Say goodnight to the Oughts!

As the decade comes to a slow close and DonationPay heads into it’s first full year of business, Noah and I have done a lot of thinking about New Years Resolutions.  We’re clear on what we love about our work: helping non-profits, working together, the joy of seeing a labor of love grow into something that can exist and thrive in the outside world (and not just inside the walls of our first office, in the spare bedroom of my college apartment).  What we’d like to get a handle on is how we can improve and move onwards and upwards in this, the first year of the ’10′s.  Here’s our ideas so far:

1.)  Enthusiastically Welcome Change

As we shift from our design and development business, Duo Web Marketing, into full-time work on DonationPay, we will surely encounter roadblocks, conflicts and radical departures from what we’re used to.  Instead of all these impending changes striking terror into my heart, I’m going to welcome it with open arms.  Though it goes against my moderately controlling nature, in 2010, I say: bring it on!

2.) Get a Greener Routine

The Pacific Northwest is one of the most environmentally conscious areas of the nation and DonationPay is no different.  We’re concerned about our impact on the environment and in 2010, we are searching for even more ways to get greener at work.  Things to focus on include more paperless communication, smarter commuting and more in-depth work with organizations who are furthering the cause. The Sierra Club has some terrific tips for making your own work routine eco-friendly; enjoy!

3.) Grow

We are interested in taking our business and our mission to a broader level.  We want even the newest, smallest and unsteadiest NPO’s to know that they can take advantage of our online resource, free processing, and support.  We are committed to growing and strengthening our business in the New Year and we hope you’ll join us!

4.) Make Connections

Aside from using our free card processing services, we want to make connections with emerging non-profits and help them get their message out there.  One of our goals for DonationPay is to increase our traffic and readership of our blog, so that it becomes a true resource and sounding board for people in the non-profit sector, as well as other interested parties (like potential donors!).  Our service is specifically designed to help defray merchant processing costs for NPO’s, but that’s not where our vision ends.  We want to collaborate with our users to make our service better and easier to use, so let us know how we can serve you better.

5.) Recession Year Attitude Adjustment

The recession has cut a deep swath in the morale of the nation and businesses- big and small, for-profit and not- have had to make a lot of difficult choices.  This year, as things (hopefully, fingers crossed) begin to improve, I am committed to maintaining a positive attitude and moving forward with confidence and joy.  Our business has taken some major hits, as very nearly everyone has, but it’s important to remember that we’re all in the same boat and also that lean times breed amazing strength and generosity.  I will attempt to do away with my teeth-gritting, hand-wringing and constant anxiety and put only my most positive efforts and energy into our business and others we are working with.  Noah and I are going to relish the strategizing, scrimping and craftiness necessary to maintain and grow in a recession and we wish all the rest of you out there similar growth and positivity.  We hope DonationPay can ease some of the financial burdens that are making life that much more difficult for your non-profit.

Well, that’s it for now. . . as with any list of resolutions (or any list at all, for that matter), it’s always the most important things that occur to you as you’re printing off a final copy to frame and hang on your wall (or after you’re looking at your live blog post. . . ), so we’ll have to shift and adapt and be ready for any realizations, new goals or additions to DonationPay’s mission that come up as we sally forth into 2010.

Happy New Year!  What are your resolutions?

-A.J.

Filed under: DonationPay by AJ