It is hard to believe that it was over 25 years ago when I sat down with a career counselor at my alma mater, UNC-Greensboro, to talk about what I wanted to do with my life. I had graduated with a degree in English and Political Science, with a concentration in Journalism, and for the past five years had been working at the News & Record (four years) and the Triad Business Journal (one year). I needed a change, but I didn’t know what that looked like.
After a few minutes of very broad questions, my counselor asked me what I did during my free time. I mentioned that I was very involved in the Greensboro Jaycees. For those reading this under the age of 45, that’s a young people’s community service group. It used to be much bigger in the ’80s and ’90s. As a matter of fact, Greensboro’s was the second largest in the world. More on that another time. After telling her all about my experience with the Jaycees, my counselor stopped me and said, “You know, when you talk about your involvement with the Jaycees, you get this sparkle in your eye. Have you ever thought about going into non-profit work?” Of course, I had no idea what she was talking about. At the time, my wife was a teacher and I worked in the newspaper business. We were already two of the lowest-paid educated professionals I could think of. Why would I want to work in a “non-profit”? Of course, I would learn later that was a tax status, not a business condition.
It was on that day I began to learn all about the world of the non-profit profession, and I have been working in this space ever since. Have I thought about doing other things sometimes? Oh yes, sure. But the call of servant leadership and the power of mission-driven organizations continues to be so strong on my heart and soul.
For over 20 years, I’ve had the chance to sit in the CEO chair. I’ve worked with boards and staffs to grow their memberships, rebrand their organizations, reshape their governance structures, and redefine how they deliver professional development. Most recently, I had the chance to serve a nine-month stint as President of the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce. And I am excited today to announce the birth of Tying it Together Consulting.
I am excited to collaborate with mission-driven organizations that want to rethink their strategy, governance, and membership experiences.