Be The Difference
Being a new business owner, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to share why 7Talents exists and what we do. Without fail, one of the most common questions I get is why we choose to work with non-profits.
There are a few reasons, but first, let me start by addressing the deeper question — why do non-profits exist in the first place? It’s simple. Non-profits promote values and ideals that support healthy communities. They often do this by providing critical services that contribute to economic stability and mobility. They create jobs, develop community leaders, and invest both financial and human resources in communities all over the world. And thanks to strong relationships and local knowledge, they understand — better than most — the actual needs of their communities and how to respond. Simply put, non-profits that are connected to the decision-making infrastructure in their communities can catalyze growth and opportunities for people around them.
Let me give you an example. My grandfather was born in Maine, and if you ask most residents in that state, what you’ll find is a strong network of non-profit organizations that deliver on their missions. One of them is Tedford Housing, an organization established in 1987 to ensure people have a safe and affordable home. Research shows when Maine families have resources and a stable home, they have improved health outcomes, a better quality of life, and children are more likely to stay in school. All of this lays a strong foundation for the next generation and the ability to contribute to their community and economy.
But most organizations like Tedford would not survive under the traditional for-profit model. Why? Because the incentive structures needed in mission-driven organizations are different than those needed in profit-driven organizations.
Although the idea of helping and giving back to others has existed since Biblical times, non-profit organizations in the US have a much shorter history. It started about 125 years ago with the Progressive Era, a period of widespread social activism and political reform. While the main objective of the Progressive movement was eliminating corruption in government, the US saw additional policies such as child labor laws, suffrage for women, prohibition and others, during a time of increased social activism.
Fast forward to 2022, and the idea of helping others on a large scale has become mainstream. Today, non-profit organizations account for about 10% of all business and employment in the US. The non-profit sector is the third largest workforce in the US, trailing only retail and manufacturing.
But if so many folks are serving in that space, what is unique about 7Talents being there and why do we do it? Great question. 4 reasons.
First, most non-profits have a compelling mission. They want to see things like reduced poverty, stronger communities, see lives transformed… the list goes on and on. Rarely do we come across a non-profit mission statement that we can’t get behind.
Second, most non-profits have an opportunity to measure impact. While 71% of non-profits struggle to measure outcomes effectively (this is a different problem), they are better positioned to measure these things than their for-profit counterparts. When you think of a successful for-profit, you likely think about finances — revenue and profit. This is not a bad thing, but how many make the world a better place versus just selling a product or service?
Third, most non-profits have a desire to scale. Let’s face it. If you’re positively impacting the lives of others, who wouldn’t want more of a good thing? Although most non-profits are not scaling effectively, the desire is there, and the opportunity is great.
Finally, most non-profits have an opportunity to improve. There are a lot of reasons for this which I won’t get into here, but just using technology as one example, most non-profit organizations lag behind their for-profit counterparts. Coupled with the fact that fewer skilled technologists serve in this space, and there is tremendous opportunity to help.
We believe non-profits are positioned well to make a difference — they just need some help to get there. That’s where 7Talents comes in. We want to help non-profits scale, and by doing so, help make a positive difference in the world around us.
