Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Shwarzstein.

Hi Alex, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been fundraising and championing important causes for as long as I can remember. At 23, I realized I could turn my passion into a career, and I’ve been a professional fundraiser ever since.

Early on, I could see that my strengths lent themselves to consulting – I’m a great problem solver, strategist, and I love coaching others. I figured that someday, I would just know when it was time to make the shift away from in-house roles. Then, in 2023, I underwent cancer treatment (for the second time in my life!) while working a demanding job as director of development & communications for a local nonprofit. When I came back to work, my diminished energy and emotional health forced me to reckon with the burnout that so many of us face in the nonprofit sector. It was a few months later that I decided to strike out on my own. Once I made the decision, I began seeing green flags everywhere and realized there is no perfect time to make the transition. All it takes is the guts to make the choice.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My health is always the biggest challenge. When my cancer returned in early 2024, my clients were lovely and accommodating – but I’ve had much less energy and time to network as a new consultant than I had originally planned. I’ve made the best of my existing network, particularly through LinkedIn, but there is no real substitute for seeing people in person and having impromptu conversations.

The other big challenge has been the uncertainty hanging over the nonprofit sector this year. I’ve met with several potential clients who all ended up deciding they couldn’t afford me. I’ve found that other nonprofit consultants have had similar experiences this year – budgets just keep getting tighter. My experience as a fundraiser has taught me patience in relationship building – you never know when a new connection might turn into major donor down the line. Using this same mindset with prospective clients has been a big help.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I use my greatest strengths to help essential nonprofits find new ways of building and growing their fundraising. I am a planner and a builder – I excel at helping organizations think through and clarify their goals and come up with realistic, step-by-step plans to reach them.

I am able to help create deep and sustainable impact because I’ve spent so many years inside both local and national organizations, learning firsthand what does—and does not—work.

While there are lots of best practices that can be learned in books or webinars, the reality in most small and mid-size nonprofits is much more complex. I’ve learned through experience how and when to implement the best practices that will work for an organization’s unique needs – and when to think outside the box for resourceful solutions.

I work across every mission area, geography, and stage of development, providing the greatest value to small and mid-size nonprofits looking to grow their long-term resource development through a thoughtful and sustainable planning process. My services include long-term development/fundraising planning & strategy, fundraising counsel & coaching, and interim development staffing.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Taking big risks is not natural for me – striking out on my own as a consultant is by far the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. I don’t know whether I would have done it so soon if I hadn’t gotten sick. One silver lining to having a life-threatening illness is that it makes most other challenges in life a lot less intimidating!

When I work with clients, I like to spend a lot of time diving into the data before making recommendations – so I can recommend carefully calculated risks that aren’t likely to cost a nonprofit much in lost opportunity or revenue and have the power to result in stronger, more fruitful long-term relationships.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/alexshwarzstein