Networking for Good

Photo by Ethan Good

Lon Ricker says volunteering is the best way to build business

By Donnita Fisher

Networking is a lifestyle for Lon Ricker. Not the onthe-web or take-my-business-card styles of networking, but the making-connections-to-createopportunities-and-lasting-friendships kind.

“For years, I’ve been sharing with friends – and anyone that would listen – that the time to network is not when you need a job, a girlfriend or someone to fix your car,” said Lon, owner of Ricker Dynamics, a “fund development” consulting business. “You should be networking all the time.”

More than going to lunches and group gatherings trying to build your business, Lon’s brand of networking includes doing something for the greater good.

Spend at least 10% of your networking time volunteering at some place that sparks your passion,” he advises. “The connections you make will be with people that have similar passions, which will open doors and friendships well into the future.

“If this pandemic caused you to start caring about your neighbors, please continue doing it, even when you don’t have to,” Lon advocates.

During the recent COVID-19 self-quarantine time, social media and the news were full of stories of people helping each other through the time of isolation.

One such initiative that Lon has been spearheading is Team Up to Fight Hunger. In an effort to supplement their often-empty shelves, local food pantries are providing vouchers to clients that are redeemable at local area restaurants for a hot, hearty meal for their family. Via fundraising efforts, Team Up reimburses the restaurants for a portion of the meals as a way of not only giving food and love to families in need, but also to supplement the restaurant’s business. “It’s been a real blessing to see the collaboration of nonprofits and restaurants, not to mention the financial support from the community.”

Most people would agree that Lon is a success story. Born and raised in Michigan, he attended a one-room schoolhouse until sixth grade. (“Just like ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ ” he explains.)

After high school the self-described nerd earned degrees in electronic and computer engineering technology from Lake Superior State University in Sault St. Marie, Michigan.

His first job out of school was with Bell Laboratories, and he spent 20 years in the telecom industry “primarily working for start-up companies,” he said.

But success doesn’t always mean passion.

“I dropped out of the corporate world – three times – and traveled,” Lon recalls.

After the third time, and while traveling in his RV, when he’d come back to Texas, he started volunteering at a mobile soup kitchen in Dallas.

“Then God led me to run a big event where we put 500 homeless men and women up at the Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel, and then later the Omni Dallas Hotel for Christmas,” Lon reminisces. “I ended up running the event for five years and became the director of development.”

During his time with the nonprofit, the group’s annual revenue grew from $300,000 to $1.3 million. “We went from feeding the homeless to feeding and sheltering the homeless with nine group/transitional homes. We also started a thrift store to generate revenue. I like ‘friendraising,’ so asking for money is easy,” he said.

Now with Ricker Dynamics, Lon uses what he’s learned to help other nonprofits and businesses.

“I’m only doing this article if it can help others,” Lon said. “Perhaps someone learns that it’s OK to chase their passion, or that you can really be happy being broke. I’m happiest when I’m serving others. Like, helping nonprofit leaders raise money so they can serve more clients; that makes me happy.

“It’s like taking ‘do unto others’ to another extreme.”

Lon often starts off meetings and conversations by asking the groups he’s working with what he can do to help them.

“Even if it’s just helping put up flags in Old City Park before Memorial Day, I get so blessed by the opportunity and the people I get to work with,” he said.

Locally Ricker Dynamics works with Wylie ER, a freestanding emergency room, handling marketing and community engagement. Some of the local nonprofits he has or currently works with include In-Sync Exotics, 5 Loaves Food Pantry, The Coventry Reserve, Wylie Acting Group and the Murphy Veterans Tribute Project.

“One of my main nonprofit clients right now is In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center here in Wylie. They rescue exotic big cats and take care of them for the rest of their lives. An example of how I get blessed is that I’ve gone on a couple of rescues where we have transported cats from failing facilities. How many people get the opportunity to transport five tigers across country!?”

Lon has also brainstormed fundraising ideas with the Murphy Veterans Tribute Project.

“I spend quite a bit of time working pro bono for smaller agencies that can’t really afford to hire a consultant,” Lon said. “If I can help them build their donor base, then I’m blessed by that.”

The message Lon gives nonprofit leaders is to “love on their donors just like they love on their clients.”

Some are really good at taking care of the people (or animals) who use their services but not great at asking for donations and taking care of the people who give.

“Raising money is a necessary evil that they often don’t like,” Lon said. “Often they don’t even know how to do it. I have to gain their trust so they will let me help them engage and cultivate their donors.”

Communicating with donors is important all the time – not just when donations are needed, Lon advises. He urges nonprofits to tell their donors about the impact their donations have. “Tell them the successes – and struggles – you are having. Treat them like friends and keep them informed of what is going on,” he said. “I tell people they should communicate and thank their donors at least four times between their last gift and the next time you ask.”

Lon volunteers during the Wylie Championship Rodeo.

Photo by Anne Hiney.

He also admits that he’s not afraid to come up “with crazy ideas” to help nonprofits stand out. He said it takes creative – “crazy and often wild” – ideas to stand out from other nonprofits or businesses. “If I scare them, then perhaps we aren’t a good match to work together.”

Some of his ideas might include charging volunteers to volunteer (it works, if done right, he says) making silly (some might say fun, others “unconventional”) videos, hosting galas in locations where no one has ever had a gala before. “People will buy tickets, just to see how you pull it off,” Lon says.

It’s good to get people talking about you, so when you have a need, they already know who you are.

Many nonprofit leaders are uncomfortable asking for money, but Lon works with a group that teaches fundraising from a biblical perspective.

“Not only is it OK to ask for money, but the Bible instructs us to be cheerful givers. If I don’t tell you about an opportunity to help someone, then I’m doing you a disservice,” Lon said. “It’s kind of like this article – I didn’t want to do it, because I didn’t want to talk about myself, but if maybe someone reads it and thinks ‘I can go help others,’ well then maybe it was worth it.” After all, “The best way to be blessed is to be a blessing.” •