What happens when a former investment banker, turned educator, launches a nonprofit that matches Ukrainian English learners with global volunteers—just before a war breaks out? Meet Katerina Manoff, founder of Engin, who scaled her organization from an idea to serving 50,000+ people in just five years. In this episode, we unpack how she matched unmet demand with innovative volunteer solutions, navigated global crises, and built a million-dollar nonprofit with staying power.

Episode Highlights

• 03:13 Starting a Nonprofit: Tips and Insights

• 05:29 Growth and Scaling of Engin

• 06:36 Identifying Demand and Matching Solutions

• 14:30 Fundraising Journey and Strategies

• 24:49 Final Advice and Confidence in Leadership

My guest for this episode is Katerina Manoff.

Katerina Manoff is the founder & CEO of ENGin, a global nonprofit that has paired over 50,000 English learners and volunteers for online conversation practice and cultural exchange. Prior to starting ENGin in 2020, Katerina spent a decade working in the education space, where she helped launch multiple nonprofit and for-profit initiatives.

Katerina began her career as an investment banker at Evercore Partners. She holds a Master's in Education from Harvard University and Bachelors degrees in International Studies and Business from the University of Pennsylvania. Katerina is also a mom of two young girls and enjoys writing in her free time.

Connect with Katerina:

Website: www.enginprogram.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/enginprogram; @enginprogram

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enginprogram/; @enginprogram

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerina-semida-manoff-12b27720/

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