Goodness500 idea lab + blog

Startup entrepreneur artist guy

Hi Blake, who are ya? My current startup is called MyDunkTank. It’s a creative fundraising website where people can raise money through things like dares, karaoke and costumes. We’re part of a mission-driven startup trend that I’m really excited about. I’m also passionate about building communities of amazing people. Back in Philly, I started Philly Startup Leaders and the Missioneurs community.
What place do you call home? I live in NYC but am a Philadelphian at heart.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? New Zealand for pleasure and China for business.
Your inspiration? I surround myself with stuff created by my heroes. Bob Dylan’s music, Seth Godin’s writing, Apple’s devices…stuff like that.
A constant challenge? Staying connected and disconnected at the same time. I’m most creative on the periphery.
A moment of triumph? Every time I ship something, which I try to do constantly. It seems to me like the best stuff comes from prolific people.
Soundtrack to your day? Lately it’s been Dylan and Mozart on Pandora.
Favorite fictional superhero? Batman. He’s human and mortal – and that’s awesome!
A good factoid? I played high-stakes poker professionally for two years. My winnings funding my first startup and paid my bills for a long time.
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? Artists who can hack.
A blog you read everyday? Seth Godin and Fred Wilson. That’s about it.
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? I would give it to an artist hacker and let them focus on their art for a couple of months.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? Do you next fundraiser on MyDunkTank! It’s pretty much guaranteed to be awesome and unforgettable.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? I think the Summit Series is incredible.
You can connect with Blake on Twitter, his blog, and of course, MyDunkTank.com.

Adventurist, blogger, and serial “big-thinker.”

Hi Becky, who are ya? I am the Co-founder and Executive Director of The Adventure Project. The Adventure Project is a new non-profit established to increase investments in positive social ventures around the world. Prior to The Adventure Project, I spent three years helping to launch the non-profit, charity: water, from couch to conference room. I’m a product of Columbia University’s Master’s in International Social Welfare program, with a concentration in Social Enterprise Administration.
What place do you call home? I just moved to Park Slope, Brooklyn.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Zanzibar. The island. Not the bar in Chelsea.
Your inspiration? There are a billion people living on less than a dollar per day. That in its self inspires me. There is so much potential to tap into.
A constant challenge? Launching non-profits can be tricky. You can’t utilize venture capital or provide equity, so finding adequate start-up capital is always a challenge.
A moment of triumph? Launching The Adventure Project. We managed to build a campaign and launch in only one month. We believed we had the perfect Christmas appeal, so everything was time-sensitive. We had to stay very focused and then “ship it.” We weren’t sure how the public would respond to the idea of social enterprise, but we are absolutely blown away by the outpouring of support. We are blessed with an outstanding network of highly-passionate and smart individuals.
Soundtrack to your day? Mumford and Sons
Favorite fictional superhero? Liz Lemon.
A good factoid? In college I was a swimmer and sorority girl. One might think those activities are mutually exclusive, but I became really good at clapping and cheering.
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? I’m inspired by smart people who think big. I love seeing people work passionately on testing new ideas and aren’t afraid to dive in – even if it means failing fast. Those are the people you always want on your team.
A blog you read everyday? My morning ritual consists of coffee and while reading The Harvard Business Review and Seth Godin’s blog.
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? I would invest in our next campaign. Leveraging the funds to inspire giving would enable us to amplify the impact on the ground exponentially. Each quarter, we are unveiling a new social venture with high potential for impact. It’s exciting to see our ideas and strategies grow as more people become engaged in our cause.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? Join our Tribe. The goal of The Adventure Project is to build a movement of passionate individuals who share the vision. So we came up with the idea to form a Tribe. The Tribe Members are champions of the cause, educating others and providing outlets for engagement.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? I believe we’ve only skimmed the surface of what’s possible with social enterprise. And I think there will be a number of leaders who will emerge in the coming years. I would watch out for The Blind Project, Acumen Fund, and I love what Invisible Children are doing with their MEND campaign in Uganda.
You can connect with Becky on Twitter, her blog, and of course, theadventureproject.org.

artist, side of wanderlust.

Hi Shay, who are ya? Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, I’m an artist and a freelance motion designer in New York City. I do most of my commercial creative work for Nickelodeon and MTV. I’m the founder of ALEGRIA: Hope through Art, a nonprofit collective of artists who teach creative workshops of their respective disciplines in orphanages in South America. ALEGRIA is a collaboration between the New York City and Lima creative communities. I love living in the city, and all of the splendid madness that can sometimes mean. I’m passionate about creating art with children in orphanages.
What place do you call home? New York City.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Barcelona.
Your inspiration? I am inspired by our kids; the strength and joy they have despite all they’ve been through. I’m inspired by my faith; it spurs me on when things seem insurmountable. I’m inspired by the city; by visionaries, by creatives, by dreamers.
A constant challenge? Balance.
A moment of triumph? My most recent moment of triumph has been planning a final exhibit in the orphanage of the children’s artwork at the end of our workshop series. The children in the orphanage haven’t ever exhibited their work, and collaborating with the orphanage community on this thrills me. I’m really looking forward to it.
Soundtrack to your day? This week it has been The Ambassador’s ‘A New Season’.
A good factoid? I used to be a magician. I had business cards at age 11.
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? I love to collaborate with those who are open to possibilities, flexible, and incredibly passionate. I love when there’s a synergy and an idea catches fire between minds. For ALEGRIA, that’s how a carpenter in Lima named Lucho ends up crafting 11 gigantic exhibit cases in a matter of weeks.
A blog you read everyday? I’m more of a TED talk type of girl.
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? Invest in art in the orphanage. Artistic expression improves children’s skill development and motivation, positively impacting their sense of self. This is incredibly important for children in orphanages. Young people who participate in art are more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. Beyond that, art gives the children a medium and platform to tell their story. $10K would go quite far in the orphanage community. We would use it for cameras to develop our photography program, for musical instruments, art supplies for visual art, and towards exhibits to tell their story and bring others alongside.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? Spread the word! www.wearealegria.org. Our first artist team leaves August 28th, so follow our blog! Once we return, we’ll have an exhibit of the children’s work in October in NYC. Stay tuned via our Facebook page.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? We love NYCSalt. Alicia Hansen is a commercial photographer in New York City, and she’s using her skills to invest in inner-city teens by teaching them photography. Very powerful.
Where do you see ALEGRIA going in the near future? As we grow, my dream for ALEGRIA is for us to continue to invest more heavily in La Sagrada Familia, the main orphanage we support in Lima. The talent in these kids is astounding, and it’s amazing to see them flourish creatively. There’s a huge need for children in Ecuador, which is very close to my heart as well, and I hope for us to begin partnering with orphanage communities there very soon. We plan to achieve our goals by strategically partnering with individuals, organizations, and corporations to come alongside the children to enrich their lives through art.
You can connect with Shay and ALEGRIA on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and by email.

Kyle Westaway... explorer. social entrepreneur. attorney.

Hi Kyle, who are ya? I am a New York-based social entrepreneur, attorney and blogger. I believe in the power of the market to affect social change. I serve as the Director of Operations and Business Development for Biographe – a sustainable style brand that employs, empowers and restores survivors of the commercial sex trade in Southeast Asia. I also founded Westaway Law – an innovative boutique law firm that serves activists, entrepreneurs and artists who have a dream to create something that will shape culture. I blog about the legal side of the social enterprise movement at www.socentlaw.com.
What place do you call home? DUMBO, Brooklyn
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Cerro Fitzroy in Patagonia
Your inspiration? Family. Friends. Faith. TED Talks.
A constant challenge? Maximizing each day.
A moment of triumph? Summiting Kilimanjaro.
Soundtrack to your day? U2
Favorite fictional superhero? Tyler Durdan
A good factoid? Kissing can aid in reducing tooth decay.
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? An individual with passion and follow through that is not afraid of failure.
A blog you read everyday? The 99 Percent, Triple Pundit, Harvard Business Working Knowledge, McKinsey What Matters -Social Entrepreneurship
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? Invest in seed capital for Biographe. Since our operations are so lean, $10,000 could have a substantial impact on the lives of survivors of the commercial sex trade.
What makes Biographe unique? Biographe redefines what you expect from a fashion brand, both in design process and business model. 1) Design: We are hosting an open source design competition to invite anybody (you, me, the professional designer and the fourth grader in Iowa) to submit a design for our premium graphic t-shirts line. The designers will log into our site www.beabiographer.com to read the story of a survivor and be invited to respond to that story artistically. Our panel of professional designers will pick six winning designs that will be unveiled at a gallery party in New York and be featured on the t-shirts. We are inviting you to tell her story through design… to be a biographer. 2) Business Model: Biographe has a unique business model: we design, the survivors produce, we market and sell to the US and reinvest the profits back into the survivors’ communities. So each purchase employs a survivor and invests in their future.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? Check out www.beabiographer.com, join our design competition and pass it on to your friends. You’ll also be able to buy product here in 2011, when Biographe launches.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? Check out HelloRewind – upcycle your old t-shirt into a laptop case and employ a survivor of the commercial sex trade in NYC. Look good while doing good.
You can connect with Kyle on:
//twitter: @kylewestaway @westawaylaw @socentlaw @theblindproject @beabiographer
//facebook: /kylewestaway /socentlaw /theblindproject
//linkedin: /kylewestaway

Be A Biographer – Take The Blind Project Challenge from The Blind Project on Vimeo.

Tammy Tibbetts... Rocking the World!

Tammy Tibbetts created the She’s the First campaign for girls’ education worldwide in 2009. She’s the First sponsors girls around the globe by encouraging young women to unlock the power of their social networks and creatively fundraise, giving underprivileged girls the means to break barriers and become the “first” to achieve their special goals. Visit shesthefirst.org to watch the PSA, read the blog, and choose a sponsorship program you and your friends can support! And that goes for guys too…they’re a co-ed movement!
Hi Tammy, what place do you call home? I live on the Upper West Side, New York City, with my best friend. But I’m secretly a Jersey Girl.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Nepal, India, West Timor, Malawi, Kenya…to visit the Kopila Valley Children’s Home, Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project, Roslin Orphanage, Goods 4 Good schools, and The Kibera School for Girls, respectively…all members of the She’s the First network. I can’t choose just one, and there are many more! I hope to visit them all in the course of my lifetime.
Your inspiration? My inspiration for living a life of style and substance comes from the legacies of Audrey Hepburn and Ruth Whitney, the legendary editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine. I wrote about Ms. Whitney’s impact on my life in The Huffington Post.
A constant challenge? I’m challenged to get eight hours of sleep a night. I get so wrapped into She’s the First emailing, blogging, social networking, and strategizing at night, that I stay up too late, and then I wake up too early, excited to start it again before my day job begins. But I caffeinate a lot during the day. (See, Crystal Light Wild Strawberry Energy drink, I told you I’d be your unpaid spokesperson!)
A moment of triumph? This is hard to say, because I don’t think real moments of triumph are always as flashy as reaching a mountain top or crossing a marathon finish line. For me, it could be getting a tweet back from an influential figure or brand who checked out She’s the First, or seeing an intern accomplish something fantastic, or figuring out some new feature on Microsoft Word. I have a very low threshold for triumph. The little things count.
Soundtrack to your day? “Free Me” by Joss Stone. And the CD I burned of GIRLS WHO ROCK performers: Shontelle, Kat DeLuna, Lenka, MoZella, Cara Salimando, Vita Chambers, and Kelli Pyle! Listen to it on the She’s the First blog.
Favorite fictional superhero? Hmm…I’m not a superhero type of girl. I grew up on the Disney princesses. But you know, the best Disney princess of all is the newest one, Tiana, the first black Disney princess who debuted in 2009’s The Princess and the Frog. Her mantra: Dreams come true with hard work. Not just if you believe.
A good factoid? I read this in Wendy Smith’s Give a Little Now (at amazon.com—so worth it!): Elizabeth Dunn, a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia, showed that giving money away makes us happier than accumulating personal wealth. Her work showed that study participants benefited from giving away as little as $5. So…collect $5 from 16 friends—those many live in your dormitory if you’re in college—and guess what? You’ve sent a girl to secondary school in Malawi via She’s the First (check out Goods 4 Good in our directory at shesthefirst.org). That’s just one example of a simple yet life-changing action.
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? I am collaborating with my two ideal people right now, Cynthia Hellen, the co-founder of GIRLS WHO ROCK, and Christen Brandt, the director of She’s the First. I wish everyone had people like them on their team. If they did, the world would accomplish a lot more! Cynthia is not only a scholar at Columbia University, but she’s also a She’s the First board member. She co-founded GIRLS WHO ROCK, and if it wasn’t for her constant cheerleading, explosive ideas, color-coded Google spreadsheets, impeccable meeting agenda packets, and flurry of emails, each and every day, I’d be a nervous wreck right now. Christen, believe it or not, is still a student at Syracuse University, graduating in 2011, and her talents in writing, reporting, and design far surpass her age. It’s rare to find someone you regard so highly as a friend, whom you can also work very aggressively with to accomplish something enormous on a tight deadline. When you find those people, make sure you always let them know how grateful you are!
A blog you read everyday? I read Big Fuel’s blog Content to Commerce, for cutting-edge social media trends, 23-year-old Maggie Doyne’s blog about life at the Kopila Valley Children’s Home that she founded in Nepal, and—obviously!—the She’s the First blog.
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? At this time, we would use $10,000 to sponsor 10 girls in The Kisa Project, an innovative sponsorship program run by AfricAid, which is a member of the She’s the First network. The Kisa Project provides school scholarships and computer/leadership training to bright young women in Tanzania, who otherwise would be among the 95% who do not graduate because they cannot afford secondary school tuition. We’re so proud that She’s the First will have its own group of Kisa Scholars as a result of your support through GIRLS WHO ROCK! You can meet our first student, Elizabeth Davis, here on the She’s the First blog. Her smile is priceless.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? Buy a ticket to GIRLS WHO ROCK, June 10th in New York City, on girlswhorockny.eventbrite.com. There’s an hour open bar and seven electrifying female musical acts, which is quite a deal for $20! VIP tickets at $50 include food. If you can’t be in New York City, watch the concert on livestream.com/girlswhorockny, and make an online donation of any amount on http://www.giveforward.org/girlswhorockny2010.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? Sure, we’re all about sharing the love! The UN Foundation is doing something really cool with the Girl Up campaign that it just launched. The UN shares the same goal as us—champion girls’ education worldwide—but it targets teens with a call to action to give $5, whereas we’re marketing toward women who are a bit older, 18-28, especially those in college, to organize fun, affordable fundraisers with friends. Your fundraiser can be like planning a party—except at the end of it, you’ll have collected the money to send a girl to school for a year and change her life entirely!
What are you the first to do? I write in my bio on shesthefirst.org that I’m the first in my family to move to New York City and to travel to Africa. But for fun, let’s say I’ll be the first who rocked the prom (I created the Ultimate Prom franchise for seventeen.com and launched DonateMyDress.org), and then rocked the world!
Can people connect with you and She’s the First: Yes, join the movement! Tweet @shesthefirst, ‘like’ facebook.com/shesthefirst (and suggest it to friends), and watch PSAs on youtube.com/shesthefirst. Tweet me @tammytibbetts!

(video via envisionGood)

Saul is the founder and executive director of Student Movement for Real Change, an international non-profit that supports youth-led global development in Kenya and South Africa. He also founded The Hopkins Donkey, a college newspaper, and served as the managing editor of the SAIS Review of International Affairs of Johns Hopkins University Press and as acting desk officer for Angola at the Department of State. He serves on the Next America Project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Advisory Board and the College Democrats of America Alumni Association national board. Saul received his BA with Honors from Johns Hopkins University and his MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Hi Saul, what place do you call home? Washington, DC but my heart is in Denver, CO.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Would love to visit DRC or Russia.
Your inspiration? The poorest in our global community who go to school and get an education against all the odds.
A constant challenge? Believing that I am effective in my work.
A moment of triumph? Visiting rural South Africa and hearing a speech from a principal who was shaking and tearing up because a group of students had helped his community by funding classrooms at his primary school.
Soundtrack to your day? Bach, DMB, Alicia Keys or Coltrane.
Superman or Batman? Superman
A good factoid? Parents are from South Africa but I was born in the US
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? Innovators who are able to follow through on commitments.
A blog you read everyday? Social Entrepreneurship at Change.org
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? I would build out my organization, Student Movement for Real Change’s, Fellowship program to ensure the successful implementation of a community center, bakery project and scholarship fund in rural South Africa.
Want to ask for an “internet favor” ? Join the Fellowship Funding Circle at www.studentmovementusa.org/fellow
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? Yes, lots of them. I love the work going on at Univ. of the Pacific’s Global Center for Social Entrepreneurship, and CHOSA and FUNDaFIELD in California.
What is the last book you read? The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier
You can connect with Saul and Student Movement for Real Change by email and onTwitter and Youtube.

Britt Bravo... blogger, podcaster, career coach, nonprofit consultant.

Hi Britt, who are ya? I’m a blogger, podcaster, career coach, and nonprofit social web consultant who teaches individuals and organizations how to realize their big vision and be a powerful force for good. I write for two blogs: Have Fun Do Good and BlogHer, and produce two podcasts: the Big Vision Podcast and the Arts and Healing Podcast. I also host Echoing Green’s Be Bold Podcast. My local paper, The East Bay Express, named me the Best Podcaster/Blogger Most Dedicated to Social Change in 2007. I live in Oakland, CA with my husband, Adriano Bravo, and our cat, Dora, who thinks she is a dog.
What place do you call home? The San Francisco Bay Area has been my home for 18 years. I grew up in Mystic, CT.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? British Columbia
Your inspiration? My parents. They have always put being of service to others first.
A constant challenge? Too many ideas, too little time.
A moment of triumph? Writing for The Huffington Post.
Soundtrack to your day? Pandora Radio. My Leo Kottke and Brad Mehldau channels are particularly good for getting things done.
Superman or Batman? Harriet the Spy
A good factoid? According to a 2008 BlogHer/Compass Partners study, “36.2 million women actively participate in the blogsophere every week (15.1 publishing, 21.1 reading and commenting).”
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? I’m always looking for good web designers and developers to help my clients incorporate social web tools into their sites.
A blog you read everyday? Green LA Girl
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? I actually just wrote a post about this, 13 Causes I’d Give to If Friday the 13th Was My Lucky Day.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”?Please check out the Big Vision Podcast where I interview people who I think have a big vision for a better world. You’ll find links to audio and transcripts in this blog post: Interviews with 38 Social Changemakers: 3rd Anniversary of the Big Vision Podcast
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? Women for Women International. I just started my second year as a sponsor to a woman in Sudan.
You can connect with Britt on brittbravo.com, Twitter or Facebook.

Meet Britt Bravo from David Collin on Vimeo.

Paula is…Inspired by Wilderness
Hi Paula, who are ya? African wildlife conservation is my passion. I have studied monkeys, forests, elephants and hippos and got my PhD from Princeton in 2002, I worked for the Kenya Wildlife Service which was my dream job and worked on wildlife trade policy. I then moved to Mombasa to run Lafarge Ecosystems, the quarry rehabilitation arm of Bamburi Cement. Two years ago I considered emigrating to South Africa but couldn’t do it, I returned to Nairobi and now manage an online conservation organziation WildlifeDirect, which is a blogging platform that gives a voice to wildlife conservationists on http://wildlifedirect.org. Nearly one hundred projects blog regularly on this site and raise awareness and funds. I also contribute to www.afrigadget.com about African innovations.
What place do you call home? Kenya, the wilderness, anywhere under the stars
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Wild places in India, China, Australia, the Arctic…damn, there are too many to do this year
Your inspiration? Wide open wild places, animals and people
A constant challenge? minimizing my carbon footprint (why is Nakumatt so generous with the plastic bags and so anti cotton ones?)
A moment of triumph? Remembering my cotton shopping bags and leaving Nakumatt without a single plastic bag. Harvesting and eating something I actually grew!
Soundtrack to your day? lions roaring, bushbabies screeching, and rain falling
Superman or Batman? Batman ..much sexier
A good factoid? Sex Mzuri, maisha mzuri sana [editor’s hint: this is in Swahili]
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? a rich generous one who is willing to finance my travels to save remote wild places
A blog you read everyday? http://lionguardians.wildlifedirect.org
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? Support Wildlifedirect help us spread the word raise awareness and funds to save wildlife in Africa, Asia and South America – become a virtual volunteer for us.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? Afrigadget is an inspiring blog about great innovations in Africa that usually get passed by
You can connect Paula and WildLifeDirect on Facebook and Twitter.

Peter Deitz is a… bridge-builder, online activist, micro-philanthropist

Social Actions from JD Lasica on Vimeo.

Priti Radhakrishnan, lover of all things untested.

Hi Priti, who are ya? Grew up in Boston and the Bay Area, and since then have lived in New York, LA, Sydney, Geneva, Delhi, Bangalore, Boston and am now back in New York. Have travelled to many other countries in that time mainly for work that my husband and I do with I-MAK (www.i-mak.org). The non-profit we founded helps increase access to medicines by making sure the patent system works. We have a list of countries we want to travel around (for fun), and our goal for 2009 is to make time for this! I spend my time outside of work doing dance, yoga, pilates, music, writing, knitting, experimenting with cooking, attempting to draw, reading a lot and watching heaps of films.
What place do you call home? New York and California.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Damascus.
Your inspiration? Folks who struggle with dignity.
A constant challenge? Closing loops.
A moment of triumph? When we hit our target of registering 25,000 new minority bone marrow donors last summer.
Soundtrack to your day? Right now it is http://www.hellabasic.com/side-hustle/.
Superman or Batman? Superman, but that’s because there is nothing cuter than watching a bunch of kids do the Soulja Boy dance.
A good factoid? The use of “barney” to mean “trouble” (barney-rubble-trouble) in Ocean’s 11 is not an example of Cockney rhyming slang, despite popular perception. The term “barney” is a common term in London to mean argument or fight.
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? Someone who can turn legalese into powerful stories.
Currently reading? Persepolis (the graphic novel), Robert Fisk’s book on Lebanon, a book on Fela, Pedro Paramo, & a vegetarian cookbook.
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? Challenge another unlawful patent on an HIV drug from a pharmaceutical company that is getting on my LAST nerves with their blatant gaming of the patent system. Your $10k could help save a developing country millions of dollars and more importantly, a lot of lives.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? We love donated frequent flyer miles, if you’ve got some to spare.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? ANDA in Puerto Rico run by Rafa – bringing environmental justice to Puerto Rico, its an incredible project.