One of the foundational principles at Bravo Wellness is to be philanthropic and build a team that does what it can to support each other and the community.
Through the first seven years of its history, the company was very profitable and this effort was managed with ease. Then in 2015, a series of regulatory changes led to significant financial losses, says Founder and CEO Jim Pshock.
“We did not back off our giving at all,” Pshock says. “It was a tough call. We’ve rebounded quite nicely in 2017 and 2018, and we’ve actually been able to do more. But we give because it’s the right thing to do, not because we have a bunch of money left over and feel like giving it away.”
Competitive spirit
One of the giving programs that Pshock is most proud of is the Bravo Games, which began three years ago and quickly became a hit with employees.
Money that had been spent on corporate challenge events or a company picnic was redirected to a series of physical and intellectual challenges that enable teams to compete for the opportunity to support their favorite charities.
“The teams can earn points and the team with the most points will get $2,000 for the charity they chose, second place gets $1,000 and third place gets $500 and so on,” Pshock says.
“This lets us not only give financially to about 10 or 12 organizations, but it gets employees involved to represent something they are passionate about. We are pleased to be matching funds or to be able to direct some of our investment towards things we probably otherwise wouldn’t have chosen.”
Every little bit counts
Bravo Wellness has supported charitable organizations such as the Cleveland Animal Protective League, Laura’s Home Women’s Crisis Center, Prayers from Maria Children’s Glioma Cancer Foundation and Youth Challenge, just to name a few.
Pshock says giving back doesn’t require a massive commitment of time and resources in order to be effective.
“A small amount of time and what you might consider a nominal donation can make a big difference for the person at the end of the chain who receives support,” Pshock says. “Ask your employees. They will tell you. The more you can align the needs of the community with the heart and priorities of employees and the core values of your company, I think everybody wins.” ●
