Consulting With Purpose

Michael Kroeger had advanced to a leadership position at a local IT consulting company, but he couldn’t help feeling like something was missing. Although passionate about his career, he was still searching for a greater purpose.

Both Michael and his then colleague, Kelly Dolan, were continuing on successful career paths at the same consulting company. That all changed one day in the summer of 2010  when they began talking about how great it would be to make an impact in the community while continuing to build a career. They both shared a general sense of restlessness and strong desire to break out of the status quo.

Fueled by the desire to succeed in business while giving back to the community, but not really knowing what that might look like, Kelly began researching how to create a company that would make a bigger impact both professionally and personally. She came across Certified B Corps. and  within weeks of that first conversation they quit their jobs to launch a new business. Ingage was the very first company certified as a B Corp in Cincinnati (the second in Ohio).

It was a huge risk, leaving a six figure salary and job security. “I remember when we hired our first employee, who quit his job and put his trust in us as a new start-up,” said Kelly.

Against all odds, Ingage was profitable within four months and wrote their first donation check to a non-profit organization during the first 30 days of operation.

When asked whether or not this business model allows Ingage to win business, Kelly shared that while it certainly can open doors to new opportunities, you have to be the best at what you do.

Opportunities for growth have continued for like-minded professionals to blend their careers with their passion to make a difference. In bringing together trusted industry relationships and extensive consulting experience, Ingage is thriving in an environment where performance is measured by its impact on people, planet, and profit.

And that first employee is still with Ingage today