get their coffee, breakfast, lunch or tasty treat, all of which are vegetarian and many of which are vegan. The Cedar Ridge Cafe & Bakery hasn't always been this way but Paul has paid attention to and listened to all of his stakeholders as he's gone from mortgage broker to cafe owner and made The CRCB a neighborhood favorite.2019-07-3139 min
The Righteous CapitalistsSharon Rowe - Eco-Bags Products, Inc.What's not to hate about plastic bags? For Sharon Rowe, 30 years ago, it was simply the fact that they were flying around her Washington Heights, NY neighborhood and parks. It was then that she decided to do something about it by creating an alternative. The reusable shopping bag was born...well, imported from Europe. From the beginning, Sharon wanted to make a difference and earn a living, but she didn't want to do it on the backs of others so Ecobags have always been sustainably sourced in every way.2019-07-3147 min
The Righteous CapitalistsThe Righteous Capitalists - TrailerHere's the best way to find out what The Righteous Capitalists is all about. It takes just a few minutes to find out why Capitalism should not be blamed for the greed, corruption and corporate overreach that has led to the biggest income/wealth gap since the 1920s, and what the guests on The Righteous Capitalists are doing to change things for the better. Please, don't forget to subscribe!2019-07-0703 min