Alyson Miller, co-founder and partner of Venture Growth, is a marketing consultant, writer, visual artist and “connector.” Virtually her whole professional career has focused on helping creatives fulfill their entrepreneurial visions and realize their social change initiatives by managing change. Personally, her passions include social justice activism, contemplative photography, personal peacemaking, storytelling, and journeys in nature and the inner life.

VOYAGE DENVER, Daily Inspiration: Meet Alyson Miller-Greenfield (a recent interview) http://voyagedenver.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-alyson-miller-greenfield/

Practice and Philosophy

Initially as the Associate State Director of the NJ Small Business Development Centers at Rutgers Graduate School of Management, and later as a principal with her own company, Venture Growth, located in Boulder County, Colorado – Alyson has supported entrepreneurial clients to get clear about their values, vision and pathways forward. She and her partner Don Greenfield provide marketing and business development services to visionary leaders involved in growing social impact ventures.

When we meet and align ourselves with a new client we take a deep dive into their goals, core competencies, capacity and challenges. As needed, we facilitate change with manageable increments for successful implementation. Projects range widely and include technology commercialization, new product development, digital and traditional marketing services, and multi-media communications campaigns involving storytelling, photography, videos and broadcasts, ghost-writing, and legacy documentation. We also design and manage outreach and development campaigns for nonprofits.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alysonbmiller/

Community

In addition to consulting, Alyson is a consummate organizer and community-builder who brings people together for strategic and direct action to advocate social justice issues and legislation. She builds community in the “real world” and also online, serving as founder of: the LOV Facebook group (7000+ members) for people to engage in person-to-person kindness and community problem-solving; the Lafayette Food Exchange (Reducing Local Hunger and Food Waste); and LOV Gardening (sharing organic and sustainable growing practices). She currently mentors and volunteers as a Board Member and advisor for early stage nonprofits including the East County Housing Opportunity Coalition (an affordable housing advocacy organization), Mother Gaia Animal Rescue, the Good Life Farm Animal Sanctuary, and the annual Family-to-Family holiday fundraising campaign for children in Foster Care. Along the way, we have come to know so many wonderful human beings making meaningful contributions. Please read about some of their recent doings.

Early in life, Alyson was introduced to the spiritual tradition of “Tikkun Olam” – Repairing the World. Later, while a student at Boston University, she was inspired and mentored by the activist-historian-writer Howard Zinn. She is also a student of Transformative Kabbalah a philosophy innovated by Dr. David Sanders which combines the mystical teachings of Kabbalah with contemporary psychology and quantum physics.

These influences evolved into a lifelong exploration of what it means to be human and a commitment to social justice and peacemaking. Along this path, she has worked in alliance with women’s groups and marginalized communities in a wide range of capacities. These include the coaching of young artists and entrepreneurs; finding adoptive homes for older children with special needs; delivering prejudice-reduction and resilience training for adults and teens; working with legislators, law enforcement and educators on equity, anti-bias, and anti-hate initiatives; and designing advocacy and use-your-voice programs for educators, activists, community leaders and visionary entrepreneurs.

Most recently, during the pandemic, Alyson launched a personal peacemaking initiative showcasing the personal experiences of women of all ages and backgrounds who have developed resilience in the face of life challenges:

www.tellyourstory.com

NOTE: In 2015, Don was diagnosed with GPA, an autoimmune disease which requires weekly ongoing treatments and medications. As a result he is now semi-retired, taking more of a behind-the-scenes role with Venture Growth. He remains a brilliant advisor to Alyson and his insight is part of every project and relationship we take on.

RECENT PRO BONO WORK

East County Housing Opportunity Coalition (ECHO), Board Secretary Providing strategic planning and communications leadership to this Affordable Housing advocacy nonprofit, missioned to build a grassroots movement of people and policy-makers committed to addressing the housing crisis in East Boulder County.

The Good Life Refuge, Advisor Consulting with the Founder-Executive Director on strategic growth planning, capacity-building and fundraising to support the nonprofit’s efforts to save and shelter e at-risk farm animals, and inspire/encourage the public’s compassion for animals.