Some of our Clients
HartBeat Ensemble [Hartford, Connecticut]
Founded in 2001, HartBeat Ensemble's mission is to create provocative theater that connects their community beyond traditional barriers of race, gender, class, and geography. In 2020, HartBeat Ensemble hired Odyssey Associates to coach its new executive leadership team. The original purpose of this work was to collectively develop a vision and strategy to support the organization moving forward. However, the Coronavirus pandemic ensued, and Odyssey Associates quickly adjusted its scope to work with the organization to adapt to the pandemic.
"Josh's executive coaching isn't just a boilerplate exercise...he tailored his interactions specifically to our needs as leaders of a small arts nonprofit and knew exactly when and how to pivot during extraordinary events like COVID-19. His calm, firm, and joyous work with us has been illuminating."
- Godfrey Simmons, Artistic Director
Some of our Clients
ArtVolution Cultural Innovation Project [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]
Artvolution's mission is to celebrate the power and beauty of the global Black experience by advancing and empowering American communities through high-quality arts, innovative educational opportunities and health and wellness programs. In 2020, Artvolution hired Odyssey Associates to help the organization build its fundraising capacity. Odyssey Associates researched grant opportunities for Artvolution and created a grants calendar for the organization to follow. Members of our team wrote grants for Artvolution and we also identified a number of important potential institutional donors and introduced the chief creative officer to those foundation program officers.
Wethersfield Historical Society [Wethersfield, Connecticut]
The mission of the Wethersfield Historical Society is to preserve and promote Wethersfield’s history and culture to inspire people today and tomorrow. In 2021, WHS hired Odyssey Associates to conduct a feasibility study for a capital campaign to accomplish three objectives: Renovate the historic Hurlbut-Dunham House in Old Wethersfield; fabricate a new permanent exhibit on Wethersfield history; and, build the organization's endowment. We conducted a file analysis of the historical society's membership cross-referenced with proprietary third-party data to determine who might be the top prospects for such a campaign. Odyssey Associates then conducted a series of leadership interviews and provided an assessment of WHS's readiness for a campaign as well as recommended next steps.
Writers Theatre [Glencoe, Illinois]
Writers Theatre was founded to explore productions in which the word on the page and the artists that bring the word to life hold primary importance. Writers retained Josh in January 2020 to serve as its interim general manager to negotiate agreements with authors and directors as the organization prepared for the 2020 – 2021 season. Then, in fall 2020, the organization’s finance director departed, and Josh stepped in to prepare financial models for different operating scenarios to aid the nonprofit in its decision making in response to the ongoing pandemic crisis. After that scope of work was completed, the organization hired Josh again to coach a member of its senior management team.
"I have known Josh Borenstein for over 20 years and have worked with him as project manager during our capital campaign and a colleague during his tenure as one of our theatre communities most respected executive arts leaders. The creation of Odyssey Associates comes at the most ideal time for us here at Writers Theatre, as we are in the middle of a staff transition. Josh has joined our team as a consultant as well as taking on a variety of general management responsibilities. Josh is providing much needed strategic guidance, advice and support during a critical time here and we are grateful."
- Kathryn M. Lipuma, Executive Director
