Leadership

Friday Buzz: A Tech Company’s Charity Campaign

Bandcamp uses its influence to raise money for the Transgender Law Center in the wake of the military ban. Also: Perks are tempting, but millennials prefer meaningful jobs.

After President Trump’s announcement of a ban on transgender people serving in the military, many healthcare and LGBT advocacy groups spoke out against it. But associations aren’t the only organizations to rebuke the ban.

Bandcamp, an online music store catering to independent artists, is donating all of its August 4 proceeds to nonprofit organization Transgender Law Center. “We support our LGBT+ users and staff, and we stand against any person or group that would see them further marginalized,” Bandcamp Daily says in a blog post. “This includes the current U.S. administration, and its recent capricious declaration that transgender troops will no longer be able to serve in the military.”

The Transgender Law Center’s mission is to change “law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.”

The current campaign, which also led more than 200 indie labels to hop on board, isn’t the first time that Bandcamp has used its popularity and marketing power to advocate for an issue. “When an executive order was issued earlier this year barring immigrants and refugees from seven Middle Eastern countries from entering the United States, we held a wildly successful fundraiser for the ACLU,” says the post.

Purpose Over Perks

To attract millennials, some companies in New Jersey are redesigning their office space to add cool perks like coffee bars and fitness centers. But those perks alone may not be enough to attract young talent.

A Forbes contributor says that places suffering from a weak millennial talent pool don’t have a perks problem, they have a “cruddy” job problem. “If you had the opportunity to be mentored by a leader you revered, you’d sleep on rocks in the woods surrounded by bears to gain access to that opportunity,” writes Mark Murphy. “You would absolutely not say ‘Oh, I would go learn from Warren Buffett for a month, but I just don’t like Omaha, so forget it.’”

Murphy goes on to say that millennials care more about having “meaningful, mind-expanding and transformative job experiences” than they do about a coffee bar.

Other Links of Note

Improve your message. Rigsbee Research shares advice for delivering a stronger member value proposition.

Looking to do more speaking gigs? The Charli Jane Speakers blog shares tips for writing a great one-sheet for professional speakers.

Make your spreadsheets work for you. Eventbrite shares essential Excel tips for event professionals.

Some of the record labels that joined Bandcamp's charity event. (Bandcamp)

Raegan Johnson

By Raegan Johnson

Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. MORE

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