Better Good with Scott M. Curran cover art

Better Good with Scott M. Curran

Better Good with Scott M. Curran

By: Scott M. Curran
Listen for free

About this listen

 Discover how the best do good—and how you can too. Scott M. Curran sits down with the innovators reimagining how the world does good—bringing you conversations you won’t hear anywhere else: candid stories, proven strategies, and actionable insights listeners can use in their lives, careers, and missions. Dive inside the playbook of the world’s top social impact leaders—so anyone can learn to do more good, better. Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City on Leadership in Divided Times

    Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City on Leadership in Divided Times
    Mar 18 2026
    What does it look like when a politician actually does their job? Not the culture warring. Not cable news. Not pitting you against your neighbor to score political points. But the actual work of public service: showing up every day for all the people you serve, bridging divides instead of deepening them, and measuring success by outcomes, not optics. Almost sounds quaint, doesn't it? We're living through a moment when the question of what real civic leadership is feels harder to answer than it should. So we're going to Oklahoma City to find out. On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City (https://www.okc.gov/Government/Elected-Officials/Mayor)—who is also the 83rd President of the United States Conference of Mayors—for a refreshing conversation about public service, civic leadership, and bridging political divides in one of America's most dynamic cities. David traces his path from a service-oriented Oklahoma family to working in Washington, D.C., and back home to lead what he calls a purple city in a deep red state. He breaks down how Oklahoma City went from economic depression and post-bombing devastation to becoming America's 20th largest city—a story built on pragmatic, nonpartisan leadership and a civic model that keeps winning voter approval by margins most politicians can only dream of. He explains why the 70% of Americans in the middle can still find common ground and get things done when the system lets them, and why mayors may be the most important class of leaders in the country right now. This episode explores themes of bridging divides, nonpartisan governance, civic investment, community building, pluralism, and what it means to lead by the power of your example rather than the example of your power. Guest: Mayor David Holt Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios - Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran - Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:26 Early Memories of Doing Good 00:08:40 From Capitol Hill to the White House 00:13:25 Returning Home and Finding Purpose in City Hall 00:23:18 The Oklahoma City Turnaround Story 00:26:53 Building Consensus Through Pragmatic Leadership 00:28:37 The Power of Non-Partisan Elections 00:33:23 Leading a Purple City in a Red State 00:37:48 The Role of Mayors in National Politics 00:50:00 The Oklahoma City Bombing and Lessons on Unity 00:54:23 The Oklahoma City Declaration - Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • From Advertising to Activism: Mega Desai on Transforming Women's Lives in India

    From Advertising to Activism: Mega Desai on Transforming Women's Lives in India
    Mar 4 2026
    Menstrual equity. There’s a good chance you’ve never really thought about what that means. But you should. Because it affects women, men, families, workplaces, and entire economies. If talking about menstruation feels uncomfortable, good. Growth usually starts there. Let’s start with some simple facts: Half the world’s population is women. Every single one of us was born from a woman. And every one of those births began with a missed period. Menstruation isn’t a niche issue. It’s biology. It’s economics. It’s education. It’s dignity. It’s opportunity. This week we celebrate International Women’s day, which is also an opportunity—to talk about women’s health, cultural stigmas, economic growth, and human dignity. On this episode of Better Good, Scott M. Curran is joined by Megha Desai, the President of the Desai Foundation, for a perspective-shifting conversation about menstrual equity. She talks about her family’s attitudes toward menstruation as she was growing up, and what this taught her about the challenges women face. She explains what period poverty is, why menstrual equity is important for every society, and the impact of over-regulating women’s bodies. She traces her swerving career that took her from branding and social impact, showing how they connect. This episode explores themes of equality, women’s rights, politics, and storytelling. Guest: Megha Desai Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios Check out our Podcast: linktr.ee/scottmcurran Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:35 Early Memories of Doing Good 00:05:18 International Exposure and Perspective 00:07:24 From Advertising to Nonprofit Leadership 00:10:21 Taking Over the Desai Foundation 00:13:28 The Mission: Health, Livelihood, and Menstrual Equity 00:15:33 Why Women's Work Matters for GDP 00:17:06 Getting Comfortable with Periods 00:22:58 Menstrual Equity in America 00:27:45 Changing Hearts and Minds 00:31:51 The Vision for Menstrual Equity 00:35:29 Measuring Success and Building Partnerships 00:43:34 A Rallying Cry for Change Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • Skye Perryman on How to Save Democracy

    Skye Perryman on How to Save Democracy
    Feb 18 2026
    There are only two ways to run the world. Guns or lawyers. That's it. It's either the threat of force or the rule of law. Everything we call civil society, from the contracts that govern business to rights that protect our privacy and freedom itself, depend on that second path. And lawyers are the custodians of that path. Yet we too often forget this. We joke about lawyers, but they protect civil society so each of us can achieve our version of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Skye Perryman (https://www.instagram.com/skyeperryman/?hl=en), the President and CEO of Democracy Forward (https://democracyforward.org/), for an urgent conversation about how to preserve democracy. Skye traces her trajectory from her childhood in Texas, to a career in private practice, to her current role on the front lines of some of the most critical legal battles of our time. She unpacks why the rule of law must be protected, how autocratic tactics deliberately weaponize overwhelm and exhaustion, and why courage is the most valuable currency of this period in American history. Skye discusses the many legal causes Democracy Forward has taken on during the second Trump administration, and she reminds us of the power of being present in our communities and the importance of listening to the stories of other people’s experiences. And for all the lawyers out there, she explains why this is a do-or-die moment for the legal procession, and why it’s time to go back to the basics and defend the Constitution. This episode explores themes of the law, rights, democracy, purpose, autocracy, justice, community, and courage. Guest: Skye Perryman Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios - Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran - Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:59 Early Memories of Doing Good 00:06:28 From Private Practice to Public Service 00:07:57 Founding Democracy Forward 00:10:11 The Value of Law Firm Training 00:12:58 Democracy Forward's Mission 00:17:30 Normalizing the Abnormal 00:21:20 Courage is the New Currency 00:29:52 A Call to Action for Lawyers 00:37:05 Building a Democracy That Holds Everyone - Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
No reviews yet