8. What is the name of the one organization on the list in which you are most involved and committed? Were you invited to become involved or did you approach the organization(s) and volunteer your services? Are you paid or unpaid? On average, how many hours a month do you give to this organization or organizations?
I am most involved with The Center for the Arts and was asked to work for the organization. The Interim Director asked me to do marketing, first as a contract employee. But she wanted to leave, and the Board was about to do a search for her replacement. They didn’t have the time or money to do a big search, so I said I would take the job if offered. At first, I didn’t know whether I could do the job. Then, a light bulb went off and I understood the business model. Once I figured that out, it all made sense and I had confidence I could do it. Until then, I was struggling. The first thing I did was to talk with everyone who had been associated with the Center. I asked what had worked in the past and why they had left. I wanted to learn and understand the industry. Though I had been in the arts, The Center was different. I did my research and bought a bunch of books about running a theater.
9. I’d like to learn more about your involvement in this organization:
First, describe the leadership role that you play.
I am the Executive Director and the only full-time employee. I’m the idea person and I see
everything through the eyes of marketing. It’s always about marketing, about meeting human needs.
Second, in what ways do you believe you have most helped the organization?
When I first started at The Center, I spent a lot time understanding business practices, which were few at that point. They were waiting for the phone to ring to rent the theater, but it just wasn’t happening. The biggest challenge was understanding that you can’t make a profit off a 300 seat theater when you’re only charging $20 per ticket. The average gross was $6,000 a night, which is not a lot of money. The big questions were, “Do we need to exist? Are we needed?” Once we realized we needed to take some risks and bring in bigger shows, we were able to raise the price of tickets and began selling out. We brought in big acts at $50 a ticket and found that people would buy them. I’ve got musicians who formerly didn’t get a check at the end of a show because there was never any money. Now they are well compensated.
Third, as you think back over your involvement in the organization, what roadblocks have been most challenging?
The first three months were pretty dicey. For me the roadblock was not understanding how The Center could be sustained. I’m a business person. Unfortunately, people who have always been in the non-profit world often don’t understand the difference between corporate and non-profit business models.
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