ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James

Professor Nikki James
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Hi, I'm Professor Nikki James. I am an Assistant Teaching Professor of Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Northeastern University's D'Amore McKim School of Business in Boston, USA. I am a Bostonian by choice but an Aussie by blood and consider myself a citizen of the world. I love inviting friends from the field into my classroom to share their stories, career journeys, and hard-earned wisdom with my students. But, many of them are not in Boston, so this podcast is my way of sharing the stories of my amazing friends and colleagues doing fantastic work and living extraordinary lives all over the world. I hope these stories inspire you and provide practical wisdom and guidance for navigating this crazy thing called life. 

Episodes

  1. Learning as you go with Dylan Zraket and Priya Merchia

    5 DAYS AGO

    Learning as you go with Dylan Zraket and Priya Merchia

    Priya and Dylan are both Northeastern University alumni navigating a their early careers and making meaning along the way. Nikki sits down with the two of them to talk about how they got to where they are and some of the best lessons they would share with students who are just a few years behind them. The episode highlights the importance of taking the career journey one step at a time and truly learning as you go. Plus, hear some fun anecdotes about their time together in South Africa. Connect with Dylan and Priya on either of their LinkedIn's to learn more about their stories.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    57 min
  2. Unpacking and understanding self-advocacy with Loredana Padurean

    11 MAR

    Unpacking and understanding self-advocacy with Loredana Padurean

    Loredana Padurean is an associate professor at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business, where she teaches and researches entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation alongside Nikki. She is also global public speaker whose path you will hear in today's episode. She embodies the themes she discusses like "confidence though competency," and her commitment to both authenticity and excellence has defined her success.  To stay engaged with Loredana's work, follow her on Instagram and connect with her on LinkedIn.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    56 min
  3. Falling into Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Julie Meyer

    4 MAR

    Falling into Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Julie Meyer

    Julie Meyer is a founder, podcaster, mentor, and professor at Northeastern University in the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship program with Nikki. Julie and Nikki sit down to chat about Julie’s path which has led her from Chicago, to Shanghai, to Boston. Julie discusses how taking advice from like minded individuals and noticing the green lights along her path has led her to some of her most fulfilling work yet. Connect with Julie on LinkedIn to follow along her teaching and entrepreneurial journey.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    45 min
  4. Following your inner compass with Giselle Le'aupepe Bruce

    25 FEB

    Following your inner compass with Giselle Le'aupepe Bruce

    Giselle Le'aupepe Bruce is a longtime friend of Nikki who is, like her, tri-continental and deeply involved in many communities. Even though Giselle has worked across hospitality, music, management, and ceramics, she remains true to her inner-compass which points to relating, connecting, and communicating. In this episode, Nikki and Giselle discuss how they’ve each built up the courage to make bold decisions that have led them to such fulfilling lives.  To connect with Giselle, follow her on Instagram or take a look at her website!  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    57 min
  5. What it means to embrace every opportunity with Tylea Herweynen

    18 FEB

    What it means to embrace every opportunity with Tylea Herweynen

    Tylea Herweynen is television presenter, mother, American expat living in Australia, and long-time friend of Nikki. In this episode Nikki and Tylea discuss the twists and turns of Tylea's journey, and how every "yes" led her down the path of becoming who she is today. The episode emphasizes embracing change, self-advocacy, and friendship amid life’s challenges. To connect with Tylea check out her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    36 min
  6. How to pivot your purpose with Mark Tipple

    11 FEB

    How to pivot your purpose with Mark Tipple

    In this episode of the Responsable podcast, I dive deep into the second half of my captivating conversation with Mark Tipple, as we explore the evolution of our journeys from youthful uncertainty to the more refined paths we've crafted in our early 30s. Picking up from our previous discussion, we reflect on transformational experiences, starting with our memorable trip to Tanzania right around my 30th birthday. During this adventure, we aimed for impactful storytelling through visuals, realizing that our ambitions were continuously challenged by the unpredictable nature of life. Our discussion leads us through a series of photographs that capture moments from our travels, including projects where our mutual involvement sparked significant change. Mark shares his poignant recollections from Tanzania, where he witnessed the resilience of children working hard to reclaim their education amidst adversity. This profound experience propelled him to rethink his career trajectory, ultimately influencing his decision to venture into education technology to push for broader accessibility in learning. We delve into the emotional burden Mark felt when his vast body of work received little traction back home, sharing the raw vulnerability of wanting to honor the stories of those he captured through photography. This turning point ignited the idea of pursuing fine art prints to exhibit their experiences that would not only raise awareness but also generate funds for the organizations supporting these communities. As the conversation progresses, we touch on various projects, including the inception of the Gallery for Justice, imagined through my encouragement during a time when Mark was grappling with self-doubt. We explore our individual philosophies, particularly how being a connector—someone who enables others to transform ideas into reality—has defined our roles professionally and personally. Mark recounts how he balances being a father while revisiting his creative pursuits, illustrating the beauty of adaptability in life stages. The dialogue eloquently encapsulates the essence of mentorship, collaboration, and the understanding that professional shifts do not equate to being lost, but rather evolving with purpose. Mark emphasizes that each chapter we write in our lives does not erase the past but enriches the tapestry of our identities. Our candid reflections about support systems and community highlight the intrinsic value of human connection in an increasingly digitized world, suggesting that our shared experiences remind us of the importance of flexibility and perseverance. As we wrap up this enthralling exchange, the narrative circles back to the central principle of finding one's community and committing to shared journeys. Through laughter and honesty, we draw insights for listeners who are navigating their own paths—encouraging an openness to seize opportunities, learn from varied experiences, and embrace the beautiful messiness of life. Ultimately, our hope is to inspire others to forge their own routes, reminding them that adaptability and connection are keys to thriving in an uncertain world. To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    1 hr
  7. How a life of purpose evolves and unfolds with Mark Tipple

    4 FEB

    How a life of purpose evolves and unfolds with Mark Tipple

    Mark Tipple is a father, documentary filmmaker, photographer, teacher, and storyteller. Over the last 25 years, he has grappled with finding his niche, balancing pursuing his pursuit of purpose, healing from his past, and telling some pretty incredible stories about people and causes he cares deeply about.  My life and work collided with Mark's in 2008, and my life has been richer for it. In this episode, we have a conversation about how we met, confront the reality of the imposter syndrome we both experienced in our 20s, and share some of the early projects we worked on together.  I also get a little lesson on how to be a better podcast interviewer along the way.  We hope you enjoy this episode and come back next week for Part 2 of the conversation. Until then, if you want to learn more about Mark Tipple's work, please check out his website marktipple.com  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    46 min
  8. How to find purpose in your first full time job with Nora Shepard

    28 JAN

    How to find purpose in your first full time job with Nora Shepard

    Nora Shepard is a recent university graduate, three months into her first full-time job. In this episode, Nora shares candidly about the impact she wants to make in the world, the transition from journalism to entrepreneurship she made while at university, and the ups and downs of the post-university recruitment process.  It takes tremendous courage to share your learning while it is still so fresh, but overcoming fear in the service of others is in Nora's DNA.  To hear more from Nora, please connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her journey by subscribing to her Substack Good Disaster To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    33 min
  9. Who am I? Why am I here? with Richard Gorvett

    21 JAN

    Who am I? Why am I here? with Richard Gorvett

    Last week, we met Richard Gorvett, the founder of Deep Wave and one of Nikki's oldest Social Impact partners in crime. We pick up the story as Richard is making a career pivot from creating systems of support for social entrepreneurs to bringing the wisdom from the field into the corporate environment.  This episode is full of gratitude as we discuss some of the people who have positively impacted our lives along the way by opening doors of opportunity, creating spaces for us to ask the deep questions, and encouraging us in the moments when we feel like what we are doing is just a little bit crazy.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    38 min
  10. Introducing Richard Gorvett - The Wisest Leadership Coach I know

    14 JAN

    Introducing Richard Gorvett - The Wisest Leadership Coach I know

    Richard Gorvett is the founder of Deep Wave, a global leadership development community that takes a long-arch, regenerative approach to system innovation and change.  Richard and I have been friends for 15+ years, and I've watched him build a career and life that is inextricably linked to his purpose. In this podcast episode, we talk about how we met and Richard's journey from an anxious teen, through university and the career he thought he wanted, to leaving it all behind to find his purpose in Africa, which led to him being the Global Program & Impact Director of Reach for Change, where he supported thousands of Social Entrepreneurs all over the world.  This is just Part 1 of Richard's story, and it's already filled with valuable insights. Stay tuned for Part 2, where he really drops some wisdom we can all learn from.  To learn more about Richard and stay engaged with his work, check out his LinkedIn.   To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    46 min
  11. Introduction to ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James

    6 JAN

    Introduction to ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James

    Professor Nikki James introduces the ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James podcast. The episode outlines the podcast's purpose and origin.  As a professor of Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Nikki works with university students and early career professionals who are idealistic realists. Idealistic in their intent to use their life for a purpose, but realistic to know that the world will not hand them that opportunity on a silver platter.  The purpose of this podcast is to inspire these idealistic realists to keep building a purposeful life and to remind them they are not alone in that pursuit.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

    12 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

Hi, I'm Professor Nikki James. I am an Assistant Teaching Professor of Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Northeastern University's D'Amore McKim School of Business in Boston, USA. I am a Bostonian by choice but an Aussie by blood and consider myself a citizen of the world. I love inviting friends from the field into my classroom to share their stories, career journeys, and hard-earned wisdom with my students. But, many of them are not in Boston, so this podcast is my way of sharing the stories of my amazing friends and colleagues doing fantastic work and living extraordinary lives all over the world. I hope these stories inspire you and provide practical wisdom and guidance for navigating this crazy thing called life. 

Information

  • Creator
    Professor Nikki James
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James
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    ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James
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