Via & Jeff: Can a Business Have a Heart? | Keynote Speakers

What You Get From This Keynote

• Real stories of values-driven decisions inside a beloved, high-profile brand
• Clear ideas to build social impact into sales, culture and day-to-day operations
• Lively Q&A and a professional, friendly tone

Signature Topics (with outcomes)

• Authenticity at work: how to give back and still hit targets
  Outcome: practical steps to embed purpose without losing revenue focus.
• Profit & purpose (the power of “&”): community goals and commercial needs in the same room
  Outcome: simple models teams can use to balance both.
• Intergenerational teamwork: what people in their 20s and 80s learn from each other about leadership
  Outcome: tools for pairing experience with fresh perspective.
• Sales with a conscience: fair practice, transparent promises, long-term loyalty
  Outcome: checklists for ethical sales conversations and follow-up.
• Community action that sticks: small steps, real change
  Outcome: micro-initiatives teams can launch within a month.

Meet the Speakers

Jeff Furman

Jeff is Board of Directors Emeritus at Ben & Jerry’s and President of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. He is the founder of Rejoice the Vote and a mentor to the Dorothy Cotton Institute, the Alliance of Families for Justice and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.

He served almost 40 years on the corporate board of Ben & Jerry’s, retiring at the age of 75 after serving as chair of the board. Often called the “&”, he played a pivotal role in the company’s social justice initiatives. He is a long-time trustee of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, established in 1985 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. Jeff remains active as an advisor and mentor through the Dorothy Cotton Institute and the Alliance of Families for Justice, and he serves on the board of the Oakland Institute.

Via Carpenter

Via Founder of Via’s Cookies, a social-enterprise bakery donating a portion of profits to BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students; she serves on the board of the City Federation of Women’s Organizations and is a House Fellow at Cornell University (Hans Bethe House), mentoring local youth.

Why this Pairing Works

Via and Jeff come from wildly different backgrounds yet tread common ground. They champion justice, equality and the importance of running a business as your authentic self while putting smiles on faces. In their twenties and eighties they show how a worldview can align even when life experience looks miles apart. The result is honest dialogue, warm energy and useful insights your audience will remember.

Optional Module: Digital Trust in Plain English

Audiences often ask how values show up online. Via and Jeff include a clear, non-technical primer that helps people make sense of privacy choices on sites and apps, and how those choices affect the ad experience. Expect a straightforward look at essential cookies, optional cookies, similar technologies and what happens when people choose cookies in their browser. They explain how platforms use data to provide features, improve content and improve Meta products, how payment services rely on certain settings and where to find simple cookie choices learn style resources.

They also cover everyday settings that matter across accounts, from Instagram account controls to Microsoft tools at work, with practical tips that help your audience manage information and make decisions. The aim is a safer experience across devices in Europe and beyond, with clear language and zero drama. This module can sit alongside the keynote or run as a breakout.

Who This is for

Conferences and teams in business, social entrepreneurship, higher education, youth leadership and corporate culture. Ideal for organisers who want smart stories, practical takeaways and a human tone.

Formats & Tech

• Keynote, 30 to 60 minutes, plus 15 minutes of Q&A
• Fireside chat with your moderator
• Workshop add-on, 60 to 90 minutes
• AV: two handheld or lapel microphones, projector with HDMI or equivalent, confidence monitor if available, two stools or chairs on stage. A small table for props is helpful.
• Virtual delivery available via Microsoft Teams or your platform of choice. Slides can be provided in PowerPoint or PDF. Social media assets can be shared, including images for Instagram if useful.

Sample Talking Points

• Lessons from inside Ben & Jerry’s social-justice work
• How a cookie business gives back—without losing its flavour
• Mentoring bridges between students, organisers and business leaders
• What values look like in a sales conversation
• Rock & roll, risk and why fun belongs on serious stages

Light-hearted Promo Ideas You Can Use

• “Choose Cookies” corner: branded biscuits at break + a simple explainer on essential vs optional cookies.
• Poster line: “Cookie choices made simple. Safer experience made easier.”
• Mini-FAQ: “What are ‘similar technologies’? Why do sites use them? How do they support expected features like secure payments?”

Accessibility and Inclusivity

• Captions available for virtual sessions
• Slides designed for readability and screen readers
• Clear structure with space for Q&A from a wide range of voices

Stage Intro for Hosts

“Please welcome Via Carpenter, founder of Via’s Cookies and community mentor, and Jeff Furman, Board of Directors Emeritus at Ben & Jerry’s and President of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. Together they bring stories from a lifetime in business and activism, and they are here to share how purpose and profit can work side by side.”

Booking and Next Step

Based in Ithaca, NY. Available worldwide. Share your event date, location and audience profile; pick a format/length; align outcomes (and any sensitive topics); confirm fee, travel & AV; provide a brief for the moderator (for fireside chats). Contact Speaker Ideas to discuss booking Via Carpenter & Jeff Furman at your next event!