HOW SCOTT HARRISON WENT FROM FROM $0- $ 1 BILLION

In this inspiring episode of 3 Point Nuggets, we dive into the remarkable story of Scott Harrison, founder of the world’s largest water charity, Charity: Water. Once a New York City nightclub promoter, Scott decided to dedicate himself to solving the global water crisis. 

Discover the three key lessons that propelled Scott from $0 to raising over $1 billion for his cause. Whether you’re looking to start your own business, nonprofit, or passion project, these insights on courage, resilience, and purpose-driven work will help you succeed.

Tune in as Bessy Ebule explores Scott's journey and shares how to apply these principles to your life and dreams. This episode is packed with practical advice, inspiring stories, and a powerful reminder that with the right mindset, you can turn your vision into reality!

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Transcript

HOW SCOTT HARRISON WENT FROM $0-$1 BILLION

 If you wanted to raise a billion dollars or any amount of money to fund your projects or business and you don’t know how, this episode is for you because you’ll learn the secrets that founder of the world’s biggest water charity used to make it successful. You can apply those principles to your project or business for growth.

Hey, welcome back to 3 Point Nuggets where I talk about the courage to start, the resilience to continue, and the grit to finish your God-given dreams. My name is Bessy Ebule.

 In this episode, we’ll look at the biggest water charity in the world, founded by Scott Harrison and explore three lessons we can learn from its founder. Listen till the end to discover the secrets that made him succeed. 

  Nugget 1

Sometimes, ignorance helps. According to Scott, when he started Charity Water, he did not know much about charities and how institutional philanthropy worked. But here’s what he knew- people needed access to clean potable water. He discovered this when he was volunteering for an organisation in Liberia- West Africa where he saw children drinking water from a dirty swamp; and women travelling miles on end to fetch water that was impure, water that they knew could kill their children.

These unbelievable scenarios inspired Scott’s vision. What if he could start a nonprofit that would provide clean water for those who needed it most especially in developing countries? He then went back to America and started raising money for the cause. 

You don’t need a master’s degree in philanthropy to make a difference in the world. You don’t have to be the head of your department to effect change, and you probably don’t need more technology to be effective.

Sometimes, all you need to kick off is that burning desire to help someone else, that irresistible yearning to put a smile on someone’s face, or that constant nudge to help the local community. 

People refused to give to Scott’s vision because they thought he did not have the experience or qualification, but he kept going on and today the organisation has made unbelievable impact around the world. Like T.S Elliot said, only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.

 Nugget 2

listen to the objections!

Scott had this burning passion to ensure everyone on the planet had access to clean water before he died. But how was he going to do this given the amount of money needed to fund such a big idea?

How was he going to deal with the 70% of Americans who believed charities were wasting their money or did not know where their money was going? 

Scott came up with an idea. What if he spoke to their objections? What if they created a transparent, innovative, and digital charity that used a 100% of donations to fund the construction of water projects and at the same time geo-locate every project on Google earth and maps and send satellite images of completed projects back to the donors. When he did this, the charity became trustworthy and immediately rose 99% above other charities. 

When you have an idea, try looking at what others have done. Check what’s not working and ensure not to do the same thing. If other businesses don’t have a dedicated customer service, create one for yours. If your idea seems to be out there already, think what extra value you can add or modify the idea. You must dare to be different if you want to succeed.

 Chances are there are many people out there who will support your vision, but only if justify why they should spend their money or time supporting you. Why should people buy from you, attend your concert, or watch your show? You must speak to their objections and be different.

Hey, I know you’re getting inspired by this episode already so please help the channel grow by following, liking and sharing as we go into the third nugget from Scott’s experience which is

 3. Purpose-Driven Work Has the Power to Change the World

After seeing the impact of contaminated water on people's health and livelihoods in Africa, Scott realized that he wanted to dedicate his life to solving this issue. With no prior experience in the nonprofit sector, he used his marketing skills to start Charity: Water, an organization aimed at providing clean drinking water to people in developing countries. His purpose-driven mission, along with transparency (showing donors where their money went), has helped the organization to raise almost a billion dollars today.

 There’s no point starting something you are not passionate about. What you do needs to resonate with you. It must be able to give you sleepless nights. Do you really care if people are healthy or not or you practicing medicine because you want to make money? If you were not being paid, would  you still care about the project or would you have an I-Don’t Care attitude? Purpose-driven work not only transforms lives but can also inspire others to join your mission.

So go out there and start something. Start the charity, organise the event, dedicate your life to something bigger than you and see the impact you will make.

Let me know in the comments below what your thoughts are about this episode. Has it inspired you to dare to start anything? If it has, don’t forget to subscribe, like and share and listen to my other episodes for more inspiration. Always remember, with God, all things are possible. I’ll see you next time. God bless you.