The Turning Point Podcast

On The Turning Point Podcast, we talk to mission driven leaders who are dedicated to social and environmental impact, doing their part to help our species navigate this critical moment of change.Joanna Macy, the great environmental activist and systems ecologist, said that when faced with planetry crisis, there are three stories we can tell ourselves. *Business as usual* in which we tell ourselves that some degree of damage is necessary for human progress.*The great unraveling* in which we tell ourselves that mass ecosystem destruction is inevitable.And *The Great Turning* in which we tell ourselves that evolving the way we live is the only way forward and that we’re at the beginning of one of the great human projects in our history.On this podcast we talk to the people who are writing that third story with their own work in their own lives.Welcome to the turning point.

The Turning Point Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Still Point Insight, with 21 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Still Point Insight hosts The Turning Point Podcast, a business show with 21 episodes published.

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  Episode #21

  Why Good Companies Block Good Climate Policy | Deb McNamara of Climate Voice

  Jul 2, 202646 min

  Most people assume corporations influence public policy. Far fewer understand how that influence actually works—or why companies with ambitious sustainability goals can end up opposing the very policies needed to achieve them. In this episode of The Turning Point, we sit down with Deb McNamara, Executive Director of Climate Voice, to explore one of the least understood dynamics shaping climate progress today: the role of corporate influence, trade associations, and employee advocacy in public policy. Together, we unpack how trade associations quietly shape legislation behind the scenes, why many companies find themselves misaligned with their own public commitments, and how a small number of powerful interests can stall progress on issues that benefit society as a whole. But this isn't just a conversation about climate policy. It's a conversation about how complex systems work—and where ordinary people still have real influence. Deb shares how employees inside companies are organizing to align corporate lobbying with corporate values, why local and state policy remains one of today's most important leverage points, and how anyone can participate in strengthening the systems that shape our shared future. If you've ever felt frustrated by the pace of climate progress—or wondered whether one person can really make a difference—this conversation offers a clearer understanding of what's happening behind the scenes and where meaningful change can begin. In this episode: Why companies often lobby against their own climate commitments How trade associations quietly influence public policy Why corporate sustainability teams and government affairs teams often become misaligned How employees are organizing inside companies to influence policy Why state and local policy may be today's greatest opportunity for change The growing connection between AI, energy demand, and clean energy policy How systems thinking can move us from frustration toward meaningful action Learn more about Climate Voice: https://climatevoice.org/ Connect with Deb McNamara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-mcnamara-711458263/ Subscribe to The Turning Point Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-turning-point/id1775260020 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Yr2bMExB6Vfp0lRbl5N9L Learn more about Still Point Insight: https://stillpointinsight.com If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone working to build a healthier future. Chapters (Update timestamps after final export.) 00:00 Companion to the Good Power conversation 01:35 Why corporate influence matters 02:00 How companies actually shape public policy 06:15 Understanding trade associations 08:35 Who really holds influence? 10:55 Why good companies block good climate policy 13:30 Corporate influence in action 17:10 Why does this system exist? 19:30 Why public-interest policy is so difficult 21:55 How Climate Voice creates leverage from within 25:40 Real examples of employee influence 28:10 Why state and local policy matters 31:50 AI, data centers, and clean energy 35:00 Deb's journey from individual action to systems change 37:50 The biggest obstacles ahead 39:30 From powerlessness to participation 41:20 Where meaningful change begins 44:00 Closing thoughts

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  Episode #20

  The Messenger Matters: How Culture Shapes the Energy Transition with Nicole Rom of Good Power

  Jun 30, 202654 min

  For years, much of the conversation around climate has focused on technology, policy, or individual action. But beneath all of those lies another force that determines whether meaningful change happens at all: culture. In this episode of The Turning Point, we sit down with Nicole Rom of Good Power, to explore how public opinion, trusted messengers, and strategic communication shape the future of the clean energy transition. Nicole shares how Good Power is combating misinformation, supporting renewable energy projects across the country, and helping build the public support needed to accelerate decarbonization. Along the way, we unpack why facts alone rarely change minds, how social trust influences behavior, and why lasting policy requires lasting cultural change. This conversation goes far beyond climate. It's about leadership, systems change, organizational strategy, and how ideas spread in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. In this episode: Why the energy transition is now an economic opportunity—not just an environmental one How misinformation slows renewable energy deployment Why trusted messengers matter more than experts How Good Power uses behavioral science to build public support What actually happens when local renewable energy projects face opposition Why culture is the foundation of durable policy Nicole's journey from environmental education to leading strategy at Good Power Practical ways individuals and organizations can accelerate the transition Whether you're building a business, leading a nonprofit, or working to create change in your community, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how lasting transformation really happens. Learn more about Good Power https://goodpower.org Learn more about Still Point Insight https://stillpointinsight.com If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Turning Point and leave a review wherever you listen. Chapters 00:00 Why the energy transition is really a culture problem 02:24 Meet Nicole Rom 02:40 Public opinion and the climate challenge 06:18 Climate arrives in our own backyards 07:08 Why climate still isn't a top voting issue 09:17 Why Good Power leads with affordability 11:19 The economics of renewable energy have changed 13:07 Fighting misinformation and building public trust 14:48 How social media transformed public opinion 20:14 Inside Good Power's creator network 21:17 Using behavioral science to measure impact 23:09 Energy security, affordability, and geopolitics 23:54 The three ingredients for changing minds 27:17 How local renewable energy projects get approved 32:58 Public policy, elections, and systems change 34:51 Why culture must come before durable policy 39:26 Communication vs. manipulation 41:08 Hope in the face of climate change 42:02 Nicole's journey into environmental leadership 44:24 Building healthy mission-driven organizations 46:46 How Good Power operates differently 49:34 The highest leverage opportunities today 50:08 What individuals can do right now 52:04 Greenhushing and what's next 52:54 Closing thoughts

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  Episode #18

  Mission-Driven | Culture: Design the System, Not the Slogans

  May 10, 202630 minS0

  <p>Most leaders think culture is about values.</p> <p>It’s not.</p> <p>Culture is shaped by behavior—and behavior is shaped by systems.</p> <p>In this Mission-Driven episode of The Turning Point, we break down why organizational culture is so difficult to change, and why most culture initiatives fail before they start. What shows up as a “capacity problem” or “performance issue” is often something deeper: misalignment between mission, behavior, and the systems that reinforce both.</p> <p>We explore the difference between mission and culture, why culture is always forming (whether you’re intentional or not), and how...

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  Episode #17

  Breaking the Lie of Zero-Sum Thinking with Dr. Kinari Webb

  Mar 15, 202659 minS0

  <p>Many of the institutions shaping our world operate on a quiet assumption: that resources are scarce and progress requires competition.</p> <p>But what if that assumption is false?</p> <p>In this episode of The Turning Point, Justin Baker and Ian C. Williams speak with Dr. Kinari Webb, founder of Health In Harmony, about what happens when we approach complex challenges with a different mindset—one grounded in reciprocity, ecological awareness, and what she calls radical listening.</p> <p>Kinari’s work began in the rainforests of Borneo, where she partnered with Indigenous communities to address the interconnected chal...

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  Episode #16

  Mission Isn’t Enough: What Growth-Stage Investors Look For | Patrick Donohue, Hill Capital

  Feb 28, 202651 minS0

  <p>Mission matters. But when it comes to raising growth capital, it’s not enough.</p> <p>In this episode of The Turning Point, Justin and Ian sit down with Patrick Donohue, manager partner and CEO at Hill Capital, to unpack what growth-stage investors actually look for in small and lower middle-market businesses.</p> <p>They explore the painful middle stage many founders hit — the $1–3 million “no man’s land” — where companies have proven product-market fit but lack the systems, financial rigor, and leadership capacity to scale. Patrick shares how investors evaluate risk, why financial fluency is a founder’s competitive adva...

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