Inclusive Business

Scaling an Inclusive Business in China | Marina Kalnitski, Inclusion Factory

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Marina Kalnitski about the work that she and her colleagues are doing at the Inclusion Factory to build an inclusive business that employees more than 50 individuals with intellectual disabilities work in a factory that produces high precision auto and electrical components.

As you will see in this interview, Marina is a passionate leader who loves her work, the team she works with, and she has big ideas for how to scale the mission of this organization.

 

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:

Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Maria:

Marina Kalnitski is a social activist focusing on the empowerment of individuals with disabilities through education, skills development, and occupation.

She specializes in projects that are focusing on the inclusion of the "others" back into society. Marina is co-managing the first industrial workshop in China which provides respectful and dignified employment for people with intellectual and mental disabilities.

Follow Marina:

Website: https://www.inclusion-factory.com/en/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-kalnitski
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnwUyK_mfMiKSWSIunRi1bg

About Rich:

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:

[email protected]


Agricultural Waste

Upcycling Agricultural Waste in China | Teck Tin Wong, RenewMaterial

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Teck Tin Wong, Founder of Renew Material. A firm upcycling agricultural waste into a wide range of construction materials.

It is a fantastic conversation that is packed full of insights about being persistent in solving a problem, his process for product development, and having a long term vision for change. Even in the face of a "one-in-a-century" event like COVID19.

 

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:

Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About TT:

See the that as the world's economies advance pollution has became a real danger, Teck Tin (TT) saw the opportunity to save millions of trees for many generations to come by founding RenewMaterial.

Renew Material specialises in the design, development, and manufacture of environmentally friendly materials and products for a wide range of application. Its products are made from up to 95 per cent agricultural fibres such as rice stalks, wheat stalks, and bamboo waste, and can be customised for different textures and colours that are ideal for furniture, flooring, wall tiles, decorative panels,

Prior to founding RenewMaterial, TT worked as a Corporate Development Manager at Hong Leong Asia and was involved in various startup projects in the Asia Pacific region. In 2007, TT moved to China to develop a technology that converts agricultural straws to a new green material as an alternative to wood that is now patented worldwide and has won multiple international awards including the Asia Packaging Award and World Packaging Award.

Follow TT:

Website: https://www.renewmaterial.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teck-tin-wong/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tecktin.wong

About Rich:

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:

[email protected]


Disruptive Innovation

Accelerating Disruptive Innovation as an Impact Investor | Tom Schmittzehe, Moonshot Ventures

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Tom Schmittzehe of Moonshot Ventures about supporting entrepreneurs who are racing against the clock to develop and deploy products, services and platforms with disruptive Innovation against the the social, environmental, and economic challenges that are coming to scale in Asia.

In Tom's mind, we do not have any time to waste, and while he is always on the look out for disruptive entrepreneurs and business models to fund, he is also working hard to bring ideas to the market himself as well.

 

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:

Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Tom:

Tom has been working in impact investing and social finance since 2002, and in Asia since 2006. He has held leadership roles with several prominent organizations in this field, such as Ashoka, and among other was also the co-founder of Ennovent, a leading social business accelerator in South Asia. He is a long-serving mentor and coach to social entrepreneurs, and volunteers as a guest speaker or to help with social enterprise competitions.

Tom started his career in banking and strategy consulting, and has degrees from Oxford University (BA), the Wharton School (MBA – where he also studied at INSEAD), and the Harvard Kennedy School (MPA).

Follow Tom:

Website: https://www.moonshotventures.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomschmittzehe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tom.schmittzehe

About Rich:

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:

[email protected]


Hearing Impaired

Educating Hearing Impaired Children in Vietnam | Duong Hanh, CED

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with the amazing Duong Hanh, Founder of the Saigon based Center for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, about her work educating hearing impaired children in Vietnam.

Duong's story is an amazing one, and in sharing it with me, she showed amazing bravery. Not only because she and I were speaking in English, her second language, but also as her own hearing impairment meant that she was having to read my lips, and then respond IN ENGLISH with a voice she has not heard for many years.

Something she was concerned with while scheduling our interview, but served as no barrier to her ability to telling me about her inspirational work.

 

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:

Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Duong & CED:

Established in 2010 by its founder and director, Ms Duong Phuong Hanh, CED is the only hearing-impaired organisation that looks beyond ‘deaf education’ and instead undertakes a holistic approach to hearing issues of the poor in Viet Nam. This includes fostering life skills for the hearing-impaired and generating employment opportunities, as well as actively participating in national policy lobbying, research and publications. CED also supervises social-work students who support people with hearing impediments and provides healthcare services, such as conducting hearing checks and supplying hearing aids to poor children.

Follow Duong & CED

Website: https://cedhcmc.wixsite.com/ced-special-site
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duong.p.hanh
Twitter: https://twitter.com/phonhang

About Rich:

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:

[email protected]


Teaching Sustainability

Teaching Sustainability & Social Innovation in Indonesia | Maria Radyati, Trisakti University

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Maria Radyati, founding director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Change, and Third Sector at Trisakti University in Jakarta about her work teaching sustainability in Indonesia.

One of the most entrepreneurial academics I have met in a long time, through my discussion with her, we dive into her belief that the best way to teach business leaders, current and future, to be more sustainable is through practical experience.

Experience that generates genuine connection to the challenges, but at the same time provides focus and tangibility to the development of solutions.

 

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:

Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Marina:

Dr. Radyati is the founding director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Change, and Third Sector (CECT-USAKTI), a research centre under the postgraduate program at Trisakti University, and has been appointed Head of Education in the Indonesian CSR Consortium and Head of Education of the Association of Risk Management Practitioners (ARMP).

Dr. Radyati has more than 20 years of experience conducting international research and has served as an expert and speaker at numerous trainings, seminars and workshops nationally and internationally. Her areas of expertise include corporate social responsibility, sustainability strategic design, sustainability reporting, social entrepreneurship, curriculum creation and development, third sector organization (TSO), social innovation and organizational learning, and governance.

Follow Marina;

Website: https://www.mmsustainability.ac.id/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaradyati/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maria.radyati

About Rich:

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:

[email protected]


Aspiring

An Aspiring Social Entrepreneur in Vietnam | Christopher Day

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with aspiring entrepreneur Chris Day.

Based in Saigon, Chris is looking for a visionary who is looking to build a purposeful organization. One where his experience as a general manager, business developer, and all around solid #2 could help bring that vision to scale.

It is a conversation I believe many will find value in, particularly those who are considering establishing their own enterprise, are looking to identify/ work with a visionary entrepreneur, and what are the best tool sets needed for either approach.

... and if you are an aspiring entrepreneur, who is just starting your journey, and have any questions about the path that you are on, feel free to connect with me anytime via email or social.

Links are below!

 

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:

Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Chris:

 

Follow Chris:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.day.edu/
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherday1/

About Rich:

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:

[email protected] Aspiring Social Entrepreneur in Vietnam | Christopher Day


Plant-Based

Scaling Asia's Largest Plant-Based Lifestyle Brand | David Yeung, Green Commons

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with the extraordinary David Yeung about his work to build and scale Asia's largest plant-based lifestyle brand.

CO-Founder of Green Common, he has experienced a period exponential growth over the last four years.  Growing from a small team who were stabilizing their first stores in Hong Kong, to a team of more than 400 that now has 10 stores in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore.

On top of that, they have also begun launching their own product lines under the OmniPork! brand, and are seeing phenomenal market excitement and growth across Asia... and beyond!

Through this time, David's work has been recognized by the Schwab Foundation, Ernst & Yong, PETA Asia, Time, and HK Tatler for his work, and he is regularly asked to speak at events around the world to speak about his vision for a sustainable future.

There are few mission driven entrepreneurs whose views are scale could me more inspiring, and educational, as David's, and I hope that you will enjoy our conversation.

 

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:

Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About David:

David Yeung is an environmental advocate and founder of Green Monday, a Hong Kong-based social venture that takes on the world's most pressing crises of climate change, food insecurity and public health, shifting individuals, communities, and corporations towards sustainable, healthy, and mindful living.

Follow David and Green Commons:

Website: http://www.greencommon.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidyeung.hk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-yeung-77094b1/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/green_common

About Rich:

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:

[email protected]


Linh Thuy

Reusable Cups and the Circular Economy in Vietnam | Linh Le Thuy, AYA Cup

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Linh Le Thuy, founder of AYA Cup, about her mission to build a platform that removes disposable cups in Vietnam

Her journey is a great story of how an individual can start with a small concept, pivot quickly, and build on early successes, and I hope her story will help inspire & equip you to take the next step in developing/ scaling your own idea to bring a sustainable solution to the market!



About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:
Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Linh:
Le Thuy Linh, AYA Cup CEO, wants to change the image of Vietnam from being one of the top five ocean-polluting countries to an innovative country in tackling single-use plastic in food and beverage.

To meet her goal to cut 20 per cent of plastic waste in Vietnam by 2025, she is expanding her cup-lending system in HCM City where she lives and in Hanoi where she was born and raised.

Follow Linh:

Website:  https://ayacup.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Linh.Bu14
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/my-linh-nguyen-milie/

About Rich:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich
[email protected]

#RichBrubaker #Sustainability #MissionDriven


Tom Stader

Measuring & Reporting Social Impact | Tom Stader, The Library Project

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, my third with Tom Stader, Founder of The Library Project, we speak about measuring impact.

Something every mission driven entrepreneur, and organization needs to do as part of the development of programs, organizations, and proposals.

For Tom, it is a topic that he has years of strong practice, and stronger opinions of, and I think this conversation will help a lot of organizations and entrepreneurs better understand how they should approach measuring, and reporting, impact.



About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:
Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Tom Stader:
Tom Stader is the Founder and Board Chair of The Library Project, an organization that donates libraries to under financed schools and orphanages in Cambodia, China and Vietnam.

He believes that education is the key motivator to breaking the cycle of poverty that exists in the developing world. In 2006 at the age of 32, Tom had a simple idea to donate libraries to two orphanages in Dalian, China. Soon after those libraries were complete, Tom founded The Library Project.

Since then, Tom and his dedicated team have completed 2000 library donations, impacting over 1,000,000 eager young readers. Tom is passionate about International Social Entrepreneurship and improving rural literacy.

Follow Tom:

Website: https://www.library-project.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomstader
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomstader/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomstader/

About Rich:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich:
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich:
[email protected]


Nila Tanzil

Eradicating Poverty in Indonesia | Nila Tanzil, Rainbow Reading Gardens

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Rainbow Reading Gardens founder Nila Tanzil.

Based in Jakarta Indonesia, Nila's mission to bring eradicate poverty through books was forged early through the lens of her family's own history, and formalized later as part of a career break when she built her first library.

Now, with more than 100 libraries, across 18 islands, tens of thousands of students have access to fun engaging books to open their imaginations and support a future passion for learning, and through this interview we speak about her passion for education, the process of building out libraries, and how she has built a cohort of mentors that support her.

About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:
Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action. To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market

About Nila
Nila Tanzil is the founder of Taman Bacaan Pelangi, a non-profit organization focused on promoting literacy in remote areas of eastern Indonesia.

As of April 2018, Pelangi had 82 libraries across 15 islands in eastern Indonesia, including libraries on East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Papua providing more than 105,300 children's books to some of the most remote villages in Indonesia.

Follow Nila:
Website: https://www.tamanbacaanpelangi.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nilatanzil
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nilatanzil/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pelangibook/

About Rich:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich
[email protected]