Comments on: !MBA Musings (on Fund Raising)

By: Megan M.’s Handy Dandy, Completely Unauthorized Guide to a Spectacular Alternative MBA Application — worldmegan

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:21:05 +0000

By: Obliged to Push, to Change, to Grow — worldmegan

Obliged to Push, to Change, to Grow — worldmegan — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:18:47 +0000

By: Megan M.

Megan M. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:50:33 +0000

Joel—I get what you’re saying, there’s a funny place there that I don’t quite understand yet. On one hand, there are many people that want to act and only need to be asked; on the other hand, many people are sensitive to this whole issue, and it’s difficult to know where the best action lies unless you know your audience incredibly well. Man, I’m learnin’, though! And I will have to decide how to navigate this discomfort eventually, and decide where I stand. It’s definitely something I’m still thinking through (a lot).

Everybody who commented—thank you a ton for your thoughts!

By: Joel D Canfield

Joel D Canfield — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:33:54 +0000

There is a line between expressing a need to people who care, and asking for something.

If someone I care about says “I need to go shopping, but my car’s not running.” I have a choice: offer to take them, or not. They haven’t made me uncomfortable by asking, and making me say ‘No’ either tacitly or explicitly.

But when someone, unless they’re really close to me, asks point blank “Can you take me to the store?” I’m uncomfortable. No way around it, I’m uncomfortable. It may just be me.

So, mention your needs. Describe your position. Be clear and detailed. I’m not at all bothered by you saying something like “I’m going to have to earn $X,XXX to go to this thing.” I’d be miffed, to say the least, if you added “Will you give me $XX toward that?”

And, in the interests of full disclosure and because you brought it up :) I’m even a little uncomfortable with cries of “Hire me, hire me!” even though it’s a far cry (yes, I meant that) from pleas for donations.

You seem to be pretty open and forthright (or an excellent actress. Or both.) Just say what you really mean in a way that makes you comfortable, and you’ll be fine.

By: Angel

Angel — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:12:40 +0000

Fund Raising = Monetary Optimization

By: Trish Lambert

Trish Lambert — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:06:28 +0000

Hmmmm…not sure I’m with you on this one. I get all the points you’ve made, but I suggest that you may have left one out:

You are uncomfortable receiving support—particularly monetary support—with no strings attached. With no reciprocal requirment from you. (You are not alone in this discomfot.)

I also suggest that you are shutting out people (me, at least) who would LOVE to contribute to your success with money, no reciprocity required, and who can’t do it at the levels that you’ve put forward in your business propositions.

Maybe the solution, everyone, is that we leave Megan out of the equation on this one, and mount our own fundraising effort. I’m pretty much on the periphery of her life, but I will happily participate with anyone who has good connections with the people who want to support her to make the !MBA happen for her. Get in touch with me at trish@trishlambert.com and we can come up with a way to make something happen here (without Megan having to ask or even vote!).

Trish