AI Isn’t Just for the Experts. It’s for You.
There’s a voice that whispers “you’re not ready” or “you’re faking it”—and if you’ve ever built something new, pitched an idea, or stepped into leadership, you’ve probably heard it too. That voice is imposter syndrome. It’s clever, sneaky, and thrives on change.
And right now, everything is changing.
The rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini is reshaping how we work. Entire industries are being reimagined, and suddenly it feels like everyone is a prompt engineer, an AI strategist, or a futurist. If you’re not already fluent in the language of large language models, vector embeddings, or autonomous agents, it’s easy to feel behind—even obsolete.
But here’s the truth: you don’t need to be an AI expert to build an AI-powered future. You just need curiosity, humility, and a willingness to experiment.
The Myth of the “AI Person”
Let’s bust a myth: there is no such thing as an “AI person.” There are only people willing to adopt tools early, stay open to learning, and use technology to solve real problems. The rest is just noise.
The people winning in this moment aren’t necessarily technical. They’re the ones who:
Automate a manual task with Zapier and ChatGPT.
Summarize customer feedback using Claude to spot patterns faster.
Use AI to write better marketing copy, analyze data, or prep for meetings in less time.
They're not replacing their jobs with AI—they're upgrading how they do their jobs.
What an AI-First Mindset Really Means
Adopting an AI-first mindset doesn’t mean becoming a machine learning engineer overnight. It means:
Asking “what can AI do for me here?” at the start of every project.
Defaulting to experimentation instead of perfection.
Thinking like a product manager: start with the problem, not the tool.
Letting go of the idea that you need permission to use AI.
It’s about using AI not just to go faster, but to go smarter.
The Cure for Imposter Syndrome: Action
Imposter syndrome feeds on stagnation. The more you wait until you're "ready," the more disconnected you feel from the momentum around you. The best way to beat it is to ship something, however small.
Try building a personal AI assistant to summarize your inbox.
Use AI to draft that blog post you've been putting off.
Automate a weekly report and reclaim hours of your time.
Every simple use case you adopt chips away at that inner voice telling you you're behind. Because you're not behind—you’re learning in real time, alongside everyone else.
AI Belongs to the Curious
We’re not in an AI future. We’re in an AI present. And it’s not about mastering the tech; it’s about mastering your mindset.
You don’t need credentials. You need curiosity.
You don’t need to feel ready. You need to get started.
And you don’t need to prove yourself to anyone but the version of you who stayed stuck.
Start with a simple tool. Make it do something useful. Then do it again.
That’s not imposter behavior—that’s what innovation looks like.
How My Experience Prepared Me for a Future Powered by AI — And Why Yours Can Too
The world is changing fast. AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore — it’s reshaping how we work, live, and solve problems. As someone who’s spent over 15 years leading organizations in tech, real estate, and nonprofits, I’ve been reflecting on how my journey prepares me for this AI-driven future — and why I believe yours does, too.
Leadership in a Tech-Driven World
Leading companies like Firmspace taught me that technology alone doesn’t move the needle — people and vision do. AI is no different. Behind every AI innovation are teams who need clear direction, strategic thinking, and a way to connect complex technology with real human needs. If you’ve ever managed teams, projects, or businesses, you already have a huge head start. AI roles crave leaders who can translate tech into meaningful impact.
From Operations to Automation
I’ve spent years optimizing workflows, integrating automation tools, and scaling digital infrastructure. These experiences are gold in an AI world where efficiency and data-driven decisions matter more than ever. Even if you’re not a coder today, understanding how technology can improve processes puts you in a strong position to work alongside AI systems or help implement them.
Versatility Across Industries
My career path has taken me through nonprofits, healthcare advocacy, real estate, and tech startups. What’s clear is AI is not limited to one sector. Whether it’s improving patient care, revolutionizing workspace management, or enhancing customer experience, AI’s reach is vast. If you’ve gained experience in diverse fields, you bring a perspective that’s invaluable for applying AI solutions in real-world settings.
Communication: The Human Side of AI
One thing AI can’t replace? The ability to communicate clearly and connect with people. Whether writing blogs, leading teams, or advocating for causes, I’ve learned how vital it is to bridge the gap between tech experts and everyday users. As AI becomes more complex, this human touch will be even more crucial.
The Mindset to Learn and Adapt
Perhaps the most important asset in this era is a willingness to learn. My career involved constant pivots — picking up new skills, embracing new industries, and adapting to change. AI moves fast. If you’re curious and open to growth, you’re already setting yourself up for success.
What This Means for You
You don’t have to start as a data scientist or AI engineer to be part of this future. Leadership, adaptability, communication, and real-world experience are just as critical. Think about the skills you already have — chances are they translate more than you realize.
If you’re feeling uncertain about where AI fits into your path, start small: learn how automation might streamline your current work, explore AI tools relevant to your field, or consider how you might lead technology-driven change.
The AI future isn’t just for coders — it’s for everyone ready to bring their unique experience and perspective to the table. And that includes you.
The CEO’s Secret Weapon: The General Mailbox
As the CEO of a growing business, my inbox is consistently flooded with emails—from critical strategic decisions to day-to-day operational tasks. Yet, there's one particular type of email I make a priority: inquiries coming through our general company mailbox.
Many executives might wonder, "Why should the CEO spend time answering general inquiries? Isn’t that what customer service teams are for?" Here's why embracing these communications directly can significantly impact your bottom line.
Direct Customer Insights
Responding personally gives CEOs invaluable, unfiltered insights into customers' perspectives. Understanding customer pain points, preferences, and experiences firsthand allows for informed strategic decisions, driving higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Building Brand Loyalty
When customers receive a response from the CEO, it conveys genuine care and commitment. This personal touch fosters brand loyalty, increases customer retention rates, and ultimately grows lifetime customer value.
Spotting Early Trends
Emails from customers often reveal early signals about market trends, shifts in consumer demand, or emerging competitive threats. Spotting these trends early allows your business to proactively adapt, innovate, and stay ahead.
Boosting Employee Morale
When the CEO engages directly with customers, it sets a powerful example for employees. It demonstrates the organization's customer-centric values and motivates employees to provide similarly responsive and dedicated customer support.
Cultivating Transparency and Trust
Direct communication from the CEO demonstrates transparency, authenticity, and accountability. Trust is a key currency in business today, and building it directly from the top can transform customers into brand advocates.
Practical Tips for CEO Engagement
Set Boundaries: Dedicate a specific, manageable time slot each week.
Delegate Smartly: Forward inquiries requiring specific operational expertise to appropriate teams, but stay engaged and follow up personally.
Communicate Clearly: Brief, direct, and empathetic responses strengthen connections.
In short, regularly responding to general inbox inquiries isn't just a nice gesture—it’s a strategic move. It can enhance customer experience, employee engagement, and your brand’s reputation, all ultimately reflected in your bottom line.
Securing Your Business in the Age of AI: Essential Guidelines for Safe Use
AI tools like ChatGPT have rapidly become indispensable for businesses looking to boost productivity and efficiency. But as with any powerful technology, ensuring security and protecting sensitive information must remain a top priority. This became especially clear recently when drafting a new AI usage policy for our employee handbook at Firmspace. Here are some essential guidelines to help you keep your business secure while harnessing the power of AI:
1. Set Clear Usage Guidelines
The first step is to define clear rules about what kinds of information employees can input into AI tools. Sensitive data—such as proprietary business strategies, confidential client details, or personally identifiable information—should always be excluded from AI interactions unless specifically authorized and secured.
2. Educate Your Employees
Your workforce is your first line of defense. Regular training sessions emphasizing the importance of data privacy, security, and responsible use of AI tools are vital. Ensure your team understands not just what is prohibited, but why it matters for the integrity of your business.
3. Implement Access Controls
Manage who can access specific AI tools within your organization and monitor their usage. Role-based access ensures that only authorized employees have access to powerful AI platforms and the sensitive data potentially involved in those interactions.
4. Regularly Review and Audit Usage
Ongoing monitoring and periodic audits of how AI tools are used in your business can help identify and mitigate potential security risks. Audits will provide insights into compliance with your AI policy, allowing you to proactively address any vulnerabilities.
5. Select Trusted AI Vendors
Carefully vet AI service providers for their commitment to security and privacy. Look for vendors who transparently detail their data management practices, provide robust encryption, and comply with industry-standard security certifications.
6. Adopt AI Tools with Built-In Security Features
Prioritize tools that include security and compliance features designed explicitly for business use, such as enterprise-grade encryption, data anonymization options, and clear data retention policies.
7. Continuously Update Your Policies
AI technology evolves quickly, and so should your policies. Regularly revisit your AI usage policy to accommodate new tools, emerging threats, or changing regulatory requirements.
Making Security a Priority
When we drafted Firmspace’s AI policy, the aim was clear: enabling innovation and efficiency while firmly safeguarding our organization's critical assets. By creating clear policies, educating employees, and continuously adapting to technological advances, your business can safely leverage AI’s vast potential without compromising on security.
I Don’t Chase Inbox Zero Anymore — Here’s What I Do Instead
For years, I believed that “Inbox Zero” was the holy grail of productivity — a pristine digital slate at the end of each day that meant I was on top of everything. If I cleared my inbox, I had clarity. I had control. I had done “the work.”
But over time, I realized that chasing Inbox Zero was just that — a chase. A never-ending loop of archiving, replying, snoozing, labeling, and kidding myself that a tidy inbox was the same as a focused mind.
Now? I don’t chase Inbox Zero. I chase progress. Here’s what I do instead.
1. I Turn My Inbox into a Triage Room — Not a To-Do List
Your inbox is everyone else’s to-do list for you. If I treat every message like a task, I’m surrendering my priorities to someone else’s urgency.
Now, I review emails like a triage nurse. Is it urgent? Is it mine? Is it important right now? If not, it waits. I give myself permission to ignore “quick asks” that are really distractions in disguise.
2. I Snooze Ruthlessly
Gmail’s snooze function is my safety valve. I use it not to avoid work, but to schedule when I want to think about something. Monday morning isn’t the time to answer a Friday afternoon “circle back.” That gets snoozed until Thursday.
It’s not procrastination — it’s intention.
3. I Keep a "Focus First" List Outside My Inbox
At the start of each week, I write down 3–5 things that actually move the needle: key decisions, strategic initiatives, big conversations. This list lives in Notion (or sometimes just on a sticky note next to my desk), and it’s where I go before I check email in the morning.
Email is reactive. My focus list is proactive.
4. I Automate What I Can
Newsletters are routed to a separate tab. Recurring requests get templates. Calendar links cut out the back-and-forth. I’ve even trained AI to draft common responses or flag the emails that really need my attention.
Inbox management is a systems problem, not a willpower problem. The right tools make a difference.
5. I Let Some Balls Drop — On Purpose
This is the hardest one. I don’t respond to every email. I miss things sometimes. But I’ve learned that not all dropped balls shatter. Some just bounce. And more often than not, the things I let go of were never that important to begin with.
Being a CEO, a parent, a founder — it all means trade-offs. Inbox Zero was never the goal. Impact is.
Final Thought
I no longer see an overflowing inbox as a failure. It’s a byproduct of being engaged, leading multiple teams, and doing meaningful work. My job isn’t to empty the inbox — it’s to make decisions, build momentum, and move the work forward.
So no, I don’t chase Inbox Zero anymore.
I chase what matters.
Meet My Agentic AI: The Strategic Partner I Didn’t Know I Needed
For most of my career, I’ve been the person behind the curtain—building systems, leading teams, and scaling operations in sectors that rarely play by the same rules. From cancer nonprofits to private offices, from eCommerce to real estate, I’ve learned to wear every hat in the closet.
But lately, I’ve been thinking about a different kind of partner:
What would the Agentic AI version of myself look like?
Not just another tool or chatbot—but an autonomous, strategic extension of my thinking, priorities, and values. A co-pilot that anticipates, initiates, and adapts—without needing to be micromanaged.
Here’s what that AI would do.
The Operator: Systems, Streamlined
Agentic AI doesn’t wait for me to delegate. It knows the Firmspace Q3 membership agreement expirations are approaching, scans for at-risk members, and automatically drafts a retention plan based on historical behavior, notes from the Membership Sales Manager, and what’s worked in the past.
It syncs with Zapier, audits our automations, and quietly decommissions the ones no longer creating value. It updates SOPs as they evolve and recommends the right moment to train the team—not just after things break.
It runs how I think:
System-first. Results-driven. Calm under pressure.
The Strategist: Thinking in Chapters
My Agentic AI knows my career isn’t a collection of jobs—it’s a narrative.
It connects the through-line from teen hustles in Islip to the Stupid Cancer road trips to fundraising campaigns built on authenticity, not algorithms.
It also knows I like to write blog posts that would have helped a younger version of myself—lessons I had to learn the hard way, shared to save someone else time, energy, or heartache. My AI surfaces those themes, organizes the fragments, and gives them shape.
It helps me write like a builder, not just a doer.
The Brand Guardian: Voice, Locked In
Whether it’s a board update, a donor appeal, or a note to a frustrated member, my Agentic AI knows how I would say it. Not stiff, not sterile—but clear, honest, and maybe even a little funny if the moment allows.
It doesn’t just generate content.
It generates me, distilled and extended.
The Connector: Relationships at Scale
I’ve built entire movements through relationships—survivors, donors, members, founders, skeptics. My AI tracks who I haven’t followed up with, notices someone’s company just raised a Series A, and nudges me to reach out with something thoughtful.
It turns my network into a living, breathing ecosystem—not a pile of forgotten business cards.
The Human Element
Most importantly, my Agentic AI understands why I do what I do.
It knows I care about leaving things better than I found them. That I believe in showing up—whether for a cancer survivor or a member trying to grow their business. It respects that while AI can help scale impact, it’s my values that define the mission.
And it never forgets that.
Final Thought
We talk a lot about AI as a threat, a toy, or a shortcut.
But I’m more interested in the version of AI that reflects the best version of me—one that can think like I do, move like I do, and care (at least algorithmically) like I do.
That’s the Agentic AI I want.
And slowly but surely, I’m building it.
Merging AI with Hospitality: Why Human-Centered Tech is the Future of Customer Experience
I’ve always had a hospitality mindset. Whether it was walking the floors of Firmspace, helping someone get unstuck in a nonprofit setting, or solving a last-minute request for a member—my instinct has always been to serve. I’m hardwired to anticipate needs, create comfort, and make people feel like they belong.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what happens when that hospitality instinct meets AI.
Let me be clear: I’m not here to automate away the human touch. Quite the opposite. I believe AI should enhance our ability to be present, consistent, and proactive—not replace it. In many ways, the best AI tools act like great support staff: quiet, reliable, and always one step ahead.
Tech That Feels Like a Concierge
Think about a great hotel concierge. They don’t just hand you a map—they ask questions, read between the lines, and offer tailored suggestions. That’s the future of AI in hospitality. From the coworking world to customer service desks, we now have tools that can:
Anticipate needs by analyzing usage trends and preferences
Automate repetitive tasks so staff can focus on high-touch moments
Respond consistently and quickly across channels, 24/7
Create memory by logging preferences, feedback, and prior interactions
The magic happens when this tech disappears into the background and simply allows your people to show up better.
From Warm Smiles to Smart Systems
When I walk through our physical spaces or oversee Firmspace operations, I’m often thinking, “How do we scale this experience without diluting it?” That’s where AI shines—not by making us colder, but by helping us keep the warmth on time, every time.
Want to make sure a customer gets a welcome message on day one?
AI can do that.
Want to trigger a personalized follow-up after a support ticket closes?
AI can handle that too.
Want to detect if someone’s usage patterns signal dissatisfaction before they churn?
Yep—AI can help you read that room too.
Why Human Judgment Still Wins
The secret sauce is still empathy. AI can queue the message, but it can’t match the tone of a handwritten note. It can highlight issues, but it’s your staff who’ll step in and fix it with heart. I’ve learned to view AI not as a silver bullet, but as a hospitality amplifier.
Used correctly, it enables us to do what we do best: serve better, connect deeper, and create unforgettable experiences.
Looking Ahead
We’re entering a new era where being tech-forward and people-first are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they’re inseparable. I’m building companies and advising teams that embrace that duality. The best brands in the world will be those who blend artificial intelligence with emotional intelligence—and deliver at scale without losing soul.
Hospitality isn’t dead. It’s evolving.
And I, for one, am here for it.
Chasing Stars vs. Chasing Connection: What Really Matters in Nonprofit Fundraising
If you've worked in the nonprofit space long enough, you’ve probably felt the pressure to achieve a perfect rating on Charity Navigator, Guidestar, or one of the many platforms designed to assess nonprofit effectiveness. Somewhere along the line, these metrics—meant to ensure transparency and accountability—have become the gold standard for trustworthiness in the eyes of potential donors, board members, and foundations. But here's the uncomfortable truth: chasing a perfect score can come at a very real cost.
I know because I’ve been there.
I've seen nonprofits stretch themselves thin trying to meet every metric, checkbox, and fiscal efficiency ratio to perfection. On paper, it looked great. But behind the scenes? Burnout. Missed opportunities for real connection. And ironically, donors who still didn’t feel like they knew us.
There’s a difference between being compliant and being connected.
The Allure of the 100%
For many organizations, a high score feels like validation—a badge of honor that says, “We’re doing it right.” It can open doors to grant opportunities, appease risk-averse donors, and make for impressive year-end fundraising language. But when every decision gets filtered through “how will this affect our rating,” you can start to lose the human element that makes nonprofit work so impactful.
Overhead becomes a dirty word. Investments in tech, team, or storytelling feel like liabilities instead of necessities. You’re not innovating—you’re managing optics. And that’s not a sustainable way to grow.
Relationships > Ratings
Donors don’t fall in love with your pie chart. They fall in love with your mission, your story, your people.
The most loyal donors I’ve worked with—those who gave consistently, advocated on our behalf, and brought others into the fold—didn’t do it because we had a 4-star rating. They did it because they felt seen, valued, and invited into something bigger than themselves. We built relationships. We were real with them about our challenges and our dreams.
Transparency isn’t just financial. It’s emotional. It’s relational. It’s saying, “We might not be perfect, but here’s what we’re doing, and why it matters.”
Where the Magic Happens
The irony? When you build authentic relationships and invest in infrastructure that allows you to actually do the work better, the metrics usually follow. But even if they don’t hit a perfect 100, you’ve built a stronger, more resilient organization. One that prioritizes mission over metrics. People over perfection.
If you’re leading a nonprofit, here’s your permission slip to stop chasing stars and start chasing connection.
Say yes to the CRM system that makes donor relationships easier to manage.
Say yes to professional development for your team, even if it bumps your overhead.
Say yes to spending time getting to know your donors instead of just emailing them quarterly reports.
Because donors aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for purpose.
And that’s something no rating system can measure.
How Blogging Led to a Business (and a Ring): The KK Digital Story
When I started writing for Practical Ecommerce and the Bigcommerce blog in the mid-2010s, I never imagined it would lead to anything more than a few backlinks and a chance to document what I was learning. At the time, I was knee-deep in building the Stupid Cancer Store — tinkering with integrations, sweating over shipping logistics, and figuring out how to run an ecommerce operation inside a nonprofit. Sharing that journey publicly felt like the right thing to do.
But something funny happened along the way: people started reaching out.
First it was a few DMs. Then emails. Then small business owners — and even a few fellow nonprofits — asking, “Hey, could you help us do what you did?”
That’s when KK Digital was born.
From Blog Posts to Billable Hours
I didn’t set out to start a consulting company. But the blog posts became my portfolio. Without realizing it, I had built a body of work — case studies in disguise — showing how to use technology to scale purpose-driven ecommerce operations.
KK Digital wasn’t some VC-backed agency. It was scrappy, remote, and entirely bootstrapped. I took on a handful of clients over the years, helping them implement the same tools and strategies I had used at Stupid Cancer: setting up online stores, building automations, integrating third-party apps, and thinking holistically about how digital infrastructure could enable mission.
I learned a lot in the process — not just about ecommerce, but about myself.
Lessons from Running My Own Consultancy
Running a consultancy is humbling in all the right ways. You learn to price your time, set boundaries, manage expectations, and stay organized across multiple clients — often while juggling a full-time role.
Here are a few takeaways that stuck with me:
Thought leadership is a funnel. I didn’t write blog posts expecting clients to come. But when you teach publicly, people notice. And trust builds faster.
You don’t need a big brand to start. KK Digital was just me, a Google Workspace account, and a Stripe link. That was enough.
Your experience is worth something. Even when it feels like you’re making it up as you go (and let’s be honest, sometimes we are), your lived experience is valuable to someone earlier in their journey.
Side projects are investments. KK Digital helped fund my engagement ring purchase.
The Sunset
Eventually, KK Digital took a backseat to other priorities — bigger leadership roles, more demanding jobs, and a growing family. I quietly sunset the consultancy, grateful for what it taught me but fully aware that I couldn’t do everything at once.
And that’s okay.
Not every business needs to be forever. Some just need to be right for right now. KK Digital served its purpose: it stretched me, supported me, and gave me confidence in my ability to create something from scratch — and get paid for it.
Final Thoughts
If you’re out there sharing what you know, don’t be surprised when it opens doors. You never know when a blog post becomes a client lead… or a client check becomes an engagement ring.
KK Digital may be gone, but the lessons (and the marriage) are here to stay.
From T-Shirts to Impact: How I Built the Stupid Cancer Store
In 2012, we sold our first white Gildan 5000 t-shirt for $20. There was no inventory system, no marketing funnel, and no real supply chain. But that one shirt — with “Stupid Cancer” boldly printed across the front — sparked something bigger than I ever imagined.
What started as a side project to raise a little awareness and a few dollars for a cause close to my heart quickly became a fully operational lifestyle brand. Along the way, we outgrew systems, learned from stockroom mistakes, and navigated the unique balance of nonprofit values and ecommerce hustle. This is the story of how the Stupid Cancer store came to life.
Why We Needed a Store in the First Place
The Stupid Cancer community is bold, passionate, and proud. As a nonprofit focused on supporting young adults affected by cancer, our messaging was never subtle — and neither was our brand. People didn’t just want to donate; they wanted to wear their support. They wanted to make a statement.
At the time, we were using CafePress — a print-on-demand platform that allowed us to offer some designs, but we had limited control over quality, fulfillment, and, most importantly, profit margins. It was time to bring ecommerce in-house.
But as a nonprofit, we had to be smart. Donor dollars couldn't fund the merch line. So we launched the store with one low-risk product: a white tee, printed in bulk, paid for out-of-pocket. We built everything else from the ground up.
Building the Store, One App at a Time
As Chief Operating Officer, I wore a lot of hats — and one of them was ecommerce manager. I designed the early store infrastructure around automation, integration, and scalability. Our first major platform was Volusion, but I quickly realized we needed more customization and better reporting tools. That led us to Bigcommerce, a platform that offered the flexibility I needed to tinker under the hood.
Apps became my team.
Slack gave me a dashboard to watch customer activity, Zendesk tickets, and incoming orders — all from my phone.
Zapier and Kevy were the glue, connecting platforms like PayPal, Trello, and Mailchimp without writing a single line of code.
Evernote became my product spec vault.
Inventory Planner helped me make smarter purchasing decisions and understand product velocity.
Zendesk allowed us to manage omnichannel customer service across email, Facebook, and Twitter, without letting anything fall through the cracks.
Without these tools, there’s no way we could’ve scaled the store — especially with a lean team and no dedicated ecommerce department.
From Tiny TriBeCa Office to a 3PL
Initially, I fulfilled every order by hand — literally packing and shipping shirts out of our Lower Manhattan office. Eventually, the growth caught up with us. We ran out of space and time.
The next milestone was transitioning to a third-party fulfillment partner (3PL). After attending eTail West and getting a few rejections for being too “small,” I found a partner in Karol Fulfillment in Pennsylvania. They understood our needs, automated our inventory management, and helped us scale up production without sacrificing flexibility.
The move allowed us to expand our product line — more colors, more sizes, more types of apparel — without worrying about how we’d store or ship it. It also enabled us to take advantage of bulk pricing, lowering production costs and improving margins while still keeping prices accessible for our community.
Profit vs. Purpose: Walking the Line
We were never in it for the profit — but that doesn’t mean the store didn’t have to operate like a real business.
Yes, the store helped fund programs and overhead. But for me, it was equally valuable as a visibility engine. Every person wearing a Stupid Cancer shirt was a walking billboard for the movement.
That’s why we sometimes sold items at a loss or ran flash sales and free shipping weekends. We launched “grab bags” full of retired designs and promo items, just to surprise customers and keep the momentum going. It wasn’t just ecommerce — it was community-building through merchandise.
I was also keenly aware of our audience. Many of our customers were in treatment or financially strained. So while I aimed for a 50% gross margin, I never let the numbers override our mission. We priced with empathy.
Lessons from the (Virtual) Frontlines
Over the years, I’ve made plenty of mistakes — ordered too many shirts, misjudged which designs would resonate, neglected to use minimum inventory alerts — but each mistake taught me how to run a smarter, leaner operation.
Some of my key takeaways:
Automate early, and often. Time is your most valuable asset, especially when you’re wearing multiple hats.
Don’t over-order. Stale inventory isn't just a cash drain — it becomes a storage problem if you're using a 3PL.
Use pre-orders to test demand. One of our best sellers was a holiday sweater we launched via a 99Designs contest and pre-sold through email and social media.
Design matters, but community matters more. Our best customers didn’t just like the design — they loved what it stood for.
The Results
Since 2012, the Stupid Cancer Store has fulfilled thousands of orders and created millions of impressions for the Stupid Cancer brand. It has funded programs, sparked conversations, and connected survivors in ways we never could have predicted.
But more than anything, it proved something I believe deeply: Nonprofits can — and should — build revenue models that are mission-aligned, community-centered, and operationally strong.
Ecommerce wasn’t just an income stream for us — it was a catalyst for awareness, engagement, and loyalty.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a nonprofit thinking about starting a store, do it with intention. Don’t aim to just “sell stuff.” Build something that deepens your community’s connection to your mission. Use tools that scale with you. Track what matters. And above all, remember that every shirt, hat, or hoodie is an opportunity for someone to say, “Hey, me too.”
Because when it comes to impact, that’s where the magic starts.
Nonprofit Degree vs. On-the-Job Experience: What Prepares You Best?
If you’ve ever considered a career in the nonprofit sector—or if you're already deep in it—you’ve probably wrestled with this question:
Should I get a degree in nonprofit management, or just learn by doing?
I’ve walked the on-the-job path. And while I now see the value in academic credentials, I also know that no textbook fully prepares you for what happens in the trenches.
The Power of On-the-Job Experience
When I helped build Stupid Cancer, we were a scrappy, mission-first team doing everything from fundraising and programming to eCommerce and digital engagement. There wasn’t a manual for launching awareness tours across the country or building one of the first apps for cancer patients (Instapeer). There was just the work—and the urgency to get it done for the people we served.
Later, as Board Chair of YNPN-NYC, I saw a different side of nonprofit leadership—governance, strategy, and the challenge of sustaining an all-volunteer board while trying to modernize systems, upgrade member engagement, and remain relevant in a city full of worthy causes.
That experience taught me more about nonprofit dynamics than any classroom could. I learned:
How to motivate teams without money
How to stretch resources across time zones and time crunches
And how to fail fast, pivot, and still show up the next day with purpose
These were my "degrees" in real time—earned through community-building, burnout, and breakthroughs.
The Case for a Degree (and a Strong One at That)
That said, I’ve come to appreciate the structure, theory, and credentialing that a graduate program can offer. One that stands out is the Master of Science in Nonprofit Administration (MSNPA) at Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS).
This fully online program is designed for working professionals and taught by faculty with hands-on nonprofit experience. You can choose from tracks in:
Nonprofit Administration
Nonprofit Development
Disaster Preparedness
It’s one of only a handful of programs accredited by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC)—a mark of academic and sector credibility. And it can be completed in as little as 12 months.
If I’d had this kind of structured training earlier in my journey, I might have avoided a few growing pains—or at least had the language to describe what I was already doing instinctively.
So, Which One “Wins?”
The best nonprofit leaders I know find a balance. They blend practical, on-the-ground knowledge with the frameworks and theories that help them scale their efforts responsibly.
If you’re just starting out, get your hands dirty. Work or volunteer for an organization like the one you want to lead someday. But if you’re mid-career or eyeing executive leadership, a program like LSUS’s MSNPA can equip you with tools, confidence, and credentials to take the next step.
Legacy Projects and Letting Go
I’ve spent the better part of my career building things—some big, some small, some messy, some magical. A few have made headlines. Others were just a shared Google Doc, a Slack channel, or a late-night whiteboard brainstorm that turned into something real.
But here’s the truth: not everything I’ve built still exists.
And that’s not a bad thing.
The Branded Car and the Open Road
From 2012 to 2016, I helped lead the Stupid Cancer Road Trip—an annual campaign where we drove across the country in a car wrapped bumper-to-bumper in our logo and mission. This wasn’t a quiet awareness effort. It was bold, loud, and impossible to miss.
We rolled through major metros and small towns—Washington, Chicago, Portland, Billings, Anchorage, Vegas—meeting young adults affected by cancer in hospital lobbies, dive bars, parking lots, and everywhere in between.
Those trips were never meant to last forever. They were meant to spark connection and show people that they weren’t alone.
And they did.
People still ask me, “What happened to the road trips?”
And I tell them: They did exactly what they needed to do.
The App That Came Before Its Time
Another one of those projects was Instapeer—the first-ever mobile app designed to connect cancer patients and survivors based on shared variables in their experience: diagnosis, age, treatment type, gender, identity, and more.
At the time, nothing like it existed. We weren’t just building an app; we were building digital empathy. A way for someone going through hell to find someone else who'd been there and made it out the other side. Peer support, but modern. Mobile. Human.
Instapeer was ahead of its time—built on heart and limited resources. We learned fast, failed fast, pivoted hard, and made thousands of meaningful matches. And while it’s no longer live today, I still hear from people who say it helped them feel seen when they needed it most.
The app didn’t need to last forever to matter.
It did what it came here to do.
Impact Doesn’t Always Mean Endurance
I’ve built internal systems and workflows, too—some with duct tape and prayer, others with APIs and strategy. Many are gone. And that’s fine.
Legacy isn’t always about maintenance.
It’s about meaning.
Did the thing serve the moment?
Did it change someone’s experience?
Did it make the work better, easier, or more human?
If yes, that’s success. Even if the servers get shut down or the van gets parked for good.
What I Choose to Keep
I’ve let go of logos, domains, passwords, platforms, and programs. But I’ve kept the lessons, the momentum, the people, and the purpose.
Letting go isn’t giving up.
It’s giving space.
And when I think back—whether to a wrapped road trip car or an app that let strangers become lifelines—I don’t feel loss. I feel gratitude.
The wheels stopped turning. The app stopped loading.
But the impact? Still moving.
To the Class of 2025 — and to My 2010 Self
A letter to the scrappy, unsure, big-hearted version of me — and maybe you too.
In 2010, I was fresh out of college, trying to figure out how to turn passion into a paycheck. I didn’t have a roadmap — just curiosity, a work ethic, and a relentless belief that I could build something meaningful.
Looking back now, with a few companies under my belt, nonprofit chapters written, and lessons learned the hard way — I wanted to write a letter to that younger version of myself. The version who was unsure but driven. The one who had no idea what was coming but showed up anyway.
This letter is for him — and for every recent grad standing at the start line of their own story.
Dear Kenny (2010 Version),
You’re standing at the edge of something. You’ve got the degree, a few wild ideas, and a ton of heart. You’re not totally sure what’s next — only that you want to do something that matters.
I remember. I was you.
If I could go back and sit across from you — hoodie, iced coffee, big dreams, probably building a website on a secondhand laptop — here’s what I’d tell you.
1. Start scrappy, but think scale.
Don’t wait for perfect. Ship the thing. Try the idea. Build the deck. But while you’re duct-taping it together, start thinking about how this thing could run without you. That’s the difference between hustle and growth.
2. Your empathy is your edge.
You’re going to walk into boardrooms and pitches and meetings where people care more about spreadsheets than stories. Don’t shrink your empathy to fit in. It’s what will make you a great leader.
3. Making money doesn’t mean selling out.
You can do good and do well. Nonprofits, startups, agencies — all of them need fuel to run. Revenue is not a betrayal of your values. It’s how you keep the mission alive.
4. Say yes to the road trips.
Take the detour. Do the tour. Pack the car and drive across the country for a cause you believe in. Some of the best chapters of your life won’t show up on a resume, but they’ll shape who you become.
5. Job titles won’t define you.
You’ll be a director before you're 30. A CEO not long after. But the real wins? They’ll come when you stop chasing roles and start building systems, movements, and teams that outlast you.
6. You will be underestimated.
Because you’re young. Because you’re not the loudest voice. Because you use Slack and care about mental health. Good. Let them underestimate you. You’ll let your results do the talking.
7. Guard your energy like it’s capital.
You’ll want to do it all — and you might. But if you burn out, none of it lasts. Rest. Delegate. Say no to things that don’t light you up or lift others.
8. Every bit of it matters.
The 2 a.m. website rebuild. The failed fundraiser. The awkward pitch that gets ignored. All of it is building muscle. And one day, you’ll look back and realize: that mess became momentum.
9. You’ll lead in a way that doesn’t look like leadership.
You won’t be the loudest. You’ll care more about culture than control. You’ll prefer questions over speeches. That’s okay. That’s how things change.
10. Back up your files.
Seriously.
To anyone reading this on the edge of your career — maybe you're not sure if you're ready. Let me say this clearly:
You are.
And the road ahead? It’s going to surprise you in the best ways.
Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep building.
We’re just getting started.
— Kenny Kane
CEO, Builder, Former Road Tripper, Forever Grad
How I Use ChatGPT to Work Faster, Smarter, and Keep My Head on Straight
Like most people juggling a few too many things, I’m always looking for ways to get more done without losing my mind—or my voice. That’s where ChatGPT comes in.
What started as curiosity has turned into a full-blown part of my workflow. It’s like having a really fast, always-available collaborator who never gets tired of drafts, rewrites, or random questions at odd hours. Here’s how I use it in real life:
1. Writing Stuff (Without Staring at a Blank Screen)
Whether it’s an email, blog post, board update, or internal doc, I usually start with a few bullet points or a messy brain dump and let ChatGPT help shape it into something that actually makes sense. It’s saved me hours—probably days—over time.
2. Keeping My Voice Consistent (Even When I’m Rushed)
Running both a business and a nonprofit means I’m talking to members, donors, staff, and investors—sometimes all in the same day. ChatGPT helps me keep the tone and message consistent without sounding robotic or like I copied and pasted the same thing to everyone.
3. Brainstorming When I’m Stuck
Sometimes I just need to shake things loose—whether I’m naming a campaign, outlining a project, or trying to make a point more clearly. I’ll toss a few ideas into ChatGPT and see what comes back. A lot of it I don’t use, but almost always, it gets me to a better place faster.
4. Fixing the Boring but Important Stuff
I’ve used ChatGPT to draft or clean up lease language, policy updates, and other operational docs. It’s not flashy, but it’s incredibly helpful for getting something 90% of the way there so I’m not starting from scratch.
5. Helping Me Write a Book (Without Going Crazy)
I’m working on a book called The Tech-Forward Non-Profit, and ChatGPT has been huge for helping me organize my thoughts, draft chapters, and figure out how to say things in plain English. It’s like having a writing buddy who never needs coffee breaks.
Bottom line: ChatGPT doesn’t do the thinking for me—but it helps me think faster, communicate better, and focus on what really matters. It’s not magic, but it’s pretty close.
What Tech-Forward Nonprofits Get Right — and Why Most Are Still Behind
The nonprofit sector has always been resourceful, scrappy, and mission-driven. But in 2025, that’s not enough.
Tech-forward nonprofits — the ones leading the charge in fundraising, engagement, and operational efficiency — aren't just using better tools. They’re thinking differently. They understand that technology isn’t a luxury or a line item — it’s infrastructure. It’s culture. It’s survival.
So what exactly are they doing right? And why do so many others struggle to catch up?
1. They treat operations as a growth engine, not overhead.
Most nonprofits still treat operations and tech as necessary evils — boxes to check, budgets to slash. Tech-forward orgs flip the script. They invest in systems, automations, and analytics because they know it pays off in time, transparency, and trust.
💡 If you're still tracking donors in spreadsheets or manually replying to every volunteer inquiry, you're spending energy where automation could scale your impact.
2. They build tech stacks that serve people — not the other way around.
The best nonprofits don’t just chase flashy tools. They select platforms that make life easier for staff, volunteers, and supporters. They understand integration, user experience, and most importantly — that the tech exists to serve the mission, not the other way around.
Whether it’s using Zapier to sync Mailchimp and Salesforce, or Slack to replace 100 email threads, they streamline to empower.
3. They act like media companies.
Modern donors aren’t moved by glossy annual reports. They want real stories, real-time updates, and authentic content. Tech-forward nonprofits use blogs, video, email, and social with the cadence and creativity of a startup — not a government agency.
They think in campaigns, not just appeals. They test, they track, and they iterate. That’s how they stay relevant in an attention economy.
4. They prioritize data literacy across the org.
It’s not enough for “the tech person” to know how the CRM works. The whole team — from development to programs — needs to understand how to collect, interpret, and act on data.
The smartest orgs normalize dashboards, KPIs, and performance reviews not to add pressure, but to create clarity. When data is democratized, so is decision-making.
5. They embrace a culture of experimentation.
Tech-forward nonprofits understand that done is better than perfect. They run pilots, try new platforms, launch MVPs of programs. Failure isn’t feared — it’s a feedback loop.
The rest? They’re stuck in endless committee meetings, legacy systems, and outdated playbooks. And by the time they finally act, the opportunity’s moved on.
Why Most Are Still Behind
Fear of change. Culture eats strategy for breakfast — and nonprofits with deep traditions or risk-averse boards struggle to move fast.
Burnout. Overworked teams don’t have the bandwidth to learn new tools, let alone optimize them.
Budget bias. Many funders still don’t prioritize infrastructure — and nonprofits internalize that as gospel.
“Nonprofit exceptionalism.” The belief that what works in the for-profit world can’t apply to mission-driven work is a limiting myth.
Final Thoughts
Technology isn’t the silver bullet — but it’s the lever. When done right, it unlocks time, transparency, and transformation. The nonprofits leading the future are already acting like modern organizations — fast, data-informed, human-centered.
The good news? It's never been easier to get started. You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. But you do need to start thinking like a tech-forward nonprofit, not just a well-intentioned one.
Let’s build missions that scale.
The Tools I Actually Use: My Cloud Stack for Running a Modern Business
There’s no shortage of SaaS tools promising to make your business faster, smarter, or more automated. I’ve tested dozens. Some stick. Some don’t. This is my current cloud stack—what I use every day to run operations, stay organized, and keep our teams productive and aligned. It’s not theoretical. It’s battle-tested.
Communication & Collaboration
Slack: The central nervous system of the team. Replaces most internal emails and keeps decision-making transparent.
Asana: Where projects go to live (and ideally, to die completed). Simple, visual task management that scales from personal to team-wide execution.
Intermedia Elevate: Business phone, voicemail, conferencing—still necessary for some of the old-school workflows.
Sales, Marketing & Automation
LeadSimple: Our lead tracking and CRM layer. Clean and focused on sales workflows without being bloated.
Mailchimp: Email marketing workhorse. Solid for newsletters, announcements, and drip campaigns.
SEMrush: For keeping tabs on keywords, SEO performance, and competitive search data.
Fathom Analytics: A privacy-first alternative to Google Analytics. Fast insights, no creepy tracking.
Zapier: The duct tape of automation. It connects nearly everything here, saving hours on repetitive tasks.
ChatGPT: A new daily companion—for drafting emails, writing code, summarizing documents, and brainstorming ideas. Not replacing people, but multiplying output.
Web Presence
WP Engine: Hosting our legacy WordPress sites. Reliable, fast, and easy to manage at scale.
Squarespace: Used for past microsites or when we need quick visual polish without a dev team.
Framer: Our new go-to for fast, beautiful, responsive sites. I built a live site in about an hour—no code needed.
Documents & Content Creation
DocuSign and HelloSign: We still use both depending on partner preferences, though we’re likely to consolidate soon.
Canva: Where we create everything from pitch decks to social assets. Design for non-designers and fast-moving teams.
Tools I Tried and Ditched
PandaDoc: Slick interface but redundant once we committed to HelloSign and DocuSign.
Blaze.ai: A promising AI content tool, but it didn’t save time in our real-world use cases.
Lessons Learned
Don’t chase shiny tools. If it doesn’t save time, increase revenue, or reduce complexity, it’s out.
Integrations matter more than features. Zapier is often the glue that turns “nice to have” into “must-have.”
AI tools are like interns—great for drafts and research, but still need review.
When in doubt, simplify. More tools mean more training, more maintenance, and more chances for things to break.
What’s Next
I’m always testing new tools, but they have to prove their ROI quickly. The future stack will likely include more AI-native platforms, lighter CRMs, and fewer tools doing more.
How I Earned My MBA Without Pressing Pause on Life
I’ve always believed that hustle, curiosity, and a strong sense of purpose can take you far. My communications degree from Farmingdale State College—and a can-do attitude—launched my career across startups, national nonprofits, and now a multi-market real estate company. But for years, I had an MBA in the back of my mind.
Not because I needed more credentials—but because I wanted a formal way to strengthen the areas I had taught myself on the fly: finance, strategic planning, marketing analytics, and operations at scale.
After relocating to Austin, I looked at programs like UT and Baylor. Great schools, no doubt—but the time and financial commitment were tough to justify. I couldn’t (and wouldn’t) step away from my work and family for weekend residencies or $70K price tags.
Then one day in August 2023, I got a push notification from r/MBA—a subreddit I’ve followed for years. It mentioned Louisiana State University Shreveport’s online MBA program. Fully accredited, asynchronous, and priced under $13,000 total. I had one thought:
What’s the catch?
Turns out, there wasn’t one.
Applying to LSUS
I submitted my application just days before the fall term started. It was refreshingly simple: a short form, emailed transcripts, and a quick turnaround. Within 24 hours, I was accepted. I was officially enrolled in the Accelerated Online MBA – General Business program, and ready to see what it was all about.
What followed was a year-long sprint—10 courses completed in just over 13 months, all while leading my company, supporting my family, and still finding the occasional moment to breathe.
What I Learned (And Why It Mattered)
The LSUS structure runs in seven-week terms with a one-week break between blocks. It’s fast-paced, but manageable. Here's a quick look at the courses I took and what stood out:
🔹 MBA 705: Organizational Strategy & Policies
A strong opener. Dr. Michael Meeks delivered concise, pre-recorded lectures that made expectations crystal clear. Weekly group projects over Zoom added collaboration without chaos.
🔹 MBA 758: Casino & Resort Management
Yes, it’s a real class—and surprisingly strategic. A creative lens on market analysis and customer experience.
🔹 MBA 761: Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Creativity
Given my background, this one hit home. It helped me put language and frameworks around instincts I’ve followed for years.
🔹 MBA 703 & 704: MIS + Organizational Behavior
Two solid courses that helped me reframe how I manage systems and teams—particularly helpful in a remote or distributed work environment.
🔹 MBA 700 & 706: Accounting + Marketing Strategy
These were highly practical. Budgeting, positioning, targeting—it all shows up in my daily leadership work.
🔹 MBA 702: Financial Management
The only class I didn’t get an A in—and arguably the one that taught me the most.
🔹 MBA 742: Project Management
Straightforward, structured, and a great reinforcement of the way I run initiatives across markets.
🔹 MBA 701: Economic Analysis
A broad, data-driven wrap-up course that tied everything together.
Why It Was the Right Fit
LSUS wasn’t about prestige. It was about progress. The program respected my time, challenged my thinking, and gave me tools I could apply the same day. I didn’t need to hit pause on my company—or my life—to earn this degree. That flexibility, paired with a cost that didn’t require donor appeals or board votes, made it the right move.
I graduated in October 2023 with a 3.80 GPA—no capstone theatrics, just consistent effort and practical learning that stacked up week by week.
Final Thoughts for Fellow Professionals
If you’ve been sitting on the fence about going back to school—or wondering if an MBA is even worth it anymore—here’s what I’ll say:
You don’t need an MBA to be successful.
But if you want one to grow, to fill the gaps, to level up on your own terms—LSUS made that possible for me.
It wasn’t flashy.
It wasn’t expensive.
And it worked.
Questions about the program? Curious if it’s right for your path? I’m always happy to connect with others considering the same leap.
From Automation to Augmentation: How Generative AI is Changing Nonprofit Leadership
Ten years ago, I was using Zapier to duct-tape my nonprofit tech stack together. Stripe handled donations, Trello kept our roadmap alive, and Slack became our nervous system. Every app had a job. My job was to make them talk to each other—and not break anything in the process.
That DIY digital infrastructure helped me run lean, scale programs, and engage donors with minimal overhead. But it had limits.
Today, as a nonprofit executive in the age of generative AI, I’m no longer just automating tasks—I’m augmenting thinking.
And that’s a massive shift.
From Workflows to Thought Partners
Zapier and similar tools were built to move data between platforms. Generative AI, by contrast, helps move ideas forward. It doesn’t just connect systems; it complements human reasoning. It drafts, suggests, rewrites, brainstorms, summarizes, and learns from context.
When I first started out, writing donor emails meant opening a blank document and hoping inspiration struck. Today, I can feed AI a campaign goal, past donor copy, and a tone reference—and get a rough draft that sounds 80% like me. Then I make it 100%. That first draft doesn’t just save time—it gets me thinking faster.
The same applies to board updates, social posts, grant proposals, and even blog posts like this one. I’m not outsourcing creativity; I’m accelerating it.
AI Doesn’t Replace the Human—it Amplifies the Hustle
In the nonprofit world, we’re used to doing more with less. We’re also used to skepticism—of new platforms, shiny tools, and anything that promises magic. Generative AI isn’t magic. It’s leverage.
Here’s how I use it in my day-to-day:
Drafting messages and letters to donors, funders, and partners
Summarizing meetings or research into action items or decisions
Rewriting internal docs to match tone, reduce jargon, or clarify expectations
Prototyping ideas before bringing in designers or consultants
Creating templates for fundraisers, board members, or volunteers
Compare that to 2014, when my biggest breakthrough was getting Mailchimp to automatically tag someone based on a Stripe donation. That’s not to diminish that work—it was necessary, and it worked. But AI brings a new layer: insight generation, not just workflow execution.
What Hasn’t Changed: The Need for Good Judgment
No matter how fast the tech evolves, the role of the nonprofit executive is still to lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose. AI won’t tell you how to navigate a community crisis. It won’t replace the board meeting where big strategy decisions get hashed out. And it won’t feel the weight of a parent calling you for help after a new diagnosis.
But what it can do is give you more space—mental, emotional, and operational—to show up where it matters most.
That’s the opportunity.
A Final Thought: Curiosity is the New Superpower
I never set out to be a “Chief Automation Officer.” I just wanted to build things that worked. Generative AI is just the next evolution of that mindset.
If you’re a nonprofit leader and you’re curious—even just a little—about how this tech might help you serve better, work faster, or think more clearly, lean in. Start small. Use it for that email you’ve been avoiding. Try summarizing that 10-page grant report.
You might be surprised at what you unlock.
And who knows? In another ten years, we may look back at today’s tools with the same fondness I have for Zapier and Slack. But right now, in this moment, we have a chance to redefine what it means to lead with both heart and horsepower.
Fifteen Years Later: From Intern to CEO, and Still Fighting Cancer Like Hell
Fifteen years ago, I stepped into the world of cancer advocacy as a college senior—just a kid trying to find purpose in the middle of uncertainty. My internship with the I’m Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation wasn’t just a way to finish school—it was the start of a lifelong commitment to a cause that would come to define much of my life’s work.
Back then, young adult cancer wasn’t even a conversation. There were no roadmaps, no big campaigns, and certainly no dedicated community for people in their teens, 20s, and 30s who were dealing with something as complex and life-altering as cancer. But I found myself surrounded by people who were not only living it—they were demanding change. That urgency, that defiance, lit a fire in me.
After graduation, I joined forces with a few brave souls and co-founded Stupid Cancer, building what would become one of the loudest, most irreverent, and impactful movements in young adult oncology. We didn’t have money or infrastructure. What we had was a bold name, a relentless work ethic, and a message that resonated: You are not alone.
I helped build the backend of the business. Websites. The store. Contributing to event logistics. The podcast. The merch. The fundraising platforms. If it touched a system, I had my fingerprints on it. I didn’t know then that I was helping build a startup disguised as a nonprofit. We went from zero to millions in donations. We traveled the country—yes, all 50 states—meeting patients, telling stories, and shaking loose the stigma that cancer was only for the old or the very young. We made survivorship mainstream. We made noise. We made it personal.
And then it got personal.
In 2005, just before all of this began, my dad was diagnosed with stage 2b testicular cancer. I was 18. He was 50. I watched my family walk the same tightrope so many of the people I would later meet were walking—fear, hope, confusion, gratitude. His diagnosis interrupted my prom, graduation, and the beginning of adulthood. But it also gave me my why. I didn’t realize it at the time, but everything I built from that point forward was for him—and for everyone who ever had to navigate that road without a map.
In 2016, I accepted the challenge of leading the Testicular Cancer Foundation as CEO, which brought me from New York City to Austin. Coming full circle—from a scared son to a seasoned advocate, from startup scrappy to scaling impact—has been nothing short of surreal. TCF is small but mighty. We raise awareness for a disease that is both highly treatable and tragically overlooked. We educate. We fund programs. We talk about balls—loudly and often. Because early detection saves lives, and silence helps no one.
This milestone—15 years—isn’t just a marker of time. It’s a reminder that advocacy isn’t a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s a relay. And I’ve had the incredible privilege of running multiple legs of this race.
I’m not done yet. There’s more to build. More to disrupt. More to say. But today, I’m pausing to look back with gratitude—for the people I’ve met, the teams I’ve led, the lives we’ve impacted, and the purpose that keeps pulling me forward.
Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this ride.
Here’s to the next 15.
The Chief Automation Officer
I signed up for Zapier on March 5, 2014. I was Chief Operating Officer at Stupid Cancer at the time. Back then, I couldn't tell you what a cloud computing stack was, but I had one, and Zapier unlocked many doors and flipped on many light switches for me, professionally.
Three months after joining Zapier, Slack hit the market, and I was off to the races with automation. Suddenly every business data point was funneling into Slack as it quickly became the brain of Stupid Cancer. I have blogged in the past about Slack, so I will avoid doing that here. As a result, Slack dinged all day long at Stupid Cancer, and it still does in my various current roles.
When Wade Foster, Zapier CEO, posted this on LinkedIn, I felt seen:
Without realizing it, I have spent most of the past decade becoming a well-tuned Chief Automation Officer. It’s subtly been the hallmark of my career.
One of my favorite byproducts of automation is just how amazed people are at the very nature of it. There is little budget or margin of error for trying things out in the nonprofit world, especially with fundraising tools. Most fundraising platforms are awful and siphon much-needed funds out of charities to line their pockets. They would argue that they make it possible for nonprofits to be successful, and that's a debate I would love to have. I digress. People are amazed when you connect multiple apps, and data moves around 24/7.
With Zapier, we could suddenly do more than our out-of-the-box fundraising platform could do alone. I was not left wanting seven features and having to settle for four. I could have it all.
I didn't need to export donors and import them into Mailchimp.
I didn't need to watch my email for Stripe donations; I could get a Slack notification.
I didn't need to create a to-do list task manually; Zapier took care of it.
My pivot to the private sector has created more meaningful automation opportunities in recent years. Now operating a membership-based company, my automation is focused on moving people through different states, such as lead, contact, active member, and former member. These states affect how we interact with you and your place in our cloud stack.
I wish I could say I spent a lot of time making flow charts and thinking about the end-to-end journey of my data. The reality, though, is most of my Zaps are born out of acute necessity and team inspiration. Perhaps one day, I’ll start keeping notes.
One consideration when running through the paces of creating automation is where Zapier fits alongside an app’s internal workflow system. Zoho Campaigns comes to mind in this example. I might use Zapier to get you from Facebook Leads to a Zoho Campaigns Mailing list with additional information. Still, I will let Zoho Campaigns read your contact record and qualify you for an email workflow. Keeping track of these relationships is essential so you don’t create loops or unforeseen automatic enrollment.
Automation can be daunting if you don’t know where to start. Services like Upwork have professionals for hire on a short-term basis to get you started. Once you start seeing what’s possible and connecting the dots between your workflows and cloud apps, you’ll get back those wasted hours doing things manually.