Founder's Mentality: The CEO Sessions

Jacqueline Novogratz, Acumen: Start Before You’re Ready

  • First published on Juli 21, 2026

Podcast

Jacqueline Novogratz, Acumen: Start Before You’re Ready
en

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform here. Find us on YouTube.

What are the costs of not daring to make a change? 

Jacqueline Novogratz is the Founder & CEO of Acumen, an organization that invests patient capital in enterprises working to reduce poverty around the world. In 2021, she took a $250 million risk when she set out to provide electricity to 75 million people in regions of sub-Saharan Africa that had a 45% electrification rate or below. It paid off. 

Join host Jimmy Allen of Bain & Company and Jacqueline as they discuss what we can learn from creative risk taking, how to balance socioeconomic tensions without compromising the mission, and how transforming our mentality from “what if?” to “what if I don’t?” can open the door for positive change. 

Jacqueline and Jimmy emphasize the value of asking ‘why’ when navigating complexity as a leader. How can we ensure that we not only remember our ‘why’, but also that it is worth remembering in the first place?  

This is a conversation about embracing complexity, the power of asking ‘why’, and daring to take risks in the pursuit of positive change. 

More on this episode

Markierungen

Möchten Sie mit uns in Kontakt bleiben?

Wir unterstützen Führungskräfte weltweit, die kritischen Themen in ihrem Unternehmen zu adressieren. Gemeinsam schaffen wir nachhaltige Veränderungen und Ergebnisse.