The Partner view
"Advisor", "Consultant", "Set of outside Eyes", "Confidant", "Connector to Great Network of Resource People"
"Common Good Ventures know more about my business than my board does because they are thinking about it every single day. They are involved in every step and are invested partners in this process.
CGV is a sounding board. I probably call them two or three times a week, at least, with ideas or questions. We're growing very fast, so I meet with CGV at least every other week. They help me with the analytical perspective.
They are the devil's advocate, saying, "Have you thought about this, have you thought about that?" Me, I want to just do it! But they bring me back to thinking carefully about the ramifications of a potential action.
They also help me with very specific things. For example, CGV helped me identify that our previous sales and marketing person was not the right person for the position. They even help me communicate to my board of directors some of the challenges I'm having."
- Erick Jensen, describing his relationship with
Common Good Ventures when he was CEO of the nonprofit Wolfe's Neck Farm
"With Common Good Ventures there's an incredible honesty, an incredible partnership. It's warts and all. We've definitely had bad times, and we haven't masked them.... The key is that they are actually engaged with you and don't think they know all of the answers. With Common Good Ventures it's a conversation."
- Mark Swann, Executive Director, Preble Street describing
Common Good Ventures' partnership with their Stone Soup subsidiary
