Episode 86: What Does it Take to Start a Nonprofit?

A Modern Nonprofit Podcast

During today’s conversation on a Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Tosha welcomes Dr. Krystal White. Outside of a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a Masters degree in Christian Leadership, Dr. White also has a Masters degree in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard University. Needless to say, Dr. White is a skilled professional and we are excited to welcome her! She is the founder of The Executive Shaman and founder of Free Leadership, Inc. The latter is key for today’s conversion as Tosha and Krystal discuss what it takes to start a nonprofit from the ground up. 3 Reasons People Start Nonprofits Tosha seeks out Dr. White’s perspective on the main reasons nonprofits begin from startup to successes. Krystal shares 3 reasons people may follow this path. Need for Positive Impact People have a desire to have a positive impact for themselves and those around them. More often than not, people will likely have soft hearts for something in their community that needs to be seen. Dr. White says, ‘How you lead your life impacts those around you. Period. End of sentence. That’s a fact.’ When a life is led positively, then the consequence is impacting the community around them for good, and perhaps one of the main reasons individuals start nonprofit organizations. Personal Ambition A second idea here is that people may believe that if they don’t do it, then no one else will. Or in Dr. White’s words, ‘no one else can achieve it but the person who is willing to set out and do it themselves.’ She curates this to a personal ambition or entrepreneurial spirit inside of someone. They want to create something, so the task or startup becomes very personal to them. Transforming Negative Experiences This idea is rather interesting. Dr. White believes that many people who decide to start a business on their own, could have experienced something negative within other organizations. This overall experience leads them to do it on their own terms in their own way. This also runs parallel with the second idea, Personal Ambition, because ultimately, someone may deal with a negative experience long enough until personal ambition kicks in to make a change. Tosha pulls us all together with an extremely valid point. The overall theme between starting any form of business, for profit or nonprofits, is the motivation inside of someone and why exactly they want to do it. So the question is, many people seek to start a business, but why specifically a nonprofit organization? Tosha and Krystal’s conversation today was less about how to start a nonprofit and more about how to help others consider what it really takes to start a nonprofit from the ground up. If you are considering this, check out the conversation! You can connect with Dr. Krystal White at [e-mail] or find her on her websites below: The Executive Shaman Free Leadership, Inc. Please be sure to engage with the interview. Whether you enjoy listening to it, reading about it, or watching us on YouTube, make sure you review, share, and engage with A Modern Nonprofit Podcast. You can find Tosha and the Charity CFO team on Youtube or our website, thecharitycfo.com!