Rethinking the Toolkit – Why Creativity Beats Cash and Credentials

Finale: Making the World Better, One Idea at a Time

In this season finale, we bring everything full circle. After exploring how creativity can accelerate progress, solve problems, and drive true impact, we make our final case for why creativity is not just a “nice to have”—it’s an essential force for change. We’re joined by Broccoli magazine founder Anja, a creative visionary who’s redefined what advocacy can look and feel like through culture-forward storytelling. Together, we unpack how art, aesthetics, and strategy intersect—and why that intersection matters more than ever. If you’re working on something that has the potential to make the world a little—or a lot—better, creativity might just be the accelerant you need to get there. This episode is a call to action: think about how creative strategies could propel your own ideas forward. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to talk and collaborate. Whether you agree, disagree, or want to dive deeper into any of the concepts we’ve discussed, we’re eager to continue the conversation and work together to make a difference. 🔗 Links & Resources At ALBC, we believe creativity is meant to be shared. This ⁠worksheet⁠ is our way of giving back—a little spark to help you unlock momentum, reframe your thinking, and move whatever you're working on a little better forward. Check out Anja Charbonneau & Learn more about her work: →Broccoli Magazine [https://broccolimag.com/pages/about] Follow them on Instagram @broccoli_mag [https://www.instagram.com/broccoli_mag] 📣 Connect with Us Follow us on Instagram → @alittlebetterco [https://www.instagram.com/alittlebetterco/] Learn more about our work → ⁠www.alittlebetter.co⁠ [https://www.alittlebetter.co/]

A Little Better, A Lot Stronger – Embracing Creativity for True Change

In a world that feels increasingly polarized and chaotic, it’s easy to get stuck chasing quick fixes and surface-level wins. But what does it really mean to “do a little better”? In this episode, we’re joined by Melissa Ngan, President & CEO of the American Composers Orchestra, Founder of Fifth House Ensemble, and a longtime leader in civic practice, organizational transformation, and creative entrepreneurship. With a background spanning over 15 years in arts leadership, education, and public engagement—not to mention her roots as a professional flutist—Melissa brings a rare, interdisciplinary lens to the conversation. Together, we explore the psychology of progress—and how creativity can be used not just to make things look better, but to make them work better. We talk about the stall points organizations hit when they lose sight of their “why,” and how artistic practice can inform bold, human-centered pathways forward. This is a conversation about rethinking leadership, building with purpose, and using creativity as a strategic force—not just for change, but for care. If you're working at the edge of impact, systems, or storytelling, this one’s for you. 🔗 Links & Resources At ALBC, we believe creativity is meant to be shared. This ⁠worksheet⁠ [https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6811cd849b0c918bfa82f2f7/685d8e8e638316656f0d725a_ALBC_Podcast_Episode%205_%20Worksheet.pdf]is our way of giving back—a little spark to help you unlock momentum, reframe your thinking, and move whatever you're working on a little better forward. Check out Melissa Ngan & Learn more about her work: →https://www.americancomposers.org/team/melissa-ngan-2 📣 Connect with Us Follow us on Instagram → @alittlebetterco Learn more about our work → ⁠www.alittlebetter.co⁠

The Proof is in the Impact – Making Creativity Measurable and Investable

One of the biggest reasons creativity isn’t taken as seriously as other business tools is because it’s hard to measure. How do you prove that a powerful story, a compelling design, or an emotionally resonant campaign actually created tangible change? In this episode, we explore the intersection of emotion and validation—how creativity can be quantified, de-risked, and made investable. With insights from experts in data and impact measurement, we break down how to connect storytelling and emotional engagement to real-world metrics, making creativity a strategic asset that funders, sponsors, and decision-makers can’t ignore. Joining us is Catherine Griffin, Founder and CEO of ImpactableX, whose pioneering work in impact modeling is helping organizations turn mission into measurable value. Together, we unpack how emotional resonance and analytical rigor can work in tandem—and why that combination might just be the future of creative impact. 🔗 Links & Resources At ALBC, we believe creativity is meant to be shared. This ⁠worksheet⁠ [https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6811cd849b0c918bfa82f2f7/6855932204d22f18f83aa2dc_ALBC_Podcast_Episode%204_%20Worksheet_Option%202%20(1).pdf] is our way of giving back—a little spark to help you unlock momentum, reframe your thinking, and move whatever you're working on a little better forward. Check out ImpactableX & Learn more about their work: → www.impactablex.com 📣 Connect with Us Follow us on Instagram → @alittlebetterco Learn more about our work → ⁠www.alittlebetter.co⁠

Rethinking the Toolkit – Why Creativity Beats Cash and Credentials

At A Little Better Co., we believe one of the biggest myths in modern business is that money is the only way to move forward. Stuck? Raise a round. Hit a wall? Hire. Need to grow? Bring in private equity. But for many mission-driven leaders—especially those building outside traditional systems—that model isn’t just out of reach, it’s fundamentally unsustainable. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Kimberly McGlonn—founder of Grant BLVD and author of Build It Boldly—for a powerful conversation about what it looks like to build momentum through creativity, not capital. Together, we unpack why we’ve been conditioned to treat cash as the universal solution, how that instinct is rooted in extractive, profit-first systems, and what becomes possible when we instead lean on empathy, lived experience, and creative strategy to move through challenge. This isn’t a theory-driven dialogue—it’s a grounded, real-world look at how founders like Kimberly are rewriting the rules, making progress, and proving that there is a better way. 🔗 Links & Resources At ALBC, we believe creativity is meant to be shared. This ⁠worksheet [https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6811cd849b0c918bfa82f2f7/68408b114b2fb9c6192f6f58_Ep%203%20Worksheet.pdf]⁠ is our way of giving back—a little spark to help you unlock momentum, reframe your thinking, and move whatever you're working on a little better forward. Check out Dr. Kimberly McGlonn & things mentioned: Build It Boldly: https://www.drkimberlymcglonn.com/build-it-boldly-book [https://www.drkimberlymcglonn.com/build-it-boldly-book] Follow her on Instagram → @kimberlymcglonn [https://www.instagram.com/kimberlymcglonn/] Learn more about their work → www.drkimberlymcglonn.com [ www.drkimberlymcglonn.com] 📣 Connect with Us Follow us on Instagram → @alittlebetterco [https://www.instagram.com/alittlebetterco/?hl=en] Learn more about our work → ⁠www.alittlebetter.co⁠ [https://www.alittlebetter.co]e

The Art of Getting Unstuck – Using Creativity to Break Through Stall Points

Every organization—no matter the size or mission—eventually hits a stall point: a moment when progress slows, momentum fades, and the path forward feels unclear. In this episode, we unpack what those moments really look like—and how creativity can act as a powerful tool for breaking through. In this episode, we sit down with Aaron and Joel, co-founders of Empath Labs—a mental health innovation company creating tools at the intersection of empathy, technology, and social good. They walk us through their journey from early momentum to a moment of strategic standstill, where it became clear: the real barrier wasn’t the product—it was the positioning. Together, we explore what stall points look like up close, why even deeply mission-driven teams can lose traction, and how ALBC helped them zoom out, reframe the challenge, and reposition their brand to move forward with clarity and purpose. 🔗 Links & Resources At ALBC, we believe creativity is meant to be shared. This Stuck or Stall ⁠worksheet [https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6811cd849b0c918bfa82f2f7/682e49f3c003ba9dc56144b7_ALBC_Podcast_E2_V1L.pdf]⁠ is our way of giving back—a little spark to help you unlock momentum, reframe your thinking, and move whatever you're working on a little better forward. Check out Empath Labs & things mentioned: My Special Aflac Duck [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa60d2kvZd0] Follow them on Instagram → @empath labs Learn more about their work → www.empathlabs.com [www.empathlabs.com] 📣 Connect with Us Follow us on Instagram → @alittlebetterco Learn more about our work → ⁠www.alittlebetter.co⁠ [www.alittlebetter.co⁠]