Better Good with Scott M. Curran

Amanda Litman on Building the Next Generation of Political Leaders

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0000

What happens when a new generation decides it’s time to stop waiting for change—and starts running for office themselves? Amanda Litman is the co-founder and president of Run for Something, an organization that recruits and supports young progressive candidates running for state and local office. Since launching in 2017, Run for Something has helped elect more than 1,650 leaders across nearly all 50 states, building one of the largest pipelines of young political candidates in the country. On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran sits down with Amanda to explore what it takes to build the next generation of political leadership—and why some of the most consequential opportunities for change can begin at the local level. Amanda shares the story behind Run for Something, what she has learned from recruiting and supporting thousands of first-time candidates, and why school boards, city councils, state legislatures, and other down-ballot offices can play such an important role in shaping communities and the future of American politics. Before launching Run for Something, Amanda served as National Email Director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, where she oversaw a digital fundraising operation that raised $330 million from more than 3 million donors. She is also the author of When We’re in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership, a book exploring how Millennials and Gen Z can approach leadership as they increasingly move into positions of responsibility. Her earlier book, Run for Something: A Real-Talk Guide to Fixing the System Yourself, explored the practical realities of running for state and local office. Amanda and Scott discuss generational change, leadership, political organizing, civic engagement, the challenges facing first-time candidates, and what Amanda has learned from building an organization designed to develop political leaders from the ground up. They also explore a bigger question: What happens when the next generation finally gets the opportunity to lead? This is a conversation about leadership, public service, civic engagement, local government, generational change, and the people preparing to shape what comes next. Guest: Amanda Litman, Co-Founder & President of Run for Something Host: Scott M. Curran Better Good is a podcast series where you'll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, Better Good offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won't wait. Neither should you. #Podcast #AmandaLitman #Leadership #CivicEngagement #LocalGovernment #PublicService #GenZ #Millennials #SocialImpact #BetterGood

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Radio Host by Day, Rescue Pilot by Night | DJ Fred of The Fred Show

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0000

What happens when one of America’s most recognizable radio personalities steps away from the microphone and into the cockpit to save animals? Fred, host of The Fred Show, is known to millions of listeners through his nationally syndicated morning radio show and iHeartRadio. But outside the studio, Fred is also a licensed pilot who volunteers his time and aircraft to help transport rescue animals across the country—giving dogs and other animals a chance to reach shelters, foster families, and forever homes. On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran sits down with Fred to explore a side of his life most listeners never get to see: his work as a volunteer rescue pilot with Pilots N Paws and his commitment to animal rescue and philanthropy. For Scott, the story is also personal. Fred personally flew two of Scott’s special-needs rescue dogs to him, turning their shared commitment to animal rescue into a friendship and providing a powerful example of what can happen when someone uses the skills and resources they already have to help others. Fred shares what it’s like balancing life as a nationally syndicated radio personality with his passion for aviation, animal rescue, volunteering, and giving back. He and Scott discuss the experiences that shaped Fred’s desire to help, what happens during an animal rescue flight, and why sometimes making a difference starts with simply asking: What can I do with what I already have? They also explore Fred’s career in radio, his life beyond The Fred Show, flying, philanthropy, and the causes he has supported throughout his career. This is a conversation about animal rescue, aviation, radio, volunteering, philanthropy, purpose, and finding your own way to do good. Guest: Fred, Host of The Fred Show Host: Scott M. Curran Better Good is a podcast series where you'll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, Better Good offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won't wait. Neither should you. #Podcast #AnimalRescue #TheFredShow #Dogs #Radio #Aviation #Inspiration #Philanthropy #Volunteering #SocialImpact

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Warwick Sabin: What Democracy Loses When Local Journalism Dies

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0000

In the 20th century, local newspapers ran on 30 to 40 percent profit margins, and journalism was a thriving industry. But the internet dismantled that model in less than a generation. Advertising migrated to Google and Facebook, and classified ads moved to Craigslist. In parallel, subscriptions collapsed. Profits dissolved; so did newsrooms. Now roughly 50 million Americans have limited or no access to credible local news. This is most acute in the rural South.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Warwick Sabin, president and CEO of Deep South Today (https://www.deepsouthtoday.org/), for a conversation about why the collapse of local journalism is one of the most overlooked threats to American democracy—and what a new nonprofit model is doing to rebuild it in the communities that need it most. Warwick explains how Deep South Today united several Southern newsrooms into a single organization, and one publication even won a Pulitzer Prize. He makes the case that nonprofit journalism is like nonprofit healthcare: Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic don't sacrifice quality by removing the profit motive, and neither does Deep South Today. He also reflects on his career and what it means to show up for civic life at a moment when local institutions and democratic accountability are both under pressure. This episode explores themes of local journalism, press freedom, civic infrastructure, nonprofit media, democracy, and what it means to build institutions that serve the public good rather than the bottom line.

Guest: Warwick Sabin

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:51 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:08:27 Meeting the President and Moving to Arkansas
00:12:41 Southern Hospitality and Finding Home
00:16:20 Leadership Lessons from College
00:33:01 Why the South and Why Local Journalism Matter
00:34:43 The Collapse of Local News and Its Consequences
00:38:30 Building Nonprofit News for the Deep South
00:45:29 Investigative Journalism That Saves Lives
00:54:39 The Future: Scaling Local News Across the South

Better Good is a podcast series where you'll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good — through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won't wait. Neither should you.

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Nirvan Mullick: The Man Behind the Caine’s Arcade Viral Video

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0000

In 2012, a filmmaker named Nirvan Mullick drove to a used auto parts store in East Los Angeles to buy a replacement door handle for his car. Inside, a nine-year-old boy named Caine Monroy had spent months building an elaborate cardboard arcade out of his father's spare boxes, complete with prize tickets, a custom staff shirt, and a fun pass that got you 500 turns for two dollars. Nirvan was Caine's first and only customer that summer. It also happened to be the last day of summer. None of what followed—a short film, a flash mob, millions of viral views, the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for Caine's education, the global movement for children’s creativity—happened without one person recognizing a perfect moment in the making.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Nirvan Mullick, documentary filmmaker and creator of Caine's Arcade, for a conversation about what it means to notice what everyone else drives past—and what can happen when you do. Nirvan walks through the full story of Caine’s Arcade, and also shares the two-word concept of “perfect moments,” which can change how we think about time, attention, and the possibilities hiding inside everyday moments. Nirvan offers an inside look at two documentaries he's been working on for years: one about Rick Doblin and the decades-long effort to take MDMA through the FDA, and another about Lawn Chair Larry, a Vietnam vet who, in 1982, strapped 42 helium balloons to a Sears lawn chair and flew 16,000 feet above Los Angeles to live out a dream. This episode explores themes of creativity, attention, imagination, social entrepreneurship, and how the best things we do often begin with a single unremarkable moment of showing up.

Guest: Nirvan Mullick

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: https://linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction: The Boy Who Built an Arcade from Cardboard
00:03:04 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:05:18 From Filmmaker to Documentary Storyteller
00:07:08 What a Trip: Following Rick Doblin and Psychedelic Medicine
00:15:50 Larry's Launcher: The Lawn Chair Balloon Pilot
00:27:37 The Day Everything Changed: Meeting Caine
00:30:46 Organizing the Flash Mob and Creating a Perfect Moment
00:34:06 Going Viral and Starting the Imagination Foundation
00:39:20 The Global Cardboard Challenge and Lasting Impact
00:46:54 The Philosophy of Perfect Moments
00:51:21 The One Second Film: A Lifetime in 24 Frames
00:55:49 A Perfect Moment with His Father
00:57:50 It Doesn't Matter What You Start With, Only That You Start
00:59:13 Tracking Perfect Moments: A Daily Practice
01:00:19 Giving Yourself Permission to Develop Your Gifts

Better Good is a podcast series where you'll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won't wait. Neither should you.

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What One Solar Light Unlocks for Families in Poverty

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Hundreds of millions of people around the world have to rely on kerosene and disposable batteries to light their homes after dark. This carries real costs in health, safety, and money. For many families, lighting consumes up to 30 percent of the household budget, roughly the equivalent of an American mortgage payment. The alternatives are open flames that burn children, carcinogens that damage lungs, and total darkness after sunset that shuts down education, entrepreneurship, and basic security. Yet safe, reliable solar light exists. Getting it to the right families—and pairing it with the financial literacy to turn savings into economic opportunity—is the mission of Nancy Economou and Watts of Love.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Nancy Economou, founder and CEO of Watts of Love, for a conversation about what it means to follow a calling you have no formal credentials for, and bringing safe light to people around the world. Nancy traces her path from selling jewellery at Cartier, to nearly two decades as a stay-at-home mother of five boys, to a trip to the Philippines in 2009 that she returned from unchanged. She tells how Watts of Love evolved from three lights in a suitcase into an organization operating in more than fifty countries, with close to half a million homes lit and a growing corps of trained local leaders ready to scale the mission further. She explains how pairing a durable solar light with a financial literacy curriculum has turned a product into a pathway out of generational poverty. And she makes the case that meaningful impact rarely begins with a perfect plan. It begins with noticing something you can't un-see and acting. This episode explores themes of energy access, social entrepreneurship, financial literacy, local empowerment, and creating independence rather than dependency.

Guest: Nancy Economou

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:03 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:06:08 From Cartier to Stay-at-Home Mom
00:07:50 The Scale of Watts of Love Today
00:10:50 The Philippines Trip That Changed Everything
00:12:40 The Moment Watts of Love Was Born
00:14:45 The Hidden Cost of Living in Darkness
00:18:17 Designing the Perfect Solar Light
00:23:29 The Leper Colony and Universal Design
00:30:06 The First Three Lights and Ruth's Story
00:34:26 The Birth of Financial Literacy
00:40:07 The Box Becomes a Bank
00:44:33 Transformation in 60 Days
00:47:33 The Power of Local Partnership
00:50:11 Bringing Light Home: Disasters in the US
00:53:42 Lessons on Dignity, Hope, and Agency
00:56:01 Choose the Crazy Dream

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The Hidden Key to Solving the World’s Global Water Crisis.

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:00:00 -0000

Every morning, more than 2 billion people start their day without access to safe water. For many, that means hours of walking, waiting, and carrying—before the rest of the day can begin. The disease, poverty, and lost education that follow are all preventable. The world has the technology. Infrastructure often already exists nearby. What's missing, for hundreds of millions of families, is the few hundred dollars it costs to connect to it. That's the problem Vedika Bhandarkar has spent years solving, and what Matt Damon’s organization water.org has built around it may be the most underreported development success story of our time.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Vedika Bhandarkar, President and COO of water.org, for a conversation about the most scalable solution to the global water crisis that most people have never heard of. Vedika traces her path from more than two decades in investment banking to leading the financial strategy behind water.org's WaterCredit model, which pairs every dollar of philanthropy with $20 of lending by local financial institutions. That model has now reached more than 85 million people across the world, with a 98% loan repayment rate that challenges every assumption about who is and isn't "bankable." She explains how water access is the key that unlocks every other development goal—from education and health to gender equality and economic mobility—and makes the case that the water crisis, unlike so many global challenges, is not only solvable but already being solved. This episode explores themes of global development, microfinance, financial inclusion, systems-level change, and what it looks like to redeploy your career skills toward one of the world's most urgent problems.

Guest: Vedika Bhandarkar

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:32 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:05:08 Understanding the Global Water Crisis
00:07:54 The Hidden Cost of Water Scarcity
00:10:29 Zipporah's Story: Water as a Catalyst for Change
00:16:43 Why Traditional Approaches Don't Scale
00:20:51 The Power of Microfinance and Water Credit
00:31:49 Water's Connection to Every Global Challenge
00:35:27 Scaling the Solution: Infrastructure and Investment
00:44:06 Call to Action: Government, Business, and Philanthropy
00:46:18 Get Blue Movement and Individual Action
00:48:08 The Vision: A World Where Water Scarcity is Unimaginable

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The $500 Million Bet on America's Future | Dr. Carmen Rojas

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Every foundation in America operates on a two-way bargain with the public that rarely gets named out loud: accept significant tax advantages, and deploy those resources in service of the public good. Most foundations show you one side of that equation—the grantmaking—and keep the other side, the endowment, largely invisible. Dr. Carmen Rojas thinks that needs to change.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Dr. Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, for a conversation about what foundations owe the public, why MCF made the decision to expand its grantmaking from roughly $30 million to $130 million in a single year, and what it actually looks like to lead a major institution with courage when the stakes are high. Carmen traces her path from growing up in a Nicaraguan immigrant household in San Francisco to studying democratic fragility at UC Berkeley, building the Workers Lab to support low-wage worker organizing, and now leading one of the country's most consequential foundations. She explains why she believes philanthropy's greatest risk right now is caution, why she treats MCF as a financial institution first, and why she calls on foundations, nonprofits, and everyday people alike to find their own form of courage in action, not just words. This episode explores themes of philanthropic accountability, democratic values, economic justice, and power-building in communities historically excluded from it.

Guest: Dr. Carmen Rojas

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:22 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:05:43 The Systems That Made Success Possible
00:09:22 What MCF Does and Why It Matters
00:11:46 From Venezuela to Philanthropy
00:18:34 The Workers Lab and Individual Shame
00:25:25 Understanding Philanthropy's Two-Way Gift
00:32:46 Making Government Work for People
00:36:28 Meeting the Moment with Courage
00:42:05 Courage is Not the Absence of Fear
00:45:47 Messages to Philanthropy, Nonprofits, and Everyone
00:52:26 Books for This Moment
00:56:27 A Vision of Love, Curiosity, and Learning

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Kevin Maguire on Modern Fatherhood and the Evolution of Men

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:00:00 -0000

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) sits down with Kevin Maguire, author of The New Fatherhood (https://www.newfatherhood.com/book/), for a special Father's Day conversation about what it really means to lead a family today.

For thousands of years, fatherhood came with a clear job description: protect, provide, preside. But today's dads are expected to do all of that and more (as they should!): be present, emotionally available, vulnerable, and an equal partner at home. The old rules are fading. The new rules are still being written. But most men didn’t have anyone who prepared them for this.

Kevin didn't arrive at this topic as a researcher. He arrived as a father of two confronting the questions millions of men ask quietly: Who am I beyond my job? What kind of father do I want to be? How do I show up for the people I love in a world that keeps changing? His search for answers became a newsletter, then an online community, and now a book and movement that's becoming a go-to guide for modern dads navigating parenting, striving for work-life balance, and building emotional resilience without a map.

This conversation is for any—or anyone helping to raise the next generation—looking for clarity, community, and a path forward in modern fatherhood.

You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/

Guest: Kevin Maguire

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:44 Early Memories of Fatherhood
00:07:01 The Three Ps: Traditional Anchors of Fatherhood
00:10:38 Old Rules vs New Rules
00:17:37 From Google to Fatherhood
00:21:25 You Are Not Your Job
00:24:01 Paternal Postpartum Depression
00:28:27 Vulnerability as Strength
00:32:52 Scarcity vs Abundance Fatherhood
00:43:28 The Last Time Meditation
00:52:06 Building the New Fatherhood Community
00:57:12 The Polarized Future of Fatherhood
01:00:31 The Future: Communities of Care

Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President & CEO of the US Soccer Foundation Ed Foster-Simeon on Why Soccer is More than Just a Game

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:00:00 -0000

About 4 billion people will tune in for this year’s World Cup, which is being held on American soil for the first time in over 30 years. But soccer is more than a globally unifying sport. It's a shared language, a lifetime of learning, and something kids, families, and entire communities can rally around almost instantly. You don't need much to start: a ball, a bit of space, a few people willing to play. What you do need is access, a place, some structure, and someone who cares enough to show up consistently.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Ed Foster-Simeon, President and CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation for a conversation about youth sports, community development, and how soccer is opening doors for kids in under-resourced communities across the country. Ed explains how the Foundation is hitting 1,000 mini pitches installed nationwide this year, and training 100,000 coaches through its Yes Coach initiative to become mentors who teach life skills alongside soccer skills. He traces his own path from journalism at USA Today to leading one of the most impactful youth development organizations in the country, and makes the case that coaches are among the most underutilized resources in America—and that what happens after the final whistle of the World Cup matters more than the tournament itself. This episode explores themes of youth development, community access, coaching and and mentorship.

You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/

Guest: Ed-Foster-Simeon
Host: Scott M. Curran
Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji
Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran/

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:28 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:10:01 From Journalism to Soccer
00:14:41 Taking the Leap to US Soccer Foundation
00:16:33 Redefining the Mission
00:25:22 Safe Places to Play
00:30:02 Soccer as a Vehicle for Youth Development
00:36:05 The Power of Coaches as Mentors
00:41:51 Just Ball and Community Ownership
00:50:37 Transformation Stories and Community Impact
00:54:11 Avoiding Parachuting In
00:58:18 The Future Vision
01:01:31 How You Can Help

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The Leader Who Inspired Sean Penn | Ann Lee on Better Good with Scott Curran

Wed, 27 May 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Disasters happen. Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, pandemics. There's little we can do about them. But what happens after the headlines fade and after the cameras leave is something we do have control over. The hardest part of a disaster isn't always the disaster itself. It's the weeks, months, and years of recovery and rebuilding that make the biggest difference. And most of the help, it turns out, doesn't help in all the ways it should.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Ann Lee, co-founder and CEO of CORE, for a conversation about disaster recovery, humanitarian response, and what it actually takes to rebuild communities the right way. CORE began in the rubble of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, when Ann met co-founder Sean Penn and built a new model for crisis response rooted in local leadership, demand-driven relief, and long-term commitment. Ann traces her path from surviving domestic violence as a child in Los Angeles, to witnessing 9/11 in New York, to clearing rubble in Port-au-Prince with heavy equipment days after the earthquake. She explains how CORE scaled from a single displacement camp in Haiti to operating on five continents—responding to hurricanes, the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, and the 2025 Los Angeles fires—and why the organizations that parachute in with outside solutions often do more harm than good. This episode explores themes of disaster recovery, community-first development, humanitarian leadership, and climate resilience.

You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/

Guest: Ann Lee

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:09 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:07:49 From 9/11 to Foreign Service Dreams
00:10:25 Living in Haiti Before the Earthquake
00:12:22 The Haiti Earthquake and Early Response
00:19:17 Meeting Sean Penn and Founding Core
00:29:31 The Core Model and Relief to Recovery
00:34:13 COVID-19 and Scaling Health Response
00:45:22 Community-First Approach and Local Empowerment
00:53:49 The Future of Humanitarian Work

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Kiva CEO Vishal Ghotge on Closing the Opportunity Gap

Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:00 -0000

There are at least 1.4 billion people on this planet with no connection to the financial system, and no way to turn a good idea into a livelihood. Not because they lack talent, drive, or ambition, but because the system simply wasn't built to include them. This massive divide between talent and opportunity is what today's guest is building a bridge across.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Vishal Ghotge, CEO of Kiva, for a conversation about financial inclusion, microfinance, and what happens when you bet on people the traditional banking system ignores. Kiva has delivered nearly $2.5 billion in loans to over 5 million entrepreneurs in 80 countries, often just $25 at a time, with a 96% repayment rate. Vishal explains how the platform connects everyday lenders with women entrepreneurs, refugees, small business owners in the US, and communities on the front lines of climate change. He traces his own path from Mumbai to Silicon Valley to leading one of the most innovative organizations in global development, and makes a powerful case that talent is universal but opportunity is not. And that closing that gap is one of the most important investments any of us can make. This episode explores themes of financial inclusion, women's empowerment, and refugee entrepreneurship.

You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/

Guest: Vishal Ghotge

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:22 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:06:16 Growing Up with Inequality in Mumbai
00:08:32 From Mumbai to Microsoft
00:10:49 Groupon and Helping the Little Guy
00:15:31 PayScale, Remitly, and Finding Personal Connection
00:18:49 The Kiva Model and Financial Inclusion
00:27:29 The Power of Transparency and Connection
00:32:02 Four Strategic Verticals: Refugees, Women, Climate, and US
00:44:30 Stories of Dignity and Transformation
00:48:08 Hope in Humanity and Career Advice
00:55:59 Take Action and What's Next at Kiva

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Penny Abeywardena on What Real Power Looks Like

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Most people think power always looks the same—loud, demanding, aggressive, and increasingly in your face. But actually, not always. Penny Abeywardena has spent her life mastering another kind of power: soft power. Something we can all use to help change the world if we become more familiar with it, and better at using it in our lives and in our work.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Penny Abeywardena—former Commissioner for International Affairs for New York City, Clinton Foundation leader, and founder of Soft Power Strategies—for a conversation about influence, leadership, and how to create change when you don't have the title, the budget, or the permission to demand it. Penny traces her path from surviving domestic violence as a child in Los Angeles to becoming effectively the Secretary of State for the most diplomatically complex city in the world. She explains how she built a coalition of 350 local governments around the sustainable development goals when Washington walked away from the climate table, and how she secured half a million pieces of PPE directly from the UN's own stockpile when New York was told it was on its own during COVID. She makes the case that in a moment when too many people are choosing to check out, soft power is more urgent than ever. This episode explores themes of soft power, leadership, diplomacy, women's empowerment, and vulnerability.

Guest: Penny Abeywardena

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:05:26 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:07:35 From Human Rights Watch to Finding Her Path
00:10:00 Building Skills Behind the Scenes
00:12:43 Joining the Clinton Global Initiative
00:14:44 Becoming NYC Commissioner for International Affairs
00:19:20 Reimagining Diplomacy in New York City
00:22:18 The Voluntary Local Review and Climate Leadership
00:25:41 COVID Crisis and the Power of Relationships
00:29:53 Launching Soft Power Strategies
00:37:01 Storytelling and Vulnerability as Strategy
00:44:13 Practical Soft Power for Everyone

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Alex Amouyel on Changing the World with Salad Dressing

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0000

What if a bottle of salad dressing could change the world? In 1982, Paul Newman—movie star, race car driver, and American icon—bottled a homemade salad dressing with a friend, put his face on the label, and made one simple decision: every cent of profit would go to charity. Forever. Newman's Own has now generated more than 600 million dollars for charitable causes—and the "Newman's Own exception," an act of Congress that followed, made it possible for other foundations to fully own mission-driven businesses that give their profits away.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Alex Amouyel (https://www.yourimpactlife.com/about), President and CEO of the Newman's Own Foundation, for a conversation about purpose-driven business, child hunger in America, and one of the most revolutionary models in philanthropy. Alex explains how a for-profit food company fully owned by a charitable foundation gives 100% of its profits away—and why Newman had to fight Congress just to make it legal. She unpacks the foundation's work on child nutrition, school meals, and indigenous food justice at a time when one in five American children live in food-insecure households. And she introduces 100% for Purpose, a movement inspired by Newman's Own and Patagonia to help the next generation of businesses put their profits toward good causes. This episode explores themes of philanthropy, corporate responsibility, and food justice.

Guest: Alex Amouyel

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:06 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:05:30 From BCG to Save the Children
00:08:02 Restructuring a Global NGO
00:10:15 The Clinton Global Initiative Years
00:12:17 MIT Solve and Opening Innovation
00:22:09 Paul Newman's Legacy and the Hole in the Wall Gang
00:26:32 Nourishing Children Who Face Adversity
00:28:08 The Newman's Own Exception and Tax Law
00:36:59 100% For Purpose Movement

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Nishant Roy on Social Impact Through Business

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0000

"Chief Impact Officer" wasn't a job twenty years ago. But a decade ago, it became one of the fastest-growing roles in business. Today, it's complicated because the idea that companies should “do good” has been dragged into the culture wars. So what does it look like when a company actually takes that responsibility seriously and builds purpose into its operations?

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Nishant Roy, Chief Impact Officer of Chobani, for a candid conversation about purpose-driven business, corporate responsibility, and what it really means when a company says profit and purpose can coexist. Nishant traces his path from his immigrant family's roots and service in the U.S. Air Force—including deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq—through Goldman Sachs, USAID, and a fateful LinkedIn message that led him to Chobani's founder, Hamdi Ulukaya. He explains how Chobani went from an SBA loan and a shuttered factory in upstate New York to the number one yogurt brand in America, and why how a company makes its products matters as much as what's on the shelf. From cutting sugar across an entire food category, to hiring refugees in rural New York, to building a sustainable supply chain that pays farmers for imperfect fruit, Nishant makes the case that corporate impact isn't marketing—it's operations. This episode explores themes of purpose-driven leadership, career reinvention, food systems, refugee inclusion, and why the work of doing good doesn't stop just because the acronyms change.

Guest: Nishant Roy

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:46 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:08:41 From the Air Force to Wall Street
00:11:57 Government Service and Global Development
00:13:52 The LinkedIn Message That Changed Everything
00:17:50 Making Career Pivots with Purpose
00:28:54 The Chobani Story and Food Revolution
00:34:10 Supply Chain Innovation for Impact
00:40:55 Building a Melting Pot Workforce
00:47:47 Proof That Profit and Purpose Go Together

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Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City on Leadership in Divided Times

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

What does it look like when a politician actually does their job? Not the culture warring. Not cable news. Not pitting you against your neighbor to score political points. But the actual work of public service: showing up every day for all the people you serve, bridging divides instead of deepening them, and measuring success by outcomes, not optics. Almost sounds quaint, doesn't it? We're living through a moment when the question of what real civic leadership is feels harder to answer than it should. So we're going to Oklahoma City to find out.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City (https://www.okc.gov/Government/Elected-Officials/Mayor)—who is also the 83rd President of the United States Conference of Mayors—for a refreshing conversation about public service, civic leadership, and bridging political divides in one of America's most dynamic cities. David traces his path from a service-oriented Oklahoma family to working in Washington, D.C., and back home to lead what he calls a purple city in a deep red state. He breaks down how Oklahoma City went from economic depression and post-bombing devastation to becoming America's 20th largest city—a story built on pragmatic, nonpartisan leadership and a civic model that keeps winning voter approval by margins most politicians can only dream of. He explains why the 70% of Americans in the middle can still find common ground and get things done when the system lets them, and why mayors may be the most important class of leaders in the country right now. This episode explores themes of bridging divides, nonpartisan governance, civic investment, community building, pluralism, and what it means to lead by the power of your example rather than the example of your power.

Guest: Mayor David Holt

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:26 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:08:40 From Capitol Hill to the White House
00:13:25 Returning Home and Finding Purpose in City Hall
00:23:18 The Oklahoma City Turnaround Story
00:26:53 Building Consensus Through Pragmatic Leadership
00:28:37 The Power of Non-Partisan Elections
00:33:23 Leading a Purple City in a Red State
00:37:48 The Role of Mayors in National Politics
00:50:00 The Oklahoma City Bombing and Lessons on Unity
00:54:23 The Oklahoma City Declaration

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From Advertising to Activism: Mega Desai on Transforming Women's Lives in India

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

Menstrual equity. There’s a good chance you’ve never really thought about what that means. But you should. Because it affects women, men, families, workplaces, and entire economies. If talking about menstruation feels uncomfortable, good. Growth usually starts there.

Let’s start with some simple facts:

Half the world’s population is women.
Every single one of us was born from a woman.
And every one of those births began with a missed period.

Menstruation isn’t a niche issue. It’s biology. It’s economics. It’s education. It’s dignity. It’s opportunity. This week we celebrate International Women’s day, which is also an opportunity—to talk about women’s health, cultural stigmas, economic growth, and human dignity.

On this episode of Better Good, Scott M. Curran is joined by Megha Desai, the President of the Desai Foundation, for a perspective-shifting conversation about menstrual equity. She talks about her family’s attitudes toward menstruation as she was growing up, and what this taught her about the challenges women face. She explains what period poverty is, why menstrual equity is important for every society, and the impact of over-regulating women’s bodies. She traces her swerving career that took her from branding and social impact, showing how they connect. This episode explores themes of equality, women’s rights, politics, and storytelling.

Guest: Megha Desai

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:35 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:05:18 International Exposure and Perspective
00:07:24 From Advertising to Nonprofit Leadership
00:10:21 Taking Over the Desai Foundation
00:13:28 The Mission: Health, Livelihood, and Menstrual Equity
00:15:33 Why Women's Work Matters for GDP
00:17:06 Getting Comfortable with Periods
00:22:58 Menstrual Equity in America
00:27:45 Changing Hearts and Minds
00:31:51 The Vision for Menstrual Equity
00:35:29 Measuring Success and Building Partnerships
00:43:34 A Rallying Cry for Change

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Skye Perryman on How to Save Democracy

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:00:00 -0000

There are only two ways to run the world. Guns or lawyers. That's it. It's either the threat of force or the rule of law. Everything we call civil society, from the contracts that govern business to rights that protect our privacy and freedom itself, depend on that second path. And lawyers are the custodians of that path. Yet we too often forget this. We joke about lawyers, but they protect civil society so each of us can achieve our version of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Skye Perryman (https://www.instagram.com/skyeperryman/?hl=en), the President and CEO of Democracy Forward (https://democracyforward.org/), for an urgent conversation about how to preserve democracy. Skye traces her trajectory from her childhood in Texas, to a career in private practice, to her current role on the front lines of some of the most critical legal battles of our time. She unpacks why the rule of law must be protected, how autocratic tactics deliberately weaponize overwhelm and exhaustion, and why courage is the most valuable currency of this period in American history. Skye discusses the many legal causes Democracy Forward has taken on during the second Trump administration, and she reminds us of the power of being present in our communities and the importance of listening to the stories of other people’s experiences. And for all the lawyers out there, she explains why this is a do-or-die moment for the legal procession, and why it’s time to go back to the basics and defend the Constitution. This episode explores themes of the law, rights, democracy, purpose, autocracy, justice, community, and courage.

Guest: Skye Perryman

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:59 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:06:28 From Private Practice to Public Service
00:07:57 Founding Democracy Forward
00:10:11 The Value of Law Firm Training
00:12:58 Democracy Forward's Mission
00:17:30 Normalizing the Abnormal
00:21:20 Courage is the New Currency
00:29:52 A Call to Action for Lawyers
00:37:05 Building a Democracy That Holds Everyone

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Joan Garry on Being a Successful Leader

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:00 -0000

When the world’s on fire, who shows up? Nonprofits. Yet few people know exactly how deeply embedded they are in daily life. They make our communities the special places they are, from animal rescues to food banks, schools to places of worship. But how can they survive, much less thrive, especially when the world around us is so chaotic and adversarial? There is perhaps no better person to answer this question than Joan Garry (https://joangarry.com/).

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Nonprofit Leadership Lab (https://nonprofitleadershiplab.com/) founder Joan Garry for a candid and insightful conversation about why some organizations succeed, so many fail, and how all leaders and nonprofits can enjoy more success. Joan reconstructs her delightfully twisty career arc from working at MTV in the early 1980s to leading GLAAD in the late 1990s, to later realizing that her highest and best purpose was helping other nonprofit leaders succeed. She shares how she fell into activism by simply wanting to protect her young family from laws that weren’t inclusive of them, and how her membership-based business grew out of a decision to devote herself more fully to her family. She breaks down the common pitfalls that hold leaders from accomplishing their worthiest goals, and reveals hidden secrets to nonprofit success (hint: better board relations and better marketing!). This episode explores themes of leadership, purpose, scarcity, legacy, growth, and transformation.

Guest: Joan Garry

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

Chapters:

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:53 Early Memories of Doing Good
00:05:46 From MTV to Don King
00:08:12 Taking the Leap to GLAAD
00:09:58 Turning Around a Failing Organization
00:13:19 Why Nonprofits Are Messy
00:14:54 Building the Nonprofit Leadership Lab
00:18:45 The Biggest Challenges Nonprofits Face
00:21:00 The Vision for Scaling Impact
00:32:51 Advice for Nonprofit Leaders and Board Members
00:47:40 Legacy and Making Your Mark

Check out our Podcast: https:// (https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran)

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Dr. David Fajgenbaum on Using AI to Cure Disease

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:00:00 -0000

Imagine you’re a healthy young adult with your entire life ahead of you. Then one day, doctors tell you you’re going to die. Not someday. Now. That happened to David Fajgenbaum (https://davidfajgenbaum.com/). But he survived. And now he’s pushing the frontiers of medical research to help save others.

In the debut episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by doctor, scientist, and nonprofit founder Dr. David Fajgenbaum for a powerful and inspiring conversation about how nearly dying from Castleman disease while in med school led him to found his nonprofit, Every Cure (https://everycure.org/). David traces his mother’s positive influence on him as a child to the impact her death from cancer had on his future. He shares how the love of his family brought him back from the edge of death, and how this led to the breakthrough research he is now pioneering on the frontlines of fighting disease. He reflects on how Every Cure went from an idea with zero dollars to a nine-figure mission in just a few years, and reveals practices that other organizations can follow. With vulnerability and insight, David demonstrates how personal struggles can become a force that changes the world. This episode explores themes of family, grief, resilience, vision, teamwork, and the preciousness of life itself.

Guest: Dr. David Fajgenbaum

Host: Scott M. Curran

Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman and Kieron Banerji

Production by Echo Studios

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Trailer: The Better Good Podcast

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:41:00 -0000

Host Scott M. Curran takes listeners inside the playbook of the world’s top social impact leaders—so anyone can learn to do more good, better.

As CEO of Beyond Advisers, a consultancy advising world-leading foundations, brands, and changemakers, Scott has spent more than two decades guiding transformative initiatives tackling humanity's hardest challenges. He previously served as General Counsel of the Clinton Foundation and teaches one of the nation’s first law school courses on Social Impact Law.

On this podcast, he sits down with the innovators reimagining how the world does good—bringing you conversations you won’t hear anywhere else: candid stories, proven strategies, and actionable insights listeners can use in their lives, careers, and missions.

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