5 Tips for Startup Non-Profit Founders

I talk to a lot of non-profit startups. All of them have a vision on how they can change the world, and all of them have amazing plans on how to make it happen.

Some of them will make it through, most of them won’t.

I’ve started many things and have failed at many more. Here’s a short-list of my humble advice to non-profit startup founders and their teams.

1. Great dreams require great sacrifice. When you pursue a dream, be prepared to give up things you would never have imagined giving up. You’ll have to make decisions on what you want to hold on to and what you’ll throw out in pursuit of your dream. Are you worth more than the helping the world?

2. Most advice is bad. Don’t listen to your competitors. Don’t listen to the press. Don’t listen to your friends or family (they won’t tell you what you need to hear). Don’t listen to people who haven’t started things full-time. Trust yourself and don’t let fear paralyze you.

3. Treat people with respect. Everyone should be treated with the same care and attention as a big donor or investor, even if they might be weird. Quit scanning the room, ignoring emails, and brushing people off.

4. Find a co-founder/partner. You are your worst enemy and strongest weakness. Find someone that complements you. If you’re a optimist, find a pessimist. If you’re good with numbers, find someone good at writing. You need this person to balance your emotions.

5. You can’t fake passion. If you try to pretend you’re passionate about an industry or cause, you’ll come off as inauthentic. Even if you do manage to fake it, you’ll burn out within a few months. Don’t do anything that you don’t have a passion-fit with.