E 5.7 - Unlearning Systems, Sharing Power, and Stepping Back From Your Startup with Naomi Ryland

Ecosystems For Change

In our last conversation of this season, we’re traveling to Berlin, Germany. I’m sitting down with Naomi Ryland, systemic change maker, social entrepreneur, bestselling author and overall insightful person.

We talked about the last ten years in the German social impact space, how to turn your organization from a hierarchical to a self-organized one, and how to shift and share power as a person with privilege. We also talk about burnout from the Unicorn-startup culture and raising anti-racist, feminist children.

​​Naomi is an entrepreneur, author, and activist with a keen interest in feminist economics, diversity and belonging, power and privilege, and post-capitalist utopias. She founded tbd*, the go-to platform for jobs with purpose, and SEND e.V., the political representative body for social entrepreneurship in Germany. She co-authored Starting a Revolution and co-edited and co-authored Unlearn Patriarchy.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How Naomi’s realization that she was following a playbook that wasn’t written by or for people like her led her to Starting a Revolution
• How principles of self-organizing and competency-based hierarchy at tbd* impacted Naomi’s slow transition out of her role as founder
• Why Naomi says it’s important for people with privilege to take risks towards systemic change
• Why Naomi’s next big project is about unlearning business

Learn more about Naomi Ryland:

• NaomiRyland.com
• Instagram: @naomi_ryland

Learn More About Anika Horn:

• Website: www.socialventurers.com
• Instagram: SocialVenturers
• Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator

Resources:

• Lisa Jaspers
• All About Love: New Visions, bell hooks
• Starting a revolution, Naomi Ryland & Lisa Jaspers
• Unlearn Patriarchy, Lisa Jaspers & Naomi Ryland
• tbd*
• Unlearn Business Lab