Great leaders don’t separate business success from community impact — they build careers where both grow together. For two longtime City Year Chicago board members, that means integrating mission-driven values into everything from launching companies to owning a professional sports team to making films that spark conversation.
That dual impact — lifting others while growing as a leader — lies at the heart of City Year Chicago’s mission. The nonprofit, a Make It Better Foundation grant partner, places young adult volunteers in classrooms across the city, where they provide much-needed support to students while gaining leadership experience that will shape their future careers.
That’s what drew business leader Ravin Gandhi to join the organization’s board in 2013.
“I like that there is a two-sided model, on one hand helping the public school kids who need it most, while also — through the corps — producing hundreds of leaders who will help Chicago for years to come.”
Gandhi was honored at the organization’s Ripples of Hope gala April 18, which raised more than $1 million to continue the successful program in Chicago classrooms. He and City Year Chicago co-founder and President Michael Alter recently reflected on what it means to build a career around mission — through service, philanthropy, business, and beyond.
Eclectic Paths, Unified by Purpose
Both men have eclectic resumes. Gandhi founded GMM Nonstick Coatings, is a venture capitalist, and has also written, directed and produced a major motion picture, 100 Days to Live. Alter is president of commercial real estate developer The Alter Group and majority owner of the Chicago Sky Women’s National Basketball Association team.
Though their paths have been unconventional, both are drawn to challenges united by the opportunity to make deep impacts on their community and world.
“Starting City Year Chicago [in 1994] wasn’t just about launching another program — it was about bringing people together in a city that, then and now, too often lives in silos,” Alter says. “I was driven by the idea of what could happen if we brought together a diverse group of young people — from different backgrounds, experiences and zip codes — and united them in a shared mission of service.”
Mission Matters, in Business and Service Alike
“I’ve always believed that our civic work and our business work are not separate lanes. They inform and strengthen each other,” Alter says.
Whether expanding a company — he grew The Alter Group from a regional firm into a national organization that includes multiple companies — or founding and leading a nonprofit, Alter starts with the mission, and sticks to it.
“If you want to build a company that stands for something more than just profit, you have to be intentional about that,” he says. “You have to create a culture where purpose matters — where people know they’re part of something larger than themselves. That’s how you attract talent with shared values. And in today’s purpose-driven workforce, shared values aren’t just a bonus — they’re essential. When people feel aligned with the mission, they bring more to the table — not just as employees, but as people.”
The Recipe for Happiness: Hard Work and Passion
Running a large real estate group and an ambitious nonprofit would be enough to keep anyone busy. But in 2005, Alter expanded his local leadership role when he became founding owner of the Chicago Sky. Gandhi’s career pursuits have been so diverse that one might wonder if Ravin Gandhi the movie producer, Ravin Gandhi the entrepreneur, and Ravin Gandhi the investor are all the same person.
Alter and Gandhi’s wide-ranging careers all share one thread: passion.
“The only way I have found to be happy is to be working your tail off on something that you are passionate about,” Gandhi says. “I like working hard, and I have lots of interests — so that is probably the throughline that connects my career.”
Center Every Project Around Your Values
Serving as a basketball team owner is not just about fun nights courtside to Alter. “Look a little deeper,” he says, “and you’ll see the same values behind every one of my projects.” Alter’s bio on the Chicago Sky website notes that he saw bringing women’s professional basketball to Chicago “as a way to encourage opportunities for young women in professional athletics.”
How can other business leaders live out their values?
“Start by listening,” Alter advises. “Understand the issues facing the communities where you live and work — not from a distance, but by getting involved.
“Then ask yourself: what kind of company do I want to build? What kind of legacy do I want to leave? Because if you want to create lasting impact, it can’t be a side project. It has to be part of the DNA of your business. You have to bake it into how you hire, how you lead, and how you show up.”
Don’t Wait
Most business leaders want to do something positive for their communities. But with day-to-day pressures, it’s easy to assume that good works — or creative dreams — can wait.
Gandhi urges others to resist that urge to defer.
“Start now. Everyone feels that they will do something in the future — but there is no better time than now. You will find that action is always the best answer, because it leads to more questions that help you learn how to achieve whatever goal you have.”
How to Help
Want to help develop the next generation of civic leaders — while supporting the students they serve? Your donation will help City Year Chicago continue supporting more than 14,000 students across the city.
Carrie Kirby spends a lot of time asking people about something they think about but rarely talk about: money. Her work on personal finance, business and technology has appeared in San Francisco Magazine, The San Francisco Chronicle, Wise Bread and more publications. She lives on an island (Alameda) with her husband and three kids, and blogs about family travel and mileage rewards at The Miles Mom.
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