Last week, Goodstack partnered with Engage for Good to host a virtual conversation on a challenge that every impact leader knows well: how to reclaim time and refocus impact. In an era of competing priorities, lean teams, and constant change, how can social impact teams move beyond the weeds to think strategically and drive meaningful outcomes?

Our VP of Social Impact, Aylin Oncel, was joined by three powerhouse leaders who shared honest reflections, practical tools, and strategies that are working inside their organizations today:

• Mallory Burke, Senior Program Manager for Social Impact at Atlassian

• Casey Ryu, Social Impact and Nonprofit Product Senior Specialist at Zoom 

• Michelle Baltrusitis, Associate Director, Community and Social Impact at Fiverr

The conversation was buzzing, with impact leaders across a number of sectors and brands around the US participating. We’re sharing a few key takeaways from the discussion here: 

1. Impact sits everywhere, and that’s a strength.

Social impact teams live under different umbrellas across organizations, including marketing, people, finance, and sustainability. Rather than a challenge, our panelists see this as an opportunity to embed impact efforts across the business, meeting teams where they are and tailoring programs to their goals.

2. Executive buy-in requires constant cultivation.

From advisory boards to department “champions,” impact leaders are leaning on ongoing relationships to implement their initiatives. Positioning impact work as value-adds to business priorities (like leadership development or product storytelling) has been critical to fostering engagement at an executive level.

3. Stay focused to maximize your impact.

The panelists emphasized the importance of scaling what works and cutting what doesn’t. Going deep on a few core programs, whether those are accelerators, nonprofit discounts, or employee giving, allows for stronger measurement and storytelling.

4. Tools and automation free up strategic thinking.

The right tools are reducing administrative load — the panelists cited Goodstack as a resource that’s allowed them to focus on innovation and high-impact partnerships, instead of back-end logistics. Each panelist’s company uses Goodstack in different ways, which is just a testament to the flexibility and versatility of the platform for fueling social impact efforts. 

5. Measuring impact is nuanced, but storytelling is key.

Measurement was one big question on attendees minds! Tracking success varies based on program types, from volunteer hours, to customer acquisition, to learning outcomes. The panelists agreed that data only goes so far without compelling storytelling that makes the case to executives and connects back to the company’s values — something Goodstack has prioritized building into the platform, so impact teams can quickly and easily share out impact milestones and stories from their work.

One line in particular stuck with our team: “Impact leaders are trusted advisors inside our organizations. We bring alignment, creativity, and a future-focused lens — and that’s more important than ever.”

Whether you’re an impact leader at a growing startup or part of a much larger team, Goodstack is here to help you reach your impact goals, saving you time to focus on the bigger picture. If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch with our team: goodstack.io/get-in-touch.