It seems like a contradiction in terms, does it not? How can you succeed in business if you are operating a non-profit? Actually, if you know more about how non-profits work, you would agree that it is very possible to succeed in ways you did not formerly think possible. So you understand how to take your for-profit business idea, turn it into a non-profit business model, and still succeed, the following is provided.
Your Business Model Includes a Service
The most successful non-profits are those that start with a service they want to offer. The service may benefit a niche group in the community, or it may benefit everyone who wants the service. For example, say that you want to start a dance school. You could certainly run it as a for-profit business. However, people who run dance studios as non-profits end up with dozens more adults and children taking classes because they know that the money they pay for lessons goes to support the school and keep it running. The schools turn out dozens of very successful young dancers who can trace their training back to those schools.
Non-Profit Does Not Mean "Non-Salary"
A lot of people assume that non-profit organizations rely on hard work of volunteers and that nobody is paid. That is simply not true. In fact, the person that starts the charity, the person that heads it up, and any board members (should you choose to have a regulatory board of four to twelve members) all receive a monetary sum for what they do to keep the organization going.
If you alter your for-profit business plan to a non-profit, and you get it up and running, you are entitled to a percentage of the money the organization receives for its operations and related operational duties. A lot of people who head up non-profits often end up with larger salaries than if they were heads of companies and corporations. You just have to make sure you are not taking more than the legally allowed amount as set forth in your non-profit charter.
You Can Transform a Non-Profit into a Profit at a Later Date
This is definitely something a lot of people do not know and do not understand when they hear it. You can transform a non-profit into a for-profit at a later date if it appears that the organization is doing very well. The transition only requires some paperwork to be filed, and then the money paid into the organization for whatever service it provides becomes "profit." The biggest change, of course, is that you can no longer request grants for support if you transition into a for-profit.
For more help, contact a non-profit management service.
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