This month marks two years since my husband passed away. It’s an anniversary that doesn’t feel good, and I’m sharing it because it taught me one of the most important lessons about business and life: sometimes, you’re just not ready yet. And that’s okay.
When my husband was first sick, I was all in on my business. I’d enrolled in a coaching program, invested significant money, and was excited to take charge and do something new. My business was barely two years old, and I was ready to scale. Ok, I wasn’t overwhelmed with clients or projects, but I was excited.
But life had other plans. I became a caretaker, and then a widow. And I had to accept—though it took time—that I needed to go through a tough period of life, and my business was going to suffer. It couldn’t be avoided.
Here’s what I realized, even months after the grief had settled: even if I hadn’t gone through that loss, I still wasn’t ready. My business didn’t have the systems, the audience, or the consistency to do what I was being trained to do. I’m more ready now. But at that time, I just wasn’t ready.
The “What Do I Do Now?” Question
I see this pattern repeating in the nonprofit sector all the time. New founders post in online groups: “Just got my 501(c)(3)! What do I do now? How do I get a board? How do I find grants?”
If that’s the question you’re asking—especially to complete strangers online who you don’t know have the expertise, background, or investment in your mission—I’m going to lovingly suggest: you may not be completely ready yet.
And that’s okay.
What “Not Ready” Actually Means
Being “not ready” doesn’t mean you’re failing. It doesn’t mean your mission isn’t critical or your passion isn’t real. It means you have an opportunity. An opportunity to learn. An opportunity to discover what you don’t know. An opportunity to build the foundation your nonprofit actually needs.
Since nonprofits aren’t profit-based, you have something precious: time to learn without the pressure of immediate revenue. Use it.
What to Do When You’re Not Ready
Before you can say “I need a grant to buy a new building,” when you don’t have any data or experience behind you, you need to:
- Seek advice from professionals – People who specialize in nonprofit development, fundraising, and governance, not just anyone who responds to your Facebook post. Some consultants will do a free call (like me!)
- Start building relationships – With community members, potential board members, other nonprofit leaders, and funders. Relationships are the currency of the nonprofit sector.
- Discover what you don’t know – Take courses, read books, attend workshops. There’s so much to learn about nonprofit management, and you don’t know what you don’t know until you start learning.
- Build systems before you scale – Just like my business needed systems before it could grow, your nonprofit needs operational foundations, clear processes, and consistent practices.
Life Throws Curveballs
Sometimes life will throw you a curveball when you’re trying to do something. Illness. Loss. Unexpected challenges. When that happens, give yourself grace. Accept that timelines shift. Plans change. And sometimes, the not-being-ready teaches you more than the being-ready ever could.
Two years later, I’m building again. Differently. More intentionally. With systems, relationships, and knowledge I didn’t have before. My grief taught me patience. It taught me that foundation matters more than speed. It taught me that admitting you’re not ready is actually the first step to becoming ready.
If you just got your 501(c)(3) and are asking, “What now?” —congratulations on taking that first step. Now take the next one: invest in learning. Build relationships. Create systems. Discover what you need to know.
You’ll get there. But first, you have to be ready.
Let’s work together to get you and your nonprofit idea ready! Schedule a free call today.
