Your Mark On The World

July 30, 2014 - Read the full GoodCrowd.info article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1oHxFvG. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Mosiac, the leader in crowdfunding solar power projects, recently announced a program that provides homeowners with crowdfunded loans with operations and maintenance service contracts, giving them all the benefits of a lease with a simple to understand loan. The loans can go for up to 20 years with no prepayment penalty and require no down payment.

July 30, 2014 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1klNBnz. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Social venture CommitChange has developed a new fundraising platform for nonprofits that doesn’t rely on collecting a percentage of funds raised, potentially netting nonprofits with a higher percentage of total donations. The venture has garnered investments from power investors Mark Cuban, Tim Draper, Adam Draper and 500 Startups. Chris Sinton, co-founder of Network for Good and board chair of StartOut, has also invested and joined the board. “We’ve decided to make all of our core technology available for free to help bolster charitable giving in the United States. We are also eliminating donation skimming as a business model and we will never profit by taking a percentage of donations,” said Roderick Campbell, CEO and Co-Founder of CommitChange. Tim Draper, found

August 7, 2014 - Read the full GoodCrowd.info article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1zVzed5. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Richard Bliss is among the most respected and recognized authorities in the crowdfunding universe. He is the foremost authority on crowdfunding board games on Kickstarter. He hosts a podcast called Funding the Dream on Kickstarter, which is available on iTunes. He is a frequent speaker, MC and panelist at crowdfunding conferences and will be speaking at GoodCrowd14, the Social Enterprise and Crowdfunding Conference on September 26, 2014 at Snowbird. Richard’s bio: Richard Bliss is a Senior Marketing Executive in the technology space but don’t let that fool you. He has a passion for writing, blogging, podcasting, public speaking, and nearly every other form of communication that allows him to meet and interact with amazing people. For the past 3 years he has

July 29, 2014 - Read the full GoodCrowd.info article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1pqMNwv. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. The following is taken from a release from Global Giving: West Africa is in the midst of the most lethal Ebola epidemic in history. The Ebola virus disease is highly contagious, has no known treatment or cure, and is fatal within days or weeks in most cases. More than 1,200 people have been infected in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and now Nigeria. The World Health Organization reports that 672 people have died so far as a result of this outbreak. This is the first major outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa and communities in the region are struggling to contain the epidemic. We’ve set up the Ebola Epidemic Relief Fund so that local organizations in West Africa have immediate access to the resources they need to stop the spread of Ebola and care for the

July 29, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1o0Nugp. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Southwest Airlines has launched a sustainability initiative called “LUV Seat: Repurpose with Purpose” to upcycle leather seat coverings, keeping them out of landfills, so as to create opportunities for people in Kenya. The pilot project began with 43 acres of leather seating materials and works in partnership with local nonprofits. Readers can comment on Facebook with the hashtag #LUVSeat, Marilee McInnis, a Southwest Airlines Spokesperson, noted: In Nairobi, Kenya (the project’s pilot location), SOS Children’s Villages Kenya, the primary non-profit partner that serves orphaned children and families in need, along with Alive & Kicking, Masaai Treads, and Life Beads Kenya, will use the leather to produce goods for distribution to local community groups.

July 23, 2014 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1nR2zN4. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. At a meeting of the U.S. Advisory Board and G7′s Social Impact Investing Taskforce at the White House last month, Prudential committed to build a $1 billion impact investment portfolio by 2020. “Impact investing uses the power of markets to unleash private capital for public good. Done well, it can scale sustainable solutions to some of our toughest social challenges, such as affordable housing, clean energy, quality education, and workforce development,” said Matt Bannick, Co-Chair of the US National Advisory Board and Managing Partner at Omidyar Network, in a statement following the event. “Impact investing has been a part of the fabric of social and community development finance in the US for decades. But we have only begun to see a glimpse of its promise, and sm

July 23, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1nRbFt2. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Lisa Gunn Adams, a professor at Kennesaw State University, is working to organize an active, real-time collaboration platform for people working to enhance waterways through crowdsourcing—and she’s crowdfunding the money to do it! Her new platform, SPLASSH, provides a space where anyone interested in water can learn and share, from those engaged day-to-day in water conservation, to volunteers, researchers and residents of waterways. More about SPLASSH: SPLASSH is a socially driven network that crowdsources the condition of our waterways. The mission of SPLASSH is to inspire water conservation through awareness by engaging students, citizen scientists, and researchers to share, discuss, connect, and visually consume information about water. SPLASSH is a

July 23, 2014 - Read the full GoodCrowd.info article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1mBqtf2. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Lumos is an EdTech startup that has created a wireless hub to connect disparate classroom technologies of various vintages. Not only is Lumos funding its launch through crowdfunding on Indiegogo, it has created a model that allows teachers to conduct their own micro-campaigns to raise the money to get a device in their classrooms. More about Lumos: At Lumos, we believe that technology can be a key to unlocking the natural curiosity that drives both educators and students, and fuels the desire to learn. A key that should be within reach of every school and district, not just the wealthy. We believe that teachers deserve more than hand-me-downs from the world of consumer electronics. Our team of educators and entrepreneurs are committed to creating simple and cos

July 23, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1sNZJQP. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Luke Peterson returned to his alma mater three years ago, he came to drive social innovation in the community and beyond—not just on campus. Luke graduated from Utah Valley University before attending Harvard’s Kennedy school and then took a series of jobs working in small town governments, before returning to Utah County. He’s become a driving force for social innovation there and his influence is extending. He will be speaking at the Social Innovation and Crowdfunding Conference (#GoodCrowd14) on September 26, 2014. Luke’s bio: Luke Peterson is an expert in innovation, specializing in cross-sector partnerships and innovation. After receiving a B.A. in history from Utah Valley University, Luke completed a master’s in public policy at the John F. Ke

July 23, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1uc0xR2. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Author Jordan Phoenix is so serious about saving the world that he’s walking from Canada to Mexico to bring attention to his work and to share his unique message of personal responsibility with everyone he meets. Jordan created Project Free World to support projects that provide food, rights, education, and work to protect the environment. More about Project Free World: Project Free World facilitates the creation of collaborative grassroots projects in order to provide the proper food, rights, education, and environment to every person on the planet. It aims to connect local changemakers who have similar passions and complimentary skill sets with the most effective ideas for social change being implemented worldwide. image Jordan’s bio: Jordan Phoeni

July 18, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/UeoRBb. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Henry Miller launched his social venture (with a little help from his parents) at age eleven. He’s never looked back. His company, Henry’s Humdingers, makes all natural condiments using raw honey. He recently appeared on Shark Tank. He shared his story with me: It all happened one day when me and my mom got on a plane and sat next to this bee farmer. He talked about helping bees and the dreadful hive collapse disorder. He told me humans couldn’t live seven years if bees disappeared. We wouldn’t have enough food because the bees wouldn’t be there to pollinate the corn or the wheat or even tomatoes. OK, I don’t like tomatoes, but I know we need them for stuff like pizza. At the end of the flight my mom said we could get bees and I could start my own compan

July 22, 2014 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1p39XWX. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Polio, once a global monster, is now a cornered rat, lashing out in hopes of repopulating. Reduced 99.9 percent from an average number of cases around 400,000 thirty years ago, the number of global polio cases has been cut to around 400 annually. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative hopes to see the final case of polio either late this year or early next year. All polio cases, regardless of where they are found, now originate from three countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. You can count the number of cases this year in Afghanistan or Nigeria on your fingers; the end of polio there is clearly within reach. All three countries have been impacted by conflict in recent years, making the battle against polio at this critical stage challenging. The battle is so

July 18, 2014 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1nQqNf1. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Fully 92% of high net worth individuals think driving global impact is important, according to a survey conducted for Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management. Other observations from the report include: 75% of high net worth individuals or HNWIs 40 and younger believe that social impact is “very” or “extremely” important HNWIs in emerging markets like China, India and Indonesia were more likely to rate having social impact as “very” or “extremely” important The survey also identified the top five ways that HNWIs give back: Making investment choices with a clearly defined social impact objective Giving on an ongoing basis to charities More general community involvement Volunteering knowledge and expertise Making strategic business decisions with a clearly defined social

July 17, 2014 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1tTBSAv. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Funding Circle, a British crowdfunding site that provides business loans in the UK and the US that banks generally won’t make has announced a $65 million equity investment, perhaps the single largest venture round in the history of the crowdfunding industry. The company has indicated that the funds will be used to accelerate growth in existing markets and to explore additional international markets. According to a statement, the recent funding round was led by Index Ventures and includes existing investors. Bob Steel, CEO of Perella Weinberg Partners and former Under Secretary for Domestic Finance of the United States Treasury, will join the Funding Circle board. More about Funding Circle: Funding Circle (www.fundingcircle.com) is the world’s leading online marketp

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1l9629G. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Author Aaron Hurst has a plan to replace LinkedIn LNKD +1.23% with a purpose-driven alternative called Imperative. Hurst is the author of The Purpose Economy, which helps to understand the global shift from an information economy to a purpose economy. He sees the sharing economy and companies from AirBnB to ZipCar as examples of a more purpose-focused ethos that millennials especially are adopting. More broadly, Hurst sees a world in which people manifest a sense of purpose with virtually everything they do, from where and how they work and socialize to how they consume products from the daily coffee to the exotic vacation. We are infusing everything with purpose. Hurst will be speaking at the Social Enterprise and Crowdfunding Conference (SECFC14) on September 26, 2014 at Snowbird

July 10, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1xT1A6K. Social entrepreneur Stephanie David has reinvented the online shopping experience, by magically offering shoppers both a discount and the promise that her company, PopNod, will donate a portion of proceeds to a cause you choose. More about PopNod: PopNod is a social good online shopping destination that enables you to save money at your favorite stores while supporting the causes you care about. Members choose from hundreds of popular handpicked stores and numerous nonprofits and organizations. With every purchase, members earn cashback rewards, and PopNod matches 20% and donates to your favorite causes. PopNod does all the hard work so that you can focus on saving money and making your impact - a win/win for you and your causes. The e-commerce platform has expanded with the launch of PopNod for Employers, a Corporate Social Responsibility solution. image Stephanie’s bio: Stephanie David is

July 10, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/U4ZaTB. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Stephanie Stettler takes doing good seriously. Beginning with a masters degree in Leadership for Sustainability from Portland State University, she has built her career around having impact. Today, she helps lead the Salt Lake Impact Hub. Stephanie will be speaking at the Social Enterprise and Crowdfunding Conference (SECFC14) on September 26, 2014 at Snowbird. Stephanie’s bio: Stephanie Stettler is Programming Director and on the founding team of Impact Hub Salt Lake. Stephanie is working to build an ecosystem of social enterprise that cultivates learning, mobilizes stakeholders, and accelerates new ventures. She brings to Impact Hub Salt Lake 8 years of experience developing programs for purpose driven organizations that improve environmental, economi

July 10, 2014 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/U4RYHb. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Chris Waddell, world-class athlete and founder of One Revolution, is turning perceptions of disability upside-down. Chris was a competitive skier in college when he broke his back, rising to become the most decorated mono-skier in men’s Paralympic history. He launched One Revolution to redefine disability. More about Chris: Chris Waddell always thought that the lessons he learned in sports would provide the foundation for later success. As a ski racer at Middlebury College in 1988, he had no idea how profoundly one moment could change and paradoxically enhance that conviction. On December 20th his ski popped off in the middle of a turn. He fell, broke two vertebrae, and damaged the spinal cord. Paralyzed from the waist down he learned and achieved more t

July 10, 2014 - You can read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/V9rDsc. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. AdaPia d’Errico, Chief Marketing Officer of the real estate crowdfunding portal Patch of Land, will be speaking at the Social Enterprise and Crowdfunding Conference (SECFC14) on September 26, 2014 at Snowbird, Utah (secfc.co). More about Patch of Land: Patch of Land is a marketplace lending platform that connects borrowers who require short term funding for their real estate projects with accredited and institutional investors seeking uncorrelated returns from passive income real estate investments. Patch of Land is a privately owned company based in Los Angeles, CA providing accredited and institutional investors easier access to short-term, asset collateralized, fixed income securities through its proprietary P2RE “Peer-to-Real-Estate” lending

July 13, 2014 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1xTJzFo. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Much of the hype around crowdfunding has frustratingly proved to be so much hot air. The United Nations Global Compact and the U.S. State Department are working to change that by bringing crowdfunding forward to finance projects in the developing world, especially projects designed to address the social problems endemic there. U.S.-based crowdfunding site Gate Global Impact is partnering with the UN Global Compact to launch Gateway 2.0, a site that will allow members of the UN Global Compact’s Social Enterprise Hub to access capital of from $500,000 to $10 million. Rosedel Davies-Adewebi, project manager for social enterprise and impact investing at the UN Global Compact, explained that through this innovative partnership the UN Global Compact hopes to advance this f