Helping Nonprofits Say What They Really Mean

Katie Thompson never thought of herself as an entrepreneur. She saw herself in support roles, the person behind the scenes, not the one calling the shots. But two years ago, after nearly a decade in the nonprofit world, burnout forced her to pause and ask a hard question.

What would it look like to keep doing meaningful work, but on her own terms?

That question led to the launch of Versed Nonprofit Consulting, a ghostwriting and storytelling studio for nonprofit and mission-driven leaders. Katie had spent years juggling roles that pulled her in a dozen directions. Now she wanted to focus on the one thing that lit her up.

“I’ve always loved storytelling. It’s what I got hired for. It’s what my friends asked me to help with. And it’s what most nonprofit leaders simply don’t have the time to do themselves,” she says.

Her First Job Was a Crash Course in Everything

Katie’s career began with a part-time admin role at a small nonprofit. She was the second person hired, joining a newly appointed executive director to help build the organization from the ground up.

“We were just figuring it out as we went,” she says. “Googling things, learning by doing, making a lot of mistakes. It was scrappy, but I learned so much.”

She would eventually step in as interim executive director when her boss left. In later roles, she was unexpectedly pulled into communications and marketing leadership. At each step, she took on more responsibility than she was hired for.

“I’ve held almost every role in a nonprofit,” she says. “And while that taught me a lot, it also led to burnout. I hit a point where I didn’t know if I even wanted to stay in the space.”

But she still believed in the work. She just needed a different way to contribute.

Behind the Scenes of Nonprofits

Katie’s experience gave her a front-row seat to the tension many nonprofits face. “The people who start these organizations usually lead with heart. They’re driven by the mission. But that doesn’t always come with business training,” she explains.

Resources are limited. Budgets are small. Staff often wear multiple hats. And because of that, storytelling often gets deprioritized—even though it is one of the most powerful tools a nonprofit has.

“I realized the thing I’m best at, and the thing these organizations need most, is help telling their story in a clear and compelling way,” she says. “It’s what resonates with donors. It’s what builds trust.”

Turning Toward Ghostwriting

When Katie first launched her business, she leaned into consulting. Communications strategy. Fundraising support. A little bit of everything.

She thought staying broad would help her land more clients. But over time, she found herself pulled back to writing.

“That’s the part I love most. And it’s also the part that’s usually missing,” she says. “So I pivoted. I wanted to go all in on ghostwriting.”

She helps nonprofit leaders articulate their vision and voice through op-eds, speeches, newsletters, and social content. But that shift hasn’t come without challenges.

“I don’t think a lot of nonprofits know they need this kind of help. So there’s an education piece,” she explains. “But when they see what’s possible, they get it.”

A Business That Reflects Who She Is

Running her own business has required Katie to step into an identity she didn’t always see for herself.

“When I first started, it was hard to talk about my work. I had spent my whole career amplifying other people’s messages. But talking about myself, selling myself, that felt unnatural,” she says.

Over time, that has changed. The more she leans into the work she loves, the easier it gets.

“I think I just had to find the version of this business that actually feels like me,” she says. “Once I stopped trying to be a traditional consultant and just owned the fact that I’m a writer, everything started to click.”

Now, she’s thinking about what’s next.

“I work with these amazing leaders who are trying to do things differently. I’d love to create more community around that. A space for people who want to challenge the old ways of doing things and tell better stories about the future.”

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