You may find yourself getting lost in your job and forgetting about yourself and your family in the process. When this happens, it also affects how you interact and work with others. By learning how to draw the line between being doing good work and overworking yourself, you can positively affect your relationship with yourself, your loved ones, and your coworkers.

In today’s episode, we will be talking with Brett Ryan, CEO of Focus on the Family, about three main points: 1) having work and life balance, 2) taking care of yourself, and 3) keeping your tasks in line with the NFP’s mission.

Tune in and know more about how you can become a better person for yourself, your family and your company.

 

About Brett Ryan (2:44)

• He has been a husband for 30 years and a father of three sons.
• He is also a former critical care nurse.
• Brett was a children’s and family pastor in Melbourne for 12 and a half years.
• He is currently the CEO of Focus on the Family for six and a half years.

Work and Life Balance (5:01)

• Set some parameters.
• Learn how to delegate tasks.
• Learn to prioritize.
• Spend time with your family.
• Treat your special someone like a bank account: deposit quality time before making withdrawals.

Taking Care of Yourself (10:38)

• Self-care is vital.
• Let other people care for you.
• Have someone to talk with about yourself.
• Avoid taking all the burden and let yourself share it with others.

Being a Team Builder (15:06)

• Teach by modelling what needs to be done.
• Delegate tasks.
• Do not micromanage.
• Empower your people.
• Learn how to take care of others.
• Do not be afraid to take charge.
• Learn from others.
• Work hard.

Avoiding Analysis Paralysis (17:06)

• Know who to listen to.
• Older people have more experience and have old school thinking.
• Look for people who are more cutting edge and innovative.
• Learn to discern what is best for your people in the long-term.

Keeping Yourself on Track (18:42)

• Stay true to your foundations.
• Uphold your core values.
• Focus on your specialty and expand it.

Dealing with Negative Feedback (22:57)

• Embrace the antagonistic feedback.
• Negative feedback means interactivity.
• You can use this as an opportunity to explain and expound on your thoughts about the issue.

 

Who is Brett Ryan?

Brett Ryan is the current CEO of Focus on the Family Australia. Before becoming a CEO, he worked as a critical care nurse in an intensive care unit, and then he became a children’s and family pastor in a church in Melbourne. He helped people with their physical and spiritual needs. Now, Brett helps them with their social problems with their families. He has been married for 30 years and has been blessed with three sons and a grandson.

 

Contact Brett Ryan:

Focus On The Family Australia

LinkedIn

Twitter

 

If you have any questions, you may email me at [email protected]. You can also visit our Facebook page for more details.

Thanks for listening!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most challenging parts of running an NFP is accounting. It can be overwhelming to keep track of your cashflow manually. Additionally, it can take much of your time to send out invoices and double-check the numbers.

In today’s episode, we will talk about the Xero Accounting Package and its features. I’ll give you an overview of what Xero looks like, and I’ll teach you how easy it is to use.

Check out the highlights of the episode below and make sure to tune in!

 

Xero Accounting Package (0:04)

• Before you log in, there is a two-factor authentication to ensure security.
• Once logged out, everything will reset.

Dashboard Screen (1:06)

• It gives us a glance at what is happening in your account. You can change what it can display according to your preferences.
• The main screen area has two columns. The left side consists of your bank accounts and credit cards, while the right side includes invoices, bills to be paid, and expense claims.

Bank Reconciliations (2:22)

• Matching items with your bank statement is simple with Xero.
• You can visit Xero’s videos and watch the step-by-step guide on how to manage your bank account in your profile.
• Anything green on the information indicates that Xero has found a match with the bank statement line.
• By clicking “okay” to match the records, it has added a transaction to the bank line.
• At the end of the month or when the company receives a bank statement, they can print out a reconciliation report.

Invoices (8:17)

• The right side of the column is the information a company has sent out.
• You can create new invoices directly in Xero.

Conversion Balances (10:28)

• Conversion Balance allows a company to bring information from another package or from a new system, which the company sets up to open balances and do reports.
• You can easily add and remove accounts in this portion.
• You can also set your conversion date whenever you want it to be.

Payroll Account (14:11)

• It shows information about your payroll: your previous payment and when the next would be.
• Team members can apply for their leave directly from their log-in.

If you have any questions, you may email me at [email protected]. You can also visit our Facebook page for more details.

Thanks for listening!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After fourteen episodes of inviting guests to talk about their experience in the Not for Profit sector, I decided to do something different. The Not for Profit sector is not for everyone, you need to have passion, compassion, and commitment. It’s hard to be in the NFP sector if you weren’t made for it.

So for today’s episode, I‘m handing the reins over to someone I trust enough to interview me about myself and what I do in the Not For Profit space. Charley Valher, Chief Podcast Officer at Valher Media will be asking me some questions which will help you understand more about me and what I do.

This is going to be an interesting episode so be sure to tune in and stay with us until the end!

Matt’s NFP Story

How Matt Ended Up In The Not For Profit Sector

• 18 years ago, Matt was in a place where he had no idea where to settle in life, with no real desire to go anywhere or do anything.
• Matt started working for his father in law in their auditing business and loved what he was doing.
• Most of their clients were from the NFP sector, and that’s what got him in.
• Matt continued working in the NFP sector because of his love for the industry and the people.
• Matt believes that God has put a mandate in his heart to help people, churches, and the NFP sector.
  
  

Dealing with Misinformation in the NFP Sector

• A lot of people don’t know where to find information.
• Matt says it’s his job to help newcomers in the NFP sector navigate their way around.
• The website for NFPs is a minefield and Matt helps people find information quicker and easier, making the process simpler all-in-all.
  
  

The Ever-Evolving Not For Profit

• NFPs have become more complicated over time since Matt’s involvement.
• Confusion arose together with the involvement of a few different departments. People were having trouble with who they were supposed to report to or not.
• Finances are a bit of a problem for most NFPs.
• Legal terms and jargons add to the confusion and that’s where Matt’s expertise comes in.
  
  

NFPs in 2020

• The biggest change in 2020 for NFPs is the fundraising side of things.
• It’s going to be both a good and bad year for all NFPs.
• Bad—because most NFPs will be required to do regulated reporting particularly to the ACNC.
• Good—because it’s a good time to build and take up a relationship with an accountant or auditor, making this an opportunity to grow.
• Matt believes that working with people who are professionals when it comes to their calling, it’s going to make your job easier.
  
  

Why Matt Chose Podcasting About NFP

• Matt says he wants to cover all things NFP but at the same time, he also wants to ensure the growth of startups and smaller NFPs.
• Matt wants to get all the information about NFP across.
• For one-man bands that wish to grow from $100,000 to a million dollars, Matt wants to address their need for information on such an important topic.
• Matt chose podcasting as an avenue to get information out to as many people as he quickly can.
  
  

Future Topics for The Not For Profit Podcast

• The difference between Xero and MYOB
• Matt wants to talk about the numbers, believing that this information will allow NFPs to make informed decisions.
• How to set up fringe benefits for pastors in the different packages using Xero, MYOB, Quickbooks, etc.
• Matt wants to talk about the accounting stuff because that’s his passion and strength,
• How to do stuff with ACNC
• Where do you go to get help in starting/raising funds for your NFP?
• Are there different rules for NFPs in different states?
• Matt wants NFPs to think big—setting up how big they want to be and how they can achieve those goals.
  
  

Common Things that Catch People Out in the Financial Side of the NFP Space

• Three biggest things that Matt finds common with his clients in the previous 18 years:
• #1: They don’t put enough effort into accounting.
• #2: Reporting and compliance—there are fines in place if you don’t do these.
• #3: Relationships—building relationships is important in the NFP sector.
• Tips that will help in solving the abovementioned problems:
• Tip #1: Enroll in programs that will help with your accounting.
• Tip #2: Comply with the standards set by ACNC to avoid fines.
• Tip #3: Get on NFP groups, community groups, and/or Facebook pages that talk about NFP so you don’t feel alone.
• Compliance helps business owners in a sense where the government is able to remove dodgy operators.
• The second component is business owners are compelled to level up and take things more seriously.
  
  

Common Traits of Successful NFPs

• Every NFP is different, but one thing common is their well-systematized business.
• Most people don’t realize that they have to run their NFP as a business.
• You need to have a good system in place, you cannot make a good decision based on bad information.
• Successful NFPs focus on their core beliefs and they don’t waver from them.
• “You do good things, good things happen.”—It’s a universal law that is common and that works, not just for NFPs but even in business.
  
  

If you want to know more about Matt Williams and what he does in the NFP sector, you may visit his website: Platinum Audits. If you have any ideas about any topics you would like to hear us talk about, or want to see and hear any guests come on the show, don’t hesitate to send me an email at [email protected] or reach out to us at Facebook and LinkedIn.

For more information on Charley Valher, you may visit his website: Valher Media.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to leave your comments below. Until the next episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Empowering children in the age of human trafficking is no easy feat. Efforts made to combat this must not end with one-time acts of charity. We must strive for long-term generational change.

In today’s episode, we will be talking to Rikky Murphy, the International Director of Project Justice International (PJI). He will share with us how they achieve their mission by 1) maintaining and measuring effectiveness in their organization, 2) collaborating with other institutions for their advocacy, and 3) focusing on one village instead of focusing on many.

Find out how YOU can make a change by tuning in! 

Beginnings of Project Justice International (3:34)

• Rikky Murphy visited Thailand to see his parents, and the humanitarian work they do for the children inspired him.
• Later on, he moved to Thailand with his wife and started different community projects to donate money to those in need.
• He eventually met Somkiat, founder and executive director of PJI, and was invited to help start the foundation.
  
  

Getting Involved with the Community (5:36)

• Rikky felt a genuine passion and care for the children who weren’t going to school, but he does admit feeling overwhelmed.
• Rather than moving to Thailand right away, he went back to Australia to teach for one more year to save up money.
• When he returned, he learned more about prevention work and decided he wanted to pursue it.
  
  

Challenges Faced (7:57)

• PJI heavily emphasizes the role of education in preventing child trafficking.
• Their team often deals with risk factors affecting the community, such as children being out of school, presence of drug and alcohol abuse, and lack of emphasis on education.
• Aside from this, children in Thailand are not automatically granted citizenship in their own country, making it difficult for them to enrol in government schools.
  
  

The Solution (9:29)

• Focus on one village at a time and go deeper into this in the long term.
• Rikky talks about the importance of understanding the village, communities, and hierarchy in Thailand. 
• They focused on building relationships with the community from the ground up. 
• They also create a position of authority so that they are respected in the community.
• The important thing is to be consistent.
  
  

Focusing on One Village (13:05)

• How do they focus on one village and say no to others?
• Rikky observed that groups who didn’t invest in the long term didn’t lead to generational change. No impact was seen in the communities months later.
• Despite it being difficult to say no to other communities, their team saw change after years of focusing on a single community, such as improved family structures.
  
  

Measuring Effectiveness (15:05)

• Setting a strong foundation is the first step to becoming effective.
• PJI rates their effectiveness by monitoring the number of days children in the village attend school every week.
• Other means of measurement include organizational policies and having key indicators and outcomes for their programs.
• Best way to measure effectiveness: be on the ground and see the impact firsthand. That way, they can make adjustments as they go along.
  
  

The Role of Collaboration (18:46)

• PJI also does rescue operations by working with the police to provide prosecution assistance.
• It sends a message that those who will continue with these kinds of operations will be prosecuted.
  
  

Tools to Combat Trafficking in Social Media (21:23)

• Rikky discusses common misconceptions about human trafficking.
• Adult trafficking is also present in the form of false job advertisements on social media.
• The investigation team from PJI scours through social media for commonly used words and phrases used by traffickers.
• Rikky discusses their collaboration with the police and NGOs to prosecute perpetrators.
  
  

Who is Rikky Murphy?

Rikky Murphy is the International Director of Project Justice International. He spent his earlier years teaching in Australia. After discovering his passion for the Thailand community, he and his wife moved to Thailand and eventually dedicated their lives to empowering children in South East Asia.

Contact Rikky Murphy or donate to PJI:

Project Justice International

Facebook

Email

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s crucial to have values of your own. Values that you stand on and firmly believe in. These values will keep your integrity intact no matter where you go.

In today’s episode, we will be talking to Ben Naitoko—Senior Pastor of King’s Church, Gold Coast about three main topics: 1) The alignment of values of the Church and the Pastor that takes over, 2) Being an itinerant pastor to full-time pastor (the changes and adjustment period), and 3) The external perception and what he did to push across with it.

Lots of insight in this episode so tune in and enjoy!

 

About Ben Naitoko (3:01)

• Ben Naitoko is the Senior Pastor of King’s Church, Gold Coast.
• Ben started running King’s Church in 2018.
• He’s been in the ministry for 20 years.

 

Adapting and Adjusting (4:10)

• From itinerant pastor to full-time pastor, how did Ben adjust?
• Ben shares that being an itinerant pastor for the longest time has prepared him for his role today as a Senior Pastor.
• The church was already established so there needs to be a level of flexibility in taking over.
• Ben applies some of the dos and don’ts of his previous ministry to his present ministry.
• Ben allowed the people in leadership positions to adjust and think if they wanted to continue the journey with him.

 

Values (8:18)

• Ben took over the church in a troubled state, so more than vision, he brought his values in.
• Values were the most important thing during that time, rather than vision.
• Ben received advice when he revealed his desire to take over a church: “Write down six top values he has and never take a church that doesn’t have four of them.”
• Values are like glue—they are the sticking point that keeps everything together.
• Ben makes sure that the people in every leadership position represents their values.

 

The Church and The School (13:45)

• Being the largest independent Christian school in Australia, it was not ideal for the senior pastor to handle being chairman of both school and church board.
• About branching out
• Ben is committed to doing campus ministries.

 

About Building Schools (18:01)

• Are there future plans for building a school elsewhere?
• Ben talks about the numbers.
• Ben discusses the advantages of running a private school.
• Building a brand—Christian schools are known for Christian values.
• In a broad sweeping statement, for a Christian school to do well, they need to offer a strong quality education.

 

Branding (21:31)

• Branding sounds a bit too secular to be called as it is for a church.
• The reality is everyone has a brand. For the church, it’s the external perception of the church.
• Ben did a rebranding to the external perception of their church.
• The rebranding brought about a change.

 

Who is Ben Naitoko?

Ben Naitoko is the Senior Pastor of King’s Church–Gold Coast. Ben has been doing the ministry for 20 years now. He started as an itinerant pastor, going from place to place to speak about the message of Christianity. In 2018, he became the Senior Pastor of King’s Church and has since done a wonderful job at making a good name for their church. Ben is married to Trish, his partner both in life and ministry, and they have three sons.

 

Contact Ben Naitoko:

King’s Church-Gold Coast

Facebook

Instagram

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Goals play a large part in any organisation—they serve as the driving force in moving forward. Having a goal makes it easy to see where a company is headed. However, what happens when the goals you’ve set turn out to be unachievable and quite unrealistic?

Our guest for today, Scott Watkins, Chairman of the Board for Pollinate Group Australia will answer the question we’ve mentioned above. Along with that, we will be discussing two more things: 1) Mergers of NFPs, and 2) Having effective communication tools within the board and volunteers.

This is going to be an interesting and valuable conversation so make sure to tune in until the end.

 

About Pollinate Group Australia (2:44)

• What is the Pollinate Group?
• What does the Pollinate Group do?
• Pollinate Group focuses on training women to be entrepreneurs.
• Scott talks about the main focus of Pollinate Group and the story behind why they do what they do.
• Scott shares the spark that led to the decision of an NFP merger.

 

Merger (5:48)

• The controversy behind a very rare NFP merger.
• What were some of the challenges and stereotypes they had to face and breakthrough when the merger started?
• Seeing the merger as an opportunity to scale and accelerate growth.
• What NFP did Pollinate Group merge with?
• Stepping away and sacrificing to make room for better operations.
• Scott talks about the benefits they gained from merging two NFPs.
• Lessons—things that they could have done before the merger.

 

Adjustments and Challenges (12:43)

• Scott reveals that the Pollinate Group gladly accepted the changes that the merger brought about.
• Acceptance came easily because the board could see clearer options ahead.
• Being understanding about the changes made it easier for everyone to move forward.
• Language and cultural barriers.

 

Overcoming the Challenges (14:41)

• Technology made working with different cultures a success.
• Maximising digital platforms for all sorts of communication—project planning, record keeping, documentation meetings.
• Tech-savvy board members have played a huge part in making it all work together.
• What happens to members who are not very tech-savvy?

 

Scope of Work (18:00)

• Who mediates between the board and the ground personnel?
• Board members are involved in specific aspects of the operation.
• Scott shares the different functions of each member of the organisation.
• Board members at the Pollinate Group participate largely in the organisation’s operations.

 

Who is Scott Watkins?

Scott Watkins is the Chairman of the Board for Pollinate Group. Pollinate Group is a Not For Profit organisation that focuses on empowering women and improving the lives of people who live in India and Nepal. Their aim is to develop women into becoming the leaders of their communities. The Pollinate Group is one of the rare NFP organisations that merged with another NFP to scale and accelerate their growth. Scott is also involved with another NFP organisation namely Parkrun.

 

Contact Scott Watkins:

LinkedIn

Pollinate Group

 

This podcast is brought to you by Platinum Audits. Your “go-to” for all your auditing needs and concerns.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance is such a big word. In every business, organisation, and community, it is vital. With our guest for today, financial sponsorships are essential. However, along with that need must come the consideration of whether or not the sponsors are aligned with the same vision as the organisation.

Today, we’re joined by Tim Oberg once again, the strategic director of Asia Pacific Parkrun. We’ll be talking mainly about how important it is to find the right alliances and sponsors for an NFP. In addition to that, we’ll also be talking about strategic partnerships and how you can coordinate them.

This episode is for everyone so please make sure you join us and enjoy!

Setting up Alliances (1:47)

• How did Tim find alliances and sponsors for Parkrun?
• How did Tim align these sponsors with the Parkrun ethos?
• Finding partners is easy but finding the GOOD ones is what’s challenging.
• The mission and vision is the standard for selecting appropriate partners.
• One of the components is money—having the right budget to support Parkrun.
• Sponsorships are similar all over the Parkrun network.

Time Management (7:38)

• Tim is the strategic director of Parkrun for the Asia Pacific region.
• Tim maximises strong volunteer support to be able to manage Asia Pacific Parkrun efficiently.
• What are ambassador roles? How do they help in the management of Parkrun?

Team Management (9:47)

• Managing Parkrun on a global scale.
• Communication is the key factor in resolving misunderstandings.

Individualism: Being different while being the same (12:06)

• How does Parkrun preserve its integrity all around the globe?
• What do you mean by being different but being the same?
• Setting non-negotiable factors.
• What makes every Parkrun unique?

More About Parkrun (14:37)

• What are the support branches of Parkrun?
• Parkrun’s mission is overall health and happiness.
• The community connections make Parkrun unique.
• Don’t think of Parkrun as JUST a 5k run—think of it as a way to feel good and be happy.

Finding Help and Volunteers (17:11)

• Never say no to anyone who wants to volunteer.
• Parkrun has never run out of volunteers.
• The benefits one can get from volunteering for events like Parkrun.
• Volunteerism should not be seen as a sacrifice.

Managing Finances (19:21)

• “A dollar out is one dollar out of your pocket and a dollar in is one dollar in your pocket.”
• Operate an NFP as if it was your business.
• Just because it’s an NFP, doesn’t mean you can’t earn a profit.
• Generate as much revenue as possible.

Who is Tim Oberg?

Tim Oberg is the Strategic Director of Parkrun. He is a self-motivated, energetic leader who possesses the unique ability to build rapport with people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. Tim is highly organised and is capable of managing multiple projects at once. Tim is an inspiring educator and speaker.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poverty is a huge problem all around the world. It’s a pressing issue that governments and communities need to deal with. Our guest for today is set on helping people get out of this critical situation.

Rosie Kendall, the CEO of Christians Against Poverty has been at it since the year 2013. First as a Centre Development Manager and then recently as Chief Executive Officer. Today, we will be discussing three main points: 1) What are the common factors among most people that Rosie’s organisation reaches out to; 2) Are there common factors that put a person in this financial situation? And 3) How do Rosie and her organisation reach out?

How do you make people understand that they are not alone in their situation? How do you let them know that there is help out there? To answer more of these questions, be sure to tune into today’s episode!

 

About Christians Against Poverty (2:52)

• When did it start?
• What does CAP do?
• What are their goals?
• How the founder started raising funds for the organisation when they first started

 

Rosie’s Story (5:38)

• How Rosie got involved with CAP
• What was Rosie’s first job at CAP?
• What brought Rosie to CAP Australia?

 

The Poverty Factor(s) (10:54)

• Rosie talks about the multi-layer of factors that lead to a person’s poverty situation.
• Rosie shares a story of one particular situation where the scales finally tip and the breaking point is reached.
• CAP’s pride is its service to the people they were designed to help.
• Rosie gives a quick overview of CAP’s process in helping people get out of their poverty situation.

 

The Gap (13:50)

• The gap between the people CAP has helped and those who haven’t been helped yet.
• The reasons behind the massive gap between “helped” and “not helped” YET.

 

More about CAP (15:55)

• The church runs CAP, but it’s for everybody.
• The church as CAP’s resource centre.
• CAP does not look at a person’s religious views, they help everybody.
• CAP is completely FREE.

 

Being Debt-Free (18:00)

• Reaching out is the hardest step.
• Rosie gives a quick walk-through of what happens when people finally make the call and reach out to CAP.
• Being debt-free versus being there: What stands out and what do people in need find more significant?
• The milestone of becoming debt-free.

 

Who is Rosie Kendall?

Rosie Kendall is the Chief Executive Officer of Christians Against Poverty-Australia. Rosie has been in the organisation since the year 2006. She started as a volunteer and eventually became the CEO in 2017. Christians Against Poverty helps people alleviate their financial burdens by guiding them and walking with them hand-in-hand on their journey to becoming debt-free.

If you’re listening to this podcast and realise that you need help or know someone who does, don’t hesitate to call the Christians Against Poverty hotline: 1-300-227-000

For other concerns, you can reach CAP through their website: Christians Against Poverty.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Two is better than one." With any goal, business, or anything we do, it's always easier when we are not alone. I'm sure a lot of you will agree with me on this, that's why we're bringing in our guest to talk about collaboration. Why is it important, especially for NFPs?

Andrea Watkins — the Humanitarian Hub Coordinator of NSW Humanitarian Hub will be talking to us about these three main points: 1) Going in-depth about collaboration; 2) Managing collaboration and keeping it simple; and 3) Volunteer training and its impact to the organisations.

 

Andrea's Introduction (2:39)

• What is the humanitarian hub?
• The reason behind the Humanitarian Hub's existence
• Andrea gives a quick backstory of her previous experiences before going into NFPs

 

Finding Volunteers (6:24)

• Volunteers are dwindling a bit — how hard is it to find volunteers?
• Andrea tells us how she finds volunteers.
• Collaboration includes supporting one another and sharing volunteer resources.

 

Volunteer Database (8:13)

• What does a volunteer database look like?
• How does the database work?
• An overview of the database's functions

 

Being Collaborative in Spite of the Differences (9:41)

• The four organisations in the hub have different functions. How do they come together and collaborate?
• Andrea talks about making collaboration work in spite of the differences.
• The main ingredient in making organisations collaborative.
• Being COMMITTED and HONEST – two factors that are essential in making collaboration efforts successful.
• Why it's important always to keep communication lines OPEN?

 

Funding (12:19)

• How does the hub get funds?
• Andrea names the three philanthropic organisations who fund the hub.
• How far has the funding allowed the humanitarian hub to go?
• Working together equates to the easier accomplishment of tasks.

 

Into the Future (14:14)

• What are the hub's plans for the following years?
• Andrea tells us how speaking at different events has allowed her to promote the power of collaboration.

 

Collaboration (15:37)

• Starting with collaboration
• Trust and respect — two important values that allow collaboration to happen.
• Having similar values, same objectives, and core purposes — why do these things matter?
• The hub is strictly for volunteers NOT fundraising — how does this help in achieving the hub's goals more easily?
• Keep collaboration simple.

 

Volunteer Training (18:23)

• What is the bespoke training for volunteers?
• What are the topics included in the bespoke training?
• How many volunteers join each session?
• How has bespoke training helped the volunteers so far?

 

Who is Andrea Watkins?

Andrea Watkins is the coordinator at the New South Wales Humanitarian Hub. Not for Profits have always been her passion. Today, as the hub's coordinator, she helps volunteers understand their functions and roles by offering training. Andrea also helps more people understand the power of collaboration by speaking at events.

If you wish to contact her, you may go to the New South Wales Humanitarian Hub website by clicking here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To succeed in a certain niche, you have to be passionate about what you’re doing. You have to be motivated enough to stay in the game. Passion ignites the flame—at least that’s what most people say. And Not for Profits are no exception.

Today, I will be talking to Nic Marchesi—one of the most famous personalities in Australia when it comes to Not for Profits. We will be discussing three main things that he sees necessary in an NFP, namely: 1) Being passionate; 2) Structuring a business to share it with others; and 3) Helping others.

To learn a lot more about NFPs, go ahead and tune in to this episode.

 

Nic’s Introduction (2:05)

• Orange Sky is Australia’s first-ever mobile laundry service that started in October 2014.
• Orange Sky’s initial mission statement was to improve the hygiene standards of people who were having a hard time.
• Eventually, Orange Sky’s mission statement evolved as they got in touch with the community.
• Orange Sky’s current mission is to connect communities by sitting down and having great conversations.

 

The Growth of Orange Sky (3:13)

• Orange Sky now has 29 vans operating all around Australia.
• Orange Sky also has two vans in New Zealand.

 

The Birth of Orange Sky (4:01)

• Lucas and Nic had the opportunity to see the harsh reality of tough living when they were in high school.
• After high school, they wanted to find a way to continue helping the community.
• An encounter with a homeless man named Harry encouraged Orange Sky to go out and help more people.

 

Getting More People Involved (5:22)

• Community service providers add value to Orange Sky’s operations.
• Orange Sky currently has 1800 volunteers in Australia, 200 in New Zealand.
• Nic says the only reason Orange Sky still exists is because of the generosity of people who are donating to their cause.
• Orange Sky has a team in Brisbane and all around Australia who do everything from building vans to fundraising and admin support.

 

Passion (6:53)

• Everyone who runs an NFP has to have passion. Otherwise no one would do it.
• Passion aligned with purpose is essential.

 

An In-depth Look Inside Orange Sky (7:37)

• Looking back, Nic understands the importance of the decisions they made.
• The YESes and the NOs were all essential to get them to where they are now.
• Nic shares their experience when they were starting until they became a company.

 

Challenges and Solutions (12:51)

• When Orange Sky just started, Nic and Lucas understood the need to empower more volunteers to operate safely and sustainably.
• The challenge: No tools, no processes, no software to help Orange Sky achieve their goals.
• The solution: Creating their own software.
• The plus factor: Orange Sky now helps organizations with similar challenges making it a revenue stream for their cause.
• Nic says that challenges are a part of the Orange Sky ecosystem, and it’s something they’ve learned to embrace.
• From getting machines to work in the back of their vans to supporting people
• More challenges include branching out into a different country, growing in remote indigenous communities.

 

The Numbers (17:10)

• Orange Sky didn’t look at social impact or revenue targets at the beginning.
• The realization of the financial situation came about with their growth.
• Having clear objectives gives a sense of direction.
• Orange Sky has a 26% ROI increase from their previous financial year.

 

Who is Nic Marchesi?

Nicholas Marchesi, who they fondly call Nic, is one of the co-founders of one of the biggest NFPs in Australia—Orange Sky. At first glance, you may see it as JUST a mobile laundry service, but it’s the first-ever of its kind. Orange Sky reaches out to the community by helping people who are having a tough time—from making laundry accessible to them to sitting down and having conversations. Orange Sky goes beyond providing basic needs, such as laundry. It touches lives by offering additional support morally and emotionally.

If you’d like to connect with Nic Marchesi, you can reach him through Orange Sky’s website: orangesky.org.au You can also connect with him through LinkedIn if you wish to learn more about their cause and how you can help.

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