Can you do good while succeeding as an entrepreneur?
Absolutely. In our community, we have so many entrepreneurs who are building and growing a business – not just for financial success or to enjoy a great lifestyle – but because they also want to make a difference in the world.
And I love that. I support that 100%.
Many entrepreneurs want to find ways to give back, and one of the ways you can do that is by supporting nonprofits or charities.
Making a Difference While Building a Business
Over the years, my company has supported building multiple schools in Kenya and raised over a million dollars through our live events and other initiatives.
I’ve lost track of how many schools we’ve built for children displaced by political violence. I even had the unforgettable experience of attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Kenya for one of the schools named after my wife and me.
We’ve also supported Charity: Water, helping build water systems all around the world, and we’ve worked with the Shanta Foundation to help build entire villages in Myanmar and Zambia.
As your business grows, you’re able to contribute more. The more you earn, the more good you can do—and you can activate your community to get involved in the process.
A Fundraiser That Changed Everything
I was part of a fundraiser organized by Village Impact, a nonprofit that builds schools in Kenya. The event was a live broadcast, and ticket sales went entirely toward building new schools.
I was invited to join a panel where we discussed launches and promotions, and before we went on stage, we started brainstorming ways to take things to the next level.
The big question we asked ourselves was, “How can we raise even more than the ticket sales alone?”
Creating an Offer They Couldn't Refuse
What we came up with was something incredibly compelling. We decided to offer a five-on-one consultation with all the panelists.
The person who bid the highest would get exclusive time with all of us to talk about their launch or promotion and receive personalized feedback.
Now, none of us offer one-on-one coaching anymore – it’s not available to buy. So the fact that this was an opportunity people couldn’t normally get their hands on made it really special.
As the bidding began, the excitement grew quickly. The bids climbed higher and higher, but instead of stopping when it hit a certain point, we decided to get even more creative.
I proposed that if the top three bidders each contributed a larger amount, we’d give all of them their own private consultations.
That moment was a game-changer. We raised a huge amount, and we didn’t stop there. We then opened up the opportunity for anyone who contributed at a lower level to be a “fly on the wall” during the coaching sessions, allowing them to watch and learn.
The Results Were Incredible
By the end of the event, we had raised $175,000 – enough to fund more than a full school in Kenya. The reason this worked wasn’t just because we asked for donations.
We put together an offer that aligned with the self-interest of the audience and created a sense of urgency by setting a clear deadline for action.
The Ingredients for Fundraising Success
If you’re thinking about raising money through your business or platform, here’s what made this work:
- A Compelling Offer: We created something that money couldn’t normally buy – exclusive access to coaching that people wanted but couldn’t easily get.
- Urgency: We set a clear deadline for the offer, which drove people to take action quickly.
- Community Activation: We involved the community and gave them a way to participate – whether at a high or low contribution level.
- A Cause That Resonates: Supporting a cause that deeply connects with people – like building schools for children in need – made a huge difference in how people responded.
Keep Moving Forward
Looking back, it’s incredible to think about how far things have come. When I started this business, my goal was to make $10,000 in a year to help support my family. I dreamed of making $100,000 in a year – that seemed like the ultimate success.
Fast forward to today, and we’re raising nearly double that amount for a nonprofit in under 30 minutes. It just goes to show what’s possible when you keep moving forward, step by step.
Don’t sell yourself short…
You never know what you can accomplish by staying committed to growing a business. Whether it’s refining your messaging, improving your offers, or serving your audience at a higher level, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.
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