Running A Cultural Institution, Gina Duncan, Podcast #182

Gina Duncan started her career in film programming with a lifelong focus on diverse programming that led her to become the president of BAM, the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This episode will highlight Gina’s career working within and running cultural institutions such as Sundance and BAM, focusing on rethinking the role of cultural institutions to be more diverse in their programming.

You can also listen on iTunes and Soundcloud.

Our next guest on PGG will be Catherine Dockery, the founder and general partner at Vice Ventures, a new women-led early-stage VC fund focusing on investing in vice industries.


The Broccoli Report, Lauren Yoshiko, Podcast #181

Lauren Yoshiko is a freelance writer and editor who writes the Broccoli Report, a bi-weekly newsletter for creative cannabis entrepreneurs. Lauren has been blogging through the unprecedented wave of growth and change in the Cannabis industry as recreational use is slowly legalized nationwide. This podcast episode will highlight her experience navigating and documenting the strange world of weed as an AAPI woman.

You can also listen to this on iTunes and Soundcloud.

To learn more about the Broccoli Report, you can visit their website.

Our next guest on PGG will be Gina Duncan, the president of BAM, Brooklyn’s premiere multi-arts center, known for its focus on progressive, avant-garde, and diverse programming.


Space is the New Frontier, Rema Matevosyan, Podcast #180

Rema Matevosyan is a scientist turned entrepreneur who co-founded Near Space Labs. This start-up provides timely, wide-scaler, commercially available imagery with the largest zero-emission balloon fleet in the stratosphere. For Rema and her cofounders, space is the exciting new frontier.

This podcast episode will highlight her unique entrepreneurial journey and experience building and scaling her company as a foreign female founder.

You can also listen to this on Soundcloud and iTunes.

To learn more about the Near Space Labs, you can visit their website. Our next guest on PGG will be Lauren Yoshiko, the freelance writer, and editor behind the Broccoli Report, a bi-weekly newsletter for creative cannabis entrepreneurs.


Rethinking Sustainability in Fashion, Natasha Halesworth, Podcast #179

Natasha Halesworth is the founder of the Consistency Project, a new women-led sustainable fashion and lifestyle studio focusing on secondhand and reworked vintage. Through The Consistency Project, Natasha is reimagining the relationship between fashion and sustainability. She is also changing the retail experience, imagining shopping appointments with elevated service for her clients. This podcast episode will highlight her unique entrepreneurial journey toward sustainable fashion.

You can also listen to this on Soundcloud and iTunes.

Our next guest on PGG will be Rema Matevosyan, a scientist turned entrepreneur who co-founded Near Space Labs. This start-up provides timely, wide-scale, commercially available imagery with the largest zero-emission balloon fleet in the stratosphere.


The Bail Project, Three Years Later, Robin Steinberg, Podcast # 178

Robin Steinberg is an American lawyer and social justice advocate with over 30 years of experience as a public defender. Robin also is the founder and CEO of the Bail Project. Robin is also a friend of the podcast, having been one of the early guests on Positively Gotham Gal three years ago. For this second episode with Robin, we will focus on how the Bail Project has evolved over the past three years after a change in presidency, a pandemic, and a moment of national reckoning for systemic racism.

You can also listen on iTunes and Soundcloud.

You can visit their website here to learn and support the Bail Project.

Our next guest on PGG will be Natasha Halesworth, the founder of The Consistency Project, a new women-led sustainable fashion and lifestyle studio focusing on secondhand and reworked vintage.


CBD with Calm, Better Days, Amy Chin, Podcast #177

Amy Chin is the founder of Calm Better Day, a cannabis and CBD consultancy company that educates and guides her clients toward their custom CBD regimens. Amy’s career has spanned different industries, from the retail world with experience in buying and merchandising to hospitality. Amy seeks to educate the consumer through her coaching work at CBD and the events she throws. As always, the dots connect, and in 2019, Amy decided to turn towards entrepreneurship and founded Calm Better Days. This podcast episode will highlight her unique entrepreneurial journey and lessons learned while navigating the emerging world of the cannabis industry.

You can visit their website here to learn more about Calm Better Day here.

You can also listen on iTunes and Soundcloud.

Our next guest on PGG will be Robin Steinberg, the founder of the Bailout Project, a nonprofit that prevents mass incarceration in the US and combats racial and economic disparities in the bail system by offering bail support and pre-trial services. Robin is returning to the show, as much has changed since the last time we spoke.


Fashion, Community and Crypto, Joy Howard, Podcast #176

Joy Howard is the founder of Early Majority, a new women-led, membership-based outdoor brand and community. Joy’s career has spanned across different industries, from being a full-time musician in the indie-rock band Seely to marketing, working for iconic brands such as Coca-Cola, Converse, Patagonia, and Sonos. As always, the dots always connect. During the pandemic, Joy turned towards entrepreneurship and launched Early Majority, an environmentally conscious membership-based outdoor brand with crypto and NFT angle. This podcast episode will highlight her unique entrepreneurial journey from music to marketing and community and her experience as a female founder.

You can also listen to this on iTunes and Soundcloud.

To learn more about Early Majority, you can visit their website here. Our next guest on PGG will be Amy Chin, the founder of Calm Better Day, a CBD consultancy company that educates and guides clients toward unique custom CBD regimens.


Cannabis Businesses Must Come with Social Responsibility, Podcast #175, Kelly Perez and Courtney Mathis

Kelly Perez and Courtney Mathis are the brains behind Cannabis Doing Good, a cannabis consultancy that inspires a standard for social responsibility in the cannabis sector. As the Cannabis industry is going through an unprecedented wave of growth, new challenges–ranging from sustainability to social responsibility, are emerging. Through CDG and their nonprofit, the Cannabis Impact Fund, Courtney and Kelly are creating opportunities for cannabis businesses to engage with nonprofits and their community. This podcast episode will highlight the co-founder’s entrepreneurial journey and lessons learned while navigating the emerging world of the cannabis industry. To learn more about Cannabis Doing GOOD, you can visit their website here

You can also listen on Soundcloud and iTunes.

Our next guest on PGG will be Joy Howard, the founder of Early Majority, a women-led, membership-based outdoor brand and community.


Let’s Talk Menopause, Samara Daly, Podcast #174

During the pandemic, Samara Daly launched Let’s Talk about Menopause. After making a career working in city government, nonprofits, and community development, she created Let’s Talk about Menopause in 2021, hoping to break the taboo of that highly stigmatized period of a woman’s life. This podcast episode will highlight Samara’s entrepreneurial journey and the challenges of launching a feminist nonprofit during a pandemic.

You can also listen on iTunes and Soundcloud. You can visit their website here to learn more about Let’s Talk about Menopause.

Our next guests on PGG will be Kelly Perez and Courtney Mathis, then the women behind Cannabis Doing Good. This cannabis consultancy inspires a standard for social responsibility in the cannabis sector.


Changing Health Outcomes Data, Pelin Thorogood, Podcast #173

Pelin Thorogood is the tech executive turned impact entrepreneur behind Radicle, a health tech company revolutionizing clinical trials for natural medicine. After a successful tech career, she co-founded Wholistic Research and Education Foundation: a public non-profit dedicated to cannabis & CBD research, education, and advocacy, before co-founding Radicle Science. This podcast episode will highlight Pelin’s unique entrepreneurial journey and lessons learned while navigating the world of tech and natural medicine.

To learn more about Radicle Science, you can visit their website.

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes and Soundcloud.

Our next guest on PGG will be Samara Daly, the nonprofit expert who launched Let’s Talk about Menopause, hoping to break the taboo.


Deconstructing the Taboo Around Psychedelics, Amanda Feilding, Podcast #172

Amanda Feilding is a scientist, veteran drug policy reformer, lobbyist, and the founder of the Beckley Foundation, which initiates research into the effects of psychoactive substances on the brain and uses the results to advocate for drug policy reform. We talked about her journey advocating for drug policy reform, as she mused about the ever-evolving landscape of psychoactive substances.

You can follow the work of the Beckley Foundation.

You can also listen on Soundcloud and iTunes.

Our next guest on PGG will be Pelin Wood Thorough, the tech executive turned impact entrepreneur behind Radicle Science, a health tech company revolutionizing clinical trials for natural medicine.


Celebrating Jewish Mexican Heritage Through Food, Fany Gerson, Podcast #171

Fany Gerson is a chef, consultant, speaker, and cookbook author known for a unique approach to food that deeply respects her Mexican-Jewish heritage while also innovating by offering her own personal and modern twist. She is also the owner of Fan Fan Doughnuts, a Mexican-inspired American doughnut shop, and La Newyorkina, a Mexican ice cream shop. We talked about her entrepreneurial journey and the challenges she faced in the food industry at large as a Latina woman.

Follow her latest moves on Instagram at @fannygerson.

You can also listen to the podcast on iTunes and Soundcloud.

Our next guest on PGG will be Amanda Feilding, the scientist, drug policy reformer veteran, and lobbyist behind the Beckley Foundation