doing good while doing well
by julie parker

It was Laura A. Webb, a local certified financial planner, who got us thinking about the topic Doing Good While Doing Well. How do we in the course of our business contribute to the community? We decided to speak with a couple of other local businesswomen to see how they "give back". We hope that their models will serve to spark ideas for you in your own business. [In a future article we'll deal with how you help those who need help by giving free or reduced services while still honoring your own needs and making sure you continue to have the cash flow you require to maintain a healthy business.]

We'll start with Laura Webb who initiated the conversation: "As women, we often struggle to balance our roles in the family, the workplace, and the community. In the midst of it all, we attempt to carve out some territory that is all our own, a place where our most important individual priorities are realized. That process requires us to answer important questions about what we want out of life and what we’re willing to do to get it.

One of the most rewarding steps I have made recently was implementing what I call a Charitable Partners Program in my work as a financial planner. The program essentially allows certain clients to support charitable and non-profit groups by donating to those organizations 15% of the fees they would normally pay me. This strategy allows me to integrate my personal goals with my professional goals in a new and rewarding way.
After several years of building my practice, turned my attention to deciding what I wanted from my life, and then determined how I should structure my business to support those goals.

My Charitable Partners Program is a product of this self-examination. It allows me to help my clients, my community and myself build a more secure future at the same time. Investors like it because they are not paying any more than they normally would, and they can make ongoing contributions to the organizations of their choice. Charities like it because they receive continuing donations, not just a one-time show of support.

That funding flow is more important to non-profits now than it has ever been. We read every day about government cuts in funding that increase financial pressure on such organizations. According to the American Association of Fund raising Counsel Trust for Philanthropy, “Today, giving by individuals and families far exceeds corporate or government support, accounting for 75% of all charitable contributions.” Without the support of community-minded individuals, many worthwhile service organizations would cease to exist.

For many years, I have been dedicated to helping investors 'do well' by achieving their financial goals, realizing their dreams and maintaining a commitment to excellence. Now I’ve enlarged that focus to include 'doing good.' It makes life better for me and, I hope, for others as well."

Laura A. Webb is a Certified Financial Planner and President of Webb Investment Services, Inc, an Investment Advisory Firm affiliated with Webb Insurance and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. She is located in Asheville, NC and can be reached at 828-252-5132 or lwebb@webbins.com.

Laurey Masterton of Laurey's Catering [laureysyum.com] told us: "As one might assume, a small business person gets a huge number of requests for contributions. People call, write, and just drop in to ask for money, gifts, advertising, and such. It can be overwhelming to try to attend to everyone and keep a business running at the same time. How does one decide what to do? Laurey’s Catering addresses the steady stream of requests in a couple of different ways: Non-profits are offered a 10% discount on catering orders. And my staff and I volunteer our time to help various organizations. But our chief strategy is novel.

Reaching a point of being inundated with requests for “just a tray of cookies” or “just a dozen sandwiches” I decided to try a different approach. Each year my staff and I select one non-profit to thank. Laurey’s Catering then cooks and serves a party that is purely a gift to the organization’s volunteers. Staff cook, serve, and even have been known to perform for the guests—generally a party of 100-200 people. The volunteers get some much-needed attention and we get the pleasure of giving a nice gift to a worthy group of people. Previous organizations have included: The Lewis Rathbun Wellness Center, Hospice, Hospitality House, The YWCA, and The Irene Wortham Center.

The problem about a platter of cookies or a dozen sandwiches is that no one benefits. We can’t keep track of it, our cookies get lost in the shuffle of all the donations, and the people who really need a gift don’t get one. Most people understand that we’re saving up for this big party and are just not going to give away bits and pieces when we can do this one large event each year. Plus, we are, in theory, a for-profit organization and it was just overwhelming to be giving so much all the time. We had to figure out an alternative method. We figure that, between this big gift and our 10% discount to non-profits, we are doing as much as we can.”

From Judy Futch of Judy Futch Consulting: "I’ve donated my services as a facilitator, consultant, or coach to my 'non-profit of the year'. This is an agency that provides great service, whose mission I’m aligned with, and has a very limited budget and who has identified that my services would be helpful. We draw up a negotiated plan for my involvement so our time together is well spent! (Helpmate of Madison, Child Advocacy Center)

I also extend myself to talk with other people who are testing the waters of self-employment —either developing a business or branching out on their own away from an organization as a free-lancer. Usually they contact me and I freely share the lessons learned from being an entrepreneur for 10 years. (This conversation can last over the course of several months almost as a coach). I’ve had great mentors—women and men I’ve called and talked with who have been readily available to me; this model of 'giving back' is critical. My good friend and mentor, Dolly Evans, President of Small Business Services in Atlanta has been my role model of a woman who is always willing to share her expertise and knowledge, and encourages others to take the plunge of self-employment, self-development and self-discovery!"

Judy Futch is active in the community as a volunteer with the YWCA (Board Member & President) and with Western Carolinas for Criminal Justice/Women at Risk (Co-Chair of Capital Campaign). You can reach her at judy@judyfutch.com.