How I Architected a Charity Organization & Will Run It Like a Business
Preliminary outline of my draft plan for creators, freelancers, and entrepreneurs empowered by the Substack network
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Dear Subscribers,
I wrote this article to share my thoughts and plans to inform and inspire you. In this post, wearing my content strategist hat, I will present my personal case study to illustrate why a philanthropic leader must think and lead like a business leader based on my experience and observations. I wrote this story to offer thought leadership and inspire readers to consider charitable activities using their business experiences.
Many wealthy business leaders I met engaged in philanthropic activities in their professional and personal lives. I studied such leaders and learned about the symbiotic relationship between business and philanthropy.
Business and philanthropy are two distinct modes of delivering services to the public, yet they intersect meaningfully. Most profit-oriented businesses support non-profit charity organizations, which can, in turn, support businesses directly or indirectly.
For those who don’t know me, I worked in the corporate world for 42 years, retiring in 2021. Despite retiring from usual business, I feel biologically younger and mentally sharper as I get older. I am driven by a passion to continue working with the freedom to help others by channeling my energy effectively.
With a strong academic, scientific research, technology, invention, innovation, and collaboration background, I developed comprehensive business skills and leadership abilities during my four decades of work in various industries in large business organizations. I have no fear of failure and use it as a growth opportunity.
My top skills are problem-solving, communication, and architecting businesses using design thinking principles. For those unfamiliar with design thinking, I have two simplified stories that might give you some background if you are a writer or an artistic creator.
How Writers Can Attract More Readers by Using Design Thinking Principles
How Artists Can Attract More Fans by Using Design Thinking Principles
Combining these core skills, I established a charity organization for content developers, and I plan to run it like a business, leveraging five years of altruistic community-building experience from a writing platform that provided no (or limited) financial benefits to the community members. My goal is to change this and empower community members with my leadership.
I know that creators struggle with marketing and selling, so I want to ease their pain by using the power of a charity organization and running it like a business for optimal outcomes.
In the modern business world and this economic climate, failing fast and cheap is an optimal business approach. With insights from these so-called failures, I have drafted a business plan that I’d like to share transparently as an information, education, and inspiration tool.
Transparency, open communication, and healthy dialogue are the foundations of sustainable relationships in the business world. My research and experiments show that secrecy and fear of feedback can hinder long-term survival and growth. I use data and experiments to make solid decisions. I cherish positive feedback and welcome negative criticism to use it as a growth tool.
Humility to accept failures, openness to feedback, and the ability to agree to disagree are invaluable values for any business.
In this post, I will share my thoughts and draft plans for supporting creators, freelancers, and entrepreneurs through a charity organization founded with great minds and collaborators from my circles.
Some of my team members prefer public recognition, while others choose to remain anonymous due to their circumstances. Personally, I prefer to be public, as I believe in the power of openness and mutual trust. Trust opens all doors, while mistrust closes them.
What is a Charity Organization, and Why Does it Need a Commercial Arm?
A charity organization is a non-profit entity that serves the public good and addresses personal, social, environmental, and humanitarian issues. These organizations rely on donations, grants, and volunteers to carry out their missions, providing essential services and support to those in need.
There are millions of charity organizations globally depending on external funds and support. Over the past 40 years, I have dedicated myself to charity organizations in various capacities: as a volunteer worker, board member, fundraiser, and leader. For instance, my recent involvement with a writing/reading community has been a testament to this commitment.
For the last five years, my community has operated as a charity organization, relying on the contributions of like-minded volunteers, including content developers who passionately serve on the writing platform.
Why charity organizations need a commercial arm.
In today’s economic climate, securing funding from external sources such as governments or the private sector has become increasingly difficult.
Government budgets are often stretched thin, prioritizing essential services and leaving less available for grants and subsidies to charitable organizations.
Similarly, private sector donations are frequently directed toward high-profile causes or initiatives that offer substantial publicity and recognition, making it challenging for smaller or lesser-known charities to compete for these limited funds.
For example, during economic downturns, companies might cut back on their philanthropic budgets to maintain their core operations, further reducing the pool of available funding.
My Primary Reasons for Creating a Commercial Arm
A commercial arm equips a charity organization with the financial stability, flexibility, and resources needed to amplify its impact and fulfill its mission more effectively. It ensures the charity can continue to serve and support those in need, regardless of external economic conditions. I will briefly explain these key points.
While donations and grants are crucial, they can be unpredictable. A commercial arm provides a steady and reliable source of income, ensuring the charity can continue its work even during economic downturns.
With a stable financial base, charities can plan long-term projects and initiatives, making a more significant impact. Revenue generated from commercial activities can be reinvested into the charity, expanding its programs and services.
A commercial arm allows charities to invest in innovative solutions and scale their operations to reach more people in need. By generating their own income, charities can reduce their dependency on external funding sources, gaining greater control over their activities and priorities.
Financial independence allows charities to respond more quickly and effectively to emerging needs and opportunities. Commercial ventures can create employment opportunities within the community, contributing to economic development and social well-being.
By offering products or services, charities can engage supporters in new ways, building stronger relationships and a more robust community network.
Key Components of My Approach
Vision and Strategic Roadmap
I have developed a roadmap with a clear vision for the next five and ten years, focusing on growth, impact, and sustainability. This roadmap includes strategic milestones to guide us in empowering creators, freelancers, and entrepreneurs across different business tiers. I created this roadmap by surveying around 50,000 subscribers from the business world.
To support this vision, I established an initial leadership and management plan by inviting experienced professionals from various industries with diverse expertise. They have generously agreed to donate their valuable time, sharing a similar altruistic approach to life. Most of these individuals are retired professionals committed to making meaningful contributions to the lives of others.
Operational Framework and Feedback Mechanism
I also drafted an operational framework based on design thinking principles, ensuring we remain responsive, adaptive, and innovative. The operational plan will be executed by dedicated professionals with diverse backgrounds and expertise.
I have developed feedback mechanisms, including regular surveys, interviews, and open forums, to gather input from our community and continuously improve our services.
Baseline and Growth Estimate
Two weeks ago, our baseline was 100,000 free subscribers. My vision is to increase this number to one million within the next 12 months by dedicating 80% of my time to orchestrating the activities of all stakeholders.
We aim to achieve a yearly growth goal of one million subscribers, reaching 10 million in the next ten years. This may seem ambitious, but a feasibility analysis of our collective capabilities, including both volunteer and commercial efforts supported by professional marketers and data scientists, shows this goal is quite conservative.
Team Building and Financial Support
In upcoming bulletins, I will introduce our team members, share their backgrounds, and outline their roles.
In terms of financial support, I personally donate all my income from writing, books, and patents to this initiative. Additionally, nine founding members have generously donated, allowing us to hire two part-time administrators and one full-time marketer to grow the business, focusing on increasing subscriptions.
We are committed to creating an environment where creativity flourishes, and every voice is heard and valued. We believe in the power of collaboration and the synergistic strength of our community to drive meaningful change.
Summary of My Service Definitions
In this section, I will briefly introduce my service definitions on the indicative three tiers in a draft format based on the first survey of 100K subscribers.
I drew the following diagram to indicate the current subscription model based on three tiers with groups of subscribers and percentages in three implementation phases.
Definitions of Creators, Freelancers, and Entrepreneurs
A creator produces content for joy and personal satisfaction, often without expecting financial gains, and may only seek to cover the cost of platform membership. For example, a writer who pays $5 or $15 to Medium or $9 to Vocal Media fits this description.
A freelancer generates a steady income from their content. This could include writing stories on platforms like Medium, NewsBreak, or Vocal, self-publishing books, creating videos, podcasts, webinars, or developing educational programs.
An entrepreneur goes beyond freelancing by scaling their business to reach a broader audience, leveraging the skills of other freelancers to expand their operations.
Here is a summary of how I designed these roles in a charity organization to run it as a business for sustainability, addressing the needs of three groups.
Tier 1: Free Services for Creators
Run by volunteers, the ILLUMINATION Library for Freelance Writers has been free for the past five years and will remain freely accessible to all members at no charge.
According to my recent pilot survey of around 100K subscribers, 75% of subscribers are interested in free services, though some are willing to upgrade once they see the value of other tiers when we publish.
Our newsletters inform members about the latest trends, tips, and opportunities in the writing community. Receive updates from our publications and editorial notices, including new writer introductions, bios, interviews, and curated collections prepared by volunteers.
Writers can post stories in our new Medium publication, introducing their newsletters, websites, blogs, books, training resources, and other assets in story format.
To clarify, content on Medium should appeal to a broad audience without overt advertisement. It is acceptable for writers to introduce their services, but it should be done in a story or article format.
We aim to nurture an environment where creativity and knowledge can thrive with community support. By providing these free services, we believe we can help writers grow and succeed, ultimately enhancing the richness of our community.
By adhering to platform guidelines and offering free resources, we will use a publication where writers can connect, learn, and share their stories with a broad audience. Below is the link to the initial submission guidelines.
Invitation: ILLUMINATION Curators on Substack Publication on Medium
Tier 2: Extended Subscription Service for Freelancers on Substack
If you are a creator and don’t want to earn income from your content through the newsletter, you might not need this story and enjoy our free services, which we will continue to support.
However, freelancing is a solo business, often daunting for many creators who excel in their craft but fear marketing and selling. However, to survive and thrive as a freelancer, marketing and selling are essential skills.
To support these freelancers, we offer an optional $5 monthly subscription service designed to empower freelancers through professional marketing assistance.
In addition to the extended subscription service benefits, subscribers will also enjoy all the free services offered in Tier 1, including monthly newsletters, editorial bulletins, and a platform for self-promotion.
By combining professional marketing with our free services, freelancers will receive comprehensive support to enhance their visibility, credibility, and business growth on multiple platforms.
I will summarize the key offerings and benefits.
This is a high-level presentation for my story, but this tier will be clearly defined when my plan is executed. At a $5 per month subscription, this service will offer an affordable way to access targeted marketing support at a small fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time marketer or agency.
This service will alleviate the marketing burden, allowing creators to focus on their craft while professionals handle the promotion. Our marketers will design personalized strategies to suit the unique needs of each freelancer, ensuring maximum impact and reach.
For example, marketers will promote Substak newsletters or other freelancing resources of creators in my multiple channels using their extensive networks, including influencers, paid advertisements, bloggers, YouTubers, and other resources to boost visibility and generate leads.
Our thought leaders will publish guiding articles, stories, and case studies for freelancers at least four times monthly. We will create a knowledge repository that will be contributed by all interested members.
I will donate my premium content for content development and marketing strategies to this library as a giveback activity. Several of my mentors and proteges are also willing to do that.
For our writers on Medium, we will hire an administrator to resolve additional issues via a helpdesk and will assist with expedited publishing of their stories as a priority, especially for time-sensitive content. Currently, our pubs are managed by volunteers.
While we cannot increase the number of volunteers in pubs, the number of writers significantly increases. For example, we manage an ILLUMINATION publication supporting 30K+ writers with only 30 restricted editors.
To get these benefits, you can subscribe to one of the following newsletters.
ILLUMINATION Library for Freelance Writers | Substack
ILLUMINATION Writing Academy | Substack (We will commission this service in the next phase for additional services for freelancers and entrepreneurs.)
Tier 3: Premium Subscription Service for Entrepreneurs
During my initial survey, I discovered that some freelancers aspire to scale their businesses into entrepreneurial ventures. These people aim to transition from solo work to managing content creation businesses by hiring ghostwriters, editors, app developers, virtual assistants, educational material developers, and coaches.
To make this service accessible, we offer an affordable founding member price for aspiring entrepreneurs. This subscription tier includes all the benefits of the previous two tiers plus additional premium services designed to facilitate business growth and expansion.
Premium Subscription Offerings:
Comprehensive Business Support: This tier will cater to professionals such as a medical doctor looking to expand their clinic network, a teacher wanting to hire additional tutors, a lawyer aiming to open new branches, and an author who uses ghostwriting services. Our services will support these ambitious entrepreneurs by providing the tools and guidance needed to scale their businesses effectively.
Extended Marketing Services: Subscribers will benefit from advanced marketing strategies and resources, including personalized campaigns and access to a broader network of influencers, bloggers, and other promotional channels.
Business Guidance and Curated Content: We will provide tailored business advice through curated content from industry leaders. This guidance helps entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of scaling a specific business, ensuring they have the knowledge and support to succeed.
Networking Opportunities: Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals through communication tools such as Slack, Discord, and WhatsApp. These platforms facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mutual support among members.
Integrated Services: Our platform will integrate communication, publishing, and advertising services, making it easy for entrepreneurs to manage their businesses efficiently. Contributions from premium members will enable us to invest in a professionally managed, integrated platform.
Tailored Social Media Platforms: We will invest in specialized social media platforms such as Quora Spaces, Reddit Communities, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups, and Twitter. These platforms will provide targeted exposure and engagement opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Gradual Extension to Specialized Websites: Over time, we will expand our presence to multiple specialized websites, ensuring comprehensive support and visibility for our members.
Update on Pilot Initiative Progress
We started the pilot program two weeks ago, posting one newsletter in the first week and two newsletters in the second week. To give you an example, without any external marketing, here is a graphical illustration of the subscription progress on our dashboard as of today.
We plan to post four newsletters monthly for steady growth as Substack has a new algorithm bringing new subscribers from the app and through their social media tool, which is called Substack Notes. The sharp increase last week started after posting two newsletters empowered by the new algorithm.
Conclusions and Takeaways
As a content strategist, I have compiled this draft to give you a glimpse into my thinking process. I want to share insights and ideas from my experiences and observations, hoping to inform, educate, and inspire fellow content developers and marketers.
My goal with this case study is not to convince you to join any specific tier of my service. Instead, I present you with options and invite you to consider what option might best suit your writing career. We are all different, with varying goals, expectations, and capabilities.
Humans have always thrived in communities, as we all need others to flourish. Therefore, being part of a community can be valuable in any profession. There are numerous philanthropic and commercial communities for various work groups, and writers and readers need communities, too. I want to create a sustainable one for writers.
Beyond inviting you to join a community, my aim is to raise awareness about the importance of owning your content and audience. Ultimately, I want to encourage you to build your own platform and supplement it with publicly available or subscription-based services.
This approach can help you achieve a steady income as a freelancer or make a meaningful difference in your life and the lives of others as an entrepreneur.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
I wrote numerous stories about writing and content strategy to guide new writers. You may find some relevant ones from the attached list. I will distill all these stories in my Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights soon.
Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategy Guides
To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. Some of my topics include brain, mental health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, including 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years.
I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA and share distilled versions on SUBSTACK. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 30K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories. Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium. This story was also shared on Substack.
Get an email whenever Dr Mehmet Yildiz publishes. He is a top writer and editor on Medium.
dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
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