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Capitalism for Good

Capitalism for Good

By: Andrea Masterson
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 The Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We are on a mission to do 100 interviews with business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive impact in their internal and external communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future.Capitalism for Good is all about community, giveback, business, leaders, founders, owners...you know just folks using business to give back to the communities, prioritize employees, build better culture, make and use sustainable materials, encourage intentional consumerism, and more.We love small businesses, local businesses, businesses run by underrepresented leaders, businesses supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain business and financial decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism. We love talking about using capitalism for good.Capitalism for Good talks to business leaders about how they got to where they are, what drives them to make decisions that prioritize people, advice and examples of why supporting community supports the business back, and the impact that business has on the greater community. Then we end with a final question, "who is another business or leader that you see doing things the right way that deserves a shout out," because we believe in recognizing the hard work and intentional decisions of others, even if it's our competition. Because that's what makes us all better. That's how we build better community. That's using Capitalism for Good.Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).Capitalism for Good has a touchy feely introspective sister project called Bittersweet Paradox all about how the darkest of times and the lightest of times can exist simultaneously through both a Writing Club and a Podcast. The Capitalism for Green project puts the lessons learned in Capitalism for Good into action in real time.Apple Podcasts | Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | BioSite | Bluesky | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions | Email | Facebook | Instagram (Andrea & her 2026 Goal = No New Things, Only New Experiences) | Instagram (Capitalism for Good) | Patreon | Spotify | The Store, by CFG | TikTok (Capitalism for Good) | Transcripts | YouTube (Capitalism for Good) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Andrea Masterson Economics Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Jennifer Murray, Owner of ThreeBirds Coffee House (Interview 36/100)

    Jennifer Murray, Owner of ThreeBirds Coffee House (Interview 36/100)
    Feb 17 2026
    Jennifer Murray, Owner of ThreeBirds Coffee House in Easton, Pennsylvania takes a philosophical approach to the societal position of working as a bartender in the service industry for 15 years and weaves it into both the greater perspective on the world and how economic and political structures like capitalism and socialism fit into all of it. And I’m here for it all.We talk about valuing all workers in the service industry.We talk about her experience never really having a problem finding really great employees that stick around.We talk about trusting your employees from the get go.We talk about negative reviews and angry customers (or the very few of both they get in the door at ThreeBirds Coffee House).We talk about the impacts of different management styles.We talk about stability and longevity of employees creating a cohesive unit that's core to a business's success.We talk about the role of a business owner and activities that feel as though they justify drawing a salary from the business when they could be going to increased worker wages (and also how she's able to pay employees well-above market rate).We talk about what it's like to be a private business owning socialist and all the complexities that come with it.Shout out to: All the workers in the service industry!Find ThreeBirds Coffee House: WebsiteFacebookInstagramAll the ways to find, follow, & support the Capitalism for Good universe: Apple Podcasts (Bittersweet Paradox) | Apple Podcasts (Capitalism for Good) | Apple Podcasts (Capitalism for Green) | Bittersweet Paradox Patreon | Bittersweet Paradox Writing Club | Bluesky (Bittersweet Paradox) | Bluesky (Capitalism for Good) | Capitalism for Good’s Between the Interviews Podcast | Capitalism for Good Patreon | Capitalism for Green Patreon | Capitalism for Green: The Blog | Company Mentions | Email Bittersweet Paradox | Email Capitalism for Good | Email Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram (Andrea & her 2026 Goal = No New Things, Only New Experiences) | Instagram (Bittersweet Paradox) | Instagram (Capitalism for Good) | Instagram (Capitalism for Green) | Spotify (Bittersweet Paradox) | Spotify (Capitalism for Good) | Spotify (Capitalism for Green) | The Store, by CFG | TikTok (Capitalism for Good) | YouTube (Capitalism for Good)We encourage intentional consumerism and community-focused business practices.Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Brooke Salvaggio, Owner of Urbavore Farm & Compost Collective KC (Interview 35/100)

    Brooke Salvaggio, Owner of Urbavore Farm & Compost Collective KC (Interview 35/100)
    Feb 10 2026
    Folks, today we have Brooke Salvaggio, Owner of Urbavore Farm & Compost Collective KC as our 35th out of 100 business leaders making a positive impact on their community. In this episode we talk about what it’s really like to own a purpose-driven business fuelled by intentionality down to every last detail. She tells a story full of big dreams and the big challenges that come alongside it. She’s an example of a radical leader who’s evolved over her time stating, “the 44 year old Brooke probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to do what 24 year old Brooke did.” But we’re grateful that 24 year old Brooke did channel the naivete of youth to create some really cool things that have the ability to feed an entire community, power a neighborhood with clean energy, provide a space for green education, and pull together a really cool ecosystem of a community. It hasn’t all been easy. We talk about the bureaucratic systems and people in powerful positions that hinder efforts to provide local food to neighbors, responsibly power neighborhoods, and education & support the community. It’s a set of frustrations that seem evident in the worlds of so many in the sustainable-business field. We talk about what happens when the framework of a world that currently exists isn’t good enough and what it means when you desperately want to function outside of that framework because you truly believe that it’s worthwhile in the long run to do so. Even more importantly, we talk about the impact of those decisions on the humans behind them threatening to take their optimism. Luckily for us though, she tells us that she’s not getting off this ride. She’ll continue to rise, create, grow, and inspire and we can’t wait to support & watch it all. Compost Collective KC: When you compost with us, your food waste becomes a part of this natural process by going back into the soil. What’s more, this food waste isn’t being cycled into just any soil. It is being cycled into the soil at a local farm, Urbavore, where it provides vital nutrients for an abundant selection of healthy, organic foods for the community. This very special farm serves as the “mothership” and the pilot site for a much greater vision of urban sustainability.This vision includes holistic compost hubs tied to farms and community gardens scattered throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Like the hub we’ve created at Urbavore Farm, these compost hubs would not only handle and process the waste in a environmentally-friendly manner, but they would apply the finished compost to their fields to build soil, conserve water, and increase crop yields, thus strengthening our local food system and making organic produce more readily available.Urbavore Farm: Urbavore is a biologically diverse farmstead set on 13.5 acres in Kansas City's urban core. Our energy-independent systems for food production, waste, water and shelter redefine sustainability to build community and ecology. Urbavore includes fresh food & flowers grown locally on the farm, an farmstead dedicated to earth contact, solar power, & water recycling, composting services (see Compost Collective KC), and a whole lot of dreams & plans for the future. Shout out to: Curtis Millsap, Owner of Milsap FarmsLinks: Compost Collective KC WebsiteCompost Collective KC FacebookCompost Collective KC InstagramUrbavore Farm WebsiteUrbavore Farm FacebookUrbavore Farm Instagram Between the Interviews (of the Capitalism for Good) Podcast | Company Mentions | BioSite | Email | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | The Store, by CFG | Transcripts | YouTubeWe encourage intentional consumerism and community-focused business practices.Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Katie Schmidt, Founder of Passion Lillie (Interview 34/100)

    Katie Schmidt, Founder of Passion Lillie (Interview 34/100)
    Feb 3 2026
    Folks, today we have Katie Schmidt, Founder of Passion Lillie, a Fair Trade apparel brand really leveraging their brand to advocate for fair trade to push the industry in a more socially responsible and sustainable direction. She talks a lot about Fair Trade today and how that’s become a large priority in her decision making and operating process. There are links to Fair Trade as well as Passion Lillie in the show notes and the company mentions page. She also gives a well deserved and timely shout out to Joy McBrien, the Founder of Fair Anita, a jewelry & accessory brand also with a strong Fair Trade Federation foundation and based in Minnesota, so we’ve also added links to check out and support Fair Anita. Katie talks about how Passion Lillie started, how the industry has changed over time, and the impact that the Fair Trade Federation has had on herself and the business over the past 13 years. We talk about challenges, being adaptable, but also about how advocacy through community contributes to positive changes. She talks very highly about being part of The Fair Trade Federation and how it touches so many aspects of her business. It helps with advocacy and outreach. It helps shape internal company culture and processes. It helps with decisions about materials, partners, and manufacturing. As much as certifications and organizations like The Fair Trade Federation are known for being trusted sources of reputation that some customers look for in order to get a sense of company values, it’s also a tremendous assistance to help companies follow a blueprint that allows them to function in a socially responsible and sustainable way. It’s a resource for all helping companies like Passion Lillie to expand their reach and influence to push the boundaries of the apparel industry in a positive direction.Katie also talks about the community of like-minded leaders and organizations that she’s become connected to through retail relationships, advocacy, and connecting to other Fair Trade businesses. Her shout out is to a kindred spirit of a business called Fair Anita based in Minnesota selling jewelry, accessories, and gifts while also giving back to the community and being mindful of their impact. It’s businesses like these and leaders like these folks that give us a little ray of hope that we can make a positive impact. Shout out to: Joy O’Brien, Founder of Fair AnitaInstagram | Company Mentions | BioSite | Transcripts | YouTubeWe encourage intentional consumerism and community-focused business practices.Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    23 mins
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