The Answer is You: Creating a Life Full of Impact

So ta-da! This is the title of my forthcoming book, which will be published by Mango and is set to come out in Fall 2021!

 What’s it about?

 The book is part-stories, part-advice.

I have interviewed over 20 social impact innovators, activists, and change-makers from all around the world asking them how they got started, why they do what they do, what problem they are solving, what are their superpowers, what challenges and paradoxes they faced, and more. There are a good number are Solver teams we fund and support through Solve, but I also wanted a broader perspective so there are many non-tech voices too.

You will hear about an Afghan refugee now working on girls and women STEM and entrepreneurship, a wheelchair user making Japan more accessible for all, a sexual assault survivor who re-wrote the laws at the Federal and State level to seek justice for 25 million survivors in the US, a Nigerian health entrepreneur looking to stop women dying from post-partum hemorrhage, and so many more!

Their stories are magical and I can only hope that I have done them justice in my retelling.

With these stories, I also include my analysis, framework, and pretty cut-throat advice on how you – and in fact everyone – can get started or continue creating a life full of impact, including how to:

• Think about your purpose at the intersection of your superpowers and problems that actually matter.

• Have a positive impact across all your powers not just your job and your career but also your giving, investing, volunteering, and more/

• Reflect on your kryptonite and shortcomings, and navigate the Impact Paradox and many hypocrisies of the social impact world.

• Start with simple, lean, measurable solutions you can test and iterate.

There is a lot more (in fact currently 78,000 words more) which I hope will help you and everyone cultivate a problem-solving mindset and move the needle in your life towards purpose and impact!

The title reflects my firm belief that we will not solve the big problems of this world with today’s solutions, entrenched status quo institutions, and biased systems that perpetuate injustice.

We need you and we need everyone to claim their seat the problem-solving table. (In fact, we need to re-build a fairer and more just table.)

Why am I writing this book?

Like many of you, I have been thinking about these issues for a long time. Through Solve, I have also met incredible innovators and change-makers from all around the world, but oftentimes, we only get to hear their story through a 3-minute pitch, literally. I thought it’s a pity people do not get to hear a lot more about who they are, what they are doing and how and why.

 Further, I get asked all the time by students, recent graduates, mid-career professionals, and retirees alike–how they can have more impact in their life, whether it’s finding a job in the sector or thinking about their volunteering, giving or investing. I am usually happy to oblige over a nice cup of matcha or Earl Grey, but I don’t have a good book to point them too in terms of social impact specifically (vs. say entrepreneurship or careers or international development more generally).

Finally, it seems clear that we are now at a moment when all of us–but especially the new generations of Millennials and GenZers–care a lot more about climate change, inequality, and purpose in general. You join protest, volunteer, donate in greater numbers than ever before. Millennials and GenZers in particular want to work in place where they can have an impact, purchase brands that match their values, and understand they cant leave the problems of this world to the next generation. Oftentimes, it can be overwhelming, confusing, and frustrating especially when the language of impact is co-opted into token gestures that amount to only marginal change, so I thought a guide might help. 

My hope is that through both my advice and stories of incredible innovators and change-makers, I can help you and everyone think about their purpose and create a life full of impact.

 How did it come about? 

For a few years now, I have thought about writing a book about the incredible diverse talent and innovation that I get to see every day through my work at Solve. I started talking about it more seriously to a few people and also writing a few pages in the summer/fall of 2019.

In October that year, I returned to Opportunity Collaboration (another OC connection – yey, thanks Topher!). One of my former interns from the Clinton Foundation, Abbey Wemimo, was there, as he is now a successful fintech social entrepreneur with Esusu. I used to joke I would one day be working for Abbey, which I could still bet on!

I was catching up with Abbey and told him about my hope to write a book, and he said he had just met an agent he liked – Jen Weiss. I would say the rest is history but the rest has been a year of proposal writing and re-writing, a lot of waiting to hear back from publishers, a lot nos before a yes, and then finally getting properly started in November with my partner in crime Pat Mulcahy a fantastic writer/editor who helped me a lot especially around the stories and editing.

The best part was definitely the interviews and getting to go much deeper into people’s stories, but there is still a lot to go in terms of editing, proofing, marketing, and more, but it should come out in Fall 2021.

How can I help?

There are many things you would be welcome to help with, notably:

• Keep writing to me and giving me feedback on my newsletter + website – as you can imagine these are extensions of my thinking and thus the book.

• Do forward the newsletter to people you think could be interested in this topic.

• Some people have already generously offered to host book parties / book clubs (whether they are virtual or physical, we’ll see…) – do not hesitate – will take all offers ;)

Any other ideas and help greatly appreciated–do let me know!