Streetwise spark plug. Nonprofit, political power broker. Showbiz impresario. Hang Ten rider of the Big Change wave. Robert Egger's all those things. But one thing he isn’t, and that's boring. He's founder and President of L.A. Kitchen, president of CForward, and founder of theDC Central Kitchen/Campus Kitchens. Strap in folks, cuz here he comes.
What is the change you are trying to make in the world?
I hate waste—time, food, ideas, people, money—and I try to reveal the power of what we often throw away. My entire business model is based on using existing resources to reveal larger truths. All people have a role. Charity alone can't solve problems, but solutions are closer than you think. The future of philanthropy will be how you spent or make your money. We are the ones we've been waiting for.
Are you disrupting a market through innovative products or new ways of doing business?
As an old friend used to say, "If you’re a leader, and nobody is following you, then you're just taking a walk." I live to disrupt, but I also think it's essential (and obligatory for social entrepreneurs) to provide a vision and blueprint for what comes next...and to be open source about it. For example, I do big-ass, bold business, and I do this via our social enterprise businesses. But the goal isn't to sell a billion products; it's to promote the power of consumers to use market forces to drive social change. If I just sold my products, or talked about my business, then I'd be a salesperson (no disrespect). But I'm a social entrepreneur. I expose the potential of Capitalism 2.0, and I use my work to sell THAT idea.
What’s the biggest change you’ve made in your professional career?
Leaving DC after 40 years and starting a new business from scratch in a new town.
Personal life?
Growing older, but getting bolder.
Change is hard—do you have any tricks you’d like to share for making it easier?
I embrace the joy of daily life, and find numerous ways to celebrate it. My "Love on the Road" series on Facebook is a classic example. As we get older, we can let routine become a dominant force in our lives. I hate routine, so I bust it up by making myself see things that, if I was just sleepwalking through life, or a town, I might miss. Sometimes you have to pry your eyes open to keep the world in focus. In this case, I hunt for hearts in cement, or images that conjure the concept of love. That big mural on your building is one of my favorites, but then again, how could you miss that sucker?
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I'd like to see more women in charge.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd make my heart bigger so I could love more people.
You mentioned the move to a new city, from DC to LA. What prompted you to start L.A. Kitchen (a nonprofit with the goal of ensuring that neither food nor people will go to waste)
I’m really intrigued by trends. I like to see what’s coming down the road and act accordingly—immediately. We throw away 40% of the food we produce in America, and fully half of that is fruits and veggies. California is the epicenter of fruit and produce, so I wanted to take the DC Central model and move it west to pioneer large-scale reprocessing, while also training unemployed men and women for culinary jobs. But what I really want to do is be part of redefining aging in America, and L.A. Kitchen will explore healthy, veggie-based foods for seniors.
You’re also President of CForward, an advocacy group that champions nonprofits and elects smart people. Tell us about it.
Nonprofits are the third-biggest employer in America. They are major sources of outside investment in every community. More importantly, you can’t make profit without nonprofits. Think about it—what town is economically viable without healthcare, colleges and universities, arts and culture, a clean environment and communities of faith? Given all that, it goes without saying that no economic recovery plan will work if it doesn’t include nonprofits. And guess what—none do! So we’re trying to insure that the 10.4 million employees of nonprofits help educate every candidate, so that they understand the economics of what we do and what a powerful ally we could be in the economic recovery.
What's the key to enabling nonprofits to use their collective economic might to create positive change?
Well, when I speak at nonprofit gatherings, I often suggest that if they all pooled their banking business, they could push for seats on the bank board and gain access to capital. Capital would allow them to escape the grant cycle, and maybe build social enterprise businesses that would re-invest profits back into the community. But they could also begin to speak more TRUTH, more forcefully, to power. When I say forcefully, I’m not suggesting being belligerent, but I see a new era coming, where philanthropy isn’t the check at the end of the year, it becomes how you make or spend your money every day. Capitalism 2.0 can do more for empowering people than another 100 years of charity.
What’s your favorite recipe to ever come out of DC Central Kitchen?
The recipe for success—more than 1,000 men and women have graduated from our job-training program. In fact, the 80 men and women who graduate annually—they earn over $2 million in salaries combined, and they pay over $200,000 in payroll taxes. THAT recipe never gets old.
Favorite color?
Black. I wear it almost exclusively. But I’m also partial to midnight blue.
Tell us about your “Love On The Road” photo album on Facebook. How’d it start?
I was walking down the street and saw a heart in cement, so I took a picture and sent it to my beloved wife Claudia with a “thinking of you” note. Funny thing…I saw one again the next day…and the next…so now I have hundreds of pixs from around the world. But it’s more than just taking pictures of hearts…it’s about keeping your eyes open and seeing the world. It’s a form of exercise really. I got a fat ass…but my soul is buffed OUT.
What are you reading right now?
Inside the Dream Palace (the Life and Times of New York's Legendary Chelsea Hotel). It's one of three great vortexes in the US, the others being Joshua Tree and Graceland.
Listening to?
I always play old DC bands like Bad Brains and Fugazi, plus I dig Rancid. I'm particularly intoRavi Shankar right now, and his daughter, the incredible Anoushka Shankar.
What’s the hardest thing about running a nonprofit?
Trying to convince people that there’s nothing “non” about my work…except my non-mercy on boredom.
What’s the best thing about running a nonprofit?
Creating the best profit in America.
Any secret you’d like to share?
You chase money, you’ll run forever. You chase results, money comes to you.