Superpowers for Good: Empowering Changemakers for Social Impact via Regulated Investment Crowdfunding from the SuperCrowd.

Devin Thorpe
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

We host changemakers who are using regulated investment crowdfunding for social impact--impact crowdfunding--as impact investors or social entrepreneurs, catalyzing change with leadership skills we call superpowers. www.superpowers4good.com

  1. 2d ago

    Baron Davis’s BIG Opens The Game To Everyday Investors

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku, Google TV or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Eric: It’s just my positivity. It’s my joy. Too many people are locked out of the investment opportunities that create the most wealth. Eric A. Cox II wants to help change that by connecting everyday investors with deals and founders they might otherwise never reach. As COO of Business Inside the Game (BIG), Eric is working with NBA All-Star and entrepreneur Baron Davis to build an investment platform designed to give more people access to opportunities that have traditionally been available only to insiders. That mission is personal for Eric. While working at Cooley, one of the country’s premier law firms, Eric was part of the legal team representing Snapchat in its IPO. Seeing a company born in his own Los Angeles community reach the public markets made him think about who had actually owned a piece of the company along the way. “I really wanted to see more people that were in the community owning a piece of the products and solutions that they enjoy,” Eric told me. That experience helped shape his commitment to Regulation Crowdfunding and online investing. Eric sees a significant opportunity in bringing capital to entrepreneurs who have historically been overlooked. He pointed out that investors can miss promising companies when they restrict themselves to familiar networks dominated by the same founders, schools and social circles. There is both a social and financial argument for widening those networks. “There are incredibly talented entrepreneurs of all creeds, colors, races and sexes that can create incredible high value opportunities that you might otherwise miss,” Eric said. BIG is now building toward a model where investors can participate alongside Baron Davis and others with access to compelling deal flow. The platform is powered by Silicon Prairie’s investment technology, creating a broader ecosystem for online investing. For me, that is the most exciting part of this story. Democratizing investment isn’t simply about giving more people another financial product. It is about changing who gets to participate in wealth creation. Eric’s vision connects the interests of founders seeking capital with communities seeking opportunity. If he and the BIG team can make that connection work at scale, they could help reshape who gets a seat at the investment table. tl;dr: Eric Cox is helping democratize access to private investments, connecting everyday investors with opportunities previously reserved for insiders. Baron Davis combines entrepreneurial experience, investment expertise and influence to create opportunities for underrepresented founders and investors. Eric’s personal experience with Snapchat strengthened his conviction that communities should own pieces of companies they help build. Eric’s superpower is joy, strengthened by gratitude, intentional reframing and choosing opportunity instead of obligation during difficult seasons. By expanding access to capital and ownership, Eric believes investing can become a powerful tool for creating broader wealth. How to Develop Joy As a Superpower Eric initially considered his multifaceted professional background as a possible superpower. He has worked across law, entrepreneurship, investing and technology. But when he asked others what they saw as his greatest strength, the answer was consistent: “It’s just my positivity. It’s my joy.” Eric believes that joy matters especially in entrepreneurship because the journey “can be incredibly lonely and difficult.” His approach is to deliberately reframe difficult experiences as opportunities. Instead of thinking, “I have to” do something, he tells himself, “I get to do this thing.” Eric illustrated his joy through the difficult experience of preparing for the California Bar Exam. During the intense 10-week study process, he reached the point where he was frustrated by repeatedly seeing similar questions without the progress he wanted. Rather than surrender to the difficulty, he deliberately stopped and focused on gratitude. He reminded himself what an extraordinary opportunity it was to attend law school and prepare for a legal career. He reflected on how many people historically had been excluded from those opportunities. That perspective gave him the energy to continue and ultimately helped him pass the California Bar. How You Can Develop Joy as a Strength Eric’s advice suggests that joy can be practiced rather than simply inherited. Reframe “I have to” as “I get to.” Turn obligations into opportunities whenever possible. Practice gratitude during difficulty. When something becomes frustrating, deliberately identify what makes the opportunity valuable. Remember how far you have come. Eric reminds himself that a past version of him would have done almost anything to reach where he is today. Choose your emotional temperature. Eric says, “You cannot be a thermometer. You have to be a thermostat.” Instead of merely reflecting the mood around you, intentionally influence it. Make joy intentional. Eric’s clearest advice is that “Joy is not accidental.” Decide how you will begin the day. Rather than letting circumstances, data or even his Apple Watch tell him how he feels, Eric chooses his attitude for himself. By following Eric’s example and advice, you can make joy a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Eric A. Cox II (he/him): Chief Operating Officer, Business Inside the Game (BIG) About Business Inside the Game (BIG): Business Inside The Game (BIG) is an exclusive membership platform for mul·ti-hy·phen·ates — the athlete/creator/entrepreneur/investor/founder — the leaders shaping tomorrow. Website: teambig.io Company Twitter/X Handle: @BIGsummits_ Instagram: @bigsummits Other URL: teambig.io/big-deals Biographical Information: Eric A. Cox II is the Chief Operating Officer of Business Inside the Game (BIG) (teambig.io) and Head of Growth at Silicon Prairie (SPPX)(sppx.io). BIG is an exclusive membership platform for mul·ti-hy·phen·ates — the athlete/creator/entrepreneur/investor/founder — the leaders shaping tomorrow. BIG offers its’ members access to exclusive curated investment opportunities through its’ investment platform, BIG Deals, powered by SPPX. Before joining BIG, Eric was the Chief Operating Officer at Netcapital (http://www.netcapital.com), an online private investment platform that allows companies to close capital digitally and provides investors access to new investment opportunities through its affiliated FINRA registered funding portal and broker-dealer. Eric also practices Corporate Law as Counsel at SSM (http://www.ssm.legal). SSM represents venture capital funds, technology companies, and industry-adjacent service providers who are forming and scaling their companies, fundraising/deploying venture capital, selling to, merging with, and/or acquiring other businesses. Prior to joining Netcapital and SSM, Eric practiced in the Corporate Law Group at Cooley LLP in their Silicon Valley headquarters. While at Cooley, Eric advised Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) on their $400M acquisition of Shazam. He also advised Snap Inc (NYSE: SNAP) and Corsair Gaming Inc. (NASDAQ: CRSR) on their Initial Public Offerings that raised $3.4B and $238M, respectively. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ericcoxii Sponsored by: Join us Monday, November 9th, at 7 PM Eastern/4 PM Pacific for the SuperCrowd.tv pregame Tailgate Party with Farm to Pet, factory tour and webinar. This event will be unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Scheduled right before the Monday evening game, you’ll enjoy getting into the mood for some football as you learn more about investing in Farm to Pet. Register for free now. Register for Free Now! Impact jobs this week Investments Director — Capital Impact Partners · Arlington, VA · Remote OK · $142,244–$190,000/yr Senior Associate, Business Development (Client Solutions) — ImpactAssets · United States · Remote OK · $85,000–$115,000/yr Funding Analyst — Solar Landscape · Asbury Park, NJ · Remote OK · $60,000–$70,000/yr See all open roles Coming up Oct 21, 9 AM PT — SuperCrowdHour: Before You Click “Invest”: Due Diligence for Crowdfunding Investors, with Devin Thorpe. Learn how to check financials, business models, risks and terms, and spot red flags before you invest. Nov 9, 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT — Pregame Tailgating with Farm to Pet: a special Superpowers for Good episode with a one-hour virtual site visit and barbecue before the game. #ad Nov 10, 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT — Impact Member networking session: a private networking session for Impact and Max-Impact Members, who’ll get registration details by email. Upgrade to join → Nov 19 — Superpowers for Good Live Pitch: raising through Reg CF? Pitch live to active investors, free if selected. Apply by Oct 29 → Feb 4, 2027 — SuperGreen Live: a global virtual gathering connecting climate solutions with the capital and community to scale them. Learn more → Anytime — Join the SuperCrowd Impact League: get recognized for your Reg CF impact investments, see how you compare with your peers, and win prizes. It’s free. Start now → See the full community event calendar Thank you Our Max-Impact Members: Alisa Evans, Mission Enrollment | Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Dion Whitman, Call4USA | Eric Coury, Arthia AI | Joey Hayes, thru | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Smith, C

  2. 4d ago

    The Best Mental Health Business Decision Jessie Ogienko Made Wasn’t About Growth

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Jessie: Problem solving. A mental health practice cannot provide excellent care for clients if its therapists are burning out behind the scenes. That insight has shaped the growth of Caladrius Therapy, where founder and CEO Jessie Ogienko has deliberately built a business model designed to help therapists take better care of themselves while serving their clients. Jessie started Caladrius almost accidentally. After returning from maternity leave to find that much of her community mental health team had left, she started her own practice primarily to create the flexibility she needed as a mother. One hire became another, and eventually the solo practice grew to 25 staff members. As the practice grew, Jessie made an expensive but intentional decision: move most therapists from contractor arrangements to salaried W-2 employment with benefits. The decision was driven by what she saw happening to therapists who technically had flexibility but lacked the financial security to use it. “They would lose a lot of money if they took time off,” Jessie told me. She wanted to create a structure that made it possible for therapists to actually rest and care for themselves. The transition was costly. Jessie recalled that her CPA noticed revenue had grown without a comparable increase in profit. Her response was simple: “It’s intentional.” That investment is beginning to pay off. Jessie told me her team members are taking more time off and showing fewer signs of burnout. The practice is also attracting experienced clinicians who value the benefits. Better-supported therapists, she argues, can provide better care. “The care you’re getting from a therapist who is seeing eight back-to-back sessions and not taking a lunch break is not the kind of quality care you’re gonna get from someone who’s got six sessions in a day, a nice lunch break support, you know, those kinds of things.” I find that business philosophy compelling because it connects employee wellbeing directly to mission. Taking care of the people delivering the service is not a distraction from the social impact. It is part of the impact. For organizations trying to create meaningful social change, that may be an important lesson: sustainable impact often begins by building a workplace where the people doing the work can thrive. tl;dr: Jessie grew Caladrius Therapy from a solo practice into a growing team while keeping accessible, quality care central. She redesigned employment around salaries and benefits, helping therapists avoid burnout while improving the quality of client care. Jessie continues serving clients who might otherwise struggle to access therapy, including people using Medicaid despite difficult economics. Her superpower is problem solving, especially reframing challenges and finding solutions that better serve people and mission. Her example shows how persistence, thoughtful leadership and questioning assumptions can turn practical challenges into opportunities for impact. tl;dr: Jessie grew Caladrius Therapy from a solo practice into a growing team while keeping accessible, quality care central. She redesigned employment around salaries and benefits, helping therapists avoid burnout while improving the quality of client care. Jessie continues serving clients who might otherwise struggle to access therapy, including people using Medicaid despite difficult economics. Her superpower is problem solving, especially reframing challenges and finding solutions that better serve people and mission. Her example shows how persistence, thoughtful leadership and questioning assumptions can turn practical challenges into opportunities for impact. How to Develop Problem Solving As a Superpower Jessie’s superpower is problem solving. She describes herself as someone who is always asking, “How could we do this better?” and “How could we improve this?” She does not simply accept existing processes because they are familiar. Instead, she looks for ways to make work easier, more effective and more useful. She also connects problem solving with persistence. “I think I also am just stubborn,” she says. In her therapy practice, that means continuing to look for an effective approach when one method fails rather than accepting that a client’s challenges are simply too difficult. In her business, it means stepping back from immediate operational problems and questioning whether the underlying problem has been defined correctly in the first place. One of Jessie’s clearest examples came from a seemingly ordinary business problem: how to manage multiple therapy locations. The conventional approach was to operate several smaller offices, but Jessie discovered that the second location became “the stepchild,” without enough administrative support or leadership attention. Rather than trying to solve every small problem created by the arrangement, she stepped back and reconsidered the entire model. She ultimately moved toward one large location where staff could share offices, collaborate more easily and serve families with multiple appointments more conveniently. The solution addressed the larger goal instead of merely optimizing a flawed arrangement. How to Develop the Superpower Question the problem before solving it. Ask whether the problem you see is actually the problem you need to solve. Identify the ultimate goal. Jessie asks, “What do you ultimately want to do?” Keep the desired outcome in view. Step back three levels. Look at the broader system instead of immediately attacking the most visible symptom. Challenge assumptions. Just because something is conventional or looks successful on paper does not mean it serves the goal. Redefine the problem when necessary. Jessie emphasizes asking whether the problem can be framed differently. Test, learn and adapt. When an approach does not work, do not simply stop. Try something different. Keep the people affected by the solution in view. Jessie repeatedly returned to the experience of staff and clients as the real measure of success. Persist. Her willingness to keep working through difficult problems is part of what makes her problem solving effective. Jessie’s approach reminds me that good problem solving is not simply about finding clever answers. It is about understanding what really matters, questioning assumptions and having the persistence to keep looking until the solution serves the people and the mission. By following Jessie’s example and advice, you can make problem solving a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Jessie Ogienko (she/her): CEO / Founder, Caladrius Therapy About Caladrius Therapy: Caladrius Therapy is a mission-driven mental health practice in Charlotte, NC, with a team of about 25 clinicians and staff. We specialize in trauma treatment, including EMDR, and run a DBT program for people who need more structure and support than weekly talk therapy can offer. Our work starts from a simple belief: good care shouldn’t depend on who you are or where you start, and the people delivering it deserve to be well supported too. That’s why we focus on training highly skilled clinicians and growing leaders in mental health, so more people get excellent care and the field gets stronger. Website: caladriustherapy.com Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/CaladriusTherapy Instagram: @caladriustherapy Biographical Information: Jessie Ogienko, LCSW, is the founder and CEO of Caladrius Therapy in Charlotte, NC. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology with honors from Emory University, she worked in psychology research at Emory, then did research with NYU at Bellevue Hospital. She supported foster care involved families at Graham Windham in New York before providing direct care at Mount Sinai’s adolescent health center. She went on to earn her Master of Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, then moved into community-based work in North Carolina, providing family-centered treatment and program supervision with Pinnacle Family Services and The MENTOR Network. In 2018 she started Caladrius Therapy as a solo practice. Personal Facebook Profile: facebook.com/jessieogienko LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessie-ogienko Instagram: @jessieogienkolcsw Sponsored by: Join us Monday, November 9th, at 7 PM Eastern/4 PM Pacific for the SuperCrowd.tv pregame Tailgate Party with Farm to Pet, factory tour and webinar. This event will be unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Scheduled right before the Monday evening game, you’ll enjoy getting into the mood for some football as you learn more about investing in Farm to Pet. Register for free now. Register for Free Now! Impact jobs this week Investments Director — Capital Impact Partners · Arlington, VA · Remote OK · $142,244–$190,000/yr Senior Associate, Business Development (Client Solutions) — ImpactAssets · United States · Remote OK · $85,000–$115,000/yr Funding Analyst — Solar Landscape · Asbury Park, NJ · Remote OK · $60,000–$70,000/yr See all open roles Coming up Oct 21, 9 AM PT — SuperCrowdHour: Before You Click “Invest”: Due Diligence for Crowdfunding Investors, with Devin Thorpe. Learn how to check financials, business models, risks and terms, and spot red flags before you invest. Nov 9, 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT — Pregame Tailgating with Farm to Pet: a special Superpowers for Good episode with a one-hour virtual site visit and barbecue before the game. #ad Nov 10, 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT —

  3. Oct 15

    Turning Wasted Renewable Energy Into Natural Gas Could Help Decarbonize Existing Buildings

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Natan: I have the patience to watch market forces that are based off of science come to fruition. What if we could turn carbon dioxide emissions and surplus renewable electricity into natural gas, helping businesses reduce emissions without replacing the equipment they already own? That is the opportunity Natan Shahar, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Standard Carbon, is pursuing with a technology that combines captured carbon dioxide with electricity to produce synthetic methane. The approach addresses two challenges at once. Industrial facilities and buildings need practical ways to reduce emissions, while renewable energy sources such as solar and wind sometimes generate more electricity than the grid can use. When supply exceeds demand, electricity prices can fall close to zero or even become negative. Natan sees an opportunity in that mismatch. “There’s this goldmine, for all intents and purposes, sitting in front of us, which is the excess wasted renewable power,” he explained. Standard Carbon captures carbon dioxide from industrial exhaust and stores it until affordable electricity is available. The company then converts the carbon dioxide into methane, producing fuel that can be stored and used when needed. The process offers an important advantage over approaches that require businesses to replace their existing energy infrastructure. Natan founded Standard Carbon after working as a consulting engineer on boiler rooms, microgrids and cogeneration systems in New York. He saw that building owners needed to decarbonize their facilities but could not easily abandon the equipment on which their businesses depended. “What we’re doing here is we’re feeding an existing multi-trillion-dollar market for natural gas,” Natan said. He believes compatibility with existing infrastructure makes adoption easier than technologies that require a complete replacement of existing systems. The economics can be compelling, too. Natan described projects serving oil-fired applications in North America where the equivalent fuel could be produced and stored at a cost comparable to $3 per gallon, compared with oil prices of $6 per gallon. He also sees opportunities for businesses seeking more affordable ways to comply with carbon regulations. This is the kind of innovation I find exciting: technology that connects environmental progress with practical business incentives. When companies can save money while reducing emissions, sustainability becomes more than an aspiration. It becomes an economic opportunity. Standard Carbon is raising capital and invites interested investors to explore its offering through its website at standardcarbon.com. The broader lesson is worth considering. We do not always need to replace everything we have built to create a cleaner future. Sometimes, the opportunity lies in making existing systems work differently by using resources we have been wasting. tl;dr: Standard Carbon converts captured carbon dioxide and surplus clean electricity into synthetic natural gas to help reduce industrial emissions. Its technology stores renewable energy as fuel while leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure, reducing disruption and potentially lowering energy costs. Natan Shahar sees an opportunity where decarbonization regulations meet inexpensive renewable electricity and growing demand for practical solutions. His superpower is patience: recognizing scientific and market forces early, then persisting until conditions create meaningful opportunities. By anticipating New York’s building emissions regulations and preparing for enforcement, Natan positioned Standard Carbon to address a growing market need. How to Develop Patient Persistence As a Superpower Natan’s superpower is his patience in recognizing when scientific principles and market forces will eventually align to create an opportunity. With Standard Carbon, he saw two powerful forces converging: regulations requiring businesses to reduce carbon emissions and surplus renewable electricity that needed buyers. He understood that replacing existing infrastructure would be difficult and expensive, creating an opportunity for a practical alternative. As Natan explained, “I have the patience to watch market forces that are based off of science come to fruition.” He has continued pursuing the opportunity because he believes the underlying science and economics support it, even when others question the timing. He puts it plainly: “I promise you what we’re working on will succeed. I can’t promise you that I’ll be the guy who manages to pull it off.” His patience combines long-term conviction with a willingness to keep working toward a goal whose timing and ultimate champion remain uncertain. When Natan founded Standard Carbon in 2019, a new New York City law aimed at decarbonizing buildings helped inspire the business. A colleague dismissed the law as unrealistic and predicted it would be repealed. Natan believed the broader movement toward decarbonization would continue and suspected the law would remain in place. Although enforcement did not begin until 2025, he kept the opportunity in mind while the company explored other markets and applications. When enforcement finally arrived, building operators began calling because Standard Carbon had a solution to a problem many had assumed would disappear. His patience helped position the company for a market shift years before it fully materialized. Tips for Developing Patient Persistence Identify forces grounded in science. Look for physical, technological or economic realities that support the outcome you anticipate. Study the market conditions. Identify the needs, regulations and economic incentives that could make your solution increasingly valuable over time. Separate the outcome from the timing. Recognize that a trend can be durable even when the path to adoption is uncertain. Prepare before demand arrives. Build capabilities, explore markets and refine your approach while waiting for the conditions to align. Visualize inevitable natural forces. Natan recommends thinking about an ocean wave that builds and eventually crashes. Use that image to remind yourself that some developments take time but still arrive. Stay committed without assuming success is guaranteed for you personally. Keep working toward the goal while acknowledging that execution and timing remain uncertain. Look for signals that the moment is approaching. Watch for changes in regulation, economics or customer behavior that indicate a long-anticipated opportunity is becoming real. By following Natan’s example and advice, you can make patient persistence a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Natan Shahar (he/him): Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Standard Carbon About Standard Carbon: Standard Carbon is a New York energy technology company developing the Carbon Bridge, a modular system that converts carbon dioxide and electricity into synthetic natural gas, or eNG. The Carbon Bridge captures CO₂ at the point of emission, produces hydrogen from water using electricity, and combines the hydrogen and captured carbon to manufacture methane that can be used in existing boilers, power plants, pipelines and other natural-gas infrastructure. Rather than requiring customers to replace their existing energy systems, Standard Carbon’s approach is designed to decarbonize the fuel those systems already use. The company has demonstrated the technology in Israel and deployed a Carbon Bridge system at The City College of New York. Website: standardcarbon.com Other URL: invest.standardcarbon.com Biographical Information: Natan Shahar is the founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Standard Carbon and a licensed Professional Engineer in New York. A mechanical and energy engineer, he has spent his career working on the practical economics of energy systems, buildings and infrastructure. He founded Standard Carbon around a straightforward engineering question: rather than replacing trillions of dollars of existing equipment that depends on gaseous fuels, why not manufacture a low-carbon replacement fuel that can work with the infrastructure already in place? That question led to the Carbon Bridge, Standard Carbon’s modular platform for capturing CO₂ and converting it with electricity and water into synthetic natural gas. The technology has progressed from an operating system in Israel to deployment in New York City at The City College of New York, with Standard Carbon now pursuing commercial applications in buildings, power generation and other energy-intensive facilities. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/natan-shahar-3ba84920 Start 30 days free Impact jobs this week Office Manager II or Senior Office Manager — NYSERDA · Albany, NY · 70,139–101,118/yr Venture Capital Senior Associate (Hybrid) — CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield · Washington, DC · 107,064–212,641/yr Vice President, Energy Transition — AllianceBernstein · New York, NY · 160,000–195,000/yr See all 8 open roles Coming up Oct 13, 8 PM ET — Impact Member networking session (members get a private invite). Upgrade to join Oct 21, 9 AM PT — SuperCrowdHour: Before You Click “Invest”: Due Diligence for Crowdfunding Investors, with Devin Thorpe. Register Nov 19 — Superpowers for Good Live Pitch: raising through Reg CF? Pitch live to active investors — free if selected. Apply by Oct 29 → Feb 4, 2027 — SuperGreen Live, the global virtual gathering for climate so

  4. Oct 13

    Cal Barnes Shows How Creativity Can Make a Great Film on a Small Budget

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Cal: My superpower really is creativity. Great filmmaking doesn’t require a Hollywood-sized budget. Sometimes, the most compelling stories emerge when creative people learn to work within their limitations, collaborate with others and make the most of the resources available to them. Cal Barnes, CEO, Head of Creative, Director, Producer, Writer and Actor at Nineteen Films, has built his career around that idea. His latest project, The Influencer House Massacre, is a horror thriller that brings together a timely cultural premise and the potential of independent filmmaking. The film follows a group of young female influencers trapped in their Hollywood Hills mansion and terrorized by two burglars. Barnes wrote the screenplay as his 21st feature screenplay, drawing on his interest in Gen Z culture and his desire to direct another horror film. As Cal explained, contained thrillers offer filmmakers a particularly interesting creative challenge. “You take the story and you put it in a sandbox,” he said. Without numerous locations or a massive studio budget, filmmakers must find creative ways to tell their stories. He believes that sandbox can be where some of the best and most compelling films are created. The Power of a Story Worth Telling Cal learned an important lesson about storytelling through his award-winning play Rise, which he wrote at age 24. The play won the Hollywood Fringe Festival and was optioned for a six-figure screen deal. That experience taught him the importance of workshopping, rewriting and layering a story. Even a promising first draft needs development to become something exceptional. “The most important thing is story,” Cal told me. “More than cast, more than locations, more than budget.” That philosophy informs his approach to filmmaking. Rather than relying on expensive production elements, he focuses on strengthening the story and bringing together talented collaborators who can help realize his vision. Making Independent Film Investment More Accessible Cal is also using regulated investment crowdfunding to help finance The Influencer House Massacre. Nineteen Films is raising capital through Wefunder, giving people who love movies an opportunity to explore investing in an independent film. This is Cal’s second Wefunder offering. His first supported The Astrid Experience, his first feature film, which he produced on an exceptionally limited budget and shot on an iPhone. Cal and his collaborators designed that production around locations they could access without paying rental fees. The experience demonstrated how resourcefulness and modern technology can make filmmaking possible with limited financial resources. He sees crowdfunding as an innovative way to open film investment to people who might otherwise have little access to the industry. Creativity Turns Constraints Into Opportunities Cal’s journey illustrates an important principle for entrepreneurs and filmmakers alike: limitations don’t have to determine what is possible. A strong idea, a committed team and a willingness to revise the plan can create opportunities that initially seem out of reach. With The Influencer House Massacre, Cal is bringing that philosophy to a new project while inviting potential investors to explore his offering. Independent filmmaking will always involve risk, but creative thinking can help make ambitious stories possible. Sometimes, the most important resource isn’t a bigger budget. It’s the imagination to make the most of what you already have. tl;dr: Cal Barnes introduces The Influencer House Massacre, a contained horror thriller exploring influencer culture through independent filmmaking. His award-winning play Rise taught him that strong storytelling requires workshopping, rewriting and creative collaboration. Cal uses regulated investment crowdfunding through WeFunder to help finance independent films and broaden access to film investment. His superpower is creativity, demonstrated by producing The Astrid Experience with limited funds and an iPhone. Cal encourages sharing ideas, listening to collaborators and refining first drafts while pursuing ambitious projects that give back to children. How to Develop Creativity As a Superpower Cal Barnes identifies creativity as the superpower that has helped him build a career in Hollywood despite arriving from small-town Oregon at age 21 with very little money and no insider connections. “My superpower really is creativity,” he explained. For Cal, creativity means starting with an idea and developing it into meaningful work while continually asking whether it can be better. He emphasizes that the process involves more than individual talent: “It’s all about the team and it’s all about finding people to help you think differently.” Through writing, directing and producing, he has learned to combine imagination with collaboration, resourcefulness and a willingness to revise his work. His ambitions also include giving back, with a commitment to direct 10% of his Son of Neverland intellectual property toward improving children’s lives. Cal’s first feature film, The Astrid Experience, demonstrates how creativity can turn limited resources into an opportunity. Frustrated that screenplays he had sold were not being produced as he envisioned, he decided to take greater control by directing and producing his own work. Working with his friend John Thatt and a small team, Cal had very little money available. He made a list of accessible locations, including houses, apartments, cars and free public spaces, then wrote a screenplay around those resources. The team shot the film on an iPhone, which also helped them film in public without attracting much attention. Cal learned that creativity, willpower and desire can make a compelling project possible on a very small budget. Actionable Tips for Developing Creativity Start with what you have. List your available resources, skills, contacts and tools before deciding what you can create. Treat limitations as creative challenges. Set a realistic budget or other constraint and develop an idea that works within it. Push beyond your first idea. Ask yourself whether your work is as good as it can be and identify ways to improve it. Accept that the first draft is not the finished product. Revisit your work repeatedly and be willing to rewrite, edit and refine it. Share your ideas. Don’t be afraid to show unfinished work to people who can offer useful perspectives. Build a collaborative team. Seek out people whose experience and skills complement your own. Listen to constructive feedback. When a suggestion feels right and improves the work, be willing to adopt it. Use available technology. Explore affordable tools that can help you create something that previously required much greater resources. Connect creativity to a larger purpose. Consider how your work can create opportunities or benefits for other people. By following Cal Barnes’s example and advice, you can make creativity a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Cal Barnes (he/him): CEO. Head of Creative. Director. Producer. Writer. Actor, Nineteen Films About Nineteen Films: Inspired by the award-winning, art house, American cinema of the 1990’s and 2000’s, Nineteen Films is an independent production and sales company focused on creating meaningful, impactful films that we would like to watch ourselves — films that are story and performance driven, with additional attention to cinematography, lighting, color, and music. in 2011, Nineteen Films was formed by actor and filmmaker Cal Barnes, with the purpose of creating inspired cinema, and although our industry has changed substantially since then, our reason for storytelling hasn’t. We just love making films. It’s that simple. We create projects that focus on the heart of what we believe filmmaking is — an inspired script, a talented cast, a hardworking crew, and a visionary director with a relentless passion to tell a story — with these elements as our focus, we can create films that preserve and enrich the timeless treasure that is the American cinematic experience. Website: nineteenfilms.com Other URL: wefunder.com/theinfluencerhousemassacre Biographical Information: CAL R. BARNES is an award-winning American actor, writer, filmmaker, and novelist. After studying creative writing, journalism, and drama at Portland State University in Portland, OR, Cal moved to Los Angeles in 2009 where he immediately began acting and writing screenplays. Barnes began acting professionally in 2011 when he landed his first agent and began booking theatrical and commercial work. At this time, Cal began producing films as well, enjoying all aspects of the creative process. At just 24 years old, Barnes’s first stage play Rise won “Best World Premiere” at the 2012 Hollywood Fringe Festival, and scored a six-figure option/purchase deal for screen development. As of January 2025, Cal has acted in dozens of on-screen projects, including the hit film Unfriended (Blumhouse, Universal Pictures) and Krispr (Orenda Entertainment). Barnes to date has written 21 feature screenplays, and had two of those screenplays optioned and produced into films. Between acting jobs, filmmaking, and writing scripts, Cal runs his production company, Nineteen Films, in Los Angeles, CA. He recently wrote, directed, and starred in his feature film directorial debut, The Astrid Experience, which released in 2023, opening in seven

  5. Oct 8

    ChatRx Uses AI to Make Healthcare More Accessible and Affordable

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Dr. Tod: My superpower is that is my mission. I’m a missional guy. Healthcare should not depend on how much money you have, where you live or whether you can get an appointment when you need one. After more than 30 years practicing medicine, Tod Stillson MD is working to make that principle a reality through ChatRx, an AI-powered virtual urgent care platform. As founder and CEO, Tod has built a patient-centered service designed to help people understand their symptoms and access appropriate treatment without the expense and complexity that can accompany traditional care. ChatRx uses a conversational approach to medical triage. Patients answer questions through a chat-based interaction, allowing the platform to assess common conditions and determine whether treatment is appropriate. The company focuses primarily on infectious conditions, including sinus infections, urinary tract infections and certain skin conditions. Tod explained that physicians have long used questions to understand what is happening with patients. ChatRx applies that approach through technology designed to make care more accessible. The platform offers a free symptom assessment. When patients qualify for treatment, the service costs $25. At the time of our conversation, ChatRx was operating in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, with plans to expand into additional states. Tod’s commitment to this mission comes from decades of firsthand experience with the healthcare system. He understands both the value of medical care and the barriers that prevent people from receiving it promptly. He told me, “I really truly believe that everybody should have access to healthcare and at least have the ability to know what they’re dealing with, what their condition is, and how they can be helped.” That conviction also shapes how ChatRx approaches treatment. Tod emphasized that the company’s goal is not simply to prescribe medication. The platform is designed to identify patients who qualify for treatment while recognizing when treatment is unnecessary. That distinction matters, particularly when responsible antibiotic use is a priority. ChatRx is also raising capital through a regulated investment crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder. Tod sees community investment as an extension of the company’s mission, giving ordinary people an opportunity to support a business working to address a problem that affects their own communities. “We want an army of evangelists that are smaller investors because we believe that they’re going to help carry the word,” he told me. The capital will help ChatRx expand its reach and bring affordable care to more people. For Tod, success is about more than building a valuable company. It is about making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. By combining medical expertise, carefully designed technology and community participation, ChatRx is pursuing a practical way to help close gaps in access to healthcare. tl;dr: After three decades in medicine, Tod Stillson founded ChatRx to make healthcare more accessible and affordable through AI-powered virtual urgent care. ChatRx uses physician-designed, FDA-registered software to assess symptoms, identify appropriate treatments and help patients navigate common medical conditions. Partnerships with schools, universities and independent pharmacies help ChatRx reach people facing financial, transportation or other barriers to timely healthcare. Through regulated investment crowdfunding on Wefunder, ChatRx invites community members to invest and support its expansion into additional states. Tod’s superpower is mission-driven determination, fueled by a commitment to lower healthcare costs, serve patients responsibly and build a team around meaningful change. How to Develop Mission-Driven Determination As a Superpower Tod’s superpower is his unwavering commitment to a mission that puts people ahead of financial ambition. After more than 30 years practicing medicine, he founded ChatRx to make healthcare more accessible and affordable, particularly for people who face financial or logistical barriers. As he explained, “My superpower is that is my mission. I’m a missional guy.” He is not primarily motivated by building the next billion-dollar company. Instead, he wants to create a business that makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives. That purpose drives him to keep building, seek solutions and stay focused on what patients actually need. For Tod, mission-driven determination also means maintaining integrity, even when doing the right thing means telling a patient that treatment is unnecessary. Tod shared a heartbreaking experience involving a close friend he had cared for as a personal physician. Although his friend was relatively healthy, he became sick and could not get an appointment at the clinic. He put off seeking care, as many people do when access is difficult. Ultimately, he developed sepsis and died from an acute illness Tod described as treatable and preventable. The experience reinforced Tod’s determination to address gaps in healthcare access. ChatRx was created to help people receive timely assessments and appropriate treatment when needed. His mission also requires medical integrity: patients who do not need treatment should not receive it simply because they want it. Tips for Developing Mission-Driven Determination Identify a meaningful problem. Focus on a challenge that affects real people and that you genuinely want to help solve. Connect your work to a larger purpose. Define success in terms of the difference you can make, not just the size or financial value of your business. Do not put a ceiling on your ambitions. As Tod advised, “don’t put a ceiling on the things that you have in your heart to do.” Look beyond your perceived limitations. Do not let doubts about your money, knowledge or abilities automatically stop you from pursuing a worthwhile goal. Take action before everything is perfect. Build momentum by turning your mission into practical steps and learning along the way. Find people who share your purpose. Seek financial supporters, collaborators and team members who can help turn your vision into reality. Build a team rather than trying to do everything yourself. Tod emphasized that his work depends on the collective efforts of his 25-person team. Stay committed to doing the right thing. Make decisions that serve the people you are trying to help, even when those decisions are not the easiest or most commercially attractive. Listen to the people you serve. Let their experiences and feedback remind you why your mission matters and where your work can make a difference. Be courageous enough to think bigger. Recognize that meaningful change often requires stepping beyond the limits you have placed on yourself. By following Tod’s example and advice, you can make mission-driven determination a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Tod Stillson MD (he/him): Founder & CEO, ChatRx | Family Physician, ChatRx On-Demand Urgent Care About ChatRx On-Demand Urgent Care: ChatRx is a physician-led, AI-powered healthcare technology company advancing health equity by making trusted healthcare guidance and appropriate care more accessible, affordable, and easier to navigate for everyone. Guided by the principle of creating exceptional value for others, we combine ChatRx On-Demand Urgent Care with the ChatRx Care Navigation Network to connect individuals, families, employees, and communities with the right local and virtual healthcare resources. Our non-insurance-based model complements existing benefits and provider relationships while supporting people with commercial insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, health-sharing memberships, or no insurance at all. Through clinical leadership, intelligent technology, and partnerships with employers, pharmacies, healthcare providers, schools, churches, and community organizations, ChatRx is building a more equitable, connected, and human-centered healthcare experience. Website: chatrx.md Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/chatrx.md Other URL: https://wefunder.com/chatrx Biographical Information: Dr. Tod Stillson is a family physician, inventor, and Founder and CEO of ChatRx. Drawing on more than 30 years of frontline clinical experience, he developed the intellectual property behind ChatRx, including its FDA-registered medical device and proprietary Augmented Clinical Automation technology. This defensible technology powers an innovative and scalable model for affordable, non-insurance-based, direct-to-consumer healthcare through ChatRx On-Demand Urgent Care and intelligent care navigation. Dr. Stillson combines the perspective of an experienced physician with the vision of an inventor and entrepreneur, using technology to lower barriers to care, expand access for people regardless of insurance status, and advance health equity. Personal Facebook Profile: facebook.com/tod.stillson LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-tod-stillson-221918388 Instagram: @chatrx.md Start 30 days free SuperCrowd Career Path Job Postings Associate, Investment Operations — ImpactAssets · United States · Remote OK · $75,000–$83,000/yr WM Global Investment Office - Institutional Innovation Lead, Investing with Impact / Impact Private Markets, Executive Director — Morgan Stanley · New York, NY · $175,000–$265,000/yr Managing Director, WWF Impact — World Wildlife Fund · Washington, DC · $181,000–$260,200/yr Certified Diabetes Care and Edu

  6. Oct 6

    Blockchain Homes Aims to Give Every Property a Permanent History

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Cyndi: Beating to the rhythm of my own drum. Every home has a story, but buyers rarely get the whole picture. Seller disclosures and inspections can reveal important details, yet exemptions and hidden systems can leave gaps. Those gaps can become expensive surprises for new homeowners. Cyndi Robirds, founder and CEO of Blockchain Homes, wants to change that by creating a lasting record of a property’s history. Drawing on 17 years of real estate experience and a longstanding interest in technology, she is building a blockchain-enabled system to bring property information together. “When I was working with people that were buying houses,” Cyndi explained, she saw how disclosure exemptions could leave buyers without essential information. Inspectors also cannot see behind walls and may not be able to test seasonal systems. She said homeowners she spoke with had spent between $1,000 and $250,000 on unexpected repairs within three years of buying a home. Blockchain Homes aims to start with a more streamlined seller-disclosure process. Homeowners can share information that becomes part of a property’s permanent record, alongside relevant public information. The record can continue after a sale, helping homeowners track maintenance, receive reminders and connect with service providers. The system is intended to make information useful to more than buyers and sellers. Builders could use work histories and material records to support warranty accountability. Home warranty companies could better understand a home’s mechanical systems and maintenance history. When work is completed, the homeowner and warranty company can verify that it happened. Cyndi recognizes that real estate involves many participants, from lenders and title companies to agents, contractors and builders. Rather than attempt to transform every part of the industry at once, she is focusing on one area at a time and reducing friction for professionals and homeowners. Her advice about building the technology is equally practical: “You don’t want to give birth to a full-grown human. You want to give birth to a baby.” Start small, she says, then let the idea grow. Blockchain Homes is raising capital through AeQuitas invest, a crowdfunding platform Cyndi described as open to people beyond traditional accredited investors. The offering gives interested community members an opportunity to learn more and consider investing. A reliable property history will not eliminate every uncertainty in homeownership. But by making records easier to share and maintain, Blockchain Homes is working toward a more transparent real estate experience—one where important details about a home do not disappear when ownership changes. tl;dr: Cyndi Robirds draws on 17 years in real estate to address missing property histories and costly surprises for buyers. Blockchain Homes aims to preserve disclosures, repairs and maintenance records in a lasting, shareable property history. Homeowners, builders and warranty companies could use verified records to improve accountability, maintenance and real estate transparency. Cyndi is raising capital through AeQuitas invest, opening the opportunity to people beyond traditional accredited investors. Her superpower is independent thinking: finding overlooked inefficiencies, embracing willingness and building useful solutions one step at a time. How to Develop Independent Thinking As a Superpower Cyndi describes her superpower as “beating to the rhythm of my own drum.” She says this makes her “a unique thinker” and helps her “look at things in a different way.” Although it can feel lonely not to fit in, she sees value in noticing the big picture, identifying gaps in efficiency and bringing forward new ideas. “If everybody else is doing it, then we already have people doing it,” she explains. She wants to find the “little sweet spot” where a different approach can make a difference. Cyndi traces some of her independent perspective to growing up with profound hearing loss. She received hearing aids at age four and describes living between two worlds: the hearing world and the non-hearing world. She felt she did not fully fit into either, so she had to find her own way. That experience helped her notice differences in people and see the world from perspectives others might miss. Cyndi did not identify one specific incident that captures the superpower; instead, she described this lifelong experience as formative. Her transition from real estate into technology reflects that willingness to follow a less conventional path and build something she believes the industry needs. How to Develop Independent Thinking Ask yourself whether you are willing. Cyndi recalls a coach asking, “You can do anything, but are you willing?” Move beyond wanting a change and decide whether you will commit to it. Look for the gap others overlook. Notice inefficiencies, recurring frustrations and needs that existing approaches do not address. Question the default approach. Ask whether a familiar solution is genuinely effective or simply common. Treat “no” as information. Cyndi says, “No’s are great. They lead you into understanding how to move forward better.” Use objections to improve the plan rather than abandon the goal automatically. Start small and learn. Build an initial version of an idea, gather feedback and let it grow rather than trying to create the finished solution all at once. Find a community that challenges and supports you. Cyndi values One Million Cups, where entrepreneurs and investors share ideas, pitches and local opportunities. Seek people who will help you think and keep moving. Use your distinct perspective. Instead of treating differences as something to hide, consider how they may help you notice problems and possibilities that others miss. By following Cyndi’s example and advice, you can make independent thinking a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Cyndi Robirds (she/her): Founder/CEO, Blockchain Homes About Blockchain Homes: Blockchain Homes, LLC is an Omaha-based proptech company building Property Onchain, a permanent, verifiable record of a home’s history — repairs, inspections, permits, and warranties — recorded to the property itself so the data follows the house through every owner. Think Carfax, for the place you live. Today a home’s history effectively disappears at closing, and buyers are left relying on an inspection that captures a single day and only what happens to be visible. Property Onchain closes that gap for the people on every side of the transaction: homeowners and home buyers, builders, inspectors, contractors, title companies, appraisers, insurers, and lenders. The company has a signed letter of intent with an Omaha home builder and is currently raising through a Regulation Crowdfunding offering on AeQuitas Invest, open to accredited and non-accredited investors alike. Website: blockchainhomes.io Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588586022632 Other URL: app.aequitasinvest.com/campaigns/view/27 Biographical Information: Cyndi Robirds is the founder and CEO of Blockchain Homes, LLC, where she is building Property Onchain — a permanent record of a home’s history that stays with the property instead of walking out the door with the last owner. She has spent 17 years in the real estate industry, is a licensed Realtor in Nebraska and Iowa, and has worked at the intersection of blockchain and real estate since 2017. She teaches a certified continuing education course on blockchain in real estate for licensed agents, and is an active member of the Property Records Industry Association (PRIA) and the Foundation for International Blockchain and Real Estate Expertise (FIBREE). She lives in the Omaha area. Personal Facebook Profile: facebook.com/cyndi.schmillen/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/blockchain-homes-llc Start 30 days free SuperCrowd Career Path Job Postings Associate, Investment Operations — ImpactAssets · United States · Remote OK · $75,000–$83,000/yr WM Global Investment Office - Institutional Innovation Lead, Investing with Impact / Impact Private Markets, Executive Director — Morgan Stanley · New York, NY · $175,000–$265,000/yr Managing Director, WWF Impact — World Wildlife Fund · Washington, DC · $181,000–$260,200/yr Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), Registered Dietitian — My Diabetes Tutor - Diabetes Education Telehealth · United States · Remote OK · $45.00–$48.00/hr Operations & Impact Analyst (AI-Native) — Hedge Impact headhunting · Palo Alto, CA · $140–$160/yr Affordable Housing Finance Product Manager - Executive Director — Morgan Stanley · New York, NY · $150,000–$250,000/yr Post a job Support Our Sponsors Our generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today’s advertisers include Startup showcase and Impact Membership. Learn more about advertising with us here. Max-Impact Members (We’re grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.) Alisa Evans, Mission Enrollment | Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Eric Coury, Arthia AI | Joey Hayes, thru | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Ken Steele, Rotarian | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Mark Grime

  7. Oct 1

    High-Performance Rocket Propulsion Meets Climate Sustainability

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Sascha: Balance of persistent curiosity paired with the practical focus required to run a sustainable business. Sustainable innovation only truly scales when it delivers a clear economic advantage over status-quo alternatives. For decades, aerospace propulsion has relied on toxic, highly explosive, and expensive solid rocket propellants. Sascha Deri, Founder and CEO of bluShift Aerospace, is turning that paradigm on its head by proving that clean technology can outperform traditional fuels while drastically reducing costs. From its headquarters at a former naval base in Brunswick, Maine, bluShift Aerospace has developed a proprietary, non-toxic, bio-derived solid rocket fuel. Beyond being virtually carbon neutral and safe enough to eat on camera, this innovative propellant is significantly cheaper to produce and far easier to transport than petroleum-derived counterparts. As Sascha explained during our interview: “We found that it not only worked, but it worked better than the petroleum fuel... Here’s something which is better for the planet. It’s virtually carbon neutral, the fuel itself. It’s non-toxic... It performs better. It’s a little more energy-dense than the petroleum version is, and very easily had all over the United States.” This breakthrough bridges the gap between environmental responsibility and market viability. By combining a high-performance bio-fuel with advanced hybrid rocket engine designs, Sascha and his team are creating scalable propulsion solutions for both research and commercial space applications. They have already achieved a world record by launching a commercial rocket using bio-derived fuel and are now advancing toward full commercialization. “I’ve always wanted to find that intersection between how technology can benefit humanity and the universe and the planet.” — Sascha Deri To fund this expansion and scale production, bluShift Aerospace is raising capital from everyday investors through a regulated investment crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder. Grounded in community-backed capital and hard-nosed engineering, Sascha demonstrates that aligned incentives can accelerate both planetary impact and business success. tl;dr: Sascha Deri founded bluShift Aerospace to build cost-effective bio-derived rocket propulsion systems. The company’s non-toxic solid rocket fuel offers superior energy density at lower costs. Everyday investors can back bluShift’s growth through their active Wefunder investment crowdfunding campaign. Sascha defines his superpower as persistent curiosity balanced with pragmatic business execution. Today’s episode explores how open feedback and innovative engineering advance sustainable aerospace technology. How to Develop Pragmatic Curiosity As a Superpower Sascha defines his superpower as a balance of persistent curiosity paired with the practical focus required to run a sustainable business. As Sascha explained, “the first part is the persistent curiosity, sort of that ongoing, like, what if this? Why not that? … Curiosity is great … But then there’s time for doing an execution that’s really needed to bring that commercial opportunity home. And so I think that’s my other sort of, I would say, complementary superpower is the curiosity and then the chill that comes … knowing when to like bring it in … what is the minimal viable product that can get us faster to commercialization.” While visiting his brother’s farm in Maine, Sascha noticed an everyday, bio-derived substance sitting on a windowsill. Driven by curiosity, he wondered if it could replace traditional petroleum-derived solid rocket fuels. He spent two weeks preparing the substance for a test burn and discovered that the non-toxic, bio-derived fuel actually performed better and offered higher energy density than petroleum alternatives. Sascha then channeled that initial breakthrough into building bluShift Aerospace and developing commercial-scale hybrid engines. Actionable Tips for Developing the Superpower: Cultivate persistent curiosity by continually asking “what if” and “why not” when examining complex problems. Balance creative exploration with strict execution focused on commercial viability and revenue generation. Remain open to feedback from team members, advisors, and external sources to refine your strategic path. Identify the minimum viable solution needed to bring innovations efficiently to market. By following Sascha’s example and advice, you can make pragmatic curiosity a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Sascha Deri (he/him): Founder & CEO, bluShift Aerospace About bluShift Aerospace: bluShift Aerospace is a propulsion company based in Brunswick, Maine, developing rocket engines and boosters for defense testing, commercial aerospace and suborbital research. Our MAREVL hybrid engine technology uses a proprietary, non-toxic, bio-derived solid fuel and is designed to combine throttle control with simpler manufacturing and lower production costs. Our near-term commercial focus is supplying boosters for hypersonic testing and targets, while continuing to advance applications in scientific research and commercial space. We aim to build a scalable American propulsion business that makes demanding missions more accessible and reduces the hazards associated with manufacturing and handling rocket fuel. Website: blushiftaerospace.com Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/bluShiftAero Instagram Handle: @blushiftaero Other URL: wefunder.com/blushiftaerospace Biographical Information: Sascha Deri is the founder and CEO of bluShift Aerospace, combining a background in physics and electrical engineering with more than two decades of entrepreneurial experience. In 1999, he co-founded altE Store, a renewable-energy products business. He founded bluShift in 2014 to pursue a different approach to rocket propulsion using a proprietary, bio-derived fuel. Under his leadership, the company has progressed from early experiments to a demonstration launch, full-duration engine testing and government-funded propulsion development. Raised in Maine, Sascha is committed to building an aerospace business that connects technical innovation with environmental responsibility, practical customer needs and skilled manufacturing opportunities in his home state. LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/sascha-deri Personal Facebook Profile: facebook.com/sascha.deri.1 Start 30 days free SuperCrowd Career Path Job Postings Managing Director, BCRF Venture Philanthropy Program — The Breast Cancer Research Foundation · New York, NY · Remote OK · 450–475/yr Community Impact Senior Program Officer, Florida — Knight Foundation · Miami, FL · 114–115/yr Sustainable Investing Co-op — Wellington Management · Greater Boston · Remote OK · 19.00–35.00/hr Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge - Program Manager, National Programs — Enterprise Community Partners · Portland, OR · 83,000–95,000/yr Head of Impact, Americas — Intrepid Travel · Golden, CO · Remote OK · 80,000–90,000/yr Manager, Project on Impact Investing — Harvard Business School · Boston, MA · Remote OK · 69,500–113,700/yr Post a job Support Our Sponsors Our generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today’s advertisers include Startup showcase and Impact Membership. Learn more about advertising with us here. Max-Impact Members (We’re grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.) Alisa Evans, Mission Enrollment | Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Eric Coury, Arthia AI | Joey Hayes, thru | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Ken Steele, Rotarian | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Mike Babbit | Coledger Solutions | Mike Green, Envirosult | Nick Degnan, Unlimit Ventures | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name Here Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual. Join the SuperCrowd Impact League! You can be recognized for making impact investments via Reg CF. See how your activity compares to your peers. It’s free. Win valuable prizes. Start now! SuperCrowd Impact Member Networking Session: Impact (and, of course, Max-Impact) Members of the SuperCrowd are invited to a private networking session on October 13th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. Mark your calendar. We’ll send private emails to Impact Members with registration details. Upgrade to Impact Membership today! SuperCrowdHour, October 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM Pacific. Devin Thorpe, CEO and Founder of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on “Before You Click ‘Invest’: Due Diligence for Crowdfunding Investors.” Drawing on his experience as a former investment banker, impact investor, and crowdfunding expert, Devin will explore the key questions investors should ask before putting money into a crowdfunding offering. The session will break down practical due diligence steps, including how to review a company’s financial information, understand its business model, assess risks, evaluate the offering terms, and identify important questions that may not be obvious at first glance. Attendee

  8. Sep 29

    Overcoming Civic Paralysis: How Culture and Action Can Save Democracy

    Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube. Devin: What is your superpower? Paul: What I am good at, I guess, is reflecting those who really do the work... My superpower is the bridge between the people on the ground who aren’t thinking about how to do marketing or to get people to act... I bring their stories and I tell their narratives and I help them go to a much wider audience who then support them. Anxiety is overcome by action. Across the country, tens of millions of independent voters, moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans feel completely overwhelmed by political drift and the sheer volume of choices available. That flood of options causes a form of paralysis where people want to do something to protect democracy, but simply do not know where to start. When I sat down with my guest Paul Katz—Chair and CEO of Entertain Impact Advocacy Alliance, multi-Grammy-nominated producer, author and social impact entrepreneur—he outlined a remarkably simple path to turn that passive concern into meaningful civic participation. Through his initiative, Commit Together, Paul is providing an easy on-ramp for anyone who wants to take a first step, whether they have ten minutes or five hours to spare. Visitors to CommitTogether.org can select their key issues, input their general political leanings and receive three aligned organizations that match their values to take immediate action. Paul’s work draws directly on his deep history of mobilizing pop culture for social change, from organizing celebrity advocacy on Capitol Hill to raising awareness for civil rights heritage and global health initiatives. As Paul shared during our conversation: “Anxiety is overcome by action. Doesn’t matter how small it is or, you know, just a little step. But we agree that democracy is a good thing that we want to keep for our kids.” He further emphasized that taking that initial step transforms how we experience public life: “Just by taking the first step, your anxiety kind of flows away from you, and then you feel a little bit more empowered. And what happens there is you find community.” By lowering the barrier to entry, Paul shows us that protecting democratic institutions doesn’t require complex strategies—it begins when ordinary citizens choose simple, constructive engagement over quiet paralysis. tl;dr: Paul Katz introduced Commit Together to guide citizens from political anxiety into direct civic engagement. The nonpartisan Commit Together initiative connects voters with organizations matching their personal value systems. Paul shared how pop culture and artist advocacy amplify vital social impact and civil rights initiatives. Paul defined his superpower as acting as a bridge between frontline changemakers and wide audiences. Today’s episode highlighted how local community engagement and simple actions help protect democratic participation. How to Develop Bridge As a Superpower Paul’s superpower is acting as a bridge between frontline changemakers and the broader public. As Paul explained, “what I am good at, I guess, is reflecting those who really do the work... My superpower is the bridge between the people on the ground who aren’t thinking about how to do marketing or to get people to act... I bring their stories and I tell their narratives and I help them go to a much wider audience who then support them.” To demonstrate how he uses his superpower as a bridge, Paul described an initiative aimed at increasing voter participation among the Black faith-based community in Georgia. Rather than relying solely on high-profile figures like Kerry Washington and Common, Paul bridged directly into local communities across 105 counties. By connecting with trusted local leaders—such as local barbers and ministers—he enabled communities to mobilize internally. This grassroots bridge successfully mobilized thousands of individuals to participate in the democratic process who otherwise might not have voted. Actionable Tips for Developing the Superpower: Practice vote tripling during elections by directly contacting two friends and inviting them to vote with you. Share compelling, purposeful stories with neighbors and colleagues to foster local connection. Engage in direct, open conversations with members of your immediate community to build trust. Take one concrete step at a time to connect ordinary people to meaningful causes. By following Paul’s example and advice, you can make bridge a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world. Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you! Guest Profile Paul M. Katz (he/him): Chair and CEO, Entertain Impact Advocacy Alliance About Entertain Impact Advocacy Alliance: The Entertain Impact Advocacy Alliance specializes in digital-first awareness and advocacy campaigns. We work independently and in partnership with local and national organizations to expand grassroots organizing capacity, promote voter participation among underrepresented communities, and support community-led civic action. Our partners include non-profits, 501(c)(3)s and 501(c)(4)s, PACS, NGOs, organizers, and philanthropists. Website: paulmkatz.com, committogether.org Other URL: a.co/d/0h3jxjQp Biographical Information: Paul M. Katz is an author, social impact entrepreneur, attorney, civic participation leader, and multi-Grammy-nominated producer whose career has spanned entertainment, philanthropy, advocacy, and public policy. He is the author of *Commit Together: A Practical Guide to Reclaiming Democracy* and founder of the nonprofit Commit Together initiative, which helps people move from concern to constructive civic action by connecting them with trusted organizations and practical ways to participate. Over more than two decades, Katz has led more than 100 social-impact campaigns through his company Entertain Impact, working with major foundations, nonprofits, cultural institutions, and leading artists and public figures. He also founded the nonpartisan Entertain Impact Advocacy Alliance, including the #NoVotesBarred initiative, which helps eligible citizens with past convictions understand and exercise their voting rights. He is also the author of the award-winning and Amazon #1 bestseller *Good Influence how to engage Influencers for Purpose and Profit”“. Earlier in his career, Katz was a senior music executive at Jive Records and later headed music for Participant and Summit studios across major film projects including *Twilight*, *Green Book*, and *12 Years a Slave*. Paul has served on several boards including Witness, Grammys and ELMA Music Foundation US. His work today is built around a simple idea: people care. The challenge is not apathy — it is helping them find a place to start. Instagram Handle: @paulmkatzofficial SuperCrowd Career Path Job Postings Managing Director, BCRF Venture Philanthropy Program — The Breast Cancer Research Foundation · New York, NY · Remote OK · 450–475/yr Community Impact Senior Program Officer, Florida — Knight Foundation · Miami, FL · 114–115/yr Sustainable Investing Co-op — Wellington Management · Greater Boston · Remote OK · 19.00–35.00/hr Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge - Program Manager, National Programs — Enterprise Community Partners · Portland, OR · 83,000–95,000/yr Head of Impact, Americas — Intrepid Travel · Golden, CO · Remote OK · 80,000–90,000/yr Manager, Project on Impact Investing — Harvard Business School · Boston, MA · Remote OK · 69,500–113,700/yr Support Our Sponsors Our generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today’s advertisers include Startup showcase and Impact Membership. Learn more about advertising with us here. Max-Impact Members (We’re grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.) Alisa Evans, Mission Enrollment | Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Eric Coury, Arthia AI | Joey Hayes, thru | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Ken Steele, Rotarian | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Mike Babbit | Coledger Solutions | Mike Green, Envirosult | Nick Degnan, Unlimit Ventures | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name Here Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual. Join the SuperCrowd Impact League! You can be recognized for making impact investments via Reg CF. See how your activity compares to your peers. It’s free. Win valuable prizes. Start now! Join the Superpowers for Good Live Pitch featuring Nathalya Mamane of Anywhere Dx, Andrei Klochko of Airthium, Lidio Meireles of Immunomatics, and Phillip Nalwalker of Eagle Cathedral City, with Devin Thorpe as host and judges Léa Bouhelier-Gautreau of KingsCrowd, Sherwood “Woodie” Neiss of Crowdfund Capital Advisors, and Paul Lovejoy of Stakeholder Enterprise. Watch the live pitches on SuperCrowd.tv or e360TV, then join the Private Investor Session for a direct conversation with the founders about their offerings, terms, and next steps. SuperCrowd Impact Member Networking Session: Impact (and, of course, Max-Impact) Members of the SuperCrowd are invited to a private networking session on October 13th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. Mark your calendar. We’ll send private emails to Impact Members with registration deta

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We host changemakers who are using regulated investment crowdfunding for social impact--impact crowdfunding--as impact investors or social entrepreneurs, catalyzing change with leadership skills we call superpowers. www.superpowers4good.com

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