What happens when a golf course designer becomes the president of a national nonprofit? You get Josh Taylor—engineer by trade, heart-led leader by calling. In this episode, Dave and Ashley sit down with Josh to explore how HopeKids serves thousands of families facing childhood illness through small, frequent moments of joy—and a strategy rooted in decision-making, discipline, and scalability.
Josh shares:
- His unexpected career pivot from engineering to nonprofit leadership
- The early days of launching HopeKids chapters without a roadmap
- How strategic planning, logic models, and custom-built tech power national growth
- The hardest decision he’s ever had to make—and what made it bearable
- Why good decisions aren’t always about being “right”—they’re about being ready
It’s a conversation about heart and hustle, spreadsheets and spirit, and how to build something that lasts without losing sight of the mission.
Mentioned in this Episode:
· Donate to HopeKids and learn more about the HopeKids experience: https://hopekids.org/
· Download our decision-making spreadsheet: https://focustools.podia.com/decision-analysis
· Purchase our e-book 5 Things You Need to Know About Making Decisions: https://www.focustools.com/5things
· Connect with Josh on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-taylor-b92b16127/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Color Palette Exploration
02:08 Meet Josh Taylor: From Australia to Nonprofit Leadership
04:46 Understanding Hope Kids: Mission and Impact
10:06 Josh's Journey: From Golf Course Design to Nonprofit
15:42 Leadership and Decision-Making in Nonprofits
20:52 Challenges of Nonprofit Growth and Sustainability
21:59 Setting Expectations in Nonprofit Leadership
22:56 Strategic Planning and Goal Alignment
25:13 Understanding Logic Models in Nonprofits
26:36 The Importance of Tying Activities to Goals
28:33 Evaluating New Opportunities Against Mission
29:12 Serving Families: Scale and Efficiency in Operations
31:18 Leveraging Technology for Nonprofit Success
34:09 Centralizing Operations for Greater Impact
35:43 The Role of a Nimble Board in Decision Making
37:46 Learning from Experience: Wisdom for the Future
39:33 The Decision-Making Process in Nonprofits
44:04 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Hope Kids
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