52 episodes
Ecosystems For Change Anika Horn, Social Venturers
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- Society & Culture
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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Transforming communities is hard work. That may go without saying, but when your job is about helping your neighborhood, city or region thrive, talking about being underpaid, burnt out and frustrated with the slow pace of change is kind of frowned upon. As ecosystem builders, we amplify the work of local makers, doers and innovators by championing their efforts and rallying support around them. And maybe most importantly, we build a culture of trust and collaboration among all stakeholders, so that the doers and innovators among us have equal access to information, talent and resources when they need them. On Ecosystems for Change we'll explore how ecosystem building can help us unleash the full potential of the makers, doers, innovators and visionaries in our communities. And I’ll be talking with my guests about the tactics and practical skills they use in their everyday work and what they do to prevent burning the candle at both ends.
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E 5.1 - The Quitters: Quitting the Infinite Game of Ecosystem Building
I’m sitting down with ecosystem builders who stopped playing–either temporarily or for good. I want to find out what led to the depletion of their resources–either internal or external–and if there’s anything we can do to change course and stop that depletion.
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E 5.2 - Recognizing Your Strengths and When It's Time to Sail On with Joe Maruschak
When Joe Maruschak left his home ecosystem of Eugene, Oregon, it sent ripples through our community of ecosystem builders.
In the public farewell letter that he wrote in July 2021, he voiced what so many of us had been struggling with and discussing behind closed doors. -
E 5.3 - Self-Trust and Curating Impactful Community with Julia Firestone
Today, I want you to meet Julia Firestone.
Julia is a transformational leadership and career coach who serves experienced social impact professionals to help them unleash their biggest positive impact in the world while living their most fulfilling life.
Julia has worked in corporate innovation and strategy, global NGOs, scrappy startups, and corporate social impact. Bringing all of these experiences together, Julia loves applying innovative methodologies to solve the biggest social impact challenges of our time.
In today’s conversation, you’ll hear about Julia’s first Big Quit and how she built a network of impact professionals like no other that not only helped her land her next gig, but has become a rich community of changemakers who show up for each other.
If you think networking is so early 2000s, I bet you’ll think differently after this conversation.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
How Julia structures her monthly online meetups for changemakers to get beyond “what do you do” to building real relationships
How Julia’s experience at a small nonprofit highlights many of the systemic issues in impact and nonprofit work
The strategies Julia used to build a large network of impact professionals before she quit her nonprofit job
How Julia learned to trust her gut and listen to her body when it comes to big decisions
Learn more about Julia Firestone:
Julia Firestone Coaching
Community Open House
Connect with Julia on LinkedIn
Learn More About Anika Horn:
Website: www.socialventurers.com
Instagram: SocialVenturers
Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
Resources:
The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships, Susan McPherson
The Bloom
Love Letter to the Movement, Sarah Jawaid and Damon Azali-Rojas
Coaching for Healing, Justice, and Liberation -
E 5.4 - Grief, Quitting, and Listening to the Your Heart with Annie Wood
In today’s episode, we’re making our way to Fargo, North Dakota to talk to Annie Wood.
I first met Annie through Startup Champions Network and was fortunate enough to visit her community during our Fall Summit in 2018.
Shortly thereafter, Annie left the host organization and started a new chapter of her life.
Today, she shares what was going on behind the scenes at the time, how she regrouped after leaving the profession as an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder, and what this next chapter looks like.
We talked about the grief of letting go of what could have been, and how to find your way back to yourself when you’re letting go of a part of your professional identity.
Annie Wood thinks of herself as a combination of life experiences - she’s a learning facilitator, an experiential educator, and a community builder. Her day-to-day work in student life on a college campus is really the perfect mash-up to use the skills she’s developed. In her role, she helps folks explore who they are and where they want to go - through formal programs, mentorship, and encouraging them to follow their curiosities.
Annie is a believer in lifelong learning and aims to live with a growth mindset. She is passionate about providing opportunities for folks at any stage of life to explore who they are and how to live a life that matches their values. She believes that each day, we make choices about how we’ll contribute to our communities - and that is a reflection of our values. So Annie chooses to have a positive outlook and to validate people for who they are. Outside of her daily work and facilitating trainings, Annie especially loves creating or attending community events with a hint of whimsy and being part of groups that are just a little bit quirky, because the people with the wildest ideas are usually the most fun to be around.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
How Annie used counseling to help her come to terms with needing to quit and how to let go and process grief
Why she took a month for Annie-tober, and why she still does it to this day
Why Annie believes in having a personal manifesto of her values
How Annie used her network to remind her of what kind of work brings her joy as she looked for the next thing
How Annie’s current role allows her to empower students to create community
Learn more about Annie Wood:
Instagram: @annie_likethemusical
Connect with Annie on LinkedIn
Learn More About Anika Horn:
Website: www.socialventurers.com
Instagram: SocialVenturers
Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
Resources:
The Inventurers: Excursions in Life and Career Renewal, Janet Hagberg, Richard J. Leider
The Feeling Wheel
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, Priya Parker -
E 5.5 - Start. Hand over. Repeat. The Cycles of Ecosystem Building with Larkin Garbee
In today's episode, I want to introduce you to my longtime friend and OG ecosystem builder, Larkin Garbee.
Larkin has put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into jumpstarting entrepreneurial support initiatives, both in Richmond, Virginia, as well as nationally.
In this conversation, we talk about handing initiatives over to people who can carry them forward, and the upside of spending over a decade in an ecosystem.
Join me on a trip back home to Richmond.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
How Larkin has shifted gears between local and national ecosystem building work
Why Larkin chose to step away from formal ecosystem building as COVID took hold
How real estate and ecosystem building scratch a similar itch for Larkin
How Larkin approaches being a serial “starter” of organizations and initiatives
Learn more about Larkin Garbee:
Email Larkin
Learn More About Anika Horn:
Website: www.socialventurers.com
Instagram: SocialVenturers
Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
Resources:
Ep 4.7 Investing in the Lives of Founders with Todd Nuckols
Startup Champions Network -
E 5.6 - The Art of Quitting: Gracefully Navigating the Responsibility of Change with Lucas Lindsey
In today's episode, we're traveling to Phoenix, Arizona to chat with Lucas Lindsey.
Lucas is an ecosystem builder turned real estate developer. We talked about planning for succession and the importance of the built environment for entrepreneurial ecosystem building.
Lucas Lindsey is a Michigan kid on a long hiatus to the American Southwest. He is a big fan of new ideas and old buildings who has always worked in a combination of ecosystem building, real estate development, and construction. He believes in empowering change from the bottom up and working hard to improve whatever community you call home.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
The road trip that prompted Lucas’s shift away from ecosystem building
The challenges Lucas faced in leaving an identity-defining career
How Lucas’s organization handled the delicate work of succession planning
Learn more about Lucas Lindsey:
Urbnist
Twitter: @urbnist
Learn More About Anika Horn:
Website: www.socialventurers.com
Instagram: SocialVenturers
Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator
Resources:
Startup Champions Network
The Cathedral and the Bazaar
Jenny Poon & Co+Hoots Coworking