What does authentic leadership look like in today’s divided world? In this intimate conversation, Moving the Needle co-host Christopher Gergen sits down with his father, legendary advisor and commentator David Gergen, to explore the values that shape courageous, service-driven leadership. From growing up in Durham to navigating the halls of power, the two reflect on trust, collaboration, intergenerational mentorship, and civic responsibility. This is a heartfelt dialogue on what it means to lead with purpose and how we pass that torch to the next generation.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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As the first alumnus to serve as President of Tuskegee University, Dr. Mark Brown brings a powerful blend of personal experience, military leadership, and policy innovation to the future of higher education. In this episode, he reflects on his journey—from growing up with limited means to overseeing a $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio. Dr. Brown offers bold ideas to tackle student debt, including income-contingent financing models and a vision for an “endowment without walls.” His message: higher ed can be a driver of equity—if we’re willing to disrupt the model.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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With roots in West Virginia and Detroit, Robert Jones rose through the ranks of corporate America—then turned his attention to closing the racial wealth gap. In this episode, he shares how a growth mindset, powerful mentors, and unwavering family support helped him transition from earning income to owning capital. Now an angel investor with Realm Capital Partners, Robert is focused on assisting others to convert professional success into long-term wealth-building strategies. This is a story of purpose, legacy, and financial transformation.Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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As founder of the Black Star Fund, Kwame Anku is investing in the future of Black innovation—one transformative founder at a time. In this episode, he shares how his upbringing as a first-generation Ghanaian American gave him a dual lens on American opportunity and systemic barriers. From answering Prince’s provocative question—“Where are the Black Mark Zuckerbergs?”—to backing visionary founders with capital, networks, and belief, Kwame lays out a bold blueprint for closing the wealth gap through ownership, equity, and strategic investment.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Bruce Katz has spent decades shaping policy at the intersection of cities, innovation, and inclusive growth. In this episode, he unpacks why now is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for communities to reclaim their place in a reindustrializing America. From reshoring and decarbonization to supply chains and federal investments, Katz shares why intentional, radical collaboration is essential to ensure that underserved communities aren’t left behind. This conversation offers a sharp, systems-level look at how metros can reposition themselves to thrive in the 21st-century economy.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Felecia Hatcher’s journey—from a self-described “C student” to CEO of Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition—is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention. In this episode, she shares how her early experiences, entrepreneurial hustle, and commitment to building Black startup ecosystems shaped her mission. From launching Code Fever and Black Tech Week to transforming capital access through cultural healing and community building, Felecia challenges conventional narratives of success—and makes the case for creating new pathways rooted in equity, ownership, and belonging.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Tracye McDaniel brings three decades of expertise to this conversation on the future of economic development. As President of TIP Strategies, she explores the power of foresight, data, and place-based investment in creating inclusive growth. From AI and workforce shifts to underutilized community assets and the untapped role of faith-based institutions, Tracye shares what it takes to move from intention to measurable impact. If you’re ready to build smarter, more equitable strategies, this one’s for you.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Detroit’s comeback is one of the most remarkable economic stories in America—and Kevin Johnson has been at the heart of it. As President and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, he shares how the city has gone from bankruptcy to boom, with $5 billion in active investment and a renewed focus on equity. From attracting global companies to stabilizing local businesses, Johnson discusses Detroit’s four-pillar strategy and the partnerships fueling its momentum. This episode is a masterclass in resilience and results.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Dr. Cynthia Johnson brings a unique perspective to economic development, rooted in education and driven by equity. She shares how Pinellas County, Florida, responds to disruption through collaboration, innovation, and people-centered strategy. From launching an $11.2M business incubator to building a unified workforce system, Dr. Johnson outlines how local leadership expands opportunity, even in the face of crisis. This episode is a powerful reminder that economic development begins with listening—and leading—with intention.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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In this episode, Clyde Higgs dives into the $4.5 billion Atlanta BeltLine—a transformative infrastructure project reconnecting 45 neighborhoods while driving job creation, transit access, and affordable housing. Higgs shares how public-private partnerships, inclusive zoning, and land banking are helping ensure long-time residents and legacy businesses benefit from the BeltLine’s growth. This is more than redevelopment—it’s a model for how cities can center people and equity in economic progress.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Recorded live at the IEDC Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., this special kickoff episode features Nathan Ohle, President & CEO of IEDC. Nathan joins co-host Johnathan Holifield to reflect on the Summit’s theme—“Meeting the Moment”—and what it means for the future of economic development. From building inclusive, resilient economies to equipping leaders at every stage of their career, Nathan shares how IEDC is helping communities navigate rapid change. Tune in for insights on the trends reshaping the field, the value of cross-sector collaboration, and why now is the time to lead boldly.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Today we're sharing an episode of a podcast that shares our mission to move the needle - Inside Impact with Alisa Herr.
Christopher Gergen's first entrepreneurial venture—a coffee shop bar in Santiago, Chile—was impactful, but more impactful was the man who walked in and introduced himself as a "cultural entrepreneur." In this episode, hear how that first project inspired him to support founders and transform entrepreneurship in the Triangle as a Founding Partner of Forward Impact Solutions.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Today we explore how a transformed food system can pave the way for generational wealth creation, equity, and a sustainable future for communities.
4P Foods is working to revolutionize the food industry by connecting smallholder farmers with local consumers, and CEO Tom McDougall joins us to talk about the need to improve food ecosystems, considering their impact on local economies, the environment, and healthcare. Tom shares his firsthand experiences with the externalities and true costs of the industrial food system, shedding light on the importance of creating alternative strategies.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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SoLo Funds is the outgrowth of co-founder and chairman Rodney Williams’ lived experience of a mother who regularly needed access to short-term cash to stay current with bills and to maintain household cohesion. Such loans were very limited and costly in his neighborhood. Rodney wanted to develop a community-based lending marketplace for small dollar amounts as an alternative to banks, high-interest credit cards, and predatory lenders that impose unfair, deceptive, or abusive terms on borrowers.
SoLo Funds operates a community peer-to-peer lending platform. The company announced 1 million registered users as of 2023, making it reportedly the largest black-owned financial technology company in the U.S. Let’s explore how Rodney and SoLo Funds are aggregating the power of community to change the game for short-term borrowers in lower-income neighborhoods.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Today's guest is Darrin Redus, CEO of the Cincinnati Minority Business Accelerator within the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Accelerator has recently launched a $100 million transformational equity capital fund to fuel the creation of larger scale minority owned businesses, and Darrin is here to give us all of the details of what that means and the impact it will have in addressing long-standing economic inequities and advancing inclusive prosperity.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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As we talk about the racial wealth gap it’s critical to highlight the importance of owning appreciating assets. At the end of 2020, 44% of Black Americans owned their homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, compared with almost 75% of White Americans. That difference materially undermines both family wealth creation and prospects for inclusive prosperity. While not the only way, but certainly one of the surest ways to build generational wealth is through ownership of appreciating assets like land, a home, or even commercial property.
Today we are joined by someone who’s making it happen. As CEO of Chicago Trend, Lyneir Richardson is creating new ownership opportunities within majority communities of color, empowering inclusive ownership and strategic retail to drive neighborhood transformation.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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When you’re running a small business, you’ll take all the resources you can get, especially access to capital. But many founders have no idea where to begin to look for funding and wouldn’t even think to look at the federal government. To promote inclusive opportunity and prosperity, America’s Seed Fund - the small business innovation research program - now invests over $4 BILLION a year to over 4000 small businesses across the United States.
Jennifer Shieh is the Director of Ecosystem Development at the United States Small Business Administration.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Median Black wealth is 12 times less than median White wealth, and it is estimated that median Black wealth by 2053 will be zero. While there are myriad historic and current reasons for such outcomes, what we know for sure is that entrepreneurship is a potent enabler of wealth creation and driver of inclusive prosperity.
Today’s guest on Moving The Needle is Aaron Walker, CEO of Camelback Ventures based in New Orleans. Camelback’s mission is to increase access to opportunity for entrepreneurs of color and women by investing in their ventures and leadership while advocating for fairness in their funding.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Christopher Gergen and Johnathan Holifield come from completely different backgrounds. One was born into power and privilege in a political family in DC. One grew up in the industrial, blue-collar Detroit area where hard work was the norm. Through their careers and personal growth, they've ended up with the same goals - to raise awareness and promote action to strengthen our nation’s economic inclusion, competitiveness, and prosperity - and ultimately move the needle in closing the generational wealth gap in the United States.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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Tracy Palandjian is moving the needle. She's the CEO of Social Finance, a national impact finance and advisory nonprofit that has mobilized $350 million in new investments designed to help 45,000 people realize improved outcomes in education, economic mobility, health, and housing.
Any attempts to close economic inequity gaps must begin with a focus on aligning underestimated talent with the economic inequity closing sectors of the economy, then helping them attain ownership stakes in those sectors. Acquisition of in-demand skills provides just such an ownership stake. Earlier this year, Social Finance partnered with Google on a $100M innovative investment program that will upskill and place 20,000 Americans in good jobs, driving $1 billion in wage gains over the next 10 years, and providing real ownership interests in the U.S. economy.
Here’s Tracy Palandjian, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Finance, a national nonprofit that builds innovative partnerships and investments to measurably improve lives, providing enlightening perspective on the acquisition and ownership of skills needed in today’s economy.
Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.
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