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

Want to Be a Success? Stay in Your Lane

I got up this morning and had a conversation with a team member. I have a great team and everyone wants to be a part of our success. That makes me very proud. But

Success In Business or Life Is No Accident

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pele Pele is regarded as one of

The 10 Best Motivational Videos On YouTube for Inspiration

I’ve been in sales all of my life. I love it. If you’ve ever worked in sales, you probably participated in motivational meetings. The director of sales will gather the team and give

10 Tips To Get Your Week Started on #MotivationMonday

People have asked me plenty of times how I stay motivated. They’ve asked me if I ever get tired of working at break-neck speed. The answer is simple. You have to figure out

How Generations Give Differently To Charity

Do you ever sit in your office and wonder how to target a Millennial as opposed to someone from Generation X or a Boomer? If you don’t, you should. Although every donor is

4 Ways To Find Hope Again After You’ve Lost It

Hopelessness. It’s probably the worst feeling in the world. When someone feels like they have no hope, essentially all sense of what can be is lost. There are no dreams. There is no

How To Stay Motivated Every Single Day

Staying motivated every single day takes work. Let’s face it, there’s no magic formula, but there are steps you can take to be motivated. We’re bombarded with motivational images and copy every day,

Pipeline Angels Seek to Change the Face of Funders and Social Enterprise for Social Good

More and more people are looking to start-up social enterprises. Social enterprises achieve two goals: They are for-profit businesses and are established to turn a profit. They also have the purpose of creating measurable social

You Can Change The World With A Cup Of Coffee

I enjoy a good cup of coffee, and recently I’ve learned a few things about coffee that I did not know. I want to share this insight with you. Not too long ago, I

The Emotion Keeping You From Your Potential And 3 Powerful Ways To Overcome

I see it every day. It’s always there. I meet and speak to good people every day who wish things were different. They want to start their own business. They want to lose weight

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