Nonprofit Work is a Lot Like Farming - Who Knew?

In 2001 I was working for a non-profit agency as an administrative assistant. Not too stressful, predictable hours, the adoration of everyone in the office when I fixed the copier jam for the 20^th time that day, and able to spend a lot of my time putting together craft project like giveaways to recognize the volunteers that the development staff worked with. Pretty smooth gig.

Then, in 2008, I decided to upset everything and join the ranks of the development crew in this same nonprofit agency. Looking around every corner for the next funding opportunity, hearing the word “no” more times than I like to count, working obscene hours and driving for miles – it was a fun job but after so many “no’s” I started to despise what I was doing. A few more hops and skips with some other nonprofit agencies in the development field and I entered doing database work for yet another agency.

That lasted a whole three and a half years behind a desk. I missed being out in the community and doing “boots on the ground” work, but I didn’t want to hear the word “no” again. So, after an opportunity presented itself back in my hometown to work more closely with the clients being served – I said “yes”.

In between all of these job hopping opportunities, I started the farm and suddenly realized that the salary of a nonprofit employee doesn’t quite cover so many mouths to feed, keeping the lights on, paying the property taxes, fuel, and all of the other expenses that come with having that parcel of land in the country. Thus, Purple Shamrock Farm became a business and I started making I.P.A. Bites dog treats.

The I.P.A. Bites haven’t quite taken off as quickly as I would like, though folks who so wonderfully support me keeping saying that one day they will, but I laugh because now I hear the word “no” again just as before when I was trying to earn that almighty dollar to support the mission work of my employing agency.

Just as before though, I cannot let it get me down and I can’t let that one “no” stop me from wanting to move forward. In my previous work, Executive Directors would offer me a goal and then watch to see if I would make it or not. If I did, I was rewarded with praise and if not – offered the chance to try again and come up with an alternate plan to meet that goal. 

While I don’t have an Exec. Director to help lead me in my quest to make the farm a success, I do have my friends and family to urge me on and my own critical thinking to realize when I don’t meet the goals I have set. I still hear the word “no”, but now it’s a different mindset – one that I’m in control of and you can bet that I’m going to try my hardest to make it a success. The farm’s future depends on it.