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Stepping Up The Game - 3-28-07

”You'll find more success throughout life by trying and failing than never trying at all.”– Kate Atwood

Name: Kate Atwood

Age: 28

Occupation: Founder, Executive Director, Nonprofit

Where do you work?
Kate's Club, a nonprofit organization that empowers the lives of children and teens grieving the death of a parent or sibling.

Where are you from? Charlottesville, VA

Why did you pick this career?
For the learning curve, definitely not for the money. I set out to have a fulfilling entrepreneurial experience, while pursuing a personal passion of mine to help America's youth grieving the death of a parent.

What are your future plans for your career?
My future plans are two-fold: To be a leading voice to champion support for children and teens grieving the death of a parent. To be the leading personality for my generation that motivates my peers to reconnect to their community and live more socially responsible lives.

How did you get involved in this career?
I left my job in sports marketing, took a risk and just did it - starting a non-profit that is.

Did you go to college? University of Virginia

What did you study? Sociology

How did you prepare yourself for this career? Life Experience! My mother passed away when I was 12 yrs old so I know first hand how this event does transform a young life.

And if you just happened to land in this career what made you stay? Its equally challenging as it is rewarding.

What are the downsides to this profession?
During the initial grassroots phase (which we really just moved from as an organization) I was at a place of extreme vulnerability because I was taking something so personal and building a platform of service around it. My personal story was the organization's brand and was the main credential in the foundation of the organization. So from securing the first families, to raising those first funds, I felt I was putting a lot on the line, a lot more than if I was just starting a for-profit business. You have to be very careful about burnout when you have a profession that is so tied to your personal life. That is the downside. And now four years into running this organization, I have to be very aware of that balance. Starting any business, you make a lot of sacrifices, mostly giving of your social time and your sleep, and your bank account. But it’s worth it.

What is a typical workday for you?
As the CEO of a start-up, no day is typical. You start off wearing many different hats in the organization. In building out infrastructure you are able to manage more and do less. So right now, I am in the transition of doing less and managing more. I have a great staff that supports the work we do at Kate's Club. We've hired up so that the staff at Kate's Club doesn't need to really be managed, they can lead in their own domain, for Kate's Club this is in Programs (our program director has more than 10 years of grief support services.) and our Operations Manager, she's good at the details and holds down the "fort".

Most of my day is spent communicating be it with the media, donors, or the Board of Directors. I'm building new relationships and cultivating current ones. I spend a lot of my time in meetings, responding to emails, speaking on the phone, and communicating with my staff about their progress. But because our staff is small, I am also pulled into overseeing the financials, writing grants, and keeping a pulse on the brand and marketing initiatives.

How might this job be a stepping stone to other professions?
In being an entrepreneur, a lot of doors are open to various professions. For me personally, my position with Kate's Club has been a stepping stone into a profession in media and communications, including writing and motivational speaking. And that's a part of my current job that I am enjoying most.

What is the single-most important piece of advice you can offer a person pursuing this career?
Oz Nelson, former CEO of the United Parcel Service (UPS) once stated "The difference between those who are ordinary and those who are extraordinary, is that extraordinary people ask for help" -- Ask for help in starting and building any type of business.

What steps do you recommend to someone who is planning to pursue this career?
Go into starting your non-profit knowing three things:

1.) Know and own your mission and vision. As a founder, you must be strong and clear about what you want the business to do. (This can pertain to for-profits as well)

2.) Know your professional strengths and position yourself to be the most involved in these areas. And know your weaknesses and find others to help support you in these areas. For example, I am a creative, visionary communicator so I am best at Strategic growth, Media, Marketing, and Fundraising. But I am really weak at bookkeeping, financials, and day to day details. So I build the infrastructure to support these areas of the organization.

3.) End each day by taking a pulse on the long-term vision, but wake-up each day with a focus on the short-term goals. Inch by inch, brick by brick. Any entrepreneurial experience takes a lot of patience and endurance. Remain passionate and you'll succeed.

What professional or community volunteer organizations are you currently a member of? Member of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under 40 group, volunteer with Junior Achievement.

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