Lessons for Non-Profit and Start-Up Leaders: Tales from a Reluctant CEO

Lessons for Non-Profit and Start-Up Leaders: Tales from a Reluctant CEO uses the experiences of a real company, Community Connections, to bring to life the practical dilemmas that an organization founded on a mission and guided by a set of ideals must confront and solve if it is to thrive. With no business or financial background, Maxine Harris and her partner Helen Bergman grew a tiny startup into a $35 million business. Through trial and error, they learned how to manage finances, hire staff, overcome barriers, and adapt to changing business models. In Lessons for Non-Profit and Start-Up Leaders, Harris shares her insights, struggles, and mistakes with the goal of helping others who may be starting and running non-profit organizations. She spells out the ways in which creativity, tenacity, and the power of relationships helped her and her partner overcome barriers that often cause start-ups to flounder in their first years of operation. In a humorous and novel twist, the book engages the reader with a series of original fables, each tailored to introduce a business dilemma in the language of “make-believe.” Michael O’Leary provides commentary that places the stories and case studies from Community Connections into a broader context, making the lessons accessible to anyone working in the non-profit or startup sector. Lessons For Nonprofit And Start-up Leaders: Tales From A Reluctant Ceo Uses The Experiences Of A Real Company, Community Connections, To Bring To Life The Practical Dilemmas That An Organization Founded On A Mission And Guided By A Set Of Ideals Must Confront And Solve If It Is To Thrive. With No Business Or Financial Background, Maxine Harris And Her Partner, Helen Bergman, Grew A Tiny Startup Into A Business Worth $35 Million. Harris Shares Her Insights, Struggles, And Mistakes With The Goal Of Helping Others Who May Be Starting And Running Nonprofit Organizations. --book Flap. Every Organization Has A Culture Of Its Own: The Beginnings Of Community Connections -- How To Make An Idea Come Alive: Inspiration, Thinking It Through, And Making It Happen -- Power, Authority, And Responsibility: Who's In Charge Around Here? -- Hiring: People To Help With The Work -- Barriers To Solving Problems: There Must Be A Way Around This -- Engaging The Outside World: Is Anyone Out There? -- The Importance Of Self And Organizational Awareness: Taking A Hard Look -- Preparing For The Future: What's Next? Maxine Harris And Michael B. O'leary. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Businesses start and fail all the time, but the secrets to starting and running successful businesses can help entrepreneurs succeed in the for-profit or not-for-profit sector. This work discusses how to avoid pitfalls, overcome challenges, and address issues like hiring, decision-making, problem-solving, power, and more in the business arena.