by Jean Case
Dawn Broksas is a cherished colleague I’ve worked with for eighteen years and someone who has played an important role across various aspects of my life. Dawn is that quiet presence keeping everything together to allow me the freedom and flexibility to meet pressing priorities, travel, and stay connected with and supportive of those closest to me. Dawn and I share humble Midwest roots, and so, of course, it was incredibly valuable to receive her input on this book.
My sixth-grade teacher and lifelong dear friend (referenced earlier in the book), Carol Neal, provided an important review. The texts, the phone calls, and the careful eye she brought to the tone of the book ensured that the book spoke to everyone, from all walks. I could also count on her to check me on my memories of early years of which she was such a big part. We laughed about the irony of her reviewing my work since, in addition to having been my teacher, she was the faculty advisor to the yearbook staff when I was the editor . . . so a long history of her checking my work. Carol helped ignite my faith at an early age and modeled a life of serving others that truly inspired me.
My love of the written word and my love of history were ignited by Ruth Trippy, my high school English teacher, and Bob Beavin, my high school history teacher. They both opened up new worlds to me and gave me the confidence to fearlessly develop both my curiosity and ideas and to express them through the written word. The late Ken Wackes called me to excellence in my pursuits and modeled self-discipline, perseverance, and the importance of using my talents and skills for a higher purpose in life.
I write about Congressman E. Clay Shaw up front in this book, but his influence on my young life cannot be overstated. He was a gentleman to the core who was devoted to his wife and family, and utterly committed to a life of public service on behalf of his community and his nation. At a time when a lot of politicians weren’t so noble (especially around young women), Clay was known for his personal and professional integrity. After his passing, I had the true privilege of telling the story of his important role in my life at the Fort Lauderdale Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast that was held in his memory. More than one thousand people sat in the audience, having come to honor a man who was beloved by so many.
The fearless men and women of the National Geographic Society have served as a constant source of fearless inspiration. Some of the National Geographic stories I have shared in this book were bursting inside of me, just waiting to be told. I am in awe of the fearlessness I encounter each day in my work with National Geographic, from my time spent in the field with explorers and photographers to those working tirelessly at headquarters to champion them and bring science and exploration to life through the power of storytelling. I am grateful for the extraordinary boards of the National Geographic Society and National Geographic Partners, for which I have the honor of serving as chairman, for their own fearlessness and commitment to take risks, build unlikely partnerships, and make Big Bets as we strive to make the work of National Geographic more relevant than ever before. John Fahey, Gary Knell, and Mike Ulica are owed a special nod for the role they’ve played as leaders who have set the tone of fearlessness throughout the organization. In addition, I want to thank Emma Carrasco, Todd Georgelas, Courtney Rowe, and Todd Hermann, who had a hand in verifying many of the National Geographic–related elements in the book.
I’m grateful to the leaders at the Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative, Stanford Business School PACS, and Georgetown University Beeck Center, where I’ve had the privilege of serving. Specifically, I want to call out Tom Tierney, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Alberto and Olga Maria Beeck, Sonal Shah, and Kim Meredith. The work with these great institutions has provided a deep well of knowledge and inspiration that we have integrated into our work at the Case Foundation in meaningful ways. Additionally, I want to offer thanks to the many universities across the United States that have welcomed the Be Fearless message into the classroom, at large speaking events, or across campuses. The drivers on the front lines of social innovation at these universities, most especially the students, keep us on our toes and constantly ensure the authenticity of this work.
In addition, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the inspiration from the other CEOs I serve with at other organizations I am affiliated with, including John Reher at the Brain Trust Accelerator Fund, Max Wallace at ABC2, Michael Singer at BrainScope, and Stewart McLaurin at the White House Historical Association.
Finally, I want to give thanks for the many fearless men and women of all ages and backgrounds whose stories are told in this book, and the many we lift up through other channels, such as our Be Fearless video series, case studies, and those highlighted at speaking events. Just like everyone else, I have moments that grip me and I question my own fearlessness. I am grateful for the countless stories of individuals and organizations who are out there every day making Big Bets, taking risks, making failure mater, reaching beyond their bubble, and letting urgency conquer fear. They are an inspiration to us all.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Jean Case, the first female Chairman of the National Geographic Society in its 130-year history and CEO of the Case Foundation, is a philanthropist, investor, and Internet and impact-investing pioneer who advocates for the importance of embracing a more fearless approach to innovate and bring about transformational breakthroughs. Her career in the private sector spanned nearly two decades before she cofounded the Case Foundation in 1997.
Before the Case Foundation, she was a senior executive at America Online, Inc., where she directed the marketing and branding as AOL brought the Internet to the masses.
In addition, Jean currently serves on the boards of Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2), the White House Historical Association, and BrainScope Company, Inc., as well as on the advisory boards of the Brain Trust Accelerator Fund, the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, and Georgetown University’s Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2016 and has received honorary degrees from Indiana University and George Mason University. Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose is her first book.
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NOTES
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PART ONE: MAKE A BIG BET
CHAPTER 1: START RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE
It wasn’t long before [Barbara Van Dahlen]: Jean Case, “Fearless Spotlight: Barbara Van Dahlen.” www.casefoundation.org, March 30, 2016; also www.giveanhour.org.
That woman was Madam C.J. Walker: A’Lelia Bundles, On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker. Scribner, 2001; madamcjwalker.com.
In the late 1990s [Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia]: “How I Built This: Joe Gebbia.” NPR, October 17, 2016; Leigh Gallagher, “The Education of Airbnb’s Brian Chesky.” Fortune, June 26, 2015; Catherine Clifford, “How the Cofounder of Airbnb Went from $25,000 in Credit Card Debt to Running His $30 Billion Company.” CNBC, June 30, 2017.
Imagine being a college student [Rachel Sumekh]: “The Swipe Out Hunger Founder Is the Robin Hood of College Meal Plans.” LA Weekly, May 3, 2017; Katie Lobosco, “She’s on a Mission to Make America’s Colleges Hunger-Free.” CNN Money, June 12, 2017.
CHAPTER 2: BE AUDACIOUS
I was too young to remember: President John F. Kennedy, “Excerpt from the ‘Special Message to the Congress on Urgen
t National Needs.’ ” May 21, 1961; John Geraci, “What Your Moonshot Can Learn from the Apollo Program.” Harvard Business Review, April 4, 2017.
Few modern organizations [Astro Teller]: Derek Thompson, “Google X and the Science of Radical Creativity: How the Secretive Silicon Valley Lab Is Trying to Resurrect the Lost Art of Invention.” Atlantic, November 13, 2017; Alexandra Wolfe, “Astro Teller, ‘Captain of Moonshots’: The Head of Alphabet’s Research-and-Development Lab X Talks about Encouraging Creativity at Work, Embracing Failure and His Company’s Latest Projects.” Wall Street Journal, November 18, 2016.
That’s why when an innovator [Elon Musk]: Ashlee Vance, Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future. Ecco, 2015; Jethro Mullen, “Elon Musk Wants to Fly You Anywhere in the World in Less Than an Hour.” CNN Tech, September 29, 2017; Nick Stockton, “Elon Musk Announces His Plan to Colonize Mars and Save Humanity.” Wired, September 27, 2016.
We live in a time of incredible audacity: Greg Satell and Srdja Popovic, “How Protests Become Successful Social Movements.” Harvard Business Review, January 27, 2017.
Think of the Parkland #NeverAgain movement: Charlotte Alter, “The School Shooting Generation Has Had Enough.” Time, March 22, 2018; David S. Meyer, “The Parkland Teens Started Something. How Can It Become a Social Movement?” Washington Post, April 13, 2018.
After hosting a national: Joe Vanden Plas, “Jordyn Schara: From Teen Activist to Adult Difference-Maker.” InBusiness, October 2015.
If I told you that someone could [Greyston Bakery]: Jesse Seaver, “Businesses with Impact: The Greyston Foundation and Their Open Hiring Policy.” Huffington Post, December 6, 2017; “No Résumé? No Problem at This Yonkers Bakery.” NPR, May 24, 2015.
“If Chile can do it, you can” [Michelle Bachelet]: Elizabeth Royte and Michel Greshko, “Chile Adds 10 Million Acres of Parkland in Historic First.” nationalgeographic.com, January 29, 2018.
CHAPTER 3: BURST THROUGH ASSUMPTIONS
There is a special photo [Eunice Kennedy Shriver]: Eileen McNamara, Eunice: The Kennedy Who Changed the World. Simon & Schuster, 2018; Evan Thomas, “The Fierce Rebellion and Compassion of Eunice Shriver.” Washington Post, April 13, 2018.
One such athlete: Lorettta Claiborne, “Let’s Talk about Intellectual Disabilities.” TEDxMidAtlantic, December 11, 2012; “Timothy Shriver’s Greatest Spiritual Teacher.” SuperSoul Sunday, Oprah Winfrey Network, November 23, 2014; “Aim High and Do Your Best.” special olympics.org; lorettaclaiborne.com.
Enric’s inspiration for his: blog/nationalgeographic.org/enricsala.
She took a pair of scissors [Sara Blakely]: Mary Logan Bikoff, “The Uplifter: How Spanx CEO Sara Blakely Became One of the Most Inspirational Women in Business.” Atlanta, December 2017.
David and Neil were MBA students: Michael Fitzgerald, “For Warby Parker, Free Glasses Equals Clear Company Vision.” Entrepreneur, February 10, 2015; Sean Tennerson, “Spotlight on Social Enterprise: Warby Parker.” www.casefoundation.org, February 10, 2015; B. R. J. O’Donnell, “Warby Parker’s Co-Founder on Starting a Company from Scratch.” Atlantic, October 5, 2017.
Attorney [Bryan Stevenson]: Paul Barrett, “Bryan Stevenson’s Death-Defying Acts.” NYU Law Magazine, 2007.
“There is this burden in America”: James McWilliams, “Bryan Stevenson on What Well-Meaning White People Need to Know about Race.” Pacific Standard, February 6, 2018.
CHAPTER 4: PEEK AROUND CORNERS
Peeking around corners [Jeff Bezos]: Brad Stone, The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon. Little, Brown, 2013; Avery Hartmans, “The Fabulous Life of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the Second-Richest Person in the World.” Business Insider, May 15, 2017.
One of my favorites is [Sarah Parcak]: Emily Burnham, “Egyptologist from the Queen City Makes Waves in the Valley of the Kings.” Bangor Daily News, October 6, 2011; Abigail Tucker, “Space Archaeologist Sarah Parcak Uses Satellites to Uncover Ancient Egyptian Ruins.” Smithsonian, December 2016; Sarah Kaplan, “Meet Sarah Parcak, a High-Tech Indiana Jones, Who Just Won $1 Million for Tracking Down Antiquities Looters.” Washington Post, November 12, 2015.
PART TWO: BE BOLD, TAKE RISKS
CHAPTER 6: GET UNCOMFORTABLE
I was particularly inspired [Eliza Scidmore]: Nina Strochlic, “The Woman Who Shaped National Geographic.” National Geographic, February 2017; Jennifer Pococh, “Beyond the Cherry Trees: The Life and Times of Eliza Scidmore.” nationalgeographic.com, March 27, 2012; Michael E. Ruane, “Cherry Blossoms’ Champion, Eliza Scidmore, Led a Life of Adventure.” Washington Post, March 13, 2012.
History is rich with stories [Sir Ernest Shackleton]: Alasdair McGregor, “Endurance: A Glorious Antarctic Failure.” Australian Geographic, January 22, 2015; “Shackleton’s Voyage of Endurance.” NOVA Online/pbs.org, February 2002.
CHAPTER 7: EMBRACE RISK AS R&D
In the late 1700s, when smallpox [Dr. Edward Jenner]: The Jenner Institute. www.jenner.ac.uk.
Another great example [Jane Goodall]: The Jane Goodall Institute. janegoodall.org; Jane [the movie]. National Geographic Studios, Public Road Productions, 2017.
Jonas Salk took a big risk too: Charlotte DeCroes Jacobs, Jonas Salk: A Life. Oxford University Press, 2015.
In his celebrated book: Eric Ries, The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. Currency, 2011.
To make this point: “The Zappos Family Story.” www.zapposinsights.com; Jay Yarow, “The Zappos Founder Just Told Us All Kinds of Crazy Stories—Here’s the Surprisingly Candid Interview.” Business Insider, November 28, 2011.
CHAPTER 8: PICK UP WHERE OTHERS LEFT OFF
A few years ago I read: Steven Johnson, How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World. Riverhead Books, 2014.
The micro-lending movement [Jessica Jackley]: Nathan Chan, “How Kiva’s Jessica Jackley Turned a Simple Idea into $1B in Microloans.” foundr, March 22, 2018; also kiva.org.
Microbusinesses aren’t just creating: Peter W. Roberts and Deonta D. Wortham, “The Macro Benefits of Microbusinesses.” Stanford Social Innovation Review, January 16, 2018.
Today, Steve is taking forward [Rise of the Rest]: Andrew Ross Sorkin, “From Bezos to Walton, Big Investors Back Fund for ‘Flyover’ Startups.” New York Times, December 4, 2017; Alex Konrad, “A Bevy of Billionaires Join Steve Case’s $150 Million ‘Rise of the Rest’ Startup Fund.” Forbes, December 5, 2017; also Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, www.revolution.com.
For example, Justin Knopf, a young fifth-generation: Miriam Horn, Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman. W. W. Norton & Co., 2017; Miriam Horn, “When Industrial-Scale Farming Is the Sustainable Path.” PBS NewsHour, September 6, 2016; “Meet the Unsung Conservation Hero You’re Overlooking.” GreenBiz, August 27, 2016.
CHAPTER 9: RISK OR REGRET
Psychology Today published: Peter Gray, Ph.D., “Risky Play: Why Children Love It and Need It.” Psychology Today, April 7, 2014.
And yet, as: Josh Linkner, The Road to Reinvention: How to Drive Disruption and Accelerate Transformation. Jossey-Bass, 2014.
Consider the cautionary tale [Kodak]: Chunka Mui, “How Kodak Failed.” Forbes, January 18, 2012; Pete Pachal, “How Kodak Squandered Every Single Digital Opportunity It Had.” Mashable, January 20, 2012; Jeremy Miller, “Instagram Took the Kodak Moment.” www.stickybranding.com, March 29, 2016.
Kodak’s opposite would be [Netflix]: Adam Richardson, “Netflix’s Bold Disruptive Innovation.” Harvard Business Review, September 20, 2011; Adam Hartung, “Can Netflix Double-Pivot to Be a Media Game Changer?” Forbes, April 21, 2016; Bill Taylor, “How Coca-Cola, Netflix, and Amazon Learn from Failure.” Harvard Business Review, November 10, 2017.
Another quintessential pivot story [Odeo]: Connor Simpson, “The Incredibly True (and Messy) Origin Story of Twitter.” Atlantic, October 1, 2013; Nicholas Carlson, “The Real History of Twitter.” Business Insider, April 13, 2011.
So
ny Pictures will long lament: Ben Fritz, “The ‘Black Panther’ Movie Deal That Didn’t Get Made.” Wall Street Journal, February 15, 2018.
Disney was smart enough: Rob Haskell, “Disney CEO Bob Iger on Taking the Biggest Risk of His Career.” Vogue, April 12, 2018.
CHAPTER 10: NOW GO, FIND THE “COURAGE ZONE”
In her book: Margie Warrell, Stop Playing Safe: Rethink Risk, Unlock the Power of Courage, Achieve Outstanding Success. Wrightbooks, 2013.
PART THREE: MAKE FAILURE MATTER
CHAPTER 11: CRASH AND LEARN
With my heart in my throat: Jean Case, “The Painful Acknowledgment of Coming Up Short.” www.casefoundation.org/blog.
It’s a process: Lucy Bernholz, “Failing Forward.” Alliance, July 18, 2011.
“The moonshot factory is a messy place”: Astro Teller, “The Unexpected Benefit of Celebrating Failure.” TED, April 14, 2016.
Louis V. Gerstner Jr., who shepherded: Louis V. Gerstner Jr., Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance? Leading a Great Enterprise through Dramatic Change. HarperBusiness, 2002.
Meg Whitman, the only woman: Jeff Morganteen, “HP’s Meg Whitman: One of My ‘Big Failures’ at eBay.” CNBC, April 29, 2014.
CHAPTER 12: FAIL IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GIANTS
In a commencement address: “Winfrey’s Commencement Address.” Harvard Gazette, May 30, 2013.
Steven Spielberg was often lonely: Eliza Berman, “Three of Steven Spielberg’s Biggest Failures, According to Steven Spielberg.” Time, October 5, 2017.
