Ep. 35 — Mia Hoagberg: After the Exit, Don't Just Write the Check

4 min read

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Episode Summary

Every owner I know is quietly afraid of the same thing after the exit: irrelevance. The phone still rings, but now it only rings for the checkbook. Golf outings, gayla tables, the local fire department, the charity your buddy chairs. You write the check and feel okay about it for a minute. Then you wonder what happened to the operator who used to actually build things. I brought Mia Hoagberg, CEO of Make-A-Wish Minnesota, on the show because she sits across from owners and ex-owners every week and watches them try to figure out what comes next. We got into the skills that translate straight from running a company into nonprofit work, the three roles that actually matter (doer, door opener, donor), why nobody should sign up for a board without knowing what they want out of it, and the architecture firm that designed a backyard playset for a wish kid and remembered why they got into architecture in the first place. Real conversation about what Module 1 — Ownership Goals looks like on the other side of the deal.

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## Top 10 Takeaways
  1. The skills that built your business (relationships, managing people, setting expectations) translate directly to nonprofit work.
  2. Know what you want before you walk in, or you’ll get reduced to a checkbook.
  3. Match the cause to your geography and your future footprint, not just one local issue.
  4. Every nonprofit relationship is two-way. If you’re not getting something out of it, it won’t last.
  5. You can play three roles: doer, door opener, or donor. Most owners can play all three.
  6. Door opening is where most entrepreneurs underestimate themselves. Your network unlocks more wishes than your checkbook.
  7. If the org just finished a strategic plan, your strategic plan skill is the wrong gift this year.
  8. The biggest fear after the exit is irrelevance, not money. Volunteering doesn’t fix that. Owning a role does.
  9. Listen for what someone is lacking, not just what they’re saying. The right seat hides in the underlying need.
  10. Bring the problem-solving instinct from your P&L to a wish. You’ll find joy on the other side.

Sound Bites

“Just because you had worked in one certain area does not mean that those skills don’t translate really well actually to nonprofits.” (@TBD) — Mia Hoagberg

“We want people to be one of three different things, and oftentimes they are more than one. A doer, a door opener, or a donor.” (@TBD) — Mia Hoagberg

“Ultimately it’s not going to be a fruitful relationship if it’s one-sided, if it’s just being asked for money and you’re not getting anything out of it.” (@TBD) — Mia Hoagberg

“The biggest fear when you sell or transition out of your company is that you’re going to become irrelevant and people are just going to knock on your door for the money.” (@TBD) — Ryan Tansom

“There’s that old joke that we’ve got two ears and one mouth, and we should use them proportionally.” (@TBD) — Mia Hoagberg

About This Episode

Mia Hoagberg is CEO of Make-A-Wish Minnesota, the chapter that has granted over 5,000 wishes in its 35-year history and runs 250 to 300 wishes a year for kids with critical illnesses. She spent 13 years in for-profit marketing and advertising before going home with her kids and earning her master’s, then moved into nonprofit fundraising through two healthcare philanthropy roles before joining Make-A-Wish. Ryan brought her on because his dad had built a relationship with her through their family business, and because the question of what involvement actually looks like after an exit is one Mia answers across her desk every week.

Resources Mentioned

  • Make-A-Wish Minnesota — Mia’s organization. — mn.wish.org
  • Mia’s email — Direct contact for entrepreneurs who want to explore getting involved. — mhoagberg@wishmn.org
  • Halftime — Referenced by Ryan as the framework for moving from success to significance through introspective questions about who you are.
  • Wine, Women and Wishes — Make-A-Wish event held at an appliance store partner with upscale shopping, wine tasting, and wish kids.
  • Twin Cities Walk for Wishes — Annual fundraising walk, August 5.
  • Duluth Walk for Wishes — Annual fundraising walk, October 1.
  • Wish Ball — Annual gayla at the Minneapolis Hilton, May 20.
  • Cars donation program — Vehicle, boat, trailer, and RV donations through Make-A-Wish.
  • Make-A-Wish Miles — Airline miles donation program; the chapter needs 75 million miles a year to send kids on wishes to go.

Connections

Phase + Module:

Concepts referenced:

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