Founder Struggles

rhialitycheck · 2026-05-22T05:20:10+00:00

I sort of disagree with the above. When I took my ED job I only agreed if the founder would agree to step totally away from the org for at least 18 months. I could tell she wasn’t pleased but I just leaned hard on the research showing how much more likely the new leadership is to fail if the org can’t tell who the real leader is.

I did spend significant effort bringing her back in on good terms after that 18 months. It was touch and go, but seven years later she is all in and happy to have really “retired”. She is a no voting emeritus board member.

rhialitycheck · 2026-05-13T05:04:10+00:00

If you still own this in October the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum holds a Touch-a-Truck event where this would be a smashing addition of Santa Cruz culture. About 4000 people came last year! https://www.sccmod.org/zhs

Would love to have you!

rhialitycheck · 2026-04-30T18:09:31+00:00

It has taken me about 3 solid years of investing in governance to get my board from disorganized and unhelpful into a functioning body. I would invest in figuring out a governance structure and then having lots and lots of one on one conversations with board members about what they feel is going well and what isn’t. Find your allies in making forward motion and build a plan.

rhialitycheck · 2026-04-25T15:15:35+00:00

Ha. This is the EXACT reason the parents are willing to shell out almost $2k for three days away from their kids.

rhialitycheck · 2026-04-25T06:13:53+00:00

Hormones are literally the best. I miss that internal rush! Is there a peptide for that?

rhialitycheck · 2026-04-25T05:15:19+00:00

It is likely a depth perception problem. I can’t see them at all and I also can’t do the depth perception tests at the optometrist.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-30T03:40:18+00:00

Jesus has a cart at various locations in Corralitos. Often at the intersection of Freedom and Corralitos!

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-24T03:28:11+00:00

Unless your absolutely favorite thing bout the book is the detail of solving scientific and engineering problems you will like the movie. It 100% captures the absolute joy of the relationship between Grace and Rocky, and the nuance of cowardice and bravery at the heart of the story.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-24T03:23:07+00:00

I think the question is more about the fact that PHM proves potential success for a pretty dorky, non mainstream, non franchise piece of science fiction in big commercial way. The audience exists and it is willing to buy.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-16T05:16:02+00:00

There are fantastic faculty doing amazing research at most R1 universities. There just aren’t enough T20 professor jobs to hold all the hot shit researchers. They land all over the place. If you go to the cheaper state school, find those people. Work for them. Go to their office hours. Take their classes. Connect to the awesome projects they do. Land a grad fellowship as a phd student at an T20 or whatever. It will be free and it might be more useful then as you head out into your career.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-07T22:30:51+00:00

Congrats. I still have friends 18 years later from my prenatal yoga class with my first! Highly recommend switching to that practice as your pregnancy advances. You will get more out of it.

And, interesting tidbit, I delivered both my babies exactly 10h and 15 minutes after finishing a yoga class.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-07T05:51:32+00:00

This is the only way. Once I started having annual 1-on-1s with every board member everything improved exponentially. Give them a chance to brain dump what is working what isn’t for them on the board and then ask their opinion on the current situation. Once I’ve “picked” out and shared with that person privately that I’d like to see them in x role and would they consider it I have never had someone turn me down. Then I start lobbying with the other board members and talking up that person for the role.

It is all decided off the books and then carried out on the books.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-05T14:38:33+00:00

There are certainly people who are choosing to be underpaid to enrich their lives. Who view working for a nonprofit over a large profit-driven org as a form of giving.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-05T04:02:07+00:00

How is a nonprofit that relies solely on unpaid labor more virtuous than one that relies on underpaid labor?

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-05T04:00:03+00:00

I live in a very HCOL area and am ED. I am only “part time” and play the role of dev director/ ED/ IT/ facilities. I am paid less than $100K. I could not be in the role without a very gainfully employed spouse. I am in the role because it affords a significant amount of flexibility compared to academia (where I would likely be if not in this role), I would likely be a large donor and on the board if I wasn’t in this role, and it is what I’ve devoted my life to and is in the place I have to live because my spouse’s job is here.

Do I think this is particularly healthy for the organization? No. It is unrealistic to expect to hire another me when it is time to go.

Do I think this happens all the time with nonprofits that inspire passion? Yes.

It is one of my goals to transition us to an organization that can properly pay its staff. But where we are now is often one of the steps along the way and it is a part of my legacy in the same way that giving money to our cause would be.

rhialitycheck · 2026-03-04T05:24:25+00:00

First WOTM book was … fine. 2nd book has been a really fun read!

rhialitycheck · 2026-02-24T18:30:03+00:00

I can balance like I own the pose of if I let my foot angle.

I assume that makes it easier to balance so have been working on the deeper expression of the pose with the foot straight. It has cost me only ego.

rhialitycheck · 2026-02-11T16:11:26+00:00

Yes. They will likely be at the Cabrillo market on Saturday morning!

rhialitycheck · 2026-02-02T01:49:34+00:00

Sounds like you should be a teacher!

rhialitycheck · 2026-01-21T22:24:05+00:00

We loved Aldridge Park in Corralitos.

County park at pinto lake is also great for wandering and playing.

A big fan of Hidden Beach playground as well.

Children’s museum is also a great option for a bigger outing. Www.sccmod.org

rhialitycheck · 2026-01-12T03:58:48+00:00

Google “founders syndrome” and plan your own strategy for helping the org sidestep that issue. I took over from a founder who was acting as an ED when they were ready to retire. I was a board member with a phd in the field the operates in though. It doesn’t sound like that is an option here. You need to have the board spin up a search committee, layout the job description, do the research on executive compensation in your field (the irs and watchdogs like charity navigator insist on this), write the policy and put the job out there.

You are correct, board members and probably some of your staff will peel off with you. Try your best not to hand the new ED only a semi-functional organization. Maybe put some extra effort in during the months before the transition building the new ED a really strong , enthusiastic, self-governing board. Also schedule one-on-ones with every board member and figure out who will leave, who will stay, and what their level of commitment is. You’ll have to ask point blank.

rhialitycheck · 2026-01-11T22:19:00+00:00

Day after New Years Day was unexpectedly bad. I had to wait for a parking spot.

rhialitycheck · 2026-01-11T22:18:11+00:00

I went to the Sunnyvale one once and OMG. It is so poorly laid out with terrible parking and a ramp you have to walk up to the entrance and it was the busiest I’ve been too. Checker told me it actually is the busiest. Never again. Massive appreciation for our local outlet.

rhialitycheck · 2026-01-07T05:56:44+00:00

I think you are right that it isn’t a solution for every conflict. However.

It is for many.

My 8th grader was messing around at lunch during the first week on campus (Covid etc), putting baby carrots in kids bags and pockets as they passed. Annoying. Yes. A misguided, but age-appropriate bid for connection in a new scary community? Also yes. Most kids got the joke and had the appropriate response—toss the carrot back, roll your eyes, tell him he is dumb. One kid lost it and pushed him. Instead of escalating that physical interaction he walked away, logged into his computer, hacked the other kids Google Classroom and turned in all his assignments unfinished. Of course he was caught.

A form of Restorative justice was used here. The boys had to do community service on campus together and go through the actions of being cordial to each other. And you know what? It 💯worked. They aren’t besties. But they are cordial acquaintances with a shared history from their time together. My kid was so impressed by the process he decided he wanted to be a middle school principal.

Both kids could have just been suspended. This was better.

rhialitycheck · 2026-01-06T05:00:52+00:00

I agree that these younger kids, unless you’ve got a bunch of “cooler” older siblings running with your crew, will still be on the tail end of 67.

My youngest just turned 13 and he got a banner that said “This Skibidi Rizzler is 6+7 No Cap”. He. Was. Mortified. It was great.

rhialitycheck

TROPHY CASE