(re)connect

About (re)connect

The next world is being built right now. This podcast is where we talk about it. Each week, Valentine, founder of Green Socials, explores what it really means to live well on this planet — because she believes the stories we tell about the future shape the future we build. Solo episodes dig into the ideas, research, and tensions she can't stop thinking about. Guest conversations bring in the founders, activists, and changemakers quietly doing the work in community, ecology, wellness, and business. The question we always end on: what does the world you want to live in actually look like? 30 minutes. Best listened to on a walk. More information about Green Socials: www.green-socials.com (http://www.green-socials.com) Follow us on Instagram to never miss an episode: @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

Publisher

Valentine Aouad

Category

business · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 May 2026

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   "Social Media Is a Mirror": Ethics, Art and Staying Curious with Claire Matz

   Claire Matz is half French, half Texan, and the founder of The Social Palm, where she manages social media for sustainable and ethical brands. She is also an artist. On the day we recorded, she had just registered her official artiste-auteur status in France. Claire and Valentine do very similar jobs, so this conversation goes behind the scenes of the work. They talk about growing up between two cultures and never fitting in one box. They get into why social media works like a mirror and an amplifier, and how a brand can show up online in a way that matches its values. Claire also shares the routines that keep her off her phone (ceramics helps), and the mindset shift that let her start selling her art after years of saying no. What we cover (01:39) Half French, half Texan: growing up in a French international school in Houston (04:20) Feeling "both, but also neither", and finding her people in international environments (06:35) What she keeps from each culture: American boldness and French creative heritage (09:33) Curiosity and connection, the two forces behind every chapter of her career (14:34) From the French government in New York to a digital think tank in Paris, then launching The Social Palm (20:37) Social media as "a mirror and an amplifier", and the shift from social networks to social media (26:11) Her advice when your community starts leaving a platform, and the "Instagram collapses tomorrow" test (27:22) How to pick one platform based on your content, your time and what you enjoy making (31:16) Transparency, intentionality and the behind-the-curtain test (34:55) What a social media manager does all day, from strategy to analytics (40:35) Slow mornings, a garden, a cat, and workshops where your hands are covered in clay (46:30) Becoming an artiste-auteur, giving 50% of her first night of art sales to organizations she loves, and unlearning "who am I to be an artist?" (51:01) The world Claire wants to live in What is ethical social media marketing? Ethical social media marketing means using social platforms in a way that matches the values your business stands for. The content you post and the way you interact with people are transparent and intentional. You leave out manipulative tactics like follow/unfollow strategies, bots, false scarcity and pressure-based wording. You ask your community what they want, and you adapt. Claire's test in this episode: if the people you want to reach could see what goes on behind the curtain, would they agree with it? Connect with Claire Matz Instagram (art): @clairematzart (https://www.instagram.com/clairematzart/) Instagram (The Social Palm): @thesocialpalm (https://www.instagram.com/thesocialpalm/) Website: www.thesocialpalm.com (https://www.thesocialpalm.com) Also mentioned Episode 04 with Audrey Barucchi, on reconnecting with your immediate spaces and communities Connect with (re)connect: green-socials.com (https://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

2. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Humans Are The Soil: Building a Regenerative Future with SeedTree's Rachael & Moss

   What if we organised ourselves the way a forest does? In this episode of (re)connect, I sit down with Rachael and Moss, the co-founders (co-grounders) of SeedTree, a decentralised, values-based network mapping the people, projects and organisations already building a regenerative future. Moss brings a builder's mind and a lifelong search for work with real impact. Rachel brings 25 years of relationship-building and a deep belief in giving without expectation. Together they're creating what they call a coordination layer for the regenerative movement, a mycelial network that helps good work find each other. We talk about what "regenerative" actually means, why repair cafés count, and the ecological cosmology behind SeedTree, where humans are the soil and ideas are seeds waiting for the right conditions. They share how they hosted a local node of the Global Peace Activation in the Northern Rivers, and why collaboration beats competition in the nonprofit world. We also get into tall poppy syndrome. To finish, they walk us through the morning ritual that anchors them, with meditation, breathwork and spoken gratitude. In this episode 00:00 Welcome Rachel and Moss 00:52 Their backgrounds: relationships, travel and building 03:10 What SeedTree is and why it exists 05:42 What regeneration means, in nature and in business 09:28 Repair cafés and other examples of regenerative businesses 14:35 The turning point that led to SeedTree 19:35 The SeedTree ecosystem: soil, seeds, mycelium and blooms 24:26 Hosting a node of the Global Peace Activation 29:45 The Northern Rivers and choosing collaboration over competition 35:11 What tall poppy syndrome is 36:15 Their roles inside SeedTree 40:06 Their morning ritual: meditation, breathwork and gratitude 49:33 What does the world you want to live in actually look like? What is a regenerative business? A regenerative business is designed to leave people and the planet better off than it found them. Sustainability focuses on reducing harm. Regeneration goes further: it restores ecosystems, strengthens communities and gives back more than it takes. As Moss puts it, the simplest test is whether a business is moving the needle towards more life. Connect with SeedTree Instagram: @seedtree.earth (https://www.instagram.com/seedtree.earth/) Website: seedtree.earth Connect with (re)connect green-socials.com | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/green.socials/)

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   We Got 2 Million Views. Here's What We Learned.

   On September 4th, Green Socials released a reel on the Instagram account of our client Parayma, a Switzerland-based company working with change workers worldwide. Ten days later, it had reached 2 million views, 163K likes, 22.7K reposts, 3,440 comments, and over 40,600 shares in DMs. The account grew from 700 to 4,500 followers in that window. In this episode, Valentine breaks down what actually happened: the origin of the reel (built around a voiceover by Instagram creator Bobby Opp imagining a hopeful vision of 2035), why the messaging worked, what the comment section revealed, and what it takes to be ready for a viral moment before it hits. What we cover: The reel that started it all, built from a client-shared voiceover and existing stock footage Applying Donald Miller's three levels of problems (external, internal, philosophical) from Building a StoryBrand to explain why the reel's opening line worked Reading the comment section: tears, hope, skepticism, and a wave of bots and trolls What "being ready for virality" really means: DM automations, freebies, a clear bio, and a pinned post that actually represents the brand Why chasing virality for its own sake is a mistake if there's no offer or resource behind it Moving from awareness to action: how to respond to a community suddenly asking "what do we do now?" Turning a one-off spike into a repeatable content format through continuous testing Why monthly reporting matters even more in the weeks following a viral moment Links mentioned in this episode: The reel that went viral: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc3LOXXIF_f/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== (https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc3LOXXIF_f/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) Parayma: https://www.parayma.co/ (https://www.parayma.co/) Bobby Opp (voiceover creator): https://www.instagram.com/itsbobbyopp/ (https://www.instagram.com/itsbobbyopp/) Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller Connect with (re)connect: green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

4. 

   2 Sept 2026

   [KEY MOMENTS] Creative Routines, Journaling, and Nervous System Care with Charlotte Gomes

   Charlotte Gomes and Valentine Aouad discuss how to build a sustainable creative routine instead of forcing consistency that drains you. The conversation focuses on aligning work with your creative season, using journaling as a reflective tool, and incorporating nervous system and somatic practices to support mental and physical health. Key topics Charlotte Gomes shares that consistency matters, but only when it is built into a system that fits your real life and creative season. She emphasizes that sustainable routines must account for mental health and physical health, not just productivity. Valentine Aouad asks about personal creativity rituals and grounding practices that help create consistency without burnout. Charlotte mentions her "find your path" practice as a core ritual she uses and says it can be adapted by anyone. She explains that assessing your creative season can help guide the kinds of rituals you need, and that she offers email guidance based on that assessment. Journaling comes up as a major practice for both speakers, especially for introspection, processing emotions, and understanding what shapes your work and life. Charlotte highlights the value of learning about brain energetics, nervous system work, and somatic worK. She shares that somatic experiencing has been life-changing in her own experience. Charlotte describes using a personal container ritual to avoid feeling drained online and to stay tuned into her body. The episode closes with Valentine’s signature question about the kind of world you want to live in, setting up a reflective ending. Want the full conversation? Go over to (re)connect wherever you get your podcasts. green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod

5. 

   27 Aug 2026

   [KEY MOMENT] Jenny McCarty Reveals How She’s Reshaping What Sustainable Art Can Look Like

   The artist who turned eco-friendly materials into activism, and a viral sticker into $27,000 for national parks. Jenny McCarty reveals how she’s reshaping what sustainable art can look like - from choosing watercolors and gouache over harsher mediums, to building a smarter, more ethical art practice that considers materials, packaging, shipping, and even what happens after a piece hangs in your home. If you’re an artist, collector, or just trying to make better choices with the supplies you already have, this conversation gives you a clear, practical way to start.Valentine Aouad pushes Jenny to get specific about the easiest path toward greener art, and Jenny breaks down the real-world strategy: use what you already own first, look for reuse centers like Boulder’s Art Parts, and then transition toward eco-friendly brands that are changing the market with earth-based acrylics, water-based oils, and lower-toxicity pigments. She also shares the checklist she created for asking artists the right questions about sustainability. You’ll also hear the story behind the viral sticker that got over a million views after Jenny responded to a controversial national parks pass design. What started as a creative protest became a community-powered movement, with volunteers packing orders at her kitchen table and a full 100 percent of proceeds going to national parks.Jenny and Valentine also dig into the bigger question: what can art actually do? They connect the dots between creativity and activism, why artists often spot social problems early, and how expression becomes more powerful when it’s rooted in the world we’re living in right now.If you care about sustainability, public lands, or using your creative work for something bigger than yourself, this one is essential listening. It’s a grounded, hopeful reminder that small acts, made well and shared widely, can create real momentum. Jenny McCarty is an artist and activist known for her eco-conscious watercolor practice and for creating a viral sticker campaign that has raised nearly $27,000 for national parks. Her work blends sustainability, community response, and visual protest into one powerful creative message. Valentine Aouad guides the conversation with a focus on practical sustainability, community feedback, and the future of art as a force for connection and change. Want the full conversation? Go over to (re)connect wherever you get your podcasts. green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod

6. 

   19 Aug 2026

   [KEY MOMENT] Improving Indoor Air Quality on a Budget with Alex Shield

   The conversation covers practical ways to improve indoor air quality and create a healthier home environment. It emphasizes the importance of small steps, awareness, and informed decision-making. Takeaways Small steps for healthier indoor air Awareness and informed decision-making Want the full conversation? Go over to (re)connect wherever you get your podcasts. green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

7. 

   11 Aug 2026

   [KEY MOMENT] Uncovering the Truth about the Climate Crisis' Capitalisation with Audrey Barucchi

   Audrey shares her 10-year journey within a company, revealing the capitalisation of the climate crisis, her interest in financialisation and engineering, her realisation and transition, and her understanding of the climate crisis. Want the full conversation? Go over to (re)connect wherever you get your podcasts. green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

8. 

   5 Aug 2026

   Why Your Marketing Should Start With Your Nervous System, Not Your KPIs with Charlotte Gomes

   Most people start with visibility. What if the work actually starts underground? In this episode of (re)connect, Valentine sits down with Charlotte Gomes, founder of Collective Roots PR, to talk about what it means to build a creative practice from the roots up instead of chasing KPIs first. Charlotte's path started young, booking over sixty live music shows across Europe at eighteen, then shifted a decade later when chronic health symptoms led her to somatic work and nervous system awareness. That thread of "invisible connection" became the foundation of Collective Roots, a practice blending storytelling design, nervous system work, and brain energetics for creatives, visionaries, and changemakers who don't want to burn themselves out to be seen. They get into: Why "well marketed" and "deeply rooted" are two different things, and what changes when you tune into a project's felt sense before you promote it Charlotte's four creative seasons (winter, spring, summer, autumn) and how they map to her five-pillar framework: root, express, embody, connect, expand A simple personal / public / sacred exercise for figuring out what's actually safe to share online before you're dysregulated by it A grounding ritual to run before you open Instagram, so you're not scrolling from a place of dissociation Where AI fits in, and Charlotte's honest take on the line between using it as a tool and letting it swallow your own voice The "find your path" creative ritual for getting unstuck Charlotte's answer to the podcast's signature closing question: what does the world you want to live in actually look like A note from Charlotte: We Root Before We Rise is a seven-week self-paced journey for creatives and changemakers who want to tend to what lives beneath their work, before it is asked to be seen. Across seven reflective workbooks and ten guided audio practices, you move at your own pace, reconnecting with your creativity, your nervous system and the deeper roots of your work. Everything is gathered in one Notion space you can return to whenever you need to slow down or begin again. Early-bird pricing is open until 10 August. 🔗 collectiverootspr.com/werootbeforewerise (http://collectiverootspr.com/werootbeforewerise) Connect with Charlotte: Collective Roots PR → collectiverootspr.com (http://collectiverootspr.com) Connect with (re)connect: green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

9. 

   21 Jul 2026

   Painting With Purpose with Jenny McCarty on Water, Wildlife, and Going Viral for the Right Reasons

   Jenny McCarty is an ecologist and artist based in Colorado. She holds a master's in stream ecology, works as a watershed program manager for local government, and paints wildlife and nature scenes in her own eco-friendly studio practice. In this episode, she talks about picking creativity back up after nearly a decade away, why she switched her entire painting practice to protect the same water she manages professionally, and how a sticker she made in frustration ended up raising nearly $27,000 for national parks. In this episode: Why Jenny was pushed toward STEM and away from art growing up, and what it took to call herself an artist again Burnout, a career coach, and the moment painting came back into her life Living and working in East Africa, New Zealand, and across the US, and how it reshaped her view of conservation The 10% giving framework baked into her art business from day one, and the four organizations she supports Growing up on ranches in Colorado, and why horses and mountains show up in her paintings The hidden heart in her whale shark painting What most people don't know about acrylic and oil paint (hint: it's petroleum) and why she switched to watercolor Practical, low-cost ways to start transitioning to eco-friendly art supplies The story behind her viral National Park Pass sticker: over 6,000 sold, close to $27,000 donated to national parks Art as activism, and what it means to turn a personal decision into a movement Resources mentioned: Free guide: What to Ask an Artist About Sustainable Art (https://www.thesageleafstudio.com/blogs/tools/sustainableartguides) — a checklist covering materials, packaging, and shipping, useful whether you're buying art or making it Book: The Artist's Way Connect with Jenny: Instagram: @sage_leaf_studio (https://www.instagram.com/sage_leaf_studio/) Connect with (re)connect: green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

10. 

    8 Jul 2026

    You Don't Know What You Don't Know: Redesigning Homes for Health with Alex Shield

    Alex Shield is the founder of Alex Shield Design, an interior design firm focused on creating healthy, sustainable interiors. She's a mom of two boys and the host of the Design with Impact podcast, where she educates interior designers on bringing sustainability into their practice. She's also building an online training program for designers, launching in early 2027, and runs a community for sustainability-minded interior designers on Skool ("Design with Impact"). green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod Businesses Alex Recommended Fabric All Wood (Montreal) — Handcrafted custom wood furniture, zero-waste production Studio Bâte (Montreal) — Light fixtures handcrafted from reclaimed and found materials Sage Leaf Studio (Jenny McCarty, US) — Eco-friendly art with sustainable, low-impact packaging; donates proceeds to national parks Urs (Canada) — Eco-friendly furniture Certifications to Look For GREENGUARD Gold — Tests furniture (wood and upholstered) for thousands of chemicals and off-gassing; certifies the finished product, not the full supply chain OEKO-TEX 100 — Tests textiles and fabrics (including polyester) for harmful chemicals; a newer "OEKO-TEX Green" certification is in development MADE SAFE — Screens products against a list of chemicals of concern GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) — Certifies organic cotton across the full supply chain, from farming through the finished product GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) — Certifies natural latex foam used in upholstered furniture GoodWeave — Certifies rugs and textiles as free from child, forced, and bonded labor, with supply-chain inspections

11. 

    30 Jun 2026

    [KEY MOMENT] A Japanese Factory Owner Asked Why Americans Buy 55 Hair Ties At Once

    Jesse and Rachel share the moment that reframed how KOOSHOO thinks about quality. On a visit to their manufacturing partner in Japan, the operations manager looked at a slide showing the average US hair tie pack size (55 per pack) and asked a simple question: why does anyone need that many at once. In Japan, the standard pack size is two. That question led to an independent lab test. The team sent their ten best selling US competitors to a third party lab alongside KOOSHOO's own ties. The result: KOOSHOO hair ties came back two to three times stronger than the nearest competitor. This clip gets into the real story behind that data: how an entire industry built around disposability shaped what consumers expect to pay, why "made in the US" isn't automatically the more ethical choice, and what it means to build a product designed to be kept rather than replaced. Want the full conversation? Go over to (re)connect wherever you get your podcasts.

12. 

    23 Jun 2026

    Stubborn Optimism: Walking Away from Greenwashing to Build What Actually Works with Audrey Barucchi

    Audrey Barucchi spent a decade inside a clean-tech startup that promised to solve the climate crisis. What she uncovered over those years, the financialisation of climate fear, the gap between bold claims and real impact, changed everything. In this episode, Audrey shares her full journey: from a French military family with roots in the Southern Alps, to five continents, to building People For Nature on forty acres of Australian bushland. We talk about what it actually looks like to walk away from the capitalist system when you stop believing in it, and what it takes to choose active hope instead of cynicism. We also get into Citizen COP, People for Nature's initiative to bring the global climate convention into local communities across Australia, and Audrey's philosophy that every single person is not a drop in the ocean, but the entire ocean in one drop. This is a conversation about grounding, about motherhood as a multi-generational lens, about asking questions until you actually understand, and about what it means to build something with stubborn optimism. Learn more about People For Nature & Citizen COP: https://www.peoplefornature.org.au/citizen-cop (https://www.peoplefornature.org.au/citizen-cop) green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/) Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction 02:00 — Growing up in a French military family and finding roots in the Southern Alps 05:15 — Moving across cities and what finally made her stay in Australia 08:00 — Is physical grounding a prerequisite for connecting with nature? 11:00 — Motherhood as a multi-generational lens 16:50 — The full journey: US at 16, South America, China, India, Hong Kong 26:00 — Ten years inside a clean-tech startup 31:00 — Uncovering the financialisation of climate fear 35:20 — Advice for people working inside greenwashing organisations 41:20 — Moving from cynicism to active hope after walking away 46:50 — What is People for Nature and how does it work? 50:30 — The ripple effect: the train-the-trainer ambassador model 53:20 — Citizen COP: bringing COP31 into local communities across Australia 56:25 — Is the hunger for reconnection growing? 1:02:00 — What does the world you want to live in actually look like?

13. 

    9 Jun 2026

    "Quantity Does Not Mean Value" with Jesse Schiller & Rachel Evans

    Most products have a backstory we never see. Jesse and Rachel, the co-founders of KOOSHOO, built their entire business on refusing to look away from it. It started in Borneo, on a budget backpacking trip, standing in the middle of industrial waste that existed entirely to serve Western consumption. That moment planted a seed that took years, a detour through Peru, and a yoga teacher training in India to eventually become the world's first plastic-free hair accessory brand. In this episode, we get into the full story. The winding path to hair accessories. The decision to move manufacturing from Los Angeles to a Fair Trade nonprofit run by nuns in southern India and a family rope mill in Japan, and why "made locally" is not the straightforward win we assume it is. What a Japanese manufacturer said the first time he saw a 55-pack of American hair ties. And what Norfolk Island, where Rachel grew up and where KOOSHOO is now headquartered, still quietly teaches about community, scarcity, and living in connection with the land. This is a conversation about doing business differently. Learn more about their business: kooshoo.com (http://kooshoo.com) green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) | @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

14. 

    27 May 2026

    Why Sustainability Doesn't Land on Social Media (And What to Do Instead)

    The words purpose-driven brands rely on most, like sustainable, eco-conscious, ethical, have been hollowed out. Greenwashing eroded trust. Greenhushing filled the silence. And the brands genuinely doing the work are paying the price for both. In this episode, Valentine breaks down why most sustainability content fails to land, what's actually driving that gap, and the shift that changes things: leading with decision-making over declarations, specificity over positioning, and honest imperfection over polished credentials. Learn more about our studio work: green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) Follow us on Instagram @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

15. 

    12 May 2026

    Is Our Climate Crisis Really a Crisis of Imagination?

    We are living through an unprecedented wave of eco-anxiety. Research shows that 75% of young people globally believe the future is frightening, and that number is growing. But what if the real crisis isn't just ecological? What if it's also a failure of collective imagination? In this first solo episode, Valentine introduces herself and the thesis behind (re)connect: that the stories we tell about the future shape the future we build. Drawing on the works of Jules Verne and the science of eco-anxiety, she makes the case for why learning to dream differently might be one of the most radical acts available to us right now. Learn more about our studio work: green-socials.com (http://green-socials.com) Follow us on Instagram @reconnect.pod (https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.pod/)

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