Episode 58: Susan McPherson

Join Lori and her guest, Susan McPherson, as they talk about making an impact through effective communication. Susan is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a consultancy that helps corporations with communicating the good that they’re doing. How can companies promote their philanthropy to their employees as well as external audiences? Stay tuned!

Here are the things to expect in this episode:

• Learning from a young age that it’s important to give back.

• Volunteering is a great way to connect with people and learn new things.

• Every single one of us can be a philanthropist!

• How can for-profit businesses incorporate philanthropy in their work?

• And much more!

About Susan McPherson:

Susan McPherson is a serial connector, angel investor, and corporate responsibility expert. She is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a communications consultancy focused on the intersection of brands and social impact. She is the author of The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Relationships (McGraw-Hill). Susan has 25+ years of experience in marketing, public relations, and sustainability communications, speaking regularly at industry events including Massachusetts Conference for Women, BSR, DLD, Worth Women and Techonomy, and contributing to the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Forbes. She has appeared on NPR, CNN, USA Today, The New Yorker, New York Magazine and the Los Angeles Times.

Connect with Susan!

Website: https://www.mcpstrategies.com/

The Lost Art of Connecting: https://www.thelostartofconnecting.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanmcp1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanmcp1/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmcpherson/

Organizations mentioned:

18th News: https://19thnews.org/

UNCHR: https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/united-states-of-america.html

Women’s Philanthropy Institutehttps://philanthropy.iupui.edu/institutes/womens-philanthropy-institute/index.html

Connect with Lori Kranczer!

Website: https://www.linkphilanthropic.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorikranczer/

Episode Transcript

You're listening to the positive impact philanthropy podcast where we share the journeys of everyday philanthropists as they incorporate philanthropy into their lives. Philanthropy is a personal journey and through the stories we will share here we hope that it sparks something in you and how you can make your own philanthropic impact in the world. I'm your host, Lori Kranczer attorney, philanthropic advisor and legacy giving strategist. Together we're going to explore what it looks like to be an everyday philanthropist and make a positive impact in the world. Before we get started, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new episode posted every Wednesday. Now today I'm really excited about this. We got connected through another podcast guest and her name is Susan McPherson. She is the founder and CEO of McPherson strategies. Welcome, Susan.

Thank you, Lori. I'm so excited to be here. Me too.

So I will admit that I have Susan's book. I'm going to ask her about it. It's on my shelf. So Susan, why don’t you share more about you and what you do.

Sure, sure. Well, you mentioned I'm the founder and CEO of McPherson strategies. I founded the company nine years ago when I was 48. And it was a placeholder until I found my next job. So clearly, my next job was running McPherson strategies and I'm proud to say we now have 15 team members located from Ethiopia to Washington State, and we provide the communications of impact for corporations, for NGOs, for foundations and obviously work a lot around philanthropy, and the good that philanthropy can do in the world. I live in Brooklyn Heights, New York, I have a wonderful dog as my co-pilot. And I've also you know, for years been very involved in in nonprofits on the side. Currently I serve on the board of the 19th news. And for years I've been on the board of the US arm of UNHCR, the UN High Commission for Refugees. 

Okay,

so we just talked about a lot of different things here. So we're gonna go through all these, Susan. Okay, so when did you start isn't mentioned 48 You started this business? What were you doing before that and what prompted you to do this? Well, for years

I had always had I worked in corporate America, I worked for PR Newswire for 17 years, I worked in business development for technology companies. But right before I started my company for almost four years, I was at a consultancy called Fenton Communications where I created their corporate responsibility practice, meaning helping companies communicate the good that they were doing or the good that they were trying to do with the audience's that they were trying to reach. Whether it be their employees, whether it be their customers, whether it be their boards of directors. So I left there to start my own company, but again, it was just a placeholder until I found my next job. But the one kind of throughline through all of my professional days was always, as I mentioned, getting involved in nonprofits, for a variety of reasons. One, because I was able to learn new skills, I wasn't learning at a company or the organization I was working at or with, two, my parents really created in me this thirst of giving back and supporting others. Three, it was a great way to meet new people. And I moved a lot during my career. And whenever I would move to a new city, if I got involved in a local political organization or a local nonprofit, I had another way to make friends. So there you go.

So okay, so we always talk about the starting point of philanthropic intent. And many people comes down to something that happened within their lives or particular person or upbringing. You know, there's always something. So you mentioned your parents, is there anything also within your relationship with your family or anything, any activities you did in school, when you were growing up? That prompted you? Sure.

Well, a couple things. When I was five, my father did a Fulbright scholarship and we lived in Bucharest, Romania. This was 1970. Romania was one of the poorest countries in the world. And even though I don't come from means we, you know, I grew up in a house with one bathroom for five people. You know, it was definitely like, there wasn't a whole lot of extra, but going to Bucharest at such a young age really. And we lived among the people because my dad wasn't with the Foreign Service. He was, you know, basically going on his own budget. And we lived in that apartment building that swayed in the wind. And if we wanted chicken, the neighbor upstairs would have to slaughter it for us. So it was a very kind of early awakening to you know, wait. I'm not and I didn't live in Kansas, but I'm not in Kansas anymore. Like it was a sense of this world is far different than the world I know. And that kind of infiltrated my brain about giving back what could we be doing and our neighbors used to come and beg for peanut butter and chewing gum at our front door. And again, you know, when you're five, this is the impression this led. And then for years, my mother, you know, later, obviously, probably the mid 70s, my mom started working for public television. And as I grew, I, you know, got a sense of weight. If you were working for ABC, or CBS or NBC, which were the only other choices, then you'd be making a lot more money. And my mom would always say to me, no, it's the content that is so much better and better for people. So immediately, this was like, drilled into my head that it's more important to be giving back than to be making. So I think that that really instilled in me and as soon as I got out of college, I started doing all kinds of volunteerism volunteer work. And when I finally had the means to be able to write checks, I realized it was a great way to also connect with people, meet new people learn new things. And then, you know, in my mid 40s When I realized I wasn't having children, I thought to myself, well, what's another way I can be spending the money that I had saved to help others? 

Right and philanthropy is you know is such a personal choice and also with our values where we want to which organizations we want to support what issue areas and how we're going to spend our time or treasure and there's so many different ways so it's it's interesting when I interview people on the podcast, everyone does everything differently. It's really interesting. And so, so you mentioned, volunteerism, donating, but I know also with your clients, you are very you have a very purpose-driven business. So I'd love to get into that also because we have a lot of listeners that have for profit businesses that are incorporating philanthropy, in some respect inside their business.

So what's the question what we're doing is you're talking about your clients and the work that you're doing with them. What's oftentimes the communications that the company is doing to have impact and for years, much of that impact was very much focused on philanthropy. And if we look back 30 years and before it was very much what was called checkbook philanthropy where the CEO was, had a particular and typically it was a white male in his 50s maybe 40s, maybe 60s Who would be basically writing checks based on a cause that was meaningful to him or to get his name on the side of a hospital or museum, etc. And obviously, the world has changed and now it is very much about engaging employees, getting them involved helping them you know, get on the bandwagon to volunteer and find other purpose than just the job they're doing every day. And all the studies prove that if employees are more engaged in purpose, they are much more likely to stay at the company, they're much more likely to be happy at the company and they're much more likely to recommend the company to others. And we often play in that circle where we help communicate what the company is doing so employees can get excited and get involved. We also help them communicate their philanthropy among other things like their environmental you know, the reduction of their environmental carbon footprint you know, their DE and I goals and hopefully making progress in hiring a more diverse hiring and promoting and making a more diverse workforce feel welcome, but we get into that communicating and that to the audiences. I will say one of our clients and clients for years is an organization called the Women's philanthropy Institute, which provides the bellwether studies on women's giving and what women's causes are receiving and who's giving to them. And they put out maybe six studies every year plus every two years a huge Bellwether report, and we help contextualize that for the public. And the end goal is to make people realize that every single one of us can be a philanthropist as opposed to only an heiress or somebody who has come into money because even by writing a check for $50 Guess what? You're being a philanthropist.

 Exactly. We like to call them everyday philanthropists, one does not need to have lots of zeros at the end of their checks. And there's so many different ways to get and that's what we really want to talk about here because you can do you can start small and you don't have to solve the world's problems right off the bat you can start with doing something so anything that you can suggest for say in a for-profit business that is just starting to think about incorporating philanthropy inside of their work and how like best ways to start small or communicate what they're doing to their public to their customers or, or their employees. 

Well, I would start with asking, ask your employees, what's important to them from a cause perspective. I would also ask your customers, your partners your distributors, your suppliers, because you want it grounded in some sense of reality. I think depending on the size of your business, certainly if you're a small business, it's it could be beneficial to look local. Because you want to be able to see and feel and engage right and if you're funding something that is you know, 10,000 miles away, it's a little harder. Now, I'm not saying don't do that. I mean, we're seeing, you know, a horrific war playing out in Ukraine. I'm certainly not suggesting companies don't fund but if you're just starting out and you're building your program, if you can involve your constituents early on, they will be much more likely to you you know, amplify and joy sign up all the things so that's the first thing and then I would create a budget, you know, of what you are hoping to, you know, first of all, what you're capable of giving. And also is there a way to get your employees involved in giving are there cause marketing programs that you can be doing? I mean, again, so much depends on what kind of business you are, what you know, the age and makeup of your employees are but I think starting from looking within first is the best step

Absolutely. So looking within you right now, so we're talking about your business, talk a little about what you're doing your book, of course, share some information about your book, but also what you're doing personally with I know you've done a lot of volunteerism, and donate to organizations can share a little more about your journey with that. Well,

I mean the boards I serve on obviously, I'm fiduciary responsible for raising and donating. So over the years with UNHCR I would take before the pandemic of course, I would go on various journeys to refugee hotspots. And then I would use those tremendously meaningful and poignant visits with people who were affected and fleeing to be able to tell stories and raise money around so over the years, I went to the Mediterranean to witness the boat rescues during the Syrian crisis. I went to Kakuma one of the largest refugee camps in the world and Kenya, I went to the border of Bogota, I'm sorry, the border of Venezuela and Colombia where literally 5000 Venezuelans were crossing every day and was able to talk firsthand with these people. So by being there, I mean, it was an incredible privilege but also, so much I learned about why people flee and it isn't about getting a better job. It's about saving their lives and the lives of their of their families and children. And the 19th which I absolutely love is all about getting more voices into our public discourse. You know, it's a new news platform it was founded two years ago, but it's specifically around the intersection of women and public policy, getting women and people who identify as women to have a voice as well as covering everything that affects women. So obviously, during the pandemic, they were very busy. And then I'm a weak link when you know, we all get every day can you fund this? Can you fund that? And sadly, I don't have a strategy yet because I almost always say yes, and I really need to stop because I know I am eventually going to have to retire. And probably given that I live alone have to have the money to pay for like help. But anyhow, well we'll get there when we get there.

Yeah, we have a lot of people that have that responsive giving that you whether it's schools or children's schools, or you know, those heart-centered organizations that, that connect with them that they're giving without the strategy, but we need both. We need to have both. So it's great that you're doing that as well. So, as we're getting to the close of our interview this has been really incredible about hearing about what you're working with personally and also within your business and your journey as well as I think a lot of people can relate to that. Can you share what you think about the future and your legacy?

Well, I have to say my legacy. A couple of things. One, everyone has already always told me my epitaphs gonna say she got the proverbial S-h-i-t done. I'm a doer, I'm an action. I've always been and sometimes, probably all too quickly. I'm not detail-oriented, but I think it's a super-connector because as much as I love giving and communicating and all my secret passion is making introductions and connections. Because there's nothing better than seeing the magic and the impact that happens when you introduce two people and then watching everything flow from there.

I agree. I'm pretty much connected to like I will connect to anyone that needs like the best plumber to a connection about anything. I love that you said that. So we have lots of information regarding the organizations that you're supporting. We're going to post those links in the show notes, but where can we find out more about you? Thank you Well, on all the socials. You can find me at Susanmcp1 on Twitter, Instagram, and certainly on LinkedIn. The book, my book is called the lost art of connecting it can be found anywhere but there's a website the lost art of connecting.com. And my company McPherson strategies is mcpstrategies.com. 

Great, thank you. We're gonna post all in the show notes as well as everyone can grab those links and connect with Susan or find out more information about what she does. Susan, thank you again. for joining us. I really appreciate hearing your story. 

Lori, it was such a joy and thank you for highlighting such important work that so many people are doing.

My pleasure. This is what we do here. We love to do this. So thank you all for joining us and we hope that we provided some insights and inspiration that you can use for your own philanthropic journey. Thank you for joining us. I hope we provided some insights and inspiration that you can use for your own philanthropic journey. You can tune in every week on Wednesdays when new episodes are dropped. We'd love to hear your feedback. So leave a comment and a rating about what you liked and what you'd like to hear more about. And if you liked the episode today, make sure to share it to raise awareness about the story to inspire other women to take action. I'm Lori Kranczer And until next time, you can make a positive impact through philanthropy every day. Thanks for listening.