About Ken Engelman
Ken Engelman - Growth Strategist • Partnership Builder • Community Leader
Organizations rarely need more marketing. They need someone who sees opportunities others overlook, builds strategic partnerships, strengthens relationships, and creates sustainable growth. Marketing is an important tool, but strategy is what moves organizations forward.
For more than 20 years, I've had the privilege of helping businesses, membership organizations, publishers, and nonprofits grow by strengthening relationships, building strategic partnerships, increasing revenue, and creating opportunities others may not have seen.
Along the way, I've learned something that has shaped my entire career.
Organizations rarely struggle because people aren't working hard enough. More often, they're so busy serving customers, members, or their communities that they don't always have the time - or the outside perspective - to recognize opportunities hiding in plain sight.
That's where I believe I bring the greatest value.
I enjoy asking questions before offering answers. I like listening more than talking. I believe every organization already has tremendous strengths. Sometimes those strengths simply need to be connected in new ways.
When people trust one another, understand what their customers, members, partners, or supporters truly value, and rally around a shared purpose, growth usually follows.
What I Do
Throughout my career, organizations have often reached out when growth had stalled, partnerships had weakened, or leadership wanted a fresh perspective.
My role has never been to simply recommend more marketing.
It's to help organizations identify opportunities they may not be seeing, strengthen relationships, build strategic partnerships, and create practical solutions that produce measurable results.
Whether I'm working with a business, a membership organization, a publisher, or a nonprofit, my approach has always been the same.
Listen first.
Ask thoughtful questions.
Understand what people truly value.
Build trust.
Create meaningful partnerships.
Execute with purpose.
There isn't a magic formula. Just a belief that when you understand people and create genuine value, growth becomes much more sustainable.
Results
I've been fortunate to work with organizations that trusted me to help solve important business challenges.
At the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, I was recruited to help reverse eight consecutive years of declining revenue. Together, we increased sponsorship revenue by 63 percent, membership by 18 percent, and advertising revenue by 14 percent.
At the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, we increased membership by 19 percent, grew advertising revenue by 69 percent, and expanded the member benefit program from six strategic partners to 124.
At RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel, advertising revenue increased by 105 percent, average advertising rates increased by 163 percent, and we achieved the company's five-year growth plan in just two years.
Those accomplishments are meaningful to me, but not because of the numbers alone.
They remind me that sustainable growth almost always begins with people.
Beyond Business
One of the most rewarding parts of my career has been applying the same principles that help organizations grow to the communities where we live.
That belief inspired me to found Community Volunteers United in 2020, a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to connecting volunteers, nonprofits, businesses, and schools in ways that strengthen communities.
I've always believed meaningful change doesn't require the biggest budget. It requires people who care, creative thinking, and a willingness to bring others together around a shared purpose.
That philosophy inspired initiatives like Please Be Kind!, which began during the pandemic using repurposed political lawn signs. What started as a simple message has since spread to communities across Connecticut - and even to a few other countries - encouraging kindness, respect, and community pride.
Today, Community Volunteers United provides pro bono marketing support, fundraising guidance, volunteer engagement programs in high schools, educational workshops, and strategic partnerships that help nonprofits expand their impact.
Our work has been recognized by the Governor of Connecticut, the Connecticut General Assembly, and community leaders throughout the state while also being featured nationally by CBS News correspondent David Begnaud's Do Good Crew.
Writing
I'm the published author of The Local Nonprofit Marketing & Fundraising Guide and have several additional books in development focused on leadership, community engagement, kindness, and creating positive change.
Writing has become another way for me to educate, motivate, and inspire positive response while sharing ideas that help organizations and communities grow stronger together.
Let's Connect
Every organization has opportunities waiting to be uncovered.
Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective to recognize them.
If your organization is looking to increase revenue, strengthen partnerships, engage members, expand community impact, or solve a challenge that seems stuck, I'd welcome the opportunity to learn about your goals and explore what's possible together.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-engelman1/
Community Volunteers United: https://communityvolunteersunited.org/
Community Volunteers United on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Volunteer.itswhatwedo
The Local Nonprofit Marketing & Fundraising Guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GNC8R7QV
Contact Me
Questions or Comments
Feel free to send me a message or ask a question about strategy, marketing, advertising, promotions, public relations, events, fundraisers, or any creative innovation.
Hours
Open today | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm |
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