So you’ve started a theater company…now what?

The eternal question springs again.

Well, money would seem to be the obvious answer. We need money. And lots of it. That’s how non-profits stay afloat, right? Endless gobs of money.

But in the same way that endless online applications aren’t necessarily the answer to the job search (been there done that), the answer to sustainability isn’t always endless, flowing, green stacks of…sorry, got distracted for a minute there.

You build relationships. You network. You make friends, and some enemies too. (Then you’re really cooking). Communities are groups of individuals who share values, assets, and resources. If you want access to the community, you talk to the people in it–you don’t buy a sweatshirt with the town’s name on it. Organizations thrive and survive because of commitment, collaboration, and vision. Add people with those same values and goals to your network.

And then ask those people for money.