If You're Curious About These Questions...
You should listen to this audiobook
- What would drive a top-level Microsoft executive to abandon his high-flying corporate life for a trek through the Himalayas that would change his life forever?
- Have you ever wondered how applying the high-stakes efficiency of a tech giant to a non-profit could be the secret to eradicating global illiteracy?
- Are you curious about how one man’s decision to leave the world of software led to the opening of thousands of schools and libraries for children in need?
Listen to Leaving Microsoft to Change the World — Free Audiobook
Key Takeaways from Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
- Discover how an eye-opening trip to rural Nepal inspired a Microsoft executive to trade his lucrative career for a mission to end global illiteracy.
- Master the art of nonprofit fundraising by treating every investor's 'no' as a 'not yet' to secure essential financial backing.
- Learn how to craft a winning donor pitch using five essential principles: personal connection, proven impact, low overhead, authentic passion, and long-term meaningfulness.
- Find out how chance encounters with passionate individuals and dedicated volunteers can successfully drive an organization's international expansion.
- Understand why leaving the corporate world doesn't mean leaving your business acumen behind, as executive skills are indispensable for scaling a charity.
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World — Full Chapter Overview
Chapter 1: Recommendation
Chapter 2: John Wood’s life transformed on a journey to Nepal, where he grasped the importance and urgency of literacy and children’s schooling.
Chapter 3: Wood left his job and past life behind so he could dedicate himself entirely to advancing children’s education worldwide.
Chapter 4: Wood labored to hone his pitch since nonprofits can’t endure without funding and backing.
Chapter 5: Vietnam was the next nation for Room to Read’s growth, owing to two serendipitous events.
Chapter 6: At Microsoft, Wood gained lessons essential to Room to Read.
Chapter 7: Wood needed to build a robust, sustainable local network before he could successfully expand Room to Read into new regions.
Chapter 8: Wood recognized that illiteracy was an even larger issue for women, so he launched Room to Grow, a scholarship program for girls.
Chapter 9: The 2005 tsunami disaster taught Wood that entrepreneurs must think big.
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World Summary & Overview
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World (2006) is the story of John Wood, a former top-level Microsoft employee who left his career to found Room to Read, a non-profit charity organization. Room to Read aims to help stamp out global illiteracy by focusing on children's education and gender-equality.
Who Should Listen to Leaving Microsoft to Change the World?
- People interested in global education
- Those who want to learn about nonprofit organizations
- Philanthropists and charity workers
Books Similar to Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Readers who enjoyed this also liked these titles.
How Microsoft Inspires Employees and Alumni to Change the World
The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company and Revolutionized an Industry
Change doesn’t require fame, money, or permission—it begins when one person chooses hope, takes a small step, gathers the right people, and stays grounded in values that honor others, then measures progress with patience and care.
How the Best Leaders Learn to Let Go