Mike Mannina: Disrupting Poverty Through Market-Based, Collective Action

by Jeff Bond

At the core of Jeff's work is helping servant leaders use their influence as a force for good. As the Co-Founder of Chat With Leaders Media and Executive Partner at People First Elevation Team, he empowers organizational leaders with media solutions that spark collaboration and shared purpose with their teams and customers.

Together with his team, Jeff delivers event production, podcast production, content creation, cross-cultural training, and strategic advisory solutions. They are committed to unlocking the power of inclusive storytelling, shared experiences, leadership development, and feedback integration to ensure their media solutions meet the needs of their clients' stakeholder groups.

Their core values—Partnership, Inclusion, and Empowerment—guide everything they do. By fostering strong partnerships, embracing diverse perspectives, and equipping leaders with the tools to succeed, they aim to transform the way people engage while getting meaningful work done.

Outside of work, Jeff cherishes time with his wife and three kiddos, balancing his roles as a husband and father with his professional life in Atlanta, GA. Connect with Jeff to explore how impactful media solutions can drive success and engagement.

With nearly two decades of international experience, including nearly twelve years serving in a variety of policy-making and diplomatic roles in Washington, DC, and the Middle East, Mike Mannina joined Atlanta’s disruptive coffee startup Thrive Farmers in 2015 to launch the company’s sister international development nonprofit, ThriveWorx. As President of ThriveWorx, Mike leads the organization to empower farming communities to thrive by creating customized, market-based solutions to poverty. Prior to ThriveWorx, Mike served as the U.S. Treasury Attaché to Saudi Arabia, as an advisor within various offices of the U.S. Treasury Department, and as a staffer at the White House Homeland Security Council, the Heritage Foundation, and the office of U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson. Mike is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds business and journalism degrees from the University of Georgia and an MA in Strategic Studies/International Relations from the United States Naval War College. He is an active member of his local church in Roswell, GA, a husband, and a father of three energetic children ages nine, four, and two.

Discussion Topics

Can you share your founding story of ThriveWorx and how you arrived at your formula that advances flourishing communities across the globe?
How has your experience with this movement informed the way you look at the responsibility of leaders to collaborate and use their influence in the marketplace as a force for good?
What was the impetus of the Thrive Farmers leadership team making the decision to become a Certified B Corporation and joining B Local GA?
How has the B Corporation certification model helped your team score your impact and keep you on track with your mission?
Given the intense polarization in our present-day society – coupled with how your global experience informs your leadership – how do you keep your team unified around purpose and mission towards social impact vs getting too caught up in the division?

Follow/Get In Touch

Follow ThriveWorx on LinkedIn
Visit ThriveWorx.org to learn how Mike’s team is disrupting poverty through market-based, collective action
Follow ThriveWorx on Instagram
Visit ThriveFarmers.com
Follow Thrive Farmers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Our Community Partners

B Local GA: A collection of for-profit companies each dedicated to creating a future where businesses operate as a positive influence on society.
InspirEDU: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to support education equity with its commitment to youth and their families, through training, device distribution, and technology career development.
AppBarry: An Atlanta-based software engineering team specializing in building custom web and mobile applications, cloud migrations, and software integrations.
Classic City Consulting: An Atlanta-based WordPress design + development, content writing, and SEO consulting firm.
Stratfield Consulting: Helping organizations successfully adapt to a rapidly changing landscape with an approach that integrates proven consulting, staffing, and recruiting services.