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Artwork for Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

Eric Ressler
Social Impact
Social Impact Organizations
Community Engagement
Fundraising
Marketing
Rebranding
Leadership
Strategic Planning
Philanthropy
Transactional Marketing
Storytelling
Climate Change
Work-Life Balance
Brand Building
Decision Making
Non-Profits
Funding
Organizational Culture
Nonprofits
Marketing Strategies

Designing Tomorrow explores a new playbook for modern social impact leaders and brands to reach their true impact potential.

Why do some social impact brands thrive, while so many others fail to get traction, build support for their cause, and make meaningful progress? Imagine your impact with truly sustainable revenue and resources. With deeper community engagement and relationships. With more... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes92Founded2 years ago
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Artwork for Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

Latest Episodes

Jonathan recently learned that the Seymour Center is about to absorb a permanent new expense in the $150,000 to $200,000 range. On a $2.2 million operating budget, that's roughly 10% of the whole thing, and it's not a one-time hit. 

The instinct for... more

Most social impact campaigns are built on two ingredients: information and emotion. The data makes the case. The storytelling makes people care. But caring, on its own, has a shelf life. Saralynn Finn, founder of Sett & Sley Consulting, joins Eric in... more

YouTube

Most social impact leaders got into this work because they care deeply about the mission, not because they wanted to be public figures with opinions. But that instinct to stay quiet and let the work speak for itself may be doing more harm than good. ... more

YouTube

There's an unspoken rule in the social impact sector: we tell the truth, we follow the science, we play fair. But those rules are increasingly a losing strategy, because the industries we're up against don't have to win the argument. They just have t... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Saralynn Finn
Guest expert discussing narrative change and campaign design
Episode: Feelings Don't Drive Change
Joelle Lester
Executive Director, Public Health Law Center
Public Health Law Center
Episode: Integrity Alone Will Get You Outplayed
Joel Breakstone
Co-founder and executive director of the Digital Inquiry Group (spun out of Stanford)
Digital Inquiry Group / Stanford History Education Group
Episode: Trust No One Is Exactly What Authoritarians Want
Taylor Stuckert
CEO of Lead for America
Lead for America
Episode: Who Actually Gets a Seat at the Table?
Tina-Marie Gulley
Executive at Ada Developers Academy, education technology leader
Ada Developers Academy
Episode: AI Doesn't Know What Empathy Looks Like
Brady Josephson
Head of Growth and Innovation at Charity Water
Charity: Water
Episode: Inside charity:water's Big Brand Bet
Heather Mason
Founder of Caspian and creator of the Impact Lounge
Caspian
Episode: Storytelling Needs an Ecosystem
Aaron Dorfman
President and CEO of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
CHANGE Philanthropy (Level Up campaign)
Episode: Philanthropy Can Afford to Give More
Jodeen Olguín-Tayler
Campaign director leading Level Up at CHANGE Philanthropy
CHANGE Philanthropy
Episode: Philanthropy Can Afford to Give More

Hosts

Eric Ressler
Host and founder/creative director at Cosmic; leads strategy and creative direction for social impact brands.
Jonathan Hicken
Co-host and executive director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center; brings expertise in nonprofit governance and science communication.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 21 ratings
  • A totally different show

    I’ve listened to a bunch of different shows in the social impact space, but I keep coming back to this one. The first season was completely unique, where Eric gives away his entire playbook he uses with his clients for free — in detail!

    Season 2 and onward Eric is joined by a cohost (Jonathan) who is an Executive Director at a nonprofit. The dynamic between the two and their different perspectives are great and they cover topics and ideas that no one else is really talking about in the space.

    more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Social Impact Exec
    United States2 years ago
  • Insightful, clear & inspiring

    So glad I came across this podcast! I’m starting a new role as a Content Strategist for a social impact company and am finding these succinct, value-packed episodes so helpful. And the kind, straightforward approach of the host is really refreshing as a lot of what I tend to come across in the marketing space is edgy, hype-y or so full of jargon I can’t understand it. So thanks very much - your content is a real gift!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LMSchnee
    United States2 years ago
  • Invaluable insights for a new nonprofit startup

    As a recent founder of a nonprofit in mental health with zero experience in corporate, marketing or digital design, it only took a couple of episodes to realise I need to completely rethink the way I’m doing this. Thank you for the perspective shift and critical information, while I’m still early on in the process!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pavlek Sun
    Australia2 years ago
  • Brilliant insights!

    As the leader of a small nonprofit, looking to up our game regarding how we communicate with our community and the world, Eric’s insights and clear directions about strategy are music to my ears. I highly recommend subscribing to this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Agrinemsors
    United States2 years ago
  • The social impact podcast you’ve been looking for🤩

    THIS is the modern, elevated conversation playbook nonprofits, B Corp, social enterprise anyone looking to do good needs. Eric Ressler is one of the foremost experts on this topic, and he flexes his brilliance in strategy, brand amplification, practical tips, tools “how the heck do I do this” teaching so you walk away from every episode armed with something to activate. Best part? It’s all entirely human built in empathy empowers the listener - no matter where they are in the journey. ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Clawyer1722
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Clear, value-packed episodes with actionable guidance for nonprofits and brands.
Appealing to leaders seeking to scale impact through brand and storytelling.
Thoughtful, practical playbook for social impact marketing and fundraising.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Integrity Alone Will Get You Outplayed
Q: What are merchants of doubt, and how did the tobacco industry historically deploy them to influence public health policy?
They funded independent-sounding research and publicized conflicting studies to cast doubt, while simultaneously blocking or downplaying evidence of harm, thereby slowing regulatory action and accountability.
Trust No One Is Exactly What Authoritarians Want
Q: What is getting in the way of solving this problem at scale?
We have evidence that approaches work, but education systems lack digital literacy as a formal subject, and mandates often come with resources gaps, so integration and materials development are key.
Trust No One Is Exactly What Authoritarians Want
Q: Was the internet a huge mistake, Joel?
No, it's an incredibly powerful tool; the work shows we need to teach people, especially the young, how to use it well to mitigate harms and maximize benefits.
Who Actually Gets a Seat at the Table?
Q: How do you reconcile a democratic, participatory approach with the need to make decisive decisions that affect real lives?
By investing in preparatory engagement and avoiding binary framing, recognizing that 'the community' is diverse and collaborative decision-making must be data-driven and compassionate. It's about creating space for voices, yet making tough calls when evidence and values indicate a clear path forward, even if not everyone will be pleased.
Who Actually Gets a Seat at the Table?
Q: How did you transition into the CEO role at Lead for America and what did you learn about inheriting an organization?
I approached it as a steward of the mission, honoring the founders' sweat equity while expanding leadership pipelines to multiple communities. I focused on listening, maintaining respect for the original work, and shifting the narrative to center on the places we serve, ensuring the organization adapts to current needs and future horizons while keeping the mission authentic.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact curates conversations with senior nonprofit leaders, brand strategists, and industry experts who are shaping social impact in the attention economy. Episodes commonly explore how to design campaigns, storytelling ecosystems, and governance models that move audiences from awareness to action, while balancing transparency, integrity, and funding realities. A standout angle is practical, implementable guidance — from narrative design and brand strategy to measuring brand-led growth for mission-driven organizations — with real-world case studies from notable nonprofits and social enterprises. Listeners are likely drawn to actionable frameworks, hands-on tactics, and discussions with gues... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Daily
2. The NPR Politics Podcast
3. Pod Save America
4. Reveal

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this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 92 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Saralynn Finn
2. Joelle Lester
3. Joel Breakstone
4. Taylor Stuckert
5. Tina-Marie Gulley
6. Brady Josephson
7. Heather Mason
8. Aaron Dorfman

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