David Rubenstein helped pioneer modern private equity—building The Carlyle Group into a $400B global investment firm from a modest D.C. office and a relentless fundraising streak. But beyond PE, his legacy spans presidential libraries, historic American artifacts, and a lifelong obsession with civic contribution.
In this episode, David shares how he raised billions without a background in finance, why owning a baseball team was more than just a trophy purchase—and what building true generational success really means beyond wealth alone.
Chapters:
00:00 Trailer
00:53 Introduction
01:40 Family, wealth, class
14:40 Happiness disparity and longevity
19:25 I need more to give away more
25:04 The relentless fundraiser
33:53 Kids and travel
36:06 No track record, the great white buffalo
38:59 Business and politics
43:53 Fired from Washington
45:52 Fundraising, presidents, podcast guests
48:04 Private equity and sports
53:44 Expenses — no charges
55:49 Waking up with energy
57:26 Preserving copies
1:02:05 Organizational architecture
1:03:41 Bury me in my plane
1:08:11 Not a big luxury spender
1:10:32 What “grit” means to David
1:10:50 Outro
Mentioned in this episode: Andrew Rubenstein, Stanford University, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Procter & Gamble Company, Forbes 400, Duke University, University of Chicago, Harvard Corporation, Johns Hopkins University, California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Arianna Huffington, Xi Jinping, Hank Greenberg, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos, Baltimore Orioles, Fred Trammell Crow, Harlan Crow, National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Arctos Partners LP, Anthropic, Magna Carta Libertatum, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln, US Constitution, National Archives, Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpelier, Mark Cuban, Paul McCartney
Connect with David:
X: @DM_Rubenstein
Connect with Joubin:
X: @Joubinmir
LinkedIn: Joubin Mirzadegan
Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
kleinerperkins.com
