Is "Run It Like A Business" overrated?

Recently there is a boom on social media about the Flint water crisis. The town saved over $5 million with this bid; however, the problem does not seem to be the money at all. 

(Read the wrap-up story about the Flint water crisis here)

A few blog articles I've read regarding this very matter pointed the root cause of the crisis is the government was trying to run it like a business. In nonprofits as well, I like to think that many nonprofits should adopt business models to be able to sustain in this environment. This including my nonprofit marketing agency for nonprofit organizations idea posted earlier as well. I believe, many have missed the point!

Run It Like Business?

This does not mean "become" business. It is true for us, nonprofits, our goals and objectives are often subjective, which make it hard for us to measure... really, anything. Numbers are easier in every way to determine the effectiveness of our operation.

NEVER FORGET WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHY WE ARE HERE

In educational institutions, if you had a chance to take a business program. They teach you, the ultimate goal of all businesses is "to generate shareholders' wealth". This got in my ears for years, and I always have the question, why? Until today, I cannot really figure it out why... of course for more investors, business growth, retain earnings, etc. but why? Yes, many people think I'm naive, maybe I am, but have you ever asked yourself why you do anything you do apart from just knowing "that's how things work".

Credit: Clker

All in all, I'm trying to say that, use business tools to improve your organization but never use business mindset to run your charity. If you don't get it, see this in an extreme way, you use a hammer smashing a nail into wood boards. Great! you are using a tool to make things more efficient. But you don't think to become a hammer, a nail, or wood boards. Of course, that's stupid and it's impossible, well, look at this, I believe we are trying to say, be yourself, use business tools that's it. Don't try to be a business person to use the tools.


A little note I'd like to add. If you are running a business, try to consider your business to run like a charity as well. How? I'll come back to that later.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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The Big Idea for Nonprofits Marketing

Each and every year charities in Canada receive less financial supports from the government sector. If this pattern keeps going where would the charities end up? In my prediction, we will see more and more of larger charities 'acquire' the smaller charities forming a larger organization with boarder scope of work. There is no certainty of the circumstances if it happens. “If they are doing exactly the same thing (eg. breast cancer related charities), wouldn’t it be better off to have a single organization to handle the subject?” I do not know the answer to that; what I know is that larger organizations require lots more processes and procedures before one action can take place, smaller organizations have much flexibility to act upon needs. For this reason, I believe the combination of both large and small(er) organizations would be more effective for social needs.

I’m all for the small to medium size nonprofits, not because I do not like the big guys, but I believe thousands of small guys can make a great impact no lesser than a big guy, beyond that, much faster (if integrated well). The idea here is how to make the small guys sustain themselves in this competitive and blood-sucking environment? I say, marketing, market your impact, market your cause, and ma[r]ke[t] the difference. Above other important things needed in the organization, you need marketing.

What Am I Saying?

Here’s the click, marketing is so expensive! Oh, yes, it is. What if there is a nonprofit organization professional in marketing that works for nonprofit organizations? That’s the idea. I am an apprentice in marketing/public relations and I can see this is possible.

How?

By connecting small businesses those depends their revenue from communities with charities those are the centre of communities. Charities have much to learn from the business perspectives and vice versa. That’s the basic concept; however, it will get lots more complicated in term of how the organization runs: revenue model, managements, board governance, etc.

If this is a nonprofit organization, does it mean, it cannot make profit? No, it doesn't mean that it cannot generate profit. Many people misunderstand that a charity cannot make profit. The difference is that charity does not pay dividend (nor have shareholders in this regards). The income is used and the profit is return into the organization. The excess income will be used to train and educate the other nonprofit organizations for self-sustaining as well as to expand. 

I believe the goal of all nonprofit organizations is to solve the social imperfections and cease to exist due to their services are no longer required (very unlikely, but that’s the goal). Once the small guys have the skills to maintain or even better, grow itself with minimum support from the government sector; then, the organization achieve its objective.

I am currently an MBA student working on a research project on effective nonprofits management, partially to find the best way that would make this type of organization works. If you are interested in further detail of the organization I am planning, let me know, maybe we can make an important change for the charities in Vancouver, and perhaps, Canada.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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Twitter - @Rathapat_S

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Anyone Can Be A Marketer, Can you?... Really?

As I am writing this, I am constructing another blog for the idea mentioned in the previous post; thus, unfortunately this post is not it. However, to give a quick idea, it is the 'nonprofit marketing agency for nonprofit organizations'. It sounds straightforward and clear, but is it?

Since I was pursuing my bachelor degree I decided to major in Pubic Relations, which I believe many PR skills are interchangeable with marketing (especially in promotion aspect). Many people told me that anyone can be a marketer or public relations practitioner. I agree! and you know what? Every one can be a doctor, a pilot, a scientist, an astronaut, you name it. The only impossibility here would be we cannot be non-human (genetically).

The big idea today is marketing is not for everyone, or you think it's for you, your personality may prevent you from being good at it. And here is the twist, the awesome thing about marketing is the field is so large that it can fit any personality you may have. If you are an introvert person, welcome to marketing analyst. You are a planner / thinker, well, marketing strategist seems to be for you. You enjoy dynamic working environment, then event marketer is sound for you. You get my point. So again, yes, anyone can be a marketer. Let's take an extreme example, leave a comment if you prefer a creative surgeon over the stick-to-the-point kind of surgeon.

Apart from theories, processes, and systems that a marketer needs to know (and yes, anyone who study them can do that). I believe that being a marketer is being a nosy explorer full with curiosities and the why not attitude (what picture popped in your head just now? I was thinking of a Beagle). We take (necessary) risks to see what works and what's not. Are you that type of person?

Credit: Micah Brian Riddle

If you are a marketer and you are not being a Beagle, be one. If you are already being a Beagle, keep going, be there, show up, anywhere your legs can take you.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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Twitter - @Rathapat_S

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Is Marketing Important For a Charity? If not, What is?

Is marketing important for a charity? When I was in class I learned that many organizations (particularly nonprofit organizations), marketing department is a prey for annual budget cuts - so no, it's not important...? Many do not have an in-house marketer at all. The mindset is like, anyone can do it or we cannot afford it; and everyone in the organization sort of contribute in a marketing campaign... How many messages would a public receive then?

Out sourcing sounds very tempting, but again, that would incurs big amount of dollar and it won't look good for our annual report. What next? What are the options? How can get public trust and create positive reputation without spending that much? Let's go on social media.

The Art Of Marketing, 2014

Social media in my opinion, are awesome tools... "tools". I said this to everyone, if you don't know how to utilize a tool, someone is going to get hurts. I talked to my old friend who is currently working on a social media campaign. After I listened to her, there is a pattern of social mediagaphoning. "Social mediagaphoning" (Adj.) - yes, I made it up - is the action of shouting information on the social world regardless of the listeners. Well, we got the information out but... who is listening? Is this what we want? How loud should we shout until someone notice?

My point today is, marketing is an investment. An investment contain risks, and risks can be minimized. Everyone can get into stock market, but how many make fortune out of it? Same thing. You required knowledge, experience, and guts to invest in marketing. Perhaps, risks were always the reason why small charities choose to avoid (similar to someone with small budget trying to buy a stock).

But! this is not our last hope. We can turn this around. I had this idea for 3 years now; unfortunately, my situation did not allow me to move on with the idea. I think it is time to share it to everyone; in case someone can start or share with me the viability of the idea. I will share this idea in my next post because I think you have enough today. Let's close the page and we will continue later.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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Revival of What The Blog!: The NonProfit Marketers

It has been over a year I was apart from this blog. Now I assuming that everyone who was reading this has long forgotten this blog already. My apologies if I disappointed you, but disappointments come with learning, I learned a lot during the missing period and I would love to share with you still.

First, HAPPY 2016! well, that's done. Many nonprofit organizations I tried to talk to in Metro Vancouver were incredibly busy during the year ended period. It was very interesting that some organizations were providing me supports in a short interview. I thank you.

Financial Post published one of its findings over the 2015 from the top 25 charities in Canada regarding the amount of donations received. The leader this year goes to the World Vision Canada, followed by Salvation Army and Plan International Canada respectively.

Who are they?

World Vision Canada -
The organization is commit to develop a long lasting change for children, families, and community away from poverty and injustice. By providing supports to children around the world, the organization is able to create positive impacts in eight major areas including: health, food, water &hygiene, education, economic development, child protection, humanitarian assistance & emergency response, and Canadian program.

For more information about World Vision Canada please visit the official website

Salvation Army -
If you are in Canada during period prior to Christmas, then you cannot miss the Salvation Army people. They wear red vest written Salvation Army on the back and have a red poll attached with donation box, and of course, the bell. Those people together all over Canada raised over CAN$22 million over the Christmas period, thanks to all the supporters. I'll not go into deep about the organization due to certain reasons; if you would like to know about Salvation Army, do visit the official website

Plan International Canada
Another awesome charity that bring positive changes for children all over the world. The organization aims to create the world that children can meet full potential in societies. In 2015 Plan International Canada implemented over 4,000 projects in 52 countries, and that's over 85,000 communities OR 214+ million lives.
For more information about Plan Canada, do visit the official website

Today post I'd like to share a story from the World Vision. This is a story of Sonia, a 12 year-old girl living in Burundi, Africa. While education is unreachable for her, she needs to work hard AND long everyday hoping to fill a tiny potion of her stomach. Above all, she wishes "to have a pen and notepad and to go to school".

I never have an intention to move your emotion for Sonia. Everyone has different standard of living, where do we draw the line of "standard"? Yet, standard has never been a standard, has it?

"Shaping the Future of Business"

My A Day in The Life - 2015 New Year Eve Edition (just for fun)

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