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Future Tide Conversations

Future Tide Conversations

Written by: Alfa Demmellash
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 Can the coming tide raise all boats? At Rising Tide Capital, we know that purpose and perseverance are at the heart of every journey—whether it's building a business, strengthening a community, or finding leadership clarity in the chaos. This podcast is about exactly that: real conversations with real people, uncovering stories, insights, and strategies that help us move forward with intention. The inaugural episodes of Future Tide Conversations will focus on themes of resilience, starting with entrepreneurs building our economy from the bottom up and evolve from there to be inclusive of a wide array of ideas and leaders.2025 Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Alleys and Waves of Innovation? Get in the Game. (Part 2)

    Alleys and Waves of Innovation? Get in the Game. (Part 2)
    Oct 1 2025
    Welcome back to Future Tide Conversations for Part 2 of our enlightening discussion with James Johnson-Piett, Principal and CEO of Urbane Development and Board Chair of Mangrove Community Wealth, Inc. If Part 1 was about how James planted the seeds of a new idea, Part 2 is about how those ideas blossomed and spread. This episode picks up the thread, so if you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, we recommend starting there to fully appreciate the journey. In Part 2, James dives into how he expanded his mission's reach and the innovative strategies he's using to change economic systems. We discuss the evolution from working one neighborhood at a time to influencing investment practices on a wider scale. James details how he created vehicles like community investment funds and a neighborhood REIT, designed to give ordinary people a chance to invest in and profit from local development, effectively rewriting who gets to build wealth. He shares the impact of these efforts, from new community-owned commercial spaces to multi-city partnerships that are taking root. Listeners will also hear James's insights on sustaining and scaling an initiative. He talks about building a team and a network that share his values, including joining forces with other leaders through national cohorts focused on racial and economic justice in finance. Importantly, we explore the human aspect behind scaling. James opens up about balancing ambition with well-being, and why he believes caring for yourself and your community is integral to long-term success. This concluding conversation highlights themes of collaboration, systemic change, and hope. James's expanded work shows that the principles we discussed in Part 1 — trust, inclusion, ownership — can indeed operate at larger scales, challenging the status quo of who has access to capital and opportunity. His vision resonates with what Rising Tide Capital has championed for 21 years, an economy where everyone can participate and prosper, not just a few. Tune in to Part 2 for the inspiring culmination of James Johnson-Piett's story. It is a powerful reminder that when innovative thinkers like James get the support they need, they not only succeed in their own ventures, they pave the way for whole communities to rise. Whether you are passionate about impact investing, community leadership, or just love seeing visionary ideas come to life, this episode will leave you motivated and optimistic about the future. Listen now to hear how it all comes together. 🔔 Subscribe to Future Tide Conversations for more visionary stories and insights. Don't miss our upcoming episodes. Turn on notifications to stay updated.
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    53 mins
  • Alleys and Waves of Innovation? Get in the Game.

    Alleys and Waves of Innovation? Get in the Game.
    Sep 10 2025
    In Part 1 of this Future Tide Conversations episode, we meet James Johnson-Piett, the dynamic Principal and CEO of Urbane Development and Board Chair of Mangrove Community Wealth, Inc, and uncover the beginnings of a journey that is transforming communities. James's story starts with a question: What if the key to reviving neighborhoods lies with the people who already live there? With that question in mind, he set out to reinvent community development from the inside out. He takes us through how he launched Urbane Development during the 2008 economic downturn, a bold move that exemplified courage and faith in his mission. James recounts those early days, from convincing the first partners and funders to trust a community-led approach, to tangible early successes like helping open new businesses that addressed urgent local needs, including bringing a grocery store to an area that hadn't seen one in years. In this episode, listeners will hear how James built the foundation of his work. He discusses learning the ropes of finance and urban planning but also unlearning traditional top-down methods. We talk about how he focused on trust and relationships, spending countless hours in conversation with small business owners and residents to co-create solutions. James also reflects on the personal side, the doubts he had to overcome, and the resilience he cultivated to keep pushing forward. He shares how community support, mentors, peers, and early believers played a crucial role in turning a solitary idea into a collaborative movement. This Part 1 conversation sets the stage, highlighting themes of innovation, empathy, and grit. James's early journey shows that representation matters not just in who gets opportunities, but in who leads the charge. His work aligns strongly with Rising Tide Capital's vision over the past 21 years, that big change grows from humble roots when entrepreneurs in every community get a chance to shine. Tune in to Part 1 to be inspired by how James started building a new paradigm of community wealth. It is a testament to the power of a single vision and the early steps that turn that vision into reality. Don't forget to catch Part 2, where we'll dive into how James scaled up that impact and what it means for the future of inclusive economies. 🔔 Subscribe to Future Tide Conversations for Part 2 of this talk and more inspiring episodes. New conversations drop regularly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
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    54 mins
  • Purpose & Proximity: Investing with a Broader Sense of Community

    Purpose & Proximity: Investing with a Broader Sense of Community
    Jul 23 2025

    In this Special Edition of our podcast, Alfa Demmellash speaks with Preston D. Pinkett III—President of P3 Collective and Chair of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation—about the role of purpose and proximity in ethical investing.

    Together, they explore the power of relationship in funding, the role of trust, and why it matters who's closest to the solution.

    🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

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    22 mins
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