If you’re a nonprofit leader looking to shake up the way you connect and collaborate, then this is the episode for you. I chat with Topher Wilkins, CEO of Opportunity Collaboration (OC), as he shares his journey of building a global community of leaders working to create positive change.

Topher also discusses the importance of understanding what people need, disrupting industry norms, and building a strong community collaborative. Plus, he shares how he’s navigating the transition to community ownership. This is a fantastic episode, especially for introverted nonprofit leaders seeking deeper connections with peers!

About Topher

Topher has been hosting people in collaborative environments for the purpose of social change for two decades. His purpose is to convene and connect nonprofit leaders, for-profit social entrepreneurs, grant-makers, impact investors, and all other agents of positive change, thereby building the ecosystem for the social sector and creating greater opportunities for international social and economic justice.

Read the podcast transcript here.

Episode Summary

In this episode, you’ll learn strategies for creating collaborative environments, including:

Topher’s biggest inspiration (5:40)
Understanding what people need and shaping a community around it (10:30)
Building a global community of people who are building sustainable solutions to poverty (15:15)
Disrupting the industry (21:35)
The impact of building a strong community-based collaborative environment (24:00)
The transition to community ownership (34:40)

Teasers

“What happens is that it's actually beautiful for somebody who's an introvert because you have opportunities to form deeper connections.”

“We're just ready for a new way of bringing people together a new convening model, especially coming out of the pandemic where a lot of us are craving those in-person moments to form those relationships. It feels like an industry that's ripe for disruption.”

“No matter who we are, where we come from, how we get to the O.C., or the work we do, we are all human beings, first and foremost. And sometimes that means being parents and bringing the kiddos with us.”

Resources

Opportunity Collaboration (OC) website: https://ocimpact.com/

Connect with Topher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/topherwilkins/

The Best Tools for an Efficient & Prosperous Nonprofit: https://100degreesconsulting.com/tools/

Keep up to date with the podcast: @100degreesconsulting

Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie.skry/

Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieskryzowski/

Visit the podcast page: https://100degreesconsulting.com/collaborative-environments

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