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

Balancing Act: Lessons on Work-Life Balance from My Journey

I started my work life at a job in a work-study program when I was 15 years old. That first job was at GallenKamp Shoes, and little did I fully appreciate at the time that it would be the spark for my career. Decades later, after climbing the corporate ladder and founding a multi-million global... READ MORE

More Than a Paycheck: Volunteer Opportunities Spark Purpose

Is your company or business looking for a way to create a culture of engagement? If so, one approach you should consider is volunteer opportunities for your team or employee volunteer programs (EVPs). One of the best ways to bring people together and increase productivity is to create human-to-human opportunities. Our team at Funds2Orgs and... READ MORE

Rethinking Social Impact: Moving Beyond Charity

The idea of philanthropy started in Ancient Greece. Meaning “love of humanity.” Flash forward to the present day, and it seems diluted. Unfortunately, people think of the ideas of philanthropy and charity as the same, but they’re not. The concept of charity is outdated. Yes, there are moments when it’s essential to be charitable, but... READ MORE

Succession Plan: How to Navigate Leadership Changes

Leadership and management changes and departures are part of doing business for any company. Still, these changes can cause teams to experience anxiety. Even if we live in a time of constant change, many people don’t feel comfortable with it. When change happens at the leadership or management level, it creates anxiety about the unknown.... READ MORE

Overcoming Adversity with Optimism: The Story of Uriel Tarin

The reality of overcoming adversity comes in many forms. For our team, it came in the form of Uriel Tarin. Uriel was a member of our team and is someone whose memory still lives on in the memories of our team members who knew him. The reason for this is simple. In his kindness, attitude,... READ MORE

Social Entrepreneurship: From Corporate to Cause

No matter what’s going on with political division in our country, companies always seek profitability. For instance, we realize that some segments of our population care very much about climate change. Others don’t consider it a top priority. Still, business leaders should lean into what makes sense for their companies and profitability. One approach that... READ MORE

Understanding the Psychology of Sales to Boost Your Business

Sales is something that I’ve been doing since my first job in a shoe store during a high school work and school program. But, the reality is that everyone’s ‘selling’ every day—and they don’t have to have a career in sales. If you’re a parent, think of the requests of your kids who try to... READ MORE

How to Master Sales Support After the Close

As a global business leader, I’ve always believed that putting people first is crucial. And in the digital era, that hasn’t changed. Moreover, in a highly competitive landscape where people increasingly have trouble speaking to a person at a company, it’s more important than ever to master sales support. Our team thinks this has made... READ MORE

How to Overcome Sales Team Challenges

Have you experienced a drop in sales recently? It does happen at times, and seasonality may cause ebbs and flows to sales numbers. However, any drop is still something to keep an eye on—if not to be concerned about—and not meeting forecasts isn’t good for business. As a result, business leaders should be consistently proactive... READ MORE

10 of the Best Nonprofit Marketing Resources Right Now

As the nonprofit world gets ready for Giving Tuesday, you want to make sure that you have the best available resources to raise funds during this critical time. We know that this year’s been tough, and that means that you have to pour more of your time into your efforts. However, it’s vital to do... READ MORE

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