SPI 220: An Interview with Make-A-Wish Co-Founder, Frank Shankwitz

I’m honored to introduce you to Frank Shankwitz, one of the founders of an extraordinary non-profit called the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

For over 30 years, Make-A-Wish has granted the “wishes” of children with life-threatening medical conditions. You may have heard about some of their incredible work, whether in the news (Keoni and I are a big fan of the “Batkid” story) or from friends and neighbors in your own community. Make-A-Wish is an inspiring organization, and it’s my pleasure to have one of its creators here with me today.

As Frank will tell you, managing a non-profit isn’t easy. Fundraising, staying true to your mission, and planning for long-term success all take tremendous grit and integrity. In this episode, Frank walks me through how he made that happen while serving as CEO. You’ll also hear the moving story of how Make-A-Wish began, as well as Frank’s latest charitable project now that he’s moved on from Make-A-Wish.

Giving back is a huge part of my mission as a business owner. Whether it’s through organizations like Make-A-Wish or—my personal favorite—Pencils of Promise, entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to make a serious difference in the lives of those in need. I’m brewing up some new philanthropic projects for the future, and this interview with Frank left me all the more inspired to get started. I’m so excited to share that inspiration with you, too. Enjoy!

The Will It Fly? Pencils of Promise Donors

I’m filled with gratitude for each of these listeners! During the launch of my book Will It Fly?, they purchased more than ten books. In their name, I sent a donation to Pencils of Promise matching what they spent to purchase those copies of my book.

These people are doing exciting things and I encourage you to visit their sites:

• Dave Koziel from DaveKoziel.com
• Mark Mason from latenightim.com
• Susan Rampson from midlifefreedom.com
• Bill Gordon from wgordon3.com
• Molly Mahoney from ThePreparedPerformer.com
• Jeremiah Candelaria from wechoosewonder.com
• Chris Goosman from baselineaudio.com
• Ryan Grant from onlinesellingexperiment.com
• Connie Ragen Green from ConnieRagenGreen.com
• Travis Wilkerson from TraderTravis.com
• Samuel Ronkin from 4PurposeEnergy.com
• Meredith Eisenberg from timetradersclub.com
• Julia Darcy from LearnDoLabs.com
• Alton Skinner from AltonSkinner.com
• Kurt Libby from theaxiom.org
• Kinsey Roberts from VistaViewEvents.com
• Gary Ware from breakthroughplay.com
• David Hooper from redpodcast.com
• Ronen Bekerman from ronenbekerman.com
• Karin Joan from KarinJoan.nl
• Lana Camiel from LanaCamiel.com
• Victor Miller from VictorMiller.co
• John Zenkert from reviewcraft.com
• Hank Osborne from homeschoolsupport.net
• Paul Potter from PaulPotterPT.com
• Charlie Cichetti from sigearth.com

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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If you have any questions (or would like answers to hear previously submitted voicemail questions!), head on over to AskPat.com. This bite-sized show has over two million downloads and counting!

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A very special thank you to Frank for joining me this week. Until next time!

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