304: Balancing the Head and the Heart as a Nonprofit Leader (Eric Newman)

SUMMARY

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Armstrong McGuire & Associates. Check them out for your next career opportunity OR for help finding an interim executive or your next leader.

How do you sustain the passion that fuels your nonprofit mission while ensuring long-term financial and operational success? In episode 304 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, you’ll hear from Eric Newman, a nonprofit leader who turned personal adversity into a powerful movement, scaling an organization from a grassroots fundraiser to a national force for pediatric cancer support. Learn how he navigated the critical balance between mission-driven passion and business-minded strategy, built a sustainable fundraising model, and leveraged corporate partnerships for impact. He shares hard-earned lessons on overcoming early financial struggles, the importance of adaptability, and why "marrying the mission, not the model" is key to longevity.

ABOUT ERIC

Eric Newman is a passionate entrepreneur, speaker and visionary leader. A childhood cancer survivor, he founded Roc Solid Foundation in 2009, a nonprofit that builds hope for kids fighting the same battle throughout the U.S. Roc Solid partners with over 100 children’s hospitals to gift Ready Bags to families just after diagnosis, and they’ve provided thousands of play sets for children throughout the country who need a safe place to play and a reason to smile. As a best-selling author and guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Eric’s story continues to inspire people who are looking for ways to turn their pain from past experiences into their life’s passion.

EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES

Ready for your next leadership opportunity? Visit our partners at Armstrong McGuire
The Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All by John Gordon
10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
Have you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector –

God's Son in Our Wilderness (Mark 1:1-13)