Carl Gough has revolutionised the world of corporate philanthropy.

Carl – the 16th person I met as part of my journey to have lunch with 500 strangers – created an organisation in 2017 called Meetmagic that has changed the way businesspeople do charity.

The traditional model involves companies being hounded for money, scattering some donations here and there, and ultimately feeling jaded by the process.

The new Meetmagic model is different. Senior executives – like venture capitalist Mark Carnegie, Afterpay co-founder Nick Molnar and Wesfarmers Industrials CIO Andrew Matuszczak – donate 45-minute meetings. Businesspeople buy these slots for $1,000, giving them the chance to network with and pitch to powerful people. Meetmagic then donates $700 of this money to Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Carl calls it a win-win-win arrangement. The executives now feel engaged by their charitable contributions. The donors now get to both give (money) and take (access to decision-makers). And Starlight now gets an added revenue source.

Are you an executive who wants to donate their time or a businessperson who wants to book a meeting? If so, go to meetmagic.org.