"Be Generative, Not Productive" Keri Jarvis
Breaking free from capitalist thinking, one berry at a time
There’s something deliciously ironic about posting this podcast episode here a MONTH after I was supposed to because I’ve been so overwhelmed balancing caregiving, client work and my passion projects.
Our culture’s obsession with more-more-more productivity over generativity is exactly why my recent conversation with Keri Jarvis is so necessary. We weave our way through motherhood, community building and navigating our current societal predicaments with intention and imagination. You can watch on Youtube above or find the episode on Spotify or Apple.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the systems collapsing around us, or questioning how to find more meaning in your work while rejecting the "girl boss" individualism that dominates so many spaces, this episode offers solace and practical everyday experiments.
From Individual Success to Collective Care
Keri's journey began with what she calls her "radicalisation by motherhood." Like many of us, she once believed we no longer needed feminism because she earned more than her husband. Then motherhood changed everything, exposing the deep systemic challenges that impact our lives.
After experiencing postnatal depression and isolation, Keri eventually co-founded Southend Care Bank, which now supports over 350 families with hygiene essentials. This grassroots work taught her volumes about what it truly means for everyone to have "dignified, liveable lives."
What Does Feminist Business Actually Look Like?
One of my favourite parts of our conversation was Keri's candid exploration of what it means to run a business with feminist principles. Rather than presenting a perfect solution, she embraces experimentation, something she learned from Bear Hebert’s anti-capitalist business coaching:
Offering sliding scale pricing without judgment
Being transparent about financial needs while resisting capitalist extraction
Parenting During Polycrisis
Keri speaks candidly about encouraging critical thinking in her children while also acknowledging her own struggles ("YouTube is my greatest failure as a parent" - something I can relate to!).
We explore how to help our children navigate broken systems they're inheriting, while reconnecting with more generative ways of being: like baking together, growing food, and reclaiming the value of care work that capitalism dismisses.
From Convenience to Connection
Keri discusses moving from productivity to generativity. There’s something about how working with our hands, slowing down and resisting the pull of convenience can create space for meaningful connection.
Her berry-growing experiment (inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer's The Service Berry) exemplifies this perfectly: planting berries in her front garden to share with neighbours. It's a small step toward rebuilding community connection that many of us crave but find difficult to initiate.
Listen to this episode and it will bring you a step closer to reimagining your relationship with work, community and our collective future.
Want to explore more of Keri's work? Follow her on Linkedin or join her Composting program on The Portal Collective for more conversations like this in a supportive group setting.
LINKS & RESOURCES
Nora Bateson - Combining
Lola Olufemi - Experiments in Imagining Otherwise
Barbara Ehrenreich - Smile or Die: How Positive Thinking Fooled America and the World
Sylvia Federici - Caliban and the Witch
The Book on Fire podcast
Robin Wall Kimmerer - The Service Berry
Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez - Your Money or Your Life
Bear Hebert’s anti-capitalist business coaching