Mission Forward with Carrie Fox

Every ending carries within it the seed of a beginning. To leave something behind—whether it’s a beloved job, a familiar city, or the comfort of a community—requires not only courage but also an embrace of uncertainty. In this first episode of Season 11, we step directly into that tension: the sacred space between goodbye and a new hello.

Carrie Fox sits down with nonprofit leader Mike Pope and theater founder Elisa Pupko at the very edge of a new chapter. Together with their two young children, they’re leaving behind steady careers, a home in Brooklyn, and the familiarity of everyday life to embark on a yearlong journey around the world. It’s a leap that began with a fleeting thought on a run and grew into an intentional act of re-imagining what family, leadership, and community might look like.

As Mike reflects on stepping aside from his nonprofit after 15 years, he asks what it means to honor an organization by knowing when to let go. Elisa, meanwhile, navigates the delicate balance of letting her company grow stronger in her absence while choosing presence with her family. And together, they invite us to consider what it means to say yes—not when the plan is complete, but when the possibility feels alive.

Their story is not only about travel; it’s about perspective. About the way children learn to smile at strangers on playgrounds in foreign cities. About how leaders discover strength in stepping back. About how the question “what if?” can open doors we didn’t realize were waiting.

With this conversation we invite you to wonder what might happen if we—all of us—leaned into the space between goodbye and hello, and allowed it to teach us something new.

Follow along with Elisa and Mike and their whole family at https://twokidsoneworld.com/.
  • (00:00) - Welcome to Mission Forward
  • (04:24) - "What would happen if we just ... left?"

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This episode is supported by The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread. At their Frank Lloyd Wright–designed campus, Wingspread brings leaders and communities together to turn dialogue into action. Learn more at johnsonfdn.org or wingspread.com.

This episode is also brought to you by Positively Partners. When HR starts to slow down your mission, it’s time for a better solution. Positively HR is the fully outsourced HR partner that understands nonprofits—and acts like part of your team. Learn more at PositivelyPartners.org.

What is Mission Forward with Carrie Fox?

Mission Forward: An award-winning podcast for communicators on a mission.

Hosted by social impact expert and B Corp leader Carrie Fox, each episode of Mission Forward explores the power of communications. With just the right mix of practical and thought-provoking content, we take on the issues that matter to you, and that support your work as a communicator for change.

Together, we talk through topics that you’re likely experiencing right now: from how to tackle tough conversations; to how to best challenge stereotypes; to how we can build bridges across the issues that divide us. If you’re working to become a more inclusive and thoughtful communicator, there’s nothing holding you back—except you.

About Season 11

What does it mean to stand at the threshold of change? To face a door that is both closing and opening at the same time? In Season 11 of Mission Forward, Carrie Fox invites us into that liminal space—the sacred and often unsettling pause between hello and goodbye. It is here, in the transitions, where the most important work of leadership—and of life—often takes place.

This season, you’ll meet people who have walked away from stability in pursuit of something more true. You’ll hear from those who said yes before they were ready, and in doing so, discovered new strength. And you’ll learn from leaders who chose to stay rooted, practicing presence and commitment in a culture that prizes constant movement.

These are stories not just about change, but about how we communicate through it—about the clarity, courage, and care required when our words and actions mark turning points. Because goodbyes are never just endings. Hellos are never just beginnings. And the space between them? That’s where possibility lives.

Hello. Goodbye. And the Space Between.

* About the Host (https://www.missionforward.us/about-carrie)
* Listen to Past Episodes (https://www.missionforward.us/episodes)