“Who wants to be chairperson of the fundraising committee?” asked the company president.

The room became quiet, and as I glanced around the table, I saw a dozen perfect poker faces. No one wanted this responsibility. No one was going to commit.

“This is our most important committee,” the president continued. “Without funding we cannot put on our program to teach leadership skills to high school students.”

It was my first year on the executive committee of the Georgia chapter of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation (HOBY). I had no idea how the committee had previously raised the $50,000 a year that was necessary to operate. As an advertising consultant, I’d helped raise millions of dollars for several national nonprofits with direct-mail advertising. So I thought, “How hard can this be?

I raised my hand and said, “I’ll do it.” A collective sigh issued from the group, and several congratulated me on accepting such a big responsibility.

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