Next Economy Now: For the Benefit of All Life

Rethinking Waste in a Circular Economy (w/Tom Szaky)

What if waste isn’t an inevitable byproduct of modern life, but a design flaw we can solve? In this conversation, Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle, joins host Kevin Bayuk to explore how businesses can rethink waste and build systems that move us toward a circular economy. More than two decades ago, Tom founded TerraCycle with a mission focused on Eliminating the Idea of Waste®, growing the company from an early vermicompost venture into a global platform that recycles some of the world’s hardest-to-process materials. For full show notes, visit: https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/tom-szaky/ Learn more at  lifteconomy.com/mba [http://lifteconomy.com/mba] and use code PODCASTMBA to save 10% on tuition!

Degrowth, Disaster Justice, and Building a Post-Growth Society with Feroz Khan

What if perpetual economic growth is part of the problem, not the solution? Feroz Khan explores how degrowth and disaster justice could guide a more sustainable and equitable future. For full show notes, visit: https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/feroz-khan/ Learn more at  lifteconomy.com/mba [http://lifteconomy.com/mba] and use code PODCASTMBA to save 10% on tuition!

Mission-Driven Banking and Systems Change (w/ Francis Janes)

What would it take for banks to move away from capital extraction and toward climate resilience, racial justice, and community wealth? Francis Janes, Senior Director of Industry Relations and Partnerships at Beneficial State Foundation, joins host Erin Axelrod to explore how banking can become a lever for social and environmental justice. Drawing on his work with banks and trade associations, Francis shares how mission-driven standards, corporate social responsibility, and stakeholder approaches can shift how capital is deployed in local economies.  For full show notes, visit: https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/francis-janes/

Raising Collaborative Children in a Fragmented Economy (w/ Dr. Lucía Alcalá)

This conversation with Dr. Lucía Alcalá explores how cultural values shape children’s autonomy, motivation, emotional development, and contributions to family life. Drawing from her research with Indigenous communities in Yucatán, she reveals what Western parenting norms overlook and how collaboration and reciprocity can transform family dynamics. The episode invites listeners to rethink childhood itself as part of a healthier, more regenerative economy. View the show notes: https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/2026/1/27/raising-collaborative-children-in-a-fragmented-economy-w-dr-luca-alcal [https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/2026/1/27/raising-collaborative-children-in-a-fragmented-economy-w-dr-luca-alcal] Learn more at  lifteconomy.com/mba [http://lifteconomy.com/mba] and use code PODCASTMBA to save 10% on tuition!

Earth, War, and the Path Toward Regeneration (w/ Zainab Salbi)

Zainab Salbi joins Next Economy Now to share her remarkable journey from founding Women for Women International to launching Daughters for Earth, a movement uplifting women-led climate solutions across the globe. She discusses the moral crisis of war, the urgency of biodiversity protection, and the unique contributions women bring to climate restoration. This episode explores the Hummingbird Effect and how each of us can play a meaningful role in healing our planet. View the show notes: https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/2026/1/13/earth-war-and-the-path-toward-regeneration-w-zainab-salbi [https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/2026/1/13/earth-war-and-the-path-toward-regeneration-w-zainab-salbi] Learn more at  lifteconomy.com/mba [http://lifteconomy.com/mba] and use code PODCASTMBA to save 10% on tuition!