Denver: I’m going to do Take Five with Yadi Partovi. The CEO of Code.org. Are you ready Hadi?
Hadi: I’m ready.
Denver: What should we be worried about?
Hadi Partovi
Hadi: I think we should be worried about apathy, about people deciding they don’t want to do anything and the world is going to stay the way it is.
Denver: What is today’s most underreported story?
Hadi: I’ll say the story of how schools are teaching computer science is underreported. It’s such a fantastic story, and you don’t hear about it.
Denver: What is one of your favorite documentaries and movies?
Hadi: Inconvenient Truth is for sure one of my favorite documentaries.
Denver: What idea in philanthropy is ready for retirement?
Hadi: The idea that schools can change.
Denver: What is something you believe that other people think is just insane?
Hadi: I believe America’s schools can succeed.
Denver: Name some organization or person that you have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for.
Hadi: I’ve a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Steve Jobs.
Denver: What is the most interesting part of your morning ritual?
Hadi: I work out 12 to 15 minutes a day which is the only exercise I get but it keeps me fit.
Denver: What is the most important thing that makes for a healthy organizational culture?
Hadi: Recognizing small successes.
Denver: If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be?
Hadi: A spork.
Denver: If you were to start your career all over again and do something completely different and away from this field, what would that be?
Hadi: I would be a musician.
Denver: What is your superpower?
Hadi: Breaking big problems down into small chunks is my superpower.
Denver: If you could have one gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it, what would it say?
Hadi: Computer science is the future.
Denver: What is something, whether it’s related to your work or not, that you’re exceptionally excited about right now?
Hadi: Machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Denver: What are you currently reading?
Hadi: The War of Art.
Denver: What would you speak about if you were asked to give a Ted talk on something outside of your main area of expertise?
Hadi: The assault on truth in modern society.
Denver: What is something about you that very few other people know?
Hadi: I performed in a music video in a small band.
Denver: Given a choice of anyone famous in the world, dead or alive, that you could invite over as a dinner guest, who would that be?
Hadi: Mahatma Gandhi
Denver: What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?
Hadi: Dream bigger and bigger.