Giving: Recent Episodes
Alex Godin
We’re in the middle of a philanthropic revolution.
A new wave of changemakers are focusing on leverage and impact instead of the status quo.
Businesses are putting the community ahead of profits and building lasting organizations that make the world a better place.
Welcome to Giving, a podcast where we visit the front lines with these revolutionaries.
Swati Mylavarapu is busy fixing our country. As National Investment Chair of Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign, she's re-inventing how campaigns raise money. As co-founder of The Arena, she's building a base of progressive candidates ready to win elections. And at Incite, she's funding entrepreneurs making the world a better place.
Tonight, thousands of kids will go to sleep in loving households thanks to our guest Felica Curcuru. Felicia's company, Binti, replaces mountains of paperwork with streamlined software and helps state agencies recruit and approve foster parents more quickly.
Irving Fain runs a different kind of farm. His company, Bowery, grows world class vegetables inside of warehouses. And, along the way, they're saving the world.
Nicholas Thorne is an entrepreneur, a philanthropist and an investor. But, most of all he's a deep thinker about building systems and creating change.
Stephanie Dodson is a venture philanthropist at Draper Richards Kaplan, perhaps the most important venture philanthropy fund in the United States. She spends her days finding and supporting nascent non-profits. When you talk to the founders Stephanie works with, one thing is clear: she cares a lot. In this episode, Stephanie shares how she practices a more strategic, more supportive version of philanthropy.
Wiley Cerilli is a successful entrepreneur with big wins under his belt. But, he's also a camp counselor. Every year he spends two weeks off the grid volunteering for Experience Camps, a non-profit summer camp for kids who have lost a parent. Wiley's story, and his dedication to giving back, is beyond inspiring.
Ashley is a venture partner at Omidyar Network where she focuses on organizations transforming early childhood education. Ashley and the Omidyar Network have a unique venture capital model. They focus on impact over profit and invest in both for-profits and non-profits. In this episode we dig into the dual-bank account model, Ashley's personal journey to venture capital and the importance of early childhood education.
Sam Altman is the president of Y Combinator, the incubator behind hits like Dropbox and AirBnb. Under his watch, YC has become an incredible force for good. They've funded dozens of important non-profits, host a groundbreaking universal basic income research lab and run the most important AI research non-profit in the world.
Jesse Beyroutey is a donor to the non-profit I founded. In this very personal episode, we explore our relationship and the thinking behind his donation. But, Jesse is more than just a donor, he's an advisor and a mentor. He's one of the smartest people I know. In this episode we explore our relationship, his theses around startups, non-profits and giving back.
CAA is the biggest talent agency in the world. They represent everyone from Tom Cruise to Lady Gaga. Our guest this week, Michelle Kydd Lee, has transformed CAA into more than a talent agency. As Chief Innovation Officer and Head of the CAA Foundation, she has created a culture of giving back. In this episode we explore her groundbreaking work with celebrities like Angelina Jolie and movements like Times Up.
Henrik Werdelin is the man behind Bark, one of the fastest growing pet brands in the world. In this episode we learn the secret to Bark's growth–being nice to people. We also explore the impact of entrepreneurship and why Danish people are so nice.
Thomas is the Vice President of Strategy, Culture, and Sustainability at Baldor Specialty Foods, one of the largest produce distributors in the United States. At Baldor, Thomas is leading the charge for a revolution in produce. He’s behind a monumental effort to eliminate food waste and make the world a better place.
Danny Meyer is the founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, a restaurant empire that includes some of New York City's most iconic restaurants (everything from Shake Shack to Michelin starred restaurants). On our first episode, we talk with Danny about how he integrates philanthropy and his community into everything he does.