Shane Nichols – Microfinance, Drinking Tea and Supporting Small Business

Welcome to Episode 36 of Good Will Hunters!

THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE RICH TRAVEL.

This week I chat to Shane Nichols, CEO of Good Return. Good Return is an outstanding organisation supporting microfinance institutions throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Shane and I first met in late 2018 in Jakarta, where we discussed the challenges faced by small business owners in the region in accessing investment finance, particularly women.

Microfinance is a concept that drew me to the development sector many years ago. Organisations like the Grameen Bank that provided micro-loans to rural, and usually very impoverished business owners, so they could purchase assets for the business or pay off their debts incrementally, fascinated me. It still does – and after this episode my enthusiasm for microfinance has been reinvigorated.

Enjoy,
Rachel and the GWH Team

[Royalty free music by Ben Sound]