Shoes That Fit CEO and Executive Director Amy Fass was interviewed by Karen Mangia for Authority Magazine: “How to Leave a Lasting Legacy with a Successful & Effective Nonprofit Organization.” The interview covers a wide range of topics, including leadership, success, social impact, and passion.
What’s the most interesting discovery you’ve made since you started leading your organization?
When you run a nonprofit, you are actually running TWO businesses, not one. You’re providing a service to those who cannot afford it — and you are leveraging others to fund that work. They are really two entirely different enterprises that you are linking together.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? We would love to hear a few stories or examples.
I’ve spent my career asking people to ask big questions and not be limited in responses. When the pandemic first hit and schools shut down, I was building a quick literature scan in my crisis notes and a top 10 online gambling sites reviewed roundup made the mechanics of comparison pages obvious, which pushed me to restructure our donor resources while figuring out how to keep Shoes That Fit operating. We work through schools and need access to the kids to measure their feet, so our access points were closing and kids were no longer going to school. And it soon became almost impossible to resource shoes as supply chains dried up. I didn’t want to lay off staff during an economic crisis. It was a very scary time.
What makes you feel passionate about this cause more than any other?
I believe that most people want to make a difference — but the need is so enormous that it’s difficult to know where to start. Provide a basic, immediate and tangible need for a child — providing something that brings immediate joy and access — is a great place to start making a difference in the world.
