What Hillary loves most about this episode: I ask horsewomen to talk about whether or not impact statements are helpful. Turns out, they love theirs and they’re using it to design their equestrian workforce program.

Description: In this episode, Hillary Frances makes the case for impact statements that declare what it will take to solve a problem once and for all. Drawing lessons from tech’s 10x thinking, she explores why incremental gains rarely lead to systems change — and why definitive language can unlock sharper strategy, stronger alignment, and unexpected funding opportunities.

Hillary is joined by Becca and Joell from the Square Peg Foundation, a Northern California social enterprise whose impact statement commits to a future where people with autism shift from service users to service providers within our lifetime. Together, they discuss what changed when they stopped hedging — and how a bold impact statement now guides real decisions on the ground.

Mentioned: Kotashev, K. (2025, July 31). Startup Failure Rate: How Many Startups Fail and Why in 2025. Failory.

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Zitelmann, R. (2019, June 17). Why successful entrepreneurs are often such difficult people. Forbes.

Teller, A. (2013, February 11). Moonshots matter — here’s how to make them happen. WIRED.

Shore, B., Hammond, D., & Celep, A. (2013). When good is not good enough. Stanford Social Innovation Review.

PR Newswire. (2021, April 14). Certified B Corp Classy raises $118M in Series D funding to help nonprofits increase their impact. PR Newswire.

Shaw, S. (2013, May 15). Google’s Page: We should be building great things that don’t exist. CNET.

Guests: Joell Dunlap is the founder of Square Peg Foundation and a lifelong equestrienne with professional experience across racing, polo, jumping, eventing, and horse training. A nationally published author on humane, creative teaching and horsemanship, Joell has spent more than two decades developing a teaching philosophy rooted in inspiration, curiosity, and deep respect for both horses and humans. She created Square Peg to offer neurodivergent students and retired racehorses a second—and sometimes third—chance to thrive. Joell is also the author of the novel A Damn Fine Hand, which benefits the foundation.

Becca Knopf, Square Peg’s Sonoma Program Director, is a Certified Horsemanship Association instructor and lifelong “horse girl.” Since joining Square Peg in 2015, Becca has helped expand the organization from its Half Moon Bay roots to its second location at Cadence Farm in Sonoma. Known for building trust through humor, kindness, and genuine engagement with each student’s passi

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