What if you approached philanthropy like a startup? The results might shock you and completely rewire how you think about giving.
I sit down with Mark Gerson, Cofounder of GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group) and Cofounder and Chair of 3i Members, to dive deep into how you can treat generosity like a capital allocation decision. We unpack a framework for ROI-driven giving that prioritizes measurable impact over emotional check-writing.
Whether you give already or you’re just starting to think about it, this is a practical, purpose-driven guide to doing the most good in a faster and smarter way
Special thanks to Mark for joining me on the pod and for all the amazing work he does.
⏱️ Chapter Markers
00:00 – Introduction to Mark Gerson & GLG Origins
02:45 – The Accidental Start of a $650M Business
06:00 – Lessons in Entrepreneurship from GLG’s Growth
08:50 – Why Business Advice is Often Useless
09:30 – The Life-Saving Problem in Global Emergency Response
11:00 – United Hatzalah: Crowdsourcing First Response in Israel
13:30 – Politics, Union Challenges & US Expansion
15:00 – How an Orange Jacket Saves Lives
16:45 – ROI-Driven Philanthropy: Measuring Cost per Life Saved
18:30 – African Mission Healthcare: Saving Lives with $350 C-Sections
21:00 – Partnering with Christian Missionary Doctors
25:00 – Effective Philanthropy vs. Emotional or Prestige Giving
29:00 – The True Definition of Charity & ROI vs. Emotion
32:30 – When and How Much Should You Give?
36:00 – Why Giving Never Makes You Poor
37:45 – Books, Content & Torah as Self-Help
40:00 – 3i: A Crowdsourced Investment + Community Platform
43:00 – How Business & Charity Reinforce Each Other
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