Inside IPM: Meet Jarrett Ransom

“Inside IPM” is an ongoing series featuring the talented players who comprise the IPM Advancement team! Here you’ll learn all about the people who work behind the scenes at IPM to help nonprofits raise more money to make the world a better place. Today, we’re talking to…

Jarrett Ransom, Consultant

What first sparked your love of fundraising?
I fell in love with fundraising after participating in the Breast Cancer three-day walk with my mom several years ago. We were required to raise $2,100 and walk 60 miles. My mom agreed to walk but refused to raise her share. I agreed to take on the entire $4,200, and during this journey, I fell in love with asking people for money. Not many people can say that!

Are there experiences from your childhood that shaped you as a fundraiser?
Growing up in South Carolina and being active in my community, I knocked on neighbors’ doors. I did several years of Girl Scout cookie sales and all kind of gift wrapping, magazine subscriptions and other “crap you don’t need” to support the costs of my field trips and sporting clubs.

You grew up in a small town. What did you love the most about that?
The smell of fresh cut grass, building forts in the woods behind my home, and the sense of community within the small town. Even today, with friends that I grew up with, as some face challenging times, it’s humbling to see the outpouring of love and support from each other. That’s small home. That’s hometown humanity! Altruism at its finest.

What is your approach when working with your nonprofit clients?
I’m definitely not your typical nonprofit consultant. I bring a casual, yet professional approach to my work and I am committed to helping nonprofits find the solutions that work for them to build sustainable business models. You can often find me with my training and coaching hat on teaching other nonprofit leaders how to ignite their passion for change and ask for a donation to their cause with confidence.

Why did you choose to expand your business by teaming up with IPM Advancement?
I have chosen working with the IPM team because I believe collaboration helps us all go further. The spirit of the individuals on the team and the passion for community service is rich. I also look forward to working in a bigger way with larger nonprofits around the world.

Do you have any favorite hobbies, and can you make a recommendation for others who share your interest?
Being in nature brings me so much joy — camping, hiking, exploring new sites. Growing up in a small town and 8+ acres of land, many of it wooded acres, I naturally gravitated to exploring the outdoors. Now, it’s my place of solitude and reflection. It allows me the safety to recharge in a way that nowhere else has — not even a spa!

If you want a great read about this, I recommend The Nature Fix. It’s a great book by Florence Williams that discusses why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative.

You were a soccer player too. Are there any parallels between your experience playing soccer and nonprofit fundraising?
I was a D2 college athlete and a former soccer coach for 3-year-olds to junior college. I find that my work as a sports coach has been a great parallel to my nonprofit work in many ways. For starters, I’ve always related the parents to the board of directors. Parents provide many differences of perspective and personalities in which I was able to practice my communication with. Coaching the team and creating a strategy of success relates to the strategy consulting and goal-orientated executive coaching that I offer the C-suite executives in the nonprofit sector. Incorporating these roles was quite easy as I found each of them very relatable.

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance to ensure you can give your best in both areas?
I don’t believe in a work-life balance. Instead, I believe in a work-life blend. This helps me to ensure that I can give my best in all areas of my life. [Editor’s note: To learn more about this idea, read Jarrett’s article here.]

Is there anything else you want people to know about you?
I’m the co-host of the American Nonprofit Academy’s Nonprofit Show where I start everyday with an environmental scan of our sector. It’s a weekly show featuring nonprofit thought leaders and topics from all around the world.