Next Stage Consulting is pleased to announce the first slate of 2016 speakers in the Illuminate series at Hygge.

Illuminate is a twice-monthly series facilitated by Josh Jacobson of Next Stage Consulting and hosted at Hygge, a coworking community near uptown, where participants gain a better understanding of how nonprofits in the Charlotte region are working on their behalf.  The series is notable for its focus on the business underpinnings of the nonprofit sector and a willingness to tackle challenging topics head-on.

Sessions take place on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month throughout 2016, and lunch is provided for participants.  To be added to the list for notification when RSVPs will be accepted for each session, or to suggest future speakers for the series, visit the Hygge website.

Emerging & Earning

DJessupDavid Jessup, CEO, Digi-Bridge
Tuesday, January 12, 11:45am-1:00pm

Digi-Bridge aims to equip shareholders with the means to foster optimal use of technology in the learning environment, ensuring that all 21st century learners have opportunities to succeed in the digital age.  Embarking on year two, Digi-Bridge leadership has developed a business model that considers both profitability and social mission impact. Over lunch, CEO David Jessup will discuss Digi-Bridge’s three-pronged approach and how his team is managing short-term financial challenges while maintaining long-term goals.


Leadership is Action, Not Position

JTurnerJeremy Turner, Chief Solutions Officer, JET Solutions
Tuesday, January 26, 11:45am-1:00pm

We can all agree that leadership will either make or break an organization, but sadly, many misconceptions exist as to what great leadership actually looks, sounds and feels like in today’s world. In this session, Jeremy Turner will share insights aimed at clearing up these misconceptions for good, while also offering tools designed to help leaders at all levels become more effective.  A DiSC-Certified Behavioral Consultant and Certified Behavioral Life Coach, Jeremy brings experience from his leadership roles for industry giants and grassroots startup ventures in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.


Story Matters

DJohnsonDavid Johnson, Executive Director, Silent Images
Tuesday, February 9, 11:45am-1:00pm

David Johnson, Executive Director of Silent Images will share the power of storytelling.  Silent Images is a nonprofit organization that provides professional video and photography services to other charities around the world.  David and his team have done documentary work in 40 different countries for hundreds of charities. Whether it is documenting human trafficking in Cambodia, Ebola in Liberia, genocide in Sudan, or homelessness in Charlotte, David and his team seek to preserve the dignity of those impacted while telling their stories to inspire others to take action against injustice.


The Big Picture

TLansdellTerry Lansdell, Program Director, Clean Air Carolina
Tuesday, February 23, 11:45-1:00pm

Coming the uptown Charlotte in March, Particle Falls is a large-scale public artwork by artist Andrea Polli that provides a real time visualization of particulate pollution.  As Program Director for Clean Air Carolina, Terry Lansdell has worked collaboratively with a number of partners to make the project a reality.  From concept to implementation, Terry will walk through his plan for leveraging this highly visible art installation to “make the invisible visible” and address public engagement, civic education and political advocacy.


Keeping True

KFinleyKelly Finley, Founder & Director, Girls Rock Charlotte
Tuesday, March 8, 11:45am-1:00pm

As Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Advisor of Women’s & Gender Studies at UNC Charlotte, Kelly Finley explores the ways that gender influences social structures and individual experience around the world.  Against the backdrop of Girls Rock Charlotte, the chapter-based youth arts organization she established in 2014, Kelly will speak about the many manifestations of feminism and how to be true to your cause as the founder of a nonprofit organization.


Generosity of Peers

JJacobsonJosh Jacobson, Managing Director, Next Stage Consulting
March 22, 11:45am-1:00pm

The success of #GivingTuesday 2015 cannot be denied, with online giving growing 52% compared to 2014.  Peer-to-peer on-line fundraising platforms are plentiful these days, and with word that Facebook is introducing new tools for nonprofits, there are more options than ever.  In this workshop session, Illuminate Host Josh Jacobson of Next Stage Consulting will walk through how to best utilize peer-to-peer giving within the context of a nonprofit development plan, outline best practices and potential pitfalls, and compare platforms.


About Next Stage Consulting
Next Stage is a strategy and implementation firm for nonprofits in the Carolinas. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Next Stage provides support for strategic planning, fund development, organizational strengthening and project management. The firm is led by Managing Director Josh Jacobson who has partnered with more than 100 nonprofit organizations since 2009.  nextstage-consulting.com

About Hygge
Hygge (pronounced Hoo-Ga) is a coworking community located at 809-C West Hill Street near Uptown Charlotte. Hygge is Danish for “creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people,” which is an apt description for this coworking community powered by Garrett Tichy and Kayla Dugger of Ready at 7. wearehygge.com