Sages of Industry

007 Jackie Russell, of Teak Media, Discusses B-Corp Values-Based Business PR

Jackie Russell is the founder and president of Teak Media + Communication, a firm she started in 1997 to help nonprofit organizations and socially responsible companies gain wider recognition, grow revenue, and advance their missions. Russell previously worked as a newspaper reporter, including at the Eagle-Tribune and Connecticut Post. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Jackie Russell about public relations as a force multiplier for organizations trying to do meaningful work in the world. The conversation begins with Jackie's professional path from journalism into public relations and the founding of Teak Media. From there, the episode moves into the deeper purpose behind her work: helping nonprofits and responsible companies get the visibility, credibility, and recognition they need in order to grow and make a larger impact. A major thread in the episode is that good work alone is not enough. Jackie makes the case that organizations solving real problems still need strategic communication if they want to be seen, trusted, funded, and supported. The discussion frames PR not as image management, but as a serious business and growth function for mission-driven organizations. The episode also explores values-based business. Jackie talks about the importance of working with organizations whose ethics align with her own, and the conversation connects that to the larger B Corp and conscious business movement. A related theme is authenticity: if a business or organization is going to speak publicly about its values, it needs to mean it, stand by it, and communicate it clearly. Another strong part of the conversation is Jackie's origin story. She reflects on early experiences that shaped Teak's direction, including working with nonprofit causes and learning from Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's. Those experiences appear to have reinforced two long-term ideas that carry through the episode: stay close to your values, and do not wait until you feel perfectly prepared before building something meaningful. Key Takeaways * Jackie Russell founded Teak Media + Communication in 1997 after beginning her career in journalism. * Teak is built around serving nonprofits and socially responsible companies, helping them gain recognition and increase revenue through strategic communications. * A core message of the episode is that public relations matters because mission-driven organizations still have to compete for attention in a noisy environment. * Jackie treats business as a force for good, and the conversation connects PR to wider social, environmental, health, and education issues. * Values matter in both client selection and public messaging. The episode emphasizes authenticity over opportunistic branding. * The discussion also points to the risks of vague or performative messaging, including greenwashing and taking public positions a company is not prepared to stand behind. * Jackie's early mentorship from Jerry Greenfield appears as an important influence on how she thinks about values, courage, and building a purpose-driven company. Discussed Topics * Jackie Russell's background in journalism * Founding Teak Media + Communication * Why Jackie chose to focus on nonprofits and responsible businesses * Early client work and how Teak got started * Learning from Jerry Greenfield and early mentorship * PR as a strategic growth tool, not just promotion * Why mission-driven organizations still need visibility and recognition * Business as a force for good * The B Corp movement and responsible business * Authenticity in messaging and brand values * Greenwashing and the risk of empty positioning * Helping causes stand out in a crowded media environment * Supporting work in education, healthcare, poverty, environment, and community impact * What leaders need to understand about communications and influence Timeline 00:00 Welcome and introduction to Jackie Russell 00:45 Jackie's background and the founding of Teak Media 01:45 From newspaper reporting to public relations 03:00 Early client work and how the business began 04:10 Working with nonprofits and discovering her real calling 05:15 Jerry Greenfield's influence and lessons on values 06:30 Building a purpose-driven business before that language was common 07:35 The B Corp movement and business as a force for good 08:45 Why PR matters for nonprofits and responsible companies 10:00 Recognition, credibility, and revenue for mission-driven organizations 11:20 Why good work alone is not enough to get noticed 12:30 Helping organizations working in education, healthcare, poverty, and environmental impact 13:45 Authenticity, values, and public messaging 15:00 The danger of greenwashing and performative positioning 16:10 Standing by your values even when there is resistance 17:10 What makes this work meaningful for Jackie 18:00 Closing reflections and episode wrap-up Social Media Website: www.teakmedia.com [http://www.teakmedia.com/] Instagram: https://instagram.com/teakmedia [https://instagram.com/teakmedia] Twitter/X: http://twitter.com/teakmedia [http://twitter.com/teakmedia] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TeakMedia [http://www.facebook.com/TeakMedia] Company LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/teak-media-communications/ [http://www.linkedin.com/company/teak-media-communications/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackieherskovitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackieherskovitz/]

The Ripple Effect: Flow as a Force Multiplier

The podcast's opening episode introduced The Ripple Effect as Lynne Brodie's recurring solo series focused on imagination, innovation, and impact. Episode Summary In this short solo episode, Lynne Brodie introduces the first Ripple Effect segment and centers the conversation on flow — not as a vague ideal, but as a practical state that can expand performance, clarity, and creative output. A major theme of the episode is that many people have heard of flow, but think of it as accidental, elusive, or reserved for unusual moments. Lynne reframes it as something leaders, professionals, and teams can learn to access more intentionally. She presents flow as a force multiplier that enhances personal power, productivity, innovation, and the ability to move ideas forward. The episode also links flow to business outcomes. Rather than treating it as a personal-development concept only, Lynne positions it as relevant to creation, intelligence, decision-making, and faster progress in work that matters. The broader message is that when people access deeper internal capacity, they do not just feel better — they perform differently. Lynne closes by previewing future Ripple Effect episodes and inviting listeners to continue exploring how flow can shape imagination, innovation, and impact in practical ways. Key Takeaways * This is a short host-led Ripple Effect episode rather than a guest interview. * Lynne presents flow as a usable, trainable state rather than a rare or mysterious experience. * A central message is that flow acts as a force multiplier for clarity, creativity, and productivity. * The episode connects flow to practical business value, including better thinking, stronger execution, and forward momentum. * Lynne frames access to flow as a way to expand personal power and unlock more of one's natural capabilities. * The episode sets up future solo segments that will continue exploring flow, performance, and impact. * The tone is invitational and foundational: this episode introduces the concept and opens the larger conversation. Discussed Topics * Introduction to the first Ripple Effect solo episode * Why Lynne chose to talk about flow * Common misunderstandings about flow * Flow as a practical, accessible state * Personal productivity and personal power * Creativity, intelligence, and innovation in flow * Why flow functions as a force multiplier * Business relevance of internal cognitive state * Moving ideas forward with greater ease and speed * Preview of future Ripple Effect episodes * Invitation to continue the conversation YouTube-Style Timeline 00:00 Welcome to The Ripple Effect 00:18 Introduction to this first solo episode 00:40 Why Lynne is focusing on flow 01:05 The common belief that flow is elusive or hard to access 01:35 Reframing flow as something practical and available 02:05 Flow as a force multiplier 02:35 Personal productivity, personal power, and creative capacity 03:05 How flow supports innovation and better performance 03:35 Why this matters for leaders, professionals, and teams 04:05 Getting more access to what is already within you 04:35 What future Ripple Effect episodes will explore 05:00 Invitation to subscribe, share, and stay connected 05:30 Closing Social Media: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sages-of-industry/id1894954630 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sages-of-industry/id1894954630] iHeart: https://iheart.com/podcast/331031474 [https://iheart.com/podcast/331031474] Spotify: https://feeds.libsyn.com/615595/spotify [https://feeds.libsyn.com/615595/spotify] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnebrodie/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnebrodie/] Facebook: https://facebook.com/lynne.brodie.75 [https://facebook.com/lynne.brodie.75] X: https://x.com/CoachLynneB [https://x.com/CoachLynneB] Instagram: @lynnesbrodie YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lynnebrodieinternational4608Top [https://www.youtube.com/@lynnebrodieinternational4608]

005 Globe Aware: How 'Voluntourism" Provides Ethical, Responsible Impact

Kimberly Haley-Coleman the founder and executive director of Globe Aware, a US- and Canada-based nonprofit that organizes short-term international volunteer programs. Globe Aware works in more than 25 countries, serves individuals as well as family, school, church, and corporate groups, and is built around cultural awareness, sustainability, and working side-by-side with communities "as equals." Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Kimberly Haley-Coleman about building a business and nonprofit model around meaningful short-term international service. The conversation begins with Kimberly's background and then moves into the origin of Globe Aware: a practical response to the fact that many adults want to serve abroad but cannot leave their jobs, families, or responsibilities for six to eight weeks at a time. From there, the episode explores how Globe Aware created a more accessible model for service travel without losing depth, cultural immersion, or meaningful contribution. Globe Aware is a structured, short-term, community-oriented service model designed for adults, families, and groups. A major theme in the episode is that the experience is not just about helping others. Kimberly emphasizes perspective change, human connection, and what happens when people step outside routine, screens, and comfort zones to work alongside others in a very different environment. The conversation repeatedly frames service travel as experiential learning: something that changes how participants see their own lives, habits, assumptions, and possibilities. The episode also addresses ethical questions directly. Kimberly distinguishes Globe Aware's model from more superficial or extractive forms of voluntourism by stressing local leadership, community-driven projects, dignity, and the importance of working with people rather than "for" them in a top-down way. Another strong thread in the episode is applicability for families, companies, and multigenerational groups. Kimberly talks about who participates, why employers are increasingly open to supporting these experiences, and how shared service can build gratitude, engagement, and perspective in ways that typical travel does not. Globe Aware's trips are for families, schools, and corporate groups, and recent interviews describe them as powerful for team building, leadership development, and cross-cultural learning. Key Takeaways * Globe Aware was built around practical insight: many people want to serve internationally, but most cannot commit to traditional long-form volunteer models. * The episode presents short-term service travel as a serious alternative to ordinary tourism when it is structured well and rooted in local partnership. * Kimberly frames the experience as mutual: communities' benefit, but participants are also changed by the work, the relationships, and the exposure to another way of living. * Ethical design matters. A recurring point is that projects should be locally guided, dignity-centered, and genuinely useful. * The conversation highlights families, companies, and older adults as meaningful participants in this kind of work, not just students or gap-year travelers. * One of the clearest messages in the episode is that connection matters as much as contribution. The value is not only in what gets built or delivered, but in what gets understood. Discussed Topics * Kimberly Haley-Coleman's background and leadership path * The founding idea behind Globe Aware * Why short-term service travel fills an important gap * Business travel, exposure to other countries, and the search for meaningful engagement * Working alongside communities as equals * What Globe Aware trips actually look like in practice * Examples of projects in different countries * Logistics, safety, accommodations, and program cost * The difference between service travel and ordinary tourism * Perspective shift, gratitude, and experiential learning * Conscious business, world good, and nonprofit impact * Families, companies, and employer-supported volunteering * Ethical concerns around voluntourism * Community-led design and responsible project selection * Memorable stories from the field * How people can get started with Globe Aware Timeline 00:00 Welcome and introduction to Kimberly Haley-Coleman 01:00 Kimberly's background and leadership experience 01:55 What Globe Aware is and the kind of work it does 03:00 How the idea began through international business travel 04:20 Why Kimberly created a short-term service model 05:10 Working alongside communities rather than above them 06:00 What the trips look like and examples of projects 07:20 Cost, logistics, accommodations, and safety 08:40 How this differs from ordinary tourism or superficial volunteering 10:00 Why these experiences change perspective so deeply 11:30 Joy, meaning, and the human value of service travel 12:40 Who typically participates in Globe Aware programs 14:00 Employers, matching programs, and the business case for supporting service 15:20 Why "voluntourism" can be the wrong label 16:30 Preparing participants and designing accessible experiences 17:45 Families, children, and learning beyond screens 19:00 Ethical concerns, power imbalance, and community-led projects 20:20 Surprising demographics and the role of older volunteers 21:15 Favorite experiences and memorable stories from the field 23:00 Why connection matters more than charity alone 24:20 How to choose a destination or type of project 25:15 Where to find Globe Aware and how to get started 26:10 Closing reflections and episode wrap-up Social Media- Website www.globeaware.org [http://www.globeaware.org/] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/globeaware [https://www.facebook.com/globeaware] LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyglobeaware/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyglobeaware/] Podcasts https://open.spotify.com/show/6n9cfb4QIVb2aqUD6XSttE [https://open.spotify.com/show/6n9cfb4QIVb2aqUD6XSttE] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/globeaware/ [https://www.instagram.com/globeaware/] YouTube: https://youtube.com/@globeaware [https://youtube.com/@globeaware] X Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobeAware [https://twitter.com/GlobeAware] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/globe-aware/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/globe-aware/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@globe_aware [https://www.tiktok.com/@globe_aware] Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_Aware [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_Aware] Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/globeaware.bksy.social [https://bsky.app/profile/globeaware.bksy.social] Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/globeaware/ [https://www.pinterest.com/globeaware/]

004 Fibre52 How Clean Cotton Saves Water and Energy

Graham Stewart is described as a long-time textile industry leader and the EVP/founder behind Fibre52, a process designed to improve how cotton-rich fabrics are prepared and dyed. Fibre52 as a drop-in solution for existing mill equipment that aims to reduce water, electricity, and steam/gas use while replacing harsher chemistry with bio-based inputs. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Graham Stewart about what it takes to change an industry that has been doing things essentially the same way for decades. The conversation centers on textile manufacturing, cotton processing, and the commercial challenge of making sustainability practical rather than theoretical. Graham explains how his background in dyeing and textile production led him to question why cotton preparation and dyeing still rely so heavily on heat, water, and aggressive chemistry. From there, he walks through the thinking behind Fibre52 and why he believed there had to be a better way. That framing aligns with public descriptions of Fibre52 as a process intended to reduce the environmental burden of cotton dyeing while remaining workable inside existing manufacturing systems. A major theme in the episode is that sustainability only scales when it also makes business sense. Rather than presenting environmental improvement as a side issue, Graham discusses it as an operational and commercial issue: less energy, less water, less process intensity, and a better end result for mills and brands. Fibre52 similarly emphasizes that the process is meant to work without additional machinery and has been presented as reducing processing time, energy usage, and water use, while making cotton perform differently than conventionally processed fabric. The conversation also broadens into industry change itself. Lynne and Graham discuss the skepticism that new ideas face in traditional sectors, the realities of working with global mills and supply chains, and the importance of proving that a better process is not only cleaner, but repeatable, affordable, and commercially adoptable. The result is a grounded discussion about innovation inside manufacturing: how meaningful change happens, why outdated systems endure, and what it takes to move a large industry toward better practices without losing sight of profitability. Key Takeaways * Graham Stewart's perspective is shaped by decades in textile production, dyeing, marketing, and leadership across international markets. * The episode focuses on cotton preparation and dyeing as a major area where sustainability and profitability intersect. * A core message is that traditional industries do not change just because a new idea is cleaner; they change when it is operationally credible and commercially workable. * Fibre52 is publicly described as a drop-in process that works with existing machinery rather than requiring mills to make major capital investments. * Public materials describe the process as reducing resource intensity, including savings in water, electricity, steam/gas, and processing time. * The conversation treats sustainability not as branding language, but as a manufacturing, supply-chain, and business-performance issue. * Another recurring theme is patience: changing an entrenched global industry requires proof, repetition, and persistence. Discussed Topics * Graham Stewart's background in textiles and dyeing * Why conventional cotton processing needed to be challenged * The origin and purpose of Fibre52 * Harsh chemistry, heat, water, and process intensity in manufacturing * Making sustainability commercially viable * Why profitability and environmental improvement do not have to conflict * Working with mills, factories, and existing machinery * Adoption barriers in traditional industries * Skepticism, proof, and repeatability in manufacturing innovation * Fashion, supply chains, and global textile production * Better materials and the future of cotton processing * What it takes to scale a practical industry innovation YouTube-Style Timeline 00:00:00 Welcome and introduction to Graham Stewart 00:00:38 Graham's role in textiles and the mission behind Fibre52 00:01:28 The problem with conventional cotton preparation and dyeing 00:02:20 Graham's background in dyeing and textile production 00:04:05 What he saw in industry recipes that had not meaningfully changed 00:05:18 Why he decided to develop a better cotton-processing method 00:06:42 Sustainability and profitability as part of the same business problem 00:08:04 Building a process that can work inside existing mill infrastructure 00:09:32 Adoption challenges in a traditional manufacturing industry 00:10:48 The environmental cost of current textile-processing methods 00:12:16 Why brands, mills, and the broader market are starting to care more 00:13:52 Product quality, cotton performance, and why process design matters 00:15:10 Educating the market and working across the supply chain 00:16:36 The practical realities of implementation and scaling 00:18:02 Where the industry can go from here 00:19:24 Broader reflections on innovation, persistence, and commercial change 00:20:36 Final thoughts on better manufacturing and better materials 00:21:32 Where to learn more and episode close www.LynneBrodie.com [https://www.LynneBrodie.com] Website: https://www.fibre52.com/ [https://www.fibre52.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fibre.52/ [https://www.instagram.com/fibre.52/] Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/fibre52 [https://twitter.com/fibre52] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083402797701 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083402797701] Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fibre52/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/fibre52/] Your LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrstewart/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrstewart/] Bottom of Form

003 Zen Leadership Institute Founder and Past NASA Executive Explores How Energy is Everything

Dr. Ginny Whitelaw as a former NASA senior leader, founder of the Institute for Zen Leadership, and co-developer of the FEBI framework, which focuses on four mind-body energy patterns in leadership. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Dr. Ginny Whitelaw about leadership, human potential, and the deeper internal capacities that shape how people lead, create, and influence the world around them. The conversation begins with Ginny's professional journey, including her time at NASA and the turning points that led her into leadership development work. From there, the discussion expands into larger questions about what traditional leadership training often misses, why internal state matters, and how leaders can become more effective by working with energy, embodiment, and awareness rather than relying on cognition alone. A major thread in the episode is the relationship between leadership and world impact. Ginny explains that meaningful change does not come only from strategy or analysis, but also from the way leaders are internally organized and how they show up in moments of pressure, complexity, and responsibility. The conversation touches on healthcare, systems change, and the kinds of large-scale problems that require leaders to develop greater depth, flexibility, and presence. The episode also explores Ginny's work around energy patterns in the nervous system and how these patterns affect personality, behavior, collaboration, and leadership effectiveness. Rather than treating leadership as a purely intellectual function, the conversation frames it as something embodied and trainable. The result is a thoughtful discussion about how leaders expand their range, access more of themselves, and become better equipped to serve organizations, teams, and broader society. Key Takeaways * Leadership development is not only about skills, frameworks, and strategy. It also depends on internal capacity, embodiment, and presence. * Dr. Ginny Whitelaw's path from NASA into leadership work reflects a move from technical and organizational complexity into deeper human-development questions. * The episode argues that many leadership models are incomplete because they overemphasize the mind and underemphasize the body, energy, and lived patterns of response. * Leaders create better outcomes when they can shift how they show up instead of repeating a single habitual pattern. * The conversation links leadership quality to real-world impact, especially in areas where systems are strained or change is urgently needed. * A recurring theme is that leadership range matters: effective leaders can access different modes of action, not just their default style. * The discussion points toward a more integrated model of leadership that includes clarity, embodiment, purpose, and measurable action. Discussed Topics * Dr. Ginny Whitelaw's professional background * NASA and early leadership-development experiences * Why conventional leadership training can fall short * Leaving a traditional career path to pursue deeper leadership work * Purpose, personal power, and meaningful contribution * Leadership in times of systemic stress and disruption * Healthcare and examples of human-centered systems change * Energy, embodiment, and leadership effectiveness * Nervous-system patterns and how they affect behavior * The importance of expanding beyond default leadership habits * Working with leaders, teams, and organizations at multiple levels * Zen leadership and moving beyond ego-based leadership YouTube-Style Timeline 00:00:00 Welcome and introduction to Dr. Ginny Whitelaw 00:00:35 Dr. Whitelaw's background and the arc of her work 00:01:25 NASA experience and early exposure to leadership development 00:02:20 What traditional leadership training often leaves out 00:03:25 Leaving NASA and moving toward deeper leadership work 00:04:25 Purpose, personal power, and making a meaningful contribution 00:05:45 Leadership in a time of larger world and systems challenges 00:07:25 Healthcare as an example of human-centered leadership change 00:08:50 How leaders create impact beyond formal authority 00:10:05 Energy, resonance, and leadership presence 00:11:20 Leadership as more than cognition or analysis 00:12:30 Universal energy patterns and how they shape behavior 00:13:40 Expanding leadership range beyond default habits 00:14:50 How different leadership patterns show up in practice 00:15:50 Measuring and understanding go-to leadership tendencies 00:17:00 Working with leaders and organizations across contexts 00:18:10 Zen leadership and leading beyond ego 00:19:15 Practical application for leaders, teams, and organizations 00:20:20 Where to learn more and closing reflections www.LynneBrodie.com [https://www.LynneBrodie.com] Website: https://zenleader.global [https://zenleader.global/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zen.leader/ [https://www.instagram.com/zen.leader/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/instituteforzenleadership [https://www.facebook.com/instituteforzenleadership] Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/institute-for-zen-leadership [https://www.linkedin.com/institute-for-zen-leadership] Your LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginny-whitelaw-7089599/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginny-whitelaw-7089599/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IZenLeadership [https://www.youtube.com/user/IZenLeadership]