How I Started My First Nonprofit at 21 with a Blessing from Iyanla Vanzant

 

Over 20 years ago, I received my first nonprofit donation from Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant 's Inner Visions Institute— a blessing that launched my journey as a young social entrepreneur. In this post, I share how mentorship, divine alignment, and resilience helped me start my first nonprofit at 21, leading to a lifetime of service and entrepreneurship. 

Starting a business — especially a nonprofit — felt completely overwhelming when I was 21 years old. I had no clue where to even begin. No fancy business plan. No savings account waiting to be used. Just a burning desire to do something good in my community.

It all changed when one artist, who later became a mentor to me, introduced me to a board member in their circle. That connection was pure gold. With their guidance, I learned how to write my very first nonprofit application for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. (Pro tip for anyone reading this: mentorship can cut your learning curve in half and working with a Virtual Assistant can help!)

Of course, getting the paperwork filed was just step one. The real challenge was... how was I going to fund this dream on a shoestring budget? I didn’t have much money at all. Every dollar mattered. But faith, hustle, and a little bit of divine timing showed up for me. I’ll never forget finding my very first donation — the blessing that helped me officially launch my nonprofit organization.

That experience launched more than just a business. It inspired me to start studying business structures and management, which later led me to take university courses in business. Funny enough, for a while I thought I had enough credits to be a social worker — spoiler alert: I did not! 😅 But those transcripts told a bigger story: I had built a foundation of skills that would serve me in my life as a serial entrepreneur.

Looking back today, organizing my office and coming across that first donation check (I will post it on my social media once I block out account number on check) from Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant 's Inner Visions Institute almost brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me that every dream has a beginning, and every beginning deserves gratitude.

I’m so thankful for the mentors, the angels, and the desire that kept me moving even when the road wasn't clear.

Moral of the story?
👉🏽 Start where you are.
👉🏽 Stay open to guidance.
👉🏽 Keep building, even when it feels messy.

Divine alignment always makes sense... eventually. 💫

With Love, 

Aisha- The Bald Business Beauty

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