Tony Bradshaw, Nashvillian, father and successful financial coach, has been using his aptitude for leadership to help nonprofits discover success.
Tony has lent a hand to many different organizations. He served on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Technology Council, a nonprofit that aims to create a collaborative and innovative tech community in Tennessee. He volunteered, with his children, at OneGenAway, an organization that gathers non-sellable food items from grocery stores and restaurants, and redistributes them to families in need. Currently, he is serving on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Christian Chamber of Commerce, a faith-based organization with the purpose of advancing common business interests for other faith based businesses and nonprofits, and creating connection and synergy between those businesses and nonprofits.
In our interview, Tony expressed that from a young age, without knowing, he exuded leadership qualities. “I just found myself–always–in situations where I had some ability to exert some level of leadership,” he explains, “I think for me that is kind of my calling.”
This is true in his professional life, and in his volunteer work. With the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, though this organization was able to stay open through Covid, the organization needed help. It needed to be brought back to life. Tony worked with the CEO in order to build a new board of directors, get some marketing in place, and strategize for the future of the nonprofit. “A lot of organizations are built on heart,” he says, “so when you get into nonprofits and community groups, they have a lot of heart, but not necessarily a direction, or strategy, or plan on how to fulfill that mission.” Tony has tried to bring traditional business structure into the Tennessee Christian Chamber of Commerce. Though nonprofits are not meant to create revenue, it is important to have structures in place in order for nonprofits to serve their missions.
When it comes to volunteering, Tony suggests that you find something that is meaningful to you, and then carve out time for it. “We’re all really busy…even in the busyness that we have…you can always give a little something of yourself…it could help a lot.” With nonprofits, a little goes a very long way. Tony explains that he also looks at the world in terms of energy. “We all have energy to put out,” he says, “where are we directing that energy towards…? It is going towards social media…? I think that changes the discussion.” For any nonprofit to succeed, it takes a certain amount of energy. Tony has used this mindset in the business world, and thinks it applies to volunteering, whether one is volunteering on an individual scale, or a group is creating a nonprofit on a larger scale.
Finally, Tony says that the best thing you can do as a person is personal growth. Learn and continue learning. “If you are becoming a person of growth, you will also meet people of growth…the more you congregate…you will have an impact.” With that, keep learning as much as you can everyday.
To hear more about Tony, listen to his interview on our Podcast.
