Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christopher Clinton Conway. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Christopher , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I am an engaged nonprofit leader serving iconic nonprofit institutions and ultra-high-net-worth individuals in pursuit of meaningful impact and lasting change. I launched my career assisting former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter create an innovative, global health agenda, and win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, at The Carter Center of Emory University. An attorney and global tax expert, I have have built my practice as a philanthropic advisor cross healthcare, international development and biomedical research.
My practiced agility structuring major gift transactions is paired with incisive business acumen directing transformative change. As a fundraising executive, I have designed and successfully executed record-setting capital and endowment fundraising campaigns. A sought-after speaker and consultant, I am well known for my emphasis on outcomes, efficiency and style. I am oft quoted on questions regarding donor naming opportunities and complex gifts. A television, print and online media contributor he was most recently featured on Bloomberg Television and in publications including: The Wall Street Journal, W Magazine, Town & Country and International New York Times.
I opened an E.U. office in 2016, and have worked extensively across the U.K., Ireland, France, Spain and Denmark. In 2022, I entered into a partnership with U.S. based Gobel Group. Gobel is the leading consulting firm working exclusively in healthcare philanthropy, and the experts in grateful patient and family programs. The result of this partnership has been the creation of Gobel International, a firm headquartered in Ireland, actively engaging the global philanthropic community.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I think I just answered a number of these questions, without realizing it!
If I had to name two obsessions, I’d have to say impact and impression.
My goal is always to do something meaningful, and do it with an indelible professional style that cannot be forgotten.
It’s been my privilege to work with important individuals and institutions, and I have come to realize that my approach is, actually, more than an approach. It’s me, or what I offer as the Christopher Clinton Conway brand.
Heard of the seven-word mission statement?
I’m even more minimalist. My brand comes down to six Ps.
Personal. Purposeful. Portable. Positive. Pragmatic. Polished.
Personal
I gotta be me. In the non-profit, philanthropic arena, it’s assumed that the cause trumps all, and assertion of individuality may upstage the greater good. I’m pretty much Exhibit A for controverting that theory. I believe the relationships I enjoy, cultivate and steward in my professional capacity are always more authentic and productive when I am exactly who I am. The flip side of that is to care enough to be fully attuned to who you are working with, and honor their exactly who they are.
Getting the work done is a human interaction. Keep it totally human.
Purposeful
Choose your platforms, your profile and even your clients to align with your goals. If you like Twitter, be there with unique intelligence, when it matters, for you and your clients. Likewise, approach every speaking and travel opportunity with precision. Only open your mouth or your calendar when you can add something to the conversation, or learn. Time is precious. Words, ideas and appearances convey the essence of your practice and your offering. Curate continuously.
Portable
You can take it with you. Even at the senior-most level, jobs change while your career endures. Remember that what your offer is a unique set of experiences and skills that no one else can match, precisely. (See above) Do things distinctly, and true your own personal style, because your brand telegraphs a very specific approach to the work, and that is yours to bring with you wherever you go.
Positive
Articulate the good stuff – in your work, in yourself, and in others. Praise, repeat, and look for more. Happy but human, needless to say, I’ve faced my share of challenges and disappointments. But I don’t get stuck there, I don’t spill too much ink there in my communications with others, and I look for and experiment with solutions always. Problems will find us, even vex us. Face the challenges with a positive outlook and offer those around you insights and advice and encouragement.
Pragmatic
Do what works. Sounds simple, but can be deceptively tricky. If data is showing you that some time-tested strategies are not producing high yields this year, drop the traditional approach. Be totally honest with yourself about how things look, today. Yes, look back, look ahead, consider both, and do what works right now. If you are risk averse, make this your test: Is more of the same really okay?
Polished
Do it perfectly, or not at all. In your correspondence and events, be consistently impeccable. The details speak volumes about your style. Aesthetics and colors communicate for you, too. Have a stylebook, even if it is in your head. Digital decorum: Use Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest only when you have something keenly relevant to share.
Do you have a personal brand?
My theory: Whether you know it or not, you do.
A personal inventory can be a good place to start to identify your brand for yourself.
This exercise is critical, because understanding your brand allows you to best deploy your most valuable asset, personal brand.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
I attended the the Madison Institute sponsored by AHP, Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, in 2016. It is a week-long training at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with leaders in the field. One of my instructors was Chad Gobel, CEO of the Gobel Group. Chad has made a study of gratitude and the motivations of donors in the healthcare space. His work inspired me and made me want to work with and, ultimately, for him.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Working for a former U.S. president gave me instant profile, access and credibility. I traveled around the globe with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. I had the opportunity to meet captains of industry, celebrities and royals. I am forever grateful to the Carters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://christopherclintonconway.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philanthropyccc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopherclintonconway
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philanthropyccc
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PHILANTHROPYCCC
Image Credits
No professional credits.