NBC News followed up Bill Gates' announcement that he was switching his day job from Microsoft to his foundation with stories of people of more modest means making similar switches.
They showed Catherine Meloy, who used to run a radio network and now manages Goodwill stores; Joyce Roache, a marketing executive who now runs Girls Inc., and Dick Tarlow, an ad exec who's going to Africa to help solve problems.
When it came time for the "expert" to wrap it all up, they turned to "a former reporter who chronicled Bill Gates' epic story -- and who now helps people find second careers," who declared Gates' move a benchmark.
"He was the poster child of the computer age; now he'll be the poster child for this 'encore' career, where you take on something new at midlife, says David Bank, senior vice president of Civic Ventures.
It was fun to bridge my new gig with my old gig -- though I'm still riding Bill Gates' coattails! (They even had a shot of the cover of my book, briefly bumping me on Amazon from #355,672 to #42,142. Long tail, anyone?)
In any event, it does bear out my earlier posting about Bill's real passions. He really is shooting the moon.
--David Bank
I agree that Gates case, while special in its unique magnitude, is helpful for all seeking to make the transition to nonprofits. I posted Bill Gates is an Example to All Planning a Move to the Nonprofit Sector yesterday.
Posted by: Rob Johnston | June 21, 2006 at 09:04 AM