array(9) { [0]=> object(WP_Post)#2912 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(883) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-11-08 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-11-08 07:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(1664) "What work did you complete for the American Cancer Society? I was a community liaison and fundraiser at the American Cancer Society (ACS). As Senior Manager, I led a team to raise $1 million annually through 25 grassroots fundraising events called Relay For Life. Funds went to ACS research, education, advocacy, and patient services. How do you use your uniques interests in science and technology to differentiate yourself from others working in your field? I approach everything I do with a scientific mind. This makes me curious, consider information objectively, and to strive to always improve. I differentiate myself as I'm trained in both science and communications, being able to serve as a translator between the two fields. I can take complex, technical information and translate it to easy-to-understand formats for various audiences. What are some of your favorite trends in content development today? Visual / video = The use of video has already seen an intense expansion in telling stories. The next step will be Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) techniques to further involve audiences in the story. User Generated Content (UGC) = giving people the opportunity to tell their own stories and perspectives. No matter what trends appear, I'll always be a fan of a good story and the tried and true adage of "know your audience". What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Exploring the Colorado outdoors with my wife and two dogs. On my free time, I can usually be found hiking, biking, camping, skiing, or fly fishing. I also love wildlife and volunteer at the Denver Zoo." ["post_title"]=> string(56) "Advisor Spotlight: Sam Bugg, Marketing and PR consultant" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(54) "advisor-spotlight-sam-bugg-marketing-and-pr-consultant" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-11-08 00:17:49" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-11-08 07:17:49" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(82) "https://canopyadvisory.com/advisor-spotlight-sam-bugg-marketing-and-pr-consultant/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(WP_Post)#2914 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(882) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-10-18 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-10-18 06:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(2856) "How has your past professional experiences enabled you to better satisfy your current client’s needs?
My experience as a fundraiser and as the executive leader of a high-level development teams has been valuable to clients interested in improving their fundraising results. My advice has helped my clients identify the strengths of their organization’s mission, staff and board to make their fundraising more effective. I can help my clients more effectively engage important supporters inside their organizations, identify new supporters and increase support from current donors with the goal of furthering the mission of the organization.
How were you able to turn your passion into a career?I have been fortunate to turn my passion for the wonderful work of Metro Denver’s nonprofit organizations into a satisfying and successful career as a nonprofit executive. My passion for education and youth has been fed by the many organizations who are doing such great work in this area. My love of the arts and the environment has also fueled my desire to work with donors and volunteers supporting our creative community and the stewardship of our natural resources. It is tremendously rewarding to work with staff, board, clients and supporters of some of the most important causes of our time.
Share one way that you have helped a client experience a positive change.Recently, I had a client who was struggling to get support from a local foundation. They didn’t have a good connection with the executive team at the foundation, nor did they really understand the foundation’s funding priorities. I was able to connect with executives at the foundation, set appointments with executive leaders and find a funding match.
What do you enjoy in your free time?In my spare time, I thrive on being outdoors; walking, hiking, playing golf. I enjoy travel and cooking nutritious food. I am a voracious reader and a lifelong learner. Most of all, I love doing any of the above with friends and family.
What were the most challenging and rewarding aspects of working for Denver Foundation as the CEO?The most rewarding aspects of being in leadership roles both at the DPS Foundation and The Denver Foundation, involved situations where we needed to raise significant support for programs with major community impact. I love to work with a team to identify potential donors to the project, cultivate those donors, involve them in the project they are supporting, and provide excellent stewardship along the way. The reward comes when we know we are helping provide a better community for everyone.
" ["post_title"]=> string(53) "Advisor Spotlight: Nonprofit Consultant, Barbara Berv" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(51) "advisor-spotlight-nonprofit-consultant-barbara-berv" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-11-08 00:13:50" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-11-08 07:13:50" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(79) "https://canopyadvisory.com/advisor-spotlight-nonprofit-consultant-barbara-berv/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [2]=> object(WP_Post)#2915 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(880) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-10-05 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-10-05 06:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(2090) "“With the help Canopy and its talented consultants, we were able to bring rigor to our financial processes, allowing us to make better decisions for our investors.” —Daren Schmidt, managing partner, Allante Properties, LLC.Founded on the heels of the Great Recession, Denver’s Allante Properties has burnished its reputation as a multifaceted real estate firm that aggregates private investors to fund acquisitions and developments of apartment communities. In 2016, the firm determined it needed a more streamlined approach to its finance system to ensure that there would be no gaps in how staff at the corporate office managed cash flow and accounting processes with its subsidiaries and project entities. “We’re a small company with big projects, and our finance and accounting system was not where we wanted it to be,” says Daren Schmidt, managing partner, Allante Properties, LLC. The firm engaged Canopy Advisory consultant Jennifer Almquist — whose expertise lies in solving complex issues concerning corporate finance, accounting and finance reporting — to take a deep dive into Allante’s existing finance and accounting processes, and make several high-level recommendations for a more efficient operation to support the company’s strategic objectives. During extensive staff interviews and a thorough financial audit, Jennifer discovered process gaps in Allante’s finance functions that stemmed from a lack of centralization affecting the accuracy, timing and efficiency around its financing. Based on Jennifer’s recommendations, Allante then brought in consultant Erica Roybal, herself a CPA as well as a financial analyst, to crunch the numbers, update processes and help ensure financial consistency across the organization. By teaming together to analyze, recommend and institute more discipline to Allante’s accounting and finance system, Canopy’s consultants succeeded in elevating Allante’s internal financial processes so it could better serve its external constituents." ["post_title"]=> string(49) "Canopy Consultants Offer One-Two Punch for Client" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(49) "canopy-consultants-offer-one-two-punch-for-client" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-12-19 18:36:26" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-12-20 01:36:26" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(77) "https://canopyadvisory.com/canopy-consultants-offer-one-two-punch-for-client/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [3]=> object(WP_Post)#2916 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(879) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-09-20 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-09-20 06:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(2767) "What motivated you to become a Founding executive of Get Smart Schools and Co-founder of Denver School of Science & Technology?
I got involved with the charter school movement after learning more about the low graduation rates for students in Denver Public Schools. I was appalled to realize that, at the time we started DSST, the odds of a low-income DPS student attending college were about 10%. I believed that my previous experience as an entrepreneur had prepared me to tackle the challenge of starting new, more effective schools. After the launch of DSST, I saw an opportunity to support others who wanted to create innovative new schools. Between my work with DSST and Get Smart Schools, I’ve played a role in the development of more than 20 schools, and those schools are changing the future for thousands of students.
How have you turned your passion into a career?I feel incredibly lucky that I get to work in the nonprofit sector helping all kinds of visionaries put their ideas into action. While I am passionate about education, health care, and human services, which are the fields most of my clients work in, what I truly love is supporting leaders who have big ideas and seeing those ideas take flight.
Share one of the most exciting ways you’ve helped a client experience positive change.One of my clients was a youth service organization with a track record of success that was experiencing some stagnation. I led the Board through a process of revising its mission and vision statement and developing a strategic plan in line with the new mission. Through this project, the Board and Staff were reinvigorated and rededicated themselves to the work, and the organization has subsequently seen gains in everything from fundraising to program participation.
What has been your most gratifying project?A few years ago, I facilitated a large-scale strategic planning process at Children’s Hospital Colorado. The goal was to identify new ways that the hospital could identify young children who are living in vulnerable situations and ensure that their families are receiving the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life. It was exciting to be part of a project that has the potential to impact so many kids and families and to really change outcomes for families. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I have two toddlers- I don’t remember what free time is!
" ["post_title"]=> string(57) "Featured Advisor: Nonprofit and Financial Consultant, Amy" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(55) "featured-advisor-nonprofit-and-financial-consultant-amy" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-11-08 00:14:49" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-11-08 07:14:49" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(83) "https://canopyadvisory.com/featured-advisor-nonprofit-and-financial-consultant-amy/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [4]=> object(WP_Post)#2917 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(878) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-09-07 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-09-07 06:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(4951) "There’s no shortage of financial tips that can be given to the new entrepreneur, ranging from the tactical to the strategic. Here are a few things we recommend entrepreneurs keep in mind as they begin making critical financial decisions for their business:• Their Negative Attitude Spreads: Disengaged, negative attitudes are infectious. Bad hires project these attitudes through their constant complaints, body language and disinterest, which leads to their coworkers rethinking their interest level toward their own work. • They Burn Out Their Colleagues: When a bad hire doesn’t complete the full list of duties presented to them, the good employees start to burn themselves out making up for the lack of production. • They Harm Company Culture: Finally, company culture is severely impacted when a bad hire starts to interfere with the rhythm of a strong business team. Bad hires lower the bar of expectation, influence bad habits, and create frustration amongst employees.
By hiring a freelancer to fill vacant roles, you have more time to find the right person for the position without losing on productivity or overworking your other employees. There are four ways a freelancer proves to be a solution to the bad hire dilemma:• Freelancers Offer Flexibility: Freelancers are typically paid in hourly or project based increments, which provides more flexibility and can be less costly for the company while seeking a new employee. • Freelancers Can Be Hired On-Demand: A freelancer allows the business to fill the gap quickly, therefore, reducing the cost of workload increase during vacancy periods. • Freelancers Enable Companies to Hire the Right Person: With a freelancer, a company has more time to look for permanent replacements because the freelancer can complete the task requirements needed while the business can focus their attention on the talent search. • Freelancers Provide a Way to “Try Before you Buy”: Finally, if a business finds that they are impressed with their freelancer’s work and the person is a fit for the company, then they may have the option to hire them full time. This provides a way to vet a potential employee with a longer integration process while maintaining the efficiency of your office post-vacancy.
Often bad hires aren’t detected until they are fully integrated into the work place. Hiring a freelancer is a low-cost alternative that allows the business the time it needs to make the best and most efficient hiring decision for the company. Canopy Advisory offers high-quality freelancers with a decade or more of big brand experience, expertise, and flexibility to help smooth out your hiring process. Contact us today to learn more. info@canopyadvisory.com or 720-989-1705" ["post_title"]=> string(27) "The True Cost of a Bad Hire" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(27) "the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-12-19 18:38:27" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-12-20 01:38:27" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(55) "https://canopyadvisory.com/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [7]=> object(WP_Post)#2920 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(875) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-08-02 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-08-02 06:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(2624) "Innovation is vital for business growth, and companies are exploring internal and external sources of innovation to stay competitive in their industry. Open innovation encourages staff to search for new ideas relevant to their market through relationships made among consultants, external partners, universities, research institutes, competitors and customers. A new study featured in Harvard Business Review examines how employees at IBM are generating innovative ideas by evaluating how they interact with their external and internal relationships. The study found that employees who seek inspiration internally are just as innovative as those who seek innovation externally. However, overall, those who devoted time and resources to external partners were more innovative when they knew how to apply the ideas they incurred. The study’s authors provided guidance for managers to encourage effective open innovation in the workplace.1. Managers should avoid promoting networking for the sake of just networking and instead urge employees to strategically build networks inside and outside the organization to bring innovative ideas. 2. Managers should connect strong external networkers with more internally focused employees to foster open innovation.
Hiring an experienced freelance consultant allows companies to tap a resource that can be well-integrated into the company and business processes to create more valuable opportunities for open innovation. High quality freelancers evaluate and understand your company’s goals and bring ideas using their external perspective. In addition, a consultant can help employees bring innovative ideas to fruition, creating tangible results. Canopy offers our clients experienced independent consultants that integrate with your team and help spur open innovation in your company. Contact us today to learn more: info@canopyadvisory.com or 720-989-1705. Or connect wth us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter & YouTube!" ["post_title"]=> string(40) "How Freelancers Can Spur Open Innovation" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(40) "how-freelancers-can-spur-open-innovation" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-12-19 18:39:32" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-12-20 01:39:32" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(68) "https://canopyadvisory.com/how-freelancers-can-spur-open-innovation/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [8]=> object(WP_Post)#2921 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(874) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-07-26 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-07-26 06:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(2400) "When a key employee takes parental leave, it can be challenging to temporarily fill the void their time away creates. Some companies opt to put the burden on the surrounding team, while others strategically plan in advance and fill the void with an external consultant. Here are three benefits to bringing in a highlancer (a highly skilled, big firm trained freelancer) to fulfill the key employee’s responsibilities while they are out. Minimize Disruption:When hiring a temporary solution to fill in for an employee taking parental leave, a knowledgeable, experienced consultant can quickly pick up where your key employee left off. In addition, you have the option to have the consultant work with the key employee leading up to the parental leave date, which places the company in an even stronger position to manage the time the key employee is gone. Consultants who have extensive experience and knowledge in a particular field can adjust smoothly to the work environment while providing the business with an outside view that has the potential to further business growth.
Flexibility:Whether the employee takes three months or six months away, a consultant will be able to adjust to your business’s situational needs. In addition, if the key employee returns to work in a part-time capacity or decides not to return, a consultant can help the company adjust by filling in as needed.
Communication:A talented consultant understands the importance of strong communication. They are committed to effective on boarding prior to the scheduled leave, smooth transition with other internal and external stakeholders, and a smooth reintroduction when the leave concludes.
With the right consultant, parental leave can be a smooth process for your business. Deciding to have a child should not lead your employees to worry about whether their responsibilities are being fulfilled while they are gone and what they may be returning to. Hiring a consultant to fill in helps with personal, professional and large scale business challenges. To find more information on experienced consultants who are ready to be the solution to your company’s parental leave problem, contact Canopy Advisory at info@canopyadvisory.com." ["post_title"]=> string(91) "Three Reasons the Highlancer Offers an Ideal Solution When an Employee Takes Parental Leave" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(91) "three-reasons-the-highlancer-offers-an-ideal-solution-when-an-employee-takes-parental-leave" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-12-19 18:42:29" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-12-20 01:42:29" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(119) "https://canopyadvisory.com/three-reasons-the-highlancer-offers-an-ideal-solution-when-an-employee-takes-parental-leave/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } }