A Bridge for Kids is a nonprofit organization that matches underserved kids with the support they need. It’s a lot more than raising money, though that’s certainly part of it. Founder Michael Nance realized that children needed more than resources divorced from context. Bridge for Kids asks the youth of San Diego to apply to the program, so they can be matched with a mentor — one who can provide financial aid, emotional support, and practice advice as the kid works toward their goals. 

Talking with Douglas Younger III on Twist of Fate, a small-business podcast, Nance says that his starting question was as simple as asking himself what he needed as a teenager. Younger points out that all entrepreneurs should be asking themselves how they can give back while building their career?

The Promise of Tomorrow 

Bridge for Kids has taken 10 years of iterations to become what it is today. It was a lot of trial and error, as most entrepreneurs are well accustomed to at this point. For the staff at Bridge, it was imperative to understand what these kids were looking for, and how mentors could best deliver those things. 

When Michael Nance talks about his childhood on the podcast, he’s open about what he didn’t have. While he ultimately did become successful, he realized that a lack of income meant that he wasn’t exposed to certain experiences that could have made a huge difference. This was his springboard when he considered what kids of today really needed. (There’s little point in regretting the past, but there are ways for entrepreneurs to use what they’ve learned to plan ahead.)

Bridge for Kids 

A Bridge for Kids is specific, which might be one of the things that makes it so successful. A Bridge for Kids is not able to help all kids. His program is for low-income children ($45,000 or less for a family of four)  in the San Diego area who are motivated enough to apply for the program and then stick with it once they get a mentor. This is a great lesson for all startup owners: you can’t be all things to all people. Trying to cater to everyone is often about as useful as catering to no one. 

Douglas Younger III and Michael Nance discuss the circle of giving that stems from this one organization. Kids who started in the program are now young adults who now want to mentor kids who were once in their shoes. There are too many students whose talent goes overlooked simply because there aren’t enough people paying attention. You put these bright kids around resources, education, and opportunities, and all of a sudden, their lives can look a lot different. 

Solving Problems 

All true entrepreneurs love to solve problems. Whatever field they happen to land on, they’re always looking for the chance to step in and do it a little better. Michael Nance noticed that kids just like him were in need, and he found a way to address those needs. 

(And, as cliche as it is, the mentors report taking a lot back from the experience. They claim to get more than the kids do, which is a subjective claim at best. Often, just being chosen by a mentor is a huge accomplishment for any kid who applies to the program.)

Giving is almost as synonymous as getting, though that lesson is not always as apparent as people would like it to be. For Michael Nance, a man who made his fortune, he takes no payment for his work and neither does anyone else on staff. Solving the problem of how to help others, whether it’s with money or not, is a premise that all entrepreneurs should take to heart. 

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