What is ESG and Why Does It Matter to Your Business with Kim Raath of Topl

Today, I’m excited to talk to Kim Raath, the co-founder and CEO of Topl, an ESG technology company with a purpose-built blockchain that empowers businesses to prove and monetize ethical and sustainable practices. 

Before university, Kim worked in 18 developing countries to rebuild and strengthen communities by implementing innovative forms of technology. She has since given numerous talks about how technical innovation empowers communities to improve quality of life and access to opportunities. 

Kim was the first student at Rice University to simultaneously complete a Masters in Economics and PhD in Statistics, and additionally holds a BS in Mathematics. While at Rice, Kim met her Topl co-founders James and Chris and found a common mindset and desire to build systems to create a better world. 

As CEO, Kim innovates around every problem that arises and continuously finds ways to grow the entire Topl ecosystem using her connections and resources in the mining and agricultural industry, creating an even more valuable company.

In this episode…

Kim Raath shares why your customers care so much about your global impact. This is more and more important given how easily someone can learn more about your company than ever before with a simple internet search.

She also discusses how actively bringing in VC funding during the pandemic changed - the online space allowed for closer relationships despite geographic distance. 

In meeting with potential investors, Kim saw the effectiveness of case studies and data - being able to show investors how people use your product is essential.

Kim talks about how critical it was to leverage her teaching experience in the process of educating investors about her business. The education piece was particularly useful in building strong relationships with potential investors.

Listen in as Kim explains how she and her team had to simplify the way they talk about their product, and how they leveraged their desire to create a new environment that breaks down barriers to make sourcing data more accessible to a larger audience.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Preventive vs. Promotional questions
• Kim Raath on LinkedIn 
• Topl’s Blockchain as a Service
• Stephanie Sims
• Finance-Ability
• Stephanie Sims LinkedIn

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