Community Highlights: Meet Jeremiah Smith of Everyone, Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremiah Smith.

Hi Jeremiah, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Do you know the parable of the Mexican fisherman? A burned-out executive meets a fisherman who catches just enough each morning, then spends the rest of the day with family and friends. The executive urges him to fish longer, buy more boats, build a business, and retire wealthy. The fisherman asks why, and the executive says, “So you can spend time with your family, fish a little, and enjoy life by the water.” The fisherman smiles, “What do you think I’m doing now?”
Most people grind through their careers so they can retire and finally choose their projects, set their own schedule, and hang out in coffee shops. That’s the life I already live. I spend my days at local coffee shops with a laptop and a stack of paper, talking with strangers, trading ideas, and helping nonprofits chase what matters. Sometimes I get paid, sometimes I don’t. The work is always meaningful. Over the years, people have come to recognize me at those coffee shop tables, it’s even my handle online, @coffeeshop_mayor. Some I’ve talked with for years before they finally ask, “So what do you do?” That’s when I keep it simple, I write grants.
That line has become something of a tagline for me. I use it in meetings, in networking groups, at conferences, even on panels. It works because it’s simple, but also because it’s a trojan horse. Grant writing opens the door to everything else, organizational assessments, finances, programs, evaluation, all the areas where nonprofits need to be strong if they’re going to compete for funding. And because grants equal dollars, nonprofits take the work seriously. For me, that’s why I love it, it’s not just about proposals, it’s about helping organizations get sharper, healthier, and better equipped to deliver on their missions.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I usually describe this career as something that’s been given to me, and I just haven’t messed it up yet. Early in my career, I had a mentor who was a grant consultant. I told her I wanted to consult one day. One day. She said, “Good, I have a nonprofit that wants to hire me. I don’t want new clients. I’ll tell them to hire you.” And that’s exactly what she did. I didn’t even have a business at the time, but she walked me through setting up an LLC and handed me her contract template. My wife had a great job with great benefits then, so there was no real risk for me. If I failed, no big deal, I could always get another staff job. But instead, I kept getting new clients and working on amazing projects with brilliant and inspiring people, slowly building a practice that has grown into a real business today. Because it was given to me, I try to give it away as much as possible, offering advice to groups I may never work with, sharing resources, and making sure every conversation leaves people better equipped than when it began.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Everyone, Inc.?
You know, I never told my girls I was proud of them? If they came home with a good grade, got a part in the play, or made the team, I didn’t say I’m proud of you. Instead, I always told them how grateful I was for their effort, their commitment, or their attitude. Their success was about them, and my role was gratitude. So, when you ask me what I’m most proud of, the honest answer is nothing. I really mean it when I say this career has been a gift, and what I feel is gratitude, grateful to have been part of so many incredible organizations and projects across the Valley.
Phoenix is home. I grew up here. I met my wife here. We raised our kids here. I care deeply about this place and its people. If you’re not working toward the benefit of this place I love, I am not for you. I don’t care about nonprofits. Not inherently. I care about this community.
Our mission at Everyone, Inc. is “Connecting Everyone through Compelling Story.” It’s more than a catchy phrase, it’s our values put into action. Connecting is about building bridges, between nonprofits and funders, between organizations and their neighbors, between vision and resources. Everyone means exactly that, the whole community. Not just insiders or the easy-to-serve, but every person who calls this place home. And Compelling Story isn’t about dressing things up. It’s about clarity, honesty, and telling the truth in a way that people believe in and want to support.
I’m good at this work. Not because I have all the answers, but because I care enough to ask the right questions and help organizations sharpen themselves in the process. I’m careful about who I work with, and I’m honest about what I see. That builds trust, and trust is what matters most. Funders, nonprofits, business owners, elected officials all have to know I’ll show up transparent, thoughtful, and reliable. Grant writing may be the tool, but what I really do is connect people and resources in a way that makes the whole community stronger.
I’m here to help. I love what I get to do, and I’m grateful that it allows me to focus only on work I truly believe in.

What are your plans for the future?
I hope not. I tell people all the time my life is boring. Do you know how hard it is to create a boring life? No stress. Nothing unexpected. Just stability. Peace. I love my life. My life is meaningful and fulfilling. I’ve been given so much already, and I haven’t messed it up yet. My plan is to keep showing up, keep saying yes to the right opportunities, keep learning and growing, and keep trying not to mess it up. I hope I keep getting invited into cool spaces and powerful work, but even if I don’t, I’ll keep asking questions and making connections. What’s next? I don’t know, but I bet it’ll be better than anything I can imagine.
A big part of that is curiosity. When I was younger, I used to describe myself as a contrarian, even a troublemaker. I rubbed people the wrong way and thought that was just who I was. A few years ago, someone reframed it for me, “I’ve never thought of you that way. I’ve always thought of you as curious.” That simple shift changed how I see myself and how I approach others. Now I lead with curiosity, not conflict, and that’s how I want to keep approaching the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://everyoneinc.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeeshop_mayor/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/everyone-incorporated