Q was determined to fashion Charity Water as an aspirational brand, one that led with hope instead of guilt. It wasn't at all obvious how to do this. How did you go about this, I'm going to create an aspirational brand? An ability where people have this emotional connection, this desire, this want to wear the t-shirt, for example. What was some of your thinking about how to do that effectively?
A The whole thing to me was invitational. It was a party. I threw parties for 10 years, so there was something about me that would look down from the DJ booth and see a thousand people dancing and smiling and say, I have done a good job. Now that party looks pretty rough around five in the morning when the lights come on and people are lying on the floor and, you know, going home with hangovers. In some ways I wanted to throw a party for good, and I thought giving and generosity It was this redemptive, magical thing. When you give of your time and your talent and money like I had, so I had been redeemed in the process.
AI assessment note: “In some ways I wanted to throw a party for good”