Purpose & Profit Podcast

What does it take to tell stories that truly move people and move them to action? In an era flooded with misinformation and short attention spans, how do brands and causes break through the noise with truth, authenticity, and impact? In this episode of Purpose & Profit Podcast, we explore those questions and more with a journalist who’s spent her life on the front lines of global storytelling.Dave Raley and Carly Berna welcome to the show award-winning journalist and host of Big [If True], Molly Thomas. Known for her fearless reporting on humanitarian crises and her drive to expose disinformation, Molly brings deep wisdom on what it means to tell authentic stories that resonate across cultures, causes, and contexts.From refugee camps to misinformation rabbit holes, Molly shares her experiences bringing attention to stories the world too often forgets. This conversation is a masterclass in how brands and causes can build trust, communicate with emotional intelligence, and inspire action without manipulation.Key Topics They Cover: 1. Purpose Over Trends: Why brands should align with causes that reflect their deepest convictions, not fleeting headlines.2. Building Trust in an Age of Misinformation: Practical ways for organizations to maintain credibility and clarity.3. Emotional Entry Points: How to help audiences connect personally to distant or difficult issues.4. Spotting the Fake: Lessons from Big [If True] on navigating scams, hoaxes, and disinformation, and how this shapes public trust in brands and causes.5. Discovering Your "Holy Discontent": How to identify the issue that keeps you up at night, and use it as a compass for impact.6. The Role of Sensory Storytelling: Using sounds, smells, and context to craft immersive, relatable stories.7. Empowering vs. Exploiting: How to avoid manipulative storytelling by highlighting agency and dignity.8. Why Being Present Matters: The value of slowing down, observing deeply, and leaving room for unexpected human stories.9. Repurposing Powerful Narratives: How to get long-term value from emotionally rich stories without overexposure.10. Music & Messaging: How background music shapes emotional response, and the ethical weight that carries.Purpose & Profit Podcast is brought to you by:⁠VIRTUOUS⁠⁠FAITHSEARCH PARTNERS⁠⁠IMAGO CONSULTING⁠⁠AVID AI⁠⁠DICKERSONBAKKER⁠⁠SHARE⁠⁠SYNERGY⁠Special thanks to editor and sound engineer Barry R. Hill and producer Abigail Morse.

After six seasons, four years, and 64 episodes, co-hosts Dave Raley and Carly Berna close this chapter of the Purpose & Profit Podcast. In this finale, they reflect on the journey, share personal highlights, and revisit the lessons that have shaped the show.Together, Dave and Carly highlight six key themes that surfaced across conversations with nonprofit and business leaders. From cultivating strong leadership and building a culture of learning to adapting models, embracing recurring support, and encouraging entrepreneurial spirit, this episode distills the insights that have defined Purpose & Profit. They also share favorite memories and what the podcast has meant to them.Thank you for listening, supporting, and sharing Purpose & Profit over the years.Discover more episodes of Purpose & Profit Podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.Purpose & Profit Podcast is brought to you by:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VIRTUOUS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FAITHSEARCH PARTNERS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IMAGO CONSULTING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AVID AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DICKERSONBAKKER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SHARE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SYNERGY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Special thanks to editor and sound engineer Barry R. Hill and producer Scott Holthaus.

What if solving trafficking and poverty required more than aid projects or skills training? What if the key was access to markets, to choices, to dignity?In this episode of the Purpose & Profit Podcast, hosts Dave Raley and Carly Berna sit down with Erik Olson, CEO of Dignity Made. With two decades in international development and social enterprise, Erik has built a redemptive business that transforms the coconut supply chain in the Philippines. By addressing exploitative debt practices and creating dignified jobs, Dignity Made is breaking cycles of poverty and providing choice to families long denied it.From nonprofit projects that hit a ceiling to building a sustainable enterprise, Erik shares lessons on economic solutions, ethical supply chains, and the ripple effects of dignified work. Key Topics They Cover:• Why economic problems demand economic solutions.• The role of choice and dignity in breaking exploitation cycles.• How asset-based community development guides sustainable enterprise building.• Balancing mission-driven storytelling with product credibility in the market.• The meaning of redemptive business and why it requires sacrifice.• The ripple effect of job creation on local economies and infrastructure.Discover more episodes of Purpose & Profit Podcast ⁠here⁠.Purpose & Profit Podcast is brought to you by:⁠⁠⁠⁠VIRTUOUS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FAITHSEARCH PARTNERS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IMAGO CONSULTING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AVID AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DICKERSONBAKKER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SHARE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SYNERGY⁠⁠⁠⁠Special thanks to editor and sound engineer Barry R. Hill and producer Scott Holthaus.

After six seasons, four years, and 64 episodes exploring the intersection of purpose and profit, co-hosts ⁠Dave Raley⁠ and ⁠Carly Berna⁠ share a big update: the Purpose & Profit Podcast is ending (for now!).This episode explains why the show is taking a step back, what to expect in the coming weeks, and what is next for the hosts.Stay tuned for:• An inspiring conversation with Eric Olson of Dignity Made.• A finale episode where Dave and Carly share favorite stories, biggest lessons, and insights from four years of podcasting.Thank you for listening, supporting, and sharing the Purpose & Profit Podcast.Purpose & Profit Podcast is brought to you by:VIRTUOUSFAITHSEARCH PARTNERSIMAGO CONSULTINGAVID AIDICKERSONBAKKERSHARESYNERGYSpecial thanks to editor and sound engineer Barry R. Hill and producer Scott Holthaus.

What if the key to nonprofit success isn’t just more funding, but better systems, leadership, and innovation?In this episode, hosts Dave Raley and Carly Berna sit down with Dan Bentley, Managing Director of Impacto Consulting and host of the Innovate for Impact podcast. Dan’s work helps nonprofits break free from “survival mode” and become high-performing, impact-driven organizations. Drawing from both his for-profit background and nearly a decade of consulting in the social sector, Dan shares practical strategies for building resilient, innovative, and empowered teams, especially in the face of limited resources.Together with Dave and Carly, Dan outlines the critical mindset shifts and organizational changes required to create meaningful, scalable impact.Key Topics They Cover:What “survival mode” looks like in nonprofit organizations,and how to break out of itWhy resource constraints actually fuel innovation in the nonprofit sectorThe four pillars of innovative organizations:Ambition FocusedCreative LeadershipClient CentricityEmpowered PeopleWhy “Empowered People” is often the weakest link, and what to do about itLessons nonprofits can teach the for-profit world about adaptability, systems, and solving real-world problemsThe power of systematized innovation and frontline empowerment, with examples from organizations like the Starlight Children’s FoundationDan’s personal journey – from corporate insurance to international travel to founding Impacto ConsultingPlus, don’t miss the lightning round, where Dan shares the most random item on his bucket list, his surprising past in Australian hip hop, and the one cause he’d donate a million dollars to.Purpose & Profit Podcast is brought to you by:⁠⁠VIRTUOUS⁠⁠⁠⁠FAITHSEARCH PARTNERS⁠⁠⁠⁠IMAGO CONSULTING⁠⁠⁠⁠AVID AI⁠⁠⁠⁠DICKERSONBAKKER⁠⁠⁠⁠SHARE⁠⁠⁠⁠SYNERGY⁠⁠Special thanks to editor and sound engineer Barry R. Hill and producer Abigail Morse.