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

Your Shoes and Sneakers Can Do More Good Than You Think

You love your sneakers. They are with you when you go running every morning as the sun starts to rise and before your morning cup of coffee and day at work. Your children

Comment on Let It Go, There Is Always A Choice by Wayne Elsey

Thank you so much and I am glad my words, but most importantly, the song have been able to give you some inspiration. Getting from one point to the next is always a

Beware of Nonprofit Financial Mismanagement

I recently came across an article from the Washington Post from 2013 where they reported on nonprofit financial mismanagement. This is a very serious issue and it is important to bring it to

What Do Today’s Donors Want To See?

Business as usual is finished. Have you noticed? Donors today are demanding and looking for more from nonprofits. Millennials are not interested in being associated with their fathers’ charities. Today’s more sophisticated donors are

In Loving Memory of My Dad

ThereThis past week has been a week of firsts for me. Let me share a few with you the memory of my father. A Telephone Call My father called me Friday night and I remember how he was so upbeat. The conversation started with him asking me a lot of questions about my life and... READ MORE

Nonprofits Are Businesses: Let’s Stop Thinking Otherwise

If you work in the nonprofit sector, you are hopefully aware that significant changes are occurring. If you aren’t, shame on you. The industry is experiencing a paradigm shift, and each nonprofit professional and organization has a choice to either participate in the conversation or sit back and see what happens. The Overhead Myth: A... READ MORE

Change is Underway in Philanthropy

We’re at a crossroads in the nonprofit sector. As many people realize, the traditional framework doesn’t work. In fact, we’re starting to see a new kind of donor emerging in philanthropy. In short, it’s tech money coming into the space. Looking at The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s top donor list for 2014, we see a pattern.... READ MORE

The Nonprofit Pay Failure

Due to technological innovations, outsourcing, and globalization, there’s undoubtedly been a drive to lower employee salaries and fees to consultants. It’s not an understatement to say that workers feel fortunate to have any income. However, in the nonprofit sector, there’s an ongoing problem. Many nonprofits don’t invest in staff—from assistants to executive directors. A Sector... READ MORE

We’ve Always Done It This Way

I recently had coffee with a fundraiser who started a new job at a large nonprofit. I asked how things were going. The CEO warned him about challenges in changing the organization’s culture. Only now does he fully grasp the situation. The team clings to the mindset of always doing things the same way. It’s... READ MORE

Women Changing Philanthropy and the World

Late last year, Melinda Gates unveiled an initiative by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve funding for projects geared toward women and girls. Historically, giving specifically to programs for women and girls has lagged. However, women changing philanthropy is happening as they increasingly use their financial power. More and more, women are changing... READ MORE

Get this free resource by entering your information below.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name