Pura Vida is an exemplar of social enterprise and social entrepreneurship. In this University podcast, cofounder and CEO John Sage shares how he has helped fair trade coffee — coffee purchased at a price that is fair to farmers — become a regular at U.S. breakfast tables and cafes. He also discusses how his company has helped better the lives of people in coffee-growing regions. Sage outlines how Pura Vida uses every aspect of its products, processes, and profits for social good, which includes improving the health, educational opportunities, and psychological outlooks of children and families in coffee-growing countries. Sage talks more broadly, as well, about how a new generation of social enterprise and social entrepreneurship is producing meaningful, sustainable, and lasting improvements to our world.
John Sage cofounded Pura Vida Coffee in 1998 with the goal of building a for-profit funding engine that would sustain a wide range of charitable programs. Prior to that, he spent more than 10 years managing marketing teams and new product initiatives for such leading companies as Microsoft, Disney, and Starbucks. Sage is a popular public speaker and recognized leader in the growing field of social entrepreneurship. He holds a BA from Stanford and an MBA from Harvard.
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This free podcast is from our Stanford Discussions series.
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