Capitalism for Good

Lindsey McCoy is the founder and CEO of Plaine Products, a company selling refillable hair and body products, is an example of a leader that took an idea, found a partner (her sister), and made it happen. This circular product business model seems like it’s from the future of sustainable products. It’s simple: buy a hair and/or body product from Plaine Products either online or in store, order another when you’re ready for a refill, rinse out the empty one and put it in the same box the new one came in, and then ship it back to be cleaned and reused again. Her realistic approach to building a business on her own terms while determined to make a positive impact on the global community. A lot of people would advise a company to wait until they hit a revenue goal before incorporating a donation component. Plain Products did that from the get go. A lot of people would advise to opt for a cheaper product. Plaine Products refused to skimp on quality. A lot of people would advise to seek out investors to increase capital. Again, Plaine Products did not. And it’s paying off. She walks us through the process of finding product and packaging manufacturers that were a good fit for the company, what it’s like to partner with your sister (a real yin & yang combo), business structure and management philosophies, the impact of building in donation components to the financial structure, embracing imperfections (a lesson I sorely need to learn), and more. There’s so much to learn and inspiration to gain from this interview with Lindsey and I can’t thank her enough for taking the time to talk with me. Shout outs to: 1% for the planetBiteEverestBluelandDipMentions | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & Transcripts The Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We talk to business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive difference in their communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future’s “now.”There’s also a Between the Interviews sub-series and other perks available on the Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Andrea’s Substack at capitalismforgood.substack.com/subscribe

Marissa Gencarelli, Co-Founder of Yoli Tortilleria, is making and selling tortillas as an ode to her roots in Mexico. This conversation starts with her talking about speaking to a group at Kemper Museum about how consumers have a choice to be a buy from companies that align with your values. While others may say things like “keep politics out of my food,” it’s her view (and mine) that we can’t separate those two. The good news is that it’s clear that Yoli’s values of community, family, and the idea that “corn is life” drive their growth and sticking to those values has served them so well. She tells the story about how she started with cooking in her home to get her mind off the stress of life and the magic grew from there. She and her partner (both in business and in life), Mark, juggled newborn children, full time jobs, and all the hectic aspects of life as Yoli rocketed into the Kansas City market. It’s all the lessons from her journey that helped shape what Yoli is now. Marissa comes from a long line of strong females and her ability to take those lessons and strengths from her family tree to educate the community how diverse and high quality Mexican food can be by making food fun. Let me tell you from my experience, she’s doing a great job of making food fun.Her background in the corporate world helped to set the strategy and details that prepare them for all the complications and details of the opportunities for expansion that popped up, especially early on. A thoughtful structure that involves cross-training, flexible hours, and teamwork both supports the employees that keep Yoli running on a daily basis and helps those employees grow in their own careers and personal lives. Her honest view of how to run a business while being smart and intentional about giving back to the community was insightful. So many business leaders have a tough time saying no when donation requests come in, especially for those within their nonprofit neighbors. She makes a great point about considering the aligning of values and return on investments by specifically choosing to partner with nonprofits and community partners that are directly associated with the values and purpose of Yoli. They focus their partnerships on women (specifically building the confidence of young women), local farmers, and entrepreneurs to allow for a higher return on investment into the community. Shoutouts: Kemper MuseumGirls on the RunGirl ScoutsZero FoodprintAngie Long, Co-Owner of KC CurrentCorrection: I mention that Marissa is the 3rd woman to be interviewed, but she, in fact is #4! (Shannon, Veronica, Emma, and now: Marissa). Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & Transcripts The Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We talk to business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive difference in their communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future’s “now.”There’s also a Between the Interviews sub-series and other perks available on the Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Andrea’s Substack at capitalismforgood.substack.com/subscribe

You’re going to buy shoes anyway, so why not buy from a brand that is actively working to clean up our planet? Indosole is a recycled footwear brand based in Bali, Indonesia with a global initiative and its founder, Kyle Parsons, talks about the impact of sustainable manufacturing and what it’s like to evolve from idea to implementation while continuously improving. Originally from the United States, he was naturally drawn to everything Bali has to offer. During one early visit, he broke a flip flop and the replacement launched the idea for what is now Indosole. While the idea of repurposing old tires for the soles of shoes might have been more common in the area, what sets Indosole apart is the higher quality that has developed over many iterations. Shout out to: Sungai Watch Patagonia (back in the shout outs again!)Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & TranscriptsThe Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We talk to business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive difference in their communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future’s “now.”There’s also a Between the Interviews sub-series and other perks available on the Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Andrea’s Substack at capitalismforgood.substack.com/subscribe

Let’s hear it for a true blue hometown business like Made in KC. Made in KC is a local retailer exclusively selling goods that are made in Kansas City (just like its name!). Keith Bradley, Co-Owner of the store, talks about his experience starting and growing a business of selling goods exclusively made by those in Kansas City (see: the name of their store). Does it come with its own challenges? Yes. Does this locally owned business still remain connected to the global economy? Yes. Is it also thriving by lifting up the people that live right in its own neighborhood? Absolutely yes. Shout out: restaurant workers! Keith talks about how looks to those in the restaurant industry as folks that are working tirelessly to build strong stable businesses to feed our neighborhoods in a challenging environment. Under the same family businesses, they also own Front Range Cafe, Outta the Blue, Sandlot Goods, and Rainy Day Books.Bonus shout out: New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce (because, can we really post a podcast and not mention the Kelce’s or the Swift’s?) and to Porky’s in Grain Valley, MO. Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & TranscriptsThe Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We talk to business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive difference in their communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future’s “now.”There’s also a Between the Interviews sub-series and other perks available on the Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Andrea’s Substack at capitalismforgood.substack.com/subscribe

Emma Grose, CEO & Co-founder of MABLE and HAY! Straws with both brands focused on designing and manufacturing sustainable products like toothbrushes (both manual and electric toothbrush heads), straws, cutlery, floss, cotton swabs, and stir sticks. What’s even better, both brands have built in community give-back programs so you can feel even better about purchasing these products. We talk about her experiences getting started and the lack of female representation in the venture capital world, the importance of sustainability and community give-back programs, how she found the confidence to be the strong leader she is now, and the difficulties of running sustainably-manufactured brands in today’s volatile world (especially in the United States). Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & TranscriptsThe Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We talk to business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive difference in their communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future’s “now.”There’s also a Between the Interviews sub-series and other perks available on the Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Get full access to Andrea’s Substack at capitalismforgood.substack.com/subscribe