I came across the profile of Graham Duncan aka “the Talent Whisperer,” thanks to Tim Ferriss’ email newsletter.
New York magazine named him one of the “49 Most Powerful New Yorkers You’ve Never Heard Of.”
Graham Duncan is the co-founder of East Rock Capital, a firm that manages billions for families and their charitable foundations. Prior to that, he co-founded Medley Global investors, a well-respected Wall Street research firm.
Graham has an uncanny ability to spot potential and then create the exact environment where it can thrive.
A cool example of his deep insight and patient execution in action:
When opening a restaurant in Montecito, California, he waited for the perfect location. Knowing housing in the competitive market was the biggest perk he could offer, Graham bought and renovated a home nearby, before hiring a chef.
Then he meticulously interviewed 27 chefs, treating it like a casting call, before selecting the perfect match.
Applying this process to investment meant East Rock’s endowment fund has outperformed major universities for over a decade.
His secret?
Graham calls it servant leadership – a collaborative, care-driven approach that seeks the best for everyone involved, while still honoring the importance of money.
This philosophy kindles my dragon fire because it mirrors what we’re doing in the IMPACT community.
What happens when you bring together brilliant, mission-driven entrepreneurs and give them a space to collaborate, flourish and grow?
You don’t need to dictate what they should do. Rather you nurture what’s already there.
Or as Graham Duncan says, “You want to build the garden that the butterflies will fly into.”
It’s not about one person’s agenda.
It’s about creating the conditions where everyone thrives.
That’s the soul of the LoveInAction ecosystem, and that’s the magic behind IMPACT.
My resume isn’t as high-powered as Graham’s, but I do have a knack for tickling people’s souls until their dreams come out of hiding and into form. And I’m building a community where we do this together.
We don’t have to choose between meaning or money.
It’s magic and money.
Transformation and action.
Miracles and practicality.
That’s why I’ve capped the size of the IMPACT membership, to keep its intimacy. So that each member is seen, known and fully supported in what they want to create.
Graham shared a story that struck a chord with me. A former Drexel partner once told him:
“Money’s like water, see? All you have to do is learn to turn on the faucet. Where does the water want to flow? You’re not forcing it. You’re working with what already wants to happen.”
✨ That’s it exactly.
Money wants to happen.
Your dreams want to happen.
YOU—bold, clear, gloriously expressed—wants to happen.
And I get to be part of that happening, with an inspired community to amplify the magic.
Wanna join us?
Yours in love and play,
Steph
