MO Summit 2025

Top Gathering for Impact CEOS

MO Summit 2025
April 21-23, 2025, at the Renaissance Hotel & Conference Center, Asheville, NC

About MO

Learn and make lasting connections.

At MO, leading impact CEOs engage, learn, and forge a new path on critically important topics. The Summit includes a combination of core panel topics and deep networking. Come be part of how businesses are redefining capitalism creating solutions to the world’s pressing social and environmental issues creating enduring value through strategies that leverage the inherent link between natural, social, and financial capital.

Join us for the biggest annual gathering of impact CEOs of high-growth, positive-impact companies using the power and creativity of business as a force for good. A gathering of leaders who are building the future – one that is inclusive, regenerative, sustainable. In 2018, Big Path Capital created the MO Summit to bring together leaders who had a similar vision of capitalism to expand our collective impact.

Play Video

Watch Wendy and Blair's testimonial

"It’s actually changed the trajectory of my career and business. Best conference I’ve been to."

The goal of the MO is much deeper than a learning event. It fosters an environment for impact CEOs to connect and develop meaningful relationships – relationships that are symbiotic and lasting. Check out the video to the left to see how the MO helped connect Wendy Strgar (Good Clean Love) and Blair Kellison (Formerly of Traditional Medicinals).

Interactive programming that inspires.

Double Down

Leading with Values During Times of Uncertainty

There is one certainty in this moment – profound uncertainty. We can disengage and be diminished, or we can double down and deepen our impact in the world. The pillars of our society are in flux. This change is disorientating. What matters most to us can be the firm footing needed to forge a new path. It is in this moment that our values will be our north star and our compass.

2025 Summit Agenda

April 21
April 22
April 23

Monday, April 21

Opening Event

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Kick-off Reception / Vic Isley

This reception will be held at the Top of the Plaza – Renaissance Asheville Downtown. Join us for dinner, drinks and great conversations!

Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel
31 Woodfin St,
Asheville, NC 28801

Speaker

Day 1 Agenda

6-9pm Kick-off Reception

Join us for dinner and drinks as we welcome everyone to Austin at Geraldine’s located in Hotel VanZandt.

605 Davis St,
Austin, TX 78701

Kick-off Reception: Welcome to Austin

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

This reception will be held at the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center on the Tejas Patio. Join us for dinner, drinks and great conversations!

1900 University Ave.
Austin, TX 78705

Day 2 Agenda

8-9am Breakfast
9-10am Connections That Matter
10-11am CEO Workshops Session 1
• 1.1 – Impact Collaborative
• 1.2 – Raising Capital
• 1.3 – Building Brands & Movement
• 1.4 – Personal Integration
11:15am – 12:15pm CEO Workshops Session 2
• 1.1 – Impact Collaborative
• 1.2 – Raising Capital
• 1.3 – Building Brands & Movement
• 1.4 – Personal Integration
12:15-1:15pm Lunch Break
1:20pm Welcome & Opening Address
1:45 – 2:40pm Panel: Power of Partnerships
2:45 – 3:40pm Breakout Panels
• 2.1 – Lessons for Legacy
• 2.2 – Alternative Hiring
3:45 – 4:40pm Breakout Panels
• 3.1 – Psychedelics
• 3.2 – Faces of the Triple Botton Line
• 3.3 – Climate Finance
4:45 – 5:15pm Action for Impact: Move Your Money
5:30 – 6:30pm Networking Reception
6:45 – 7:30pm MO 100 Awards Ceremony
7:30-9pm Awards Dinner

Tuesday, April 22

Arrival

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Breakfast

Speaker

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Connections That Matter

Start your MO Summit experience with what matters most: meaningful connections. In this expertly facilitated session, you’ll engage in thoughtful, small-group discussions designed to maximize the value of the next two days—both personally and professionally. Rather than skimming the surface, you’ll dive into key questions about your purpose for attending, the challenges you face, and the insights that could create the greatest impact for you and your organization.

Transition

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Break

Sessions

10:15 AM - 11:15 AM

CEO Workshop Session 1

Values as Value: Why Mission-Aligned Partnerships Matter

In an era where company values increasingly drive consumer choice and employee engagement, selecting service providers who share your organization’s mission has become a strategic imperative. This panel brings together CEOs who have successfully built ecosystems of value-aligned partnerships, transforming their supply chains and service relationships into powerful amplifiers of their company’s impact. Leaders will share practical insights on evaluating provider alignment, managing the potential trade-offs between values and efficiency, and leveraging shared mission to create deeper, more resilient business relationships.

How Do We Accelerate the Shift to Authentic Stakeholder Capitalism?

The co-founders of the Purpose Pledge which launched 2 months ago at Expo West will lead a discussion on authentic stakeholder capitalism. The Purpose Pledge is a new business community for purpose-driven companies in the natural food and beverage industry. The co-founders will discuss key principles of the Purpose Pledge to ground the conversation and then have participants share what they are doing to build community, transparency and accountability in their respective industries.

Perpetual Purpose Trust Ownership: A Just and Innovative Succession Strategy for Any Business

Ownership structure is a key component of how responsible and impact businesses can reflect their values of equity, equality, and justice in terms of democratizing power, leadership, decision-making, and profit-sharing. After decades of individual ownership, two B Corp impact businesses in very different industries – Ocaquatics Swim School and Natural Investments – changed their ownership to an Employee Ownership Trust and Perpetual Purpose Trust. In this workshop, CEO Miren Oca of Ocaquatics and Trust Steward Michael Kramer of Natural Investments share how trust ownership allowed the companies to implement an internal succession plan that preserves their long-held values, unique culture, and organizational autonomy while creating debt-free avenues for next generation leaders, particularly for minorities and those without financial capital.

Stewarding Legacy: Finding Capital Partners Who Grow Your Impact

Whether raising growth equity or a selling the business, these transactions aren’t just financial. They are inflection points that can have permanent effects on the mission and future viability of the company. The right capital partner and the right process can ensure the on-going prominence of a company’s mission and legacy. In this session, learn from Founders and CEOs of leading impact companies and leading impact investors who have had success in finding aligned capital partners thereby stewarding the company’s mission.

Regeneration as a Mindset: Unlocking Potential, Power, and Pitfalls

Regeneration isn’t just a practice—it’s a mindset that empowers impact leaders to move beyond extractive business models, build reciprocity in relationships, and help ecosystems flourish. This workshop will foster deep peer discussions and provide actionable strategies to embed regeneration as a guiding framework for lasting change.

Creative Capital Strategies for Impact Companies

In this workshop, three veteran CEOs will share battle-tested strategies for financing your impact company beyond traditional equity routes. While equity funding often seems like the only path forward, it comes at a premium cost and requires forming deep investor partnerships that can be challenging to navigate effectively. Various forms of financing along with pros and cons will be discussed. Before committing to that Series A term sheet, join this practical conversation to expand your funding toolkit and make financing decisions aligned with your company’s unique impact goals and growth trajectory.

Transition

11:15 AM - 11:30 AM

Break

Sessions

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

CEO Workshop Session 2

Afternoon

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch Break

Transition

1:30 PM - 1:45 PM

Welcome to the Event

Keynote

1:45 PM -2:30 PM

Lightning Talks

Transition

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM

Break

Panel

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

Breakout Panel 1

How to Change the World - Move Your Money

Moving $100,000 from a traditional bank to a values-based bank is the equivalent carbon reduction of not taking 100 cross-country flights, annually! ” Want to change the world, start banking with an insitution that uses your deposits to finance the world we want.

Capital Chemistry: Partnering Your Way to a Successful Exit

Come hear about this newly formed partnership that was finalized earlier this year. Selina DeLangre, the Founder of Celtic Sea Salt, had a meteoric rise in sales and felt it was time to bring in a capital and operating partner but it needed to be an aligned partner. In this fireside chat, learn about her process in finding and striking a partnership with Ben Rudman and Charis Consumer Partners. It is a behind the scenes look at their successful partnership. Together, they’ll unpack how their aligned values and shared vision transformed what could have been a standard transaction into a powerful strategic union that amplified the company’s growth. Learn firsthand about the key conversations and mutual understanding that created the right chemistry for a partnership and continued business success.

From Resistance to Revolution: Igniting Change That Matters

The greatest challenges in driving transformative change aren’t just strategic – they lie in understanding the invisible human forces that can either catalyze or crush your boldest initiatives. Through powerful case studies and breakthrough insights, discover how successful leaders create the psychological conditions that turn initial resistance into unstoppable momentum, transforming skeptics into champions and barriers into bridges. Walk away with actionable frameworks for building cultures where change flourishes, enabling your organization to tackle society’s biggest challenges while inspiring others to join your revolution.

Transition

3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Break

Panel

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Breakout Panel 2

Decoding DC: A CEO's Guide to Strategic Decision-Making in an Era of Policy Uncertainty

In this session, veteran CEOs will break down the complex interplay of regulatory shifts, legislative developments, and administrative actions shaping today’s business landscape across sectors. Through real-world examples, leaders will gain practical, on-the-ground insights on how to anticipate policy changes, build adaptable business models, and make confident decisions despite Washington’s unpredictable dynamics. The discussion will offer actionable approaches for executives to protect and grow their businesses.

Developing a New Playbook for a Warming World and Web3 Finance

Business playbooks are undergoing shifts – some quite dramatically – in response to climate change and the emergence of Web3 financial services. Well-known companies that have revised their business playbooks in response to these trends share their realizations and strategies for building resilient and profitable companies during a period of unprecedented global technological and environmental change. Learn also how Web3 technologies provide new tools for advancing climate change resilience. Hear firsthand experiences from these leaders to inform your organization’s strategy for adapting to financial services and environmental change and volatility.

From One CEO to Another: Game-Changing Growth Moments

In this session, seasoned CEOs pull back the curtain on the transformative moments that redefined their leadership journey and reshaped their organizations. Through candid conversations, these executives share the unexpected challenges, bold decisions, and crucial pivot points that accelerated both personal and company growth. The discussion promises actionable insights on navigating complex business landscapes, fostering innovation through adversity, and building resilient leadership strategies that drive sustainable success.

Transition

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Break and Transit to The Restoration

Reception

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Networking Reception

Join us for networking at The Solarium & Observatory Rooftop – The Restoration

Dinner

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Awards Dinner - All In Again

See lightning strike twice. In this exciting session, hear from two founders who had successful exits and have decided to work their magic again in new ventures. They will discuss their motivations and lessons learned from their earlier successes and failures. The discussion will delve into their decision to go “all in” again, revealing what drives successful entrepreneurs to restart the journey and how they’re applying their hard-earned lessons to create even greater impact in their new endeavors.

Awards

8:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Awards Ceremony

Evening

9:00 PM - 11:00 PM

After Party

Wrap up the evening with us at The Draftsman – The Restoration

Breakfast

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Connections That Matter

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

CEO Workshops Session 1

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

1.1 – Impact Collaborative | CEO Small Group Experience

This session will be a “mock” CEO small group gathering – think Vistage or EO with an impact overlay. The session is meant to provide a “test drive” to see if the Impact Collaborative is a good fit for you. The session will provide an engaging forum opportunity for CEOs to receive the immediate value of the experience of the others in the room by way of a “mock session”. This session fosters trust, sharing insights without revealing identities. Leaders reflect, prioritize, and pledge tangible actions, translating introspection into purposeful change.

1.2 – Raising Capital NOT Your Blood Pressure

No matter what stage your company is in, raising capital can be stressful especially when you add the objective that you want your new capital partner to be mission-aligned. Come be part of the discussion that will be led by seasoned pros who have had successes and their fair share of learnings along the way.

1.3 – Building Brands & Movements

Come be a part of a conversation on how to build an authentic mission-driven brand from the inside out. This is not about a product finding a mission, but will be an incredible opportunity to experience a methodology and live crafting of an authentic mission with a product.

1.4 – Values Alignment: The Ultimate Burnout Balm

The demands of leading an impact company are real and persistent and yet our personal growth and business success are intimately intertwined. How do we find the optimal alignment between who we are and what we do? This workshop will explore the interplay between the two through self-discovery, prioritization, and commitment to what matters in the here and now.

1.5 – Crucial Conversations for CEO Founders

CEO Founders hold a very important and unique role. Blair Kellison has been the first non-founder CEO in three different companies. He brings insight, wisdom, humor and practicality to help guide CEO Founders realize their company’s full potential.

CEO Workshops Session 2

The same workshops will be offered as in Session 1
11:15 AM - 12:15

Lunch Break

12:15 - 1:15 PM

Welcome & Opening Keynote: 1:15 – 1:45 PM

Panel: Power of Partnerships

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM

Panel: Power of Partnerships

Our current world calls for a different future – one of inclusion, stakeholder primacy, and balance with the natural world. The new path will not be forged by one industry, one company, or one person but rather by a committed collective focused on our common good. This panel will engage on how to leverage partnerships to build a bigger future.

Breakout Panels

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

2.1 Lessons for Legacy

For purpose-led companies, legacy is the ongoing life of the company’s mission beyond the founder’s direct participation. There are many strategies for leaders to ensure the impact of the company will outlive themselves. Come be part of this insightful and intentional conversation.

2.2 Alternative, Second Chance Hiring

Second chance hiring is based on the simple principle that a person’s past does not define them, and those who have served their time should have a fair shot at employment and a place in their communities. Given that 1 in 3 U.S. adults has a criminal record that would appear on a routine background screening, this is a social impact almost all companies can participate in. Come here how to get this started at your company.

2.3 Sharpening Your Leadership Edge

The call for new leadership capabilities in our complex, changing, and uncertain world is growing. In this session, Roy Notowitz and the panelists will share key data and insights from Noto Group’s 2024 Leadership & Talent Trends Survey of over 100 consumer brand executives. The concluding Q&A group discussion will dive deeper into shared experiences to spark ideas for driving people and business performance with the future in mind.

Breakout Panels

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM

3.1 Psychedelics: Therapeutics & Human Performance and Creativity

Psychedelics can cause profound, intense changes-not only in what we experience but how we think, how we feel, and what we do. There are major implications for therapeutics, human performance, creativity and problem solving. Some of the promises are mind-bending in themselves. Come hear about the health, hope and hearsay.

3.2 The Faces of the Triple Bottom Line

We desire that all companies have a strong triple bottom line – financial, social, and environmental returns. As business leaders, we understand that this ‘holy grail’ can be difficult in achieving all three returns within one company. This session will be led by business leaders who are running organizations that exhibit this 360-degree impact.

3.3 Bank On It | Your Finances Are Your Climate Power

As business leaders, we have influence over transforming the financial sector into a powerful force for creating a more climate-safe, just world. Come hear how to make your vision and future bigger.

Action for Impact: Move Your Money
5:00 PM

Networking Reception

5:30 PM

Day 3 Agenda

8-9am Breakfast
9:15am Welcome
9:30:-10am Action for Impact
• 1% for the Planet
10:10-11:10am Breakout Panels
• 4.1 – Alternative Exits
• 4.2 – Leadership in Difficult Times
• 4.3 – TBA
11:15am Closing Session
12:15-1:15pm Lunch
1:30pm Wrap up

Wednesday, April 23

Arrival

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Breakfast

Action for Impact

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Multicultural Intelligence: The New Consumer Currency

Today’s most successful companies recognize that deeply understanding diverse cultural perspectives isn’t just about inclusion – it’s a critical driver of business growth and market expansion. Through real-world case studies and personal insights, the workshop will focus on how their organizations have leveraged cultural intelligence to identify emerging consumer trends, develop resonant products, and capture market opportunities others miss.

Transition

9:45 PM - 10:00 AM

Break

Field Trips

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

East Fork Pottery

East Fork is a certified B Corporation in Asheville, North Carolina, committed to bringing you the most beautiful, functional and long-lasting pottery out there while treating each other and our community with kindness and respect.

French Broad Chocolates

We make awesome chocolate — sourced with integrity, crafted with intention, and served with gratitude.

Panel

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Founders Session

Afternoon

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Lunch Break

Speaker

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Connections That Matter

Leaving the MO Summit without reflecting on your key takeaways is like planting seeds but never nurturing them. This session provides a dedicated space to solidify your insights, recognize the contributions of others—an invaluable exercise you won’t want to miss—and ensure that the knowledge and connections you’ve gained take root and drive meaningful growth—both personally and professionally.

Closing

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Closing Reception

Join us for some food, drinks and local bluegrass from Cast Iron Bluegrass!

Breakfast

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Welcome & Action for Impact: 1% for the Planet with Kate Williams

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Breakout Panels

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

4.1 – Exit with Purpose: A Fireside Chat with a Business Owner Who Sold to His Employees

Historically, ensuring mission lock upon exiting has been a hit-or-miss outcome for purpose-led founders exiting their business. Come here a CEO who exited and accomplished this illusive goal.

4.2 – Measuring what Matters: Leveraging ESG for Sustainable Value Creation

This session helps impact-minded companies understand how sustainability can be integrated into strategic planning and budgeting cycles to create long-term enterprise value. This broader thinking creates a roadmap for action, provides key insights to operationalize and execute on a concrete sustainability strategy, and prepares companies for upcoming ESG disclosure requests or public-facing reporting. Attendees will participate in a working session to identify industry-specific sustainability issues, metrics and KPIs as defined by leading global ESG reporting frameworks.

4.3 – Beyond Sustainability | Regenerative Thinking In Business

Regenerative thinking is a mindset and approach that goes beyond traditional sustainability efforts. It emphasizes nurturing and restoring the health and vitality of ecological and social systems We know that being a regenerative business is shifting the dial from doing “less harm” to adopting a more systems-based approach, focused on the creation of value across whole value chains. Or, put more simply, it is about actively replenishing natural resources, social and economic capitals. Come here how to incorporate this thinking into your business.

Break

11:00 AM

Closing Session with Nathan Stuck

11:15 AM

Wrap Up

11:45 AM1

Lunch

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Meeting Space Available

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM1

Summit Speakers

Vic Isley

CEO, Explore Asheville

Blair Kellison

Ken LaRoe

Chairman of the Board & Founder, Climate First Bank

Erika Whitmore

Managing Partner, KPMG

Julien Gervreau

ESG Services Director, Sensiba LLP

Dr. Henry C. McKoy, Jr.

Former Senior Advisor, US Dept. of Energy

Katrina Tolentino

Executive Director, Naturally Network

Michael Whelchel

CEO & Founder, Big Path Capital

Kate Williams

CEO, 1% for the Planet

Jeremy Smith

CEO, Civitech

Lara Dickinson

Co-Founder & Executive Director, One Step Closer

Les Szabo

Chief Strategy & Impact Officer, Dr. Bronner's

Selina DeLangre

CEO, Selina Naturally

Ryan Vintado-Vertner

Founder & CEO

Calysta Phillips

Facilitator & Coach

Tripp Baird

Founder & Managing Partner, The Builders Fund

Scott Marcus

CEO, Blue Zones Kitchen

Melanie Dulbecco

CEO, Torani

Alan Kelley

Managing Director, SJF Ventures

Vicki Lee Parker-High

Executive Director, NCSB

Brad Stevenson

Clark Duncan

Senior Vice President of Economic Development, Leadership, Asheville Chamber of Commerce

Christie Lange

Director, Big Path Capital

Eric Schurr

Chief Strategy Officer, National Products, Sunrise Bank

Dax Hansen

Partner, Perkins Coie

Chiqui Cartagena

Founder, Multicultural Growth Partners

John Foraker

Co-Founder & CEO, Once Upon A Farm

Michael Kramer

Advisor, Natural Investments

Miren Oca

Founder & Director, Ocaquatics

Charley Cummings

CEO, Walden Mutual Bank

Susan Terzian Gorham

VP & Associate General Counsel, Strategy

Jamie Ager

Co-Founder & CEO, Hickory Nut Gap Farms

Rebecca Hamilton

CEO, Badger Balm

Jasper van Brakel

CEO, RSF

Jeannine Buscher

Co-Founder & Executive VP of Innovation, FedUp Foods

Dan Kalafatas

Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board, 3Degrees

Ana Ceppi

Founder, Multicultural Growth Partners

Damu Winston

Global Head, Web3, Amazon

Cheryl Eaton

COO, Guru

Brent De Jong

Chairman & CEO, Qenta

Omar Blayton

CFO, Sunwealth

Lauren Dubé

VP & Director of all Good Things - Climate First Bank

Jim Black

Impact Partner - Impact GC

Zoe Schlag

Co-Founder & Managing Partner - Common Trust

Jay Roberts

Provost & Dean of the Faculty, Warren Wilson College

A look back at MO 2024

The Renaissance Asheville

The Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel is in the heart of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Asheville is a mountain hub for the arts, beer culture, outdoor activities, culinary, and entertainment. All of this is within walking distance of the Renaissance Asheville.