The Nonprofit Show Can Mindset and a Soccer Ball Change a Child’s Future?
What happens when a kid who scribbles “play soccer at Ohio State” in kindergarten actually does it—and then decides his story shouldn’t be the exception? That question sits at the center of this episode with Channing Chasten, professional athlete and founder of The One Percent Kid Foundation.
From the start, Channing describes a childhood shaped by two steady forces: the soccer pitch and a mother who refused to let academics trail behind. Homework came first, the ball came second. Years later, that same mix of discipline and imagination is now driving a nonprofit built on three pillars: soccer, literacy, and mindset.
Channing explains why he believes in the power of tiny, consistent gains instead of giant leaps. As he puts it, “If you break it down into a small step, you realize starting is the easy part.” That simple idea—1% better every day—guides everything from his youth programs to his fundraising strategy.
We follow his journey through literacy camps where reading comes before drills, turning books into the ticket to soccer practice. He shares what he’s learning about plummeting reading scores, the heartbreaking link between third-grade literacy and incarceration, and why his team expanded from early grades to high schoolers who have already fallen behind.
The story widens as he walks through how he built a board full of nonprofit veterans and soccer leaders, deliberately choosing people who know both the sport and the sector. Their mentoring shapes his ambitions: building a national model starting in Arizona, creating mindset workshops in schools, and eventually launching a scholarship fund for under-resourced students who come through the program.
Along the way, we glimpse the grind behind the dream: chasing grants, securing a city award from Chandler, collecting impact data, filming quality videos so donors can actually see the work, and constantly revisiting big revenue targets in six- and twelve-month windows.
By the end, The One Percent Kid isn’t just a catchy name—it feels like an invitation to kids, donors, and communities to believe that small, steady progress can rewrite a life story.
00:00:00 Welcome introduction to Channing Chasten
00:01:05 What is The One Percent Kid Foundation
00:03:04 Why 1 percent progress matters for big goals
00:04:41 Mission soccer literacy and mindset explained
00:06:34 How reading becomes the ticket to play
00:07:31 Expanding from early grades to high school students
00:10:07 Building a nonprofit board with real sector experience
00:13:20 Learning from mentors and planning for sustainability
00:15:22 Literacy first or soccer first what donors care about
00:16:53 Showing impact through video data and testimonials
00:19:45 Big long term vision for The One Percent Kid
00:24:26 The One Percent Kid book school visits and SEL
00:27:01 Where to find Channing and final mindset message
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