Next Stage - Social Impact Services

Social good strategy to amplify your impact

Talent

The Next Stage Team Welcomes Wendy Orrego

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Introducing Wendy

The Next Stage team is thrilled to introduce Wendy Orrego – our newest member of the team serving as a Visual Design Manager.

Wendy is a skilled art director, graphic designer and project manager who uses visual design to communicate big ideas. From Guatemala City, Wendy most recently managed a team of designers at Tigo Guatemala, a Latin American telecommunications company. She has produced high-quality branding and digital design for nonprofit and private-sector organizations in both English and Spanish.

A graduate of Universidad Panamericana de Guatemala, Wendy holds a degree in Audiovisual Production and is passionate about using design to communicate clearly. An art lover, she uses shapes, colors and typography to visually communicate complex messages in a way that is simple, beautiful and easy to understand. 

Wendy was born and raised in Guatemala City where she lives with her husband. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her extended family, live music concerts and traveling the world (Amsterdam has been her favorite destination so far!)

In Her Own Words

I am very excited to join the Next Stage team and begin this new chapter in my journey. Having collaborated on visual and graphic design projects for nonprofits in the past I’ve learned firsthand the value of supporting social good organizations to amplify the reach of their impact. I believe Next Stage is the ideal place to continue growing and learning from a dedicated and passionate team on how to use my skills to better serve those organizations, the community, and the world.

I’m also excited to collaborate with a team across borders. I’m grateful for Next Stage’s trusting and expanding opportunities for Guatemalan talent. I look forward to building relationships with the team and learning from each other’s unique cultures and experiences.

¡Muy feliz de estar aquí!

Join us in welcoming Wendy to the team!

Embracing the Outsider: The Benefits of Hiring Beyond Industry Boundaries

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As I reflect on my major career shift two years ago from ministry to consulting, and how Next Stage welcomed this “social impact outsider,” to the team, I’m thinking about the mutual ways we’ve benefited from our pairing. I took a risk using my skills and interests in a new environment and, thankfully, it was met with opportunity. I don’t believe that’s the norm and I’d like to see more companies give it a go – for the benefit of someone looking to grow in a new direction and – as I’ll highlight – the benefit of their mission or business.

“Minimum Qualifications”

  • ​​A minimum of 3 years of relevant industry experience
  • Past role in sustainability-focused communications or in a communications role heavily focused on sustainability
  • Knowledge of financial analysis, business planning, marketing planning and execution within big-box format (event management role)
  • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, journalism or equivalent

The bullet points above were taken from current LinkedIn job listings for the Charlotte region. I don’t want to call out the company or job title but trust me when I say these “Minimum Qualifications” are unnecessary for the roles they aim to fill.

Why? Because there is so much potential for companies when they consider bringing in talent outside their industry. A common theme for today’s workforce is the struggle to keep employees engaged. And maybe one reason is that hiring managers are overplaying experience and downplaying interest when reviewing their candidate pools. (Or asking AI to do that filtering for them. Sigh.)

Three Benefits

I’ve seen – and experienced – many benefits of hiring from outside the bubble, but I’ll highlight my top three.

Fresh Thinking

Many companies talk about wanting to be “ahead of the curve” or “disruptive.” If that’s you, keep this in mind: On teams where every member shares the same background and experiences, it can create an echo chamber of ideas – not fertile soil where innovation can blossom.

In fact, one hint that it was time for me to move on from ministry communications after 13 years was that I could not come up with a new way to announce our Bible study offerings. I lacked fresh thinking and was struggling to overcome the status quo.

At Next Stage, my newness, curiosity and desire for context led me to ask (many!) questions of my teammates: Why is it done this way? Can you explain this terminology? What’s the vibe?

I brought these learnings to the communication I produced for Next Stage and our clients. I found opportunities to unpack what felt like insider language and new nuggets of insight to draw people in. When you’re “in it” for several years, it’s normal to take for granted that folks will understand XYZ about your program, product or mission. In many instances, I didn’t. I figured other stakeholders might not either, or they needed a refresher. Newness became my value-add to our engagements.

Transferable Skills That Get The Job Done

This seems like a good point to clarify that I’m not saying industry or degree experience isn’t useful, but that it shouldn’t be the most important thing for all jobs, or even listed as a minimum requirement that might hold good talent back from applying. For example, I hold a B.A. in Journalism from UNC, with a concentration in Advertising…from ye olde year of 2003. Folks, I never once had to use Photoshop to complete an assignment! My degree, while foundational for my training, now better indicates my interest than my aptitude for designer roles at an ad agency. (Shout out to Canva!) Meanwhile, there are applicants who pursued other degrees in college and then developed a passion for visual design. What sounds better for your needs?

More than industry, I believe intrinsic skills are universally valuable to an organization. Whether it’s communication, problem-solving, or leadership, candidates from outside your go-to hiring bullpen often possess transferable skills that can be seamlessly applied to new roles. Today’s ever-changing world needs workers who can adapt and navigate unfamiliar terrain so be sure you value those intangible qualities as you review a candidate.

Improved Diversity and Inclusion

Onboarding can be arduous, and I know everyone’s plates are already full. It’s tempting to hire someone who needs to learn less so you can get straight to it, but you might miss the opportunity to enhance the diversity of experience, knowledge and overall skillset of your organization if you go that route. Employees from different industries and perspectives can offer insights into customer needs and preferences from their work that can positively shake up “how it’s always been done” at your organization, providing the breakthrough you’ve been looking for in a program or initiative.

Many companies list DEI as a priority and hiring is a critical element of that focus – but the data proves that opportunity can be harder to come by for candidates who are from diverse racial backgrounds, neurodivergent, or who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. From a team culture perspective, embracing candidates from diverse backgrounds and industries fosters a more inclusive workplace culture where all employees feel heard, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work.

For more on building a diverse, thriving workforce, sign up for our upcoming webinar, Community Voice & HR: Listening to Your Employees.

Open the Door

As we reflect on our own experiences and career journeys, let’s consider the benefits of opening doors wider to candidates from outside our industry – and being welcoming teammates to these candidates.

The rewards for both the individual and the organization are worth it.

The Next Stage Team Welcomes Jalah Blackmon

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Introducing Jalah

The Next Stage team is thrilled to introduce Jalah Blackmon – our newest member of the team serving as a Consultant.

Jalah is a skilled public health educator dedicated to using a social justice and health equity lens to empower underrepresented communities and challenge systemic barriers to wellness. Her passion is fueled by a commitment to destigmatize mental health in communities of color, emphasizing education, community, and social support. She deeply believes in challenging and reshaping health outcomes entrenched within systems of structural racism.

She previously served as the Director of Innovation and Capacity Building at Care Share Health Alliance and as a Program Director at Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council. Additionally, Jalah is the Co-Founder of The Black Light Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on bringing light to dark places for individuals suffering from suicidal thoughts and mental health issues by providing the necessary resources for emotional support, education and intervention.

A graduate of UNC-CH and UNCG, Jalah holds a BA in Exercise and Sports Science and Sociology and a Master of Public Health. Jalah was born and raised in North Carolina and enjoys being a functional fitness trainer.

In Her Own Words

I’m returning to my roots in Charlotte and am particularly enthusiastic about Next Stage’s profound commitment to nurturing local nonprofits while disrupting and reimagining social systems for the greater good. As I step into this consultant role, I’m eager to contribute actively to Next Stage’s mission, specifically in projects targeting community health promotion.

My approach is to not just lead client engagement and project management, but to also champion community-driven strategies. I thrive upon fostering a sense of belonging, a value I am already extending through the innovative use of Cultivate Impact, Next Stage’s online collaboration management platform.

Within and beyond my professional endeavors, I am committed to amplifying diverse voices, fostering inclusivity, and sparking impactful change through thought leadership. In alignment with Next Stage’s visionary mission, I look forward to contributing toward tangible strides toward a more equitable and healthier future for all.

Join us in welcoming Jalah to the team!

Halloween Hangover: The Scary Realities of the Workforce Shortage

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Every day is something new at Next Stage. We are in such a unique position to be proximate to the leaders and institutions wrestling with all aspects of social impact across issues like healthcare, housing, education, workforce and the environment.

As a lifelong learner, I love this aspect of my job. When we partner with nonprofits, companies or municipalities, our team gains insights into ‘how things run’ which helps to illuminate a larger system of interconnectedness. Nothing is ever in a silo.

Sometimes these conversations shed light on an approaching crisis that has the potential to have devastating effects.  Such is our recent exploration of the workforce talent shortfall – an existential threat to society that frankly has us all a little freaked out.

The Silver Tsunami

We have known for a long time about a looming disaster. I first heard the phrase ‘the Silver Tsunami’ more than a decade ago, which referred to the aging of the Baby Boomer generation. At the time the phrase was coined, concerns for housing and health care topped the list. With an unprecedented number of older adults living for much longer than previous generations, concerns for funding Medicare and Social Security dominated discourse.

These days, the phrase has taken on a new level of importance as people retiring from the workplace are leaving behind a significant talent shortfall – one that could, as reported by Korn Ferry back in 2018, “cost nations trillions of dollars in unrealized annual revenues.”

Added to this, what was called ‘the Great Resignation’ at the start of the pandemic has evolved instead into what Fast Company coined as ‘the Great Reprioritization’ – a fundamental shift in how workers are choosing to earn a living. It has led to a whole host of challenges impacting every industry and workplace.

The Great Repriorization is hitting retail and the service sector particularly hard, and is a contributing factor to the current levels of inflation. Your favorite restaurant or dry cleaner is likely holding on by a thread as increasing labor costs make it difficult to generate a profit. It is also being deeply felt in all the skilled professionals and trades, including construction, HVAC, plumbing, nursing and information technology.

But if we knew workforce shortages were coming for so long, why does it seem like business and civic leaders are only just now really taking it seriously?

A talent shortfall with a myriad of factors

A key report that has greatly influenced Next Stage’s work is The Demographic Drought: Bridging the Gap in our Labor Force from Emsi Burning Glass, one of the world’s leading authorities on job skills, workforce talent and labor market dynamics.

The underlying drivers of the global workforce shortage are fairly simple to understand – “fifty years of birth rates below replacement levels, combined with a recent precipitous drop in immigration, has left us with fewer and fewer young, working-age people.” The labor pool is aging and there are fewer young people to fill the roles left behind by those exiting the workforce.

But if this was previously thought of as a decades-long trendline, the pandemic was a big catalyst of speeding things along. Next Stage has taken to calling it a ‘trumpet flare,’ exacerbating already existing workforce gaps. The slow unfolding of a generational trendline of workforce shortage skipped ahead considerably as COVID-19 disrupted the status and shut down traditional workplaces globally.

Baby Boomers still in the workforce saw an easy exit as workplaces opened up again against the backdrop of healthy retirement investments, electing to retire rather than come back to work. Meanwhile, Millennial and Gen-Z employees saw an opportunity to reframe the arc of their careers, revisiting the ‘gig economy’ they embraced during the worst of the Great Recession while insisting on making the hybrid style of work a permanent feature.

The result? A challenge that will only get worse in the years to come if we don’t come together as communities to address it systemically. No one strategy or program is going to get it done in isolation – we must work together. And if we don’t, the consequences will be dire for all of us.

Solutions like Old Wine in New Bottles

As scary as the path forward is, the good news is that there are already some consensus approaches identified:

  • Rise of automation – This one is a bit of a double-edged sword for those of us who work in social impact. Technology will certainly take center stage as we work to create less costly ways to get work done. The downside will be how automation will negatively impact front-line employees and low wage earners who are disproportionately minority populations.
  • Increased skills training and economic mobility – As an upshot to the role technology will play, preparing for the work of tomorrow means driving economic mobility for disengaged populations. That means investing in skills training for typically divested communities. In fact, economic mobility is now viewed as an economic imperative – capitalism will only survive if we are able to build increased economic opportunity for those who are not just unemployed but also under-employed.
  • Focus on new immigrant populations – One of the most surprising recommendations of the Demographic Drought report is a need for more progressive immigration policies that increase immigration into the United States at a time when it has been declining. As political as the topic of immigration has been in America, an increase in new immigrant populations is viewed as one of just a handful of must-happen activities to fuel future success.

In North Carolina, a focus on economic mobility and new immigrant pathways is old hat for those of us involved in social impact work. But what has changed are the stakes. These are economic imperatives, and the preservation of life as we know it is at stake.

That is some rich irony, isn’t it? That the key to “preserving life as we know it” for the American middle class requires addressing systemic wrongs and creating greater pathways to prosperity for those who have traditionally been left out and not invited to the proverbial table?

As a team that looks for win-wins to get stuff done, we’ll take it.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Nonprofit Executive Compensation Study

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Next Stage is proud to unveil the 2020 edition of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Nonprofit Executive Compensation Study.

Click here to download your copy.

As covered in the Charlotte Ledger, Next Stage launched this project as a response to challenges repeatedly brought forward through its work facilitating strategic planning and executive searches for area organizations. Talent acquisition and retention is a priority across the nonprofit landscape. How to fairly compensate nonprofit staff leadership is a challenge that boards and executive directors wrestle with across organizations of every size, budget and mission focus.

In this report, readers will find research culled from the 990 forms of over 150 local nonprofits, insights gleaned from more than 40 participants in an in-depth survey, and commentary provided by 11 executives who agreed to one-on-one interviews. Criteria for inclusion in the study include being headquartered in Mecklenburg County and having revenue of more than $350,000. This research forms the basis of findings that are outlined throughout. Highlights include:

  • Dispelling the myth that nonprofit chief executives are driven primarily by passion over pay, the vast majority (92.7%) of organizations surveyed note that base compensation is important to their overall job satisfaction.
  • Other compensation, including benefits, are offered by just 60% of the organizations surveyed.
  • The Education and Environment & Animals sectors lag behind the Health and Human Services sectors.
  • The boards of nearly 30% of organizations surveyed lack a formal assessment process for the chief executive that is tied to annual compensation. And based on stakeholder feedback, those that do are relatively recently formed or are not well-designed.
  • Less than 40% of organizations surveyed offer a pay-for-performance or bonus structure to their chief executives.

This is the first edition of a study that Next Stage aims to produce every three years, allowing the firm to compare against benchmarks and illuminate how organizations are addressing executive compensation from today into the future.

What’s Next? on August 28
Join host Josh Jacobson on August 28 for What’s Next? – the firm’s twice-monthly digital roundtable – where he will share insights on the development of the compensation study, additional highlights from the research and recommendations for getting actionable on executive compensation. Josh will be joined by panelists Jim Bales, Chief Financial Officer for the Children & Family Services Center and Kevin Monaghan, Founder and Director of Charlotte-based Intuitive Compensation Group. They will add their perspectives on formal assessments of the chief executive and the design of pay-for-performance structures.

Register now and make sure to mark it on your calendar! And invite your board chair, executive committee or any board leader who might have interest in this topic. All are welcome.

About Next Stage
Next Stage is a strategy and strengthening firm based in Charlotte, NC and dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations, social cause start-ups and socially-conscious companies “get to the next level.”  Led by Managing Director Josh Jacobson, Next Stage partners with clients to design strategy and processes that create real community impact.

Talent acquisition is at the heart of the firm’s work. Next Stage conducts executive search, transition planning and onboarding, using a unique, consultant-style approach that positions talent acquisition in service to your organizational strategy. The firm develops a robust pool of traditional and non-traditional candidates to ensure your organization can thrive in its next leadership chapter.

To learn more about Next Stage’s services, visit the website at www.nextstage-consulting.com.

 

Tina Postel Cares About Food Access

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Originally published in ‘The Biscuit,’ Charlotte is Creative’s digital news magazine.

Tina Postel is up early. Really. early.

As Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes, a food access nonprofit for people experiencing a short-term crisis, Postel has been working overtime to meet an explosion of need.

This week marks one month since Mecklenburg County issued the ‘stay at home’ order to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Statewide, more than 630,000 unemployment claims have been filed in the past month. The ripple effects of the pandemic have hit the hardest for those who have always been just a paycheck away from financial distress.

“Our mission is to provide a week’s worth of nutritious groceries to people facing economic hardships,” Postel said. “And ‘economic hardship’ is a massive understatement for what our community is currently experiencing.”

Going Mobile

Like most nonprofits, Loaves & Fishes was challenged by COVID-19 to rethink the delivery of services.  The organization’s Client Choice model typically allows clients to select groceries that their family is most likely to eat at a network of more than 40 emergency food pantries located through Mecklenburg County. But, with the onset of the pandemic, the organization made the hard decision to close its full-size pantry locations to prevent further spread of coronavirus.

Instead, the organization kicked off mobile pantry operations two weeks ago, switching to a drive-thru style approach that serves clients while reducing personal contact.

According to Sue Bruce, Marketing and Events Director for Loaves & Fishes, the decision was one of many Postel has handled with integrity and determination.

“From the very beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Tina has been thinking two steps ahead,” Bruce said. “With the safety of our clients and volunteers at risk, she did not hesitate to make the bold and difficult decision to close down our ‘brick and mortar’ pantries and completely switch our operation to ‘drive-through’ style mobile pantry distribution sites.”

The decision came with some downside. Referred clients would not be able to choose their own food items. Instead, they receive a prepacked box with a seven-day supply of food.

“This was a painful pivot,” Postel said. “Client choice is at the heart of our organization but we have to play the hand we’re dealt and making sure we serve the public in a safe and effective way means making these types of tough calls.”

“Lovingly Disruptive”

Transitioning to an all-mobile distribution model may have been difficult for Loaves & Fishes over the last month, but it likely would have been impossible when Postel first came to the organization in 2016.

Over the last four years, she has helped Loaves & Fishes embrace technology including the migration to a cloud database system, adoption of a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system and deployment of a digital referral platform. The switch to mobile operations has relied heavily on the ability of staff and volunteers to be in touch remotely.

These modifications to standard operating procedures were not easy changes to make in a nonprofit that had been ‘doing it our way’ for a long time, particularly one that relies heavily on older volunteers. However, this digitization looks downright prescient given the challenges the community is facing with COVID-19.

“I guess you can say that I am a ‘lovingly disruptive’ leader,” Postel said. “But every time we considered a new way of doing things, if we could justify that it would help us feed more people in need, our staff and volunteers got behind it because we are all incredibly client-first minded.”

Due in part to the organization’s rapid deployment of its all-mobile distribution system, Loaves & Fishes has been the beneficiary of two rounds of support totaling $400,000 from the COVID-19 Response Fund, a critical needs fund administered through a partnership between Foundation For The Carolinas and United Way of Central Carolinas, in close coordination with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

Leadership

According to Loaves & Fishes board member Kathleen Kaney, Postel is the right person to be leading the organization during this time of increased community need.

“Tina’s talents are many and we were so fortunate to add her leadership to an already strong organization,” Kaney said. “Tina’s ability to connect to other organizations fighting hunger so our work is aligned, contemporary, multiplied and not duplicative has really served not only Loaves & Fishes, but our entire community.”

Postel joined Loaves and Fishes from United Way of Central Carolinas where she worked in major gift fundraising. Prior to relocating to Charlotte, she served as CEO of the Billings Montana Family YMCA. Throughout her career, a commitment to ‘walking the walk’ has earned her the respect of those she manages.

“Tina’s leadership style is very hands-on,” Bruce said. “She has been out there on the front lines, working each and every mobile pantry to make sure they worked smoothly so that as many people could receive food as safely and efficiently as possible.” She concludes: “She isn’t asking her staff or volunteers to do something she hasn’t already done herself.”

Taking a Leap of Faith

Postel acknowledges that working in the trenches of a human services nonprofit is not for everyone, but suggests the following for those who feel a longing to live a life of purpose:

  1. Consider the “emotional paycheck” a job in social good can provide; often it’s the most important fringe benefit.
  2. Find a nonprofit that speaks to you personally, one that makes you want to ‘show up’ every day.
  3. Assess your skills and capacities to find alignment with a position that is a good fit, and keep in mind that a nonprofit mission is only successful when everyone works collaboratively. There are no ‘small roles’ in the nonprofit model.
  4. If a job in a nonprofit is not a good fit for you, do volunteer work instead – find a way to give back.

In his “Cares About” series, guest contributor Josh Jacobson highlights staff leaders in Charlotte’s nonprofit sector who are shaking things up and making an impact. Josh is the founder and managing director of Next Stage, a Charlotte company that works with nonprofit organizations to develop game-changing strategies and strengthened operations in service to mission and long-range vision.