Travel Influences on International Development Career - Kyung Yoon

In Chapter 1 of 18, non-profit executive and spokesperson Kyung Yoon reflects on a childhood rich with change and travel and its affect on her ambition to study international relations, development, and economics as well as her initial career work at the World Bank. Yoon's exposure to cultures abroad, including a rapidly changing Korean economy, shapes her global sense of community and citizenship. The personal bond resulting, specifically creating sustainable economic development, outlines the career that follows.

How Fatherhood Made Exec More Socially Consicious - Marc Ferrentino

In Chapter 7 of 17, engineer and Salesforce.com Chief Technology Architect Marc Ferrentino finds himself more socially conscious and philanthropic after becoming a father. Ferrentino finds inspiration with the Gates Foundation and how individuals can make contributions working on technologies and for companies advancing the human cause.

How Entrepreneur Uses Skills to Grow Myeloma Charity - Slava Rubin

In Chapter 15 of 16 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview, Music for Myeloma cancer charity founder Slava Rubin answers "How Has Your Experience With Indiegogo Strengthened Your Philanthropic Efforts Building Your Charity Music Against Myeloma?" Rubin shares how lessons learned as an entrepreneur starting IndieGoGo have helped overcome challenge building his non-profit.  Specifically, his entrepreneurial experience allows him to deal with teammates, partners, and crisis management.

Slava Rubin is CEO and co-founder of Indiegogo, the world's largest crowdfunding platform. Indiegogo empowers anyone, anywhere, anytime to raise funds for any idea—creative, cause-related or entrepreneurial. Prior to Indiegogo, Rubin worked as a management consultant. He earned his BSE degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen:  How has your experience with Indiegogo strengthened your philanthropic efforts, building your charity Music Against Myeloma?

Slava Rubin:  When I first started Music Again Myeloma, which goes back probably four or five years, I had no idea what I was doing.  I definitely not an entrepreneur, I was working in the Fortune 500 world as a strategy consultant.  It definitely was a big initiative to start Music Against Myeloma, it took a lot of risk, but I really didn't have an idea about how to turn nothing into something and having the experience with Music Against Myeloma helped me start Indiegogo but now all my experience with Indiegogo really gives me an understanding of how to deal with major issues, how to deal with teammates and partners and really what`s an important crisis versus what`s a small crisis. We actually had a huge crisis last year.  We use to go to The Cutting Room, which was a really cool venue in the Flatiron district in Manhattan and literally one month before the show they were like, ``Oh, by the way we`re closing down.``  So we had to totally find a new venue.  So that’s a big crisis.  It ended up working out okay and we had a really great event last year, but that`s a fairly big crisis.  If I didn't have some of the experience from Indiegogo from previous years, I might have folded up shop and said it wasn't going to happen.  But we worked through it, and I say we because I had a good team working with me, and it worked out okay.

What Matters Most When Pitching a Movie, Charity or Venture - Slava Rubin

In Chapter 4 of 16 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview, Slava Rubin answers "Based on Your Experiences as an Entrepreneur, as Someone Involved in Film and Someone Involved in Philanthropy, What are the Most Important Elements When Making a Good Pitch for Financing?" Rubin shares fundraising pitch lessons learned from his work financing films, starting a charitable foundation, and securing startup investors.  Rubin's recipe begins by being honest and passionate and continues with being clear and concise, taking no more than 3-5 minutes to communicate the idea.  Regardless of whether it is a movie, a business venture, or a philanthropy, Rubin advises need to present a team with an ability to execute and plan to apply financing to specific milestones and accomplishments.

Slava Rubin is CEO and co-founder of Indiegogo, the world's largest crowdfunding platform. Indiegogo empowers anyone, anywhere, anytime to raise funds for any idea—creative, cause-related or entrepreneurial. Prior to Indiegogo, Rubin worked as a management consultant. He earned his BSE degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Transcription:

Erik Michielsen:  So based on your experience in the film world, the entrepreneurial field, and the philanthropic world, raising money, what is your advice to others on the most important elements to include when making a pitch?

Slava Rubin:  I think the most important thing is to really be honest about what your pitch is and you can`t really fake a good pitch.  You have to be passionate about what you`re trying to offer and you have to also make it real.  Just because you can say real quickly three sentences doesn't make it a good pitch. The idea has to be clear and you have to be able to say it within five minutes, hopefully within three minutes, but definitely within five.  As soon as you start stumbling explaining away what your idea is, it`s because you don`t understand the idea yourself.  So it`s really important to make the idea feel real, be passionate about the idea, because someone who wants to invest in an idea, whether it`s philanthropy, a movie or a venture, they`re investing for the long term.  You can`t fake passion, you can fake a pitch, but people can read through people faking passion, so you have to be realistic.  Plus, the ability to execute has to be there, on your team, in your partners, in your [pause] whoever it is you`re lining up with, it has to be known that the money will go toward accomplishing something as opposed to pie in the sky visions.

How to Secure Support for a Cause or Campaign - Slava Rubin

In Chapter 1 of 16 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview, Music for Myeloma Cancer charity founder and startup IndieGoGo entrepreneur Slava Rubin answers "Based on Your Experience Starting Cancer Charity Music Against Myeloma and Co-Founding Indiegogo, What Have You Learned About Connecting People to Causes?" Rubin shares how he gets people involved in causes. Leading by example and getting something started proves to be the best approach Rubin uses with both philanthropy and media endeavors. It is about acting on passion and not begging, demanding, or expecting help from others.  Rubin sees initiative as key to gather momentum and invite others to join the cause.

Slava Rubin is CEO and co-founder of Indiegogo, the world's largest crowdfunding platform. Indiegogo empowers anyone, anywhere, anytime to raise funds for any idea—creative, cause-related or entrepreneurial. Prior to Indiegogo, Rubin worked as a management consultant. He earned his BSE degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen:  Based on your experience starting cancer charity Music Against Myeloma and co-founding Indiegogo, what have you learned about connecting people to causes?

Slava Rubin:  Well, you definitely can`t force anybody.  This goes back to pitching an idea, you have to have passion.  One of the best things that I've learned, partially by accident partially on purpose, with Music Against Myeloma is I definitely do not beg or demand anybody to help me.  There are a lot of people that come out of the woodwork and say, ``Oh, I’ve been impacted by cancer, I've been Myeloma, I`d like to help.``

``Well, how can you help?``
``Well, I have a design background and I do web design.``  
``Well, you can help with our website.``

The amazing thing is that if you don’t start that little snowball moving, if you don`t make that initial spark, those other people can`t get out of the woodwork, they can`t find you to say that I can help you with this because they didn't know it was happening.  So, similarly with Indiegogo, as soon as the ball starts rolling about there`s a website out there that`s trying to support the film world, the creative world, the music world, the book world about funding, finally people starting coming out of the woodwork and saying, ``Hey, I have a project too.``  ``Hey, I can help with this.  I can do this.``  And they all get involved.  The key is to just get it started.  I know this sounds cliché with the whole Nike concept of ``Just Doing It`` but that really matters to get other people involved.  Leading by example and then showing them that something is happening.

How to Join the Healthy and Sustainable Food Movement - Cathy Erway

In Chapter 12 of 15, "The Art of Eating In" author and "Hungry Filmmakers" film festival organizer Cathy Erway learns to integrate sustainable food into everything she does around food. On one hand, she takes a direct approach around writing blog posts and hosting events around sustainable food. Alternatively, Erway also leads by example using sustainable food in everything she does, from home cooking and shopping to food events and cookoffs. Erway shares how her "Hungry Filmmakers" event series offers filmmakers platform to share views on food and farm issues. To join the healthy, sustainable food movement, Erway recommends sharing time, energy or financing, as these collectively help make a difference creating healthier communities and individuals.

What Peer Health Exchange Teaches College Volunteers - Louise Davis

In Chapter 1 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Peer Health Exchange (PHE) co-founder and Executive Director Louise Davis shares how college students translate the in-classroom PHE experience into broader health and education public service ambitions. College students trained to teach public high school health education with PHE generally find themselves more deeply committed to public service.

How Decision Frameworks Can Build Teen Confidence - Louise Davis

In Chapter 2 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Peer Health Exchange co-founder and Executive Director Louise Davis shares how frameworks and taught in PHE Decision-Making and Communication build teen confidence and accountability. Specifically, decision-Making frameworks taught to high school students do two things: First, they instill the right to make a decision in each teen; second, they empower the teen to make the decision.

How Good Communication Builds Trusted Relationships - Louise Davis

In Chapter 3 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Peer Health Exchange (PHE) co-founder Louise Davis shares lessons learned from teaching high-school students healthy communication skills. Direct, clear communication, specifically both being clear and listening clearly, is an anchor when building trusting relationships and is fundamental to PHE classroom experience.

How Non-Profit Peer Health Exchange Measures Success - Louise Davis

In Chapter 4 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit Peer Health Exchange (PHE) Executive Director Louise Davis highlights how knowledge, skills, and attitudes are three factors driving healthy behavior in teenagers. PHE pre- and post- tests these factors to measure success teaching teens healthy decision-making skills. PHE also uses student program evaluations to measure program effectiveness and gather feedback to improve how they empower students to make healthy decisions.

Why Yale History Major Chose Non-Profit Education Career - Louise Davis

In Chapter 5 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Peer Health Exchange (PHE) co-founder Louise Davis studies history, specifically American Race Issues at Yale University, to better learn the context and patterns underlying socioeconomic and racial issues driving classroom and community inequality. Davis complements classroom experience with on-the-ground work in New Haven, Connecticut schools. Combined, these two efforts motivate Davis to start PHE and train college students to teach high school students health education and decision-making skills.

How to Turn School Project into a National Non-Profit - Louise Davis

In Chapter 6 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Louise Davis graduates Yale University and builds upon her local high school health education volunteer work in New Haven, Connecticut by creating a national non-profit, Peer Health Exchange (PHE). Davis, PHE co-founder and Executive Director, shares lessons learned over six years doing the work and managing organization growth rolling out the program systematically to areas in need across the country.

How Childhood HIV and AIDS Experiences Shaped Purpose - Louise Davis

In Chapter 8 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Louise Davis shares how, while in 6th grade, she sees an HIV positive friend get AIDS-related infection and pass away. The effect is lasting and pushes Davis to then begin volunteering locally at HIV/AIDS organization Project Open Hand in San Francisco. Meeting HIV positive peers, Davis sees how with proper health education and empowerment, transmission could be significantly reduced. Over time, this leads Davis to start Peer Health Exchange to provide health education and healthy decision-making skills to teens.

How to Support a Child's Community Volunteering - Louise Davis

In Chapter 9 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Louise Davis' desire to serve community interests started early in her San Francisco home, long before she co-founded Peer Health Exchange. Her parents believed volunteerism was part of community citizenship. Davis' mother was active on a food bank board and at a local youth center. When Davis asked to contribute by volunteering Monday nights at AIDS/HIV organization Project Open Hand, her parents provided transportation.

How Gandhi Words Help Align Passion to Purpose - Louise Davis

In Chapter 11 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Peer Health Exchange co-founder and social entrepreneur Louise Davis shares her interpretation of Gandhi's words "You must be the change you want to see in the world". Davis begins by identifying values and beliefs - being true to yourself - and then making an impact by taking action to put these passions to work.

How to Overcome Fear of Working in Non-Profit Industry - Louise Davis

In Chapter 12 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit Peer Health Exchange co-founder Louise Davis speaks to common fears and conflicts many have about working in the non-profit industry. Davis shares how many non-profits now integrate a business approach to measure outcomes and results to complement ideals and passions.

How to Be More Successful in Non-Profit Fundraising - Louise Davis

In Chapter 13 of 20 of her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, Peer Health Exchange (PHE) co-founder Louise Davis discusses fundraising and how PHE treats donors as investors. The investment approach, which includes a data-driven framework, keeps contributors vested in how PHE affects positive change in teaching high school students health education. This data allows Davis to better connect goals and results, which inspires her to work more passionately while setting larger goals.

How to Prioritize Goals and Avoid Distractions by Saying No - Louise Davis

In Chapter 14 of 20 in her 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit Peer Health Exchange (PHE) co-founder Louise Davis addresses why turning down requests - deciding to say no - not central to the PHE primary mission constant challenges her and her team. Davis and her team prioritize discipline to avoid distraction from the PHE purpose providing health education to high school students. To do this, PHE aligns efforts with its clearly stated primary mission and continuously evaluates decisions based on the principles.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen:  What has been the most difficult part of your journey to date?

Louise Davis:  I think the most difficult part of my personal journey is deciding where to say no to the things that are always pulling on your work and impact.  Which is just to say, I think when you are committed to a cause like we are, to health education, you end up opening yourself up to a lot of different demands on that cause.  I think many if not all of them are really legitimate.  But to do one thing really well you have to just do one thing or do as close to that one thing as possible.  For us and for me, it has been a challenge to just be really clear, focused, and disciplined about that one goal and not get too distracted by the many other things that are totally legitimate that demand our time and energy, my time and energy.   Right now we are at that point where we can start to imagine doing more than we have done in the past and it is a really exciting moment.  I think we have to stay very clear on what it is we are going to do and what it is we are not going to do.  It is always harder to say no than it is to say yes so I think that is a constant challenge in this work.

Erik Michielsen:  How do you go through setting those priorities and following through with them?

Louise Davis:  We try to just be really clear in our mission and our work what we are trying to achieve and we map every opportunity directly to that mission.  If it does not have a direct map, we don`t do it.  We try to be really clear about that.