Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings | Global Venture Capital

[REPLAY] The Power of Making Big Bets with Dr. Rajiv Shah, Rockefeller

Jul 4, 2024

40:54

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