I had spent a lot of time trying to figure out how best to work at the base of the pyramid, even before I knew what BoP was.

In 2003, I moved to Nigeria to pursue a career in international development, focusing on democracy and governance. Nearly two years of this work taught me that democracy, or the pursuit thereof, doesn't always pay the bills. In a country where collaborative government means equitable access to oil wealth, one quickly understands how deeply poverty impacts life in Nigeria. But market forces are alive and well there—from the shoeless boy hawking newspapers in the street to the shops selling eggs at midnight. This is what spurred my interest in business and economic development—that and Todaro's textbook, Economic Development. However, I realized that despite my interest in development issues, I was less impressed with the institution of development.

As a result, I sought to discover whether or not development aid is an effective means to end poverty. As with many worthy questions, the answer is far from clear. However, this lack of clarity probably also indicates that once again, I’ve asked the wrong question. The better question may be: "Can development aid help make people less poor?” William Easterly, the author of my favorite book ever, The White Man's Burden: Why The West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill And So Little Good, would probably agree with the spirit of my question, if not the phrasing. (Ironically, Mr. Easterly is also a Fellow at the Center for Global Development, my second favorite think tank. Can you guess which one is my first?) My boy Bill may be more inclined to mold the question around a specific goal. For example, "how can development aid help the poor secure reliable access to clean water?"

Substitute the words "BoP business development" and you understand why this way of thinking is so catalytic. There is inherently more power in being a buyer than a beneficiary. Consequently, BoP business development purports to profitably and effectively address the needs of the world’s poorest citizens. Interestingly enough, doing so unlocks access to a $5 trillion dollar market comprised of a number of key sectors including health, ICT, water, transportation, housing, energy, food and financial services.

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