Building Without Permission: Kate Assaraf on Plastic, Conscious Business, and the Future of Humanity

In this episode of the Common-X Podcast, we sit down with Kate Assaraf, founder of DIP, to talk about what it really means to build a business without permission—and why that mindset may be critical to humanity’s future.

Kate shares her journey building DIP without major retail outlets, venture pressure, or legacy gatekeepers—choosing instead to grow intentionally through community, direct relationships, and values-driven decision-making.

From there, the conversation goes deeper.

We explore the uncomfortable truth about plastics in the food system, why sustainability shame doesn’t work, and how plastic has become not just an environmental issue—but a human health and systems problem. Kate offers an inside-the-system perspective on the real constraints founders face, the tradeoffs no one talks about, and where responsibility for change truly lies.

This episode isn’t about perfection.
It’s about honesty, consciousness, and what kind of systems humans are choosing to build next.

CommonX Website: www.commonxpodcast.com

DIP Website: www.dipalready.com

Kate Assaraf, DIP founder, conscious business, plastic pollution, sustainable food brands, direct to consumer brands, ethical entrepreneurship, food packaging plastics, environmental health, future of business, human centered companies, sustainability without shame, systems thinking, conscious capitalism, Common X Podcast

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The CommonX Podcast features long-form conversations with musicians, cultural voices, veterans, entrepreneurs, and independent thinkers who bring lived experience to the table. Hosted by Jared Mayzak and Ian Primmer, CommonX explores music, culture, work, identity, resilience, and the systems that shape everyday life—without talking points or manufactured outrage.

From iconic artists and creative pioneers to everyday people with extraordinary stories, each episode prioritizes honesty, curiosity, and meaningful dialogue. This is a Gen-X–driven show for listeners who value depth over noise and conversation over clicks.

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