How One Decision to Serve Others Can Change Thousands of Lives | Nick Singh

Welcome to the Legacy All-Stars Podcast. We feature inspirational stories from people who dedicate themselves to helping others. Here is your host, Alan Pavlosky.

Hey everybody, welcome back to the Legacy All-Stars Podcast, where we highlight leaders who are using their talents, influence, and experience to make the world a better place. I'm your host, Alan Pavlosky. Today's guest is really exciting for me. I met Nick quite a while ago, but we've had several discussions since. And he is somebody who really truly represents what it means to lead with purpose and take action at a very young age. Very impressive guy. Nick is the founder of the Nick Singh Foundation, built on the powerful philosophy of we, not I. Born in Guyana, raised in Queens, New York, Nick began his journey in philanthropy at just 12 years old. By 17, he was recognized as a National Youth of the Year finalist, opening doors to work with organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the New York Yankees. Today, Nick leads a glowing global movement mobilizing partnerships, athletes, businesses, and communities to create meaningful and sustainable impact around the world. Nick, welcome to the show, my friend.

Thank you for having me, Alan. Appreciate it.

Yeah, my pleasure. Take us back to your early life. What experiences shaped your desire to serve others?

Back to my early life, I would say that the Hicksville Boys and Girls Club is really just the company where— an organization where it all started for me. They really shaped my desire to serve others because they were an organization that put serving others first. And so when you're around that environment and you're seeing our camp counselors and our program directors really like, "Hey, we're here to help and serve these young people," it was just so constant and so consistent that I never got to experience before. And I know it was that experience is what really ignited me and honestly increased my desire to serve others first.

Yeah. You know, that brings up something for me that's really important. And that is that, you know, with mentorship and the concept of mentorship, you know, I'm constantly telling people, you never know what kind of impact you're making on an individual and where that tipping point comes from. That's going to cause them to have a revelation or some kind of idea that's going to put them in a position to serve others. So what you do to help others can exponentially affect the greater good. On that basis alone. What clicked for you at 12 years old that set you on this path?

So outside of the Boys and Girls Club, which of course, our camp counselors and our directors there really mentored me into serving other people, like we mentioned, outside of that, I'll never forget that there was this librarian when I first started at the Boys and Girls Club, we gained a relationship over quite some time in the same town. And she gave me this piece of paper. And in this paper, she was like, you know, for some reason, this quote really reminds me of what you're going to be doing for the rest of your life. Mind you, she didn't really know much about me. And I was just starting to serve people at that time. But she said, I'm only one, 'But I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.' And it's funny because she typed it, found the quote, printed it out. This was 12— I can't do math— 17 years ago. And I actually still have that piece of paper that she handed me with the quote all these years. So that moment is what clicked for me. You know, I may not be able to save the world, but I can save the world for that one person. And that's where it really clicked. And I started serving with the Boys and Girls Club and then things carried on from there.

Amazing. I love hearing that. How did growing up quickly influence your mindset and your leadership?

Great question. I think, you know, I struggled with different challenges that most child shouldn't have struggled with. And it forced me to grow up early because I had to really meet the needs at a very early age and find different ways and creative ways in order to do so. Because again, I didn't get that support or the guidance. Because of that allowing me to grow up pretty quickly, I also realized that there are other kids also facing similar challenges that I face. And if I can get out of those things through how I control my mind and through thinking positive and just through serving and helping people, why not help those kids out of those situations and also help them become leaders of their own? So the challenges of growing up actually shaped me and mold me into the person that I am, not even just today, but when I was 12.. And then once I started serving and, you know, it's all, you know, thinking positive, believing in yourself, it allowed me to become a leader for people that were older than me. And then that translated into, well, how can I also pass that on to other younger people as well?

Yeah. How did working with major organizations, especially, you know, at, at starting at age 17, which was amazing, how did that shape your early confidence and give you the wherewithal to be able to do what you do?

Yeah, I mean, I was at that time, I really was just around the Boys and Girls Club family. But then there were other organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and a gentleman who works at a very high level over 50 years with the New York Yankees, the team president's executive assistant, and he does a lot of community relations work with them. Imagine being 17 years old, and then I graduated high school later on that year, and then all of a sudden those 3 organizations were the 3 organizations that kind of brought me underneath their wing and wanted to expand that. I will say that working with them early, I was nervous. I really was. I imagine then now 17, 18 years old around some of the more prestigious nonprofits with now dealing with kids who are terminally ill or battling life-threatening illnesses. And then you match that with some of the greatest athletes that ever played the field. And I'm now balancing all of that on top of mentoring young people.. And I had just my senior year graduated high school. So it almost like I kind of had to force myself to start believing in myself and be confident because if other people had the confidence in me to hire me or brought me into those positions, they must have had confidence in me in doing so and trust. So I had to really build confidence in myself and understand if they believe in me and they have confidence in me, I need to do that for myself. And so, it was really just the rooms that I were in and the level and magnitude of what those kids were facing that really boosted my confidence and the people who gave me that spot, really, in those positions.

Yeah. I mean, it's obviously, it takes a special kind of person to start so young and to be able to get in those rooms. Heck, I spent 35 years in sports and probably my first 10 years, I was nervous going into those rooms and I was way older than you. I always tell people that you never know who you're going to be mentored by. It might be somebody 20 or 30 years younger than you, it might be somebody older than you, but take the knowledge where you can get it. When did you realize that this was your life's work?

You know, I'm gonna say probably when I was 12, when I stepped foot in that Boys and Girls Club and I realized that I was talking to— again, I was in middle school. And I was talking to high school students and college students about, I mean, very just the deepest of valleys that they're walking through and assisting them, guiding them, mentoring them, encouraging them through those seasons and just pouring love onto them. Honestly, I realized at 12 years old that my life work is to just help and serve people. Did I think that I was gonna be doing it globally and with these major organizations? No, I didn't think that at all. Uh, but I did realized that my life's work of just serving and helping was when I had that reality check in 7th grade. Wow, like, there are college students that are trusting me with their hurt and their pain and their baggage, and there's a reason for that. And it's because I'm able, or I have that capability and understanding to help guide them through finding those solutions, or at least coping with those challenges appropriately. And that's when I knew that that was the calling that I had.

Super cool. What led you to start your own nonprofit?

So my experience with Boys and Girls Club, Make-A-Wish, and then amongst other celebrities, athletes, nonprofits, I spent my late teens, early 20s to mid-20s really just helping other nonprofits grow. And I realized that as I continued to gain a lot of experiences with the different nonprofits, I learned what to do and what not to do. And, you know, over the years, right, you know, you get kicked back with certain things, or maybe I may not have agreed with certain decisions that were being made, but I really just, I knew that it wasn't my organization that I was running. And so I was really just helping them grow. And then I think that a lot of people around me were encouraging me to say, hey, Nick, like, you really have some great ideas. And you're taking all the to-dos and not to-dos from all your experience in that span of 7, 8 years serving other people's nonprofits, why not start your own? And at first, Alan, I, I was a bit nervous because I may have handled a lot of the front-end work of a nonprofit, very minor on the back end. So understanding what it's like to file for the appropriate paperwork, running a board, All of those things became very new to me, but I also realized that again, people believed in me. And when I did start the nonprofit, people also said that, hey, I can bring something to the table, which is the backend and helping you with the areas that you're still learning. And I think that's what led me. It's knowing my experience, me growing my network, having people that wanted to help and encourage and join me. And then really just putting the right people around me that really helped me start my own.

Yeah. What makes the Nick Singh Foundation model different from traditional fundraising platforms or nonprofits? I want you to differentiate what it is. Cool.

Our slogan actually is, we just don't help people, we show why it matters. And I say that because a big part of our fundraising component is like, Well, let's take a quick step back. Every nonprofit we know needs fundraising, right? They need funds, they need fundraising, they're always looking for ways to bring in donors, sponsors, etc. But what I always ask myself is, that's the big picture, right? Of course, the bigger picture to that is making the impact and how you utilize the funding. But funding is the fuel, right, to help us initiate and fulfill those projects. But I took a step back and I said, are we positioning ourself and marketing ourself to be fundable? Meaning like, are we really telling people instead of saying, hey, we need money, we gotta fundraise, what are we doing to show people why they should be with us, right? Why they should fundraise with us.

So what's your why?

Yeah. And so a big thing was digital content., you know, and just throwing, putting media. So when our slogan, like I mentioned, is we just don't help people or we don't just tell people that we're helping people, we show why it matters. We love creating stories via video reels or testimonials, reviews, and now we're showing the community, hey, your dollars are going towards this. Here's this person's story, right? And so now people are really seeing, wow, like This foundation I'm supporting, they're showing me what they're doing with the funding I donated. But now we took it up a notch, Alan. When we talk to donors and sponsors, we actually ask them what cause or projects speak to their heart. So it's more than just a, hey, thank you for your donation, here's a tax letter or thank you letter. It's, hey, thank you, here's a letter. By out of curiosity, what causes or what type of needs really speak to your heart? I get endless different answers. Kids with battling cancer, school programs, homeless, our veterans. And what's interesting is I'll come back to them and say, hey, I have 2 or 3 projects that are geared around that theme. So your money is going to go towards these things, but guess what? I'll invite them and I'll invite them so they can be a part of the impact. So they now see firsthand what it's like to be on the grounds of making an impact in that theme or in that cause. And then we circle back with content and we give them shoutouts, have them talk about their business, whatever they want in that video. So I try to create a win-win scenario for everyone. And I know that if I continue to show people what we're really doing with that transparency and involving our donors and sponsors and funders, that's how we position ourself. More than just traditional, you know, fundraising. It's really just creating content. And that's the biggest thing.

Got it. I want to delve into your We Not I philosophy. Can you share with me what that truly means to you? Yeah.

So just like whether it's business or, you know, your social life and hanging out with friends or making an impact together, Over the years, I realized that making money or making an impact, or, you know, it's not as fun as when you do it alone. And I was like, I want to build something together with people. Because part of why I do this is because it becomes more enjoyable. I love building relationships with other people. And I also found again, since I was a teenager, when I've included people in the projects, they've actually came back to me and were like— I mean, I still have text messages for years saying, "Nick, I didn't realize that doing that project with you actually opened up my eyes to certain things. It gave me healing and clarity that I needed. I was so stuck in certain things that I was battling." like your experience, Nate, and the impact that you brought me in, involved with, also humbled me. Honestly, like I'm sitting here struggling with this and there are kids dying of cancer. And so it's a nice reminder. And so I started building this mindset of just include people. And now when I start including people, they weren't just there standing and watching, they were getting involved. And so it becomes it just becomes a very influential and motivational movement and a healing process for everyone when I put a team together to fulfill any project. So yes, I love making an impact, I really do, but I love bringing people together to make an impact together. And it really does have a lot of great rapport that I've received from those type of experiences.

That's amazing. I want to get a few examples from you of moments that deeply impacted you. Can you share that?

Yeah, so where do I start? I mean, if this podcast was like 10 hours, I think I may be able to get—

let's try with one or two stories.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course, of course. Now I'm kidding. Um, okay, I'll do two quick stories. Um, I received another award back in 2019. And I remember it was a year after, you know, feeding over 60,000 homeless people through different organizations and partnerships. And this was before I started the nonprofit. And I was doing it with other people. Homeless, spent some time helping people in the Philippines. I led Granting Wishes in Suffolk County that year, mentorship, and then at the end of that year, I was recognized as a Man of the Year on Long Island, New York for that impact. So it was really cool to have a massive gala, about 500 people there, News 12 there, was great. I was able to bring a plus one and everyone was like, "Oh, you're gonna bring a family member, a friend?" I brought my friend Tyler. Now, when I was there, everyone didn't know who Tyler was. They were like, "Oh, like, you know, just 17-year-old young man, like, you know, actually, they didn't even know his age at that time so I just said, "Yeah, my friend Tyler, I wanted him to be involved in this." I went on stage, I shared my story, I talked about, you know, accept the award, thank you everyone, I appreciate it, gave my, you know, gratitude. I said, "There's one more thing that I want to mention, guys." So, I was like, everyone wanted to know who that young man was that I brought to this room and so I was like, "Young man, stand up," and Alan, he had no idea I was doing this. I was like, "What's your name?" He said, "Tyler." And I was like, "How old are you?" He said, "17." And then I look at the crowd and I was like, "Guys, get ready for this one." And I look back at him, I said, "How many brain surgeries have you had onto this day?" And he said, "42." When that— when he's— just like how you just reacted, Alan Pavlosky, everyone gasped. They were, like, looking around like, "What?" And so I was like, come up here, Alan. The literal spotlight— there was a little spotlight on me. It went right on to him as he was walking up. He received a massive round of applause. And as he walked up, I'm holding back tears too, and he's holding back tears. Everyone is. And I lifted up my award and I said, everyone in this room, amongst 10,000 people plus in just this year alone, has called me their heroes. I saved their children's lives. I made such a big impact. But they don't realize that the real heroes are them. It's kids like him. And so I took my award and I handed it to him and I wanted to make it about him. And I don't share that story to say, oh, look at what Nick did. Oh, he's a cool guy. It's more so like, I don't need the center of attention to do things. I want to really make it about the real mission. And it's like, let's continue to help people because, yeah, the awards are great and all, but you don't realize, Alan, what it was like for him. And he shares this, to be honest. I was actually talking to him just last week. That was a very important moment for him because I included him in something that was big. And that means more to me than, again, accepting it for myself. So that was a story that really resonated for me. One story for sure that really resonated.

I got chills. So thank you for sharing that.

Yeah, of course. Absolutely.

How do you decide what projects to pursue? That's a really big one for me.

Yeah. Great. So because of my experience with different causes and different mission statements, it was very hard to lock in on one. And so I started doing research with other nonprofits and I realized that we're just a nonprofit that really wants to do acts of kindness, but more on a larger scale or sustainable scale. Now mind you, if it's quick projects here and there, sure, I just want to put a smile on people's face. However I could put a smile on their face in that season, let's make it happen. How we pick that is through a vetting process. Well, before the vetting process, actually, we have intake forms on our website and it actually locks in different— like if you're reaching out for a child, for an adult, what type of support you're looking for. And we kind of vet it out through a, you know, a doctor if it's a medical need, a school counselor if it's a student, right? So we have professionals that are attached to each one of these stories that can really do their due diligence on the legitimacy of the projects. And then from there, our board and our team pulls in our network and we're like, who and what in our network can fulfill this project. And between our network and connections, plus our vetting partners, plus people writing and sending us their stories, all of that alone has— we have to go through each one of those things to then get to, okay, this is a project that we're able to sustain, you know. And that's how we pick our projects and vet them out and kind of handle them.

Yeah, man, people don't realize how, how simple just connecting the dots can make a project a success. And I've experienced that quite a bit in my life and in my career, but people don't realize just how much just thinking about how things fit together like a puzzle can help everybody do something great to help others. So I love the answer. Thank you.

Yeah, of course. Thank you.

How are you balancing your nonprofit work with building income streams for personal sustainability? I know everybody's got to survive. How are you working that?

Yeah, um, I was very fortunate starting to work at 15 and receiving a paycheck up until just a few years ago. I saved a lot. I was very, very smart with managing funding. And so for that 10-year gap, I really just managed well, right, with my finances. I was able to take some time off when I started to pursue my philanthropic, my own philanthropic nonprofit and my entrepreneurship endeavors. And I took about a little less than a year, lived off a bit of a buffer to really build out some plans for myself to create that freedom of my time and to get as creative as possible to own something and to create financial wealth. And so as far as the balance right now goes, number one, it's our team, right? We have a great group of people around us that's always helping and willing to assist. That's a very important key because imagine I can copy and paste 9 Nicks, right? I mean, think about what more we can do, right? I think that helps my balance. And as silly as this sounds, I write down everything, like almost everything to where like I'm going to take my lunch break to when I could jump on these calls and meetings. So most people kind of like schedule their meetings. I really write down like even when I'm going to go to the gym and I stay disciplined to my schedule. So when you're able to time manage to the T and discipline yourself to that schedule, And you're able to create leaders that can replicate either a skill or a portion of what I'm doing, and you can delegate appropriately and you encourage as well too with them, and you understand the learning curve with them. That is what helps me balance my nonprofit, and then I'm able to scale. And so that's why I'm able to do the nonprofit work while I'm able to build my business and build income streams for myself to pay the bills.

Got it.

Yeah.

What do you want your foundation to become long term?

When people think of the foundation 50 years from now, 100 years from now, right? Because the foundation is called the Nick Singh Foundation after my name. Of course, people are going to ask, well, who's Nick Singh? Right? And I want people to know that it's not about making it about Nick Singh. It's about what Nick Singh's message to the world is. So I want people to know that we're a foundation that believes in transparency, teamwork, sustainable impact, where we want to build schools and wells and soccer fields in different parts of the world. We want to pay for, and we have been, medical needs that's saving someone's life, right? It's beautiful to do the smaller projects of surprise meet and greets with celebrities, sponsoring kids for Christmas, giving out toys. We did a Sweet 16, a basketball experience. That's great. It still put a smile on someone's face that they needed. But as we continue to grow and more funding and support comes in, it's, hey, we're going to build a school that's going to support over 1,000 kids for generations to come, right? And we're going to put the right team there. So sustainability, teamwork, transparency are what I really want to be known for down the road with the Nixing Foundation.

Awesome. Well, you just answered my next question, which was, what does legacy mean to you? So I'm going to skip that one.

Okay, cool.

So let's get to something really important. How can people get involved and how can they support the Nixing Foundation?

Great. So best thing to do is visit our website, thenixingfoundation.org. Our contact page is there. Our social media handles are there and all of our intake forms are there. They can also see different ways that they can support. Just from, again, different dropdowns and ways that you can help on our website. So our website's really the main hub. We are also going to be building out kind of like a GoFundMe platform. So we're actually going to be having live projects that people could just click directly to, read about the story, and then just donate right towards. So we are in the works of that right now. We've just been kind of like posting on social media about the stories or writing it and sending it to our network of people. But now we want that hub. So our website is the main source of, you know, how people can get in touch, involved, and in contact.

Awesome. Nick, we've come to the end of our time together. I'm so grateful for you coming on and great to know you and get to know you better the whole time that we've been discussing this. What stands out to me is not just what you've done, but how you've done it. You've built something rooted in collaboration, authenticity, and action. Your "we, not I" philosophy reminds us that meaningful impact happens when we come together. You're not just waiting around, you're leading. And that's what legacy is all about. So I really want to thank you for coming on the show and sharing your wisdom and teaching me, somebody older than you, slightly, just a little bit.

Just slightly.

How to be a little bit more focused on doing things to help others.

Yeah, thank you, thank you so much for having me on. This was a phenomenal interview, and I appreciate your time, Alan. I really do.

Thank you for joining us on the Legacy All-Stars Podcast, where we celebrate athletes, leaders, and changemakers who are using their platform to make a lasting impact. I'm your host, Alan Pavlosky. Until next time, keep building your legacy.