The Heart of the Hustle: Leading with Soul in the Social Sector
Wed Jan 28 2026
Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Amber Melanie Smith, founder of Change Kit, and Danny Rosin, co-founder of Brand Fuel and Band Together, about the unique challenges and "soul" required to lead in the nonprofit and social entrepreneurship space. Amber shares her journey from a cross-country volunteering road trip to founding Activate Good, while Danny discusses his "prankster" roots and his mission to use business as a force for good through his B Corp.
They dive deep into the burnout crisis facing the sector, with Amber highlighting that 70% of nonprofit staff are considering career changes, and Danny explaining how to break the "starvation cycle" of fundraising by investing in leadership as mission-critical infrastructure. The pair also explore the technical side of doing good, discussing the importance of choosing the right legal structure and finding a donor’s "love language" through AI and collaboration. Plus, Amber and Danny share moving stories of impact—from a homeless volunteer to a parent seeing their child’s life changed through music—proving that anyone can be a change-maker with the right support.
Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.
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Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Amber Melanie Smith, founder of Change Kit, and Danny Rosin, co-founder of Brand Fuel and Band Together, about the unique challenges and "soul" required to lead in the nonprofit and social entrepreneurship space. Amber shares her journey from a cross-country volunteering road trip to founding Activate Good, while Danny discusses his "prankster" roots and his mission to use business as a force for good through his B Corp. They dive deep into the burnout crisis facing the sector, with Amber highlighting that 70% of nonprofit staff are considering career changes, and Danny explaining how to break the "starvation cycle" of fundraising by investing in leadership as mission-critical infrastructure. The pair also explore the technical side of doing good, discussing the importance of choosing the right legal structure and finding a donor’s "love language" through AI and collaboration. Plus, Amber and Danny share moving stories of impact—from a homeless volunteer to a parent seeing their child’s life changed through music—proving that anyone can be a change-maker with the right support. Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.