Episodes

  • 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)
    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)
    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
  • Elizabeth Hudy, Owner of The Peach Fuzz (Interview 33/100; Dirty Bird Version with Cursing)
    Jan 27 2026
    This is 100 interviews with business leaders making a positive difference in their community. I’m a small business leader looking to learn from those who’ve founded, grown, led, and scaled companies while keeping their values front and center. I’m looking for those who’ve managed to keep their soul intact. I’m looking for folks who’ve done things the right ways so I can follow in the footsteps and learn from them in real time. I’m also a customer looking to make intentional decisions about how I spend my money. I’m recording those conversations here in the Capitalism for Good podcast project. Today we have Elizabeth Hudy, Owner of The Peach Fuzz. This is a creative brand with a strong giveback game both monetarily through donating a portion of sales, but also sharing freely resources that she's created to help other small businesses. In fact, I heard about her right here on this podcast while interviewing Tory Hall, Owner & Operator of Sower Books in Lincoln, NE when she mentioned seeing Elizabeth redistributing higher than expected profits to her employees and how Tory wanted to figure out how to do the same. Elizabeth also leverages her fun creative designs on stickers, hair clips, lighters, and all sorts of things to make a clear message: all are welcome and we should care about one another. That intentionality can be seen in every detail from eco-friendly materials and mindful packaging to donating 10% of every purchase to a worthwhile cause to t-shirts and pins with messages like: abolish ice, queer joy cannot be legislated away, and baseball hats that just say “overwhelmed.” She’s a self-described “neurodivergent loudmouth” creative with an accounting background here to make some moves, start some conversations, and do a lot of good. So, get cozy if you want to. Settle in. I’ll start here with my perspective on this conversation. Here’s a woman who’s taking her own skills and talents and freely sharing them with others working to also turn their own skills and talents into thriving businesses just like The Peach Fuzz. Here’s a woman boldly bringing people into her community by demanding that they be seen, heard, loved, and accepted and giving people a way to announce that they’re a fellow safe community member with bright colors and flashy designs. Here’s a woman that’s putting her money where her mouth is by donating more than $400,000 of those profits right back to causes to support that community that’s supporting The Peach Fuzz.This is the woman behind a company that’s a powerhouse of good in a logical and strategic way. This is a woman whose voice deserves to be heard because she’s actively listening and valuing those around her. This is a woman whose voice deserves to be heard now. Not when my arbitrary plan had considered sliding her in at a later date. Now. So if you want to channel your money into a company that will exponentially explode its impact for good, then I recommend The Peach Fuzz. If you want an example of how to build your business model in a way that creates your own personal stability while also fighting back against the chaos of the powers around us, then I recommend listening to how Elizabeth has done it. If you want some tangible advice about how she approaches risk and scales her company, then I recommend paying attention to Elizabeth. And if you want a really freaking cute patch to put on your favorite purse to show people that you’re a fellow lover of all humans (because all humans deserve to be loved), then I recommend looking through the designs that she created with her own beautiful brain. There are a lot of things in this world that make be frustrated, angry, fearful, hopeless, and feeling swept up into the chaos, but what Elizabeth has created demands that I remember the goodness in people and that community is the key. It’s the answer.Alright. That’s enough. Lets go leave this place better than we found it. Shout out to: NooworksTory Hall, Owner of Sower BooksWe 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
  • Elizabeth Hudy, Owner of The Peach Fuzz (Interview 33/100) (Clean Version)
    Jan 27 2026
    This is 100 interviews with business leaders making a positive difference in their community. I’m a small business leader looking to learn from those who’ve founded, grown, led, and scaled companies while keeping their values front and center. I’m looking for those who’ve managed to keep their soul intact. I’m looking for folks who’ve done things the right ways so I can follow in the footsteps and learn from them in real time. I’m also a customer looking to make intentional decisions about how I spend my money. I’m recording those conversations here in the Capitalism for Good podcast project. Today we have Elizabeth Hudy, Owner of The Peach Fuzz. This is a creative brand with a strong giveback game both monetarily through donating a portion of sales, but also sharing freely resources that she's created to help other small businesses. In fact, I heard about her right here on this podcast while interviewing Tory Hall, Owner & Operator of Sower Books in Lincoln, NE when she mentioned seeing Elizabeth redistributing higher than expected profits to her employees and how Tory wanted to figure out how to do the same. Elizabeth also leverages her fun creative designs on stickers, hair clips, lighters, and all sorts of things to make a clear message: all are welcome and we should care about one another. That intentionality can be seen in every detail from eco-friendly materials and mindful packaging to donating 10% of every purchase to a worthwhile cause to t-shirts and pins with messages like: abolish ice, queer joy cannot be legislated away, and baseball hats that just say “overwhelmed.” She’s a self-described “neurodivergent loudmouth” creative with an accounting background here to make some moves, start some conversations, and do a lot of good. So, get cozy if you want to. Settle in. I’ll start here with my perspective on this conversation. Here’s a woman who’s taking her own skills and talents and freely sharing them with others working to also turn their own skills and talents into thriving businesses just like The Peach Fuzz. Here’s a woman boldly bringing people into her community by demanding that they be seen, heard, loved, and accepted and giving people a way to announce that they’re a fellow safe community member with bright colors and flashy designs. Here’s a woman that’s putting her money where her mouth is by donating more than $400,000 of those profits right back to causes to support that community that’s supporting The Peach Fuzz.This is the woman behind a company that’s a powerhouse of good in a logical and strategic way. This is a woman whose voice deserves to be heard because she’s actively listening and valuing those around her. This is a woman whose voice deserves to be heard now. Not when my arbitrary plan had considered sliding her in at a later date. Now. So if you want to channel your money into a company that will exponentially explode its impact for good, then I recommend The Peach Fuzz. If you want an example of how to build your business model in a way that creates your own personal stability while also fighting back against the chaos of the powers around us, then I recommend listening to how Elizabeth has done it. If you want some tangible advice about how she approaches risk and scales her company, then I recommend paying attention to Elizabeth. And if you want a really freaking cute patch to put on your favorite purse to show people that you’re a fellow lover of all humans (because all humans deserve to be loved), then I recommend looking through the designs that she created with her own beautiful brain. There are a lot of things in this world that make be frustrated, angry, fearful, hopeless, and feeling swept up into the chaos, but what Elizabeth has created demands that I remember the goodness in people and that community is the key. It’s the answer.Alright. That’s enough. Lets go leave this place better than we found it. Shout out to: NooworksTory Hall, Owner of Sower BooksWe 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 2 mins
  • Community Giveback Partner (January 2026)
    Jan 9 2026
    The January 2026 CFG Community Giveback Partner is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.This means that 10% of all Patreon membership dollars from all projects within the CFG universe will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.The next round of interviews for the Capitalism for Good project will be back in January! Keep an eye out for new episodes soon! All 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 (Bittersweet Paradox) | Instagram (Capitalism for Good) | Instagram (Capitalism for Green) | Spotify (Bittersweet Paradox) | Spotify (Capitalism for Good) | Spotify (Capitalism for Green) | 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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    5 mins
  • Lisa Tanasi, CEO of Mothership & Sunrise Coffee (Interview 32/100)
    Dec 16 2025
    Coffee Shop in Las Vegas, Nevada

    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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    52 mins
  • Stacy Grace, Co-Founder & CEO of Kent (Interview 31/100)
    Dec 9 2025
    Stacy Grace is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kent which is an underwear and basics brand made of 100% non-synthetic organic cotton. They also have one of my all-time favorite slogans: “plant your pants.” I’ll start with her entrepreneurial pathway that involves a pivot from pricy organic silk to synthetic free cotton basics. She talks about how she knew in her gut basic cotton underwear was more her than the fancier silk version. Next, how “your daily choice can make a daily impact” leads to intentional consumerism. Underwear and daily basics are so much more than just the foundation of what we wear. They’re so much more. This brings us back to the afterlife of underwear. I’ve been writing a lot recently with analogies of cleaning and closets, so the natural thought evolution for me here is the concept of “out of sight = out of mind.” It’s rather harmless when it’s moving clutter into a closet when you have company over, but it gains impact when thinking about how everything we own, touch, and use was created in some way and will continue to live on in some form or another. The universal concept of the circle of life makes a great children’s earworm of a song in the Lion King and brings up images of seeds being planted, growing, and then dying and turning back to soil at turbo speed in my mind during a calming yoga session. But then when we apply that same concept to things thrown away, into a trash truck (I’m picturing that scene in Toy Story…) to the landfill, where it piles up high, emits noxious gasses that contribute to climate change or plastic pieces that continue to degrade until they’re so small that they then invade every crevice of our bodies without serving a helpful purpose like their nutrient neighbors. …Or worse, but let’s put a pin in that because Stacy also echoes what so many of the other sustainable brand leaders that came before her have also reminded me: people know that there’s a lot that is harmful to our planet. There’s no need to keep hitting them over the head with it. Instead, I vote that we continue to celebrate folks like Stacy who are using their business savvyness to solve really big problems gently guiding folks into making decisions with a positive impact by pulling them in with something that is good enough that they’ll want to buy them in bulk like the surprising customer base full of men wearing Kent. Whether it’s the consciousness about the impact on male fertility, the eco-friendly manufacturing, the simple breathability & comfort, or just that they’ve been purchased and placed in their drawer to be put on, the reason doesn’t really matter as long as the end result is more people choosing a better for the environment product. Keep an eye out for what Stacy (and Jeff!) tackle in the future. It might be the app she talks about that’s a clear break from their current physical goods focus. It might be the 100% natural shoe that she joked about (although, I honestly wouldn't put it past her to figure that out at some point and bring it into the rotation…). Even if it’s just sharing more about what she learns about growing companies with a positive impact led by a strong team of employees that are channeling their entrepreneurial spirit & passion into new solutions, I think we could all learn a lot from her. And for that, I’m incredibly thankful that she took the time to tell us about her experiences. Shout out to: Amy Welsman, Founder of Paume, for being another woman killing it in the game of high quality sustainably manufactured goods 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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    51 mins