Brian Dunlap - Co-Chair, Social Investment Council

Tell us about yourself! Where are you from and what do you do for a living?
My name is Brian Dunlap, and I am originally from Santa Barbara, California. I went to college at Stanford, where I majored in Public Policy with a focus in Social Entrepreneurship.  I currently work for General Atlantic, a private equity firm that specializes in global growth equity investments.  I am responsible for sourcing and performing due diligence for new investments, as well as providing operational support to our portfolio companies.

How has your experience on the Social Investment Council informed your work at General Atlantic?
What we do at General Atlantic is, at its core, not terribly different than what Echoing Green does. We both seek to invest in innovative organizations, led by highly-motivated entrepreneurs, and then help them grow.  After reading fellowship applications and working with an Echoing Green fellow, I’ve learned to look beyond the numbers--as many times the total impact an organization makes is easily to appreciate but very difficult to quantify.  For example, the benefit of teaching a single mother how to be self-sufficient by starting a small business goes far beyond the dollars or pesos or rupees she earns; one cannot quantify the impact of her being able to feed her family, keep her children in school, and afford basic healthcare--as well the increase in her sense of dignity and self-respect. Learning to assess and appreciate the magnitude of such intangibles and their ripple effects is critical to assessing any organization, for-profit or not.

What area in social change are you most passionate about?
I’m most passionate about helping people breaking the cycle of poverty, especially in the developing world. I believe poverty is the primary source of many of the issues and challenges the world faces today.   It’s not difficult to see why people resort to extreme and destructive behavior when they themselves are not able to put food on the table, or even have a table to put food on at all.  I am passionate about helping people help themselves out of this cycle which hinders health, education, family, and social justice.

What advice would you give to young professionals who are interested in both business and social change?
Get involved in Echoing Green.

Put your skills to work with an organization with a social mission. I think there are a large number of meaningful ways people working in the private sector can be helpful to non-profits. That said, I also think there is a misconception that private sector management styles and efficiency-oriented operating practices are always applicable to non-profits. That's not always true.  When getting involved with a non-profit organization, make sure to always consider any suggestions or proposals you’re considering within the context of the organization’s mission and culture.

Who do you look up to, and why?
Even though she’s only 5’2”, I look up to my mom.  She works at a non-profit serving victims of domestic violence and child abuse, and helps people overcome the types of terrible things one wouldn’t think human beings were even capable of doing—every day.  Yet, she always manages to see the good in people. And though the gravity of her work obviously weighs on her at times, she never lets it discourage her.  She taught me the value and the importance of helping others at a young age and is the hardest working person I know.

What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading Arthur Schlesinger’s Journals 1952-2000.  The chance to read the raw thoughts and musings of a man who was so close to so many of the most influential figures in modern U.S. history is pretty incredible.

What is your favorite quote?
My grandma, who lived with my family always said “siempre adelante” (“always forward”) whenever I came home discouraged, was about to take a test or play a game in sports, or was about to leave for an extended period of time. She never explained what she meant, but to me it means to always be trying to improve yourself and others, and always be learning, especially from your mistakes.

If you had to listen to one song on repeat for 24 hours, what would it be?
Lionel Richie, “Dancing on the Ceiling.”

When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Pro hockey player. That obviously did not work out, and that’s probably for the best.

Brian Dunlap visiting Echoing Green Alum Melanie Edwards of Mobile Metrix in Brazil