Driven by Purpose

Inspire Media

At Driven by Purpose, we spotlight purpose-led businesses, breakthrough technologies, and human stories that challenge limits and redefine what's possible. From adaptive innovations to inspiring leaders, we explore how purpose fuels progress and unlocks potential. Our community includes families navigating disability, visionary founders, Fortune 500 changemakers, and emerging creators — all united by a shared belief: that everyone deserves access, opportunity, and dignity. But this isn’t just about raising awareness — it’s about taking action. Through powerful content, strategic partnerships, and accessible platforms, we’re building bridges between those who need solutions and those creating them. Whether you're a parent seeking support, an entrepreneur on a mission, or an individual searching for purpose, you belong here.

  1. -6 дн.

    He Spent 10 Years Opening Walmart's Doors to Small and Diverse Owned Businesses. Now He's Opening Them for People with Disabilities. | Michael Byron

    What does it take to move $20 billion toward businesses that have been overlooked? For Michael A. Byron, it started with stocking shelves in his uncle's Brooklyn luncheonette at eight years old. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Isaac Shapiro and Evan Rosenblum sit down with Michael A. Byron, former Senior Director of Supplier Inclusion at Walmart and author of The Grace Effect: From Brooklyn to Boise. Michael spent a decade at Walmart leading a supplier inclusion program that ultimately exceeded its $21 billion sourcing goal for women-owned businesses. Now in his third act, he has brought that experience and credibility to the Inspiration Foundation, where he is helping build the next great seal of recognition, this one for companies that hire people with disabilities. In this episode, we explore: ▫️ How growing up in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, working in his uncle's luncheonette as a child, and being raised by a tight-knit village shaped Michael's lifelong commitment to lifting up the underserved ▫️ What it actually took to get Walmart to source $21 billion from women-owned and diverse businesses, and why 100 hours of preparation for a 30-minute meeting is not an exaggeration ▫️ The origin story of the Women-Owned seal, how a brainstorm in a Walmart conference room turned into a logo seen on shelves and airline snacks worldwide, and why Michael saw it as the blueprint for what Inspiration Foundation is building ▫️ Why Michael chose to pour his post-Walmart career into nonprofit work, and what his experience on the board of an Arkansas disability organization taught him about the untapped talent in the disability community ▫️ How the Inspiration Foundation's seal for disability-inclusive employers plans to do what the Women-Owned seal did, create pride, drive purchasing decisions, and change the culture of who gets hired Michael's story is one of quiet power, deep roots, and relentless service. If you believe business can be a force for inclusion, this episode is for you. If this conversation moved you, like this video, subscribe to Driven By Purpose, and share it with someone who leads with purpose. SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    36 мин.
  2. 15 июн.

    She's 10 Years Old and Already Planning Her Career | Sydney's Person-Centered Planning Story

    When do you start planning for your child's future? For most parents, that conversation happens somewhere around high school. But if your child has severe disabilities, waiting that long is not an option. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, hosts Evan Rosenblum, Mike Ghesser, and Isaac Shapiro get personal. Evan shares that his 10-year-old daughter Sydney, who has severe cerebral palsy and is nonverbal, is about to participate in a person-centered planning meeting at her school. The goal is to start building a real vision for her post-high school career now, while there is still time to develop the skills she will need. What unfolds is an honest, heartfelt, and important conversation about belief, preparation, and what it truly means to set a child up for independence. In this episode, we explore: ▫️ What a person-centered planning meeting is and why Sydney's school is doing it at age 10, years ahead of what is typically required ▫️ How including Sydney's friends, teachers, and family in one room can unlock a more complete picture of who she is and what she wants ▫️ Why kids with disabilities often need more runway than typical kids to develop career skills, and what starting early actually looks like in practice ▫️ Mike's reflection on his daughter Rosie and what he wishes he had known sooner about planning for her future ▫️ Why Isaac believes this model of early, belief-building planning should not be limited to kids with disabilities at all This conversation is raw, real, and full of love. If you are a parent, an educator, or anyone who believes every person deserves a future they actually chose, this one is for you. If this episode resonated with you, like this video, subscribe to Driven By Purpose, and share it with a parent or educator who needs to hear it. SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    32 мин.
  3. 8 июн.

    He Wrote a Superhero Book So His Daughter Could See Herself as the Hero. Now It's Changing Schools

    In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan, Isaac, and Mike sit down with Danny Jordan, TV producer turned children's book author and the creator of The Capables, an award-winning empowering book series featuring kid superheroes who live with disabilities. Evan first met Danny at the Festival of Books at USC, where his daughter Sydney and son Bennett ran straight to The Capables booth. That night, Bennett read Ray's First Day to his sister. They both loved it. Danny is here to tell the story behind the story, from a prenatal diagnosis that changed everything to a Kickstarter campaign that proved the world was ready and a Nickelodeon meeting that reshaped how he writes his books. This episode is for every parent who has ever wanted their child to see themselves as the hero, and for every business leader who needs a reminder that the most impactful things often start with an audience of one. We explore: ▫️ How a diagnosis at 20 weeks pregnant led Danny to create a superhero universe where kids with disabilities are the stars, and why the title came to him the very next morning ▫️ Why the illustration style was a deliberate strategy to get dads, comic book fans, and non-disabled kids fully invested before the conversation about disability even begins ▫️ The message a father sent Danny after putting Ray's face on the living room TV and watching the light come back into his daughter's eyes ▫️ How Danny navigated the shifting landscape around words like inclusion and equity while making sure his books kept reaching the kids who needed them most ▫️ What a meeting with Nickelodeon's top animation executives taught Danny about writing, timing, and trusting that if something is meant to be, it will be SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    37 мин.
  4. 1 июн.

    Boots on the Ground: Visit to the Ultra Accessible Theme Park Morgan’s Wonderland & Mychal's Café

    In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan, Isaac, and Mike take the show on the road for a special Boots on the Ground edition. Isaac just returned from San Antonio, Texas, where he visited Morgan's Wonderland, the world's only ultra accessible theme park, built by philanthropist Gordon Hartman so that families with disabilities could experience a theme park without barriers, stress, or a single attraction they could not access. Meanwhile, Evan followed through on a promise he made on the show and flew to Redondo Beach, California to visit Mychal's Cafe and Mychal's Print Shop, the purpose-led businesses founded by Ed Lynch that employ people with disabilities and have built one of the most welcoming communities in the country. This one hits different. Because it is one thing to talk about what purpose-driven businesses can look like. It is another to walk through the doors and feel it yourself. We explore: ▫️ What Isaac experienced at Morgan's Wonderland, from custom-built fully accessible rides to a sensory room and fishing wharf designed with every visitor in mind ▫️ Why Evan was emotional the second he walked into Mychal's Cafe and what the chef told him that stopped him in his tracks ▫️ How both Morgan's Wonderland and Mychal's Cafe have built cultures where everyone, staff and guests alike, genuinely wants to be there ▫️ Mike's experience at the Special Olympics with his daughter Rosie and the moment he realized he had never felt so accepted in a crowd in his life ▫️ Why this community of purpose-led leaders keeps choosing to share everything they know rather than protect it, and what that means for the future of inclusive business SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    28 мин.
  5. 25 мая

    What Happens When You Build a Workforce Around Purpose, Not Just Productivity

    In this episode of Driven by Purpose, Evan, Isaac, and Mike welcome a very special guest: Rich Rider, the recently retired Warehouse Production Manager at Clean Logic. Rich spent nearly five years helping build one of the most mission-driven production teams in the country, working alongside employees with disabilities to hit numbers that would impress any logistics veteran. But as Rich puts it, the numbers were never really the point. This episode is a tribute to what happens when leadership, culture, and purpose collide in a warehouse. Rich shares how a job he thought was about moving boxes turned into one of the most personally transformative experiences of his life, and why he would not have it any other way. We explore: ▫️ How Rich went from a 40-year logistics career to learning that limitations are mostly perceived, not real ▫️ Why Mike's first interview question was not about numbers at all, and what it revealed about Clean Logic's culture ▫️ The on-the-floor lessons Rich learned by simply asking his team what they needed, including letting a blind employee find a blind teacher ▫️ How Clean Logic achieved over 1,000 safe work days in a fully operational warehouse with forklifts, pallets, and real production pressure ▫️ The proudest moments Rich carries with him into retirement, from promoting team members to seeing a young worker named Tyrese finally find his stride SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    32 мин.
  6. 18 мая

    Entrepreneurs: Don’t Slow Down This Summer Until You Hear This

    Summer can be a dangerous season for entrepreneurs if you treat it like downtime. In this episode of Driven By Purpose, Isaac Shapiro shares why summer can be one of the biggest opportunities of the year for founders, business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs. From using “summer Fridays” to get ahead, to planning for the second half of the year, to protecting family time without losing momentum, this episode is a masterclass in balancing ambition with intentional rest. Isaac and Evan dig into: ▫️ Why summer can be a strategic growth season for entrepreneurs ▫️ How successful founders use quieter months to prepare for big wins ▫️ The danger of hustle culture without recovery ▫️ Why recharging can make you a stronger leader ▫️ How to think about vacation, family, and business without guilt ▫️ Practical mindset shifts for entrepreneurs building for the long term One of the biggest takeaways: Rest is not the enemy of growth. Used correctly, it fuels it. If you’re building a business, launching something new, or trying to grow without burning out, this episode is for you. SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    27 мин.
  7. 11 мая

    $70K in Inspiration Foundation Tech Grants Changing Lives | Jeremy Grandstaff Interview

    What if technology could completely change how you experience the world? In this episode of Driven By Purpose, we sit down with Jeremy Grandstaff, Executive Director of the Inspiration Foundation, to explore the cutting edge of technology transforming the blind and visually impaired community. From early tools like the Apple IIe to today’s AI-powered Meta glasses, Jeremy breaks down how assistive technology is evolving faster than ever—and what that means for independence, employment, and everyday life. We also dive into the Inspiration Foundation Tech Grants, a growing initiative funding the next wave of innovation that’s helping level the playing field for people with disabilities. This episode isn’t just about tech. It’s about access, opportunity, and what’s possible when innovation meets purpose. In this episode, you’ll learn: ▫️ How assistive technology has evolved over the last 35 years ▫️ What Meta glasses and AI tools can actually do in real life ▫️ How blind individuals use tech to navigate the world independently ▫️ The biggest gaps still holding the disability community back ▫️ Why storytelling and visibility matter for employment ▫️ How tech grants are accelerating real-world impact ▫️ Where the future of accessibility is headed Key Moments: ▫️ 00:00 Why assistive tech matters more than ever ▫️ 02:00 Early technology for the blind community ▫️ 05:00 The shift from basic tools to AI-powered solutions ▫️ 07:00 How Meta glasses actually work ▫️ 09:00 Real-world navigation using AI ▫️ 12:00 The Inspiration Foundation Tech Grants ▫️ 16:00 Why accessibility is still misunderstood ▫️ 22:00 The limitations of AI and how to adapt ▫️ 28:00 Expanding support beyond visual impairment ▫️ 30:00 The future: scaling impact and funding innovation Why This Matters: Technology is rapidly closing the gap for people with disabilities—but access, awareness, and funding still lag behind. This episode shows what’s possible when innovation is paired with purpose—and why the next wave of accessibility could change everything. 🎧 Listen, subscribe, and share to help expand access and opportunity. SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    37 мин.
  8. 4 мая

    Built for Purpose: How Ed Lynch Turned Tragedy Into Jobs for People With Disabilities

    What happens when purpose meets action? In this powerful episode of Driven By Purpose, we sit down with Ed Lynch, founder of Mychal’s Learning Place, a growing organization dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities. What started as a deeply personal mission inspired by his daughter has grown into a multifaceted operation that includes after-school programs, job training, a commercial bakery, and a fully operational café employing individuals with disabilities. Ed shares the emotional story behind his “why,” the challenges he faced building something from scratch, and how he scaled a mission-driven organization into a sustainable, community-backed business. This conversation goes beyond inspiration. It’s about action, leadership, and building a future where inclusive employment is the norm. In this episode, you’ll learn: ▫️ The origin story behind Mychal’s Learning Place ▫️ How tragedy shaped Ed’s mission and vision ▫️ Why inclusive employment is still misunderstood ▫️ How a cookie program turned into a full bakery and café ▫️ The real impact of creating opportunities for people with disabilities ▫️ What it takes to scale a purpose-driven organization ▫️ How businesses and communities can get involved Learn more about Mychal’s Learning Place at www.mychals.org SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT… 📱 Follow @drivenbypurposepodcast on all platforms 🧼 Clean Logic — cleanlogic.com 🌟 Inspiration Foundation — inspirationfoundation.org 👤 Isaac Shapiro — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isaac-shapiro 👤 Mike Ghesser — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-ghesser-b837a552 👤 Evan Rosenblum — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evan-rosenblum-141601237 RESOURCES… ▫️ Learn about the Inspiration Seal — inspirationfoundation.org ▫️ Clean Logic accessible products — cleanlogic.com

    29 мин.
5
из 5
Оценок: 8

Об этом подкасте

At Driven by Purpose, we spotlight purpose-led businesses, breakthrough technologies, and human stories that challenge limits and redefine what's possible. From adaptive innovations to inspiring leaders, we explore how purpose fuels progress and unlocks potential. Our community includes families navigating disability, visionary founders, Fortune 500 changemakers, and emerging creators — all united by a shared belief: that everyone deserves access, opportunity, and dignity. But this isn’t just about raising awareness — it’s about taking action. Through powerful content, strategic partnerships, and accessible platforms, we’re building bridges between those who need solutions and those creating them. Whether you're a parent seeking support, an entrepreneur on a mission, or an individual searching for purpose, you belong here.