Dena Marizan

I really believe in the power of perseverance and looking at what you have as abundant and plentiful, even when you're going through real low points. There have been some real lows in my life - points where you don't think you're gonna make it - but you really have to persevere and focus on what you have. I believe that if you put me in a room with any woman, I can literally show them the beauty of their lives and show them that anything is possible. To me, it's really about empowering women and showing them what they can do. We are a force, and anything that we put our minds to is done - it's as good as done. My ability to listen to a client and hear the things they don't say has been crucial to my success. I can dig deeper, realize that something's missing, identify what that little missing piece is, and usually it's a very easy fix that we can turn into funds raised for their charity.

There's so much work to be done in the nonprofit world, and I come up against a lot of men - I don't see many women in this field at all. I've learned to use my womanly powers to really finagle the system. it's all for my client, and that's the most important thing to me. The real opportunity is to help these nonprofit organizations in a really thoughtful, different way, working with them so that each gets their own strategy, their own set of rules, their own set of information, and their own plan. It's really about making sure these organizations raise the money and make the money that they need so badly to continue to put their good work into the world.

Empowering women is at the core of everything I do. I believe that we as women are a force, and anything we put our minds to is done - it's as good as done. To me, being in a room with women who are just as powerful, who understand their power and want to share their power, who want to help and want to guide - that's the most important thing. I also value freedom and simplicity in my life. By taking only 3 clients at a time, it really frees up my time so I can be wherever my latest child needs me, whether they're in Mexico, Israel, Florida, Memphis, Maryland, Chicago, or Toronto. Being able to work and give back to the community in such a huge way from my remote position, wherever my family needs me, is key to my life. And ultimately, everything I do is for my clients - making sure these nonprofit organizations raise the money they need so badly to continue to put their good work into the world.