ROI Driven Philanthropy with Mark Gerson

What if you approached philanthropy like a startup? The results might shock you and completely rewire how you think about giving.I sit down with Mark Gerson, Cofounder of GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group) and Cofounder and Chair of 3i Members, to dive deep into how you can treat generosity like a capital allocation decision. We unpack a framework for ROI-driven giving that prioritizes measurable impact over emotional check-writing.Whether you give already or you’re just starting to think about it, this is a practical, purpose-driven guide to doing the most good in a faster and smarter waySpecial thanks to Mark for joining me on the pod and for all the amazing work he does.⏱️ Chapter Markers00:00 – Introduction to Mark Gerson & GLG Origins02:45 – The Accidental Start of a $650M Business06:00 – Lessons in Entrepreneurship from GLG’s Growth08:50 – Why Business Advice is Often Useless09:30 – The Life-Saving Problem in Global Emergency Response11:00 – United Hatzalah: Crowdsourcing First Response in Israel13:30 – Politics, Union Challenges & US Expansion15:00 – How an Orange Jacket Saves Lives16:45 – ROI-Driven Philanthropy: Measuring Cost per Life Saved18:30 – African Mission Healthcare: Saving Lives with $350 C-Sections21:00 – Partnering with Christian Missionary Doctors25:00 – Effective Philanthropy vs. Emotional or Prestige Giving29:00 – The True Definition of Charity & ROI vs. Emotion32:30 – When and How Much Should You Give?36:00 – Why Giving Never Makes You Poor37:45 – Books, Content & Torah as Self-Help40:00 – 3i: A Crowdsourced Investment + Community Platform43:00 – How Business & Charity Reinforce Each OtherLinksMark Gerson 3i Members, United Hatzalah of Israel, African Mission Healthcare, GLG, Twitter, LinkedInBooks: God Was Right: How Modern Social Science Proves the Torah Is True, The Telling: How Judaism’s Essential Book Reveals the Meaning of LifeMPD: LinkedIn, TwitterInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter