They are some of the most common questions I still get to this day...
'Are you a charity?
'Why are you not a Non For Profit'
As the founder of the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign, I made a significant decision to NOT pursue a non-profit route for my organization and while some may argue that it could have been easier to seek government funding or grants, my deep inner conviction and an unexplained calling drove me towards a different path.
This article explores the reasons behind my choice and the remarkable achievements the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign has attained by building a global movement through faith, hard work and the support of passionate individuals and organizations that have solely believed in me and the message.
Listening to a Higher Calling
My journey with Imperfectly Perfect Campaign as I was later to learn just exactly why, was always guided by an innate knowing that transcended conventional wisdom.
Despite acknowledging the remarkable work done by organisations funded by the government, it just was never something I believed in for me personally.
I couldn't even tell you why, because I didn't know at the time.
I didn't know the behind the scenes of non for profits, I didn't know much about the political factors when it came to funding organisations, I didn't know why some of the biggest companies partnered with certain organisations, I just always felt something in me keep telling me no and pulling me away.
I will say, at one point though, even I was almost swayed from listening to that innate feeling by giving my power away and listening too much to others who had experience in the area who talked me in to looking into setting the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign up as a non for profit, even going as far as putting together a board of directors who were all amazing people. Yet again, that innate feeling, that hesitation, that something always telling me no was there and I couldn't explain it. I just knew if that feeling kept showing up, this wasn't the path I was chosen for or suppose to go down, so I pulled back.
I just felt an undeniable pull towards charting my own course. My intuition consistently urged me away from the well-trodden path, gradually reinforcing my determination to create something unique and impactful.
Whats ironic is there were also many people asking why I just didn't want to drive the awareness to the already large organisations out there ??
I mean, really, how unbelievable is it that there are people out in the world that as much as they appreciate what others do, want to try to make a change or impact in this world themselves, by the gifts and abilities God has given them....
I didn't think it would be that hard to explain so I never did. I could have easily turned around and said what business are you in or have. Then merely go on to ask them, why start your own when there are already so many of the large corporations doing or selling what you do?
Finding Alignment in Unexpected Ways
As if to affirm those instincts, quite literally during covid in the first year, I unexpectedly secured a position with a non-profit organisation. This serendipitous turn of events further validated my inner calling, why that 'no' always showed up and bolstered my belief in following my own path. While skeptics and there have been plenty always viewed this as a risky move, the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign's subsequent achievements have far surpassed those of many organisations that rely solely on grants and funding and that is something I am proud to say, am grateful to have been able to do and do not take it for granted for one minute because it confirms there is something far bigger than me at play when it comes to the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign and something far bigger than any of us if we choose to listen to those innate feelings that essentially are guiding us to or away from something.
Touching Lives and Building a Sustainable Organization
My approach to the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign I am happy to say, has yielded astounding results trusting that innate feeling and through unwavering dedication and relentless pursuit of the mission placed on my heart has gone on to touch the lives of millions of people worldwide and open up conversations around Mental Health.
By bringing diverse individuals together, I have been able to foster a collective spirit of empowerment, enabling people to share their stories on a global platform, feel comfortable embracing their imperfections and removing those masks society has had us all believing we need to wear.
Moreover, I am grateful God opened my eyes and further opened doors to garner support from some of the world's biggest names across various industries from Australia to Hollywood and beyond who have been instrumental in the global effort's success.
( Again, I mean, this is a guy who quite literally knew nobody and yet has gained the support of over 500 of the worlds most respected and recognised faces in their respected industries who didn't know him from the next guy and opened up to him sharing their vulnerabilities, their truths and their stories. It doesn't just happen everyday, right?! )
Has it been easy to do all this without going the conventional way with funding and grants or a status so companies get tax deductions when making donations?
Of course it hasn't.
But what it has done has shown me as my faith has grown deeper in trusting God ( I was not brought up around religion, nor faith and am still not religious may I point out. But through my work God came to me and opened my eyes ) that those never meant to be a part of the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign, the doors would be closed regardless.
The organisations and people who have and are still meant to be part of this Global Legacy are not concerned with a status, a tax deduction, or what it looks like for them, they have been and are people who have that innate feeling in themselves of knowing that they were or are being led to be a part of something far bigger than any of us.
By leveraging platforms such as books, apparel, events, and summits, the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign has not only been able to be sustainable but has been able to create a multi-faceted approach to spreading our message and effecting positive change for over 4 1/2 years strong now, so I want to leave anybody reading this with this....
'God does not call the Qualified. He qualifies those who are called'
My decision to NOT follow the non-profit path for the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign was driven by an indescribable force within me that I couldn't explain. While it may have seemed easier to pursue government funding or grants, that innate knowing pushed me towards a different course of action and through faith and an unwavering dedication and ability to bring people together, it has resulted in extraordinary achievements.
By forging my own path and harnessing the power of collective action, the Imperfectly Perfect Campaign has and continues to touch the lives of millions, that continues to make a difference worldwide and that I hope encourages and inspires anybody reading that may have had something placed on their heart and are thinking that
a) They need to know everything
b) They need to go the conventional way
c) They need to listen to everybody else who is telling them how it SHOULD be done.
I say, learn to trust that innate feeling because it will never steer you wrong.
Glenn Marsden
Founder, Imperfectly Perfect Campaign
