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00:00:01
Hey Jeff…. Or in other words: “100 subject to 100!”
0 Playsin 9 hours
Here are partial lyrics of Hey Jude by The Beatles. You figure out whether there are any parallels out there with our “Hey Jeff”
Hey Jude, don't make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
Hey Jude, don't be afraid.
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain,
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.
Na na na nananana, nannana, hey Jude...
In recognition of the importance of The MBA Partners Scholarship in memory of Denise Kaplan initiative, Jeff Clay together with his wife Laurie have laid down a Giving Day challenge for the whole INSEAD community, and one in which it would be wonderful for us the 03D community to play a leading role.
If 100 members of the alumni community make a gift to the Partners Scholarship during Giving Day, Jeff will pledge $100,000 of his own to help secure the future of the scholarship and honour Denise’s memory.
If you like that logic and our approach, do join us!
In other words – WE ARE LOOKING FOR 100 PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN, SO HELP US GET THERE!
The MBA Partners Scholarship in memory of Denise Kaplan is a beautiful way not only to honor the memory of Denise, but to also help extend the legacy of our class, while showing our support for Mike.
As a reminder, we also have an anonymous donor who will match the first 80k euro.
Giving Day runs from the 19th to the 26th of March 2026 and offers a simple opportunity for us to come together once again. While larger gifts are always impactful, what matters most is that we take part together as a community. We truly hope 100 of us will come together, so we get Jeff to spend every last cent of his check!
To make a gift to The MBA Partners Scholarship in memory of Denise Kaplan follow the link: https://www.insead.edu/alumni/classes/mba-partners-scholarship
Together we are stronger.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Podcast and Unexpected Life Events
00:00:00
Speaker
This is Republic of Insead in a new 2026 O3D limited podcast edition. I am still Milena Ivanova and will be your host yet again. For how long? God only knows.
00:00:13
Speaker
The 2026 edition is about life that happens while we make plans for it. I am back on air because bunch of you asked for it. Truth says I love doing these conversations, but another truth is to do them properly takes time. And I don't know about you, but I'm always short on time. In any case, it is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to have these conversations and to be able to share them with all 432 you,
00:00:43
Speaker
the c class of all three d Life happens and time happens. We are hopefully still all the wiser, naturally smarter, and as charming as ever.
Listener Engagement and Community Challenge Announcement
00:00:54
Speaker
Welcome to the Republic of Inciad 2026 limited podcast edition and enjoy the show. Hey, it's me again. In the conversation with Mike that was released last week, I mentioned you should stay tuned for a further announcement of a challenge we have for the class. And so here we go again.
00:01:15
Speaker
We have news for you today.
00:01:20
Speaker
But before we dive into the news, let me say this. Thank you so very much for the messages you sent not only in our group chat, but also privately to me. At the time of this recording, the episode with Mike has had 126 listens. Thank you for the support.
00:01:38
Speaker
It is important to know that so many of you have listened to Mike's story and thank you for your great appreciation for him opening up and sharing. Thank you all for being part of our community.
Fundraising Initiative by Jeff and Lori Clay
00:01:51
Speaker
In the last episode with Mike, we spoke about the fact that he has been working closely with the INSEAD fundraising team to shape the and MBA partner scholarship in memory of Denise Kaplan.
00:02:05
Speaker
I also told you that our team of three, Jeff, Rutger and myself, decided instead of splitting our attention to focus the entire Giving Day effort this year, for our class to support this newly founded scholarship. And so I have Jeff Clay in the recording room with me today.
00:02:26
Speaker
And let me tell you why. Here comes the big announcement. And it's not about Jeff's dog or the price of Brent or how much richer bloody Texans are getting these days. So announcement.
00:02:42
Speaker
All right. all right In recognition of the importance of this initiative, Jeff Clay, together with his wife Lori, have laid down a Giving Day challenge for the whole INSEAD community, and one in which it would be wonderful for us to play a leading role.
00:03:06
Speaker
If 100 members of the alumni community make a gift to the partner scholarship during giving day, Jeff will pledge $100,000 of his own money to help secure the future of the scholarship and honor Denise's memory.
00:03:23
Speaker
In other words... If you weren't listening closely, let me repeat again. We are very much hoping 100 of us will join this effort with a gift during the Giving Day campaign, which has already started and runs until the coming Friday.
00:03:42
Speaker
However small or big the gift is does not matter. We are looking for 100 people in our community to join. And so... That's the big announcement.
Jeff's Friendship with Mike and Shared Experiences
00:03:53
Speaker
And now i am going to hand it over to Jeff, who is pledging a hundred thousand dollars to the MBA partner scholarship in memory of Denise Kaplan.
00:04:05
Speaker
What I want to know is the process of you reaching this decision. What motivated you? What is the story behind the story and behind this, um,
00:04:21
Speaker
wonderful gift that you are making and contributing and rallying actually our class further together on this. So over to you, Jeff. All right, well, thank you, Melaina honored to be here, i always an honor to be on you know the number one podcast in INSEAD history.
00:04:39
Speaker
So I appreciate you inviting me here today to kind of share my story and hopefully help the scholarship for Denise. So I would say, you know, Mike and I go way back and I would say way back to the rugby pitch is really where our friendship started to blossom, right?
Bonding Over Rugby and Cultural Experiences
00:04:54
Speaker
We were the two Americans that understood American football, didn't understand rugby, um had a lot of enthusiasm, but not a lot of, you know competence as to, you know what to do out there. So, of course, you know, the more knowledgeable Brits and Australians, they put us on the front row. They're like, all right, you guys belong on the front row. And that's where guys like you go And we were, you know, excited to be on the pitch. And then, you know, little did we know, you know, it was the the spot that nobody wanted to be. And they said, great, put the Americans there. We'll stand in the back row and watch them kind of grind it out. But I would say, you know, Mike and I bonded over that shared experience and really became, you know, close friends. and And, you know, over time,
00:05:38
Speaker
really you know started to admire Mike professionally and appreciate you know personally what he does to keep our friend group together. I know I'd listened to his podcast. He talks about those ski trips and the paddle trips. and And so being you know invited to those as has been you know kind of of a you know highlight of you know the the continued INSEAD experience for me. So you love that I've been able to do that.
00:06:01
Speaker
And, um you know, not only is Mike a good friend, but he's also, you know, a business partner, right, which has been, you know, for the last 10 a great experience for me, you know, Mike, he's the guy that, you know, you hand your most complex problem to on a Monday, and then he goes off and plays paddle for four days, and then comes back on Thursday, and kind of gives you the, you know, why didn't I think of that, you know, answer where I've been kind of, you know, grinding for you know days, trying to weeks, sometimes, And it kind of comes and and really is that guy that can you know create you know clarity in and in situations that you know aren't clear and then being kind of in the weeds, which I enjoy doing, right? I'm ah i'm a kind of in the weeds guy. um And so you know having that relationship over time has really been you know important to me. And I would say one of the you know first factors in you know why I'm interested in contributing to this, you know obviously, Denise what this
Denise Kaplan's Impact on Community and Traditions
00:07:01
Speaker
is about. right and I think you know my relationship with her is as important um as the relationship I you know have built with Mike over time. I really got to know Denise through her incredible hospitality. right And one of my you know strongest memories is the Thanksgivings.
00:07:21
Speaker
that they would host and that first Thanksgiving at INSEAD. So as an American, you know typically I would say Thanksgiving is, and and it was for me personally, the you know the most important family holiday. And so that year at INSEAD was actually the first year I wasn't gonna be with family and friends, right? And and so being invited um you know to you know to that Thanksgiving and really Denise created that family experience,
00:07:47
Speaker
um that I had kind of you know known over the years. And so being able to kind of replicate that at INSEAD was you know a big memory for me. And now my wife and i we we are kind of the hosts of our Thanksgiving for our extended families. Last year, we actually got up to about 50 people. I feel like we might be getting you know to the upper bounds of you know what what we should be doing.
00:08:12
Speaker
But that's the time every year where I think about Denise, right? Thanksgiving is, you know, to me, that most important holiday and Denise being, you know, a a, you know, important part of that, an important memory for me, um you know, is important. And then, you know, I think,
00:08:28
Speaker
Denise also had that ability to you make people feel at home when they were you know far away from home. Right. So as you know the American who had spent some time outside the US, I ended up you know coming back to, Milena would say, the great state of Texas and marrying a girl that I knew growing up, a Texan. And so, you know I would say the roots we got planted here, but in those early years, being able to have that hospitality for and Denise were moments notice I could go fly over and spend the weekend um at their home was always you know important for me. And really, I feel like you know being further away than a lot of people kept me connected you know to the core you know to the core group. you know And so I see, you know and Denise was obviously ah a great partner to Mike And I would say kind of that strong support for him, but I also saw her as, you know, really the fabric of our friend group, right? I think she was the one that kind of kept those, a lot of those connections um together.
00:09:28
Speaker
Right. And so, you know, for me, What was really, I would say, meaningful as I thought about this conversation, you know, I've gotten to meet a lot. You know, obviously people have met my wife at reunions and other, you know, and obviously, you know, you as you would know, Malia, she's obviously the better half of our relationship. And um so that's been... She's the... she's the Glamorous part for sure. of yeah Exactly. Exactly. She brings, you know, she brings the glamour and I'm not sure what I bring to the table, but she keeps me around, which is which is good.
00:10:05
Speaker
But, you what was meaningful is being able to get to know Denise in those formative INSEAD
Significance of the MBA Partner Scholarship
00:10:11
Speaker
years. Right. So obviously Yvonne and meeting him. But it's to me, it's different. Right. It's like, you know, you we have we've met each other's, you know, Spaz and I think we we have ah a friendship, a bond. But that bond that, you know, it's just lucky enough to have, you know, had that experience at INSEAD together um really was you know, special. And so I think kind of that scholarship, right, as, you know, as Mike
00:10:37
Speaker
um kind of, you know, brought the idea to me, brought it to you, right? I think, you know, it's what makes this scholarship so powerful, right? is that It's that it's really different. um And it's not just about students. And I think, you know, i obviously I give you all the credit for the O3D scholarship that I've been lucky enough to kind of be a part of. But to me, that's, it's meaningful, but, you know, it's about the students, but something that's about,
00:11:06
Speaker
you know, the spouses and the ncid experience and really what the partners bring you know to the table. Obviously, you know, I, you know, my my wife and I, we we knew each other. We weren't together at that time. But, you know, sometimes I do think about what that experience would have been for her. Right. Having, you know, having gone through kind of INSEAD, pulling her out of Texas and taking and taking her you know to to France.
00:11:33
Speaker
so yeahp go ahead Maybe what I should mention, because we have wrote it in the chat ah when we first announced, or well, actually Mike wrote it when he first announced the scholarship, but basically he's underwriting the scholarship with 250K, which is the minimum requirement so that one can establish an endowed fund at INSEAD. And what we are doing here, so for people not to think that Mike is just...
00:12:05
Speaker
you know, putting an effort out there. He's putting real money behind it. And now we are gathering more money, which means that this is absolutely going to be a viable and very sustainable pot of money from which the school can distribute to partners every year. So in other words, Mike 250, if we get 100 of us, then you give another 100, it's 350. And to remind everyone, we have an 80,000 anonymous pledge, which will be matching up to 80,000 donations, which already is looking like a very nice and very quick, um
00:12:48
Speaker
oh not quick way, but a very quickly assembled endowment, which which is very inspiring and very energizing. So good things coming out of what is a very bad, uh, uh, event. So, and I think, you know, and I think that's exciting, right. To think about, you know, obviously, as you recall, the we, we took for the O3D scholarship, it took some traction, it took some time, right. To get to that endowed and we were paying out and it was like, Hey, is this thing ever going to build to something? meaningful that can be established and really kind of be there as this kind of legacy giving for our class. And so and I think that was part of.
00:13:39
Speaker
the you know desire for me to make you know a meaningful contribution to kind of help this out and really kickstart it and and get it established in a way that you know it's where we are today with the 03 scholarship, where we are today, where we are able to kind of hand out scholarship. And for me, I would say you know that philanthropy and giving It's not really something that comes naturally for me, right? it's It wasn't really something that, you know, I grew up around or doing.
00:14:11
Speaker
And I give a lot of credit to my wife, right, for, you know, what I say, our generosity is a shared value that, you know, I have with her that's really been... her helping me understand that. yeah So um my wife, she grew up without a lot of means and she had a family friend pay for her college. right So she went to a you know a private school and they paid for everything. and so you know if if you guys you know are familiar with the the student loan program in the us it's one of those that's just best to avoid and so you know could my wife have gone through that you know kind of student loan route yeah but it would just it you know it's it's a route if you can avoid it and so the fact that you know my wife had this you know i would say life-changing philanthropy for her really
00:15:00
Speaker
you know, was meaningful her and kind of, you know ingrained in kind of what she wanted to do, if and when we ever had the means to, you know kind of give back to others. And like I said, you know, it wasn't a, you know, something naturally that I just expect, you know, this is what I'll do over time.
00:15:18
Speaker
um I love it. I love it. The little dog, but, but it was something that she helped me, you know, come to that, you know, you know, desire to go do those things. And obviously, you know, first started, and you know, really the first meaningful giving was, you know, to our O3 scholarship. And now here is, is, you know I would say definitely a shared value for us. um And something that, you know, I,
00:15:46
Speaker
enjoy doing now and and didn't, you know, didn't necessari necessarily think that that was going to be something and part of, you know, kind of who I am. Well, you didn't think, but it was written in the books because you have been fundraising since we have been fundraising together since graduation. You're the one who approached me at made and made me start yeah doing that. And then you had to get involved because I wasn't going to let you yeah leave all the work to me at least. But um this is how it starts, right? So it starts with, um I want to do something meaningful. I don't have the money to do it, but therefore I have the time. And eventually when you have the money,
00:16:33
Speaker
The beautiful thing is you also can give money so. I mean big right big checks for those fortunate enough to get there. ah Can we ask you where Mike keeps on saying you're the one
Partnership in Renewable Energy and Philanthropy Perspective
00:16:49
Speaker
who really.
00:16:50
Speaker
ah made the killing. So what was your killing made on in Texas? Did you discover a private well in your backyard or what happened? What happened there? jeff it was It's all relative, right? It's all relative to a, you know, i would I'll just, I'll give you a quick on, you know, the business. Obviously, Mike, post-NSEAD at some point started a business as Belltown, business which was a renewable development company. uh i think you know he saw the u.s um as an opportunity right to expand that business and um you know texas being an area where there was an opportunity which you know ironically was this solar opportunity in texas so you know kind of you know mike you know approached me about it and said hey what do you think about solar in texas and i'm thinking well it's kind of the
00:17:42
Speaker
you know, oil and gas state, I'm not sure that's, you know that good of an idea, Mike. But I was kind of in between things, had this entrepreneurial itch. And so I thought, you know, what the heck? Right. Let me, you know let me partner with this guy and either, you know, show him that it was not that good of an idea or, you know, and and now I was at the business. We're kind of on our third iteration. Right. So we you know, had a ah good solar run and then battery storage became the thing. And then probably about two years ago, um saw that, you know, that wave of you know solar, which might be coming back now, you know, interestingly enough, if, you know oil and gas shoots up, it's it's amazing how much different administrations, you know
00:18:28
Speaker
hate renewables until they need renewables. And now, you know, they they might need them again, which is, you know, we could have a fourth iteration. So and then the third iteration of the business was really data centers.
00:18:38
Speaker
And that's kind of what we're in the middle of now. And there's this, you know, and I've always been this believer of, you know, we've been maybe, you know, kind of lucky, right, to ride some really big waves.
00:18:50
Speaker
And so, you know, you had a, you know, a pretty good business that was able to ride a couple waves in, you know, in the U.S. s and Texas in particular. And so, yeah, so it's been kind of a ah a fun, fun run. And obviously, it's it's, you know, there's been times where it felt like, hey, we've, you know, kind of squeeze everything for what it is and then we've you know just i would say more as a desire to kind of collectively, and there's a core group of us, you know, probably six or seven people who have kind of been involved in this business. And there's been times where it kind of looked like, you know, we've had a good run and this business is, you know, but we've, you know kind of found iterations of the business and been able to kind of reiterate and reinvent ourselves in new markets. So yeah, again, fun run, but I, yeah, appreciate that ah Mike pointing out that fact, but yeah, no, it's timing.
00:19:47
Speaker
yeah it's all Yeah, lucky with timing, knock on wood, right? Yes. I wish you continued luck because that looks to be a good approach. a good strategy for our own ah philanic philanthropic efforts. So please continue. Perfect.
00:20:04
Speaker
All right. So in summary, because that's not meant to be a very long episode. In summary, we are looking for 100 of our classmates, all of us, to come into this so that we make Jeff spend his money and then we get him to spend some more. Anjuli Grantham- just as a reminder of where we are with with our efforts.
00:20:32
Speaker
Grantham- First of all, the class of all 3D over the years since graduating we have had a meaningful impact on inside 247 of us have supported the school philanthropically.
Impact of O3D Endowed Scholarship and Call to Action
00:20:45
Speaker
And we have contributed a total of more than 1.8 million euro by now. One of the most visible examples of that collective effort has been the O3D Endowed Scholarship, which we have successfully grown over time. And thanks to our generosity, 12 MBA students so far have already been able to experience INSEAD through our support.
00:21:11
Speaker
um In that, Jeff did pledge and is on the way of paying into the 100,000 euro towards the O3D endowed scoreship fund. And now he's pledging another $100,000 subject to 100 of us helping unlock his bank account. So please help here. and um what What we said with Mike and what I want to repeat again is that thanks to this new effort, in addition to the O3D Endowed Scholarship Fund, where we are in a position to award two scholarships every year, we will soon be able, if all goes to plan, to help one or two INSEAD partners each year to arrive fully without the pressure and worry that so often accompanies the experience of joining your partner on campus. And so the MBA partner scholarship in memory of Denise Kaplan is a beautiful way not only to honor the memory of Denise, but also to help extend the legacy of our class and to show support for Mike at the same time.
00:22:27
Speaker
And so if you like that logic and our approach, do join us. Giving Day runs from the 19th of March to the 26th of March, 2026, so until next Friday. And in this short window, we need 100 of us to come together. So far, there are four no there are five as of Saturday morning who have come, but we were quiet until now, so now we will become loud. um
00:22:58
Speaker
Why Giving Day? Well, Giving Day offers a simple opportunity for us to come together once again. While larger gifts are always impactful, what matters most, and I keep repeating that, is that we take part together as a community because some are more, others are less lucky, some are making big money, others do not care about big money. What matters in this at this point is 100% a hundred of us coming together and not so much what amount you are going to give. So this is the message from, from me. You will have the link. You will be getting emails. And so I shut up here and I let Jeff close this one and oh we'll be done. All right. Perfect. Well, no, I guess thank you for having me. you Hopefully yeah this resonates with the group. And, you know, I've seen firsthand the impact, the O3D scholarship. Like you mentioned, we've had 12 scholarships granted to to people who might not otherwise have been able to
00:24:04
Speaker
You know, it experience in Seattle, I think about, you know, my wife and the experience she had and now she and I together, you know, having that ability to kind of help others with that same experience and really excited.
00:24:16
Speaker
you know, I'm excited to see what the impact this scholarship um can have and really helping bring more people like Denise. um into the INSEAD experience, right? Because I think it's people like Denise that are really truly shape the community. And so I think the ability to have more people like that, like Denise and really kind of, you know, um you know honor her memory in this way is really important. And hopefully, you know, others feel the same and feel moved to to contribute to this and and make this as meaningful as, you know, the O3D, which I know will continue to push.
00:24:51
Speaker
But thank you. you go Thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Lori. And now we need a hundred of us to rally together. So please, people, follow the links. We'll be harassing you on WhatsApp, on email. But the final goal is to continue to stick together and to build a legacy for for our community
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:25:13
Speaker
together. So thank you very much and talk to you soon. Stay tuned. More is coming. I promise.
00:25:20
Speaker
Bye.
00:25:23
Speaker
You were listening to The Republic of INSEAD now in its 2026 O3D Limited Podcast Edition. It is my hope to remind everyone what an interesting and dare I say colorful bunch of people we are and how much we can contribute to each other, it through life experiences, ideas, knowledge or mere inspiration.
00:25:45
Speaker
The podcast is inspired by the original Republic of Insead yearbook produced on paper now 23 years ago by Oliver Bradley and team. Thank you, Oliver and team for this contribution to our class's memory and for letting me continue in the tradition, title and inspiration included.
00:26:04
Speaker
Creator and author of The Republic of Insead 2026-03-D Limited Podcast Edition MI, Milena Ivanova. Original music by Peter Dundakov with help from Dare Film Productions. Stay tuned for more as and when it comes.
00:26:18
Speaker
Thank you for listening.