Dispatches from Good Name Advisors

These two qualities often clash. I can delay progress with the beautiful art of wasting time — today, for example, it’s the weather: warm, sunny, perfect. But also on the list? A long call with our health insurance provider to unravel the joys of new coverage.

And yet, this little moment reminded me of one of my favorite projects during my time at the William Davidson Foundation: the creation of our organizational values. A small staff task force met with Mr. Davidson’s family and former colleagues to surface and articulate the principles he lived by. One of them, in particular, stuck with me:

Just Start.

You may not know the full path ahead. You might not be sure what comes first or what might go sideways. But you begin anyway — and trust that forward motion allows the next step to appear.

That value has stayed with me. It applies to everything. When someone says, “I can’t start something new because…” (fill in the blank: I’m too old, I’m out of shape, I don’t know what that even means), the best counter to that inertia — even with a little procrastination — is still: Just Start.

The world around us feels increasingly unpredictable. The pace of change is relentless. In just the past five years, we’ve lived through a global pandemic, multiple wars (one of which affects my day-to-day deeply), a frightening rise in antisemitism, and a disturbing erosion of shared reality. These are historic, uncertain times.

And still — we have agency. We get to decide how we show up, how we invest in the future, how we reinforce what we care about, and how we contribute to a more stable, values-driven world.

I think a lot about philanthropy in this context. How are you using your resources — your money, your time, your voice — to nourish the things you believe in? What are you learning about? Are you building something? Or waiting until you feel “ready”?

Let me help you start.

I’m launching a national women’s giving circle — and beginning the early stages of one here in Detroit, too. If you’re curious, reach out. We’ll explore what matters to you, learn together, and amplify your giving to make a real impact.

Let’s preserve your Good Name.

Interested? Be in touch.