Wayne Elsey
Founder

About Wayne

Transforming Business Through Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship

Wayne Elsey has spent his career proving business can do more than make a profit—it can change lives. As founder and CEO of Elsey Enterprises, he leads companies like Funds2Orgs and Sneakers4Good that give shoes and sneakers a second life and communities a chance to thrive.

His journey started after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Seeing people in need, Wayne acted quickly to collect shoes. That simple response grew into a movement. Today, his companies have helped redistribute over 37 million pairs of shoes, keep them out of landfills, support micro-entrepreneurs in 24 countries, and create jobs across the U.S.

Wayne works with an execution-first philosophy: act boldly, measure results and build teams that get things done. This approach has been featured on NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, the Today Show and Fox News.

He’s also a Forbes Business Development Council member, a contributor to Brainz Magazine and the author of books including Tied Together: A Pathway to Hope, the Not Your Father’s Charity series, and

Almost Isn’t Good Enough. Through coaching and speaking, Wayne encourages entrepreneurs and leaders to see they already have the tools to make impact—they just need to take the first step.

At the end of the day, Wayne believes sustainability is about people as much as the planet. Every reused pair of sneakers tells a story of dignity, opportunity and a better future.

Wayne's latest articles

3 of the Top AI Trends You Need for Your Business in 2019

With the coming year, artificial intelligence (AI) is only going to become more ubiquitous. It’s easy to mistakenly think that the only companies that care about AI are the giant tech corporation. Savvy small businesses are also keeping an eye on new developments and seeing how to incorporate it into their companies. In a recent... READ MORE

Why Women Should Be In Leadership Positions

A few weeks ago, I read an article that was written by Lisa Miller for The Cut. It was titled, “Why We Need Older Women in the Workplace.” In the piece, Miller writes about how she was hired to be an editor at The Wall Street Journal when she was approximately 30 years old. She tells... READ MORE

The #1 Reason You Should Hire & It’s Not Talent

Many managers look at hiring through an imperfect lens for the 21st Century. They dutifully review resumes and talk about previous experiences, and then they make decisions based on that information. As a general rule, do not hire for talent, knowledge or skill. The number one reason I hire people on my teams is that... READ MORE

How to Maximize the Performance of Your Email Marketing

Email marketing is likely a significant part of your nonprofit fundraising efforts. Everyone knows that it’s essential to look at email performance and make adjustments as needed continually. However, there’s a lot you have to think about when developing a successful email marketing program, which needs to be regularly evaluated and fine-tuned. Everyone is inundated... READ MORE

5 Easy Ways to Get Better at Personal Growth

There’s a lot of negativity in the world, but I also see that there are many people who want to make their part of it a better place. A quote that’s been attributed to Gandhi was that we should each try to be the change. When each one of us is in a positive space,... READ MORE

Artificial Intelligence and Our Humanity

We hear and read about it everywhere these days. You hear people saying, “The future is now.” “We have to give way to technology.” “We’ll be better off and live better lives (maybe not even work) if we let AI do it.” Yes, technology is here, and we are living at the dawn of the... READ MORE

YOU Can and Should Make a Difference

If you know me, then you realize I often say that there’s a disaster happening in someone’s life every day, and you might not even know it. As a nation, we’ve recently watched the heartbreaking images as Hurricane Harvey battered Texas relentlessly. People lost their lives, and many lost all of their worldly possessions. The images... READ MORE

5 Social Media Trends to Watch for 2018

If you’re a nonprofit or social enterprise leader, it’s not too early to begin to anticipate what’s in store for 2018. The organizations that grow consistently are those that are looking through the windshield and not the rearview mirror. By this point, you are aware that technology and social media are developing and changing at... READ MORE

How to Use Social Listening for Your Nonprofit Brand

By now, you’re steeped in social media, which is an essential ingredient of your digital marketing for your nonprofit. But as with everything in life, you have to get a little deeper into the details. The paramount rule for nonprofit fundraisers is to create and develop relationships with their donors and supporters. As the adage... READ MORE

How Would You Thank A Donor Who Gave You $1 Million?

A few weeks ago I was on a telephone call with my team and a strategic partner, and we were talking about the changes that are happening (and need to occur) in philanthropy. I brought up a story that happened to a friend of mine, “Jaxson,” and I would like to share it with you... READ MORE

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