#thegoodsquad · #thegoodtribe · Jun 28, 2021

#TheGoodTribe Becoming a Force for Change with Grant Trahant, Founder of Causeartist

by Jenny Tan

Everyone can make a positive impact in this world. From a consumer, to an entrepreneur or an investor. We ALL have the capacity within ourselves to become a force for good. At The Good Tee, we believe in the small changes and the big. You can easily switch out plastic bags for reusable or shopping for quality products from sustainable brands to making a bigger change like becoming a social entrepreneur. By using your talents, skills and interests to impact the world, you can become a Causeartist.

This week, we had the pleasure of talking to Grant Trahant, founder of Causeartist. Founded in 2013, Causeartist is a global community of conscious consumers, social entrepreneurs and business leaders who believe social enterprise can positively impact the world. It’s a website where you can find information and support incredible brands, as well as search for current news and resources to build your own social entrepreneurship.

At the time of Causeartist’s inception, very few resources existed online for good humans that wanted to become involved in business as a force for good change. In addition to creating the community, Grant is also the host of three Causeartist’s podcasts--Disruptors for GOOD, Investing in Impact, and Tools for Scale. Causeartist covers a variety of topics including innovations in ethical fashion, climate change, ethical technology, impact investing, and sustainable travel.

We all want to make an impact in this world. And the best place to start doing that is by educating ourselves on the many ways we can make that impact. Keep on reading to learn from Grant himself how you can transform your determination to discover, learn and grow and become a Causeartist yourself.

1. How did Causeartist begin?

Causeartist started as a side project that I was passionate about. I saw some very inspiring brands and entrepreneurs using business tactics to solve issues they were seeing around the world or within their own communities.

Back in 2013, there were not many, if any, outlets showcasing or promoting these brands and products. My intention was to build an outlet where people can discover impact brands, ideas, and founders from around the world doing some creative and impactful things.

Causeartist logo

2. In your podcast you have talked with a lot of people with different jobs and journeys. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a guest?

One of the biggest lessons and takeaways from doing over 100 episodes of the podcast is that travel is a key element for inspiration and clarity for anyone searching for ideas or problems they want to help solve.

Obviously over the past couple of years travel has been detoured by the pandemic, but hopefully, as the world starts to navigate out of these times, I hope travel can become a part of everyone's lifestyle portfolio. It is one of the best educational tools we have as human beings.

3. In episode 85 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, you interviewed our founder, Adila Cokar. What inspired you to bring her on as a guest?

Adila has inspired me in a variety of ways. During the interview, she talked about sustainable fashion and being a leader in the industry long before it was cool or trending to do so. She is very authentic in her approach and her mission. Adila is very brave and speaks her truth about fast fashion and the detriment it has been to our environment and to workers across the world.

4. You have talked with many inspiring people that are in the business of doing good. Was there one story you could share with us that really resonated with you and that may have inspired you to make a positive change?

I always point to my friend Trinity Heavenz, Founder and CEO of Era92. His inspiring story of growing up in the slums of Uganda and escaping extreme poverty and violence through his discovery of technology. That discovery led him to start an amazing business model in Uganda, where he and his team train local citizens on computer science skills and digital design skills to use business as a force for uplifting individuals out of poverty.

He believes business is a much more powerful growth engine to uplift individuals out of poverty than charity. I also believe in this mantra. He is literally impacting lives everyday through his drive and passion. He is someone who inspires me to keep grinding and keep pushing towards my goals in life.

Era92 Creatives

Source: Era92 Creative

5. You have interviewed over 600 impact entrepreneurs in your podcasts. What keeps you motivated to continue this conversation and look for more like-minded entrepreneurs?

Interviewing people about what they are most passionate about in life is an amazing privilege. It keeps me motivated, humbled, and focused on helping more and more people discover amazing products and innovations from around the world.

I am inspired everyday by the people I get to speak with. It’s a great feeling to know that Causeartist is a part of the revolution and movement for better business and a more innovative approach to capitalism.

6. It’s been a tough go this past year for so many, but we’re sure there has also been some good. When was the last time you had a really good laugh?

I laugh everyday. You have to. You have to take time out of your day to smile. We all have dark days, some more than others, of course, but if you focus on your passion and do something that you are passionate about everyday, even for 10 minutes, you will smile during those 10 minutes. If you do that everyday for a lifetime, you will have lived a good life. :)

7. Recently you launched a new episode of Disruptors For GOOD talking about a relaunch for Causeartist. Can you tell us a bit more on the exciting changes coming to your brand?

Yes, I am very excited about the next decade of Causeartist. We have new podcasts shows coming, new content nearly everyday, new giveaways, panel discussions, and perhaps some live shows coming soon. We also just launched impactinvestor.io, which is an easy way for impact entrepreneurs to search and discover impact investors. It pairs well with our Investing in Impact podcast.

Whether you’re a shopper looking to make more conscious decisions, an entrepreneur ready to pivot into more sustainable impactful business practices, or an investor looking to support an ethical business, Causeartist is a great hub for all news relevant to social entrepreneurships and social impact. It’s reassuring to know there are such great people and organizations like Grant and Causeartist, making a good impact and pushing to solve more social issues.

Want to keep up with Causeartist’s latest ventures? Like, Love, and Support them below!