BlackWomenWork

Hi, Raychl! Thank you for doing this. So what do you do and how would you describe it to a layperson?

I’m a philanthropy consultant with my own business, Speigner Grant Solutions. In short, I help and educate nonprofits on how to raise money. Recently I started another business, Philanthropy Impact Strategies, focused on sports philanthropy where I work primarily with athletes’ foundations.

You don’t see many black women in philanthropy. How did you get into this space?

Well, first I worked in the athletic development department in college. While there, I was exposed to the role major donors played in collegiate sports. Also, my major in undergrad was sports and leisure humanities, and so I interned with the community relations office working with sports teams, which I really enjoyed. Then once I graduated college, I worked at another college and got into higher education philanthropy, writing grants, etcetera.

What made this work appealing to you?

I loved the community relations team I interned with in college and they loved me. (laughs) I had actually gone to school to be a sports agent but then I fell in love with community affairs work. I realized the impact nonprofits had, and I wanted to be a part of that.

And how would you describe the impact you’re seeking to have?

I want more organizations and nonprofits to be impactful in their work. Tracking metrics, evaluating their data, making sure they remain in service of their mission and maximizing their work. I want to ensure they’re well positioned to serve the community. I consider this both a personal and professional impact I’m seeking to make -- they definitely tie into one another.

There’s a thread I’m hearing, which is that you’re very driven by doing good. Why is it important for you to focus on mission-oriented work?

It goes back to my first internship. Seeing the impact players had on kids and the community. How the faces of kids would light up when their favorite athlete surprised the class with bookbags, or visited to read a book to them. It completely changed the attitudes of the kids for that moment, and it’s something they will remember forever. And so I got to see the potential impact directly and that is really where I started thinking, I could do this.

How do you feel you’re well-suited to do what you do?

I’ve worked in both nonprofit and sports industries, which gives me a very unique skill set that not many have. I know what it takes to fundraise and make an impactful statement, and I use that to help players build out their programming within their nonprofits or foundations. I educate them on fundraising.

Is there anyone you consider an inspiration?

My family in general. I come from a family of strong women. And as a whole, my family really pushed the importance of education. I think also as an entrepreneur, it’s great because my mom understands and supports me finding other ways to make money besides a traditional “9 to 5”. My job isn’t a standard set up, and I feel really lucky that I have a family that gets that and can see the value in me doing something in a different way. So, yeah, they’re my biggest inspiration.

You’ve just touched on another aspect of what you do, which is entrepreneurship. What was it like to start your own business?

It was easy at first because I was planning it while still working at my old “9 to 5”, so by the time I was ready to start my own business, I had already laid a lot of the foundation. I started planning it out as far back as 2015 but wasn’t anticipating that I’d be a full-time consultant until some years later. But in 2017, I started to feel that my previous job wasn’t a good fit anymore, and I left. I wasn’t ready to start a job search because that’s a whole process in itself, and since I’d been planning my business on the side for at least a couple of years by that point, it just made sense for me to jump into it full-time.

Once I had started my business, marketing myself was the hardest part. In my first year, most of my clients were referrals. Once I needed to build my clientele, I got out there and I was like, “Oh, I don’t know how to do this.” It felt like I was starting my business all over again. It was also a lot about shifting my mindset, and walking into a room or an event and showing people your value. That was one of the biggest challenges I had to overcome. I’m coming up on my two-year anniversary and I still feel like I’m working to determine the best events to attend, how to make new connections. I do wish I had worked to build those skills earlier.

Speaking of what you might have done differently, what advice would you give someone looking to start their own business?

Try to cut your personal expenses as much as you can. You definitely can’t live life the same way as when you had a “9-5,” I’m going to be honest. (laughs) I was trying to live that same lifestyle and you just can’t.

You should feel okay to cut back on services if you get to a point where you realize you have a broad set of offerings. Remember that you can always subcontract services out, too, if you don’t have the bandwidth or expertise to provide a particular service a client might want.

I would definitely suggest getting an accountant. They can help you plan your expenses, anticipate tax issues. In any new business, there are months where you may not have income, so having an accountant help you budget in a way where you can be okay when that happens is so important.

Also, trust your gut. If you’re on a call with a prospective client and it doesn’t feel right, go with that feeling. It’s probably not a good fit. Just like in an interview, a red flag is a red flag. Every opportunity isn’t going to be for you.

Those are great tips. Let’s close on a high note. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Launching Philanthropy Impact Strategies. I love working for nonprofits, but sports philanthropy is what I went to school for. I just launched and I’m excited. It’s something I have talked about since 2011. I keep looking at my website. I can’t believe it’s real! And of course my second proudest accomplishment is my other business, Speigner Grant Solutions. It feels good just knowing that I can do anything if I put my mind to it.

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