build a culture that holds up under pressure

Values-based cultures for organizations changing the world

We help mission-driven organizations turn values into living cultures.

The work you do tackles society’s hardest challenges. But too often, the ethics and care needed to sustain that work get lost in the pressures of programs, funding cycles, and public scrutiny.

Next Big Thing partners with civil society organizations and B-Corps to design cultures that align what you say with what you do. Cultures that foster trust, belonging, and resilience — and make your mission possible and burnout-free in the long run.

Our Services

Where organizational culture meets the science of human values

Culture Foundations

Our 3-month program guides leadership teams through the creation of a values-aligned culture blueprint. We help you embed your organizational values into daily practices, decision-making, and systems.

Organizational Assessment

We uncover the alignment (or misalignment) between your stated values and the lived experience of your people. This clarity helps you strengthen trust, morale, and integrity across your organization.

Culture Catalyst
Program

Interactive sessions for founders and Executive Directors. These workshops spark reflection, align personal values with strategy, and help groups imagine new cultural possibilities together.

Tailor-made Transformation

No two organizations are the same. We design bespoke facilitation, training, and advisory services to help your team unlock its potential — whether you’re ten people or two hundred.

Testimonials

  • As a new founder and CEO without a formal business background, I desperately needed a clear roadmap for organizational development. Next Big Thing delivered exactly that from day one. Their structured approach helped me outline specific steps for growth and development, giving me the direction I had been seeking.

    Most importantly, my confidence as a leader has grown significantly through our work together. They not only provided concrete support but also helped me establish a foundation for psychological safety within our team – an essential element for the creative problem-solving our work demands. Their guidance has given me both the tools and confidence to lead effectively through various situations, and I feel much more equipped to navigate external challenges that may impact our employees.

    - AARON VROLIJK, CEO OF HEALTH-ED 4 EVERYONE

  • Having a strong culture is essential for driving strong performance. Culture is often not a top priority for founders but it should be. Michael and Karen have created a formula that is accessible and not time consuming that will help founders lay the foundation for their culture in an easy and thoughtful way. I highly recommend their offering.

    - PAUKE CORSTENS, FOUNDER, THE INVESTMENT MINDSET

  • The Idealist team thoroughly enjoyed Next Big Thing’s workshop on how everyday awe can improve well-being for remote teams! It sparked meaningful conversations about our current and future awe practices, helping us strengthen our connections with one another, ourselves, and the world around us. The custom everyday awe materials and activities they created for our team culture Slack channel have been critical when the world has felt more tumultuous, and we’ve continued to use and reference them throughout the year.

    - CORY WOOLMAN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, IDEALIST CONSULTING

  • The Culture Catalyst program changed my life. It helped me realize what is important to me and why, and how to talk to other people to convey those values, even when it is a tough conversation. It has affected how I approach our company culture and has made people more interested in working for my company. I am so grateful for it!

    - MARGO HARRISON, MD MPH, FOUNDER & CEO, WAVE BYE

  • Karen and Michael are knowledgeable experts on all things culture and values in social impact, and the way they lead you through the journey of culture building created a safe environment, where we could share, listen, be creative, and receive advice from others. A must have for anyone who is serious about building an organisation that disrupts the norm.

    - ADRIENN PASICS, FOUNDER, IMPACT WAVES

  • Hiring Next Big Thing is one of the single greatest things you can do for your organisation. They have worked with FICS on multiple projects over a year from helping us to induct a new board, facilitating our staff and board retreat and working with us on our internal fundraising culture and processes. With each project they delivered the results we needed and the ones we didn't even know we needed.

    They are smart, creative and observant. Their ability to facilitate and engage staff in team meetings is excellent.

    They are both thoughtful and insightful in how you as an organisation can build the right working culture. We couldn't recommend Next Big Thing more to organisations looking to grow in the right direction.

    - EMILY BARCHAM, DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS LEAD, FUNDERS INTIATIVE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY

Get the multiverse of impact

A curated exploration of how we can reimagine the culture of work so it nourishes us, instead of grinding us down.