Sir Ronald Cohen critiques the philanthropic model, arguing that relying on donations keeps charitable organizations small, underfunded, and perpetually begging for capital. This prevents them from achieving the scale needed to solve massive problems, a flaw that impact investing aims to correct by creating self-sustaining models.

For abstract crises like water scarcity, the primary communication challenge is making the problem feel real to an audience that has never experienced it. Because clean water is ubiquitous in the developed world, it's hard to convey the urgency of its absence, making this 'relatability gap' a major marketing hurdle.

Philanthropy often addresses symptoms because the market won't pay to solve the root problem. True, lasting progress comes from innovating to create a self-sustaining economic engine around a solution, proving its value in a marketplace where people vote with their money.

The Goddess Project, which combats period poverty, was launched by applying core product management principles to a real-world problem. Identifying an unmet need, building partnerships, and creating a sustainable distribution model are PM skills that can be powerfully leveraged to drive social change.

Applying her Salesforce experience to Direct Relief, CEO Amy Weaver emphasizes that scaling a humanitarian organization requires the same discipline as a tech company. Investing in robust systems and streamlined processes is crucial. A "rickety platform" will prevent a non-profit from scaling its impact, no matter how noble its mission.

Providing microloans for water access does more than save time; it unleashes a cascade of entrepreneurship. Recipients leverage their water source to launch multiple businesses—from selling surplus water and making bricks to farming and rental properties—creating a powerful economic impact far beyond the initial loan's purpose.

A key driver of Africa's recent agricultural success is not large-scale government projects, which historically failed, but a micro-level, farmer-led revolution. Millions of hectares have been irrigated by individual farmers buying their own pumps and digging boreholes, representing a significant, decentralized, and private-sector-driven improvement in productivity.

Contrary to fears of a 'digital divide,' technology driven by free markets has become the great equalizer. Today, more people worldwide have access to smartphones and the internet than to basic utilities like electricity or running water, proving that market forces democratize access effectively.

In nascent markets, product work is inherently tied to solving fundamental human problems. This reality forces a focus on meaningful outcomes like saving lives or reducing poverty, making typical tech vanity metrics feel trivial by comparison.