Shows
Dreaming in ColorMadji Sock: Dreaming of Shared Wealth and Shared WisdomIn this episode, we head to Dakar to speak with Madji Sock, an insightful entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem builder whose work bridges tradition and innovation across Senegal and beyond. Madji brings a grounded, fearless presence shaped by a childhood split between continents, a deep reverence for Senegalese culture, and a belief in the transformative power of women. From co-founding the Women’s Investment Club—now a model replicated across Africa— to leading her own investment studio, Haskè Ventures, Madji has championed new ways for women to build, invest, and lead on their own terms. In this conversation, she reflects on how...2025-07-1734 min
Nonprofit Leadership PodcastShould You Focus on Team Development More Than Individual Development?In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter dives into a transformative discussion with Bob Searle of The Bridgespan Group. Bob shares compelling insights from Bridgespan’s “Leading for Impact” program, which involved nearly 300 nonprofit executive leaders. Together, they explore why team development is just as critical—if not more so—than individual leadership growth in today’…
Source2025-07-1437 min
Dreaming in ColorOre Disu: Dreaming of New Worlds in Conversation with Old OnesIn this episode, we travel to Benin City, Nigeria, to speak with Ore Disu, a visionary cultural strategist and founding director of the Institute of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA). Ore is reshaping how we understand history, art, and African identity. From childhood days spent leafing through family photo albums in Lagos to building a groundbreaking institution at the heart of Nigeria’s cultural resurgence, Ore’s journey is rooted in care and creative reclamation. In this conversation, she reflects on how objects, stories, and even food become vessels of memory and belonging—and why repatriation must mean m...2025-07-1040 min
Dreaming in ColorNwabisa Mayema: Dreaming of Finding Home Under New SunsIn this episode, we journey to Johannesburg to speak with Nwabisa Mayema, a dynamic social entrepreneur and fierce advocate for women’s leadership across Africa. Nwabisa brings a bold and grounded presence to every space she enters. Her path—from accounting student to self-made entrepreneur, partnership strategist, and global convener—has been shaped by a deep belief in purpose, community, and the radical power of relationships. With roots in South Africa’s Eastern Cape and a lineage of what she calls “wild women,” Nwabisa shares how social capital, collective wisdom, and vulnerability can transform both businesses and societies. In this convers...2025-07-031h 04
Dreaming in ColorTom Osborn: Dreaming of Community HealingIn this week’s episode, we travel to Nairobi to speak with Tom Osborn, a visionary social entrepreneur and community-rooted leader whose work is reshaping how we think about mental health, sustainability, and youth empowerment in Africa. From growing up in a rural Kenyan village to launching his first clean energy venture at 18 and studying at Harvard, Tom’s path has been guided by a radical belief in community-first solutions and local agency. Now the founder and CEO of Shamiri Institute, Africa’s largest youth mental health provider, Tom shares how culturally grounded care, deep listening, and collective healing can tr...2025-06-2648 min
Progressive Pockets: a podcast about the untapped power of our wallets to build the world we want182. Why the Rich Don't GiveSend us a textThere’s rich and then there’s ultra wealthy. Did you know that thousands of Americans have over $500 million in assets? Many of these Americans say they want to donate more of their money than they actually do, but they keep getting stuck.Today’s episode outlines the reasons why.Links from today’s episode:Four Pathways to Greater Giving | The Bridgespan Group | November 2018https://www.bridgespan.org/getmedia/37911384-bac3-4a5c-8c3d-8ddafd21f928/four-pathways-to-greater-giving-no-appendix.pdf?ext=.pdf ...2025-06-2520 min
Dreaming in ColorLekgetho Makola: Dreaming of Photo Making with Love and PurposeIn this week’s episode, we travel to Johannesburg to speak with Lekgetho Makola, a visual storyteller, cultural strategist, and arts executive whose work spans decades and continents. From his early days sculpting clay animals in rural Limpopo to curating critical archives at Robben Island and studying under film legends at Howard University, Lekgetho shares how his journey has been shaped by care, community, and a radical commitment to dignified representation. Now chief operating officer of the Market Theatre Foundation, he reflects on the transformative power of photography infused with love as a tool not only for documenting truth bu...2025-06-191h 00
Dreaming in ColorLeila Ben-Gacem: Dreaming of Beautiful ObsessionsIn this week’s episode, we travel to Tunisia to talk with Leila Ben-Gacem, a social entrepreneur and cultural preservationist, who shares her journey from biomedical engineering to community-based entrepreneurship in the heart of Tunis’ historic Medina. The conversation takes place at Dar Ben Gacem, her boutique hotel and social enterprise that not only revitalizes a historical space but also empowers the local community through inclusive hiring, artisan collaboration, youth education support, and economic opportunity. Leila emphasizes redefining profit to include social and environmental impact, advocating for a shared economy model where local prosperity is interlinked. This extraordinary conversation touc...2025-06-1245 min
Dreaming in ColorSemhar Araia: Dreaming of Borders as BridgesIn this episode Semhar Araia, CEO of the Diaspora Academy, discusses the transformative power of diasporic life—from visiting Eritrea as a teenager to working there professionally—highlighting the emotional and political significance of being both from a place and apart from it. She shares the story behind her name, revealing a powerful lineage tied to Eritrea’s struggle and resistance.The conversation delves into the power of the diaspora and diasporic identity, particularly for Black and Brown communities, and the beauty of finding a sense of belonging across traditional borders. Semhar advocates for diasporic unity grounded in lov...2025-06-0556 min
Dreaming in ColorDreaming in Color Season 5 TrailerIn our fifth season, host Darren Isom and guest host Elisabeth Makumbi travel throughout Africa to spotlight extraordinary leaders from across the continent, from South Africa to Tunisia, with stops in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Senegal along the way. These conversations highlight Africa as a key driver of global innovation and leadership, where bold, values-driven leadership is shaping a more equitable future.2025-05-2502 min
Walk Talk Listen PodcastFrom Systems to Soul: Reimagining Power and Purpose with Nate Wong - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 190)Nate Wong, partner at Bridgespan and a visionary leader is dedicated to reimagining systems through equity, innovation, and human transformation. Nate shares his journey from management consulting to becoming a trusted voice in shifting power to communities, exploring how ownership models, trust-based philanthropy, and inclusive collaboration can fuel social change. His reflections are grounded not only in systems thinking but also in deep personal insight, reminding us that lasting change requires both organizational and inner transformation.
As we walk through topics like spiritual grounding in professional life, the courage to let go, and the beauty of Hawaiian wisdom (yes, Nate c...2025-04-301h 08
PhilanthropismsFarai Chideya: Philanthropy, Democracy & Multiracial PluralismSend us a textIn this episode, we talk to Farai Chideya, journalist, writer, academic and lead author of a recent report from Bridgespan Group, "Philanthropy for a Multiracial Democracy: How Investing in Pluralism Can Open the Aperture for Democracy Funders". We discuss:Why is pluralism so important as an ideal, and what barriers/threats prevent it being realised?Why is it particularly important to emphasise multiracialism as an aspect of pluralism?What does it look like in practice to foster pluralism as a philanthropic funder?Does philanthropic pluralism naturally lead to a pluralistic society, or...2025-03-0645 min
The Pathway PodcastCreating the landscape for more equitable philanthropy with Darren IsomIn this episode, Sarah Johnson sits down with Darren Isom, a Partner at the Bridgespan Group, to discuss funding strategies that consistently work for non-profits, based on Bridgespan’s consulting work with various organizations, creating the landscape for equitable philanthropy and his focus on developing BIPOC leaders. About Our Guest Darren Isom is a partner at […]2025-02-2640 min
Ignite: Conversations on Startups, Venture Capital, Tech, Future, and SocietyIgnite VC: The Future of Startup Liquidity and Late-Stage Investing with Adrien Gautier | #131In this episode of the Ignite Podcast, host Brian Bell sits down with Adrien Gautier, General Partner at Bridgespan VC and Managing Partner at Serra Partners. Adrien shares his unique journey from Zurich, Switzerland, where he studied finance and began his career in banking, to moving to New York during the 2008 financial crisis and pivoting into the startup ecosystem. He recounts how his early experience in consulting for startups eventually led him to co-found Serra Partners, a firm specializing in strategic and financial support for early-stage companies. Over time, the firm expanded beyond fundraising assistance to provide fractional C-level...2025-02-0740 min
Facilitating Change: How to create transformative spaces that inspire, empower & drive real changeCreating Spaces for Social Impact Leaders to Thrive with Nate WongIn this conversation Cole connects with Nate Wong, a Partner at The Bridgespan Group and social impact educator, to explore how facilitation and transformative spaces can reshape relationships between funders and nonprofits. As a strategic advisor, Nate works to reshape traditional relationships between nonprofits and philanthropists, building new models based on mutual trust and shared ownership. Drawing from his rich background in social impact, he shares practical insights on creating welcoming spaces that truly honor diverse perspectives and lived experiences. The conversation explores trust-based philanthropy, power dynamics in the nonprofit sector, and finding the sweet spot between structured and...2025-01-281h 03
The Nonprofit ShowDEI Under Fire: Why Nonprofits Must Lead the ChargeIn an era where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are often polarized, Raël Nelson, Partner and Head of Equity at the Bridgespan Group, brings clarity and hope to the nonprofit sector. Joining Julia Patrick, Raël shares insights rooted in years of experience leading DEI efforts.“We live siloed lives,” Raël begins, “but it’s in the workplace where most of us interact across lines of difference. This is our opportunity to learn and grow together.” These moments are pivotal in fostering understanding and collaboration, especially within mission-driven organizations.Raël’s leadership at Bridgespan de...2025-01-0929 min
Dreaming in ColorDreaming of Joy: Finding Light As We Reimagine Power and PossibilityWelcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek. In this bonus episode, Darren is joined by a dynamic panel of philanthropic leaders: Don Chen (President of Surdna Foundation) Flozell Daniels, Jr. (CEO of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation), Mayra Peters-Quintero (Executive Director of Abundant Futures Fund), and Vanessa Mason (Principal at Omidyar Network), and . Recorded live a...2024-12-051h 12
ABA Coffee In The ParkA Coffee with Karen Fallowfield from Supreme SteelSend us a textJoin us for a coffee and chat with Karen Fallowfield from Supreme Steel.Karen, the Construction and HR Manager at Supreme Steel, is a remarkable individual who truly embodies the concept of being a "jack of all trades." Hailing from Edmonton, she has always maintained a strong connection to her hometown and proudly identifies herself as an Achesonite. In fact, her outstanding achievements were recognized when she was nominated as a Women In Leadership nominee at the prestigious 2024 Acheson Business Awards Gala.Empowering women in trades is a cause...2024-11-2829 min