The Type Of CEO I Am

When people hear I'm a CEO they assume I'm rich, boss people around and spend my day in a swanky office.

When people hear I run a non-profit they assume I work in a back office with 5 others debating how to save the world.

Both perceptions are wrong.

Over the past 17 years, I have worked in all areas of our non-profit. Starting as a volunteer, I moved into management within 2 years. The business is now 30 years old and we have grown to 100+ employees.

I never thought I'd end up working here for so long, but the work we do nurtures my soul, provides for my family and makes the world a better place. When I left Germany at 19, I spent a year volunteering for this charity which provides residential care and day workshops for adults with additional support needs.

The company's mission is to treat every person equally, no matter their abilities. After my first year here, I went to University with the goal of landing a high-paying job like my other school friends.

I loved learning, but I didn't enjoy the pure knowledge work that University and especially my PhD studies were pushing me into. I kept working for the non-profit throughout University alongside my wife and decided to come back full-time to the company as it was the most fulfilling work I had found.

When the role of CEO came up I felt intimated by the thought of stepping up as I was only 30 at the time. However, this place has been my home for my entire adult life and I realised I had spent over a decade preparing for this position.

Because to run a non-profit requires using modern business practices like any other company, not just a love for the mission of the company. Becoming CEO was a steep learning curve. And although challenging, it is also very exciting.

Working for a non-profit means the remuneration is nothing like it would be in the private sector. But that is not the draw. It's about impact. Last year I refused a job offer at 3x salary, as my mission in life is to serve others, not make as much money as possible.

Now, I do work in an office. Being a CEO of a multi-million $ company brings a certain type of work with it.

It doesn't matter whether a company is for-profit or non-profit. Both need to meet costs, adhere to regulations, develop their workforce, and provide a quality service. In fact, non-profits are arguably harder to run, as our finances are scrutinised more and fundraising plays a vital role in our operation.

Working in the health & social care sector also provides additional layers of bureaucracy due to the regulations imposed on us. But equally, this is a special place as we are all about people.

And having worked in all our areas and workshops over the years has helped me build friendships across the services with people who live and work here.

I believe in leadership by 'walk-about' and I work alongside our frontline staff every day to stay connected to our mission and know what's happening on the ground.

I prefer this over scrutinising KPIs on a spreadsheet. But yes, as a CEO, I do the management stuff.

At the time I wasn't sure what to do with my Economics PhD. Now I'm using it to ensure this company can weather the current economic storm and come out of it thriving. And yes as a non-profit we believe in making the world a better place. But we're not philosophizing in a back room, we pull up our sleeves and do the work. 365 days, 24/7.

And I feel blessed working in our frontline service every day, as this is what makes my job so magical. I use the tools of any business leader, but I'm also part of a community of amazing people.

I am rich. But not like you thought.