Case Study: Finding Operational Leadership for a Mission-Driven Organization

When Commonwealth Autism, a nonprofit serving individuals on the autism spectrum, acquired a natural foods grocery store, the organization saw an opportunity to strengthen its financial sustainability while creating meaningful employment pathways for program participants. However, bringing together a mission-driven nonprofit and an established for-profit business introduced cultural, operational and leadership challenges. Smith + Howard provided integrated human capital, business operations and executive search support to help the organization navigate the transition and establish a more sustainable operating model.

The Challenge

Integrating two organizations with different cultures and operating models required stronger alignment, clearer leadership and a shared understanding of the mission.

Commonwealth Autism acquired a well-established natural foods grocery store to generate a more sustainable source of revenue for its nonprofit mission. The acquisition also created opportunities for program participants to gain career experience and prepare for paid employment.

While the acquisition supported important strategic objectives, integrating the two organizations presented challenges. Grocery store employees needed a deeper understanding of Commonwealth Autism’s mission, while leadership needed to address differences in workplace culture, operational expectations and organizational structure.

To support a successful transition, Commonwealth Autism needed guidance across human resources and business operations, along with executive leadership capable of managing the combined organization and supporting its long-term objectives.

Our Approach

Smith + Howard brought together human capital, operations, executive coaching and executive search expertise to address organizational challenges and strengthen leadership.

The team began with a comprehensive human resources assessment to identify opportunities to improve store policies, strengthen communication and help employees understand the nonprofit’s mission and the purpose behind the acquisition.

Working across organizational functions, the team also supported stronger connections between the nonprofit and grocery store operations, helping establish a foundation for collaboration and the development of career readiness opportunities for program participants.

Recognizing the need for dedicated operational leadership, Smith + Howard helped define the requirements for a new Chief Operating Officer position. The team developed a detailed opportunity profile reflecting the organization’s unique culture, business needs and long-term objectives.

Through a confidential executive search, the team identified and recruited a COO with experience relevant to scaling and diversifying a social enterprise, helping Commonwealth Autism establish stronger operational leadership for its next stage of development.