Nonprofit Leadership: Friday Night Lights… and Monday Morning Plumbing

I love football season. As we gear up for the big kickoffs this weekend, I can’t help but think how much being an Executive Director feels like playing quarterback and coach—while also fixing the scoreboard during halftime.

After 15 years in high-level corporate roles—senior positions in banking and at a global cosmetics company—I thought I knew what tough looked like. But nothing compares to the nonprofit hustle.

In the for-profit world, if something breaks, you call a department:

• HR issue? Call HR.

• Tech crisis? IT’s on it.

• Sales slump? Leadership frowns, but the lights stay on.

  
  

In the nonprofit world? You are HR. And IT. And sales. And sometimes, the janitor—before 10 a.m. Didn’t hit your fundraising goal? That’s payroll on the line. Water heater breaks? Grab a mop and a smile—you’re up.

Yet somehow, there's a persistent myth in the private sector that nonprofit leaders “don’t have the chops” for business. Let me be clear: running a nonprofit is running a small business—with max accountability, minimum resources, and more hats than an NFL sidelines crew.

And here’s the real kicker: I’ve watched too many talented nonprofit leaders burn out—not from a lack of passion, but from doing everything alone, for a fraction of what they'd earn elsewhere.

So if you really want to support your favorite nonprofit, start here:

• If you're on the board—support your Executive Director.

• If you're coasting—step aside for someone who’s ready to get in the game.

• If you care—show up with more than a check. Bring your skills. Your network. Your time.

  
  

Nonprofit leaders aren’t just tough. They’re superheroes.