Green Thing: How Nelly Gesare is Revolutionizing Sustainability with Art & Business | Her Leadership

In this episode of the Her Leadership Series, we sit down with Nelly Gesare, the visionary founder of Green Thing, a pioneering social enterprise at the intersection of sustainability, business, and art. Nelly shares her incredible journey from journalism to building a purpose-driven company that is reshaping how we think about waste.

A self-proclaimed "emotional entrepreneur," Nelly opens up about how a personal family health crisis became the catalyst for her mission to combat toxic consumerism. She reveals the challenges of launching a startup with just $80 and her unwavering "stubbornness" that led her to success.

Join us as Nelly shares the inspiring story behind her businesses, including Kenya's first woman-owned glass-blowing studio in over 30 years. Discover how she's empowering women waste pickers and proving that sustainability isn't just an industry—it's a way of life.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction to Nelly Gesare
1:44 - The decision to move from journalism to entrepreneurship
2:51 - Nelly's "stubbornness" and the journey to founding Green Thing
4:40 - The hardest lesson she had to learn
6:18 - A personal tragedy that inspired her business
8:57 - The first product and its immediate success
19:27 - The first Kenyan woman-owned glass blowing studio
25:32 - Empowering women in the sustainability value chain
26:47 - Why emotion is a strength for women in business
27:24 - Sustainability is not an industry, it's a way of life
30:04 - Practical tips for living more sustainably
35:54 - The most rewarding part of her journey
36:45 - The future of Green Thing and Nelly's next mission