Celebrating Older Women in Fundraising: Inspiration from Andrea Kihlstedt
You’ve likely heard of 30 under 30 and 40 under 40 lists. But have you heard of the Forbes 50 over 50?
It’s a special category of recognition for women in business who have had major accomplishments in the second part of their professional lives.
Capital Campaign Pro Advisor Xan Blake and I nominated Andrea. Sadly, Andrea doesn’t really qualify because our business doesn’t earn over $20 Million in revenue. However we decided to throw her name in the ring regardless.
Andrea Kihlstedt: Candidate for Forbes 50 Over 50
Andrea did get asked to complete a second-round of information. Here’s some of what she wrote:
50 marks the beginning of the third and most remarkable quarter of a woman’s life. With menopause comes a newfound freedom. A deepening of mind. A clarity of purpose and the courage to step up that is often tempered while managing the complex tasks of raising a family. Being over 50 is a wonderful advantage. Being over 70 is even better.
At 50 I was just getting going. But at 70 I finally had the confidence and courage to create a new consulting model for capital campaign fundraising. And now, eight years later, with a wonderful business partner, Amy Eisenstein, and a team of 18 people, our business has empowered nonprofit organizations to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fuel their organizations’ growth.
I started in the capital campaign consulting business when I was 34 and established a name for myself by writing a 400-page book on the subject. That book, Capital Campaigns: Strategies that Work, established me as one of the foremost experts in the field and gave me my professional voice. The 4th edition was published in 2017 and it’s still going strong.
It wasn’t until I turned 70 that I found the courage to upend traditional consulting practices and create a more affordable and more effective approach to consulting based on shared wisdom and collective learning.
I never imagined that I would build and run a multi-million-dollar business. Now that I am doing that at 70+, I would love to inspire other women through my experience. I’ve learned so much in the past decade and I continue to grow and have fun. Thinking of 50 as a milestone seems silly to me now.
Many women at 50 are just getting started, like I was. Women should know that even after menopause, they have the time to build whatever they wish and that building a million-dollar business from scratch may be within their reach.
This week, Andrea turns 78 years young and shows no signs of slowing down. She has more clarity, wisdom, and experience than anyone I know.
Inspiring Words for the Prime of Life
If you’re in the prime of life and thinking about your second or third act, I hope you’ll see yourself in — and be inspired by — Andrea’s story.
Forbes is seeking women over 50 generating $20 Million or more in their businesses. Andrea is doing just that as Co-Founder of Capital Campaign Pro, but the funds do not go to the bottom line of the business. Instead, she is helping hundreds of nonprofit organizations raise hundreds of millions of dollars for their own important missions. If that isn’t a cause for celebration and recognition, I don’t know what is.
If you are so moved, join me in wishing Andrea the happiest of birthdays below in the comments.
Happy Birthday Andrea!
Whenever I attend a Capital Campaign Zoom, I’m always inspired by your positive attitude & encouragement.
Happiest of birthdays, Andrea. You never cease to amaze and delight!!
Andrea,
Happy birthday and congrats on your successful career and life. Blessings to you for this year and many more to come! Here’s a limerick for you:
A young lady named Andrea dreamed great,
And through years of campaign experience filled her plate
To share with others,
Fundraising sisters and brothers,
Campaign ideas and practices first-rate!
Andrea wishing a Happy 78th Birthday with best wishes for many more to come your way. I founded Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet, an ALL volunteer 501c3 nonprofit public charity supporting our military, veterans, first responders, and their beloved furbabies in Jan 2005 at the age of 58, today at the age of 76 I’m still involved 24/7 as the organization’s CEO but more like “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer”. COVID-19 did a number on the organization, losing half of our volunteer foster homes and volunteer admin staff. Not giving up as there are too many active duty (primarily single and dual military) service member deploying out of country for up to a year related to a combat or humanitarian or peacekeeping mission. Plus the thousands of honorable/general discharged veterans who are either facing an unforeseen “inpatient” medical situation (illness, PTSD, TBI, Anxiety, MST) and/or homelessness who have a beloved furbaby or two that have no one to care for them while the veteran is getting the “hand up” he/she needs to get back on their feet. Basically we merged the 2 worlds of love of animals and support of our military, veterans, and first responders. Again have a very Happy 78th Birthday.
Happy birthday Andrea!! Thank you for all of your wisdom and good advice for fundraising!! Have a wonderful week of celebrating!!
Andrea is talented, kind, inspirational, and smart…one of the best in fundraising. When she speaks, I listen.
Happy Birthday Andrea!!! Wishing you all the happiness in this world!! Thanks for all you do for us!
Happy Birthday, Andrea! I am so grateful you upended the traditional fundraising model. We all benefit from your shared wisdom and collaborative approach.
This is super meaningful to me. I’m 51 and recently started a new career in Advancement. I see it as a new start, but constantly wonder how impactful/successful I can be while feeling less attractive and slightly left behind by younger women with more energy and focus. I realize it is ALL up to me and what I make of the opportunity. This post totally inspired me, so thank you!
Happy Birthday Andrea! You have been an inspiration to so many and it makes me happy to see that over 50+ we’re just getting started! I agree, we have pearls of wisdom, have a better overall vision than our youth partners and we are not afraid to work on new ideas!
All the best to you and for being an inspiration to so many women in our field. Thank you for all you do!
With warm regards,
Terri DiMarco
Carden Arbor View School
Happy Birthday! You are an inspiration to us older women! Keep it going !
Happy birthday, Andrea! You are an inspiration to so many! Your Capital Campaigns: Strategies that Work is truly authoritative. Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) to Raise Money is the best book I’ve ever read on the subject, and I use the exercises in it frequently. During the pandemic the webinar that you and Amy did every week was so encouraging and such a help to me. As someone who has been in fundraising and nonprofit management since 1983, I wholeheartedly agree with your post here! I wish you all the best on your birthday and always!
Andrea, you are one of the most energetic, forward-thinking consultants that I’ve ever met. Thank you for all your great work and HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
First of all, it’s an excellent and inspiring story, thanks to Amy.
Secondly, I wish a very Happy Birthday to Andrea, with whom I have the privilige of meeting and talking online once.
What a life, what a wonderful woman, what an inspiring person!
God bless you Andrea!
Many Happy Returns, Andrea! (as we say in the UK!)
You are an inspiration to so many in so many ways.
Sending you hugs.
Wishing you the happiest of birthdays, Andrea!! You have inspired me from the first time I heard you on a webinar for Capital Campaign Pro and I signed up to learn more, largely because of you and your partnership with Amy. Thank you for leading the way for the rest of us!! You have inspired me to keep moving forward in my calling when most my age are retiring. May God continue to bless all that you put your hands to.
As I have a birthday milestone soon (40), I needed to hear this. We can reinvent our lives whenever we please! Thanks for all the wisdom, Andrea!
Happy Birthday, Andrea! And many more. . . .
I have found your Capital Campaign presentations inspiring and helpful and can’t wait to see what our local arts organization can do with your new feasibility model. Your celebration of older women is parallel to the croning ritual initiated by the the American Folklore Society Women’s Section in 1989, to honor members who turned 50 and celebrate their growing wisdom. Thank you for your good work and for being an excellent Crone role model.
Happy, Happy Birthday, Andrea! I hope that your special day is everything you might want it to be.
All the best for continuing energy to swish through each adventure life holds in store for you.
Happy Birthday, Andrea!! Your fundraising experience acumen and fabulous people (relationship-building) skills are an inspiration, but your description of 50 and 70 years “young” truly give me great hope… “With menopause (at 50) comes a newfound freedom. A deepening of mind. A clarity of purpose and the courage to step up…. Being over 50 is a wonderful advantage. Being over 70 is even better. At 50 I was just getting going. But at 70 I finally had the confidence and courage to create (something new)….” Thank You for being a shining example and role model.
Sending my best wishes to you as you celebrate another wonderful year! I’m inspired by your commitment to live your life to the fullest regardless of age!!! What a blessing and inspiration you have been to me over the years – I have grown both personally and professionally from my association with you. I appreciate your common sense approach and your continual efforts to keep fundraising current and cutting edge. It’s amazing how things change over time and having your guidance about making those changes has been invaluable!
Happy Happy Birthday Andrea!
Celeste Thompson
All Saints Episcopal School, Lubbock TX
Dear Andrea – Happy Birthday!
How blessed we are to have regular access to your incredible experience, generous spirit, lovely sense of humour and authenticity through Campaign Conversations. You are truly inspirational!
Have a wonderful birthday doing the things that bring you joy.
Amy, thank you for honouring Andrea in this way.
Warm regards,
Earle Johnston
from Brisbane, Australia
Happy Birthday, you amazing woman! You are my inspiration! Because of you, I have learned to embrace this “4th quarter” of my life. Love and best wishes to you!
I wish you a Happy birthday Andrea and may leave many more than this!!!.
Really thank you for your good words in fundraising; it’s true you mean a lot and very strong.
Most of all the out comes in fundraising to non-profit organizations stands in your hands.
Your like a Hunter because you kill what your have hunted; this means you put in more effort.
I appreciate, May God bless you so much.
Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments and well-wishes. They touched me deeply! When Amy said she wanted to write this about me, it made me uncomfortable and more than a bit embarrassed. But she convinced me that my story might inspire others. And for that reason I agreed. And now, I see that she was right.
Thank you for being in my world and for all of the wonderful work you do. I am inspired by you!
And thanks to Amy for encouraging me to step up and share my story. And for the wonderful work she does every day!
Andrea, you are indeed inspirational! I recall the “high” of being 50 years old and having a successful consulting career, then being 75 years old, with a twist of wisdom being added to each year. As an 81 year old volunteer, I still get excited about a new endeavor! Guiding a capital campaign is now my North Star for learning and sharing new knowledge. I thank you for this and for showing how humor is so important in the process!
Happy Birthday and many more, Andrea!
Happy birthday Andrea! Your wisdom continues to ripple out further than you might imagine. I had the wonderful opportunity to see you in person when you offered a session at the AFP International Conference in 2013 or 2014. I later purchased “Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) To Raise Money” and I’ve used it many, many times when facilitating board education sessions. Thank you for your commitment to and your contributions to our nonprofit community!
Allison Bough, Norfolk/Virginia Beach VA
Happy birthday, Andrea! I thank my lucky stars for the day that Ken Jockers told me to call you. Your sane and patient advice and encouragement helped me through what I thought was an impossible situation and into the first successful capital campaign that our organization ever held, in which we exceeded our goal by about 40%. You are the consummate pro. Also, you look mahvelous.
Mia, it was such a treat to watch you transform from a bundle of anxiety to a powerful woman through that process! I’m so glad I was able to help usher that process a bit. 🙂
Happy Birthday, Andrea!
I have learned from you and I am indeed inspired by your story. At 67, I think I should be thinking of retirement, but your story invites me to think differently and reimagine what my encore career might look like.
Many Happy Returns,
Meredith Funston
Happy birthday, Andrea! You are truly an inspiration! I always learn something, or affirm a decision when I attend the Monday afternoon Zoom calls. Thank you and Amy for all you do for this community.
Happy Birthday, Andrea! I was looking through your website to recommend some resources to a nonprofit and came upon this article. What an inspiration! And, your work is so important to the world.
Thank you, Kathy!
Happy belated birthday, Andrea! I hope you continue to celebrate your birthday. Thanks for being an inspiration to me. Your book, webinars, podcasts, and our phone convos have been invaluable to me and our team. You’re simply amazing!!!
Happy Birthday, Andrea! I feel honored to share this birthday month with you!
Thank you for the insights and wisdom you share with all of us and everything we continue to learn from you. 78 has nothing on you! I aspire to have the same energy, strength, and confidence as you! Thank you for being such an excellent role model for me and many others, I am certain.
Thank you, Laresa. Always fun to see you on the Monday calls!
Happy birthday 🎉🥳🎉🥳 age with grace
Dear Andrea!
Wishing you the best and celebrating your kindness, joy and generosity. You are inspiring me and do many of us, thank you and have a great one.
Happy Birthday Andrea! You are a huge inspiration!