My Why.

After 30 years in the nonprofit world, I often get asked how I got into this line of work.

Put simply, What's My Why?

As a first-generation college graduate in the early '90s, there I was, deeply entrenched in the corporate world, my eyes firmly set on the prize. Success, profitability, climbing that ladder — that was the game. And yet, amidst the spreadsheets and sales targets, a small, seemingly insignificant task nudged me onto an entirely unexpected path. Tasked with putting together a charity golf tournament for the Children's Miracle Network, benefiting the kids at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, I stumbled upon a new kind of joy I hadn't known my job could bring.

This brush with philanthropy, a minor blip in my daily grind, kindled something within me. The satisfaction and warmth that came from organizing the event were starkly different from the usual business victories. It was like discovering a hidden door in a room you thought you knew well — a door that led to somewhere entirely new.

Then came 1993, a year that would turn my world upside down. My wife, Jennifer and I were on cloud nine, eagerly awaiting the arrival of our first son. Life seemed to be following the perfect script. Around the same time, close friends of ours were also expecting, but their journey took a heart-wrenching turn. Their daughter was born prematurely, fighting for every breath in a way that made my corporate battles seem trivial by comparison. Witnessing their struggle, their strength, and the precariousness of life itself, my perspective began to shift. What mattered began to change.

That experience was the spark that ignited a fire. The corporate world, with its clear-cut objectives and profit margins, suddenly felt too narrow, too confining. I found myself drawn towards making a tangible difference, towards a sector I'd never envisioned for myself: the nonprofit world. What began as a flicker of interest quickly grew into a blazing passion.

Over the next three decades, my journey through the nonprofit sector was nothing short of transformative. Leadership, strategy, innovation — these became my tools. I threw myself into building teams that were as diverse in thought as they were united in purpose. Together, we crafted fundraising strategies that went beyond mere transactions, embracing digital innovation and forging corporate partnerships that multiplied our impact.

But it wasn't just about raising funds. It was about understanding needs, about creating programs that filled gaps, about expanding our reach so that no call for help went unanswered. And throughout, I was driven by a commitment to leave behind a legacy, to ensure that our efforts today would continue to ripple out into the future.

Now, as I stand on the brink of launching Cause4Good, I'm drawing on a vast network of nonprofit and corporate executives I've been fortunate to connect with over the years. This network, a testament to the power of relationships built on shared goals and mutual respect, is the foundation of this new adventure.

Cause4Good is more than a consulting firm; it's a dream of making the nonprofit sector more robust, more dynamic, and infinitely more impactful. We're here to shake up the status quo, to build bridges where gaps exist, to foster leadership that inspires, and to forge partnerships that transform. From nonprofits and corporations coming together for a common cause to alliances that amplify each sector's strengths, we're all about creating connections that count.

Embarking on Cause4Good is both a leap into the unknown and a continuation of a journey that began all those years ago. It's about applying everything I've learned in a fresh, dynamic way to drive the nonprofit sector towards new heights of effectiveness and impact.

So, as I set out on this new chapter, I invite you to join me. Let's venture together on this path of growth, change, and unwavering commitment to doing good. After all, it's not just about where we're going, but about the lives we touch and the difference we make along the way.

Thanks for letting me share my why with you. Now it's your turn.

What's your why?