In 2014, Robb Karcasy moved to Arizona and met his wife, Ellen Owens, and they reorganized as Karcsay Consulting Group, LLC. With experience in organizational transformation, change management, mergers, and acquisitions integration, KCG provides an expanded range of consulting services in addition to telecom and technology solutions.

When Ellen became a part of KCG, she brought with her a rich and diverse career that allows her to provide a truly customer-centric approach. Ellen reflects on her professional experiences, “My professional career has been quite a journey that sometimes seems illogical, but the cumulative experience is invaluable.

” After spending 20 years in a career focused on nutrition, health, and wellness, Ellen had an opportunity to work for a global technology company, managing large-scale programs as well as mergers and acquisition integrations. After spending seven years with the company, Ellen decided to turn her focus back to purpose-driven work.

“I needed work that fed my soul,” said Ellen after realizing that the experience gained working for a publicly-traded company could be leveraged in a way to help strengthen the organizations that support people who are vulnerable or underserved.

Ellen, a Lifecycles Capacity Consultant, has been trained to leverage the Nonprofit Lifecycles approach to assessing organizations using a stage-based method. This approach, developed by Dr. Susan Kenny Stevens, founder of the Nonprofit Lifecycles Institute, is unique in that it meets the organization where they are at today to help them get to where they need to go tomorrow.

Nonprofits must make money to run the programs and services that meet the needs of their clients and fulfill their missions. To accomplish this, an organization must have the capacity to deliver quality programs and services that have an impact on the people they serve.

Capacity is defined in four dimensions: management, governance, business model, and administrative systems. KCG focuses on systems which include technology, process, policies, and procedures.

Although the methodology is designed to meet the needs of building capacity in nonprofit organizations, KCG uses the framework with small-and medium-sized businesses that are looking to grow and further develop their business.

Ellen believes that “Nonprofits and growing for-profit businesses operate with similar business models and face similar challenges. Before doing strategic planning, it makes sense that the organization conducts a strategic assessment first. The Lifecycles approach can accomplish that.

”Milestones KCG believes that this approach will help businesses and organizations experience sustainable change. Also, the process gives funders and investors the confidence that growth and capacity building initiatives have been thought about and are appropriate for the current stage of the organization’s development.

Why Phoenix?

Plain and simple–opportunity! The growth of health-tech startups, Arizona State University, and the University of Arizona with collaborative programs that focus on sustainability, public health, and health innovations.

Advice & Best Practices

Begin with the end in mind. What is it you or your business wants to be?
What need does it fulfill, and how will the community be different if you are successful? With that vision, gather your team and collaborate to build a plan to get there.