From the challenges of scaling and fundraising to the critical need for financial sustainability, business principles can drive nonprofit success.

Raj Merchant serves as chair of Feeding Charlotte, a nonprofit that provides nutritious food for those in need. He also serves on the boards of Helping Education and the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

In his day job, he’s the director in data and analytics at Perficient, a leading global technology consulting firm serving Fortune 1000 customers.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Merchant talks about the intersection of entrepreneurship and social impact. He also discusses similarities between early-stage nonprofits and startups, challenges in early-stage nonprofits, and the importance of diverse funding streams.

Merchant received The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award in 2023. The awards celebrate often unheralded people over the age of 40 who are making important contributions to Charlotte.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com. This episode is part of a series in which we interview winners of The Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Awards, which honor people aged 40+ who are making our community a better place. Find out information about those awards at Ledger40Over40.com.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit charlotteledger.substack.com/subscribe