Who’s Your Rudolph?
You know the song.
But very few know the story behind it.
In 1939, Montgomery Ward (a major department store at the time) wanted to create a children’s holiday book to give away for free. Until then, they had been buying and distributing other companies’ books, but that year leadership decided to save money by producing something in-house.
Enter Robert L. May.
May wasn’t a high-ranking creative director or marketing executive. He was a copywriter, several levels down the org chart. Not the obvious person you’d expect to create a character that would become a global holiday icon.
But he raised his hand anyway.
What most people don’t realize is that May didn’t just volunteer during a routine season of life. At the time, his wife Evelyn was terminally ill with cancer and medical bills were piling up. He was emotionally exhausted, financially strained, and trying to care for his young daughter.
Still, he offered to help.
Inspired by his daughter’s feelings of being different, and by his own sense of isolation, May wrote the story of a misfit reindeer with a glowing red nose who didn’t quite belong.
You know the rest.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was distributed to more than 2 million children that first year and went on to become one of the most instantly recognizable characters in modern society.
Imagine that!
Here’s why this story matters, especially in your role as the leader of a nonprofit.
We often assume the breakthrough will come from:
The big idea
That one donor
The new board member
The perfect consultant
The strategic plan
But sometimes, the most meaningful momentum comes from:
A staff member who volunteers outside their job description
A donor who offers more than money
A community partner who shows up with sleeves rolled up
And sometimes, the people offering the most are doing so while carrying far more than we can see.
Nonprofit leadership is hard. It’s isolating. And it can make you feel like you have to be the Rudolph… shining brighter, working harder, leading louder.
But this season, I want to encourage you to look around instead of inward.
Who’s quietly raising their hand?
Who’s offering help in a small, unassuming way?
Who might be your Rudolph, waiting to be trusted, empowered, and believed in?
And just as importantly, if you’re the one struggling right now, remember this:
Even in seasons of illness, uncertainty, and exhaustion, meaningful work can still emerge. Not because everything is perfect, but because purpose has a way of finding us anyway.
Sometimes the magic doesn’t come from the leader at the top. It comes from the copywriter who simply said, “I can try.”
Oh, and you should know how May’s story ends:
In a move that would be nearly unthinkable today, Montgomery Ward later gave him the rights to the character, allowing Rudolph’s legacy to belong to the man who created him.
Eighty-six years later, Rudolph is still a privately held brand with thousands of licensing agreements to its name.
The perfect ending to this inspiring story!
Oh, and something to consider… At Jenni Craig & Co., we help nonprofits uncover overlooked opportunities, clarify their message, and turn quiet potential into measurable momentum. If you’re interested in getting the conversation started, simply reply to this email.
