Strategies to Help You Make a Real Impact

Christina Weiss Lurie, co-owner of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, is no stranger to change. Growing up, her family moved from Mexico to England and she had to adjust to a very different environment.

“My family was adventurous, so I never felt limited by my circumstances. Trying new things didn’t scare me. It felt more like an opportunity.”

She has had a diverse career in film, philanthropy and the NFL. Heed her advice on using your ideas to make a real impact.

Ditch the “big idea.” It’s not about trying to come up with the next big thing. Even smaller ideas can have a significant impact if they’re implemented effectively. A few years ago, we wanted to raise awareness about breast cancer. Our “big idea” was to light up Lincoln Financial Field pink – but that was cost prohibitive. Instead, we sold pink caps during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was a smaller idea, but to date we’ve raised over $1 million for the cause and helped to open the Jefferson Breast Care Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Call in the reinforcements. Get input from experts. When we were planning Huddle Up for Autism, we partnered with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. They worked with us so we could meet the logistical needs of the kids and the families who are affected by autism.

Stretch your resources. Knowing how to make the most of what you have is critical. I’ve worked on independent films with very small budgets and I was always looking for people who had the skills to make a great product with limited financial resources. I was the executive producer of Game 6, which starred Michael Keaton and Robert Downey Jr. – big stars who were used to Hollywood budgets. But they were incredibly generous and understood the limitations of a smaller film. They made the adjustment and gave fantastic performances.

Make it a “win-win.” When we launched Go Green, our goal was to divert 99% of the stadium’s waste away from landfills and we needed our vendors on board. We worked with Aramark to find the right environmentally friendly products and, when it worked with us, it motivated them to use those products in their other venues. They came through and started using compostable cups made of corn and napkins made of recycled materials.

Play to your strengths. Always be curious about finding new ways to put your strengths and experiences to use. When I first got involved with the Eagles, I wanted to discover how I could apply my interests in the arts and philanthropy to my work with the team. Early on, Jermane Mayberry, one of our players, told me he was legally blind in one eye and wanted to promote vision health. I was able to use my background in philanthropy to help create the Eagles Eye Mobile, which gives glasses to 2,500 children every year, enabling them to read, learn and improve their lives.

-Sarah Cooke