Next Stage - Social Impact Services

Social good strategy to amplify your impact

Talent

Welcome Back, Caylin Haldeman: A New Chapter with Next Stage

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We’re thrilled to announce Caylin Haldeman is rejoining Next Stage as our Director of Strategy.

Introducing Caylin

Caylin is no stranger to Next Stage; she was the firm’s first hire in early 2017. A fresh transplant from Philadelphia, Caylin had already established a deep commitment to helping nonprofits grow through work experiences in direct service, consulting and grantmaking with organizations like Broad Street Love, Frontline Solutions and the GreenLight Fund. She quickly found her roots in Charlotte and advanced in her role at Next Stage, playing a key part in many client engagements. She helped define the firm’s strategic direction and supported the design and implementation of early versions of Next Stage’s collaboration management platform Cultivate Impact™. 

During the pandemic, Caylin nurtured an interest in community-centered design and the intersections between social impact and technology. She joined fundraising software platform Flipcause in 2021, where she managed business development efforts, supported sales operations and built partnerships with small nonprofits across the country. Caylin then transitioned from partnerships into the product-design side of the tech-for-good space. She joined Resilia, a startup focused on nonprofit capacity building, as the company’s first UX Researcher. While there, she managed research strategy and operations and launched a cross-functional Voice of the Customer program.

Caylin’s core values of community, belonging and investment in local systems led her to seek opportunities more deeply rooted in Charlotte and the greater Southeast. Most recently, Caylin stewarded grantmaking processes and project management with the United Way of Greater Charlotte. 

In her new role as Director of Strategy, Caylin looks forward to merging her background in design and nonprofit organizational development to work alongside Next Stage’s talented team and lead initiatives focused on growth and innovation.

In Her Own Words

“I’m thrilled to return to Next Stage at this particular juncture in the company’s evolution. The landscape of social good work is continuously shifting, and I’m excited to join a growing team that has demonstrated a commitment to placing belonging, equity and courage at the forefront of our strategic initiatives,” says Caylin. “I admire Next Stage’s purpose — building belonging at the intersection of social good — and am eager to roll up my sleeves and contribute to this important work.”

Please join us in extending a warm welcome back to Caylin!

The Next Stage Team Welcomes Nora Hines

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Introducing Nora

We’re excited to introduce Nora Hines — Next Stage’s new Content Manager.

Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Nora developed a passion for supporting children with disabilities through volunteer opportunities with local organizations and nonprofits. These experiences inspired her to pursue a career in speech-language pathology.

After graduating with her bachelor’s from the University of Notre Dame, Nora continued her education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While there, she worked part-time as an Academic Coach and Editor, assisting student athletes placed at risk of academic probation. This impactful experience sparked Nora’s love of writing and further fueled her desire to support public education systems — particularly those in historically underserved and under-resourced communities.

Upon receiving her master’s degree, Nora moved to San Jose, CA, and worked as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for a local school district. There, she supported the communication needs of children with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

In 2019, Nora relocated to Charlotte, where she continued her career as an SLP in Title 1 schools for both Cabarrus County Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. During this time, she also began pursuing opportunities to further her education and hone her skills in writing, editing and content creation.

In 2022, Nora began a part-time contract role with a professional writing and editing company, and in 2023, she opted to pursue this role, plus additional freelance opportunities in the content creation and management space, full-time.

In her former role as Lead Developmental Editor, Nora maintained internal style guides and edited case studies, technical blogs and customer reference stories for major enterprise technology clients. She also created a training curriculum and coached newly hired freelance writers and editors. Additionally, Nora leveraged her clinical expertise to support the content marketing needs of small businesses in the continuing education and health care fields. She developed editorial calendars, created social media content, wrote clinical blogs and designed email campaigns.

As Next Stage’s new content manager, Nora greatly values the opportunity to support the company’s efforts to amplify the impact of mission-driven organizations.

In Her Own Words

“I’m thrilled to join the dedicated team at Next Stage and begin this next chapter in my career,” says Nora. “I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I look forward to contributing to the company’s mission to support social good organizations in our community.”

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.