Today we’d like to introduce you to Celeste Hubert
Hi Celeste, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After a career as a political and non-profit fundraiser, I stayed home for 17 years to raise our two wild children and one high-maintenance dog. With the goal of maintaining my sanity as an unemployed housewife, I actively volunteered with local non-profits including the Women’s Symphony League, National Charity League, Young Men’s Service League and the Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association. This service kept my toe in the fundraising waters – and gave me the opportunity to shine on several event committees. In late 2022, then-CEO of the Austin Symphony David Pratt asked me to help with a project, to which I responded “I’d love to help, but I’d REALLY love to start getting paid for all this work!” and his next words changed my life: “Celeste, I can pay you.” Pratt encouraged me to form an LLC and my new baby was born. Celestial Strategies started with a single client and has grown to include American Artists Project, The Long Center, Conspirare, Honduras Good Works, Flower Hill Center, ARTscritption, People’s Community Clinic, the Travis County Medical Alliance and the Texas Book Festival among our clientele. Business is so good I added two stellar partners: Katie Kaighin, a UT geologist by trade who also is a certified floral designer, and Jenn Bell, a brilliant former Army tactician and Vanderbilt alum. Both women served as President of our 600-member-strong philanthropy and their leadership is respected statewide. We now have a second tier of partnership, Associates, who include five smart, hardworking women joining us for specific projects. Every morning I wake up and think “YAY! I get to go to work!”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been hard to know my worth in the workplace. The mindset of “If I pay you, that’s taking money away from our mission” badly pollutes the non-profit sector, including my own heart. Having phenomenally strong female CEOs like Mela Sarajane Dailey, Chair Emeritus Dr. Brenda Towell and Board Chair Dr. Alina Ramos offer me a top salary has given me the confidence to hold my head high and showcase Celestial Strategies’ accomplishments when negotiating fair compensation.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
“Celeste, you are such a connector” is a phrase I am told often. My genuine interest in people and their stories, combined with a decent memory and engaging sarcasm, allows me to help people find commonalities. Shared traits, goals, friends or ideas become connections, which then lead to genuine relationships, which is where all the good in the world can flourish.
Celestial Strategies has two steadfast principles: we will only work with those with whom we genuinely connect (I’ve turned down more than one client because I just got the ‘ick’), and we. will. not. fail. I have been hired to raise $100K and the evening finished with $312,000 in the kitty. A recent contract stipulated we bring in $50K, and we totaled $119,000. We are tireless workers, eternal optimists, and realistic visionaries – and when we partner with missions that are changing the world like American Artists Project, Honduras Good Works and the Texas Book Festival, we soar together.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Fundraising is a hands-on career best learned by doing. My start was as an intern stuffing envelopes and licking stamps. As in any career, if you do the small things with enthusiasm and excellence, you will be rewarded with bigger opportunities.
Some of the greatest advice ever came from my father-in-law, a veterinarian and pitcher for Texas A&M in the 1952 College World Series: “If you want to be a ballplayer, you have to look like a ballplayer.” Dress for the part, knowing there is no second chance to make a first impression.
It has been a joy to find that one can ‘just start out’ in her mid-50s and still thrive. Keep your eyes open and your heart eager and life will often reward you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.CelestialStrategies.net
Image Credits
Misty Renae Photography
