Leading Nonprofits Like Businesses with Andy Price, CEO & Scout Executive

On this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor is joined by Andy Price, CEO and Scout Executive of the Grand Canyon Council of Scouting America. With over 30 years of leadership experience, Andy has dedicated his career to transforming nonprofit organizations, driving growth, and aligning mission with strategy.

In this conversation, Andy shares how passion drives his leadership, why nonprofits must be run like businesses, and what it takes to execute a turnaround when an organization faces existential challenges.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

Key Topics Covered

• How passion shapes long-term leadership success

• The unique challenge of leading volunteers versus employees

• Turning around Scouting in Arizona after major losses

• Why nonprofits must operate like businesses with “dividends to society”

• Measuring impact through outcomes, not just inputs

Passion Fuels Leadership

Andy emphasizes that great leadership starts with authentic passion. From his roots as a scout and Eagle Scout, he found meaning in helping others develop and grow. This passion became the cornerstone of his leadership philosophy:

“It’s easy to be engaged when you’re passionate about something… because I care so much about what we’re doing, that informs how I come to work every day.”

For executives, the lesson is clear: sustained engagement and energy come when leaders align their personal values with organizational mission.

Leading Volunteers vs. Employees

One of the most striking insights Andy shares is the difference between leading volunteers and managing employees:

“Volunteers can take it or leave it. They can walk away… Leadership must inspire them to stay.”

Unlike employees, volunteers aren’t bound by contracts or paychecks. They follow leaders because they believe in the vision. This requires CEOs to inspire, motivate, and communicate purpose at a higher level, skills equally essential in corporate leadership.

Turning Around Scouting in Arizona

When Andy joined the Grand Canyon Council, the organization had just lost a major partner, resulting in a 65% drop in membership and a 90% loss of revenue. Add in COVID-19 disruptions and a national restructuring, and the council faced existential challenges.

Through strategic planning, board alignment, and a renewed focus on community engagement, Andy has guided the council toward recovery:

“Now that that’s all behind us, we’re executing… We look at ourselves like a business, but with dividends payable to society.”

Running Nonprofits Like Businesses

Andy believes nonprofits must adopt the discipline and mindset of for-profit organizations to thrive:

“We take the inputs of labor, camps, and resources, and we spit out dividends for society. But we have to operate like a business.”

For CEOs in any sector, this highlights the importance of clear ROI models,  whether the returns are financial, social, or human.

Measuring What Matters

Andy stresses that impact must be measured not just by activity, but by outcomes. Scouting tracks membership, merit badges, service hours, and educational achievements. Independent research has shown scouts are more likely to graduate, attend college, and contribute positively to society.

This focus on outcomes provides validation for supporters and a clear sense of purpose for leaders and staff.

Work With Us

If you’re a CEO or senior leader looking to drive growth through clarity, strategy, and alignment, SME Strategy can help.

Work with us to facilitate your strategic plan:

https://www.smestrategy.net/strategic-planning-facilitator

Learn more about our courses:

https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Leading-Strategy-Execution

Subscribe to the Strategy & Leadership Podcast for more conversations with global executives, or connect with us to learn how we support organizations in building and executing their strategic plans.

About Andy Price

Andy Price is the CEO and Scout Executive of the Grand Canyon Council of Scouting America. With over three decades of leadership in the nonprofit sector, Andy has guided organizations through crises, growth, and transformation. He is passionate about preparing young people for life and leading with both business acumen and moral purpose.

Learn more about the Grand Canyon Council: https://www.scoutingaz.org/

Learn more about Scouting America: https://www.scouting.org