Meet Jonathan Lipton | Founder & Principal

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonathan Lipton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonathan, how do you think about risk?

A common refrain our team uses with clients is “what got you here won’t get you there.” While your previous tactics may have been successful, there is only limited growth if you don’t embrace innovation and change.

I’m a big believer in experimenting and taking new approaches, especially those which are low-risk and high reward. And while we take risks, I also plan for every potential situation. As one of our consultants likes to say, “measure twice and cut once.”

Perhaps the biggest risk I’ve taken is starting Lipton Strategies. I left a guaranteed salary with no clients lined up. I saved enough to provide a six-month runway in order to concentrate on establishing my firm and building a book of business. And within just three months I had not only one but three potential clients ready to sign. Now years later, taking that risk has continued to pay off as we work with new incredible clients each year.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Lipton Strategies is a dynamic LGBT-owned consulting firm dedicated to repairing the world. We work with values-aligned organizations going through a period of strategic growth. What sets us apart from others in the nonprofit sector is our truly custom approach. Many consultants have a prescribed formula for how they approach clients and challenges. From the initial founding of Lipton Strategies I said that we were going to do things differently.

One of the unique selling points of our firm is that we are mission-aligned, meaning that we only work with organizations where we agree with and support their mission. By engaging consultants who have direct experience or personal affinity for the client’s sector, and strategic partners to fill specialty client needs, we become trusted partners. In just the few years since I founded Lipton Strategies, we’ve been blessed to work with incredible organizations across the country in support transformational projects such as Lambda Legal to advance full LGBTQ+ and HIV equality, Secure Community Network to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community in North America, the AMA Foundation to advance a new fellowship model for health equity, and the campaign to rebuild Tree of Life following the worst antisemitic attack in US history.

Another critical factor behind our success is our comprehensive approach. While most of our work is in support of an organization’s fundraising efforts, we truly sit at the intersection of philanthropy, public affairs, and social impact. Our team’s dedication to digging deeper allows us to unearth valuable opportunities, identify obstacles to avoid, and help chart a clear, achievable path to success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

As someone who criss-crosses the country regularly for work I find myself establishing regular spots in the cities I frequent.

For my home base of Los Angeles, I love my area in West Hollywood. A great walkable city filled with great restaurants and nightlife. A weeknight Happy Hour at the Abbey is a solid choice and love treating visitors to LA to a great scoop at Salt and Straw. Also recommend checking out the historic LA Farmers Market next to the Grove. While overshadowed by its more contemporary neighbor, Farmers Market has a special charm to it and allows visitors to experience a plethora of LA culinary treasures.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

There are many people who have helped influence my life and have supported me in getting to where I am today. But most important are my parents. My father is a Rabbi and my mother is an academic. Both of them committed their careers to helping improve the lives of others whether congregants in times of need or first-generation college students navigating the university environment.

Seeing their commitment to making a difference in the lives of others inspired me and my journey to where I am today. They instilled in me the values and work ethic which serve me everyday. Without their inspiration, I would not have landed in the nonprofit sector.

I would also be remiss if I did not give a shout out to my incredible Lipton Strategies team members: Cordey, Craig, Cruz, Hannah, Katherine, and Sara. They along with our strategic partners are the heart of our firm and our work to support nonprofits in pursuit of their mission.

Website: https://www.liptonstrategies.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lipton-strategies/