Benioff, Conway, and Taylor: Member Perspectives
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If someone gave you a million dollars, how would you invest in San Francisco’s future? As part of the Battery Powered Winter 2015 theme, we asked three notable San Franciscans (and Battery Powered members) for their answers. Marc Benioff, Ron Conway, and Kat Taylor joined us at The Battery to weigh in on how philanthropy can play a role in shaping San Francisco’s future.
Phil Bronstein, Executive Chair of the Center for Investigative Reporting and an avid supporter of all things news in San Francisco, moderated the Member Perspectives panel. Conversation moved from the panelists’ “ah-ha moments” in philanthropy to their hopes for the future vibrancy of the city. While their entry points into the world of business and philanthropy were different, the panelists had a few things in common: they were steadfast in their belief that San Francisco is amazing, and that it has an unprecedented opportunity to be even greater.
Each of the panelists are also pioneers in what they have set out to do. Benioff decided not just to create a software company, but to integrate philanthropy and employee engagement into the fabric of the company; today Salesforce is the largest tech employer in the city, and thousands of nonprofits and NGOs use their products for free. Conway is one of the Bay Area’s most active Angel Investors and a longtime proponent of the tech industry; yet with one visit to the Ronald MacDonald House his generosity was activated and he’s launched an equally prolific career as a philanthropist. Taylor on the other hand made the choice to drive social impact by launching her own businesses in the industries where she wanted to see change happen; she started a bank, a cattle ranch, and a political activism organization to maximize how philanthropy influences the way business operate at a systems level.
The mix of perspectives in the room made for lively discussion about where San Francisco has been, and where the city is headed. In a few key moments, they built off one another and presented a unified front on the way philanthropic dollars can support a vibrant and affordable future for 1 million residents.
The panelists kicked off their discussion by acknowledging a deep-seated affection for, and commitment to, the City by the Bay. Yet even in discussing San Francisco’s uniquely welcoming and walkable cityscape, and the lifestyle its natural beauty and booming economy affords many residents, each panelist also acknowledged the changes at work in civic engagement and social movements, housing access, and the job market. Their first question from the moderator, What traits should we keep about San Francisco? got right to the heart of the changes happening at our doorsteps:
Benioff: “As we participate in this second Gold Rush that the city’s going through...[we can see] unprecedented changes in San Francisco. Not just in the pressure on commercial real estate and residential real estate...but actually in the desire to make things better.”
Conway: “The population of San Francisco dropped by 200,000 people [in the 60s and 70s]. That’s a crisis. Now we have people wanting to come back into the city. That’s an opportunity.”
Taylor: “Full economic inclusion, racial justice, and environmental well-being...in what is now a knowledge-based economy. … This is a time of optimism. Our opportunity now is to distribute, through the means of production, more opportunity.”
With each of these remarks, the panelists addressed ways to meet the needs of all San Francisco residents in the face of rapid economic growth and unbalanced job and housing markets. Philanthropic capital, applied to local projects and initiatives, is one the key interventions (along with volunteerism and impact investing) that could create a tangible shift and restore balance in these areas.
The evening culminated with their answer to the question what would you do with an extra one million dollars to invest in the city, and what would you advise a group of people, like the Battery Powered membership, to take on together? They agreed that 1. getting together, 2. committing to a collective action and 3. looking at the issues holistically to find the solutions that really change system were they key drivers for change:
Benioff, on being better together: “Start by getting more people involved. Inspire people, involve people, and transform their minds. … Build a coalition of the willing.”
Conway, on staying active in your community: “Register to vote! … Housing is a crucial issue. Don’t cause problems via apathy.”
Taylor, on parsing out the best solutions: “Whatever you would do to be engaged...it’s important to take a systems view and solve everything for permanency. … Enlarge the problem, and the solution set gets bigger. And you get to expand your own knowledge base along the way.”
For candid moments from the Member Perspectives panel, take a look at the video highlights.
ABOUT THE THEME
San Francisco is changing. As the city approaches 1 million residents, we have an unprecedented opportunity to create a vibrant future for the loveable, livable City by the Bay. This winter, Battery Powered is taking a close look at the changes at our doorstep. The Issue Brief guides our learning in 3 parts: Social Movements, Housing, and Local Economy & Livelihoods.
Phil Bronstein, Executive Chair of the Center for Investigative Reporting and an avid supporter of all things news in San Francisco, moderated the Member Perspectives panel. Conversation moved from the panelists’ “ah-ha moments” in philanthropy to their hopes for the future vibrancy of the city. While their entry points into the world of business and philanthropy were different, the panelists had a few things in common: they were steadfast in their belief that San Francisco is amazing, and that it has an unprecedented opportunity to be even greater.
Each of the panelists are also pioneers in what they have set out to do. Benioff decided not just to create a software company, but to integrate philanthropy and employee engagement into the fabric of the company; today Salesforce is the largest tech employer in the city, and thousands of nonprofits and NGOs use their products for free. Conway is one of the Bay Area’s most active Angel Investors and a longtime proponent of the tech industry; yet with one visit to the Ronald MacDonald House his generosity was activated and he’s launched an equally prolific career as a philanthropist. Taylor on the other hand made the choice to drive social impact by launching her own businesses in the industries where she wanted to see change happen; she started a bank, a cattle ranch, and a political activism organization to maximize how philanthropy influences the way business operate at a systems level.
The mix of perspectives in the room made for lively discussion about where San Francisco has been, and where the city is headed. In a few key moments, they built off one another and presented a unified front on the way philanthropic dollars can support a vibrant and affordable future for 1 million residents.
The panelists kicked off their discussion by acknowledging a deep-seated affection for, and commitment to, the City by the Bay. Yet even in discussing San Francisco’s uniquely welcoming and walkable cityscape, and the lifestyle its natural beauty and booming economy affords many residents, each panelist also acknowledged the changes at work in civic engagement and social movements, housing access, and the job market. Their first question from the moderator, What traits should we keep about San Francisco? got right to the heart of the changes happening at our doorsteps:
Benioff: “As we participate in this second Gold Rush that the city’s going through...[we can see] unprecedented changes in San Francisco. Not just in the pressure on commercial real estate and residential real estate...but actually in the desire to make things better.”
Conway: “The population of San Francisco dropped by 200,000 people [in the 60s and 70s]. That’s a crisis. Now we have people wanting to come back into the city. That’s an opportunity.”
Taylor: “Full economic inclusion, racial justice, and environmental well-being...in what is now a knowledge-based economy. … This is a time of optimism. Our opportunity now is to distribute, through the means of production, more opportunity.”
With each of these remarks, the panelists addressed ways to meet the needs of all San Francisco residents in the face of rapid economic growth and unbalanced job and housing markets. Philanthropic capital, applied to local projects and initiatives, is one the key interventions (along with volunteerism and impact investing) that could create a tangible shift and restore balance in these areas.
The evening culminated with their answer to the question what would you do with an extra one million dollars to invest in the city, and what would you advise a group of people, like the Battery Powered membership, to take on together? They agreed that 1. getting together, 2. committing to a collective action and 3. looking at the issues holistically to find the solutions that really change system were they key drivers for change:
Benioff, on being better together: “Start by getting more people involved. Inspire people, involve people, and transform their minds. … Build a coalition of the willing.”
Conway, on staying active in your community: “Register to vote! … Housing is a crucial issue. Don’t cause problems via apathy.”
Taylor, on parsing out the best solutions: “Whatever you would do to be engaged...it’s important to take a systems view and solve everything for permanency. … Enlarge the problem, and the solution set gets bigger. And you get to expand your own knowledge base along the way.”
For candid moments from the Member Perspectives panel, take a look at the video highlights.
ABOUT THE THEME
San Francisco is changing. As the city approaches 1 million residents, we have an unprecedented opportunity to create a vibrant future for the loveable, livable City by the Bay. This winter, Battery Powered is taking a close look at the changes at our doorstep. The Issue Brief guides our learning in 3 parts: Social Movements, Housing, and Local Economy & Livelihoods.