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Pedal Revolution
By Avani Khanna, Fuqua MBA, 2006
Pedal
Revolution bike shop, a social enterprise operated by Golden
Gate Community, Inc. (GGCI), supported by REDF
and located in the Mission District of San Francisco, was recently
voted SF Weekly's "Bay Area’s Best Bike Shop"
for the third year in a row. Last September, Pedal Revolution was
profiled in Bicycling Magazine in an article titled “Changing
Lives.” The reason for this recognition? A customer survey
I conducted last summer as a REDF
Farber Intern revealed that Pedal Revolution’s customers
love the friendly, honest customer service they receive there, as
well as the easygoing sales atmosphere and selection of used and
new bikes. They are also enthusiastic about supporting Pedal Revolution’s
social mission of preparing at-risk youth for future employment
and independence through on-the-job training.
I was one of six Farber Interns REDF placed at social enterprises
in the Bay Area during the summer of 2006. My project focused on market research
and promotions testing for Pedal Revolution. REDF is a high-engagement
philanthropy organization which provides funding and consulting
support to Bay Area social enterprises. My internship was an amazing
introduction to the field of social enterprise – I got to
experience the thrills of retail marketing and small business operations
as well as the fulfillment of seeing up close the positive impact
of the bike shop’s social mission.
It’s a unique retail environment – a visit to Pedal
Revolution will bring you inside a funky warehouse with stenciled,
spray painted murals on the walls, wheels and bikes hanging from
above and a professional repair shop ambience. Full time mechanics
and youth interns work on bikes and attend to customers. Usually
working at the bike stand closest to the front of the shop, Head
Mechanic Libby Freeman “wrenches” (works on bikes) during
each of her shifts. Libby is also Pedal Revolution’s Training
Manager for the youth interns who come to the shop to learn life
skills and how to repair bicycles, and is herself a former client.
She entered GGCI’s training program in 2002 as an intern before
advancing to the senior intern level. The skills she developed as
an intern helped her get a job as a mechanic and salesperson at
another local bike shop, where she worked for a year. Libby returned
to Pedal Revolution as a full time mechanic and was promoted to
her current position as Training Manager earlier this year.
Libby reflects that one of the greatest lessons from her experience
as an intern was the development of a work ethic. Most of the youth
who enter GGCI’s training program have never had jobs before,
and good work habits such as showing up to work on time must be
cultivated and reinforced. Libby observes that the program’s
structure is very supportive of interns’ development. Expectations
are clearly stated, performance is measured and progress is charted
and shared with each intern. Libby comments that “when you
don’t expect much out of someone, you don’t usually
get much out of them . . . it’s good for people to have something
to work up to.”
As Training Manager, Libby oversees interns’ training on
bicycle repair, customer service and merchandising. Within their
first week, interns are usually able to fix a flat tire, adjust
brakes and sometimes do wheel adjustments. In the first two months,
they learn to use the mechanic’s toolset, and can eventually
refurbish fix-to-sell bikes (used donations which are made road-ready)
with supervision.
Libby observes, “You have to know how someone learns. Some
people only learn from watching, others you have to tell them [something]
over and over again. Some people have to make mistakes on their
own and learn that way.” When she checks over a bike worked
on by an intern, Libby is careful to emphasize the positive in what
was done, while helping the intern learn to correct any mistakes.
She makes the point that it’s important to “let someone
know even when they’ve done a bad job” – that
it’s a form of respect, and allows interns to learn from their
mistakes.
Along with training and supervision on the bike shop floor, Pedal
Revolution youth interns meet each week with GGCI youth outreach
workers who provide mentoring and feedback, and help youth set individual
goals.With several months’ worth of knowledge under their
belts, interns are frequently called on to “pull their weight”
in the shop when things get busy, and to contribute to the shop
as a regular employee might. Libby enjoys seeing this transformation.
“I like it when it’s really busy, and everyone is running
around like crazy, and when it’s all over, everyone’s
happy at the end of the day because demands were placed on them.”
She says the interns are often surprised to find that “they
know more than the customer.”
In the time I spent at Pedal Revolution as a REDF MBA Farber Intern,
I had the opportunity to work with youth interns on various marketing
projects. It was a pleasure to witness their pride in their work,
and inspiring to see them grow their skills and confidence in the
course of a single summer. Pedal Revolution excels in teaching young
people the skills they need to succeed in their future jobs and
as they transition into adulthood.
If you’re in the Bay Area, stop by Pedal Revolution, located
near South Van Ness at 3085 21st Street. For more information, go
to www.pedalrevolution.org, www.redf.org and www.ggci.org.
Advice for Bridging
into the Nonprofit Sector
Excerpted with permission from “Bridging the Nonprofit
& For-Profits Sectors: Reflections from the Field,” by
Bridgestar, an initiative of The Bridgespan Group, Inc.
A growing number of business professionals and MBAs are leaving
corporate environments in hopes of making a difference in the nonprofit
sector. The need to deliver breakthrough results on thin margins
puts a premium on their strategic and project implementation skills,
but the difficulty of adjusting to work in a mission-based environment
can leave some new entrants, or “bridgers” into the
nonprofit sector, unsure of their moorings.
Bridgestar, an initiative of The Bridgespan Group, studied the dimensions
of this phenomenon—motivations for entering the sector, pathways
into the sector, and perceived challenges and successes—through
in-depth interviews with 48 nonprofit leaders who had moved into
the sector from business and government.
Key interview results:
- The majority of interviewees (77%) found their positions through
personal networks, with the balance identifying an opportunity
through classified ads or executive search firms.
- Forty percent of respondents cited the quality of people in
the sector as one of the most positive aspects of the change,
and 42 percent spoke of the passion that employees bring to nonprofit
work from top to bottom.
- The biggest challenge encountered by most respondents was driven
by resource limitations, which slowed decision-making and stretched
the responsibilities of management.
- Half of our interviewees cited the functional skills that they
brought to their organizations as their biggest perceived contribution,
and the CFO and COO roles seemed to have the clearest ability
to transfer skills.
Advice for would-be “bridgers”:
- Consider getting some experience and exposure in the nonprofit
sector before diving into a full-time position.
If you are truly interested in seeking full-time employment in
the nonprofit sector, first seek out relevant nonprofit board
or volunteering experience. This will give you further insight
into critical questions like: Is the nonprofit sector the right
career path for you? What sort of work do you want to do in the
sector? This experience will also expand your nonprofit network
and help demonstrate your commitment to the sector.
- Have realistic expectations about what the nonprofit world
will offer you. Be realistic about what you are getting yourself into and be honest
with yourself as to why you want to make the transition. Do not
expect that a position in the nonprofit sector will necessarily
bring an easier lifestyle or less stress. As in positions within
the for-profit sector, there are a range of jobs and experiences.
Some people have found that their positions in the nonprofit sector
are more stressful and time-intensive than their previous for-profit
positions.
- Bring your business skills, but be thoughtful about their translation
into the nonprofit sector. There are many important assets you can offer from your for-profit
experience and training. However, you must realize that some of
these skills and experiences may require translation into the
nonprofit world in order to create impact. Be thoughtful about
your new work environment and ways you may need to adjust your
working and leadership style. Be conscious of even minor differences
you may encounter in making this transition—for example,
you may need to alter your language. Invest the time to learn
and use the lingo.
- Over-invest early in listening and communications.
Be conscious and aware of any possible fears or misperceptions
those in your new organization may have regarding your for-profit
background. Ensure that in your language and your actions you
address these fears, and be thoughtful as to how you convey your
previous experience. Listen to your staff, your board, and others
in the sector. Take the time early to learn and ask questions.
- Seek peers and allies, especially in the beginning.
Find an ally or an outlet to voice concerns to in your first few
months. Find someone (or several people) who can be a sounding
board, an outlet and a supporter; this person can be within or
outside of the organization.
Nonprofit leaders and donors agree that the sector will need an
influx of talent to deliver breakthrough results for people in need.
What the sector does to groom emerging leaders already working in
nonprofits and what the sector does to attract talented leaders
from outside the sector will be critical to the realization of ambitious
goals, but there is much you can do to prepare yourself for the
challenge.
View career planning resources on the CASE website
©Copyright 2005 The Bridgespan Group, Inc. Excerpted with
permission of Bridgestar, an initiative of The Bridgespan Group,
Inc. Bridgestar is a nonprofit dedicated to attracting, connecting
and developing nonprofit leadership. For the original text of this article, as well as more information and to
join Bridgestar, visit www.bridgestar.org.
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