Founded On Purpose · Renew Venture Capital

Social Impact in the Creator Economy with Ashwath Narayanan of Social Currant

·37 min·2 clips

Ashwat argues that being an influencer is a real job because creators face threats, algorithm pressure, and underpayment.

1. Founded On Purpose focuses on Social Current, a company built by Ashwat Narayanan around creator-led social impact communication. 2. Katie McRatney hosts Ashwat Narayanan, co-founder and CEO of Social Current, which matches nonprofits and social impact organizations with influencers and content creators. 3. The episode asks what “purpose” means when the goal is to change how people consume media, products, and behaviors. 4. Ashwat says his answer is “consumption,” because Social Current tries to change how people consume things for the better. 5. He traces that interest to a gap year at a marketing agency, where he helped organizations run social media campaigns. 6. He says moving to George Washington University in Washington, DC exposed him to how politicians, nonprofits, and other institutions distribute media. 7. Katie and Ashwat compare media consumption across generations, especially as Gen Z enters the workplace and gains consumer power. 8. Ashwat says people now know when they are being sold to, but distribution has also become more sophisticated behind the scenes. 9. He says access to information is easier than ever, but the expectation that everyone knows everything is moving faster than a 24-hour news cycle. 10. He describes Social Current as helping nonprofits invest in people instead of platforms, using creators who are connected to the cause. 11. Ashwat points to Community Change, where Social Current helped recruit, train, and hire about 15 creators on TikTok and Instagram. 12. He says those creators were personally impacted by the policy and sent 10,000 people to a resource page. 13. He argues that the creators were empowered to talk about a cause they cared about and were more likely to do similar work again. 14. Ashwat says one of his favorite parts of the work is meeting nonprofit leaders and creators who are both passionate and creative. 15. He says one major challenge is moving organizations away from TV ads, Facebook ads, and press releases toward paid creator partnerships. 16. He adds that nonprofits are often understaffed, and creator work requires relationship-building that takes more time than one-off ads. 17. The interview stays conversational and reflective, with Katie pushing for concrete examples and Ashwat answering with specific campaigns and tactical lessons. 18. Ashwat’s tone is pragmatic, especially when he talks about burnout, staffing, and how founders have to make decisions with their own context. 19. Listeners interested in creator economy, nonprofit communications, and social impact marketing will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners looking for entertainment-first banter or shallow platform chatter may skip it.

As heard by us

A grounded look at creator labor, nonprofit capacity, and how distribution shapes impact.

Ashwat Natarayan, co-founder and CEO of Social Current, frames creator work as a practical part of social impact, not a marketing extra. He and Katie McRatney keep circling the same problem: nonprofits need reach, but many do not have the staff, speed, or media habits to build…

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Why you'd press play

You want a founder conversation about how Social Current helps nonprofits work with influencers and content creators.

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