Ya, I was interested to hear more about her reasons for leaving the corporate world and the reason for the hiring choice made by the Humane Society... Obviously she is a very intelligent and capable woman, but did the Humane Society know that her corporate/entrepreneurial skill set would be necessary for the future of their non-profit business? It seems as through her business strengths have translated extremely well into the non-profit world and the Humane Society might have been in a very different place had it not been for Christine's innovative intuition and managerial background.

I think this talk was a great example of how past experiences can be harnassed into something greater than had been imagined, both for Christine as well as the HSSV. From the state of HSSV that Christine described when she arrived, I doubt those doing the hiring realized how much she would be able to turn around the facility. Instead, it was probably a matter of 'this has to be better than what we've had so far - let's take the chance'. Though I agree this was a quite different subject matter than previous talks, it was great to see the common themes of understanding the customer, doing market research, defining the market, modifying the strategy, etc that can be applied to many different industries. As part of a leadership class I took at my work last year, we were asked to go around the room and share the first thing that came to mind when asked the question - 'If others opinions did not matter, right now I would be _____'. It was amazing and moving to hear what others had to say in response - so many of our activities are driven by what we believe others to be thinking about our actions, rather than what we are actually passionate about deep inside.

I believe that at some point in your life, and after several years of doing something you "like" and feel comfortable doing so, it is wise (and maybe natural) to ask yourself: "Why am I doing what I am doing, and why not something else?". Depending on your own personal answers you could easily find out that, if you don't have a lot of constraints, you could move on and, as the topic says, take the opportunity to do something different; something that you just feel is better that your current status quo.

I think that some people are so focused on becoming part of the corporate world that they sometimes forget what they really like (including myself). Giving you the chance to take an alternate path could represent a huge impact in your life... but it is also important to choose the appropriate timing to go for it!

Entrepreneurship is a philosophy of life, a rational approach to risk taking.  The vast majority of humankind is risk-averse, a statement supported by mountains of psychology research.  Most people "play it safe" and, in doing so, miss opportunity.  The entrepreneur realizes that safety is impossible, and therefore manages risk.

Leaving corporate America and working for a nonprofit is a quintessential entrepreneurial trait.  Christine exemplifies the mindset of intelligently managing risk, rather than shying away from risk altogether.

Thought not the same as leaving a steady paycheck (golden handcuffs) and starting a business, she left a "high status" position for one which called to her heart.  Those who do the right thing and not the easy thing deserve great respect.

I agree with everything in this thread, Yonah's post was particularly insightful. But the title of the post is a misnomer. The whole point is that she isn't taking a chance. For once, she made a decision with her heart and such decisions can never go wrong! She did acknowledge that her experience in the corporate sector helped her take bold decisions to propel the non-profit forward! It must be amazing to be motivated by humanity and not money.