Case study: Dr. Nathaniel J. Williams, Founder and CEO; HumanWorks Affiliates, Inc.

Summary
Dr. Nathaniel J. Williams, EdD, MHS, MPA, MBA, wears many hats: adjunct professor, author, speaker,
community advocate, and business executive. He leads a $12 million per year nonprofit organization called
HumanWorks Affiliates, a group of nine companies dedicated to providing management, financial,
operations, and development services for nonprofit and provider agencies.
Nat Williams became an orphan at five years old. Willims and his nine other brothers and sisters who were
under age 18 were taken to five separate homes in the New York City (The Bronx) foster care system. One
day, while living in a group foster home, Willims’s brothers and sisters who were coming to visit him were
unable to make the trip because the van carrying them broke down. Willims was disappointed and shared his
plight with Sister Mary Patrick, the executive director of the home. She gave a bicycle to cheer Nat up. He
rode off and then shared the bike with his cottage mates. He suddenly realized that if he wasn’t careful, he
would have a fixed mindset: telling a sad story and then waiting for a handout. That wasn’t the story Nat
wanted to tell of his life, and from that point on, he began to look at life differently, and set his sights high.
He wanted to be like Sister Mary Patrick: a leader of great caring and compassion, as well as an executive
director of something. Nat came to recognize over time that the true gift he had received that day was not the
bicycle, but a lesson that would continue to inform his life’s decisions and directions for the rest of his life.
He encourages people to find the message behind the moment rather than being overwhelmed by the moment
itself. He tries to understand that there is something in there for him to take away from every experience—
the question is: what is it?
One of his first jobs was in a home for mentally disabled adults. He was enthralled with the opportunity that
work provided to earn money while contributing meaningfully to the lives of others. At age 28, Williams
founded a company that is now a conglomerate of nine different organizations focused on human care
services that help others in need. This same organization now has an operating budget of $12 million a year
and employs over 200 people.
His is a story that underscores the power of potential that can be found inside the body, mind, heart, and
spirit of a human being. He is also quick to concede the importance of involving others along the way to
help, and that a sincere relationship of complete transparency with such friends, teachers, and mentors is
essential. Nat focused on what he did have, what he could do, and what he could learn from his experiences.
He explains that it is crucial to work with what you have and to believe that what you have isn’t so bad. By
so doing, your focus and energy becomes directed toward framing your situation in the best possible light
and then working hard to make the most of that situation.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. In your own words, how would you explain why Nathaniel J. Williams was able to rise above the
difficult circumstances of his childhood?
 In my own words, Nathaniel J. Williams rose above the difficult circumstances of his childhood
because of how he responded to situations. There’s a quote by Epictetus saying, “It's not what
happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” You are the result of the choice you made,
therefore, you can either choose to stay with the suffering or rise above it.

2. In what ways does Nathaniel J. Williams’s approach to life exemplify the entrepreneurial mindset
advocated in this chapter? Does his approach differ in any ways?
 Nat started signing his name: Nathaniel J. Williams, Executive Director, a habit that spawned
confusion and derision among many of his peers. He said to people often, if it’s not written, it’s not
going to happen. He was writing down what he wanted to do, he made it very clear, so when
distraction came his way, because he knew what he wanted to do, he was able to plan his work
and then work his plan. Much of his time as a teen was spent taking such leadership initiative in
 one way or another, a harbinger of the hard work, focus, and proactivity that would mark his
pathway for the next several decades.

3. Can you think of limitations you are placing on yourself that may be restricting your ability to achieve
your goals? Name some specific examples.
 The limitation I am placing on myself that may be restricting my ability to achieve my goals is the
fear of missing out. I fear that when I focus on something I will miss out on other things. For
example, I haven’t started a business because I want to build my entrepreneurial capabilities which
can be counted as an excuse for me doing different things. I always have a strong desire to learn
things around me. Currently, I am working full-time while studying 2 courses. If there’s a training
that is interesting, I will probably join that training. I barely have time to do self-reflection or focus
on one specific life goal. I never feel enough with what I’ve learned which sometimes led to burnout.

4. How can you apply an entrepreneurial mindset to your life to help you break through these limitations
in order to reach success?
 To break through my limitation, I need to focus on one specific goal and expand my network. I need
to go out to meet people and learn from actual people instead of the theory in the book. If I can just
control myself from just learning anything to learning something specific, I will be able to sharpen
my entrepreneurship skills and strengthen my entrepreneurial mindset.