Dr. Raj Shah’s journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation.
In his publication, “Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens,” he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change.
In this week’s episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won’t want to miss this.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Intro
02:23 – Who is Raj Shah? From med school to volunteering at Al Gore’s presidential campaign, joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Obama’s administration, and then the Rockefeller Foundation
07:44 The big bet mindset: avoiding aspiration trap
10:03 Status of global philanthropy in US today
13:37 Revolutionary technologies and innovative solutions to address hunger and poverty in countries like India, Nigeria, and parts of Latin America
17:14 Risk-taking and building unlikely partnerships and alliances; overstepping authority at Gates Foundation
20:06 The 3 core ingredients of a big bet mindset
22:06 Leadership and taking a stand; working with Mitch Landrieu and the Confederate statues
25:05 Risk-taking and adopting the big bet mindset to solve global issues; e.g., the child refundable tax credit in the US
27:43 Role of charity: where do philanthropists get things wrong?
31:03 What does rejection feel like for Raj Shah? And how to keep going?
35:48 Billion Dollar Questions
–
PODCAST INFO:
Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com
Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal
Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves
FOLLOW SARAH:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal
