ENT 28- Exit Strategy

When I started the nonprofit, I never thought about an end point. Over the last 5 years our program has grown and developed and I’ve learned a lot. It is my intention to keep the nonprofit going for as long as possible. As I get older and it grows, I would love to have someone else (other people) run it, but still stay on the board. Ideally I will pass onto family. It would be amazing if our kids ( meaning board of directors) could run it some day, as we all have. It’s what I want to do with the rest of my life, so I do not intend on leaving anytime soon. In regards to opening an education center, I would would want to keep the center open, but hire other people to run it. It would remain part of the nonprofit, so ultimately the whole thing would be passed on.

I have built this program from scratch and have worked with some incredible people to do so. It has been my baby for the last 6 years and it’s what I want to do with the rest of my life. It’s not just a job or income, it’s truly my passion. I have built it so it can continued onwards and kids can continue to learn about sharks. As environmental issues continue to escalate, a need for education continues to exist. I want this business to continue educating people around the world for as long as possible. Maybe one day it won’t be necessary, but for now there is a critical need.

Although I have not thought specifically about an exit strategy, all my decisions for the business have been made from my passion and belief in what we are doing. Wanting to continue onwards, making this my full time job has helped me grow the company. It started as a passion project, but now is a fully functioning and expanding business. It’s been an incredible journey. Knowing I needed to expand our reach and generate income for our projects has definitely shaped my approach. I have also learned that a nonprofit is still a business and has to be treated like one.