I recently went one-on-one with Matthew Fasciano, CEO of Delivering Good.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Matthew: Thank you for having me! I ask myself that question at least once a day. I don’t mean to sound flip, but I really do reflect on how I got here, who helped me along the way, and what kind of impact I want to have moving forward. My career has always been focused on service, but early on, I wasn’t thinking about scale or impact. I was thinking more about ‘what can I do right here, right now?’ Today, I think about how to engage with others to ensure a lasting and meaningful impact.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to always continue learning and growing. If I ever feel like I’ve reached the summit of either, that’s my cue to take a step back and reassess, because leadership is about staying open, curious, and committed to doing a little better each day.
Adam: What are the best leadership lessons you’ve learned from leading a nonprofit organization?
Matthew: Leading a nonprofit is really about stewardship: of mission, people, and trust. Of course, results matter, but relationships matter more, so I’ve made sure to never lose sight of the people behind the numbers.
Additionally, remaining grounded in the work is critical. I try to participate in distribution events as often as possible. Listening to someone who just received a new coat talk about feeling hope after losing everything in a disaster, or seeing a child light up after having received something brand new, reminds me why we do this work. Leadership is about creating those moments of possibility.
Adam: What are your best tips for fellow leaders of nonprofit organizations?
Matthew: Stay anchored in your mission, be ready, be open to innovation, and build strong partnerships. At Delivering Good, we’re developing the GOOD Index, which is a new way to measure not only how what we deliver, but how our efforts restore comfort, dignity, and hope.
While you can’t always predict when crisis will strike, you can prepare for it. That’s why understanding impact at a deeper level matters. It helps you design programs that truly meet people’s needs when it counts most. Our Basic Comforts Pack is a great example: each Pack includes new clothing items like t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, socks, and underwear, along with a cozy blanket, all packed into a tote bag. In August, we held a packing event in Kentucky so we can be prepared to assist hundreds of individuals and families nationwide with immediate relief when disaster hits.
But none of this happens alone. Our progress depends on collaboration with partners like Accenture, HanesBrands, KnitWell Group, and Ralph Lauren, who share in our belief that when business and purpose come together, we can create lasting, measurable change.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Matthew: Empathy, curiosity, and courage. Empathy connects you to people, curiosity drives learning, and courage helps you act when the path isn’t clear. The best leaders stay humble enough to keep asking, “What more can we do?”
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Matthew:
- Lead with purpose, not ego.
- Invest in people because your team will outlast any single strategy.
- Stay adaptable. The world changes quickly, but your values should stay constant.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Matthew: Don’t be afraid to hire people who are smarter and/or more talented than you. Trust your people and make sure they know their work has meaning. Our team at Delivering Good is small but mighty. Everyone takes ownership of the mission, and that shared sense of purpose keeps us all aligned and motivated.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Matthew: The best advice I’ve ever received is to “lead with empathy” because, as I mentioned before, it is essential. It’s easy to get caught up in outcomes and numbers, but empathy keeps you grounded in the people behind the work: the families, partners, and communities who remind us why we do what we do.
Adam: What can anyone do to pay it forward?
Matthew: Paying it forward starts with awareness. Seeing the humanity in someone else’s struggle and choosing to act, whether through a donation or volunteer work, leads to something larger. At Delivering Good, we see every act of generosity multiply one box, one pack, one moment of comfort at a time.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Matthew: Delivering Good is marking 40 years of impact while building for the future. Our mission is simple: when someone faces hardship or disaster, we help them move forward by connecting them with new, essential items and services because something new says you matter.
As I often say, new isn’t a business strategy for us, it’s a value. It’s about restoring comfort, dignity, and hope when people need it most. And as we look ahead, we’re focused on expanding that impact to ensure that when the next crisis comes, Delivering Good is ready to respond with compassion, efficiency, and purpose.
