In 2021, my wife and I decided that the family would begin spending a good portion of the summer in another part of the country. We consider these trips our response to the pandemic and all that we and the rest of the world endured during that difficult period. Our hope was that we would begin creating space through this immersive experience to learn about new places and people without the limitations that familiarity and pressured conformity brings to learning experiences. We opened our minds to living a lifestyle that was not like the one in our home city and connected with people in ways that seemed vulnerable (always asking for help at every turn is not in our nature) to start but immediately created an opportunity for shared discovery for the novice...and the teacher. I vividly remember a conversation with a couple on a ferry ride that started with tips on places to go in their city but ended with both couples sharing and learning about our respective love for soccer and our boys.

The world belongs to those who shape it. If our global community truly wants those who shape it to be capable of moving our society forward, intentionally creating healthy and inspiring spaces for all people (but most especially our youngest) to learn, grow, and lead will increase the likelihood of seeing more innovative leaders naturally emerge from the masses to forge our new path.

Our firm, like others, have had to stay the course while also making the appropriate pivots to align with our client's needs and the direction of the social sector. Our shift into offering virtual development services is an example of our efforts to meet clients where they are while also bringing a vital option to nonprofits seeking sustainability in a traditionally unstable area of their operations.

I'm extremely proud to share that I have been appointed to sit on the board of Soccer in the Streets, a non-profit organization that leverages the sport of soccer as a way to engage youth and facilitate an avenue to discover their full potential.

As our firm continues to do the work of providing strategy and operations services for clients, I often contemplate how truly well-run, volunteer-driven communities could replace the need for large, service providing nonprofits and firms like mine having to exist to move communities forward.

Developing a new strategic plan should not be funder-driven, but mission and impact-driven. Always keep the mission and constituents you serve top of mind when trying to assess the path forward. If you feel that moving forward with developing a strategic plan is the right approach after considering these factors, then simply make sure that you bring the right group together to lead the process and come ready to invest time, knowledge and expertise.