There’s a quiet tension building in the philanthropic space — and if you’re close enough to it, you can feel it. For decades, community foundations have been steady and trusted stewards of local generosity. But lately, they’re finding themselves eye-to-eye with a new kind of player: banks. Not … [Read more...]
The Risk Worth Taking: A Path Forward for Impact Investing
This is a follow-up to The Cost of Doing Good, where I challenged the social impact sector - particularly foundations - to pause and ask some uncomfortable questions about the prevailing push toward impact investing. The first article wasn’t a critique of the idea itself but an invitation to a … [Read more...]
The Cost of Doing Good: Rethinking the Impact Investing Chorus
When it comes to the social impact sector, and especially philanthropy, everyone - or almost everyone - is now carrying the flag of impact investing. It’s the movement of our time, the banner under which finance is expected to find its moral compass. And you would think that cash-rich … [Read more...]
The Ethical Framework of Giving: Beyond Religious Doctrine to a Life of Purposeful Generosity
Giving is a universal theme. Across time and geography, traditions of generosity have shaped how people live, connect, and contribute to the world. Whether we look at religious practices or the secular ethos of modern life, the act of giving has always been a cornerstone of human existence. But … [Read more...]
What Deserves Our Best?
There’s no shortage of things that need fixing. Everywhere we look, something is breaking — systems, relationships, climates, trust. The world is noisy with urgency. And yet, the more we pile onto our plates, the more we realize that doing everything is just another way of doing nothing well. … [Read more...]
The Weight of Simplicity: Why Customers Don’t Want More Choices, Just the Right Ones
When I look back on the most meaningful experiences I’ve had as a customer, or as a consumer, it’s never the moments of overwhelming abundance that stand out. It’s the ones where the decision felt effortless, where the solution felt so perfectly aligned that it seemed the choice had already been … [Read more...]
The Future We Can Build: Rethinking Capitalism, Nonprofits, and the Role of Shared Purpose
As we close a year that saw renewed scrutiny of the business world - marked by debates over the impact of corporate activities, the evolving landscape of work-life balance, businesses reneging on remote work arrangements, and the glaring inequities in how people are rewarded and compensated - I felt … [Read more...]
Book Review: Stop Doing That Sh*t – End Self-Sabotage and Demand Your Life Back by Gary John Bishop
Have you ever wrestled a sofa up your driveway and into your house on your own just because you didn't realize you could ask for help? No? Okay, try this on for size. Have you ever gone into a spiral of doubt and anxiety because life was feeling just too good? What about any time you trip up just … [Read more...]
Introducing the Strategic 5-Step Transaction Framework
I am thrilled to introduce the Strategic 5-Step Transaction Framework, a part of the the suite of tools and frameworks that I use for strategic management and leadership development coaching. This is the seventh tool I am releasing as part of my ongoing commitment to openly share resources that can … [Read more...]