In this edition of the More Elephant podcast, we are in conversation with GRAMMY® Award-winning bassoonist, music faculty, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Monica Ellis, a founding member, co-artistic, and Executive Director of the acclaimed Imani Winds Quintet.

Monica's journey, from her childhood in Pittsburgh to her time at Oberlin and Julliard, is a testament to the transformative power of music. Through these experiences, she helped pave the way for the globally recognized Imani Winds, a quintet that has revolutionized wind music and how Black chamber music is seen and heard and became a beacon of change in the classical music scene. This includes a permanent presence in the classical music section of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

In the latest episode of the More Elephant podcast, we dive into the world of venture capital funding for Latinx entrepreneurs. Our guest, Veronica Juarez, Founder of Dahlia VC, shares her journey from a political career to her mission of addressing the underrepresentation of Latino entrepreneurs in the venture space.

Veronica's early-stage venture capital fund focuses on supporting seed-stage tech companies that specialize in B2B enterprise software, marketplaces, and FinTech solutions for the Latinx market. The discussion sheds light on the impact of inherent biases in capital allocation, the importance of creating wealth and opportunities for Latinx communities, and the role of specialized venture funds in driving social change and economic justice.

In this latest episode of the More Elephant podcast, we engage in an inspiring conversation with Evan Leaphart, Founder of Kredit Academy, and Mike Gross, COO and Head of Education, who join the latest More Elephant podcast to discuss the team’s journey from Kiddie Kredit, a mobile app designed to educate children on the credit system by completing chores, to Kredit Academy, a solution and approach dedicated to equipping teens and young adults with the knowledge and tools for optimal credit health.

In our most recent podcast, we delve into a conversation with Byron Slosar, the CEO and Founder of hellohive. Byron shares his vision of revolutionizing the traditional talent employment landscape.

hellohive, a virtual recruiting platform that secured $3.4 million in Series A funding earlier this year, is committed to connecting next-gen talent to companies with a significant diversity and inclusivity lens, making everyone feel valued and integral to the recruitment process.

Each quarter, we highlight non-profit change agents leading from the front and changing lives.

On this podcast, we talk with Troy Reinhart, SVP of Community and Ambassador Development for Smile Train. Smile Train is a nonprofit organization that has provided cleft lip and palate surgeries to children in need worldwide for the past twenty-five years. The Smile Train team is approaching its two millionth surgery.