Build then Bless®
Philosophy

Disrupt corporate philanthropy with us! If you're looking for better ways to serve your community and grow your business, we're sharing every strategy that's helped us get more sales, have happier employees, and impact lives beyond a vague corporate donation.

Abby Haralson
Abby Haralson |

The ROI of Being Known: A Leader’s Role in Employee Experience

Quick answer: Leaders who take time to genuinely know their team members, not just their job performance, create workplaces where people feel safe, valued, and motivated to stay. The return on that investment goes far beyond retention metrics. It shows up in communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and the kind of culture that people actually want…

Abby Haralson
Abby Haralson |
Group of outward minded coworkers stand in front of a store front holding boxes of donuts

The Practical Guide to Outward-Mindedness at Work

There’s a particular kind of coworker who makes every job feel easier. They show up on time (every time), they’re the first to say, “Great job on that,” and when something goes wrong, they ask questions instead of pointing fingers (at Lemonade Stand, his name is Branson!). You leave meetings with them feeling energized rather…

Abby Haralson
Abby Haralson |
Someone hands someone else a letter with a red heart on it

Company Donations to Charity: Why Big Checks Fall Short

The photo op is familiar: A group of executives in suits standing in a row, holding an oversized novelty check. They are smiling, shaking hands with a nonprofit director, and the dollar amount usually has a lot of zeros. On the surface, what’s not to celebrate? Money is moving to a good cause. But something…

Isabelle Franco
Isabelle Franco |
bride and groom walk outside

5 Lessons I Learned Living with a Giver

Seeing kindness lived out—not spoken about—made me want to give more freely, too, without needing a pat on the back. I’ve always believed kindness matters, but it wasn’t until I married my husband that I understood just how generous a person can be.  My husband is the most generous person I know. He gives without…

Camila Roldan
Camila Roldan |
empty gas station with no cars people and staff

The Gas Station Is a Great Place for Reflection

I don’t think I would have come to this realization and acceptance without Build Then Bless, because making an effort to help people primed me to be receptive to moments like these.  One summer morning, I was at a gas station when a man approached me. He was homeless, and he looked down at the…

Abby Haralson
Abby Haralson |
Lemonade Stand team

How Build Then Bless Turns Company Culture Into Real Business Growth

(A Lemonade Stand Case Study) On a scale from one to “please, please make it stop,” how tired are you of hearing that “great culture” is the secret to success—with zero practical advice on how to build it? You can feel when a company culture is good and you can definitely sense when it’s bad,…

Abby Haralson
Abby Haralson |
Two volunteers serving others by putting food in bags

Why We Consider Serving Others a KPI

At most companies, KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are hard numbers: revenue growth, retention rates, profit margins, or customer acquisition cost. At Lemonade Stand, we measure those too, but we add something else to the list: serving others. When we say “serving others,” we mean making service a measurable part of our culture. It’s not just…

Camila Roldan
Camila Roldan |
Box of donuts with someone holding a donut in front of the camera

A Sweet Twist of Events

To me, the most impactful moment of this story is not the 30 seconds it took to hand the man the most delicious mochi donuts ever—it was the last-minute opportunity to serve. Our friends were moving soon, so we planned one of our last dinners together. This was a chance to catch up, laugh too…

Abby Haralson
Abby Haralson |
Employees smiling at a screen together because of gratitude

Why Gratitude Is the Most Underrated Productivity Tool

To me, productivity looks like this: time management tools, the goal-tracking note in my phone, and a 50-item to-do list. I write things I’ve already accomplished on my to-do list just for the satisfaction of crossing them off (and I know you probably do that too). In fact, this blog has been sitting on my…