Doing Well By Doing Good – How Business Should Be!

Lately, I’ve come to realize I qualify for being on the ‘lunatic-fringe of do-goodiness’.

All my life, I’ve loved creating mutually-beneficial opportunities, and I tend to believe that most of us are this way – we’re happiest ‘doing well by doing good’.

Sadly…too often the unfortunate few – who are clever and on the lunatic-fringe of bad-doing, tend to work their way into power and ruin things for the rest of us…

Now, I’m standing up to represent the forces of good. I know more and more people are joining me.

Seven years ago in Portland, Oregon, I founded DoughNation Services LLC – and became stunned to learn that not only had I founded a business, but apparently also created a new industry: donation services. The donation services industry proves ‘doing well by doing good’ is not only possible – it’s joyful. I believe this is the spirit that is meant to be at the center of how we conduct business locally, nationally and globally.

DoughNation provides pickup, tax deduction documentation, and delivery for donations of quality clothing, furniture and household goods. Our most unique benefit is that the deductions we document for our clients actually get them back more money at tax time than they paid for service – usually at least 1½ again more than what they paid. Plus, we give people an easier way to help their community benefit from the good things they no longer use.

There’s so much more in the donation services industry than this basic service. From working with families who had suffered the loss of a loved one, we created an amazing service called Gentle Disposition, where we clear an entire home through donation, recycling and disposal so that we can relieve that devastating burden and create as much benefit as possible from the things left behind. Similarly, we work with those who are downsizing to ease the stress of transition..

Walking this entrepreneurial road has been the most difficult journey for me ever – I never imagined it would be so difficult. Despite the hardships, build DoughNation and pioneering the donation services industry has been the most deeply fulfilling work I’ve ever done, and it was impossible for me to walk away from this wonderful work.

Now, nearly seven years later, I’m so thankful I never quit. Two years ago I gained the best business partner I could imagine, Lorca Harrison, and with her we have begun reaching the next level, and the future looks bright.

We have a nationwide vision for DoughNation and the donation services industry, and one day, I look forward to the joy of speaking before the national convention of the donation services industry.

Until then….