Elliot Costello - Entrepreneurs, Volunteering and Existentialism

Welcome to Episode 6 of Good Will Hunters! On the show this week we have Elliot Costello, the Co-Founder and Former CEO of YGAP. In this episode, Elliot and I chat about investing in entrepreneurs, why more not-for-profits should consider merging, the value of volunteering and where YGAP might be by 2028. Since its inception, YGAP has invested in 397 impact entrepreneurs, on the basis that investing in local people is the most effective way to create impactful change in a community. The entrepreneurs receive ongoing guidance, and YGAP is there as a beacon of support, through success or failure. YGAP’s success throughout African and Asian countries has earned them a reputation of being true innovators and game-changers in the Australian development landscape. As always, we’d love to hear your feedback on this episode! Also, check out this article for the Lowy Interpreter on the topic of entrepreneurship and the informal economy: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/aid-and-new-face-entrepreneurship 4:05 - Identifying the ‘Impact Entrepreneur’ 6:18 - YGAP’s ten year journey 11:23 - Brand, Board and Ego 15:34 - Asking the existential questions 17:30 - Development ideologies 24:49 - The value of volunteering 27:56 - Working in the Pacific 31:04 - Entrepreneurship and the Informal Economy 34:34 - Successes in the sector 38:30 - YGAP by 2028? Royalty free music by Bensound