Cause Talk Radio: The Cause Marketing Podcast

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Nancy Gofus, Chief Operating Officer at Public Interest Registry (PIR). Nancy and her team manage the .ORG domain, which they've done since 2003. Nancy shares how .ORG has grown into the third-largest domain on the web. PIR is also poised to launch a new domain, .NGO, aimed at nonprofits and non-governmental organizations worldwide. But unlike .ORG, .NGO will require organizations to validate their status as a non-governmental organization. In short, .NGO will be a coveted domain that will say something about the organizations that use it. Finally, Nancy discusses PIR's aspirations to build a comprehensive database of .NGO's that will be a resource to nonprofits, do-gooders and donors worldwide!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Patrick Byrne, CEO of online retailer Overstock.com, about Worldstock, which sells items handmade by artisans from around the world. Patrick discusses the challenges of starting and growing Worldstock from a company vision to an impressive program that has returned $100 million to artisans worldwide. Patrick goes on to share some of the big plans Overstock has for other cause-related programs, including a brand new one he announces on Cause Talk Radio!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to David Woodbury, founder of eatiply, about his meal-for-meal food donation project to fight world hunger. Every time you dine at an eatiply supported restaurant and choose a featured entree, a meal is donated and provided to someone in need. David talks candidly about the challenges of running a cause business and working with local restaurants that are as focused on the bottom-line as they are on giving back. If you run a cause business, or are just a fan of the model (e.g. Tom's Shoes), you'll learn something from this episode. Listen now!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Andrew Plepler, Corporate Social Responsibility Executive, at Bank of America about their CSR efforts. Andrew explains BofA's new initiative with the online learning site Khan Academy to provide both bank customers and non-customers free, self-paced, easy-to-understand resources to develop better money habits. They also discuss other BofA cause initiatives and Andrew announces on-air a brand new partnership between the bank and Product Red, an organization fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Tune in now!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Chris Murray, Director of Business Development, of Jingit about how they are shaking up payments and advertising with an app that's enabling marketers to follow a consumer from first media impression through purchase and into loyalty. Chris also discusses how Jingit is being used for good, most recently to enhance a partnership between Walmart and Feeding America. Tune in now!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Clam Lorenz, Director of Nonprofit Engagement at PayPal. Clam explains the important role PayPal plays in processing billions of dollars of donations every year, and how it's always expanding the ways it can work with nonprofits. Clam also talks about the exponential growth of online donations and how PayPal is leading the way in mobile giving. We also discuss the challenges nonprofits have in adopting a mobile-first strategy. Finally, Clam, Megan and Joe discuss giving trends for 2014. Tune in now!

This week on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Bruce Bowman, President of Kaboom, about their new cause partnership with Imagine Toys. Together, they've launched a new line of Go Out and Play toys that will support Kaboom's mission to get kids active. Bruce discusses the challenges and opportunities of having a long-term, strategic partnership with a company. Pay attention. These types of partnerships will be the rule, not the exception in the years to come. Cause marketing will be less transactional and more strategic. And Kaboom is leading the charge!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Michael Malekoff, a former executive with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) who currently consults to nonprofits on organizational effectiveness and fundraising. Michael shares some important lessons on the challenges nonprofits are facing and how they can navigate an increasingly complex and crowded marketplace. Looking back at his tenure at JDRF, Michael reflects on a 2011 partnership between a local chain of Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants and JDRF that sparked a national controversy. Perhaps more than anyone else we've interviewed on CauseTalk Radio, Michael is a practicing fundraiser that we can all relate to. Tune in now!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Tony Smith and Vince Owen of Mobal, a UK company focused on providing travelers with affordable and reliable international cell phones. Nice business but that’s not the good news, as Tony and Vince explain. Mobal donates 90 percent of its profits to the Krizevac Project, which creates self-sustaining businesses in Africa that help the poorest of the poor. The Krizevac Project is like that shampoo commercial that ends with “And they’ll tell their friends - and so on, and so on, and so on.” Mobal donates money to create businesses that in turn donate money and so on and so on. As Brits Tony and Vince would agree: it’s brilliant! What makes this episode so special is Tony and Vince’s commitment to changing people’s life through entrepreneurship, not charity. Tune in now!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Jeff Raider, co-founder of men's grooming brand Harry's, on their signature cause platform Give a Shave, which supports causes with one percent of sales and one percent of volunteer time. Jeff shares how they are rolling out this program with their newest partner, City Year. Jeff talks about the companies that inspired Harry's to have a strong cause connection, including his first venture, eyewear company Warby Parker. They also discuss the challenges cause businesses like Harry's face and how causepreneurs need to lead with an outstanding product, transparency and a commitment to social impact. If you run or are interested in cause businesses, or are a budding halopreneur hoping to one day to be a causepreneur, this episode is for you! Tune in now.

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Gary Laermer, Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer of the YMCA of Greater New York, about lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy one year later. The YMCA of Greater New York was at ground zero for Hurricane Sandy. The Y was caught between dealing with the damage to several of its 22 facilities and using its resources to aid the displaced victims of the storm. Gary reflects on how nonprofits can better deal with crisis and bounce back. They also discuss how nonprofits within devastated communities are ideally suited to meet the needs of community members. As Gary points out, these needs are not always connected with money, and nonprofits need to distinguish between crisis problems and chronic problems that existed in the community before the disaster struck. Tune in for an episode that will educate, inspire, and prepare you for the crisis we hope you never have to face.

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Mollye Rhea, president of the Atlanta-based marketing agency For Momentum, about the cause marketing basics. Mollye explains how nonprofits can get started in cause marketing and some of the common pitfalls to avoid. She also offers some valuable insights on the things companies are looking for from nonprofit partners and cause marketing promotions. Learn from someone who's been creating and experimenting with cause marketing campaigns since the "Columbus Moment" when American Express raised money to restore the Statue of Liberty in 1983!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Merri Lee Mark, philanthropist and author of a soon-to-be published book: The Giving Game: Surviving Philanthropy's Schemers, Dreamers and Volunteer Vixins - Come Hell or High Heels. Merri Lee exposes an uncivil underbelly of the philanthropic world. She contends that philanthropy has become a competitive sport, overrun by agenda-seeking, glory-hogging, desperate-for-attention-housewives who will do most anything to capture the prize: recognition and upward mobility. Tune in as they tackle an issue few want to talk about, but can be found in small towns and big cities across America!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Heather Golin, Director of Special Projects, at Spirit Halloween about their nationwide fundraiser for children's hospitals. The Spirit of Children has raised $11 million since 2006. Heather explains how the retailer raises millions of dollars in just several weeks of operation at 1,000+ pop-up stores by focusing on customer fundraisers, vendor participation and employee volunteering. This is a great episode about a retailer that's cause marketing is focused, successful and spirited! Tune in now!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Neelam Makhijani, Chief Executive of London-based Resource Alliance. Neelam gives us an inside look of the launch of the International Day of Charity at the United Nations, which she attended, and its focus on expanding philanthropy both globally and among all economic groups, especially the middle-class. Neelam also discusses how her company is making nonprofits all around the world more sustainable, and the need for more organizations to be focused, efficient, collaborative and mission-driven. Tune in for a show that is global in perspective and reach!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Bill Horne, chairman, president and CEO of Truist, a leader in web-based corporate philanthropy platforms for employee giving and volunteerism. Bill talks about InstaGive, their new platform for small businesses. Truist’s InstaGive is the first online giving tool designed specifically for small businesses, startups, and nonprofit organizations. This inexpensive online giving solution is easy to set up, highly secure, and provides a modern look and feel. Megan, Bill, and Joe also discuss the state of philanthropy, and how millennials are changing the rules for how and why donors give. Tune in now!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Ross Ellis, Founder & President of STOMP Out Bullying, on how her nonprofit is using cause marketing to raise awareness and money to beat the crap out of bullying. Ross shares how bullying went from a taboo topic to a cause marketing darling and how her organization is dealing with all the attention. We also discuss some of STOMP's recent campaigns with jcpenney and Bon-Ton, and how the organization is gearing up for World Day of Bullying Prevention on October 7th.

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Craig Bida, executive vice president, Social Impact, Cone Communications, about his firm's new Disaster Relief Trend Tracker. Craig shares how people all over the world are looking to companies to provide immediate and long term relief after a disaster. Companies that don't will face their own disaster in public relations and loss of consumer confidence and trust. We also talk with Craig about how cause marketers can better prepare businesses for a post-disaster response that is timely, significant and fair.

On today's episode of Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Laura Goodman, Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships for Share Our Strength, about Dineout for No Kid Hungry. This September campaign will involve thousands of restaurants of all types and sizes to raise millions for hungry kids!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Nic Covey, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility for Nielsen, about a new global study on consumer attitudes toward companies and social responsibility. Nick discusses how consumers are expecting more from companies than ever before, and how the sentiment is shared worldwide by global citizens. They also explore fresh research on consumer willingness to put their money where their hearts are, to buy products from responsible companies and to even pay more for products and services that align with their social values. Tune in now for a show that will update you on the latest cause research from a company that's been analyzing what consumers are buying and why since 1923!