Capitalism for Good

Today we have Stacey Sigler, Owner of The Lean Refillery & Tiffany Sigler, Owner of Juniperseed Mercantile, in Littleton, Colorado. This duo of powerhouse supportive women is one of the greatest examples of community building in its most natural state from the microcommunity that exists within their partnership and permeates into everything they touch. Tiffany was also a guest on Episode 14 of the sister spin off project, Capitalism for Green (the refill store podcast), talking about her experience owning Juniperseed Mercantile and recent expansion into a course & coaching option for other refill store owners. That venture is supported by her partner, Stacy Sigler, Owner of The Lean Refillery (and do-er of many other things). We talk about how that supportive partnership that overlaps between their personal and professional life also just makes logical sense to build a sustainable community by supporting the others around them in the same way they support one another. This episode is perfect for refillery owners. It’s great for small business owners. It’s also ideal for anyone interested in building strong sustainable communities (in every sense of the word “sustainble”). Alright. That’s enough. Let’s so leave this place better than we found it. Shout out: Jeanie Boymel - Altitude Financial PartnersFind Juniperseed Mercantile: WebsiteFacebookInstagramFind The Lean Refillery:WebsiteFacebook (The Sigler Effect)InstagramAll 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)

Hey folks. Today we have Amy Welsman, Founder of PaPaumeume, a brand leading the way to reimagine hand care. Think: skincare for your hands. She was the shout out from episode 32 with Stacy Grace, Co-Founder & CEO of KENT. And now we get to hear why Stacy thought of her. While she backs away from my claim that they’re an innovator in the sustainably manufactured goods industry reminding me that they’re not perfect, I cleanly lump her right in there because of the intentional decisions that she and her team have made along the way to ensure that their priorities stay at the core of the business model. These decisions include ingredients, packaging, and shipping materials (which she gives some great practical advice with an example about tape choices). She mentions decisions around what the packaging looks and feels like, offering refillable options to keep the original (beautiful) bottles around indefinitely. We talk about  It also includes the decision to build a giveback initiative into the business model through a partnership with rePurpose Global. What really struck me when I asked her about the partnership is that it wasn’t a specific time period when this partnership was folded into the budget & plan. My assumption here goes straight to the kinds of decisions that business leaders make when they’re building their business. There are some that seem so radical that the details of the decisions stick out as a clear turning point or aha moment. But when decisions about partnerships, givebacks, materials, [fill in the blank with a values-based decision] has become so normalized within the world of the business and/or leader, it’s no longer a notable change. It’s normal. It’s almost as though it's an expected and routine part of the SOP to find partners, manufacturers, team members, you name it that fall in line with the core values. It’s an admirable lesson and an unsung skill that I’m excited to see adopted beyond the bounds of Paume. She also indulges me in my quest to figure out how to replicate the sustainability of the humans behind successful brands & companies by talking about what she does on a daily basis to stay sane & stable. No surprise here, she’s doing her best to take care of herself and her family. In fact, when we recorded this episode, she’d just returned from a family vacation. She talks about building in regular downtime in the summer. She also talks about the importance of being an example to her team recognizing that she’s setting the standard for the culture. If she practices a healthy working balance, then they’ll be more likely to do so as well. And that keeps everyone’s brains, ideas, and lives ready to tackle whatever they have for the next day. Because like she said, it’s all about making today just a little bit better than yesterday. And I think that sounds like a pretty great life all around. Alright. That’s enough. Let’s go leave this place better than we found it. Where to find Paume: WebsiteFacebookInstagramTikTokShout out to: All the early stage founders out there! 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 (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)

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)

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 | YouTube

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 | YouTube

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 Books