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Shape the System

Shape the System

Written by: Vincent Turner
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 Find and tell the stories that inspire more people to rethink the way the world works. We interview people from all over the world who are changing our systems.. this might be food, energy, finance, education, health, environment, charitable.. anything really. They may be involved as founders or CEOs or providers to the specific vertical. The ventures they operate may be non-profit or for profit but they will have found a way to create success, sustainability and impact.℗ & © 2025 Shape the System Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Johan Tijssen - Hempblock

    Johan Tijssen - Hempblock
    Jan 12 2026
    About the GuestJohan Tijssen is the CEO of Hempblock International and a long-time builder and entrepreneur with more than 25 years’ experience working with hemp-lime (hempcrete) construction systems. Originally from the Netherlands, Johan moved to Australia and became deeply interested in why modern housing had become so complex, fragile, and uncomfortable. Through years of hands-on building, experimentation, and R&D, he developed an interlocking hemp block system designed to simplify construction while dramatically improving thermal comfort, fire resistance, and durability. Today, Johan works with owner-builders, architects, and developers globally to rethink how walls—and homes—are built.Episode SummaryIn this episode of Shape the System, host Vincent Turner speaks with Johan Tijssen about what’s fundamentally broken in the way we build houses—and why walls are at the centre of the problem. Johan contrasts today’s lightweight, multi-trade wall systems with thicker, simpler, and more durable approaches used historically, arguing that modern construction has traded long-term performance for short-term speed and perceived cost savings.Johan shares his personal journey from traditional building into hemp-based construction, after discovering hempcrete’s unique properties: insulation, fire resistance, breathability, and longevity. From there, he explains how Hempblock International evolved the material into a modular, interlocking block system that removes on-site mixing, reduces trade complexity, and enables faster, more accessible builds—even for owner-builders.The conversation explores the practical realities of construction economics, labour shortages, bushfire risk, and health issues like mould and humidity. Johan also outlines a bigger vision: scaling hemp construction into social housing, large developments, and even Olympic-scale projects, while regenerating soil and sequestering carbon through industrial hemp farming.Key TakeawaysModern wall systems rely on multiple materials and trades, increasing cost, coordination risk, and long-term failure points.Hemp block walls deliver R-values up to 4.8, over 3 hours fire resistance, and natural humidity regulation in a single system.The interlocking hemp block approach allows walls to be built at roughly 10 minutes per square metre, with minimal specialised skills.Hemp-lime walls petrify over time, improving durability rather than degrading like many petrochemical-based materials.Scaling hemp construction could support carbon-negative housing, healthier indoor environments, and regeneration of polluted soils.Notable Quotes“Walls are really like a complex system… and they require lots of different trades and moving parts.” — Johan Tijssen“I was totally fascinated by the fact that this one wall thickness would do everything—insulate, fireproof, and perform over time.” — Johan Tijssen“You’d be with a sledgehammer for half an hour before you get a hole in a hempcrete wall.” — Johan Tijssen“Hemp and lime petrify over time. There are no petrochemicals that break down.” — Johan Tijssen“The success is when people love where they live and feel safe, healthy, and comfortable in their own homes.” — Johan TijssenResourcesHempblock International — https://hempblockinternational.com/?utm_source=shapethesystem.org Shape the System is an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth VenturesMore about KPMG High Growth VenturesScale up for success. We’re here for that.We navigate founders and their teams to the services they need to reach their next milestone. From startup to scale and beyond. No matter where you are right now, we’ll get you the help you need to drive your business forward. We help founders fully realise their potential, as well as the potential of their team and their business, by connecting them to the expertise, skills and resources they need at every stage of their growth journey.Our extensive experience in partnering with evolving businesses means that we can provide you with tailored support as well as independent and practical insights. Whether you are looking to refine your strategy, establish your operations, prepare for a capital raise, expand abroad or simply comply with regulatory requirements, we are here to help.Links:Website: About (highgrowthventures.com.au)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/kpmg-enterprise-high-growth-ventures/Contacts: highgrowthventures@kpmg.com.au Shape the System is an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth Ventures More about KPMG High Growth VenturesScale up for success. We’re here for that.We navigate founders and their teams to the services they need to reach their next milestone. From startup to scale and beyond. No matter where you are right now, we’ll get you the help you need to drive your business forward. We help founders fully realise their potential, as well as the potential of their team and ...
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    54 mins
  • Maude Manoukian - Forager Project

    Maude Manoukian - Forager Project
    Dec 22 2025
    About the Guest Maude Manoukian is the Chief Community Officer at Forager Project, a US-based company redefining dairy through plant-based innovation. With a background spanning Odwalla and Whole Foods Market, Maude brings deep experience in natural foods, supply chains, and conscious consumerism. Her long-standing collaboration with Forager Project founder Stephen Williamson has shaped a shared philosophy grounded in sustainability, community engagement, and continuous improvement. At Forager Project, she leads both community programs and the human-centric culture that drives the company’s mission. Episode Summary In this episode of Shape the System, host Vincent Turner sits down with Maude Manoukian to explore how Forager Project is reimagining dairy through cashew-based alternatives. Maude outlines the fundamental resource problem in traditional animal-based dairy — an industry now 8–10 times more resource-intensive than plant-based options — and why scaling that model for a planet of eight billion people is no longer sustainable. Their conversation traces the historical reasons dairy became dominant, what’s changed, and why a rethink is overdue. The discussion then turns to cashews — Forager Project’s “star ingredient” — and why they are uniquely suited as a dairy alternative due to their creamy texture, neutral flavour and minimal ecological footprint. Maude explains how cashews grown in places like Côte d’Ivoire are naturally rain-fed, resilient to poorer soils, and part of reforestation efforts rather than deforestation risk. She walks through the surprisingly complex journey from cashew apple to packaged yoghurt, highlighting the critical roles of farming practice, processing, fermentation, and product consistency. Beyond the product itself, the episode delves into Forager Project’s broader philosophy: a commitment to community-centred supply chains, regenerative thinking, and multi-year programs training 10,000 cashew growers. Maude also reflects on packaging challenges, their shift to recycled plastics, and the belief that improving systems requires both experimentation and humility. Ultimately, the ambition is to “flip the script” — shifting dairy consumption from 80% animal-based to 80% plant-based — a move driven by taste, accessibility, and cultural change as much as sustainability. Key Takeaways Traditional animal-based dairy now requires 8–10 times the resources of plant-based alternatives, particularly land and water. Cashews offer a uniquely low-impact, creamy, neutral-flavoured base for dairy alternatives and can thrive with no irrigation in suitable climates. Forager Project is investing in a multi-year training program for 10,000 cashew growers in Côte d’Ivoire to improve yields, livelihoods and regenerative practices. Taste and price remain the two biggest levers for shifting consumers towards plant-based dairy; flavour consistency is critical to behaviour change. The company is transitioning its packaging to rPET and continues to explore next-generation sustainable formats as technology matures. Notable Quotes “Conventional animal-based dairy requires a lot more resources… between eight and ten times more demanding than plant-based options.” — Maude Manoukian “Our star ingredient is the cashew… we think they’re the best comparison to what people currently know as a dairy product.” — Maude Manoukian “You can’t just say, ‘Great, these can grow here — let’s cut down stuff and plant cashew trees.’ Nature doesn’t like that.” — Maude Manoukian “It’s all connected… the way you do stuff is as important, if not more important, than what you’re doing.” — Maude Manoukian “We’re trying to flip the script — from 80% animal-based dairy to 80% plant-based.” — Maude Manoukian Resources Forager Project — https://foragerproject.com/?utm_source=shapethesystem.org Shape the System is an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth Ventures More about KPMG High Growth Ventures Scale up for success. We’re here for that.
We navigate founders and their teams to the services they need to reach their next milestone. From startup to scale and beyond. No matter where you are right now, we’ll get you the help you need to drive your business forward. We help founders fully realise their potential, as well as the potential of their team and their business, by connecting them to the expertise, skills and resources they need at every stage of their growth journey. Our extensive experience in partnering with evolving businesses means that we can provide you with tailored support as well as independent and practical insights. Whether you are looking to refine your strategy, establish your operations, prepare for a capital raise, expand abroad or simply comply with regulatory requirements, we are here to help. Links: Website: About (highgrowthventures.com.au) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/...
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab

    Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab
    Dec 8 2025
    About the Guest Dr Jennifer Berry is the CEO of Smartlab, an organisation dedicated to building STEM identity in K–12 learners through hands-on, project-based learning. With a background spanning professional dance, retail, customer experience, and education leadership, she brings a uniquely holistic perspective to how children learn. Her career has focused on non-traditional educational environments—from Montessori-inspired early learning to special education and supplemental tutoring—culminating in her leadership at Smartlab. Dr Berry’s work centres on empowering students with the confidence, curiosity, and problem-solving abilities needed to thrive in an increasingly AI-powered world. Episode Summary In this episode of Shape the System, host Vincent Turner explores the future of learning, STEM identity, and how technology is reshaping education with Dr Jennifer Berry. The conversation dives into what K–12 education looks like today in the United States—and why many schools remain unprepared for the speed and scale of change driven by AI. Dr Berry argues that while students must still learn the basics, the real opportunity lies in helping them develop the confidence, curiosity, and connective thinking needed to solve real-world problems. Dr Berry shares her personal journey, from a kinesthetic learner who couldn’t sit still, to a professional dancer, to an education leader drawn to hands-on, project-based learning environments. These experiences shaped her passion for Smartlab’s integrated ecosystem: flexible, in-school STEM labs where students get access to real tools—robotics, circuitry, multimedia, design technology—and are encouraged to fail, iterate, and problem-solve in meaningful ways. She explains how STEM identity is not about careers in science and technology alone, but about a student’s self-belief that they belong, can master challenges, and that their ideas matter. The episode also explores the widening gap between what schools teach and what employers need. With 80% of hiring managers saying high-school graduates are less prepared than in previous decades, Dr Berry stresses the importance of teaching communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and systems thinking—skills that cannot be automated. She highlights how Smartlab works with philanthropies like the Compost Foundation to bring these opportunities to under-resourced communities, ensuring upward mobility and creating a more equitable future. Throughout the discussion, real stories bring the impact to life—from a 13-year-old in Oakland discovering future career paths through drone technology, to Dr Berry’s own daughter gaining confidence through assistive tools like speech-to-text. The episode closes with a powerful reminder: the hardest part of the work is the inequity, and the best part is watching doors open for students who otherwise would never have access to these learning experiences. Key Takeaways STEM identity is defined as a learner’s belief that they belong, can master rigorous challenges, and that their ideas have impact—skills essential across all industries. School systems are struggling to keep pace with AI; 80% of hiring managers say graduates are less prepared than in past decades, and 69% of HR leaders report widening gaps in tech and analytics readiness. Project-based STEM learning builds critical skills such as collaboration, communication, systems thinking, and comfort with failure. Community partnerships—particularly philanthropy and corporate giving—play a vital role in bringing STEM opportunities to under-resourced schools. Technology should support learning, not replace it; tools like speech-to-text can help students overcome challenges and build confidence. Notable Quotes “We define STEM identity as a learner’s self-belief that they belong, they can master rigorous challenges, and their ideas have an impact.” — Dr Jennifer Berry “I’m leaning less into teaching her the technology and more into teaching her to be a strong communicator, a strong collaborator… the soft skills.” — Dr Jennifer Berry “It isn’t the stuff. It’s the facilitator mentoring and guiding the student through the learning process.” — Dr Jennifer Berry “If only the few get the exposure to things, we continually just push down, push down, push down, and we all don’t rise together.” — Dr Jennifer Berry Resources Smartlab — https://www.smartlablearning.com/?utm_source=shapethesystem.org Shape the System is an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth Ventures More about KPMG High Growth Ventures Scale up for success. We’re here for that.
We navigate founders and their teams to the services they need to reach their next milestone. From startup to scale and beyond. No matter where you are right now, we’ll get you the help you need to drive your business forward. We help founders fully realise their potential, as well as the potential of their ...
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    57 mins
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