I So Appreciate You!

Cultivating New Food Entrepreneurs

In the first episode of Season 3 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert chat with Allison Hohn, executive director of Naturally Minnesota, about what it takes to establish a thriving and equitable ecosystem for food-based entrepreneurs in our state.
Naturally Minnesota is an initiative to support and accelerate Minnesota's ecosystem for food and agriculture entrepreneurship and innovation. Through her work, Allison provides venues for new food and agriculture business owners to connect with like-minded people, find support for their ventures, and learn how to access resources like investment capital.
When establishing a product for distribution, Allison says food entrepreneurs must keep the following things in mind.
“Your product has to taste good, you have to have a good brand and you have to have a point of differentiation.” 
Allison also shares her insights on creating greater access and equitable opportunities for entrepreneurs in the food and agriculture space, what she hopes is here to stay after the pandemic shook up the industry, and how someone can take their product from idea to shelf.
Links
Naturally Minnesota

Season 3 Trailer

I So Appreciate You! is back for its third season starting September 19! Listen along as co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert continue their sometimes raw, sometimes funny and always uniquely insightful discussions with some of today’s changemakers from a variety of industries. 

Why Creative People Need Rest

Co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert take a Seinfeld approach to their final episode of the season by unwinding and talking about nothing; well, nothing in particular and “doing” nothing. 
Instead of tackling sometimes tough and complex issues that arise in the workplace and philanthropy, they take time to address the commonalities their guests had this season. One theme that emerged is the pressing need for creative people to create time to rest and decompress.

Healing the Harms of Cultural Appropriation

In this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation with Anishinaabe artist, advocate and cultural educator Adrienne M. Benjamin. In addition to Adrienne, they also take time to discuss this complex topic with another surprise guest, Dr. Eric Jolly, president & CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.
As Reconciliation Advisor for Minnetonka, Adrienne is working to bridge the gap between the Indigenous community and a white-owned business by internally shifting its culture.
As a result of her work, the company is creating opportunities for Indigenous artists among several other restorative actions.
Links
Adrienne Benjamin’s Website
Follow Adrienne on Instagram
Follow Adrienne on Facebook
Minnetonka Website

Changing Dominant Media Narratives

In a time when the information we consume is often curated or reinforced by what we like on social media or the news outlets we follow, Mukhtar Ibrahim is working to shift the narrative by giving immigrants and communities of color the kind of committed, responsive news coverage that we all deserve. 
In this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert explore the complexities of journalism and the importance of intentionally changing the dominant narrative with the publisher and CEO of the Sahan Journal.
“The way you shape and frame a story really matters. And who tells the story matters. That’s why I founded the Sahan Journal, so we won’t have to have that tension or questioning of how we put together a story, because as long as we’re following the basic journalistic skills and principles, everything will just move on.” - Mukhtar Ibrahim
 
Links
Sahan Journal website
Sahan Journal on Facebook
Sahan Journal on Twitter
Sahan Journal on Instagram
Mukhtar Ibrahim on LinkedIn
Mukhtar Ibrahim on Twitter
Mukhtar Ibrahim on Instagram

Finding Balance with Social Media

In season 2, episode 5 of I So Appreciate You!, we discuss the value social media has as a tool for connection while also having implications on private life. Our special guest is Sarah Edwards, CEO of Some Great People and co-founder/CEO of Fashion Week Minnesota.
Sarah is obsessed with the word “sonder” – the profound feeling of realizing that everyone has a life as vivid and complex as one’s own – and it makes sense given that she loves community and bringing people together. As a connector, a creative, a storyteller, an influencer and a self-described empath, Sarah uses her skills to bridge people together. She views social media as her main tool to stay connected, all while sharing her life — the good and the bad — with countless followers. But making herself so approachable and accessible has its drawbacks. 
In this episode, Sarah and co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss the pros and cons of being a public figure on social media, the lure of connection and even the power that fashion has to start conversations.
Links
Follow Sarah on Instagram
Some Great People website
Follow Some Great People on Instagram
Fashion Week MN website

The Genius of Black-led Change

Lulete Mola’s passion for activism and social justice stems from her love of her family and community. Before co-founding the Black Collective Foundation MN as a result of the pandemic and social uprising in Minnesota, Lulete started her own youth-led organization, worked for the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and participated on many boards including Minnesota Council of Foundations and the VoteRunLead National Advisory.
In episode 4 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert chat with this special guest and Facing Race Award recipient about her roles as an activist, organizer and philanthropic leader in the community.
With the Black Collective Foundation MN, Lulete and fellow founders Chanda Smith Baker and Repa Meka are shifting the landscape of philanthropy by creating a space for Black-led change.
“The reality is that when Black people lead, all people benefit,” said Lulete. “There is nothing that reassures me more than the work Black folks have done across this globe, time and time and time again. And if someone asks me what is my theory of change, my theory of change is the brilliance of Black people.”
 
Links
Black Collective Foundation MN
Facing Race Awards

Using Technology for Social Change

What makes a brilliant app? Is it entertainment value, offering a critical service or something that has social impact? For Andre Creighton, co-founder and chief financial officer of the groundbreaking app TurnSignl, it’s providing drivers with real-time legal guidance from an attorney during traffic stops while a camera records the interaction.
Co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss entrepreneurship and the importance of using technology for social change with the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer Andre Creighton.

Intentional Leadership Transitions

Many times, leadership transitions are unexpected, and if a succession plan is in place, the process is handled behind closed doors. In contrast, Jamie Millard, executive director of Pollen Midwest, is leading her own transition out of the organization she has been leading for the last nine years with a years-long, transparent and participatory transition process that can offer many organizations a new way to think about leadership transition.
Co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss the importance of having intentional conversations about leadership transitions, trust and transparency in the workplace with special guest Jamie Millard.
Links
Executive Transition Models - Harvard Business Review
Article referencing the quote from Jeanne Bell: What does an equitable executive leadership transition look like? - Race to Lead
Trading the Glass Ceilings for Glass Cliffs: A Race to Lead Report on Nonprofit Executives of Color - Building Movement Project
A Reading List on Nonprofit Executive Transition - Pollen
Pollen Midwest
Follow Pollen on Instagram or Twitter
Follow Jamie on Twitter

Lessons in Heart-based Philanthropy

Episode 1 opens up with an introduction of new co-host, Chief Marketing Officer Melanie Hoffert, before she and co-host Nadege Souvenir dive into the episode’s topic. This week they discuss the importance of a heart-based approach to giving, with special guest Margaret Wurtele.
Margaret Wurtele has been giving and raising money for the arts for years. Her parents were also supporters of the arts. Margaret has worked for Walker Art Center, the Saint Paul United Arts Fund and Dayton Hudson Foundation (now the Target Corporation). She was a co-founder of Hungry Mind Press (now Ruminator Press). As a volunteer, she has served on many boards.
Margaret is also a vineyard owner and author. She wrote two memoirs: Touching the Edge: A Mother’s Path from Loss to Life and Taking Root: a Spiritual Memoir, as well as a novel, The Golden Hour.