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Ten Years, One Magic Wand, and a Bond That Never Ends
I remember the first time I met Rachel Mairose more than 10 years ago. We were both babies in the world of leading organizations, full of big dreams, wild ideas, and probably more ambition than resources.
I asked her a simple question: "Rachel, if you could wave a magic wand, what would you want?"
Her answer? "A gala."
So, we built one.
What started as a gala raising $50,000 has grown into an event that raises more than half a million dollars today. Add a zero. And then some.
But what we've built together goes so far beyond one night of fundraising.
Over the last decade, I've had a front-row seat to one of the most remarkable nonprofit growth stories in our community. I've watched Rachel go from running an animal rescue out of her basement to leading a world-class rescue organization with a fully functioning veterinary center and a vision that continues to grow.
In many ways, our journeys have run parallel. I started Media Bridge out of a spare bedroom, and today we have an agency in the North Loop. Two entrepreneurs figuring it out as we went, learning to lead, taking big swings, and surrounding ourselves with people who believed in what we were building.
And what a group of people!
The relationship between the staff and board at The Bond Between is something special. The trust, the passion, the willingness to roll up sleeves and do whatever needs to be done. I've served on plenty of boards, but this one has always felt different. We've never been afraid to dream bigger than our circumstances.
One of my proudest contributions came when we decided to do something that, quite frankly, scared the heck out of me.
Rename Secondhand Hounds.
Think about that for a second. We were talking about changing the name of one of the most beloved and recognizable animal rescues in the Midwest. A name with enormous brand equity, emotional connection, and a fiercely loyal community.
The pressure was enormous. So was the trust.
My creative team at Media Bridge poured their hearts into the challenge, and together we brought The Bond Between to life.
It wasn't just a new name or a pretty new identity. It was about creating a brand that could carry the weight of a much bigger future. A future that wasn't limited to rescuing dogs and cats, but one that could embrace veterinary care, human connection, and the extraordinary relationship between animals and people.
Watching that brand come to life, seeing the community embrace it, and knowing it has helped create space for the organization's continued evolution has been one of the most meaningful accomplishments of my career.
Not because we created a great brand. Because we helped give an incredible organization permission to become everything it was capable of being.
And now, after 10 years, my board term is coming to an end. That's a bittersweet sentence to write.
Ten years is a long time to have a seat at a table. Long enough to build friendships, navigate hard decisions, celebrate big wins, make a few mistakes, and watch what once seemed impossible become reality.
I've learned so much from Rachel, from my fellow board members, and from the thousands of animals and humans whose lives have been changed along the way.
I'm incredibly proud of what we've accomplished together. And even more excited about what's still ahead.
Rachel, thank you for trusting me with your dreams, your organization, and one of the most important brands I've ever had the privilege of helping build.
To the staff, board, volunteers, donors, and everyone who has played a role in this journey, thank you for reminding me what happens when people come together around something they truly care about.
My seat at the board table may be opening up, but my connection to this organization isn't going anywhere.
After all, you don't spend 10 years helping build The Bond Between without creating a pretty unbreakable bond of your own.
And Rachel, just so you know, I still have that magic wand.
You know where to find me. ❤️🐾
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