The Criterion Institute Podcast

Joy Anderson
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How do we disrupt the entrenched power dynamics in finance to advance a more equitable future? Join us for the Criterion Institute Podcast as Joy Anderson, a global thought leader in business and social change, leads us through a series of discussions, interviews, frameworks, rants, and re-frames that will help you better understand how to use finance as a tool for transformative systems change. Learn more by visiting us at www.criterioninstitute.org.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    #78: Intermediation Is Not Overhead

    In this episode, Joy Anderson reflects on a renewed wave of conversations around innovative finance following recent funding disruptions across the feminist movement, particularly in the context of discussions surrounding the Women Deliver conference in Australia. Drawing from Criterion Institute’s long-standing work at the intersection of finance and social change, she introduces a set of reframes designed to move organizations beyond the narrow question of “how do we get more funding?” toward a deeper understanding of how capital actually moves within economic systems. The episode outlines seven key reframes. Through these reframes, Joy highlights the importance of financial infrastructure—intermediaries, instruments, and systems that structure relationships and shape power. Ultimately, the episode argues that sustainable and equitable movement-building depends not on accessing more money, but on intentionally designing the relationships and systems through which finance operates. ‍ Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Innovative Finance and Feminist Movements 05:14 - Understanding Economic Relationships in Movements 10:14 - The Role of Financial Intermediaries 15:08 - Reframing Funding and Economic Relationships 20:10 - Building Trust and Stability in Financial Systems Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy’s LinkedIn Dive Deeper Criterion TOOLKIT Pacific Possibilities: Designing Better Financial Vehicles for the Pacific Fostering a Feminist Financial Imagination Other episodes you might also like: #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities #58: Check List or Trust List: Power, Performance, and the Politics of Procedure #63: From Scarcity to Power: Reimagining Finance for Feminist Movements ‍ Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network ‍https://impactalpha.com/podcasts

    25 min

  2. 23 APR

    #77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led Finance

    #77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led Finance What happens when feminist movements stop asking permission—and start acting as asset owners? In this episode, Joy Anderson is joined by Giselle Carino and Meradith Leebrick of Fòs Feminista to explore how movement‑led organizations are building financial tools, institutions, and enterprises that sustain reproductive justice over the long term. In this conversation, they reflect on why organizational strength (governance, reserves, and financial discipline) is not separate from movement work but essential to it; how Fòs Feminista was deliberately designed by and for organizations in the Global South; and what it looks like to act as a financial intermediary without training wheels. They trace Fòs Feminista’s long history with innovative finance, dig into the creation and scaling of INNOVA Health Supplies as a feminist social enterprise, and challenge conventional assumptions about risk, collateral, and repayment, arguing instead for designing capital that matches the realities, time horizons, and power dynamics of real change. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Fòs Feminista and Its Mission 02:50 The Concept of 'Fòs' and Its Origins 05:40 Building a Strong Ecosystem for Reproductive Justice 08:01 Organizational Stability and Movement Leadership 14:18 Innovative Finance Strategies in Reproductive Health 17:33 Collaborative Solutions for Sexual and Reproductive Health 22:15 Acting as Asset Owners in the Movement 30:11 Scaling Impact and Future Directions Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedInGiselle Carino, CEO, Fòs Feministahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/giselle-carino-937285102Meradith Leebrick, Lead, Social Innovation & Financing, Fòs Feministahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/meradith Mentioned in this Episode Fòs FeministaINNOVA Health SuppliesFeminist Impact Fund (Fòs Feminista) Dive Deeper Introducing Standards of Practice for Gender Lens InvestingProcess Metrics that Analyze Power Dynamics in InvestingDisrupting Fields: Addressing Power Dynamics in the Fields of Climate Finance and Gender Lens InvestingFostering a Feminist Financial Imagination Other episodes you might also like: #74: No Permission Required: Volunteerism as a Power Shift #72: From Add-on to Operating System: Rethinking the Role of Services in Local Value Creation #73: Search Funds Reframed: Expanding Access to Business Ownership #20: Shifting Power in Investment Practice: The Costs of Doing Business Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network a...

    36 min

  3. 9 APR

    #76: Bring Your Expertise: Why AI Needs More Voices

    In this conversation, Joy Anderson and Mara Bolis discuss the intersection of gender lens investing and AI, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping the future of technology. Mara shares her journey from working at Oxfam to exploring AI at the Kennedy School, and her reflections on addressing gender inequality in emerging technologies. They explore the challenges of navigating spaces traditionally dominated by experts and why it’s time to bring new types of knowledge into AI discussions. The conversation underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches and the power of collective learning to empower underrepresented voices in the tech space. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to AI and Power Dynamics 03:11 - Imposter Syndrome and Interdisciplinary Leadership 06:06 - The Importance of Domain Expertise in AI 09:08 - Challenging Traditional Notions of Expertise 11:55 - The Role of Gender in Economic Systems 15:12 - Agency and Participation in AI Development 17:59 - Practical Tips for Engaging in AI 20:49 - Building Community and Learning Together Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedInMara's LinkedIn Dive Deeper Disrupting FieldsFostering a Feminist Financial ImaginationIntroducing Standards of Practice for Gender Lens Investing If enjoyed this episode, consider listening to “Knowledge and Power,” which offers language for recognizing and challenging whose expertise carries weight in decision‑making spaces, and “Disrupting Fields,” which looks at how authority, legitimacy, and participation take shape as new fields emerge. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts

    25 min

  4. 26 MAR

    #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities

    In this episode, we share how Criterion approaches systems change—by paying close attention to where leverage actually lives, how power moves through relationships, and why timing matters as much as ideas. You’ll hear how we think about staying close to the people and systems that can shift outcomes, even when it looks like we’re waiting. This perspective reframes strategy as readiness: noticing signals, building trust, and being prepared to step forward when the moment to act genuinely arrives. Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction to Systems Change and Strategy 03:01 Understanding Systems Opportunities 05:49 The Role of Timing in Systems Change 09:13 Defining System Tensions and Opportunities 12:06 Strategic Posture and Approach 14:58 The Importance of Relationships in Systems Change 17:55 Conclusion and Call to Action Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedInCriterion’s Strategic PlanDonella Meadow’s Leverage Points If this episode resonates, you may also want to listen to “Clarity Is Relational,” which explores how sense‑making and strategy emerge through relationships, and “Navigating Paradoxes,” which looks at how leverage and emergence show up in real market systems. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts

    20 min

  5. 12 MAR

    #74: No Permission Required: Volunteerism as a Power Shift

    In this episode of The Criterion Institute Podcast, Joy Anderson reflects on the often-overlooked power of volunteerism and voluntary association as a foundational force in civic life, democracy, and systems change. Drawing on history, personal experience, and Criterion’s own organizational design, Joy explores how spaces that are not governed by markets, paychecks, or formal permission create access, shift power, and allow people to learn, belong, and act together. She traces the evolution from early American voluntary associations to modern professionalized nonprofits, questioning when expertise became a gate and why unpaid work is so often dismissed as less valuable. At its heart, this episode is an invitation to reconsider freedom of association—not as charity or secondary labor, but as a vital way we build communities, share power, and sustain ourselves beyond our formal professional lives. Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Joy Anderson's Background and the Foundation of Criterion 01:25 The Significance of Access and Volunteerism in Civic Life 02:25 Historical Roots of Voluntary Associations in America 03:11 Early 19th Century Social Reform Movements 04:05 The Proliferation of Voluntary Associations in the 19th Century 05:28 The Shift to Professionalization of Nonprofits 07:21 Benefits and Barriers of Professionalism in Volunteer Work 09:35 The Value of Informal Economies and Voluntary Association 10:53 Community and Volunteerism at Criterion Institute 12:47 The Power of Free Association and Its Social Impact 14:13 Volunteering as a Form of Community Building 16:39 Opportunities for Engagement with Criterion Institute 18:22 Closing Remarks and How to Get Involved Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedInVolunteer at Criterion Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts

    19 min

  6. 26 FEB

    #73: Search Funds Reframed: Expanding Access to Business Ownership

    In this episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy Anderson explores the concept of search funds as a transformative financial tool for entrepreneurship. The discussion highlights the potential of search funds in different contexts, particularly in Africa and the U.S., emphasizing the importance of power dynamics, governance, and the role of impact investing in business ownership. The conversation also addresses the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship through acquisition, advocating for a shift in how we perceive and support business ownership. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Search Funds and Power Dynamics 02:48 - Search Funds in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges 06:14 - Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition in the U.S. 09:08 - Rethinking Entrepreneurship: The Case for Buying Businesses 11:59 - The Mechanics of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition 14:48 - Power Dynamics in Business Transactions 18:05 - The Role of Impact Investing in Business Ownership 20:59 - Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape 24:11 - The Future of Entrepreneurship and Ownership 27:02 - Conclusion and Call to Action Relevant Links • Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn • Joy’s LinkedIn • Eric's LinkedIn • Allegra's LinkedIn • Lindsay's LinkedIn • Joy's Post on Search Funds Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts

    41 min

  7. 12 FEB

    #72: From Add-on to Operating System: Rethinking the Role of Services in Local Value Creation

    In this episode, Joy Anderson is joined by Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners co-founders Eric Kacou and Charity Kabango to explore what it truly takes to build thriving businesses and markets across Africa. Together, they challenge familiar impact investing narratives and offer a radically different way of thinking that centers entrepreneurs as human beings embedded in complex ecosystems. The conversation ranges from hope and value creation to the often overlooked power of the service economy, asking what markets need in order to actually work. With insight drawn from years of partnership through the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, this episode invites listeners to rethink expertise and imagine what becomes possible when we design economies around dignity, choice, and investable hope. Episode Highlights Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Criterion Institute Podcast 02:14 The Genesis of Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP) 06:21 Centering Entrepreneurs in Their Context 10:16 Understanding the Ecosystem and Entrepreneurial Challenges 14:25 The Survival Trap and Systemic Change 18:30 Collaboration and the Role of Service Providers 22:16 Power Dynamics and Choice in Entrepreneurship 26:08 Investable Hope and Capital Allocation 30:41 Pre-Investment Value Creation Services 34:32 The Importance of Service Providers in the Economy 38:04 Investing in Service Businesses 40:54 Building Infrastructure for Productivity 42:56 Hope and Future Aspirations Relevant Links • Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn • Joy’s LinkedIn • Eric's LinkedIn • Charity's LinkedIn • Episode #57: Investable Hope: A Conversation with Susie Pan on Financing the Future • Investing in Africa’s Future: A Roadmap to Dignified and Fulfilling Job Creation Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts

    48 min

  8. 29 JAN

    #71: Time to Pause: How We Learn to Let Go, Listen and Pivot

    In this episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy Anderson reflects on the power of letting go—of beliefs, assumptions, and fixed identities that may no longer serve us. Through a personal story about guided meditation, she explores how releasing long-held ideas can create the conditions for more grounded leadership. As we enter 2026, this reflection becomes an invitation to reassess what we think is necessary or unchangeable, and to hold space for discernment, listening, and imagination. Letting go, Joy reminds us, is not about abandoning values—it’s about making room for clarity in a shifting world. The second half of the episode turns to a live example of that clarity in practice: Criterion’s decision to postpone its 22nd Convergence event. Joy walks us through how this decision emerged from sustained listening and a willingness to pivot. Rather than centering an annual convening, Criterion is shifting toward deeper partnership, extended collaboration, and more focused engagements to address gender-based violence through finance. This change reflects a discipline of responding to what is truly needed—and offering more precise, actionable invitations that align with the urgency and complexity of this moment. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Welcome to 2026: A New Era of Action 05:51 - Letting Go of Outdated Beliefs 12:02 - Listening and Pivoting: The Power of Adaptation 18:09 - Building Trust Through Change Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedIn  Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network  https://impactalpha.com/podcasts

    20 min
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How do we disrupt the entrenched power dynamics in finance to advance a more equitable future? Join us for the Criterion Institute Podcast as Joy Anderson, a global thought leader in business and social change, leads us through a series of discussions, interviews, frameworks, rants, and re-frames that will help you better understand how to use finance as a tool for transformative systems change. Learn more by visiting us at www.criterioninstitute.org.

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