007 Jackie Russell, of Teak Media, Discusses B-Corp Values-Based Business PR
Release Date: 05/26/2026
009 Justin Gordon of Amramp: Freedom, Dignity and Independence through Mobility
Sages of Industry
Justin Gordon is the CEO of Amramp Accessibility, a family-owned company founded by his father, Julian Gordon, in 1998. Amramp provides wheelchair ramps, stair lifts, vertical platform lifts, and other accessibility solutions, and public company materials say Justin joined the business in 2013, started as an installer, and later became the company’s second CEO. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Justin Gordon about building a business around accessibility, independence, and practical human impact. The conversation starts with Justin’s role at Amramp and quickly...
info_outline
008 The Ripple Effect: Tapping Into Personal Power + Flow Activation
Sages of Industry
In this short solo episode of The Ripple Effect, Lynne Brodie shifts from explanation into experience. The focus of the episode is personal power — not as a motivational phrase, but as something listeners can begin to access directly. Lynne opens by framing the episode as a continuation of the larger conversation around flow, performance, and internal capacity. She asks a deeper set of questions: Do you know your path? Do you know how to access your own power? Do you know how to stand fully in it and use it intentionally? From there, the episode moves into a brief guided...
info_outline
007 Jackie Russell, of Teak Media, Discusses B-Corp Values-Based Business PR
Sages of Industry
Jackie Russell is the founder and president of Teak Media + Communication, a firm she started in 1997 to help nonprofit organizations and socially responsible companies gain wider recognition, grow revenue, and advance their missions. Russell previously worked as a newspaper reporter, including at the Eagle-Tribune and Connecticut Post. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Jackie Russell about public relations as a force multiplier for organizations trying to do meaningful work in the world. The conversation begins with Jackie’s professional path from journalism...
info_outline
006 The Ripple Effect: Flow as a Force Multiplier
Sages of Industry
The podcast’s opening episode introduced The Ripple Effect as Lynne Brodie’s recurring solo series focused on imagination, innovation, and impact. Episode Summary In this short solo episode, Lynne Brodie introduces the first Ripple Effect segment and centers the conversation on flow — not as a vague ideal, but as a practical state that can expand performance, clarity, and creative output. A major theme of the episode is that many people have heard of flow, but think of it as accidental, elusive, or reserved for unusual moments. Lynne reframes it as something leaders,...
info_outline
005 Globe Aware: How 'Voluntourism" Provides Ethical, Responsible Impact
Sages of Industry
Kimberly Haley-Coleman the founder and executive director of Globe Aware, a US- and Canada-based nonprofit that organizes short-term international volunteer programs. Globe Aware works in more than 25 countries, serves individuals as well as family, school, church, and corporate groups, and is built around cultural awareness, sustainability, and working side-by-side with communities “as equals.” Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Kimberly Haley-Coleman about building a business and nonprofit model around meaningful short-term international service. The conversation...
info_outline
004 Fibre52 How Clean Cotton Saves Water and Energy
Sages of Industry
Graham Stewart is described as a long-time textile industry leader and the EVP/founder behind Fibre52, a process designed to improve how cotton-rich fabrics are prepared and dyed. Fibre52 as a drop-in solution for existing mill equipment that aims to reduce water, electricity, and steam/gas use while replacing harsher chemistry with bio-based inputs. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Graham Stewart about what it takes to change an industry that has been doing things essentially the same way for decades. The conversation centers on textile manufacturing, cotton...
info_outline
003 Zen Leadership Institute Founder and Past NASA Executive Explores How Energy is Everything
Sages of Industry
Dr. Ginny Whitelaw as a former NASA senior leader, founder of the Institute for Zen Leadership, and co-developer of the FEBI framework, which focuses on four mind-body energy patterns in leadership. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Dr. Ginny Whitelaw about leadership, human potential, and the deeper internal capacities that shape how people lead, create, and influence the world around them. The conversation begins with Ginny’s professional journey, including her time at NASA and the turning points that led her into leadership development work. From there, the...
info_outline
002 Sawyer Think: How a Small Company Disrupts Markets and Changes the World
Sages of Industry
Kurt Avery is the founder, owner, and president of Sawyer Products. His work focuess on outdoor protection, water filtration, first aid, and a long-standing commitment to expanding access to clean water around the world. He is also the author of Sawyer Think: How a Small Company Disrupts Markets and Changes the World. Episode Summary In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Kurt Avery about building a company that competes successfully in the marketplace while also solving real human problems at scale. The conversation centers on Sawyer Products, the path from a small product business...
info_outline
001 Introducing Sages of Industry: Sparking Business for World Good in You
Sages of Industry
In this opening episode, Lynne Brodie introduces Sages of Industry and explains the purpose behind the podcast. She positions the show as a platform for conversations with leaders who build companies, products, and services that do three things at once: serve clients, engage employees, and solve real-world problems. Lynne also shares the professional perspective that led her to create the show. Drawing on decades in corporate America, she reflects on what she has observed inside large organizations: strong ideas often exist, but meaningful follow-through, innovation, and broader impact do...
info_outlineJackie Russell is the founder and president of Teak Media + Communication, a firm she started in 1997 to help nonprofit organizations and socially responsible companies gain wider recognition, grow revenue, and advance their missions. Russell previously worked as a newspaper reporter, including at the Eagle-Tribune and Connecticut Post.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Lynne Brodie speaks with Jackie Russell about public relations as a force multiplier for organizations trying to do meaningful work in the world. The conversation begins with Jackie’s professional path from journalism into public relations and the founding of Teak Media. From there, the episode moves into the deeper purpose behind her work: helping nonprofits and responsible companies get the visibility, credibility, and recognition they need in order to grow and make a larger impact.
A major thread in the episode is that good work alone is not enough. Jackie makes the case that organizations solving real problems still need strategic communication if they want to be seen, trusted, funded, and supported. The discussion frames PR not as image management, but as a serious business and growth function for mission-driven organizations.
The episode also explores values-based business. Jackie talks about the importance of working with organizations whose ethics align with her own, and the conversation connects that to the larger B Corp and conscious business movement. A related theme is authenticity: if a business or organization is going to speak publicly about its values, it needs to mean it, stand by it, and communicate it clearly.
Another strong part of the conversation is Jackie’s origin story. She reflects on early experiences that shaped Teak’s direction, including working with nonprofit causes and learning from Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s. Those experiences appear to have reinforced two long-term ideas that carry through the episode: stay close to your values, and do not wait until you feel perfectly prepared before building something meaningful.
Key Takeaways
- Jackie Russell founded Teak Media + Communication in 1997 after beginning her career in journalism.
- Teak is built around serving nonprofits and socially responsible companies, helping them gain recognition and increase revenue through strategic communications.
- A core message of the episode is that public relations matters because mission-driven organizations still have to compete for attention in a noisy environment.
- Jackie treats business as a force for good, and the conversation connects PR to wider social, environmental, health, and education issues.
- Values matter in both client selection and public messaging. The episode emphasizes authenticity over opportunistic branding.
- The discussion also points to the risks of vague or performative messaging, including greenwashing and taking public positions a company is not prepared to stand behind.
- Jackie’s early mentorship from Jerry Greenfield appears as an important influence on how she thinks about values, courage, and building a purpose-driven company.
Discussed Topics
- Jackie Russell’s background in journalism
- Founding Teak Media + Communication
- Why Jackie chose to focus on nonprofits and responsible businesses
- Early client work and how Teak got started
- Learning from Jerry Greenfield and early mentorship
- PR as a strategic growth tool, not just promotion
- Why mission-driven organizations still need visibility and recognition
- Business as a force for good
- The B Corp movement and responsible business
- Authenticity in messaging and brand values
- Greenwashing and the risk of empty positioning
- Helping causes stand out in a crowded media environment
- Supporting work in education, healthcare, poverty, environment, and community impact
- What leaders need to understand about communications and influence
Timeline
00:00 Welcome and introduction to Jackie Russell
00:45 Jackie’s background and the founding of Teak Media
01:45 From newspaper reporting to public relations
03:00 Early client work and how the business began
04:10 Working with nonprofits and discovering her real calling
05:15 Jerry Greenfield’s influence and lessons on values
06:30 Building a purpose-driven business before that language was common
07:35 The B Corp movement and business as a force for good
08:45 Why PR matters for nonprofits and responsible companies
10:00 Recognition, credibility, and revenue for mission-driven organizations
11:20 Why good work alone is not enough to get noticed
12:30 Helping organizations working in education, healthcare, poverty, and environmental impact
13:45 Authenticity, values, and public messaging
15:00 The danger of greenwashing and performative positioning
16:10 Standing by your values even when there is resistance
17:10 What makes this work meaningful for Jackie
18:00 Closing reflections and episode wrap-up
Social Media
Website: www.teakmedia.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/teakmedia
Twitter/X: http://twitter.com/teakmedia
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TeakMedia
Company LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/teak-media-communications/