Fiftyfaces Focus 2025 Pride Special

Episode 47: Bonus Episode: Pride 365 Matt Cameron of LGBT Great: Governing on Data, not Vibes.

Matt Cameron is the CEO of LGBT Great and a member of the board of directors at the Diversity Project. This podcast is being released as a bonus add-on to the Pride Series 2025, as part of our support of Pride 365, an important initiative supported by LGBT Great. Our conversation starts with Matt’s upbringing and his extraordinary work ethic from a very young age – we hear about the common thread of working with people that led to his career start in recruitment sales. His compelling interest in inclusion led to him spotting an opening in the market for LGBT great, which he founded in 2019. In discussing why inclusion is more important now than ever he mentions the impact of current policies – such as the loss of psychological safety at work, stalled career progression and perceived corporate abandonment. He notes that transgender colleagues are feeling this in particular today. In terms of setting the tone as leaders he sets out a template for action – whereby leaders should listen actively and create space for honest dialogue (e.g. through running 10-minute “Pulse Listening Circles” each month), reaffirm commitment with visible, values-led action and embed inclusion into their talent and business strategy. We end with some compelling calls to action from Pride365 to the need to start with values - fairness, dignity, and respect and “it’s not about ticking boxes. It’s about unlocking potential.” Like LGBT Great Fiftyfaces Productions is committed to Pride 365. Thank you to Tom Soto and Latimer Partners for supporting our 2025 Pride Series.

Episode 46: Nathan Richardson, Fintech Professional, Board Member of Grindr: On Finding Your Own World, and Making it Beautiful and Bright

In this podcast Nathan Richardson is speaking on his own behalf and not on behalf of Grindr, on whose board of directors he sits. Nathan Richardson has been a member of the board of directors of Grindr since November 2022. He is a partner at Joffre Capital, a private equity firm and the co-Founder of Trading Ticket, Inc., a financial technology company, and served as its Chief Executive Officer, prior to which he held a series of roles in financial services and industry. He is now based in London.  Our conversation takes a tour through Nathan’s career, and his international exposure which was rich including a stint in the Peace Corps in Africa, and a glittering international career which spanned many countries and cultures. We turn to his time as a founder in Fintech, and what brought him to the Grindr board. We compare the work that Grindr is doing to raise awareness so some of the work Nathan did in the peace corps to spread sexual health awarness.  We move then to discuss the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the professional workplace and the challenges faced by the community at this moment in time as initiatives are rolled back and rights are not advancing.  Thank you to Tom Soto and Latimer Partners LLC for sponsoring our 2025 Pride Series.

Episode 45: Claire Williams, CEO of Oasis Domestic Abuse Service: The Authentic Joy of being Vivaciously Visible

Claire William is CEO of Oasis Domestic Abuse Service, and has spent most of her career in the charity sector. We got to know eachother over LinkedIN when I responded to her popular LinkedIN post about Lesbian visibility week, in which she described her life with her partner and their six children and the changing climate and political backdrop.    Our conversation is a warm and engaging trip through Claire’s life and career, one in which the charity sector plays a key role. We start with Claire’s childhood where she grew up in a council estate in a seaside town. We hear about her overriding drive to work and find her independence and trace her steps through various parts of the charity sector including charities committed to alleviating homelessness and now domestic abuse. We discuss the root of our first meeting – the Linked In post that started it all, and discuss why lesbian visibility is still an important issue and deserves its own dedicated week. We discuss Claire’s own coming out story, her experience of being included at work in different environments and the full life she leads now. We end with a discussion of the rewards that come from seeing people succeed and the advice that Claire would have for her younger self.  Thank you to Tom Soto and Latimer Partners LLC for supporting production costs of this Pride Series of 2025.

Episode 44: Meghan Stabler, Board Member of Grindr: An Authentic Journey

Meghan Stabler was until recently a fractional CMO at ThriveCart, and a member of the board of directors of Grindr since May 2022. She has had a series of marketing and strategy roles over the course of her career and is a keynote speaker on a range of topics.  Given Meghan’s expertise, we dive deep into marketing and branding as a discipline – speak about finding the voice of a brand and channeling the energy of a generation. Turning to her personal story Meghan describes her experience as a transgender woman – and the fact that when she decided to transition she experienced significant sacrifice, but that she didn’t see herself as having a choice.  We compare her experience transitioning in her mid-adulthood to what might be the case for younger people or people at different stages of their career – especially those who may be less well-established. We discuss the impact on children and on families, and on the importance of allyship.  Ending with her work on Grindr, we discuss her experience in technology, mobile app development, and marketing, and benefits the board and the focus that Grindr has. We discuss the importance of authenticity at every stage of one’s journey, and how it is so important to “be oneself”.  Thank you to Tom Soto and Latimer Partners LLC for supporting production costs of this series.

Episode 43: Rob Smith of The Phluid Project – Why Pride is a March and not a Parade

Rob Smith is Founder and CEO of the Phluid Project, a brand that recognizes the shifting attitude of Gen Z and young Millennials, merging fashion with community and education. He has served on boards for over a decade, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Steve Madden, following a career in marketing in which he held a series of executive roles. He chairs the development committee for the LGBTA+ Board Directors, is a TEDX speaker and is currently working on his first book.   Our conversation charts Rob’s career in fashion and how he found acceptance within this community as well as a keen sense for the ability for fashion to bridge the generational gap and tap into shifting psyches in markets. We talk about his work on boards and in the Phluid project, and what it stands for as well as why the current marketing campaign talks about Pride being a March and not a Parade. We move then to discuss the importance of role models at every stage of career progression.    Thank you to Tom Soto and Latimer Partners LLC for supporting production costs of this series.