#16: The mindset, habits, & traits you need to become the Executive Director of a growing nonprofit organization--with Kelly Phoenix, Nourish International

The Shin Fujiyama Podcast | Social Entrepreneurship | Nonprofit Organizations | International Development Aid | NGOs

Kelly Phoenix is the former Executive Director of Nourish International, a non-profit organization that partners with communities to make a lasting impact on extreme poverty. With the fundraising efforts of their 60 campus chapters, they've invested in 113 long-term, community-based programs to fight poverty. Learn how this NGO reached this level of success.

In this episode, you'll get a behind-the-curtains look at what it's like to be the Executive Director of a growing nonprofit organization. Kelly talks about the things that keep her awake at night as well as the issues and tasks that get her excited. Learn about the tools, books, habits, traits, mindset, and conferences that helped Kelly in her journey.

Kelly is currently heading Nourish Insurance. Check it out at nourishinsurance.com if you'll be volunteering abroad and need travel insurance nourishinsurance.com

Check out the show links at www.shinfujiyama.com

Show Notes & Summary

• What Kelly does during the weekends
• Kelly's life-changing trip to Belize while in high school
• Kelly's take on how our consumerist behavior and choices affect the world
• How the organization started at UNC-Chapel Hill
• How Nourish International Chapters start business ventures
• Nourish's Hunger Lunch where they serve rice, beans, and corn bread where they make $2 profit per plate
• How Nourish raises $30,000/year through Coolers for a Cause
• How Nourish works with community partners in 28 countries
• The criteria that partner organizations must meet in order to work with Nourish, such as being locally led
• How Nourish recruits new members on their campuses
• "Less talking. More action."
• The Annual Nourish Institute
• How a Nourish alum became the special assistant to Samantha Powers, the US Ambassador to the United Nations
• How Kelly started Connected for Cause at UNC
• Kelly's struggle with the co-founder of Connected for Cause
• Kelly talks about whether a young person should start an NGO or work for a pre-existing nonprofit organization
• What Nourish did when they found out that their donations were being misused by an employee in a partner organization in Uganda
• Why Nourish builds long-term partnerships
• What Nourish does during their staff retreats
• Training volunteers prior to their visits to partner communities
• Kelly's response to recent criticisms of NGOs and international volunteers
• Nourish's annual Giving Challenge every February
• How Nourish competes for foundation grants
• Why nonprofit organizations lose about half of their donors each year
• Nourish's Gratitude Grid for their donors
• "Your donors are like your garden."
• How Nourish provides insurance to volunteers from different organizations, including SHH, to generate revenue
• Kelly on directive and servant leadership
• Why passion is the one trait Nourish is looking for in their job candidates
• The average Development Director in the nonprofit industry works 18 months for the position
• Why Kelly listens to the TRON Legacy soundtrack before going on a speech
• Why Kelly listens to Tony Robbins and Les Brown speeches
• The one worry that keeps Kelly awake at night