Hidden Gems: Meet Elle Benson of Nonprofit Leadership LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Benson

Hi Elle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been business-minded since I was little, constantly selling my family’s precious belongings at garage sales while they were out of the house. Growing up in a large family outside of Denver, CO, I craved independence and decided to attend the University of Tennessee, Knoxville—a strategic 21-hour drive to avoid any parental or sibling “pop-ins” during my collegiate experience. I was active in civic organizations in college and decided to use my business degree to advance the nonprofit sector. I was honored to receive a full-time job offer before I graduated and couldn’t resist helping to eliminate racism and empower women at the YWCA Knoxville. While there, I ran several departments and thrived at building leaders and systems for organizational scale.

I left the YWCA Knoxville after eight years to learn the corporate consulting world and landed at LBMC while I earned my master’s in leadership and organizational change. This relentless commitment to supporting the workforce led me to a deep dive into how leaders cultivate organizational change and well-being to transform communities. With the guidance of a leadership coach, I started studying the work of Sonja Lyubomirsky, a renowned happiness researcher, and dove headfirst into the science of happiness. I earned my certification in the science of happiness and am hosting my own research with Belmont University.

I used the data to help start the Alliance for Better Nonprofits, a nonprofit organization serving 25 counties in East Tennessee to build capacity in nonprofit organizations. After seven years, my family relocated to Nashville for my husband’s job with Live Nation, and I started my own consulting firm, focused on the organizational and individual well-being of the nonprofit workforce.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have a hypothesis: novelty is a shortcut to happiness and the best way to strengthen relationships, memory, and boost well-being. To validate this assumption, I host Novelty Labs—events in Nashville where individuals sign up without knowing anything about where they will be, who is going, and what they will be doing. According to the formula “Happiness = Reality – Expectations,” by eliminating expectations, participants can be more present in the experience.

I underestimated the average person’s risk tolerance and found that most people I invite to these fun activities share extreme anxiety and fear of registering, even though they know me. This is disappointing and scary, as it tells me that many people are missing out on life by refusing to be vulnerable and try something new.

To overcome the anxiety of not knowing who will be there, I can take the novelty labs on the road. I’m able to develop an activity for workplaces and social ground who want to experiment and enhance relationships.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Nonprofit Leadership LLC offers several ways to support nonprofit capacity and promote individual well-being. We conduct organizational assessments, executive searches, strategic planning, and retreats to uplift those who serve relentlessly for our underserved populations.

I serve as a keynote speaker at events, discussing how to cultivate happiness daily and the importance of novelty in boosting well-being. I enjoy making the audience both laugh and cry as we connect to the emotions that allow us to be present. My TEDx talk specifically explores how my stand-up comedy experience translates to the science of happiness.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Nonprofit Leadership LLC offers several ways to support nonprofit capacity and promote individual well-being. We conduct organizational assessments, executive searches, strategic planning, and retreats to uplift those who serve relentlessly for our underserved populations.

I serve as a keynote speaker at events, discussing how to cultivate happiness daily and the importance of novelty in boosting well-being. I enjoy making the audience both laugh and cry as we connect with the emotions that allow us to be present. My TEDx talk specifically explores how my stand-up comedy experience translates to the science of happiness.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nonprofit-leadership.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultivateyourhappiness
• Other: https://www.ellebenson.com/noveltylabs