Episode Summary
Executive Summary: Brian Husey of Stand Together describes the organization as a problem-solving network rather than a traditional philanthropy, combining capital, expertise, and collaboration to back entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and policy change at scale. He argues that social impact requires ecosystem-building, not silver bullets, and uses education as the clearest example: policy reform, venture-style support for innovators, community support, and employer demand must all align to create durable change.
Main Topics: Stand Together as a problem-solving organization (Priority: 5/5): Husey frames Stand Together as a capital-agnostic community that pools business leaders, philanthropists, and operators to solve societal problems by removing barriers to human potential. Venture philanthropy and backing social entrepreneurs (Priority: 5/5): He explains that Stand Together supports founders in nonprofit and for-profit settings, using flexible capital plus expertise to help ideas scale, illustrated by Trust Ventures and the Phoenix. Lessons from leadership and curiosity (Priority: 3/5): He reflects on Tyler Cowen’s intellectual curiosity as a model for synthesizing knowledge and finding innovation in unexpected places, emphasizing humility and willingness to learn. Scaling impact through ecosystems, not silver bullets (Priority: 5/5): Husey argues that social problems like education and poverty require many organizations working in concert, each contributing specialized strengths, rather than one flagship grantee. Education reform and individualized learning (Priority: 5/5): A major focus is K-12 reform: expanding school choice, funding education entrepreneurs, and supporting community basics so children can access personalized learning pathways. Reframing higher education and the labor market (Priority: 4/5): The conversation turns to the cost and misalignment of college with actual job needs, advocating for apprenticeships, short-term training, and employers evaluating whole persons rather than credentials alone. The dignity of work and alternative pathways (Priority: 4/5): Husey cites Mike Rowe and others to argue that society should honor trades and vocational pathways as legitimate, high-value routes to economic mobility and purpose.
Key Arguments: Stand Together is not primarily a philanthropy; it is a community of leaders in the business of solving problems by combining capital, expertise, and collaboration. Social entrepreneurs come in many forms—nonprofit leaders, for-profit founders, lone operators—and should be supported with the type of capital and help they actually need. Successful social change requires ecosystems of organizations, not a single funded winner, especially in areas as complex as education. Humility and willingness to revise strategy are critical traits in effective entrepreneurs and social innovators. The Phoenix shows that a founder with lived experience of addiction can be more effective than an outside expert in designing scalable recovery solutions. Education reform requires policy change, innovative providers, community supports, and employer participation all at once. Traditional higher education is not the only path to success and should not be treated as the default or superior route for every person. Employers should focus on whole-person talent and demonstrated skills rather than relying too heavily on degrees or abstract job descriptions. There is rising demand for trades, apprenticeships, and short-term skill pathways, creating opportunities for people without four-year degrees. Changing norms within companies will create market demand for alternative education and training models, which will then expand supply. Curiosity, synthesis, and openness to unusual sources of knowledge are traits that help leaders discover novel solutions. Large-scale social impact is difficult because philanthropy often has strong aspirations but weak operations; Stand Together tries to correct that. The post-COVID experience accelerated parent demand for educational flexibility and proved the inadequacy of one-size-fits-all schooling. Nontraditional credentials and training can be more economically useful than some conventional degrees, especially amid rapid technological change.
Data Points: Age of organization: 23 years - Stand Together was founded 23 years ago by Charles Koch. Annual deployable capital: a little over $1 billion annually - Husey describes the scale of Stand Together’s yearly deployment of resources. Business leaders in the community: about 1,000 - He says roughly a thousand business leaders are donor partners within the Stand Together umbrella. Communities served: 1,300 communities - Stand Together works across the country with organizations addressing issues like poverty. K-12 classrooms supported: tens of thousands - He says the organization supports tens of thousands of classrooms. States with education reforms: about 28 states - Stand Together has been involved in more than 80 education reforms across these states. Education reforms: over 80 - Used to describe the number of reforms the organization has supported in education. Children with school-choice options: more than 50% of U.S. kids - He says over half of U.S. children live in states where parents have some public-school options. Parent sentiment after COVID: 70% - A Walton Family Foundation poll found 70% of parents believed education needed to be radically different after COVID-era remote schooling. Vela Education Fund entrepreneurs supported: more than 5,000 - The venture-style education fund has backed thousands of first-time education founders. Vela self-sustaining rate: 85% - He says 85% of supported education entrepreneurs are succeeding and self-sustainable without more philanthropy. Children helped by Vela: over 5 million - The fund’s supported programs have reached more than five million children. Phoenix communities: hundreds - The Phoenix recovery platform is now operating in hundreds of communities. Phoenix milestone: 1 million people helped - He says the Phoenix recently helped its millionth person. Phoenix projected reach: 10 million over the next few years - Husey says the organization is on track to help 10 million people in coming years. Student/working-age Americans without a 4-year degree: about 90 million - He cites the size of the talent pool outside traditional degree pathways. Mike Rowe scholarship demand increase: 10x increase - He says applications to Mike Rowe’s scholarship program grew tenfold. Planned trajectory of the Phoenix: help 10 million people - Reiterated as a future scaling goal.
Pivotal Quotes: "I prefer to think of us as in the problem-solving business." — Brian Husey: He explains why Stand Together rejects the conventional philanthropy label. "Every person has a gift." — Brian Husey: He uses this principle to define the organization’s worldview and social mission. "We need to support ecosystems of solutions where each of these organizations can do what they do best." — Brian Husey: He describes Stand Together’s approach to social change as collaborative and division-of-labor based.
Implications: The discussion suggests philanthropy, education, and hiring are shifting toward ecosystem models, skill-based evaluation, and nontraditional pathways. For founders and employers, the opportunity is to build flexible systems that recognize talent and scale solutions faster.
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