Episode

#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
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1:58:00
Published: Wed May 05 2021
Description

Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions | Brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 720M+ users, Magic Spoon delicious low-carb cereal, and Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating. Jacqueline Novogratz (@jnovogratz) is the founder and CEO of Acumen. In 2001, Jacqueline started Acumen with the idea of investing philanthropic patient capital in entrepreneurs seeking to solve the toughest issues of poverty. As a pioneer of impact investing, Acumen and its investments have brought critical services like healthcare, education, and clean energy to hundreds of millions of low-income people.After supporting hundreds of entrepreneurs, Jacqueline and her team recognized character as the crucial ingredient for success. In 2020, they launched Acumen Academy to instruct others in global social change. Under Jacqueline’s leadership, Acumen has also launched several for-profit impact funds designed to invest at the intersection of poverty and climate change and has spun off 60 Decibels, founded on the principle that serving all stakeholders is as important as enriching shareholders.Jacqueline is the New York Times best-selling author of The Blue Sweater and Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World, which is now available in paperback. She has been named one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy, one of the 25 Smartest People of the Decade by The Daily Beast, and one of the world’s 100 Greatest Living Business Minds by Forbes, which also honored her with the Forbes 400 Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Entrepreneurship.Please enjoy!This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you’re looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.Using LinkedIn’s active community of more than 722 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find and hire the right person faster. When your business is ready to make that next hire, find the right person with LinkedIn Jobs. And now, you can post a job for free. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim.*This episode is also brought to you by Magic Spoon cereal! Magic Spoon is a brand-new cereal that is low carb, high protein, and zero sugar. It tastes just like your favorite sugary cereal. Each serving has 11g of protein, 3g of net carbs, 0g of sugar, and only 110 calories. It’s also gluten free, grain free, keto friendly, soy free, and GMO free. And it’s delicious! It comes in your favorite, traditional cereal flavors like Cocoa, Frosted, and Blueberry.Magic Spoon cereal has received a lot of attention since launching in 2019 when Time magazine included it in their list of best inventions and Forbes called it “the future of cereal.” My listeners—that’s you—can get $5 off and a 100% happiness guarantee when you visit MagicSpoon.com/Tim and use code TIM. And some great news for Canadian listeners: Magic Spoon now also ships to Canada!*This episode is also brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Pro Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature.And now, my dear listeners—that’s you—can get $250 off the Pod Pro Cover. Simply go to EightSleep.com/Tim or use code TIM. *If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chapters
The Pod Pro Cover by 8 Sleep is a device that pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to provide the most user-friendly solution that can help improve sleep.
00:00 - 02:12 (02:12)
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Sleep Enhancing Tools
Summary

The Pod Pro Cover by 8 Sleep is a device that pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to provide the most user-friendly solution that can help improve sleep. With the ability to set customized temperatures on either side of the bed, 8 Sleep users can fall asleep up to 32% faster and reduce sleep interruptions by up to 40%.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder and CEO of Acumen, discusses her books, "The Blue Sweater" and "Manifesto for a Moral Revolution," and how she approaches impact investing to tackle poverty and climate change.
02:12 - 07:25 (05:12)
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Impact Investing
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder and CEO of Acumen, discusses her books, "The Blue Sweater" and "Manifesto for a Moral Revolution," and how she approaches impact investing to tackle poverty and climate change.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Mike Novogratz talks about his wild, entrepreneurial childhood as part of a big, extended immigrant Catholic family and how it helped shape him into an impact investor and social impact advocate today.
07:26 - 14:17 (06:51)
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Impact Investing
Summary

Mike Novogratz talks about his wild, entrepreneurial childhood as part of a big, extended immigrant Catholic family and how it helped shape him into an impact investor and social impact advocate today.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
One woman shares her experience of standing up to her trigonometry teacher and taking a hit for her honesty in order to speak her truth.
14:17 - 18:29 (04:11)
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Public Speaking
Summary

One woman shares her experience of standing up to her trigonometry teacher and taking a hit for her honesty in order to speak her truth. This experience taught her the importance of learning how to use her voice.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The guest, an entrepreneur and author, reflects on the importance of asking questions, speaking truth, and using patient capital to invest in local communities and small businesses.
18:29 - 22:37 (04:07)
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Entrepreneurship
Summary

The guest, an entrepreneur and author, reflects on the importance of asking questions, speaking truth, and using patient capital to invest in local communities and small businesses.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The podcast guest recounts how her family was initially opposed to her decision to work in Africa due to cultural barriers and lack of understanding, but eventually, with the help of a supportive mentor, she was able to triumph and succeed in her career.
22:38 - 27:32 (04:54)
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Cultural Barriers
Summary

The podcast guest recounts how her family was initially opposed to her decision to work in Africa due to cultural barriers and lack of understanding, but eventually, with the help of a supportive mentor, she was able to triumph and succeed in her career.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this episode, the speaker shares her experience of moving to Africa to work as an ambassador and help build microfinance organizations but faced rejection and failure due to a lack of understanding of the local culture and not building real partnerships.
27:32 - 34:03 (06:30)
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Failure
Summary

In this episode, the speaker shares her experience of moving to Africa to work as an ambassador and help build microfinance organizations but faced rejection and failure due to a lack of understanding of the local culture and not building real partnerships.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of the impact investment organization Acumen, discusses the potential for entrepreneurship to provide financial dignity and solve social issues for poor women in Africa.
34:04 - 41:51 (07:46)
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Entrepreneurship
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of the impact investment organization Acumen, discusses the potential for entrepreneurship to provide financial dignity and solve social issues for poor women in Africa.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of Acumen, shares her personal experience in microfinance and the importance of building companies rather than just providing small loans, and emphasizes the need for access to markets and capabilities to use them effectively.
41:51 - 47:00 (05:08)
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Entrepreneurship
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of Acumen, shares her personal experience in microfinance and the importance of building companies rather than just providing small loans, and emphasizes the need for access to markets and capabilities to use them effectively.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of Acumen, shares her experience of knowing the co-founders who played different roles in the Rwandan Genocide and how it taught her the importance of seeking purpose over power, understanding patient capital, and redefining poverty as dignity rather than solely financial.
47:01 - 51:18 (04:17)
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Society
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of Acumen, shares her experience of knowing the co-founders who played different roles in the Rwandan Genocide and how it taught her the importance of seeking purpose over power, understanding patient capital, and redefining poverty as dignity rather than solely financial. She also discusses the tendency to oversimplify people into angels and monsters and how this can be unhelpful in solving complex societal issues.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Julia Galef interviews philosopher Agnes Callard on the capability for people to commit heinous acts and Darren Brown's mentalist performances that illustrate how easily people can be molded to do so.
51:18 - 54:59 (03:41)
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Psychology
Summary

Julia Galef interviews philosopher Agnes Callard on the capability for people to commit heinous acts and Darren Brown's mentalist performances that illustrate how easily people can be molded to do so.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen, discusses their approach to measuring social impact through a methodology called "lean data," which prioritizes feedback from customers themselves.
55:00 - 58:46 (03:46)
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Social Impact
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen, discusses their approach to measuring social impact through a methodology called "lean data," which prioritizes feedback from customers themselves. She also emphasizes the importance of bringing accountability and edge to philanthropy and social investment.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Impact measuring is crucial for entrepreneurs as it allows them to realize if they are serving the right people and serving them effectively.
58:47 - 1:02:48 (04:00)
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Impact Measuring
Summary

Impact measuring is crucial for entrepreneurs as it allows them to realize if they are serving the right people and serving them effectively. By collating feedback and understanding the voices of those they serve, they can hold themselves accountable to a higher standard and allocate their dollars for impact, not only for financial returns.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen, discusses the importance of investing for impact at scale and creating entire markets rather than single companies.
1:02:48 - 1:06:33 (03:45)
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Impact Investing
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen, discusses the importance of investing for impact at scale and creating entire markets rather than single companies. She also emphasizes the potential for non-profits and for-profit companies to work together to create meaningful change.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen, explains how immersion and moral imagination are key factors in overcoming systemic issues and designing solutions for people whose lives are different from our own.
1:06:33 - 1:13:38 (07:04)
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Immersion
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen, explains how immersion and moral imagination are key factors in overcoming systemic issues and designing solutions for people whose lives are different from our own.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The founder of Blue Haven Initiative shares her experience on starting an impact investment firm with a purpose-first approach, by identifying sectors then canvassing for candidates to solve specific problems, instead of selecting from a list of business proposals.
1:13:38 - 1:19:04 (05:25)
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Impact Investment
Summary

The founder of Blue Haven Initiative shares her experience on starting an impact investment firm with a purpose-first approach, by identifying sectors then canvassing for candidates to solve specific problems, instead of selecting from a list of business proposals.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In order to create real change, it is important to learn through apprenticeship and skill development rather than simply focusing on one's purpose.
1:19:04 - 1:22:40 (03:36)
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Skill Development
Summary

In order to create real change, it is important to learn through apprenticeship and skill development rather than simply focusing on one's purpose. Young and older individuals who want to make a positive impact should prioritize gaining experience and building their skillset.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The conversation explores the importance of prioritizing problem-solving over profit for long-term financial sustainability and scale in entrepreneurship.
1:22:40 - 1:26:35 (03:54)
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Entrepreneurship
Summary

The conversation explores the importance of prioritizing problem-solving over profit for long-term financial sustainability and scale in entrepreneurship. The speakers also share insights on effective leadership and finding purpose in committing to solving big problems.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz recommends "Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankl as a required reading for all in this time of despair, while also suggesting "The Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison and emphasizing the importance of investing in the world around us.
1:26:35 - 1:31:31 (04:55)
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Book Recommendations
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz recommends "Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankl as a required reading for all in this time of despair, while also suggesting "The Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison and emphasizing the importance of investing in the world around us. She also shares advice for people who have more time than money.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen, talks about the emergence of the impact investing sector and the need for a more expansive and conscious approach to investing for good.
1:31:31 - 1:38:53 (07:22)
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Impact investing
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen, talks about the emergence of the impact investing sector and the need for a more expansive and conscious approach to investing for good. She urges individuals and institutions to prioritize investing in entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social impact, in order to build a more equitable and sustainable world.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Acumen, discusses the path of moral leadership and the importance of making impactful investments.
1:38:53 - 1:44:13 (05:19)
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Impactful Investments
Summary

Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Acumen, discusses the path of moral leadership and the importance of making impactful investments. She encourages individuals to get involved, pay attention to how they buy, and give back to their communities to make a change in the world.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this podcast, the speakers discuss the importance of character traits such as grit, resiliency, vision, and the ability to take feedback in both business and life.
1:44:13 - 1:47:57 (03:43)
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Character Traits
Summary

In this podcast, the speakers discuss the importance of character traits such as grit, resiliency, vision, and the ability to take feedback in both business and life.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this podcast, Jacqueline Novogratz talks about the importance of embracing diversity and the responsibility we have for each other as a global community.
1:47:58 - 1:52:15 (04:16)
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Diversity
Summary

In this podcast, Jacqueline Novogratz talks about the importance of embracing diversity and the responsibility we have for each other as a global community. She also acknowledges Tim Ferris' love and inspired curiosity in every conversation and work he does.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Magic Spoon offers low carb, high protein and zero sugar cereal that tastes like your favorite sugary childhood cereal.
1:52:15 - 1:56:46 (04:31)
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Food
Summary

Magic Spoon offers low carb, high protein and zero sugar cereal that tastes like your favorite sugary childhood cereal. Five Bullet Friday is a short email from Tim Ferriss where he shares his favorite things from the week.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The Eight Sleep Pod Pro Cover is a solution for enhanced recovery that allows for a personalized temperature range on either side of the bed, resulting in falling asleep up to 32% faster and reducing sleep interruptions by up to 40%.
1:56:47 - 1:57:54 (01:07)
listen on Spotify
Enhanced Recovery
Summary

The Eight Sleep Pod Pro Cover is a solution for enhanced recovery that allows for a personalized temperature range on either side of the bed, resulting in falling asleep up to 32% faster and reducing sleep interruptions by up to 40%.

Episode
#512: Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and The Incredible Power of “Dumb” Questions
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show