A Better Way

Leah Barr, Foundation X
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Non-Profit

A Better Way is the Foundation X podcast created to spark values-aligned conversations with the people shaping the future of philanthropy, social impact, and purpose-driven work. Hosted by Leah Barr, social impact leader and Vice President at Foundation X, the podcast brings thoughtful dialogue to the forefront of how impact is created and what a better way for doing good can look like in practice. Each episode features nonprofit leaders, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, advisors, and innovators who are rethinking how giving, investing, and impact can be more intentional and effective. Through candid storytelling and practical insight, the Foundation X podcast explores how values can guide strategy, deepen relationships, and create lasting change. Rooted in Foundation X’s approach to strategic philanthropy, A Better Way blends thoughtful conversation with real-world application. Listeners will hear perspectives on purpose-driven wealth, nonprofit leadership, corporate social impact, endowments, donor-advised funds, and legacy-building across generations. Whether you are a nonprofit leader, advisor, philanthropist, or someone seeking a more meaningful approach to impact, A Better Way, the Foundation X podcast, offers ideas, stories, and insights to help you align purpose with action.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Building Futures Through Mentorship and Opportunity with Brandon & Ryan Schenck

    What starts as a single opportunity can create impact for a lifetime. In this episode of A Better Way, Leah Barr sits down with brothers Brandon and Ryan Schenck to explore how an early experience through the nonprofit organization For Us shaped not only their futures, but their understanding of mentorship, leadership, and the responsibility to create opportunity for others. What began as a summer job caddying at a local golf course became a pathway to the Evans Scholarship, higher education, professional careers, and ultimately a return to the very organization that helped launch their journeys. Together, Brandon and Ryan share how small investments in young people can create ripple effects far beyond what we initially imagine. Through the encouragement of family, mentors, and community members who believed in them, they gained access to opportunities that changed the trajectory of their lives. Today, they are committed to ensuring those same opportunities exist for the next generation. This conversation explores: How mentorship can create lasting impact across generationsThe power of opportunity to change the trajectory of a lifeWhy consistency, perseverance, and showing up matterThe role community plays in helping people reach their potentialWhat it means to receive an opportunity—and return it to othersHow impact often begins with a single person willing to invest their time, knowledge, or belief in someone else At its core, this episode is a story about the ripple effect of impact. It's a reminder that generosity isn't always financial, and that sometimes the most meaningful investments are the ones we make in people. Whether you're a parent, mentor, nonprofit leader, educator, or someone looking for ways to make a difference, this conversation offers a powerful perspective on how opportunity, when paired with support and intention, can shape lives for decades. About Our GuestsBrandon and Ryan Schenck are brothers and leaders of ForeUs, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing young people through mentorship, opportunity, and golf caddie training. Both are Evans Scholars whose lives were transformed through the program at an early age. Today, Brandon serves as Chairman of the Board and Ryan serves as Chief Operating Officer, helping create pathways for young people to access the same life-changing opportunities that shaped their own futures.

    46 min

  2. May 1

    Integrating Philanthropy into Financial Advice with Rob Nelson

    What if philanthropy wasn’t an add-on to financial advice, but a central part of financial planning and wealth management? In this episode of A Better Way, Leah Barr sits down with Rob Nelson, Founder and CEO of NorthRock Partners, to explore how philanthropy, charitable giving, and purpose can be fully integrated into comprehensive financial advice. Drawing from over 30 years of experience as a financial advisor, Rob shares how his perspective on charitable giving evolved through working with clients and witnessing the real impact of intentional philanthropy. What began as a response to client needs ultimately shaped a broader vision for financial planning, one that goes beyond investments and tax strategy to include purpose, legacy, and meaningful impact. The conversation also explores the creation of Foundation X and how simplifying the complexities of philanthropy and charitable giving can help individuals, families, and advisors create more intentional, measurable impact. Rob unpacks why many financial advisors hesitate to engage in philanthropic conversations, why that hesitation matters, and what it looks like to step into the role of a truly comprehensive advisor. This episode offers a perspective on the future of financial advice, where philanthropy, charitable giving, and values-based financial planning are no longer separate, but fully integrated. NorthRock Partners is an SEC-registered investment advisor. Guest views are their own and not those of NorthRock Partners.

    38 min

  3. Apr 2

    Turning a Heartfelt Calling into Community Impact with Sara Meslow

    Innovation thrives when it’s aligned with personal vocation. In this episode, Sara Meslow, founder and executive director of Camp Odayin, shares her journey of creating a space for children with heart disease to experience the transformational power of camp. What began with her own lived experience as a heart patient became something she couldn’t ignore, a deep sense that something needed to exist and that she was the one meant to build it. What followed wasn’t just the creation of a camp. It was the creation of a community shaped by connection, belonging, and a shared understanding of what it means to navigate life with heart disease. Sara’s story is a testament to what happens when purpose, experience, and action come together. It’s a reminder that meaningful innovation doesn’t always start with strategy, but with paying attention to what’s on your heart and having the courage to act on it.

    36 min

  4. Mar 5

    How Small Moments of Connection Create Lasting Impact with Caroline Correia

    In this engaging conversation, Leah Barr speaks with Caroline Correia, a seasoned professional in the event industry, about her journey into event design, the importance of generosity, and how to create meaningful experiences. They discuss the role of joy and creativity in events, the impact of small moments, and the significance of understanding the audience to foster connection and engagement. Caroline shares her insights on the evolving nature of events and the importance of empathy and curiosity in her work at BeEvents.

    28 min

  5. Jan 30

    Empowering Generosity: Joy and Purpose with Emily Vennerstrom

    Sometimes the most transformative moment in giving is realizing it changes not just the world, but the giver as well. In this first episode of A Better Way, the Foundation X podcast, Leah Barr is joined by Emily Vennerstrom, COO of NorthRock Partners and President of Foundation X, for an honest conversation about generosity, joy, and the deeply personal nature of social impact. Through stories rooted in service, community, and global experience, Emily reflects on how philanthropy can be intentional, imperfect, and profoundly human. She explores how values guide giving, why impact is never one-size-fits-all, and how structure can support creativity rather than limit it. This conversation invites listeners to rethink what doing good looks like, and how generosity, collaboration, and purpose can create meaningful connection for individuals, nonprofits, and communities. In this episode, you’ll explore: Why generosity and philanthropy are deeply personal journeysHow joy and empowerment can be reintroduced into givingThe role of community, collaboration, and nonprofit partnerships in social impactWhat it means to give with intention, even when resources feel limited This episode is for anyone seeking a more grounded, human approach to giving, impact, and purpose.

    36 min

  6. Jan 23

    About Our Podcast

    In this About Our Podcast episode of A Better Way, host Leah Barr shares why the podcast exists and the perspective that shaped it. She reflects on how values-aligned generosity can feel more intentional, human, and joyful, and why there isn’t one right way to do good, while also diving into the work and philosophy of Foundation X. This episode helps set the stage for what’s to come, inviting listeners into thoughtful reflection, curiosity, and the many ways impact can take shape.

    4 min

  7. Jan 23

    The Pilot

    The pilot episode of A Better Way, the Foundation X podcast, sets the tone for the conversations ahead. Host Leah Barr welcomes listeners into a space for thoughtful, honest dialogue about impact, purpose, and generosity. It’s a grounding introduction to the conversations and perspectives that challenge how we think about doing good and what impact can truly mean.

    2 min
  • 7 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

A Better Way is the Foundation X podcast created to spark values-aligned conversations with the people shaping the future of philanthropy, social impact, and purpose-driven work. Hosted by Leah Barr, social impact leader and Vice President at Foundation X, the podcast brings thoughtful dialogue to the forefront of how impact is created and what a better way for doing good can look like in practice. Each episode features nonprofit leaders, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, advisors, and innovators who are rethinking how giving, investing, and impact can be more intentional and effective. Through candid storytelling and practical insight, the Foundation X podcast explores how values can guide strategy, deepen relationships, and create lasting change. Rooted in Foundation X’s approach to strategic philanthropy, A Better Way blends thoughtful conversation with real-world application. Listeners will hear perspectives on purpose-driven wealth, nonprofit leadership, corporate social impact, endowments, donor-advised funds, and legacy-building across generations. Whether you are a nonprofit leader, advisor, philanthropist, or someone seeking a more meaningful approach to impact, A Better Way, the Foundation X podcast, offers ideas, stories, and insights to help you align purpose with action.

Information

  • Creator
    Leah Barr, Foundation X
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Leah Barr, Foundation X