Impact Everywhere | Positive Impact in Unexpected Places

Von Wong
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Impact Everywhere | Positive Impact in Unexpected Places Podcast

This is the podcast for people who want to make a difference, but don't know where to start. Each week we explore stories of amazing individuals who have found a way to make a difference, regardless of their skills, interests, and passions. Together, we break down the frameworks, lessons, and perspectives that they've gained so that you too can get started on your journey. Your host is Benjamin Von Wong, an award-winning environmental artist and activist that was once a hard rock mining engineer. Since escaping his 9-5, he has generated over 100M views for different causes like fast fashion, ocean plastics, and electronic waste.

  1. The Hidden Value of Discarded PPE ft. Andy Straisfeld, Strategist and Partner at Lifecycle Revive

    23/05/2021

    The Hidden Value of Discarded PPE ft. Andy Straisfeld, Strategist and Partner at Lifecycle Revive

    The COVID-19 pandemic has created a massive global shortage of PPE. Similarly, the increased usage of PPE has led to an unprecedented rise in single-use plastic pollution from the medical sector. Lifecycle Revive is an Ontario-based company that specializes in recycling PPE waste. Joining us today is the company’s VP of Business Development, Andy Straisfeld. Andy has over a decade of experience in the medical supply sales space, and he is now using his knowledge in alignment with a cause he believes in.  In today’s episode, Andy talks about apathy when it comes to recycling medical supplies and sheds light on why Lifecycle Revive has chosen the mission they have. We hear about how they quickly mobilized and got an incredible team together to tackle this growing issue. Andy is clear on Lifecycle Revive’s vision and does not sugarcoat that change will be slow, but it is something they are wholeheartedly committed to. He has personal experience of what it is like to lay the foundations for a plan that will only come to fruition in the future and carries this lesson with him into business. We need a paradigm shift when it comes to thinking about the lifespan and cycle of a product, and Lifecycle Revive is doing great work to get the needle moving in creating this change. To hear the full episode, click the link of your favorite podcast platform below. The conversation took place live on Clubhouse under the Impact Everywhere Club. See upcoming conversations here! Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Google Podcasts Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

    46 min

  2. 10/05/2021

    Reactions to 54. Simplifying complexity. Small habits, big impact. Personalizing and scaling change.

    Von Wong shares his reactions after his conversation with Andrea Demichelis, founder and CEO of Elliot For Water

    9 min
  3. Fighting Water Scarcity With a New Search Engine ft. Founder of Elliot For Water - Andrea Demicheli

    02/05/2021

    Fighting Water Scarcity With a New Search Engine ft. Founder of Elliot For Water - Andrea Demicheli

    Water scarcity is one of the greatest problems faced by the world. When people do not have access to clean, safe drinking water, all aspects of their lives — from health, to education, to safety — are negatively impacted. Andrea Demichelis is a young Italian entrepreneur who has come up with an ingenious way to chip away at this global issue. Andrea founded Elliot For Water, a search engine that gives over half of its profits to finance clean water projects.  In this episode, we hear more about the project’s mission and how Andrea came to be interested in water. We find out about their partnership with Bing and how the search engine plans to make money. There are so many clean water projects out there already, but many of them fail because they do not reflect the community’s needs. Andrea is aware of this and talks about the organizations they have chosen to work with to ensure they are making a positive impact rather than a negative one. Our conversation also touches on how Elliot For Water makes the user experience attractive, why working in the social enterprise space should not mean compromising profit, and what the future has in store for the search engine. We all search the internet numerous times a day, so imagine what a difference it could make if we attached this everyday activity to such an impactful project? Check out the full episode at one of the links below on your favorite podcast platform: The conversation took place live on Clubhouse under the Impact Everywhere Club. See upcoming conversations here! Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Google Podcasts Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

    43 min

  4. 21/04/2021

    Reactions to 53. Serving with uneven power dynamics. Credit for Transformation. Humility vs Resilience..

    Von Wong shares his reactions after his conversation with Social Justice Activist, Choreographer and Changemaker Susan Slotnick.

    10 min
  5. Bringing the Power of Dance to the Incarcerated Ft. Social Justice Activist, Choreographer, and Changemaker Susan Slotnick

    18/04/2021

    Bringing the Power of Dance to the Incarcerated Ft. Social Justice Activist, Choreographer, and Changemaker Susan Slotnick

    Most people would not see a connection between dance and prison. But today’s guest, Susan Slotnick, is different. Susan is a visual artist, a choreographer, a dancer, a writer, an advocate for social justice, and for the last 16 years, she has volunteered in various correctional facilities teaching dance to inmates. She recently released a book called Flight: The Dance of Freedom, as a guide for those who want to find ways to use their skills to support inmates. In this episode, Susan talks about the journey of finding her purpose and the moment she realized she was doing what she had been put on Earth to do. She talks about the value of highly reciprocal work and the danger that comes in instances when you are working more for your fulfillment than for the good of others. It is not easy to maintain these boundaries, and Susan shares the challenges she has experienced when it comes to setting them.  We also hear about how dance creates a space for inmates to connect with their authentic selves, some assumptions Susan had going into her work, and the heartbreak she experienced at various moments. Susan is a teacher in the true essence of the word because she does not position herself as a savior, but rather gives her students the tools to help them on their journeys. To check out the full conversation, click on your favorite podcast platform’s link below. The conversation took place live on Clubhouse under the Impact Everywhere Club. See upcoming conversations here! Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Google Podcasts Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Key Points From This Episode People in prisons are victims as well as perpetrators. Susan knew that dance would be a powerful tool for them to heal, as it had consistently helped her heal throughout her life. Dancing in a particular way has been scientifically proven to re-wire the brain. Susan believes that while resilience is something we inherit, it can also be nurtured. Being resilient is the foundation for what helps us to pursue our dreams, even when we are told we can’t achieve them. Do not try to meet your needs while trying to meet the needs of others. You have to be clear on your motives and what you expect to gain when doing this kind of work because it could so easily cross the line. The good you can do can be encroached upon when you do not have these boundaries. We all have an authentic self and a persona, whether we are in prison or not. Dance is a tool that allows us to step into our authentic selves and be seen nonverbally, all while being so beautiful that it inspires everyone watching to be their authentic selves at that moment. Recognizing that nothing you have achieved has happened without others is the cornerstone of humility. Take the time to reflect on what other people have done for you in order to contextualize your achievements and realize they are part of a collective.

    47 min

  6. 14/04/2021

    Reactions to 52. The music of your day. Resetting boundaries. Beauty in the transient.

    Von Wong reacts to his conversation with motivational musician Jurgis DID Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Google Podcasts Subscribe on Apple Podcast

    8 min
  7. Reclaiming Music as a Tool for Transformation ft. Motivational Musician Jurgis DID

    11/04/2021

    Reclaiming Music as a Tool for Transformation ft. Motivational Musician Jurgis DID

    In the world we live in, where only things that can be marketed and sold are deemed valuable, we lose opportunities to express ourselves authentically. Music has been heavily commoditized, and as a result, many of us feel excluded from participating in this art form. Yet music exists all around us and once we tap into this profound realization, music will be a tool for transformation in our lives. Jurgis Didžiulis, or Jurgis DID, is an award-winning musician who brings the magic of participatory music into boardrooms and conferences to cultivate a sense of belonging between us as human beings. Besides this, he has an MBA, studied political science, and has extensive experience in painting, corporate education, media consulting, and many other social fields. In today’s episode, which oscillates between a combination of song and a participatory musical experience, Jurgis reflects on how he views music and why he believes it is something that has been stolen from us. We also hear about the value Jurgis places on education and how we can use it to co-create a regenerative future. Near the middle of the conversation, Jurgis plays a song to illustrate the power that music has in shaping our experience and holding space for us. After that, we touch on how he goes about creating his musical experiences and fosters connection. Wrapping up, Jurgis talks about why artists need to help plant ideas about what a different future looks like and he ends with another musical interlude. Check out one of the links below for the full episode. The conversation took place live on Clubhouse under the Impact Everywhere Club. See upcoming conversations here! Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Google Podcasts Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Key Points From This EpisodeMusic is a language that so many of us are excluded from because we have been led to believe we are not worthy of being in the space. However, music is not confined to a recording studio; it lives everywhere! When you realize that music is everywhere, not in a meta sense, but a very literal way, your life, and your experiences will transform completely. Jurgis’s relationship with music has changed because he views music in this way now. Jurgis uses music to create an interactive experience (in settings like business meetings) and hold space for people to create a sense of community. Because of the music, people are more aware of the energy that they bring to a space. According to Jurgis, the role of the artist in a regenerative future is planting the seed of what it could look like. Science only takes us so much of the way, and artists bring imagination and inspiration to the people. Even though Jurgis is not a successful musician by conventional standards, he can make the music he wants and gets to work with people by bringing the warmth of connection into their lives. He adds value that may not be able to be quantitatively measured, but that does not mean it does not exist.

    36 min

  8. 07/04/2021

    Reactions to 51. The future of manufacturing. Sustainable showroom of the future. Solutions vs. Threats.

    Von Wong reacts to his conversation with Philip Raub - the CEO of Model No. and co-founder of B8ta. Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Google Podcasts Subscribe on Apple Podcast

    10 min
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About

This is the podcast for people who want to make a difference, but don't know where to start. Each week we explore stories of amazing individuals who have found a way to make a difference, regardless of their skills, interests, and passions. Together, we break down the frameworks, lessons, and perspectives that they've gained so that you too can get started on your journey. Your host is Benjamin Von Wong, an award-winning environmental artist and activist that was once a hard rock mining engineer. Since escaping his 9-5, he has generated over 100M views for different causes like fast fashion, ocean plastics, and electronic waste.

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