Gear Up Consulting & Giving Back
SOCIAL IMPACT MARKETING FOR CORPORATE GIVING PROGRAMS
Putting your charitable efforts to work for you
Gear Up Consulting was started by nonprofit consultant veteran Rachel Simpson. After working in the nonprofit world for years, Rachel noticed that small businesses were missing opportunities to grow through their philanthropic efforts. When she dug into this phenomenon, she learned that most small business owners just don’t have time to be strategic about corporate giving such as incoming corporate donation requests or employees that want to volunteer on behalf of their company. She knew there was a way for these small businesses to leverage their charitable nonprofit efforts and wanted to help.
As a woman-owned, values-aligned business, Gear Up Consulting is improving the world one small business at a time.
Certifications
- The role of ethics in CSR
- UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact
- Community engagement, corporate philanthropy, and social impact
- Employee engagement, volunteering, and donation matching
- Equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Environmental sustainability
- Financial perspectives, including ESG ratings
- The purpose of the corporation in society
- CSR alignment with business purpose and strategy
- CSR strategy models and frameworks
- ESG
- Reporting, including GRI, TCFD, SASB, and CDP
- Certified B Corps, Public Benefit Corporations, and the B Impact Assessment
- The role of marketing and storytelling in stakeholder relations
- Regulation & compliance, the role of government in CSR, and policy advocacy
- Supply chain and human rights
We Practice What We Preach
Gear Up gives 10 percent of all proceeds to nonprofit organizations in the community in which they are doing business. By choosing Gear Up for your corporate charity needs, you’re choosing integrity and generosity.
Why Should You Gear Up Your Business?
With Gear Up on your team, you have the opportunity to grow your business from the inside out through social responsibility marketing, sponsorship marketing, csr marketing, & more!
- Influx of money and resources
- Build community relationships
- Discover collaboration opportunities
- Decrease carbon footprint
- Enhance brand image
- Increase customer base
- Amplify customer loyalty
- Save marketing dollars
- Tax deductions
Increased:
- Sense of value-alignment
- Motivation
- Retention
- Pride in workplace
Why we do this
Hi there! I’m Rachel Simpson – founder and CEO of Gear Up Consulting. I stepped into the non-profit world when I took my very first job with my father, Jim Pierson.
My dad started a nonprofit organization for adults with developmental disabilities. He spent years building relationships and changing lives. I started working for him as a secretary in order to put myself through school. 14 years later, I found myself tackling roles like Vice President of Fiscal Operations and Development Director. I’ve always felt so lucky to not only work for such a great organization but to learn from my NPO role model – my dad.
When I left Tennessee to move to Chicago in 2004, I worked with a few nonprofit organizations in various business roles. But I quickly realized that I wasn’t making as large of an impact as I wanted.
I do this because I know people inherently want to do good. But so many of us don’t have the time to give it the attention it deserves.
I do this because companies don’t always have the staff or time and let their impact diminish.
I do this because everyone should take a stand right now. The world continues to change and the ground feels a little shaky. But we have the power to keep our communities positive and prosperous by putting our money where our mouth is.
I do this because I know that we are the sum of our lives – and I’m determined to hold myself accountable for mine.
My father was a great man. He was not only a great dad, but he was also my mentor and role model. He got sick and died surprisingly quickly. His last words to his family as we all stood by his hospital bed were, “lead good lives.”
I strive for this, and I want to help you do the same.
Let’s change our world together!
About Rachel
Rachel Pierson Simpson got her start working for her father in Knoxville, Tennessee. Through his mentorship, she saw the beauty in helping others as she watched him improve life after life.
Rachel graduated from Tusculum University, Tennessee’s oldest academic institution, with a major in Organizational Management & Business.
Rachel has worked at Ability Ministries in Knoxville, Tennessee in a wide variety of roles, including Director of Development and Vice President, Fiscal Operations. Under her leadership, they became members of the ECFA.
Since living in Chicagoland, she has been fortunate to serve at several nonprofit organizations in the area, including as the Business Manager of the Northern Region of the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago.
Gear Up Consulting was born out of her life’s desire to help others combined with her professional and personal experiences.
