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Fun one for you here: I'd like to contact Bill Gates. I'm having trouble figuring out how I might do this. So I'd like to research how one might do this? For instance, maybe it's as simple as finding his public calendar of speaking events that I could go to and ask a question at the end. Perhaps there's a place to send him mail that he for sure reads. Maybe someone else has a good process for getting in touch with famous people. Please research the different options I might take as well as the strategies others have then to get in touch with famous people.
Hi! Thanks for your question about how to meet Bill Gates! The short version is that, although it is not a guarantee, there are several ways of contacting Mr. Gates. I was not able to find a current or a public schedule for speaking events for Bill Gates, though both contacting methods will likely result in him reading your question. Below you will find a deep dive of my findings.
METHODOLOGY
My initial thought was that finding out Bill Gates' contact information would be nearly impossible and that meeting him in person would be the most viable option. I began by looking at people who had already met Mr. Gates: what kinds of jobs did these people have, and what circumstances led them to meet the notable billionaire? What I found was that people who had met Bill Gates did so by accidentally running into him or knowing one of his personal contacts. In both incidents, these people were actively seeking ways to improve education, a cause that Bill Gates passionately writes about on his personal blog.
MEETING BILL GATES
Because Bill Gates is passionate about improving education, you already have a great shot at grabbing his interest when you reach out to him. According to Geoffrey James, a man who successfully met with Bill Gates, “if you just get a vivid sense of their personality, you're far more likely to to [sic] find a way to intrigue them to want to meet with you.” By reading Bill Gates' blog, it is possible to see what events in the future are arising that you could potentially attend as announcements are made.
VIRTUALLY CONNECTING WITH BILL GATES
After discovering that Bill Gates is very interested in mobilizing innovation in the educational market, I started looking for methods more immediate than connecting in person. I first found the 'Contact Us' page on Bill and Melinda's foundation website where it states, "it's important to us to be available to our partners, potential grantees, and the public" with emails to all their offices posted below. Of those, the most pertinent to your request are:
Headquarters (Mailing Address)
PO Box 23350
Seattle, WA 98102
East Coast Office
Washington, D.C.
1300 I (Eye) St NW
Suite 200 E
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 662-8130
info@gatesfoundation.org
Grant Inquiries
(206) 709-3140
info@gatesfoundation.org
Skeptical at the notion of reaching Bill Gates himself, I did a deeper dive to find out how often Bill Gates even sees his own emails.
What I found was an interview with Gates, reported by Vidya Rao and Meena Hart Duerson from MSNBC Today. In the article, Bill states: "I only get maybe 40 or 50 emails a day, it's not that much. . . some of them have huge attachments . . . some are just simple acknowledgements [sic] of something." It is important to point out that in order to ensure the quickest response from Gates himself, "the longer the email, the less likely it is to be read. The purpose of the initial email is simply to get a response of some kind." So by emailing Bill and Melinda directly at their foundation (info@gatesfoundation.org) with a simple explanation of how your educational software company could benefit education, there is a likely chance you will hear back from him or someone who could bring a step closer to contacting him.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT RESOURCES
However, one list of emails didn't seem to be enough. I looked into different ways to contact Bill Gates, either through email or snail mail. From Lifewire.com I was able to find the email address: billg@microsoft.com, where "your email to Bill Gates will be read; it is just a matter of who will read it first. It is most likely that the first to see it will be a person at Gates' office and not Bill Gates. Key emails may be forwarded to Bill Gates personally."
Finally, I wanted to see if there were any methods of connecting with Bill Gates that I was missing. I did a quick search for his house and was surprised to find a website boasting Bill Gates' front gate with a corresponding street address: 7400 NE 18th St; Medina, Washington.
QUICK-GLANCE CONTACT INFO
info@gatesfoundation.org
billg@microsoft.com
7400 NE 18th St.
Medina, Washington 98039
CONCLUSION
To wrap it up, you have several ways of contacting Bill Gates. You can email him at both his foundation and Microsoft email addresses; additionally, you can mail him at both his foundation and home addresses. Although I was not able to find a personal speaking schedule for Bill Gates, there is still a chance of meeting him by learning about his current ventures through his personal blog, and potentially having contacts in common with him through your common passion for innovation in education. Thanks for using Wonder! Please let us know if we can help with anything else!