10-08-2026
Some business principles hold whether a person works for a nonprofit or within a for-profit industry.
Julie Dussliere, president and CEO of the Purdue for Life Foundation, joined Dave Randich as part of the Daniels School's Executive Forum to discuss the similarities between nonprofit and for-profit sectors, from generating revenue, managing expenses, and analyzing financial performance to recruiting talent and reporting to boards. During her previous leadership role with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, for example, the organization managed a roughly $350 million operating budget supported by broadcast revenues, sponsorships and philanthropy.
What distinguishes the two is often the way in which organizations rely upon their mission to raise revenue, allocate surplus and recruit staff.
“Just because you’re a nonprofit does not mean that you are not out doing revenue generation,” says Dussliere.
The difference lies in where the money comes from — donors whose values and interests align — and where it goes. Rather than distributing returns to shareholders, nonprofit organizations reinvest revenue in their missions — in the case of the USOPC, supporting athletes; in an academic environment such as Purdue, funding student opportunities, advancing research or strengthening communities.
To build a competitive advantage in attracting employees, nonprofits create work schemes that align with employees’ family-life values and seek out candidates aligned with the mission. Focusing on sound strategy, financial accountability, strong cultures and disciplined leadership make nonprofits attractive workplaces.
Listen to the full Executive Forum episode to learn how principles from nonprofit management, sports leadership and university advancement can strengthen your understanding of revenue strategy, talent, culture and purpose in any business.
The Daniels School’s Executive Forum is held in person on the West Lafayette campus and is open to the public, as seating permits. Follow the business school on LinkedIn to learn about upcoming Forum speakers and more. You can find Forum episodes on our Executive Forum Podcast and on Spotify.
