Clay Water Brick audiobook cover - Finding Inspiration from Entrepreneurs Who Do the Most with the Least

Clay Water Brick

Finding Inspiration from Entrepreneurs Who Do the Most with the Least

Jessica Jackley

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Entrepreneurship

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Key Takeaways from Clay Water Brick

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Clay Water Brick
Rethinking Charity+
The Power of Microlending+
Resourcefulness Over Resources+
Mission and Values+
Transparency and Honesty+
Teamwork and Collaboration+
Trial, Error, and Persistence+
Taking Calculated Risks+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
Why does the author argue that entrepreneurship and microlending are often more effective than traditional charity?
  • A. They require larger initial donations from wealthy individuals.
  • B. They empower individuals to create their own wealth and break the cycle of reliance.
  • C. They rely entirely on government subsidies to sustain local businesses.
  • D. They remove the need for volunteers in developing nations.
Question 2 of 8
How does Kiva, the microlending platform founded by the author, primarily function?
  • A. It distributes large corporate grants to established businesses in developing countries.
  • B. It pools charitable donations to build infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
  • C. It connects entrepreneurs in developing nations directly with voluntary sponsors in developed nations.
  • D. It provides high-interest loans to individuals who cannot secure traditional bank funding.
Question 3 of 8
What key entrepreneurial lesson is illustrated by the story of Patrick, the Ugandan brickmaker?
  • A. Access to modern technology is essential for starting a profitable business.
  • B. Resourcefulness and using what is immediately available are more important than having great initial resources.
  • C. A formal business education, such as an MBA, is required to manage employees effectively.
  • D. Waiting for the perfect economic conditions is the best way to ensure a business's survival.
Question 4 of 8
Why did the author ultimately dissolve an early partnership with two well-connected entrepreneurs?
  • A. The partners lacked the financial capital needed to scale the platform.
  • B. The partners wanted to move the company's headquarters to a different country.
  • C. The author realized she could make more profit by running the venture entirely on her own.
  • D. The project was straying from its original mission of connecting entrepreneurs with sponsors to make community changes.
Question 5 of 8
How did Kiva handle the PR crisis when a partner organization in Uganda embezzled over $100,000?
  • A. They quietly replaced the funds using their own operational budget to avoid panic.
  • B. They were completely open with their lenders, admitted their mistake, and apologized.
  • C. They temporarily shut down the platform until a new security system was built.
  • D. They shifted the blame entirely to local authorities and pursued lengthy legal action.
Question 6 of 8
What was a significant personal challenge the author faced as Kiva began to grow rapidly?
  • A. She had to learn to delegate responsibilities and stop treating the project solely as her independent 'baby.'
  • B. She struggled to find volunteers willing to work without a guaranteed corporate salary.
  • C. She had to overcome her fear of public speaking to secure venture capital funding.
  • D. She was forced to relocate to East Africa to manage the day-to-day operations of the local businesses.
Question 7 of 8
According to the book, what does the story of Shona, who designed equipment for her disabled daughter, demonstrate about business success?
  • A. The best products are usually the result of a single, sudden stroke of genius.
  • B. Starting a business requires a massive upfront investment in professional manufacturing.
  • C. Sustainable success and innovation often come from years of trial, error, and refinement.
  • D. Niche markets are rarely profitable enough to sustain a full-time enterprise.
Question 8 of 8
How did Katherine, the fish seller in Uganda, significantly improve her business's profitability?
  • A. By convincing her competitors to set a standardized, higher price for fish in the local market.
  • B. By taking the calculated risk of traveling directly to the lake to bypass the local middleman.
  • C. By securing a massive corporate loan to buy a fleet of fishing boats.
  • D. By switching from selling fish to manufacturing building materials.

Clay Water Brick — Full Chapter Overview

Clay Water Brick Summary & Overview

Clay Water Brick (2015) explores the author’s unusual business career in connection with stories of successful micro-entrepreneurs all over the globe. These blinks reveal the strategies of entrepreneurs who make something out of nothing while making a difference in struggling communities.

Who Should Listen to Clay Water Brick?

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs worried that a lack of resources will hold them back
  • Activists interested in sustainable approaches to changing the world
  • Those who want to see global issues from an optimistic perspective

About the Author: Jessica Jackley

Jessica Jackley is a social entrepreneur and founder of the unique and successful micro-lending platform Kiva. With a focus on financial inclusion, the sharing economy and social justice, Jackley has played instrumental roles in a number of other enterprises. She holds an MBA from the Stanford Business School.

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