--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is the most powerful lever you can…" description: "\"What is the most powerful lever you can imagine? A big idea, but only if it's in the hands of a truly outstanding entrepreneur. It starts with the pers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/bill-drayton-12716_big-idea_what-is-the-most-powerful-lever-you-can_525445.jpg" --- # What is the most powerful lever you can imagine? A big… ![“What is the most powerful lever you can imagine? A big idea, but only if it's in the hands of a truly outstanding entrepreneur. It starts with the person and the idea, and then grows to the institution. All three are intertwined.” quote by Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/bill-drayton-12716_big-idea_what-is-the-most-powerful-lever-you-can_525445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/bill-drayton-12716_big-idea_what-is-the-most-powerful-lever-you-can_525445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/bill-drayton-12716_big-idea_what-is-the-most-powerful-lever-you-can_525445.jpg) > “What is the most powerful lever you can imagine? A big idea, but only if it's in the hands of a truly outstanding entrepreneur. It starts with the person and the idea, and then grows to the institution. All three are intertwined.” [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great impact arises when a visionary idea meets an exceptional entrepreneur, then expands into an institution. **In simple terms:** Powerful ideas need outstanding leaders to become institutions. Key Takeaway Cultivate talent and vision together. Themes entrepreneurship leadership institution building Mood inspirational strategic Type motivational leadership When to use this quote - startup founding - nonprofit growth - corporate transformation Key Concepts social impact leveraging ideas scaling innovation Questions to Reflect On - Who can you mentor to become that outstanding entrepreneur? - How can you align personal strengths with a big idea? 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We were infinitely intertwined.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blakney-francis/the-webs-spun-by-our-existence-had-gracefully-overlapped-and-knotted/) [Blakney Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blakney-francis/) > [Our individual fates are linked our futures intertwined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/our-individual-fates-are-linked-our-futures-intertwined/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I was really interested in how marriages work, how you can, you know, be in love with somebody and spend many years with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/i-was-really-interested-in-how-marriages-work-how-you-can-you-know-be/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [Our society is intertwined with the economy that we've built, which is a fantastically complex system. I hope that my writing about it might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-harford/our-society-is-intertwined-with-the-economy-that-we-ve-built-which-is/) [Tim Harford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-harford/) ## More by Bill Drayton > [Imagine a world where everyone is really a change maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/imagine-a-world-where-everyone-is-really-a-change-maker/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [An entrepreneur is someone who brings a pattern change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/an-entrepreneur-is-someone-who-brings-a-pattern-change/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [White House cultures inevitably reflect the president's character. Jimmy Carter is a thoroughly honest, good person. So was his White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/white-house-cultures-inevitably-reflect-the-president-s-character/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [The most powerful force in the world is a big idea- if it is the hands of a great entrepreneur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-most-powerful-force-in-the-world-is-a-big-idea-if-it-is-the-hands/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [What is our job as entrepreneurs if not to change things that are crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/what-is-our-job-as-entrepreneurs-if-not-to-change-things-that-are/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [In 1962, when I was 19, I visited India. With introductions from people involved in the U.S. civil rights movement, I was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/in-1962-when-i-was-19-i-visited-india-with-introductions-from-people/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [You can't be a change-maker by reading a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/you-can-t-be-a-change-maker-by-reading-a-book/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [What does an entrepreneur do? The first thing is they've given themselves permission to see a problem. Most people don't want to see problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/what-does-an-entrepreneur-do-the-first-thing-is-they-ve-given/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [The biggest problem is getting beyond the "you can't" syndrome. The moment you figure that out, you're on your way to flying. Anyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-biggest-problem-is-getting-beyond-the-you-can-t-syndrome-the/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [The first - the most obvious test of a true social entrepreneur - is are they possessed, really possessed by an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-first-the-most-obvious-test-of-a-true-social-entrepreneur-is-are/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/social-entrepreneurs-are-not-content-just-to-give-a-fish-or-teach-how/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [We have to teach empathy as we do literacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/we-have-to-teach-empathy-as-we-do-literacy/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [How could any entrepreneur, confronted by such amazing opportunities to help transform the world and to do so with such extraordinary colleagues, be tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/how-could-any-entrepreneur-confronted-by-such-amazing-opportunities/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [We started Ashoka here in India with a simple idea: that you needed social entrepreneurs to deal with problems that don't fit the business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/we-started-ashoka-here-in-india-with-a-simple-idea-that-you-needed/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [If everyone is a changemaker, there's no way a problem can outrun a solution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/if-everyone-is-a-changemaker-there-s-no-way-a-problem-can-outrun-a/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) [Explore all 53 Bill Drayton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) ## More Big idea quotes > [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I really like Kickstarter because you don't have to be a Medici to fund the arts and sciences or to get behind a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gansky/i-really-like-kickstarter-because-you-don-t-have-to-be-a-medici-to/) [Lisa Gansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gansky/) > [Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/believe-in-something-larger-than-yourself-get-involved-in-the-big/) [Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/) > [“You want the story of my life? Big ideas, small results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/you-want-the-story-of-my-life-big-ideas-small-results/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/it-takes-a-big-idea-to-attract-the-attention-of-consumers-and-get/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [The only big ideas I've ever had came from daydreaming, but modern life keeps people from daydreaming. Every moment of the day your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-maccready/the-only-big-ideas-i-ve-ever-had-came-from-daydreaming-but-modern/) [Paul MacCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-maccready/) > [You will never win fame and fortune unless you invent big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-will-never-win-fame-and-fortune-unless-you-invent-big-ideas/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-laugh-at-me-because-i-use-big-words-but-if-you-have-big-ideas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I've never been shy about big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/i-ve-never-been-shy-about-big-ideas/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [“The path to success involves two parts. Part One is all about imagination and dreaming up a big idea. Part Two is all about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-clark/the-path-to-success-involves-two-parts-part-one-is-all-about/) [Clay Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-clark/) > [You never know when some small thing will lead to a big idea. Travel is very inspirational - but it's in the ordinary that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/you-never-know-when-some-small-thing-will-lead-to-a-big-idea-travel/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [The job of the leader is to get the big ideas right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/the-job-of-the-leader-is-to-get-the-big-ideas-right/) [David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/) > [“There is a current perception is that science has overtaken Philosophy and in effect rendered Philosophy irrelevant. Science, when sufficiently abstracted, approaches Philosophy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-golway/there-is-a-current-perception-is-that-science-has-overtaken/) [Tom Golway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-golway/) > [I always tell people that revelling in big ideas for me is kind of like an antidote to existential angst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/i-always-tell-people-that-revelling-in-big-ideas-for-me-is-kind-of/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) [Browse all 254 Big idea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-idea/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is the most powerful lever you can imagine? A big idea, but only if it's in the hands of a truly outstanding entrepreneur. It starts with the person and the idea, and then grows to the institution. 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