We recently connected with Rhonda Abrams and have shared our conversation below.

Rhonda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

In my experience, to be successful means to never be complacent.

Throughout my career, each transition I’ve made has been because I was too comfortable, not feeling challenged or creatively stimulated anymore. When I first started out in non-profit fundraising, a couple years into the job I was approached by a social impact start-up that wanted me to work for them in sales – my fundraising and relationship-management skills were complimentary. It would have been a slight career pivot, but I had been coasting in my job for a few months and had started to feel the itch for a new challenge. So, I said yes. I enjoyed start-up culture and liaising with corporate America for a couple years until, yet again, I felt like I was coasting. I could do the job in my sleep, and continued to hit (and exceed) my sales goals month after month using the same recipe of tenacity and charm I used with everything else. I felt complacent, so I jumped at the opportunity to return to the non-profit world with a major career leap, becoming the Executive Director of a non-profit that served local college students. This role gave me the experience and confidence to truly own future career leaps, having demonstrated my value and ability to learn through the work – not necessarily before doing the work.

Fast forward nearly a decade, a cross-country move and a return to non-profit fundraising, I was feeling my creative spark slowly withering away. I’d spent 6 years with the same organization, seeing (and helping) it grow from a handful of employees to nearly 20, and doubling its annual fundraising budget. When I used to be excited to update and innovate at every opportunity, I was starting to feel bored and tired. This perspective was no longer serving me or the organization I had previously been so excited to serve. So, I realized that rather than be complacent, I could take the leap that I always dreamt of and start my own business.

While I’ve made yet another major pivot in my journey through starting my own philanthropy advising practice, I am plowing forward with a fiery drive to meet every challenge as an opportunity, because challenges are the antithesis to complacency.

Rhonda, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

At the end of 2024, I launched Legacy Impact Group, a boutique philanthropy advising firm supporting individuals and families in maximizing their community impact. This business comes on the heels of a 15 year career in the non-profit fundraising & community building space, with over $10M raised. Relationships are at the heart of everything I do, and I decided to pivot from the program side to the funder side in order to help more people make a deeper and broader impact on the world around them.

My clients are private family foundations, individuals and families who give generously to the community in ways that resonate with their personal values. I help them determine and examine what those values might be, research organizations that align with their mission, and develop strategies and systems around achieving their intended impact. It is an honor and privilege to be in this work alongside my clients, helping them to leave the world better than they found it.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I am and always have been authentically Rhonda. Clients who choose to work with me know that I’ll work hard, learn fast, and always demonstrate intentionality and care with everything I do.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I am hyper-focused on meeting other advisors who serve high-net-worth clientele (wealth managers, estate attorneys, accountants). There is obvious synergy between my work and theirs, and when I’m able to demonstrate my value and the value of collaboration to serve these clients, magic happens for all of us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.legacyimpactgrp.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-abrams-3018753a/

Image Credits

Vanessa Valadez