Where Business Strategy and Community Impact Actually Meet

Most business leaders want to do the right thing in their communities.

But too often, their giving is reactive—driven by requests, relationships, or good intentions rather than strategy. The result? Scattered donations, unclear priorities, and impact that’s hard to explain internally or externally.

I help leaders change that.

For more than 30 years, I’ve worked at the intersection of business strategy, community investment, and measurable impact—helping organizations move from well-meaning activity to intentional action that aligns with who they are and where they’re going.

This work isn’t about charity for charity’s sake.
It’s about clarity, alignment, and results—for communities and the business.

About Sue Hyatt

My background spans corporate, nonprofit, and public-sector environments, including:

  • Founder of Big Purpose Big Impact LLC, a nationally respected consulting and training firm
  • Founding Executive Director of B:CIVIC, a business-led community investment movement
  • Advisor to companies, foundations, and public programs across 40+ states
  • Author of the award-winning book Strategy for Good

I’ve helped leaders answer questions like:

  • What causes actually align with our business?
  • How do we say no—without damaging relationships?
  • How do we explain the value of this work to our board, employees, or investors?
  • How do we make impact visible without overcomplicating it?

Here’s what I believe—and what guides my work:

  • Good intentions are not a strategy
  • Writing checks is easy; making aligned decisions is harder
  • Impact doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful
  • Businesses can do good without losing focus—or credibility

I’m not interested in performative generosity or feel-good stories that fall apart under scrutiny.

I am interested in helping leaders build clear, defensible, values-aligned approaches to community investment that actually hold up in the real world.

I work best with leaders who:

  • Are tired of reactive, request-driven giving
  • Want their community investments to reflect their values and their business priorities
  • Care about credibility, clarity, and long-term impact
  • Are open to being thoughtful—and sometimes uncomfortable—about tradeoffs

This may not be for you if:

  • You’re looking for a one-size-fits-all CSR template
  • You want marketing spin without substance
  • You’re not willing to make real decisions about focus
  • You want a checklist or template without engaging in the strategic decisions that give community investment its meaning

I didn’t come to this work from theory alone.

I’ve seen what happens when well-intentioned efforts miss the mark—when decisions are made for communities instead of with them, and when impact is assumed rather than understood. Those experiences shaped how I work today: practical, grounded, and respectful of complexity.

I bring both heart and rigor to this work—because communities deserve better than guesswork, and leaders deserve strategies they can stand behind.

If you’re ready to move beyond reactive giving—and toward a clearer, more strategic approach to community investment—there are a few ways we can work together.

Learn More