Governor Deval Patrick: A Stake in Each Other's Dreams and Struggles

Governor Deval Patrick: A Stake in Each Other's Dreams and Struggles

Author: Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change March 8, 2022 Duration: 21:42

In this episode of Capital for Good, we speak with Governor Deval Patrick, one of the country's most talented and inspiring leaders, who has blazed many trails across and between the public, nonprofit and private sectors.

In this conversation, we explore some of the through lines in a career that has included successful chapters in civil rights law and activism, policy and politics, and entrepreneurship and investing. We discuss Governor Patrick's decision, after two terms as Governor of Massachusetts, to turn his "social impact" lens to the private sector by launching the first impact investing fund — Bain Capital Double Impact — of a global alternative investment firm. Governor Patrick walks us through BCDI's investment thesis and approach, which is focused on health and wellness, sustainability and education, and workforce development. Early investments included Penn Foster, an affordable education, workforce preparation, and skills development company that achieved strong financial and impact returns through an active partnership with BCDI. "If you can demonstrate that you don't have to trade return for impact, it's a whole new game," Governor Patrick says.

We also discuss the growth of the impact investing field, and more broadly increased corporate engagement on issues of equity, justice, and democracy — efforts that Governor Patrick believes mirror the groundswell in community building efforts that he is involved in at the grassroots level. "I see these two as linked," he says. "This is about everyone taking responsibility for their own civic and political community." We talk about our shared fortunes coming out of the pandemic, and whether our increased attention to issues of inequity, racial injustice, income, and wealth inequality can put us on a better path forward. "I think there is every opportunity to emerge better," he says.

Thanks for listening!
Subscribe to Capital for Good on AppleAmazonGoogleSpotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Drop us a line at socialenterprise@gsb.columbia.edu.

Mentioned in this Episode


Hosted by the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change, Capital for Good is a conversation about the practical tools and shifting mindsets needed to finance a better world. This isn't about abstract ideals; it's a grounded look at how capital-from impact investing and philanthropic dollars to corporate and public funds-can be actively directed to solve our most pressing problems. Each episode features candid discussions with leaders who are on the front lines, reimagining the roles of business, nonprofit, and government in an era defined by intersecting crises. You’ll hear how they are building new models that address systemic inequality and the urgent threat of climate change, not as separate issues, but as interconnected challenges requiring innovative financial and managerial strategies. Tune in for a thoughtful, actionable dialogue that moves beyond theory to explore what works, what doesn’t, and how the flow of money can be harnessed for genuine, lasting progress. This podcast digs into the real-world decisions shaping a future where investment and social good are fundamentally aligned.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

Capital for Good
Podcast Episodes
Suzanne Nossel: Dare to Speak [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:29
In this episode of Capital for Good we speak with Suzanne Nossel, the chief executive officer of PEN America, and one of the country's most prominent experts and voices on free speech, free expression, and human rights.…
Luis Miranda: Relentless [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:21
In this episode of Capital for Good we speak with Luis Miranda, one of New York, and the country's, most dynamic cross-sector leaders, with more than four decades of experience in government, business, politics and advoc…
David Leonhardt: Ours Was the Shining Future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:10
In this episode of Capital for Good we speak with David Leonhardt, senior writer at the New York Times where he writes its flagship newsletter, "The Morning," and author of the important new book, Ours Was the Shining Fu…
Introducing Capital for Good Season Three [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:11
We find ourselves at a moment of great challenge – and opportunity. In this season of Capital for Good, we'll explore how the world's political, economic, and climate crises have compelled us to reimagine how leaders acr…