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

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.

In this ImpactVest podcast episode, Head of Sponsorships and Events, Barbara Koontz, interviews Obet Aparicio, Chief Operating Financial Officer at the Hispanic Social Assembly, about the organization's mission and efforts. Obet shares that the Hispanic Social Assembly, founded over 40 years ago by Alejandro Suarez, is positively impacting fair-trade practices in Latin America while advocating for fair wages. The conversation also touches on the organization's broader goals of fostering sustainable development through micro-economies and the importance of global collaboration.

Our ImpactVest Alliance Q3 CEO Roundtable Podcast: “It's Strategic: Greater Impact, Greater Profits” was hosted by Aisha Williams, Founder and CEO of ImpactVest. This roundtable discussion focuses on strategic impact and how businesses can position themselves for returns while maximising positive societal effects.Saxon Knight, Founder of House of Saxons, discusses her organisation's efforts to empower trauma survivors through business skills, highlighting the challenges of attracting investors in difficult industries. Tanner Snider, VP of Investment Strategy at Gold Leaf Farming, shares how their sustainable farming practices balance strong financial returns with environmental and social responsibility. Obet Aparicio, Chief Operating Financial Officer at the Hispanic Social Assembly, emphasises how the Hispanic Social Assembly is positively impacting fair trade practices in Latin America while advocating for fair wages.

In this ImpactVest podcast, Jennifer Allen, the Managing Director of ImpactVest Giving, interviews Dr. Charlotte Felix- Faure, a leader in fostering entrepreneurship in South African townships. Dr. Felix-Faure shares her journey from growing up in the apartheid-era to founding the Inclusive Entrepreneurship Academy, emphasising the importance of addressing the deep-rooted impacts of apartheid on marginalised communities. Her Academy aims to empower these communities by developing entrepreneurial mindsets, focusing on both business creation and personal growth, with the hope of expanding the initiative across South Africa.

In this ImpactVest podcast, the Managing Director of the ImpactVest Alliance, Tonya Love-Lamorte, interviews the Managing Director of ImpactVest Giving, Jennifer Allen, about her background, experiences, and role at ImpactVest. Jennifer shares her journey from growing up in Jamaica to her professional career in the US, emphasising her passion for philanthropy and social impact, especially through innovative financial solutions. They discuss the initiatives supported by ImpactVest Giving, such as the Inclusive Entrepreneur Academy in South Africa, and Jennifer's vision for the future, aiming to influence how catalytic capital is allocated for positive social and environmental change.

In this ImpactVest podcast episode, the Managing Director of the ImpactVest Alliance, Tonya Love-Lamorte, interviews Saxon Knight, Founder of House of Saxons, about her extensive background in threat intelligence and her transition to founding a strategic consulting company. Knight shares her inspiration for House of Saxons, highlighting the need for aftercare in trafficking survivor support, including skills training and career preparedness. She also discusses the future of AI in cybersecurity, emphasising its role in automating processes and the importance of education and awareness in achieving long-term social impact.

Our ImpactVest Alliance CEO Roundtable Podcast: “Leaning Forward and Leading Change” was hosted by Aisha Williams, Founder and CEO of ImpactVest. This exclusive roundtable features trailblazers: Nyasha Chasakara, Founder and Managing Director at Solarpro Energy Africa; Vanessa Grace Chislett, Founder, CEO and Tea Alchemist at Shisso Tea Company; and Olugbenga Abejirin, Co-Founder and CEO at Kalibotics. In this era of transformative global innovation, explore with global changemakers and visionaries who are building a more sustainable and resilient future. From providing access to power, to revolutionising the tea industry, and reshaping the landscape with robotics and AI, these leaders share their insights at the forefront of impact.

In this ImpactVest podcast episode, hosted by Tonya Love-Lamorte, Managing Director of the ImpactVest Alliance, we focus on sustainable farming through an insightful conversation with Tanner Snider, VP of Investment Strategy at Gold Leaf Farming. Tanner shares his agricultural background and his journey from growing up on a farm in Indiana to working as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Tanner realised his passion for agriculture and joined Gold Leaf Farming, where he appreciated the company's vision of sustainable and profitable farming. Gold Leaf Farming focuses on environmental and social impacts, such as organic farming, water conservation, and providing equitable benefits to its employees, aiming to set a positive example in the agriculture industry.