Endeavor

It was July 2007, and Linda Rottenberg, cofounder and CEO of Endeavor—a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the economies of emerging markets by identifying and supporting high-impact entrepreneurs—was preparing for a quarterly meeting with the global board of directors. She leafed through a copy of the 2007 Impact Report, checking over the newly published figures one more time. In its 10-year history, Endeavor had selected 272 promising entrepreneurs in eight countries, after screening 15,500 candidates, and then helped them develop and grow their businesses through ongoing mentorship and guidance. Rottenberg was proud of the organization’s accomplishments, but she also knew there was no time for complacency. With aggressive goals for international expansion, the board would definitely want to hear an update on Rottenberg’s growth strategy. The directors had also asked to discuss the recent surge in corporate partnership opportunities and long-term plans for funding Endeavor’s main operations in New York.