How to Scale an Idea to Change the World

Season 2, Episode 8

Jo Owen is co-founder of Teach First and author of How to Change the World, a book that is honest about how ambitious, uncertain and unreasonable significant change can feel, while making a compelling case for trying.

In our final episode of the season we ask: what does it take to turn an ambitious idea into an organisation capable of changing an entire system?

Together, Mary Rose Gunn and Jo reflect on the early days of setting up Teach First and what he wishes he’d known then. He shares what he calls “the hustle”, the different kind of resilience that leading a nonprofit demands, and explains why mission-led leaders should invest early in the systems and infrastructure that make impact last, even when it feels like a luxury.