Not everyone can be Gandhi, but each of us has the power to make sure our own lives count - and it's those millions of lives that will ultimately build a better world.

I was living in a house with five guys, eating their leftovers when they weren't watching. I went from that to having $1-billion-plus on paper.

Philanthropy is all about making a positive difference in the world by devoting your resources and your time to causes you believe in. In my case, I like to support causes where a lot of good comes from a little bit of good, or, in other words, where the positive social returns vastly exceed the amount of time and money invested.

I learned Hollywood is a small community, and you really have to be a part of the community to get anything done. Unlike traditional industries, where you can do things from afar with phone calls and e-mail, this town is really about being social. Because that's how trust gets built.

My views tend to be centrist. I'm not a big fan of George W., but my politics tend to be more Republican than not.

Participant (Productions) is the only production company in town that has a double bottom line: social good plus financial returns. It's too early to tell how our returns are going to look - though all signs are promising - but social good is what we're really after.