EP12: Banking on a Planet

Breen Murphy, President of Carbon Collective Investing, storyteller, ocean lover, and lifelong learner, shares what it means to create a meaningful life by contributing authentically to a better world. From the deeply personal experience of speaking at his grandmother’s memorial — and realizing the impact one person can make — to leading a groundbreaking investment firm reimagining what it means to be a fiduciary in the climate era, Breen shares his winding path, lessons learned, and the mindset shifts that have guided him along the way. We unpack why failure can be a teacher, how patience and persistence can coexist, and how shedding rigid identities opens us up to greater impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

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  Why failure is “miserably” but powerfully true as a teacher

  
  


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  How Breen’s grandmother inspired his lifelong focus on making the world better

  
  


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  Why the ESG framework fell short — and how Carbon Collective is building a better alternative

  
  


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  How to reframe your skills and passions to meet climate and societal needs

  
  


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  Why letting go of rigid identities can help you navigate change with less suffering

  
  


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  How authentic service to others can lead to deeper personal meaning and community

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

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  Carbon Collective Investing

  
  


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  Project Drawdown

  
  


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  Seven Crossings Project (documentary about ocean conservation and endurance paddling)

  
  


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  alongthesamelines.com and fill out a short form — we’d love to hear from you.

  Music Credit
  

  Music in this episode is by Broke for Free, available via the Free Music Archive.

  Final Thought
  

  "The good stuff in life comes when you focus on helping others in a way that’s authentic to you. That’s how you knit together a meaningful life." — Breen Murphy