Erin Austin (00:07):

Hello ladies. Welcome to the Hourly to Exit podcast. I'm your host, Erin Austin. My goal with every episode is to share information and resources to help you achieve the next level of growth in your expertise based business. We all know generating income from our expertise. It's pretty easy. The challenge is in scaling and building a business that can run without you. Join me here every week to make sure you are building an asset that can be used to fund your goals and your legacy. Before we get started though, one little disclaimer cuz I'm a lawyer. The information I share on the podcast is general in nature and is provided for information purposes only. It is not to be relied upon nor Itst trued as providing legal advice or legal opinions about any specific issue or set of facts. Now, here we go.

Erin Austin (01:06):

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. 2022 has been quite a ride for me at the beginning of the year. I never would've thought I would've started a podcast, but I'm so glad I did and I'm so glad for you joining me on this journey. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to be a part of your businesses. So, of course I must thank my generous guests. They've been generous with their time and their wisdom. You know that this is a metapod and that I am on that hourly to exit journey right along with you. So thank you. Uh, as you know, I started think Beyond IP to help get more wealth in the hands of women. I was influenced by the 2016 election and everything since then has confirmed the urgency to have a more equitable economy. And we know that wealth has an outsized influence in politics and in policy.

(02:10)
And that is not always to the benefit of women and to families and to our communities. So I believe that wealth in the hands of women can change the world. I've said this before, I'll say again the stats regarding women and the good things that they do with wealth. Women surpass men in characteristics such as honesty and in integrity, resilience, bold leadership, building relationships, and advocating for change. Women business owners focus on establishing trust and confidence in their organizational cultures. Women give twice as much as their wealth to charitable causes than men. Women are almost twice as likely as men to say the act of donating is the most satisfying aspect of having wealth. Women's financial decision making is influenced by their sense of responsibility for the wellbeing of immediate and extended family, the community and society at large. 65% of women compared to 42% of them think it's important to consider the positive or negative social, political and environmental impact of the companies they invest in. And women are nearly twice as likely as men to say that they've discussed the importance of philanthropy with their children. So I invited each of my guests at the end of our conversations to give a shout out to organizations whose work they admire in the area of economic justice. So for this special Thanksgiving episode, we rounded up all of their responses so you can have a concentrated listen to them.

(03:57)
You know, like one of my missions is to help build an economy that works for everyone. And one of the ways that I do it is by working with, uh, women to help, uh, get more wealth in the hands of women. Cuz I think they do wonderful things with their wealth. And so there's more than one way to contribute to building an economy that works for everyone. One can be working directly in the, uh, non-profits space, but also it can also be supporting entities that do. So. I am wondering if there are any organizations that have inspired you and that, uh, help support some of the causes that you like in the, you've see in the world.

Jaclyn Mellone (04:35):

Yes. I, so what first comes to mind for me is the Loveland Foundation or the Loveland Therapy Fund. So I am a big proponent, I am new to therapy in the last few years. And I grew up in a culture where therapy was like, oh, like you need therapy. <laugh>, I guess <laugh>. It was very much like a ooh, you know, or like she's going to therapy like <laugh>, like, like whispered in corners. I wasn't brought up with it. I had never been to therapy before and I started going in the beginning of the pandemic. I was really struggling, uh, with a bunch of different things and it made such a profound impact on my life and was really powerful. And what I realized though is how many people don't have access to therapy. And so one, my viewpoint on therapy has changed significantly of like, oh wow.

(05:27)
Like no mental health is health. And and I've known that for a while, but I hadn't specifically had the personal experience of working with therapists mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so it's something I feel really passionately about that in order to be our best selves, we need to be able to, to feel our best. And sometimes that does mean therapy, even if you haven't had traumatic events and realizing how limited access can be, especially to certain groups. And so what I love about, uh, the Loveland Therapy Fund is that they're able to fund therapy access for people who would normally not be able to afford it. And a big focus of theirs is on black women and girls. And they really just want to get the support to communities that normally wouldn't be able to, to access it. And I love what they're doing there. I think if we can't feel our best or work through certain situations just because certain things have happened to us right? Or certain regrets or just experiences that we had no control over, right? How can we get through that without the support in order to do the next things right? All the resources and tools can't help through that. So I love that they have the focus on therapy and, and I think that's such a key piece and, and helping those women in need

Erin Austin (06:38):

Think beyond IP has a mission to help the economy work for more people. And one of the ways that I do that is through working with women. Cuz I think that putting wealth in the hands of women can change the world. And so I would love to hear if there is an organization or a person who's inspired you by helping, uh, economic justice and helping women and children.

Kate Vriner (07:01):

So we actually, last year I helped co-found a nonprofit called Everybody Plays. And so our mission is to bridge the inequity and sports for kids. So we help with registration fees, we'll pay for equipment, we'll pay for summer camps because sports had such a profound influence on my life and impact on my life that just making sure that any kid that wants that opportunity can have it. And they're not hindered by the fact that it is really expensive to play sports right now. And most of our local areas, so this is in Dayton, Ohio, most of the local sports, like school sports programs are pay to play. And what we do is we go 300% above the poverty guideline. And the reason for that is there are programs out there to help the people that are below the poverty guideline, but there aren't as many organizations that say, oh, you're a family of four and you're making $78,000 a year. Like, that's not, if you look at costs for daycare, cost of food right now, ga like all of a sudden like that might cover the basics and maybe a family vacation or two, but it doesn't allow you to have a lot of the extras. So we again, want to be able to help as broad a group of people as we can.

Erin Austin (08:38):

That is fantastic. I love that. And so I will put that in the show notes so everyone can find out more about everybody plays as we kind of discussed, you know, part of my mission is to help create an economy that works for everyone. And so I would love it if you would share with my audience a person or an organization that has inspired you that it works with equity or economic justice. Oh wow.

Rochelle Moulton (09:04):

Well, I don't know if it's economic justice, but Feeding America was one of my first charities and I met with, uh, when I was living in LA I met with the people on the ground in LA and I was, I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it. I was blown away by the work that they did to make sure that food gets into the mouths of the hungry, especially children. So that, that's probably the one that I've followed and contributed to for the longest. Yeah,

Erin Austin (09:35):

I mean, we look at, you know, Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Like, I mean, there's no kind of next step if you're still working on feeding your children. And that falls on, you know, mothers a lot of times and they have to make decisions that mean that they can't perhaps pursue that degree that they want to do or, or to have the choices that they would have and work that inspires them. So that is tremendously important and thank you for contributing to them as well as sharing them with, with the audience. So as you know, here at Hourly to Exit, we support building an economy and a society that works for everyone. And so I'm wondering if there is a person or organization that has inspired you that you'd like to share with the audience.

Alastair McDermott (10:21):

I'm, I'm inspired by people who work for civil liberties type organizations. And I have in the past donated to A C L U and um, there's another organization called eff, electronic Foundation, freedom Foundation. Is

Erin Austin (10:36):

It Frontier? Maybe?

Alastair McDermott (10:37):

Yeah. Yeah, this might be right there. Yeah. In part because I think that the United States, I'm not in the States, I'm I'm in Ireland, but I think that the US is like the, the, you know, if you guys go down, we all go down. So, so it's really important. Well,

Erin Austin (10:51):

I'm sorry. I'm very, very sorry.

Alastair McDermott (10:53):

Yeah, so I think it's really important that, that you guys have, you know, strong, uh, civil liberties and, and you know, um, privacy and things like that. So, so yeah. So those would be organizations and people who I would look up to. Uh, I think that's very important. So, um, I, I grew up reading a lot of, you know, George Orwell and Aldo Hosley and things like that. So, uh, yeah, a lot of, of, a lot of dystopian sci-fi was is in my youth. So yeah. I would be concerned about those kind of things.

Erin Austin (11:23):

Yes. And, and so some of those you can read now and go, huh, someone has some amazings there. And so as you know, one of our, um, missions here is to help create an economy that works for everyone. And so I'd love to hear if there's a person or organization that you admire the work that they're doing in helping, uh, achieve that.

Carol Cox (11:50):

Yes, Erin, I love gender Avenger. Their website is gender avenger.com and they have a Twitter account, gender avenger. And what they do is that when conferences announce their speaker and panel lineups, they go through and they look and they grade them with a pie chart on how many men versus women and how many women of color and people of color versus not. And then they'll give their award them like different kind of like levels based on how balanced their speaker and panel light up are. And then what's great about is that they'll call out the conferences and say, Hey, you, you have all male panels on these topics need to, you know, some diversity. But then other people on Twitter who notice conference light ups will tag gender avenger and point it out to them so that they can then start to, to kind of put a little bit of a spotlight on these conferences to let them know that hey, it's 2022,

Erin Austin (12:43):

This

Carol Cox (12:44):

Should not be going on.

Erin Austin (12:46):

I love it. That is fantastic. Gender Avenger. Yes, we will absolutely have that in the show notes here. We like to support organizations that, um, create a more equitable society. And I am wondering if there is a person or organization that has inspired you that you'd like to share with the audience?

Katie Burkhart (13:05):

So the organization that I'm currently supporting is the Lyric Stage company of Boston. Uh, I actually sit on the board. I've had the pleasure of working with them when I was in college. Uh, I got to work with them professionally, um, and then come back to be a board member. So obviously I really like what they're doing and what I love about what they do is they're a theater company that's focused on telling stories, um, that are really centered on the person, really centered on the character and who they are as the human being. Um, and I think they do a wonderful job of hitting all sorts of different types of people and really getting me as, as an audience member, engaged around what their story is, what their experiences, um, and get me to think about it, which I love.

Erin Austin (13:43):

The reason I started Hourly to exit is to help, uh, create a more economically just society mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so we love to talk about organizations and people who are doing work that support more economic equality. So I'm wondering if you have an organization that you'd love to share with the audience.

Manja Horner (14:02):

Okay. Well, um, an organization that I like to support locally here is Cornerstone Family Violence Protection. I feel like I should have looked up the exact name. I always just call it Cornerstone. Yeah. Um, but it's a wonderful place for women and families who are escaping violent situations to be able to get the support they need. So I've often donated there, my husband's in law enforcement, so you know, I get to hear a lot about the victim side of things and a very close friend runs our local police victims services. And so yeah, I, I do like to support these local initiatives cuz they're very close to home and I do love and I think it's important because often we have turmoil right. In our own town and we forget about that, that there's very needy people right. In our own backyard.

Erin Austin (14:53):

Yeah. So

Manja Horner (14:54):

That's one I love to <laugh> to

Erin Austin (14:56):

Support. Yeah. And that's a great point about, uh, you know, even when we live in fairly affluent communities, there's always kind of that dark side that we don't see. You know, I live in a county that's one of Oh yeah. One of the most affluent counties in, you know, the country kind of thing. But we have zero affordable housing here. Like, there's always something, there's always a need. So

Manja Horner (15:17):

Always a need. Yeah. And I, and I hear it daily <laugh> through my husband's work and uh, you know, my sort of sensitive heart goes off into, you know, the Yeah. The people affected by the regular violence that happens even in nice neighborhoods that you don't know goes on. So,

Erin Austin (15:38):

Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you for sharing that. Mm-hmm.

Manja Horner (15:40):

<affirmative>,

Erin Austin (15:42):

We, uh, believe in creating a more equitable economy here. And in particular we believe that wealth in the hands of women can change the world. And so I am wondering if there is a person or organization that you admire who is helping us build a more equitable world.

Natalie Gingrich (15:59):

Yes. So I have been involved with lots and lots of nonprofits, both from volunteer capacity as well as financially supporting them. But here locally in our area, we choose to partner most frequently with an organization called Kinetic Kids. And that is not necessarily financially giving to the next generation, but they, we partner with, um, kids of all abilities. So mostly kids with disabilities and we help to give them an opportunity in the space of sports and recreation. So I almost get choked up every single time I talk about them. It's such a dear. It's, it's just an awesome com you know, community that is, that is available everywhere, right? I mean there are kids that have these challenges and who never get the opportunities that our kids have had to grow up in sport and recreation and it's, you know, mostly for the kids. But secondarily, those, those parents who actually find a community of people as well. So that's our nonprofit of choice and where we spend a lot of time as a family.

Erin Austin (16:56):

That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. That will absolutely be in the show notes. As you know, add, think Beyond ip. We believe in creating an economy that works for more of us. And I personally believe that wealth in the hands of women can change the world. So I'm wondering if there is a personal organization who is doing work that you admire to help build a more equitable society?

Leah Neaderthal (17:19):

You know, I love this question. I, a few years ago I started reading the story about national, it's like black moms bailout or national women's bailout. It's a very simple concept that, I mean that coming from a lot of complicated factors, right? And systemic factors, but a lot of people are incarcerated for the sheer reason that they can't afford bail. Which to me seems like such an incredible injustice, right? And sort of criminalizing poverty mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so this organization pays bail, right? Simple enough. And so it's always one that I keep coming back to because the promise is so clear, the impact is so direct and it makes such a change, right? Like an immediate change in the lives of so many families.

Erin Austin (18:08):

I love that. As you may know, hourly to exit. We are committed to helping build an economy that works for everyone. And so we love to talk about people's favorite charitable organizations that further the mission. And so I'm wondering if there is one that you would like to share?

Shannon Paris (18:27):

Yeah, absolutely. I am on the board of an organization called Revolution Lancaster. We are social enterprise, working with women who are experiencing transition and homelessness. And we are working together on learning jewelry making skills and they craft jewelry and then we sell that jewelry, um, wholesale and retail. We have an e-com site. And so it's really an opportunity to make supplemental income.

Erin Austin (18:55):

Fantastic.

Shannon Paris (18:56):

The reason I also love it, because a big part of the mission is community. It's also about not feeling isolated. Getting together with other women who are experiencing similar things is you and learning. It's a workshop that happens every week and the women come together and so they get to know each other and can swap stories, et cetera. So that's what I'm passionate about. Yeah.

Erin Austin (19:22):

As we share that having more wealth in the hands of women is good for society. And so I am wondering if there is an organization or person who is, uh, furthering that mission to help create a more equitable society for everyone that you'd like to share with the audience.

Jessica Fearnley (19:40):

Oh, sure. So there is a charity that is based in Sheffield in the uk, um, which is the city that I live in. It's not my hometown, it's my adopted home. Um, but it's called Baby Basics. And I, I love it because, um, what they do is they, they collect in kind of secondhand stuff, but they also buy some equipment new, but they provide things like Moses Baskets, um, baby clothes, nappies, um, for all kind of stages of child development for underprivileged families. And they've been very involved in sort of, we, we had a lot of, um, Afghan immigrants arriving in the UK because of like the, the terrible situation in Afghanistan. Um, they were very involved in preparing, um, packs for people with things like car seats, um, clothes, winter clothes, coats, you know, the very practical thing that if you're coming from a desert country and moving to the uk you absolutely need.

(20:33)
Um, but they've also been doing a similar, um, campaign for people arriving, um, in the uk, um, from the Ukraine. So, um, they're a charity that I love to support. I've, I've given them a ton of like my baby stuff, which is still in like really lovely condition and you just think, I love that this is going somewhere where it can be used cuz it's got so much more life in it. They take um, financial donations and they also often have an Amazon wishlist or two where you can literally just go and buy um, like 10 high shares or something like that, wherever it's needed. Um, so yeah, baby basics are my charity of

Erin Austin (21:07):

Choice. Fantastic. We will have that in the show notes. One of the reasons that I started um, think Beyond IP and working with female founders is cuz I wanna work to build a more equitable economy. And so is there a organization or person who you admire who is helping, you know, kind of bring more equity to our society?

Patty Block (21:31):

Yes. Um, I have been a long time donor to an organization called Girls Inc. It's a national organization with local chapters and they are teaching young girls and young women to really step into their power and to find the language that they need so they can speak up. And I think that is so important. It ties directly into my mission of empowering women. And I think starting with girls is so smart and there's so many issues that, that cause problems for young girls. I think for all young people. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but Girls Inc is an organization that I have supported for many years and I really believe in the work they do.

Erin Austin (22:21):

That's fantastic. Thank you for sharing that. Last but not least here is mine. The Sustainable Economy's Law Center, which is located in Oakland, California, but works all over the country, supports the building of resilient communities. So they provide the legal expertise and advocacy needed to transition away from destructive economies that those economies that incentivize perpetual growth, wealth concentration, and the exploitation of land and people, and put our energies toward creating innovative and cooperative alternatives. So they help communities change laws that are currently preventing them from growing and selling their food locally, from creating sustainable housing options and cooperatively owning land and businesses. And this one, uh, hits close to home for me. I am in Virginia and uh, hopefully you have food co-ops near you, but they are relatively new in Virginia and we are still working on developing the laws, um, that allow us to create food cooperatives. Uh, so I hope you have been inspired or will be inspired to check out all of these wonderful organizations and I hope that you'll choose one or more of them to include in this year's Charitable Giving budgets. So Thanksgiving 2022. Thank you so much friends.

Erin Austin (23:55):

Thanks for listening. Do not forget to check out the show notes for links to connect with today's guests and for the resources, offers and organizations that we discussed. You can also find the links@hourlytoexit.com slash podcast. If you got value from this episode, please subscribe and I'd be so grateful for a review. I'm here to support your journey.