"Burnout, Funding, and Impact: The Realities of Nonprofit Leadership" with Jonathan Torres and Danny Song

01/23/25 • 90 min

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Torres, former CEO of Memphis Athletic Ministries and Frase Protection, and Danny Song, founder of Believe Memphis Academy and CEO of Give Services, to discuss everything nonprofit leadership. With years of experience serving communities in need, they share their journeys, the realities of leading nonprofit organizations, and moving to the for-profit world.

Episode Highlights

The Reality of Nonprofit Leadership: Navigating the demands of fundraising, organizational politics, and daily operations.
The Weight of the Work: The personal sacrifices, emotional toll, and pressure to balance mission-driven work with sustainability.
Fighting Barriers: How poverty, geography, and access to resources shape opportunities—and the battles nonprofit leaders face.
Leaving Nonprofits: Why Torres and Danny transitioned to the business world, the emotions tied to that, and their ongoing journey.
Lessons in Leadership: Insights for nonprofit leaders, donors, and advocates on what it takes to drive real, lasting change.

Episode Highlights

The Reality of Nonprofit Leadership: Navigating the demands of fundraising, organizational politics, and daily operations.
The Weight of the Work: The personal sacrifices, emotional toll, and pressure to balance mission-driven work with sustainability.
Fighting Barriers: How poverty, geography, and access to resources shape opportunities—and the battles nonprofit leaders face.
Leaving Nonprofits: Why Torres and Danny transitioned to the business world, the emotions tied to that, and their ongoing journey.
Lessons in Leadership: Insights for nonprofit leaders, donors, and advocates on what it takes to drive real, lasting change.

Previous Episode

Breaking Down the Business of Medicine with Daniel Shumate

In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Shumate, CEO of Campbell Clinic, to discuss delivering patient-centered care in a country with the most expensive healthcare in the world. We explore the challenges patients face and the bold decisions that need to be made.

Episode Highlights:

Staying Independent: Maintaining autonomy in a landscape dominated by large hospital systems.
Achieving Better Outcomes: Connecting the right specialist with the right patient to improve care and outcomes.
Pioneering Treatments: Transforming recovery with outpatient joint replacements and minimally invasive spine procedures.
Leading Patient-Centered Care: Balancing values and operational challenges while staying true to the mission.
Battling Bureaucracy: Refusing to let profit margins compromise the quality of patient care.
Building a Legacy: Fostering a 100+ year reputation and global recognition for advancing orthopaedic care.

Next Episode

"An Operator At Heart" with Stephen Shannon Entrepreneur, Investor, and Family Office Operator

In this episode, I sit down with Stephen Shannon—entrepreneur, investor, and family office operator—to discuss his journey across private equity, real estate, and capital management. We explore the principles behind his investment strategy, the challenges of building credibility, and the hard lessons he’s learned about leadership, trust, and execution.

Episode Highlights

From Memphis to Texas: Navigating different markets, building networks, and embracing Texas’ economic advantages.
A Career in Capital: Starting on Wall Street, managing family office investments, and launching his own company.
Principles of Smart Investing: Prioritizing execution, avoiding over-engineered deals, and learning from failures.
A Costly Business Lesson: Overcoming a failed business deal early on, a dishonest operator, and what it taught him about due diligence.
The Secret to Strong Teams: Hiring based on strengths, trusting your team, and building a business culture from the ground up.
How to Find Work-Life Balance: Staying grounded in faith, prioritizing family, and redefining long-term success.