Kim Fuller’s journey from the advertising world to founding Phil Inc. was inspired by a desire to professionalize the nonprofit sector. Phil Inc.’s clientele, spanning from local initiatives to international endeavours, benefit from services ranging from impact strategy to fund development. Operating remotely, the company fosters healthy working relationships rooted in shared values.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Phil Inc.
What made you want to do this work?
Most creative ideas begin as a tiny seed in the mind of the creator — an inspiration that takes root and becomes something more than its beginning.
I chose to follow in the family business after university graduation: advertising. With my father’s influence as an illustrator during the Mad Men era of advertising and my mother’s faithful dedication to philanthropy of all kinds, it seemed like a natural consequence that I would launch my own business combining my family ethos. Phil was born.
Today, after 25 years in the social sector, Phil has honed a unique approach to facilitating complex and sometimes messy processes with our clients.
Whether we are conducting research and evaluation or marketing planning and execution, our deep roots in communications means that we are all about helping our clients build and sustain strong positive relationships with their beneficiaries, donors, partners and staff.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
I wanted to help professionalize the nonprofit sector. If there was ever a deserving sector to receive quality, professional services, it’s the social sector!
Who are your clientele/demographics?
We work with local and national clients. Even some as far away as Senegal.
Our clients are focused on supporting equity-deserving communities, tackling social issues of all kinds ranging from health and education, to women’s rights and wellness for aging Canadians.
While the areas of focus may be different across our clients, they all have one thing in common: they are going through an important transition or tackling a challenging goal and they need expert help.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
We offer services on a project fee basis. We start with an exploratory call with a prospective client to see what they need. If there’s a good fit, we prepare an offer and review it with them. The client can accept the offer, or it may need to be refined before proceeding. We always want to make sure to set clear expectations before work begins.
We offer a wide range of services, including:
- Designing impact (strategy)
- Inspiring community (marketing & communications)
- Engaging donors (fund development)
- Strengthening leadership (governance)
- Activating teams (people & culture)
As a B-Corp, we are an accredited social values-based organization and have a deep understanding of socially missioned organizations.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We are a fully remote business. We’re always happy to meet in person when possible, but we find working remotely helps our clients best by focusing our time on work, not stuck in traffic going to meetings 🙂
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
Question: What do you look for in a healthy working relationship?
Answer: We look for shared values first and foremost. Ours are Integrity, Grit and Fun. We do what we love and love what we do, so we want to work with hard working clients who like to have fun. We take our work seriously, but we don’t take ourselves seriously.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part of what we do is seeing the communities benefit from the work that we do, through the work that our clients do.
The worst part is not being able to help everyone. There are so many great causes and organizations out there, just not enough hours in the day for us to serve them all!
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
How do you organize a fundraiser for the Earth? >> You plan-et.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
A few charities we love:
Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre Foundation
