How do you build an organization that truly fights poverty at scale? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Rich Buery, CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, to discuss his leadership journey, his experience shaping policies like Universal Pre-K in NYC, and how Robin Hood is evolving to meet modern challenges.

Rich shares insights on hiring with purpose, managing multiple stakeholders, and why philanthropy needs both measurable outcomes and deep human connection to drive real change.

Takeaways:

• Weekly CEO Emails for Transparency: Rich started sending a weekly email to Robin Hood staff every Monday morning, sharing updates on his week, priorities, and even personal reflections. This practice fosters alignment, strengthens internal communication, and helps employees feel more connected to leadership.
• The Power of Celebration in Workplace Culture: Robin Hood embraces celebrations, from birthdays to cultural events, to strengthen relationships among employees. Rich emphasizes the importance of fostering a connected workplace, especially in a hybrid work environment.
• Hiring for Passion, Not Just Skills: When interviewing candidates, Rich prioritizes one key question: "Why Robin Hood? Why now?" He looks for candidates who have a deep, personal connection to the organization's mission, believing that true passion is the most valuable trait an employee can bring.
• Balancing Five Key Stakeholders: Robin Hood serves five different groups: donors, nonprofit partners, policymakers, internal teams, and the communities they support. Rich discusses how managing these relationships requires tailored communication and a clear focus on measurable impact.
• Data-Driven Philanthropy: Robin Hood employs a rigorous evidence-based approach to funding, using data to quantify the financial impact of its programs, to ensure donor funds are invested in initiatives that create measurable and lasting change for those living in poverty.
• The Role of AI in Social Impact: Rich explores how Robin Hood is working to ensure that nonprofit organizations—and the communities they serve—are equipped to navigate the technological changes from AI.

Quote of the Show:

• “ What is it about your life, your work, your vision of the world that draws you to this mission? It’s the one thing that you can’t necessarily teach or train… for any job.” - Richard Buery

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardbuery/
• Twitter: https://x.com/RichardBuery
• Website: https://robinhood.org/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 
• Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast 

#NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #RobinHood

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:37 What You’d Do Again As CEO

6:05 Building a Collaborative Executive Team

8:56 Hiring for Passion and Mission Alignment

14:31 The Importance of Storytelling and Public Speaking

3:24 Navigating Multiple Constituencies

34:03 Analog Solutions in a Digital World

38:43 Challenges of Leading Robin Hood

39:41 Fundraising and Donor Engagement

43:36 Impact of AI and Technology

46:09 Rich’s Background

1:00:01 Advice to Younger Self

1:02:21 Outro