The ROI of Impact
For those who may or may not know, The Festival Company has changed significantly over the past few years.
Not because we sat in a boardroom and built a fancy marketing plan. Not because we tried to find catchy language or chase trends.
It changed because my life changed.
When Business Becomes Personal
Becoming a mother to the most incredible children, who each have different levels of ability, completely shifted my worldview. Suddenly, I was not just a business owner. I was a mom in hospital rooms. A mom in the NICU. A mom sitting in spinal cord clinics and neonatal follow up clinics. A mom listening to story after story from families doing their absolute best with what they had.
Once you see that world, you cannot unsee it.
What those years taught me is this: The Festival Company has access to megaphones that most people never get. If you are in the entertainment industry, so do you.
Stages. Audiences. Sponsors. Media.
Platforms that can be used for good.
And with that access comes responsibility.
Small Businesses See the Cracks First
Small business owners are on the ground in their communities. They see what is really happening. They see the cracks in the system before anyone else does.
Around 2020, when we launched our first Lifted nonprofit event, things started to shift. We were surrounded by business owners who were seeing what we were seeing:
Programs being underfunded because policies changed.
Kids not being fed because it was not in the budget that year.
Mental health supports out of reach for families who did not know how to navigate the system.
Mothers giving birth in towns not equipped for premature babies.
Kids showing up to school with no food in their backpacks.
Families going home to empty fridges.
Holidays with no presents under the tree.
If that does not affect mental health, I do not know what does.
Once you see it, you cannot pretend it is not happening.
Making Giving Non Negotiable
So we made a decision at our company, and you can too: giving back would no longer be optional. It is non negotiable.
If our clients and partners already had a cause, we would support it. If they did not, we would help them build one. They could tell us what mattered to them, what they wanted to fund, and most importantly, what their community needed.
We would help them bake philanthropy into their events, their marketing, and their culture.
Because giving should not be an afterthought. It should be part of how you operate.
The ROI You Cannot Measure
Here is the truth about giving back.
The return on investment is not always measurable. You cannot always track it in spreadsheets. You cannot always place it neatly into reports.
You feel it.
You walk a little lighter. You smile a little more.
When you see a child who once went to school hungry now sitting on the playground with lunch and laughter. When you watch a child open a present that would not have existed without community support. When you hear about a mother who gets to stay in her town because her baby received the care they needed locally. When you see hundreds of kids light up as they begin to believe they, too, can change the world.
That is ROI.
Impact Is Also Smart Business
If you are reading this and thinking, “I am just trying to keep the doors open. I do not have time for more on my plate,” consider this:
Giving back is good for your soul, but it is also good for your business.
People like doing business with people they like. They love doing business with people they trust. When customers know that part of their dollar stays in their community, loyalty shifts. Relationships deepen. Support grows.
Your brand becomes more than a logo. It becomes part of the fabric of the town.
Before you dismiss it as an afterthought, think about what it could do for you.
Start Small. Start Now.
If you are a small business owner without a philanthropic plan, this is your sign.
It does not have to be complicated or expensive. Start small. Have your staff volunteer once a month. Sponsor a local event. Partner with a school. Use your megaphone and rally your customers to donate a dollar per purchase.
Small actions and consistent effort create real impact.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we move into 2026, I am not focused on flashier, fancier, or bigger. I am focused on impact.
Real change does not come from massive gestures. It comes from small movements done with heart. Small businesses are perfectly positioned to lead them.
Small businesses can change the world. I believe that with everything in me.
We are living in a time that feels unstable. I believe it is our duty to provide stability to the next generation. Regardless of what policies or politicians change, their community has their back.
No one else is going to do it for us.
We have to show up. We have to care. We have to lead.
Take a look at your community. Ask what is needed and how you can help. If you are already doing something incredible, tell us about it. We want to hear your story and celebrate it.
The ROI of giving back is not measured in dollars. It is measured in lives changed.
