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LITTLE SQUARE STUDIO 


Partners for Social Leaders of this Moment

Navigating this moment requires social leaders to double down on:

1. Discernment: Get clear about what matters most to make insightful decisions when they are needed most
2. Focus: Determine what your organization can uniquely do, in your little square, and be the best at it
3. Solidarity: Build co-leaders and create connection where silos and division used to live
4. Liberatory Practices: Knowing that the 'micro' becomes systemic, practice liberation moment to moment with those closest to you
5. Holding Your Square: Step into the tension undeterred, with your head high and a steadfast faithfulness to the people and the work.

It's easy to say all this. But much more complex to actually inhabit it.
Oh, and you also need resources to do so.
Let Little Square walk alongside you, guiding you step by step how to do this in your little square.

Steph Frances
Principal + Strategist

Steph Frances is the founder of Prodigy Ventures, a social enterprise and apprenticeship for young adults in northeast Denver. Through craftsmanship, in a culture of healing, apprentices develop mindsets and skills for economic mobility and, most importantly, to go forth and enrich their city. 

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​Over eight years as Executive Director, Steph led Prodigy’s enterprise to double-digit year-over-year sales growth and built an apprenticeship model for disconnected youth with an 85% completion rate. In 2022, Steph led the organization in an Expansion Campaign to open a $2.5M second location, fully funded, allowing Prodigy to double the number of participants and deepen impact in a new community while increasing internal revenue. 

Offerings

Little Square Studio is a partner in solidarity for social leaders of this moment. With dynamic experience leading at the grassroots and national levels, we get to know you and your organization to quickly understand how to best come along side you all.

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Specialty areas include: 

  • Strategic navigation through uncertainty and times of crisis

  • Social enterprise, from head to toe, start-up to growth to transition, including first floor retail in social purpose real estate

  • Interim ED, Executive Transition support, and fractional services

  • Project Management, including fund development campaigns

  • Growth and expansion strategy

  • Customized Leadership Development pipelines

  • Co-creation of innovative practices or programs needed to meet the moment

What is Little Square?

Little Square Studio is a partner in solidarity for social leaders of this moment.

The name 'Little Square' is a nod to packing a lot into a small space. We are about depth over breadth, providing crafts(wo)man-level expertise that clears the way for leaders to lead with calm confidence in this time. In short, we help you hold your little square.

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Little Square was named after a reference from author Jason Reynolds. It is the idea that one person, one organization, cannot fix or change everything. But, we do each individually have our own talents and inherent greatness and a specific unique role to play in this world. That is our little square--our sphere of influence, that we need to focus on. Transformation comes when we do our part and link up with other little squares. 


Little Square Studio is a partner in solidarity for social leaders of this moment. With dynamic experience leading at the grassroots and national organization level, we get to know you and your organization to quickly understand how to best come along side you all.

We work with leaders who see the need for disruption of the status quo and the opportunity in this moment of uncertainty. These leaders are peaceful warriors, harnessing compassion, insight and steadfast faithfulness, to care for people in this new era. 

Little Square Studio practices emergent strategy, bringing solidarity, vision and resources to social leaders as they navigate the new nonprofit landscape. 

A new era calls for a new type of partner. Rather than being just a 'nonprofit consultant,' we are partners in solidarity. We approach our work with you in these unique ways: 

We are immersive. We spend time in-person in your org to gain insight and ground ourselves in relationship with you and your teams


We are dynamic and flexible. We are founders, entrepreneurs and executives. Chances are we know what is on your plate and can walk alongside you as you navigate the complexities of leadership in this time.


We are connected and innovative in this moment. Our team is intentionally on the front lines, studying how to navigate the new nonprofit landscape

 

We make it simple. Although we offer an array of services, our core package is simple: $2.5k per month for 6-12 months. This time can be as structured or open-ended as leaders want. Generally we combine in-person immersion, strategic thought partnership, coaching or facilitation, and, we can also just knock out projects for you. 

Specialty areas include: 

  • Strategic navigation through uncertainty and times of crisis

  • Social enterprise, from head to toe, start-up to growth to transition, including first floor retail in social purpose real estate

  • Growth and expansion strategy

  • Building customized internal certifications and Leadership Development pipelines

  • Developing a strong culture based in liberatory and restorative practices

  • Exploring and disrupting the insidiousness of white supremacy culture

  • Co-creation of innovative practices or programs needed to meet the moment

  • We also offer more intensive, in-person support, acting as interim ED, executive transition support, and fractional services

  • For other stuff that comes up, we will let you know if we are the right partners for you; if not, we have an ecosystem of talented partners that we are excited to connect you with

 

What we aren’t particularly interested in: 

  • Wasting your sacred time or money

  • Posturing

  • Power struggles

  • Bureaucracy

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