In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris sits down with Mary Walker to talk about the hidden business side of nonprofits. From fundraising strategy and board leadership to navigating crises like COVID and government funding delays, Mary shares practical lessons on building sustainable organizations that can truly make an impact. Plus, hear the incredible story behind her family’s century-old Knoxville automotive business and how it inspired Leafspring.
----------------------------
Show Highlights:
----------------------------
(01:47) Marys Career Path
(06:36) Leafspring Focus
(11:40) Fundraising Systems
(18:57) Boards And Change
(32:48) Knoxville Car Market
(34:12) Watermelon Sales Stunt
(37:51) Nonprofit Reserves Strategy
(42:34) Starting Nonprofits Right
---------------------------------
About Mary Walker:
---------------------------------
Mary Walker is the owner and principal of Leaf Spring LLC, a consulting company that specializes in helping non-profits INTENSIFY THEIR IMPACT through more efficient and financially favorable processes. She is passionate about nonprofit success and works to elp her clients in the areas of revenue development, fraud prevention, board growth, strategic planning, and general business practices. Before this, Mary served as the Director of Development at the Knoxville Museum of Art. She has worked previously in strategy, marketing, and finance in international corporations and in her family's automotive businesses. She earned her bachelor's degree from the Jniversity of Tennessee and her MBA from Vanderbilt University. Mary has served on several local non-profit boards and currently teaches in a nonprofit graduate certificate program at the University of Tennessee.
~~Links~~
Start a podcast with HumblePod!
https://www.humblepod.com/our-services/
Sign up for our newsletter!
https://www.humblepod.com/newsletter-sign-up/