The Role of Travel in Fundraising: A Case Study

I am the founder of Philantopia and a 30-year veteran of the resort, real estate, and hospitality industries. Philantopia is in the business of supporting nonprofit fundraising efforts by providing prizes and vacation travel packages to be used at charity fundraisers, live/silent auctions, raffles, and sweepstakes. We are a turnkey solution to help nonprofits in their fundraising efforts. I have provided strategic, tactical, financial, and transformational leadership, resulting in many successful ventures such as The Peaks Resort & Spa, Epiphany Clubs & Resorts, Abercrombie & Kent Destination Club, Angel Fire Ski Resort, Telluride Ski & Golf Resort, EuropeByAir.com. Today I devote time to helping non-profit organizations fulfill their mission.

Company: Philantopia

We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.

Mike Hess : My name is Mike Hess, and I am the Founder of Philantopia. Our business is committed to supporting nonprofits by providing them with vacation travel packages and prizes they can use at fundraising events. I have been the Founder of Philantopia since 2008, but before that, I was with the Telluride Ski Resort as head of Sales and Marketing which ran the donation committee, which supported nonprofits in the local and regional area. My entire career has been devoted to helping nonprofits raise funds.

What does success mean to you beyond financial growth, and how has your definition evolved over time?

Mike Hess : Success beyond financial growth is helping nonprofits achieve their fundraising goals. The prizes we provide are essential to helping them raise money for the good causes they support. That has always been our goal. Supporting nonprofits is how we measure success, and we have found financial success because we have provided nonprofits with a means to help them raise money.

Can you share a specific failure or major setback that unexpectedly led to a significant breakthrough in your career?

Mike Hess : COVID-19 was certainly a challenge that we had to work our way through, but it helped us become a leaner and more efficient company that can work with strategic partners. We found people who were like-minded in helping nonprofits. Before, we worked with many companies that did not share our vision. COVID-19 helped us find strategic business partners who cared about nonprofits as much as we did.

How do you measure personal fulfillment and impact in your role as an entrepreneur or CEO?

Mike Hess : I measure impact by seeing nonprofits meet their fundraising goals. It feels good to see nonprofits raise the funds they need after we provide them with our resources.

What unconventional advice or practice has helped you overcome challenges and redefine your approach to business?

Mike Hess : The industry we are in is in itself unconventional. Most people don’t make money helping nonprofits but we do because our success is centered around a passion we already have. The industry you are in matters a lot less if you are passionate about it and want to succeed.

How have your setbacks shaped the culture and values of your organization? Can you give an example of how these values are reflected in daily operations?

Mike Hess : Working with partners who did not care about our mission made us realize that we can only work with partners who care as much as we do. For example, we work with partners willing to work with us. For instance, COVID saw so many trips canceled; if trips get canceled, we might have to refund the trip their bidders already paid for. We started working with partners who would do anything possible to make sure any canceled trips were rescheduled. We made sure not one nonprofit had to refund money to their bidders