The Nonprofit Built to Say Yes Fast

How do you protect the people doing the work without taking resources away from the people you serve? Rachel Kuhn stepped into A Special Wish Foundation of Central Ohio carrying a promise her grandmother made in 1982: give children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a moment of joy when they need it most. But behind every Disney trip, private character meet-and-greet, airport sendoff, and carefully planned wish is a pediatric nonprofit racing against treatment schedules, poor prognoses, donor uncertainty, and the pressure to never let a qualifying child sit on a waitlist. You’ll hear how Rachel and Wish Director Rebecca Brown are learning to protect the heart of local wish-granting while building the structure, funding, accountability, and team capacity needed to keep saying yes to families who cannot afford to wait. What you’ll learn in this episode:  (01:33) What no one sees between a child qualifying for a wish and the moment it goes viral. (03:13) Why a wish isn’t just a trip, it’s a deeply personal dream shaped by treatment, timing, and hope. (05:39) Why avoiding a waitlist matters and the intense financial and emotional pressure it creates. (07:24) How nonprofits balance two audiences: families in need and the donors who fund it all. (12:18) When staying lean to save donor dollars starts burning out your team. (15:02) Why passion alone won’t sustain a nonprofit without strong business fundamentals. (17:57) How a MrBeast-level opportunity brought massive exposure and overwhelming pressure. (27:07) Why are they rethinking leadership, delegation, and growth on the path to 50, then 100 wishes a year. Learn more about Rachel Kuhn & Rebecca Brown and A Special Wish Foundation: https://www.aspecialwishfoundation.org/ Want to gain traction in your own company? As written about in the best-selling book, "Traction" by Gino Wickman, the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®) helps entrepreneurial leadership teams clarify their vision, gain traction, and work together more effectively. Learn more at www.eosworldwide.com Want a little more clarity in your week? Sign up for Mark O'Donnell's Clarity Break Thoughts newsletter: www.eosworldwide.com/claritybreakthoughts Follow the show on your favorite platform: http://lnk.to/hittingtheceiling This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/