InsighTS
Inspiration and Resources for Change Makers
As seekers, we collect and share our knowledge as a way to inspire others to learn and multiply our efforts.
Explore some of our endeavors below and let us know what you think.
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Learn more about what makes our team unique
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We dedicate significant resources to finding and supporting other visionary leaders. Learn more
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We continually seek and share learnings that advance our mission. See how
![Held Back By The Social Support System](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1711348110356-144K92JCVKQ7LYSYWXLO/Stories-of-Impact-Leap-Fund-14.jpg)
Held Back By The Social Support System
Organizations like Leap Fund advocate for transparency and education, enabling workers to make informed decisions based on their unique circumstances.
![Crushing Medical Debt with Jared Walker](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717133251335-W4USCFWY9IFIXC60ZNU1/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns_Jared%2BWalker.png)
Crushing Medical Debt with Jared Walker
Jared and Bryce talk about what Charity Care is, how TikTok has changed the trajectory of Dollar For, how many Americans are eligible to have their medical debt forgiven, and what drives Jared each and every day.
![Employer Student Loan Repayments](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717135255539-ORW2ZFQO29RJ28OM67ZW/student-debt-blog-unsplash.png)
Employer Student Loan Repayments
Access Ventures has been offering student debt repayment as a benefit since 2016, allowing employees to choose between student debt repayment, 401k match, or tuition assistance, and despite initial hurdles, recent legislative changes have made employer contributions towards student loans tax-free, providing a compelling incentive for other employers to adopt similar benefits.
![A Place To Call Home](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717136098321-BUVF5316VLDPXLL4D0OU/cropped-CH9_7959.png)
A Place To Call Home
Timothy Wilkins, once homeless and struggling with addiction, transformed his life through hard work and support from Facility Management Services and the Working Your Way Home program, ultimately achieving the dream of homeownership and providing stability for his family.
![How DeFi Can Be Used For Social Good with Mike Sall & Blake West](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717136394375-SLDUK93PONFFSEON5I60/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns_make%2Bsall%2Band%2Bblake%2Bwest.png)
How DeFi Can Be Used For Social Good with Mike Sall & Blake West
Mike and Blake share the story of how they met and started Goldfinch. The trio also discusses what decentralized finance (DeFi) is, crypto’s ability to transform financial models, and the false label Goldfinch has received as “under collateralized lending”.
![Corporate Rest](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717136566825-UZU7NKS72XLLG03UFU2O/corporate-rest.png)
Corporate Rest
Drawing from experiences in the military and manufacturing, AV founder Bryce Butler created a "corporate rest" policy, closing the office twice a year for complete disconnection, which has boosted team productivity and morale by allowing everyone to return to work refreshed and ready for new challenges.
![Team Trips](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717137116595-ZCJW7SQLC4GJZN2KROCX/team-trip-lookout.png)
Team Trips
Incorporating various types of team trips, including learning, team building, rest, and strategic planning, Access Ventures emphasizes the importance of shared experiences to strengthen team culture, foster unity, and boost overall productivity through well-planned and immersive activities.
![Clean Water Through Crypto](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717137423517-4Z45Q32VPZUSIF8JFOER/New_AdewaleV_AV_Lagos_2022-29.png)
Clean Water Through Crypto
Mrs. Fasoro Christina, a dedicated teacher in Lagos, Nigeria, provides safe drinking water to her students through Impact Water, a non-profit supported by blockchain-based funding from Goldfinch, highlighting how decentralized finance can facilitate access to essential resources in underserved communities.
![Exploring the Future of Web3 with Shawn Cheng](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717137533465-BNGP11TLRDC8IJUXDLZT/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-22.png)
Exploring the Future of Web3 with Shawn Cheng
In this special episode of More Than Profit, guest hosts Ben Terry and TJ Abood from Access Ventures talk with Shawn Cheng, Partner at ConsenSys Mesh, about the evolution and innovative uses of blockchain technology, DAOs, NFTs, DeFi, and building quality communities in the Web 3.0 ecosystem.
![Defining Your Values](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138114556-OKH1CKCPOUMR0Z0Y4RXY/AV-2019-Team-Retreat.png)
Defining Your Values
This post outlines the process Access Ventures undertook to redefine their core values, emphasizing the importance of collaboratively assessing and refining these values to ensure they reflect the personal principles of the team members and guide the organization’s mission and vision effectively.
![Innovative Capital with Alexandre Lazarow](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138194260-2WCW38MCXYS0GTJVT9A0/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-19.png)
Innovative Capital with Alexandre Lazarow
Alexandre and Bryce discuss financial inclusion, impact investing in the fintech and healthcare spaces, and how to balance the trend towards automation with the importance of human connection.
![Rebuilding Hope for the Unhoused with Jonathan Kumar](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138269184-3GJXXVFNIWRLGNL318A4/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-18.jpg)
Rebuilding Hope for the Unhoused with Jonathan Kumar
In this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Jonathan Kumar, CEO of Samaritan, about the critical role of providing autonomy and dignity to individuals experiencing homelessness, and how Samaritan links them to the social and financial resources necessary to achieve housing and health goals, emphasizing the connection between access to housing and improved health outcomes.
![Protecting Dignity Through Equitable Lending with Travis Holoway](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138367893-6Y6LQAQX3LUE75ONC0HM/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-20.png)
Protecting Dignity Through Equitable Lending with Travis Holoway
In this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Travis Holoway, CEO of SoLo Funds, about how their platform provides a non-predatory financial option for underserved communities by leveraging community support, discussing the importance of human dignity, combating payday loans, and increasing access to capital and financial literacy.
![Increasing Oral Health Equity with Dr. Kwane Watson](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138628253-894QJFSW39C8G14THB13/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-21.png)
Increasing Oral Health Equity with Dr. Kwane Watson
In this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Dr. Kwane Watson, founder and CEO of Kare Mobile, about how his startup is increasing oral health equity by making dental care more accessible through mobile clinics, the role of mentorship, and the impact of technology on the dental industry, along with discussing regulatory changes and creative capital solutions for scaling a startup.
![The Need for Good Jobs with Betsy Biemann](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138736375-SQVQXSZI7EO7TZ6E6HU0/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-23.jpg)
The Need for Good Jobs with Betsy Biemann
In this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Betsy Biemann, CEO of Coastal Enterprises Inc., about the seven elements of a “good job,” the responsibilities for creating such jobs, the intersection of capital and justice, the effects of globalization and technology on workers, the differences between rural and urban CDFIs, and the critical role of childcare in a functioning economy.
![The Dilemma of Social Entrepreneurship with Joe DeLoss](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138809596-ZBX6JHT00JOW6904HU65/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-24.jpg)
The Dilemma of Social Entrepreneurship with Joe DeLoss
In this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Joe DeLoss, founder of Hot Chicken Takeover, about creating supportive jobs for people facing employment barriers, the role of family in entrepreneurship, navigating a business through the pandemic, the current state of social entrepreneurship, and Joe's unique past as an amateur magician.
![The Magic of Employee Ownership With Levi Smith](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717138909908-WFB1Z6ZNOOYPQ6WPNF1U/2023%2BMTP%2BCover%2BDesigns-25.jpg)
The Magic of Employee Ownership With Levi Smith
In this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Levi Smith, President of Franklin Building Supply, about creating exceptional workplaces, the benefits of employee ownership, and the leadership lessons learned from growing up on a cattle ranch and leading a company with 650 employees.
![Why A Digital Financial System Is Impactful](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717139099755-PFNY9CDTAVD63AD9MJKB/Flexa_2019_-67.png)
Why A Digital Financial System Is Impactful
Access Ventures embraces a digital financial system through blockchain technology to foster an inclusive economy, transitioning from traditional investment strategies to supporting early-stage companies and protocols that aim to modernize financial infrastructure and enhance economic inclusion for marginalized populations.
![Catalyzing Innovation with Rebecca Rice and Patrick Henshaw](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717139162446-SN8R2FYDG92O0E1PRO8X/MTP%2BAudiogram%2BRBR_PH-01.jpg)
Catalyzing Innovation with Rebecca Rice and Patrick Henshaw
In this episode of More Than Profit, Bryce talks with Patrick Henshaw and Rebecca Rice from Render about their diverse career paths, working in the Midwest, the importance of risk-tolerant capital, and the significant impact corporations can achieve by embracing innovation in partnership with organizations like Access Ventures.
![Investing In A Vibrant Entrepreneurial Ecosystem](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65cee4aef2bb7f503cf7b3d0/1717139367217-XJV7EN44K6DC4Z9PZQQE/2021-Render-Competition-4.jpeg)
Investing In A Vibrant Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
When Access Ventures launched Render Capital in February 2020, the goal was to boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Greater Louisville region by providing risk-tolerant, early-stage capital through initiatives like the Render Competition, which invests $100,000 into eight companies annually to foster growth and scalability, demonstrating the region's commitment to supporting startups and attracting external investment.