The Possibility Club
The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - HAPPY FOOD! In this episode, we’ll explore the evolving dynamics of the restaurant industry, particularly in the face of economic challenges and shifting consumer behaviours. We’ll discuss the importance of maintaining cultural authenticity in cuisine and how chefs can use their platforms to educate and inspire. Sustainability is a key theme, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and environmental compatibility, reflecting a broader movement towards more responsible and ethical food practices. And on a personal level, how does...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - RADICAL WATER! How can innovative partnerships transform global health initiatives? What role does transparency play in building trust and driving impact in charitable organisations? This episode delves into these questions through the lens of global organisation, charity: water. charity: water, has revolutionised how charities operate and engage with donors. The organisation operates on a 100% model, where all public donations go directly to funding clean water projects, while private donors cover operational costs. This model ensures...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - CUTTING EDGES! In this episode we dive into the textured world of style AND substance, where creativity meets a profound sense of purpose. How do our expressions of style reflect broader cultural, economic, and personal shifts? How does the aesthetic we choose broadcast our identities and our values to the world? This episode takes us on a journey through the life and legacy of a creative industries pioneer who’s been shaping the public personas of icons across the globe with nothing but a pair of scissors and a flair for...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - CONSCIOUS CO-WORKING! In this episode we explore the transformative world of co-working spaces and the burgeoning professional communities they foster. As the traditional office evolves and the allure of flexible work arrangements grows, the importance of spaces that inspire, include, and innovate becomes increasingly clear. Our guest is leading an initiative with established roots in Brighton and plans for nationwide expansion, where workspaces not only meet modern needs but also cultivate communities grounded in equity and...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - VOLATILE INNOVATION! What does it mean to be a global entrepreneur today? How do new technologies help entrepreneurs tackle big challenges? And what kind of bravery does it take to lead in such dynamic times? Join us as we explore these questions with a leader who’s redefining the boundaries of business and innovation. In this episode we're diving deep into how entrepreneurship not only shapes economies and sociey worldwide but also drives the bold leadership and bravery required to address some of our biggest global challenges....
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - FUTURE-PROOFING WORKPLACES! In this episode, we return to the nuanced interplay between machine learning and human ingenuity. Can machines complement our creativity, or will they eclipse the essence of human touch in professions once thought impermeable to automation? As we navigate the digital era's complexities, questions of equity, diversity, and the human experience within the technological landscape become increasingly pressing. How do we harness AI to foster inclusivity and bridge divides, rather than widen them? Amidst the...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - CREATIVE PARTICIPATION! In this episode of The Possibility Club podcast, we're exploring the spaces where creativity becomes a conduit for connection, and where theatres and arts venues become the heartbeats of the communities they serve. Our guest is the Head of Participation at Southwark Playhouse, orchestrating a symphony of projects that resonate with thousands yearly, from all ages and backgrounds. His work is about creating a mosaic of experiences that reflect south London's diversity, challenges, and aspirations. Through strategic...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - EMPOWERED ENTERPRISE! In this episode, we navigate the journey of a visionary whose leadership has not just built businesses but has transformed lives. An architect of opportunity, whose blueprint for change is reshaping the landscape of social mobility. From the foundations of financial literacy to the pillars of small business support, her mission is to elevate the underprivileged, to turn the tide of poverty through the power of enterprise. By advocating for a model that combines training, seed capital, and ongoing mentoring, she's...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - MUSICAL POLITICS! Can artists change the world? Should they? And should it be through their art, or through their activism? In this episode we're charting the course of a journeyman whose guitar has graced stages worldwide, and whose convictions have spotlighted the corridors of change. From the euphoric highs of indie rock stardom with his band Gomez, capturing hearts and the Mercury Prize in 1998, to the critical acclaim and UK Top 40 albums, his artistry has been undeniable. But it's his transition from artist...
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The Possibility Club podcast: Practical Bravery - CLEAR-SIGHTED SOCIAL ENTERPRISE! How is it possible to mastermind commercially earned revenue alongside philanthropy in a growing business? Nurturing a purpose-driven enterprise that is centred around social impact at scale in turbulent times...? Our guest this week has been at the forefront of transforming lives through visionary healthcare strategies, with over two decades of experience in international development. Now leading an organization that has transformed the vision of over 10 million people, she has unlocked...
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Ella Gudwin via LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-r-gudwin-20-20/
Ella Gudwin via Twitter / X
@ellarain
Ella’s ‘My Working Day’ for Business Leader magazine
https://www.businessleader.co.uk/my-working-day-ella-gudwin/
“Eyeglasses are a 700 year old technology that have failed to diffuse to the low income segment. They have been remarkably stuck as a luxury item, as a product for the learned and the elite.”
“VisionSpring was established in 2001 as a social enterprise, recognising that a problem this big is too big for charity to solve alone.”
Vision Spring
“While the word ‘customer’ could be a capitalist word, I think there’s a really important element to the power dynamic when we stop using the word ‘beneficiary’.”
“We have to show up in a community with a product or service that is worth people’s time and it has to be worth their limited discretionary income. We have to earn trust. We need to provide products that are stylish. We have to offer the dignity of choice. The power is in the hands of the customer. First. It’s a real psychological shift.”
“There is an organisational culture of determination. We will throw ourselves at the wall again and again, until we get over it. The other one is revealing hard truths — being clear when things aren’t working. Letting the data and the evidence drive our decision-making.”
Jordan Kassalow via LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-kassalow-26726bb/
Ella Gudwin’s page on VisionSpring
https://visionspring.org/about-us/the-team/ella-gudwin
In some communities 30% of people think glasses make your eyesight weaker. Others don’t want their girls to be in glasses, because it will make them less marriable and might increase their dowry. And there’s just a lot of people who feel like, it makes me old!”
"We can all have a little bit of vanity about, am I going to have to wear my glasses?”
“The issues and the connections between foreign policy and international aid are ancient. The extraction mindset is real. There’s a huge push in the international development space around decolonising international aid and making sure more funding is going into community based organisations, organisations with local leaders and local founders.”
”It’s important that we use our knowhow and our evidence to catalyse collaborative action.”
UN Friends of Vision
https://www.iapb.org/advocate/eye-health-and-sdgs/un-friends-of-vision/
WHO’s World report on vision
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516570
International Labour Organization
https://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm
Myopia via Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myopia
“The world needs 500,000 points of distribution for prescription glasses, and 400,000 more points of distribution for reading glasses, in order to have durable, lasting supply. So we have to awaken the demand, get the supply in place and then we will be able to solve the problem globally.”
A.I. and digital health in global eye health, The Lancet
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(23)00323-6/fulltext
“It’s a really exciting moment for us in the eyecare space, because the level of collaboration is at new heights.”
"I’m a firm believer than one plus one equals eleven.”
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This episode was recorded in July 2023
Interviewer: Richard Freeman for always possible
Editor: CJ Thorpe-Tracey for Lo Fi Arts
For more visit www.alwayspossible.co.uk