Moving the Needle

Tracy Palandjian is moving the needle. She's the CEO of Social Finance, a national impact finance and advisory nonprofit that has mobilized $350 million in new investments designed to help 45,000 people realize improved outcomes in education, economic mobility, health, and housing.
Any attempts to close economic inequity gaps must begin with a focus on aligning underestimated talent with the economic inequity closing sectors of the economy, then helping them attain ownership stakes in those sectors. Acquisition of in-demand skills provides just such an ownership stake. Earlier this year, Social Finance partnered with Google on a $100M innovative investment program that will upskill and place 20,000 Americans in good jobs, driving $1 billion in wage gains over the next 10 years, and providing real ownership interests in the U.S. economy.  
Here’s Tracy Palandjian, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Finance, a national nonprofit that builds innovative partnerships and investments to measurably improve lives, providing enlightening perspective on the acquisition and ownership of skills needed in today’s economy.

Moving the Needle is hosted by Christopher Gergen & Johnathan Holifield, and is produced by Earfluence.

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  • Live Oak Bank is on a mission to be America's small business bank and has the privilege of helping thousands of passionate, driven entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. These small business owners aren’t in it for the fortune or the fame. They’re in it to make a difference, just like Live Oak.
  • SHRM has created better workplaces by supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the world of work and society. It’s why they developed the Together Forward@ Work initiative to drive racial inequity out of the workplace. It’s why SHRM made a capital commitment to support minority-owned business enterprises.
If you like our podcast, you'll also like our books:

What is Moving the Needle?

Highlighting innovators doing needle moving sh!t to create generational wealth and inclusive competitiveness.

Communities worldwide are at an inflection point. In the devastating wake of COVID, there are unparalleled opportunities to move the needle on realizing truly inclusive prosperity, fueled by dynamic economic growth. In this moment, communities can make bold, strategic, and equitable investments. Needle moving investments not only generate catalytic and sustained community impact, but also provide meaningful financial returns for the impact investors behind them.

Moving the Needle is a podcast series featuring conversations with a globally curated mix of policymakers, philanthropists, private investors, and social innovators who are driving break-through investments that move the needle.
Hosted by Christopher Gergen and Johnathan Holifield, an uncommon pairing who arrived at the common need for “doing needle moving sh#t” from very different lived experiences. Through the podcast, Gergen and Holifield invite guests to share their own lived experiences and what led them to their transformative investment theses. Designed to be highly interactive, energetic, and personal, the conversation will leave listeners with a deeper understanding of how investment can be channeled for the greater good, inspired by the stories behind the innovation, and excited to learn more about each guest.