Interested in starting your own journey in a non-profit organization but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kate Milligan, Founder of 1 Girl Revolution, located in Detroit, MI, USA.
What's your organization, and who are your members?
1 Girl Revolution is an Emmy-nominated multimedia platform and nonprofit organization that is dedicated to empowering women's voices and their stories through a podcast, social media, and documentaries. We are a nonprofit organization, so we rely on the generous donations of individuals and groups that want to create more opportunities for women's voices and their inspiring stories to be heard.
Tell us about yourself
I've worked in public relations and media for 15 years and founded 1 Girl Revolution in an effort to tell the stories of everyday women and girls that are so often ignored, forgotten, and marginalized. Through my years of work in PR/media, I began realizing that so many women and girls' stories weren't being told and that there was a tremendous need for more opportunities and more spaces to tell women and girls' authentic stories. So many women and girls are changing the world through their lives and their inspiring initiatives - and these stories deserve to be told. I decided to put my PR and media skills to good use and create a multimedia platform that is dedicated to telling the authentic stories of world-changing women and girls.
What's your biggest accomplishment as an organization?
Being nominated for an Emmy Award for 1 Girl Revolution's short documentary "The Girl Inside." Making "The Girl Inside' was an accomplishment in of itself - bringing a film crew into the largest jail in the US, creating the space for women's voices and authentic stories to be heard and told, and actually turning that footage into a powerful documentary, was a huge accomplishment. But then to have that recognized and honored through an Emmy Nomination - absolutely incredible!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being an organization?
Not having enough time in the day and not having enough support. I have been so grateful to have so many friends and people in my circle support my work through the years - but I think, like every business owner, there are moments when you feel alone or like you are the only one who understands the vision and/or that there are not enough hours in the day nor do you have the bandwidth to accomplish everything you're setting out to do. But in those moments, I call someone that I know "gets it" or talk to a friend who I know will cheer me on, and/or I just think about all of the amazing women and girls that we are supporting through 1 Girl Revolution - and that helps me just to keep going. Some days it's literally one foot in front of the other.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow an organization today?
- Don't wait until "the perfect time" to launch. The perfect time doesn't exist. Sometimes you just need to go for it - even if you don't have the perfect website, the funding, etc.
- Don't be afraid to fail. Failure, in my experience, can lead to even bigger and better things. And also, don't be afraid of the word "no." Sometimes a "no" opens up more room for a bigger and better "yes."
- Don't give up. Just keep moving forward, and don't be afraid to evolve and grow. When things may not seem like they're working out how you want, don't give up. Just be open to the journey and where your dream, your plan, and your business is leading you.
Where can people find you and your group?
Website: https://1girlrevolution.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1GirlRevo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1girlrevo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1girlrevo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1girlrevo/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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