A Transformative Platform Empowering Communities with Flora Espiand, Co-Founder of Cozy Connect

In this ImpactVest podcast, Scott Duhart, Founder and CEO at Hart I.T. Solutions, shares how his military background, early passion for technology, and meaningful connections led him to start and grow his company. He explains how the business expanded rapidly from freelancing jobs to managing teams across multiple states, emphasising lessons learned about entrepreneurship, finances, training, and perseverance. Scott highlights the importance of work ethic, continuous learning, and surrounding himself with experts to stay ahead in the evolving tech field.

In this ImpactVest podcast, Scott Duhart, Founder and CEO at Hart I.T. Solutions, shares how his military background, early passion for technology, and meaningful connections led him to start and grow his company. He explains how the business expanded rapidly from freelancing jobs to managing teams across multiple states, emphasising lessons learned about finances, training, and perseverance. Scott highlights the importance of work ethic, continuous learning, and surrounding himself with experts to stay ahead in the evolving tech field.

In this ImpactVest podcast, Jeanette Sutherland, Founder and CEO at AgriLuxe Marketing, and Allister Esau, Food Lead at the V&A Waterfront, share their insights on using food as a bridge between agriculture, culture, and tourism. Jeanette discusses AgriLuxe’s initiatives such as the African-Caribbean “WILD Feast,” which promotes indigenous crops, sustainable tourism, and climate-smart development. Allister highlights the V&A Waterfront’s sustainable food ecosystem and its support for small businesses through Makers Landing, a food incubation hub. Both guests emphasise the power of collaboration, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership in creating a more inclusive and sustainable global food future.

Join us for our ImpactVest Alliance Q3 CEO Roundtable Podcast: “Resilient Economies, Regenerative Capital: Where Profit Meets Purpose.” This roundtable features a panel of three CEOs discussing how purpose-led innovation drives resilient economies. Ahmed Abdeen from ElGameya emphasises compliance and automation to foster financial inclusion. Michele Heyward from PositiveHire focuses on centering people and integrity in leadership. Rukayat Bello from Regxta is championing agent-led banking to empower rural communities. Each leader highlights resilience through adaptability, equity, and technology.The panelists agree that balancing profit with purpose requires trust, long-term vision, and community-centered values, while AI plays a pivotal role in scaling operations and improving decision-making. Their collective advice to future founders is to stay mission-driven, maintain integrity, and remain undeterred by naysayers while navigating uncertainty.

In this ImpactVest podcast, Auda Sakho, Founder and Creative Director at Redress Laboratory and Co-Founder of Grassroots Arts Studios CIC, shares how she works across fashion, policy, and cultural events to promote sustainability and systemic change in the fashion industry. Through Redress Laboratory and Grassroots Arts Studios, she supports underrepresented creatives, develops sustainable biomaterials, and advocates for Digital Product Passports to ensure traceability and transparency in fashion supply chains. She emphasises the need for educational reform, urging schools and universities to train system thinkers, material innovators, and compliance experts instead of just traditional designers.

In this ImpactVest podcast, Alexis Thomas-Duhart and Scott Duhart, co-founders of Hart to Hart Home Care, share their inspiring journey from IT and operations into home care, driven by personal experiences and a desire to serve their community. Their company offers personalised care plans including companion care, dementia support, and respite services, with plans to expand across the American state of Georgia and eventually support veteran clients through Veterans Affairs (VA) partnerships. Emphasising the role of technology and AI in improving processes and customisation, they aim to make Hart to Hart Home Care a household name rooted in compassion, community impact, and quality care.

In this ImpactVest podcast, Nadia Arain shares her powerful journey from modeling to founding NOIRÉ OFFICIELE, a fashion brand rooted in spiritual empowerment and inspired by the divine feminine. She emphasises the importance of self-care, presentation, and embracing one’s feminine energy as tools for confidence, worthiness, and success in business. The conversation explores how re-centering feminine presence in business and society can help build a more balanced, heart-centered, and sustainable future.

Join us for our ImpactVest Alliance Q2 CEO Roundtable Podcast, “Innovative Strategies: AI Implementation and Energy Demands.” This roundtable features a panel of CEOs discussing the innovative use of AI and its intersection with energy demands across sectors like health technology and renewable energy.Olugbenga Abejirin from Kalibotics and Xolani Health highlights how AI can help solve Africa-specific challenges such as the healthcare brain drain by enhancing access and efficiency through tech-driven solutions. Nyasha Chasakara from Solarpro Energy Africa emphasises AI's growing role in optimising energy systems and its potential to localise solutions through custom language models, while Fidelis Mashonga from Sun Plugged Energy shares how AI has improved credit scoring, system monitoring, and operational sustainability in off-grid energy access. Despite current challenges around awareness, cost, and infrastructure, the speakers agree that AI is becoming a vital tool for African innovation and competitiveness.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, join us for our ImpactVest Alliance Q1 CEO Roundtable Podcast: “Economic Transformation: Leading the Transition Towards a More Sustainable and Regenerative Future.” This CEO Roundtable, featuring an all-women panel, discusses economic transformation and sustainability. Flora Espiand introduces Cozy Connect, a platform connecting customers with local service providers to enhance transparency and efficiency. Tumi Frazier highlights Fourth Wave Technology, Inc., an agri-cleantech company using technology to support small farmers and promote regenerative agriculture. Vanessa Grace Chislett shares insights on Shisso Tea Company and the tea industry, emphasising the need for supply chain transparency and sustainable farming practices, underscoring the shift towards relationship-building, trust, and empowerment in business.

In this ImpactVest podcast, Flora Espiand, co-founder of Cozy Connect, shares her journey and inspiration behind creating a platform that bridges the gap in accessing trusted, skilled services in the Ivory Coast. Growing up in a community-oriented household and witnessing local challenges, she co-founded Cozy Connect to empower local talent, foster economic growth, and simplify service accessibility. With plans for expansion across West Africa and a focus on innovation and socio-economic development, Cozy Connect aims to transform how communities connect, building trust, opportunity, and lasting impact.