Malikha Mayes, Creative Impact Strategies · Funding strategy, impact communications and program strategy for mission-driven organizations
At a glance
- 7 yearsin the nonprofit sector
- 1 side clientbilled hourly when she joined
- Hourly to retainerwith that first client
- 75%of her salary from consulting, working about half the hours
- Full-timeonce the numbers worked
Seven years in, and worried it wasn't enough
Malikha had about seven years in the nonprofit sector. In arts and culture, she built a program for young adults from the ground up. Later she moved into philanthropy as a grant manager, working with about 20 grantees across the country.
But she felt boxed in. Her job wasn't challenging her anymore, and there wasn't much room to grow. She wanted the creative freedom to build something of her own. One fear held her back: she was still early in her career. “I'm not someone with 20 years of professional experience,” she said. “I was just afraid that organizations wouldn't take as much of a chance on me as a consultant.”
Side work, not a business
For about three years, Malikha had been writing grants on the side for one client, billed by the hour. She had no business set up and no plan for finding more clients. “It was just like, oh, I do this one project, and then I get paid for that one project, and then that's it.”
She wasn't ready to give up a steady paycheck. So she kept her job and joined the Mentorship to build a business that could replace her salary.
From reacting to building on purpose
“I really had to get intentional about every step of my business,” she said. She decided which services to offer, how much money she needed to bring in and what it would really take, taxes included.
She came to the weekly group calls, worked through the Business Roadmap and saved every worksheet. Then she officially launched her business, Creative Impact Strategies.
Organizations took the chance
She raised her rate with her first client. When that client's grants manager left, the executive director asked Malikha to take over all of their grants work. Malikha proposed a monthly retainer instead of hourly billing, and they agreed. “I really am happy that they're on retainer. I don't have to think about it.”
Next, a nonprofit brought her on as its fractional development director, her first time leading a whole department. Together, those two contracts brought in 75% of her full-time salary. “I'm making 75% of my full-time salary working half the time,” she said.
Leaving when the numbers worked
Malikha didn't leave on hope. She mapped out her monthly expenses, built up her savings and lined up health insurance. Once the numbers worked, she left her job to run her business full-time.
“I'm really proud of myself for remaining consistent,” she said, “so that when it was time for me to transition full-time, I was able to jump into it and already have a foundation, already had a process.”
Now she plans her week by priority, not by the clock. Mondays are her “CEO Mondays,” set aside for her own business. “I have dreaded Mondays forever, like most of us do,” she said, “so I put an exciting thing on a Monday.”
She has learned to protect her time, too. “Now it's a business decision where my time goes.” She finds new clients through cold outreach on LinkedIn and email, along with word of mouth and Instagram, and has new conversations in the works. She still uses her Mentorship worksheets. She just used them to plan her next year.
And she's clear about what got her moving:
“Coming to all the sessions and going through all of the curriculum [in the Mentorship] really helped me get into gear.”
Malikha Mayes
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