Entrepreneur David Bolno is a many of many skills. Chiefly, he is known these days as a business management professional. Not only does he spend time helping others structure business entities, but he also lends insight into the evaluation of cash flows and income streams, helps to create organic and long-term business plans for startups, works on financial plan reviews and implementation, and more.
Over the course of his career, David Bolno has worked with everyone from famous musicians to world renowned artists to athletes, entertainers, and more. He’s worked with record companies, recording studios, and beyond. At this point the chances are solid that if you’re a high-net-worth individual who is focused on achieving maximum financial return and preserving wealth, you’ve heard his name.
All this is to say that by any conceivable metric, David Bolno has already made an impact on those he’s come into contact with. But it’s not quite the type of impact he’s most focused on. Because while excelling in a professional capacity is important, the real focus needs to be on what happens next.
In his opinion, when you work hard and achieve a certain level of success, it is your obligation to “spread the wealth around,” so to speak. So just like he’s made an impact on the Los Angeles business community over the years, he’s also done so on many of the communities that have given him so much throughout his life. Now, he’s hopeful that others will follow his example and do the same.
An Overview of David Bolno
David Bolno earned his undergraduate degree from the esteemed Duke University. Not only did he graduate Magna Cum Laude, but he also had Distinction in his major as well. He so enjoyed his experience that he currently serves on The Alumni Council for Duke.
At that point, he went on to earn his law degree Cum Laude from the equally impressive Temple University. The only thing more impressive than his educational background is the fact that he did all of this while working full-time to support himself.
After finishing his education, his career began in earnest. It was then that he started advising those both in the United States and internationally on business, personal wealth, tax planning, and so much more.
The Power of Philanthropy
For David Bolno, one of the major reasons why philanthropy is so important comes down to the impact that you’re able to make and how it is truly more important than ever.
Some people donate to charities or non-profit organizations in an attempt to reduce their taxes, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, once you begin to see the outward impact you can understand why this matters a great deal. You’re supporting a cause that you care about. If you want to enact sweeping change, this is how you do it – by making sure that the people who are passionate about and that are dedicated to these same things you are have access to the resources they need to make a difference.
Whether that money will be going to reduce their administrative costs, to hire new employees, to manage upcoming events, or something else entirely doesn’t matter. Your visions are aligned and even if you’re not necessarily in a position to do something about it, they are.
From the point of view of community, leading by example is also something that can help inspire others to do the same – particularly those closest to you. When your friends, family members, and other people in the community see how passionate you are and how much they care, it can motivate them to give back as well. More than that, it can help illustrate certain opportunities that they may not have even been aware existed in the first place.
If someone sees you volunteer your time and sees first-hand how easy it is, that makes it more likely that they will pick up the proverbial baton and do the same. The importance of this cannot be overstated.
To return to the idea of making an impact both outward and inward, philanthropy is also a great way to make yourself feel good. No, that is not the number on motivator – or at least, it shouldn’t be. But supporting a cause that you care about does allow you to recognize your own contribution. It can make you happier and more fulfilled with your life and the world around you. Especially given everything that has been going on in the world over the last few years, this is a feeling that likely could not have come along at a better time.
An Impact to Last a Lifetime
Ultimately, it’s no secret that people define “success” in different ways. Some choose to measure what they’ve accomplished based on the amount of wealth they’ve amassed or the material possessions they have. They think to themselves that once they have a certain number of cars, or a house over a specific square footage, they’ve “made it.”
Others measure based on their career achievements. They think that if they get to a certain level within the corporate hierarchy by way of promotions, job titles, or by earning a certain paycheck, they’re as successful as they always dreaded they could be.
Educational background. Relationship status. Fitness level. There are many who use these things to gauge how successful they are and, in truth, there’s nothing wrong with any of it. It’s just that David Bolno has always chosen a different unit of measurement to see how well he’s doing:
The type of positive impact that he’s made and the ways in which he’s been able to give back to the communities he cares about.
He’s made philanthropy one of his chief hobbies over the years. He’s donated countless hours to volunteer work. He’s participated in both social and environmental activism. The list goes on and on.
He’s also encouraged others to do the same on more than one occasion. When his clients come to him and say that they’re concerned about leaving a lasting legacy for their families, one of the first things he always recommends is philanthropy and charitable giving to the community. If you want to make sure your actions today continue to inspire people long after you’re gone, this is just one of the many ways in which you can do it.
But the one thing he wishes more people understood is that you don’t have to be a successful entrepreneur or business leader to do any of this. If you can’t afford to donate to a non-profit, see if you can donate your time by helping out at an upcoming event. If there are no such events in your area, try to put one together to gather like-minded individuals in the same place where you can all talk about the things you’re passionate about.
Look for any opportunity you have, both large and small, to do something positive for someone else. If you help one person, maybe they’ll help someone else. That in turn impacts two people, who can have an effect on six more people, then 15 more, then 100, etc. Before you know it, you’ve made a major positive impact on a community that you care about – and all it really took was one single act of kindness to get things started.
