I recently went one-on-one with Rebecca van Bergen, founder and Executive Director of Nest.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Rebecca: Growing up, my grandmother was my closest confidante, and she remains so to this day – turning 96 this summer! From a young age, her talent for sewing captivated me and I spent countless hours by her side, running my fingers along fabric as my sewing machine hummed along or listening to her tell stories of my great-grandmother – her mother's – talent quilting and needlework.

Witnessing the practical and transformative power of crafting firsthand ignited a passion within me to channel handwork into something meaningful. One of the things that struck me most about craft was the way it can be a vehicle for women’s economic independence and self-expression. 

I graduated from my Master’s program in Social Work as microfinance was gaining traction and being heralded as a means of social and financial empowerment in developing economies. The reliance on debt as a tool for progress troubled me, and I was committed to finding a better, more holistic approach to economic development.

In 2006, this commitment, along with my love of handcraft, led me to found Nest. My goal was clear: to challenge misconceptions surrounding artisan work and advocate for its recognition as a powerful force for social and economic change.

There is a common myth about the global handcraft sector–that it is niche and non-scalable. Yet, in reality it is a leading source of employment for women worldwide. This is why I established a data-driven research and advocacy program, in addition to our grassroots programs. Today, Nest is the leading champion of the creative economy. We advocate for governmental, philanthropic, and corporate investments in artisan communities and promote a systemic approach to social and economic change.\

Alongside a growing team of 30, I remain steadfast in my commitment to empowering artisans and fostering sustainable economic opportunities. Through Nest, I continue to work towards a future where artisans are valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.

Adam: What are the best leadership lessons you have learned from leading a non-profit organization?

Rebecca: Adaptability is necessary for sustained success, especially when the social, political, economic, and environmental climates are shifting as quickly as they are today. Nonprofits are often risk averse and tend to move slowly, taking measured, thoughtful steps forward. While in some ways that can be good, unfortunately, this means the sector is not always as responsive as it could be which can be frustrating, especially for those deeply committed to driving social change and addressing complex global issues.

At Nest, one of our core values is iteration–the idea that we will be nimble, flexible, and adaptive–able to respond to the changing needs of our global artisan network and the challenges or opportunities presented by our growing community of brands and retailers. 

That being said, finding the balance between growth and scalability, and responsiveness can be difficult. Sometimes this means stepping away from a program or partnership that no longer aligns with the needs identified by our beneficiaries. While these decisions are never easy in the moment, they have always proved to serve our community better in the long run.

Adam: What are your best tips for fellow leaders of non-profit organizations?

Rebecca: Investing in periods of growth–including new staff, a new program, or a major event–can feel like a gamble, especially for smaller organizations. It often requires a leap of faith–albeit a strategic one–before the necessary resources are fully secured. However, these leaps of faith are necessary for program expansion and organizational growth.

Recently, Nest took a step forward by posting several open roles. To our delight, we received countless applications from exceptional candidates with demonstrated expertise and a deep connection to our mission. This enthusiastic response prompted us to accelerate our hiring plans, prioritizing several additional positions originally planned for the future as part of our business development roadmap.

We recognized that these individuals could be instrumental in achieving the development goals and losing their talent would be a miss for the organization, so we opted to take a risk and hire more folks than originally planned. While we're still seeing the full impact of this investment unfold, we believe that the vision, creativity, and fresh energy these new team members are bringing is moving us forward at a quickened pace.

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Rebecca: I have always believed that the difference between a social entrepreneur and a visionary is that while both see a beautiful and more equitable future, the entrepreneur does not just look at the distant mountains, but every day wakes up and takes steps to get to them. I believe the true mark of an effective leader lies in their ability to not just envision a better world, but to set a course to move forward in the direction of it and inspire others to bring their best and take part in the journey. The ability to bridge the gap between lofty ideals and practical action sets leaders apart. 

To me, success isn't just about achieving goals–it's about catalyzing action, making a tangible impact, and, perhaps most importantly, inspiring others to do the same. While the grand vision can be daunting, effective communication and strategic planning make it possible to walk a steady path forward in the direction of a brighter future.

At Nest, I encourage our team to hold tight to our action-oriented vision. Outsiders have marveled at our ability to mobilize, adapt, and respond quickly to challenges. Despite our modest size, we often hear feedback about our outsized impact. Our role in driving systemic change within our industry is made possible by our commitment to take incremental steps, even when they’re tough, toward monumental goals.

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?

Rebecca: My best tips for entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders are:

Be brave in the boldness of your thoughts, vision, and ideas, and don’t back down. It’s easy to think big but wind ourselves down when a problem seems too daunting or costly to tackle. Fight the temptation to give up! The world needs big thinkers with optimistic visions for the future and ideas for innovative solutions to get us there. Imagine where we would be today if our greatest inventors, activists, and leaders believed problems as too big to change.

Second, find a mentor (or mentors!). Seek out a person who has made significant progress in the direction you would like to go and is willing to share guidance and wisdom from their journey. Forging a bold path can be intimidating, confusing, frustrating, and, at times, lonely. Find a person who can encourage you through the peaks and valleys of your pursuit, and point you toward additional support when needed–perhaps over a glass of wine and most certainly when you need to vent or release tears, not just at the moments of success

Finally, tunnel vision is real–stay inspired by the world around you. It’s easy to become so fixated on the problem you are committed to solving that you miss the amazing things happening around you. Don’t forget to look up and around every once in a while to stay connected to the people and places that inspire you. Shake up your routine now and then, and make an intentional effort to seek inspiration.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?

Rebecca: As I’ve already shared, one of the most valuable lessons I've learned since founding Nest is the importance of staying adaptable, which to me actually means remaining human-focused and prioritizing listening. This is something I remind our team of often: we must be open to the evolution of our team, approach, and programs to ensure they meet the changing needs of our artisans and makers. We must listen first, and adapt or reiterate our thinking based on what we hear and learn. Continuous learning is a gift, not a curse–it keeps us nimble, improving, and impactful. 

I say this knowing that change is not always easy. As Nest’s leader, it is my job to motivate and encourage the team through organizational growing pains and keep us all fixed on our common goals.

When hiring for new or open roles, I look for individuals with a genuine passion for our mission and a flexible mindset. I know that these folks are most likely to stick with it when we need to course-correct.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Rebecca: This may sound cliché, but the best advice I have ever received is to find joy every day. As nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the weight of the compounding local, national, and global challenges that necessitate our work. I’ve found the best way to combat this feeling is to proactively seek out joy, and ideally downright laughter, every day. Happiness fuels and heals and we have to feel the weight of our work alongside of the self-care required to keep moving forward.

Sometimes it’s a story from one of our team members working in the field about an artisan or maker whose life has been made better by participation in a Nest program. Other times it’s the vote of confidence that comes with securing a new grant partner or relationship with a major retailer. And, on quieter days, it’s hearing my kids playing after school while I sit at my desk a few feet away, or enjoying a few extra moments with a cup of tea in the morning before I get online because our remote structure means I don’t have a long commute into work. Goodness, sometimes it just means finding a silly meme or reading my daughter’s joke book out loud to force a laugh and a smile.

Taking a few moments to reflect and find joy is what gives me the oomph I need to keep going on days when the world feels heavy and things feel especially difficult.

Adam: What can anyone do to pay it forward?

Rebecca: At a time when our country and our world feels more divided than ever, one of the simplest things we can do to pay it forward is to first remember that those around us are other people–with good days and bad, highs and lows, joys and heartbreak–just like us.

When we shift our focus to our shared humanity, rather than our differences, it is easier to be generous with our time, money, and kindness. We have all benefited from the kindness of someone else, and we can all find it within ourselves to extend that kindness so that we may brighten the world a little bit more each day.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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