I’m passionate about spotlighting trailblazing women reshaping the wellness, beauty, and lifestyle spaces. This edition of our Founder’s Spotlight Series features Dr. Janelle Thompson, a powerhouse in the philanthropic world and board member of The 144k Collective, a bold, for-profit giving collective aiming to donate $250 million annually by 2030.

In this exclusive Q&A, Dr. Thompson shares how her personal journey, professional expertise, and commitment to equity have all fueled her leadership in a movement that’s redefining how we give, who benefits, and what true community empowerment looks like.

From launching micro-giving initiatives with cultural relevance to challenging traditional nonprofit models, The 144k Collective is not just rewriting the rules of philanthropy—it’s rebuilding them with purpose.

Vision and Inception

Q: The 144k Collective launched in 2024 with an ambitious goal to donate $250 million annually. What inspired the creation of this organization, and how did you become involved as a partner and board member?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: The 144k Collective, the brainchild of our Founder and Executive Manager, Jay Davis, was created out of his longstanding desire and commitment to help people. I first met Jay D. in 2010 and we became partners in our first business venture, Power In Numbers, soon after in 2011. We have been growing and developing together ever since.

When he presented his vision for The 144k Collective to me, I was immediately on board. As a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP), I live my days (and nights) focused on helping people, and help is one of my core values. The 144k Collective, rooted in service and simply being “here to help”, was a logical (and emotional) fit for me. As a founding member, sitting on the board was a natural next step. I have over a decade of experience as a liaison with the C-Suite, Medical Professionals, Entertainers and Entrepreneurs, and I was elected as Treasurer based on my experience in managing finances for various other business ventures.

Our goal of contributing $250 million each year is indeed ambitious, and we believe it is entirely possible. Here’s why: The Power In Numbers motto, “Our Unity is Our Strength… Our Strength is Our Unity”, rings true for the 144k Collective as well. After we officially launch in July, we hope to reach our first milestone of enrolling 50,000 partners in the first year, and to have all 144,000 partnership positions filled in two years. Each partner’s unified commitment to contributing $1/day reinforces the truth that humanity can do great things with when we work together... small efforts from the many transform into life changing results for the people it touches.

Innovative Philanthropy Model

Q: The Collective operates on a for-profit model to fund its philanthropic endeavors. Can you explain how this model works and how it differs from traditional nonprofit structures?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: You may be thinking that a for-profit philanthropic model is the biggest oxymoron known to man, but hear me out. The 144k Collective has a mission of fostering socially responsible capitalism by being “In the Business of Helping People” and creating what we like to call a “virtuous circle” of assistance. Think Pay It Forward on steroids! Additionally, we will be able to leverage doing business in multiple verticals without restriction or the limitations of "special interests"; and capitalize on multiple revenue streams from a variety of markets.

Traditional non-profit organizations tend to have a specific niche of people they are focused on helping. For instance, children, veterans, victims of natural disasters, etc. The 144k Collective takes a broader approach to helping in that we are looking to help ANYONE in need. And sometimes, that may look, shall we say… “untraditional”.

Most charities typically spend at least 65% of their revenue on programs serving their cause, with a common goal being 85% or higher. Some highly efficient charities spend 75% or more on their mission, with the remaining percentage used for administration, fundraising, and other costs. As a for-profit entity that capitalizes on efficiency, stability and market-based revenue generation, we will reinvest 90% of the profits from these ventures in order to fund these philanthropic initiatives. Under our business model, all 144,000 partners will have equal ownership, shared resources, and collective action – all for just $1/day.

Community Engagement Initiatives

Q: One of your early initiatives included a gas giveaway in Texas featuring local artists. How do such community-focused events align with your broader mission of fostering global community resilience and empowerment?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: Community focused events like the gas giveaways show how small acts of giving can have tremendous impact on the every day lives of every day people. We have done 4 gas giveaways thus far, and each time we’ve been able to help a larger, more diverse group of people. We’ve seen students, veterans, day workers, entrepreneurs, construction workers, restaurant owners, blue collar, white collar and teachers equally as impacted by someone paying to fill up their tank, simply because we are “here to help”. This is an example of working on the microscopic level.

When you start talking about the macroscopic level and the help we desire to contribute to the world, you start to see how random acts of help (combined with kindness) begin to accumulate exponentially. One smile turns into two… then four… then eight… One person realizes they’re in a position to help someone else because they were helped… Another person encourages their neighbor because they were encouraged. I’m reminded of the story of the young boy who was throwing starfish into the ocean. A man passing by commented that there were so many starfish on the shore that he wouldn’t be able to make a difference. The boy’s response as he threw another starfish back into the ocean? “It made a difference to that one!”

That’s how I see what we’re doing. Every contribution we make, regardless of how big or how small, has the potential to impact the life of both the receiver and the giver in ways we may never know.

Strategic Collaborations

Q: The Collective extended an invitation to YouTube philanthropist MrBeast for the "144K vs. The Beast" campaign. What is the strategy behind engaging with influencers, and how do these collaborations enhance your mission?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: Over the past decade, social media and influencers have changed the way we engage the world. From the way we receive our news to who decides what’s hot and what’s not. Whereas influencers of the past tended to be high-profile individuals like athletes, actors, musicians and well-known business people, influencers of today are those who have captured the attention of the masses based on their ability to connect through socials. They are no longer limited to face-to-face interactions, although they tend to excel at that as well. It’s a different kind of charisma. Influencers of today have the ability to capture attention and create standards by building trust through the world wide web.

MrBeast has demonstrated that you can help people in a fun and competitive way. He just celebrated a milestone of 400 million subscribers on YouTube doing just that. That’s not even counting the people who have NOT subscribed to his channel. 400 million people choosing to listen to your message – not being force-fed. That’s influence!

Now, he’s a large influencer. We’re taking the same model of many people doing their part, and teaming up with influencers who believe in our message of being in the business of helping people, and sharing our vision with THEIR audience. Why? Because their audience trusts them and when we’re all working together towards a common goal of helping our fellow man, the message gets out faster and we can help more people. We want to gamify giving. Make it fun, make it accessible, and make it reproducible.

Additionally, it’s a way to share a common brand – another one of Jay D.’s foundational tenets for The 144k Collective. By sharing a common brand, the influencers can get in front of an audience they might not be able to access on their own and vice versa. In this way, both the influencer and The 144k are able to benefit and grow from the interactions, leading to increased ability to help more people.

Measuring Impact

Q: With a goal to double giving by 2030, what metrics or indicators does The 144k Collective use to measure its impact and success?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: That’s simple… We measure our impact and success by the amount we are able to give!

Future Aspirations

Q: Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for The 144k Collective in the next five years, and how do you plan to achieve them?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: in the next five years, we aspire to show a viable framework and business model for philanthropic endeavors in a for-profit business model, achieved by enrolling 144k partners and meeting our contribution goal of $250 million. In addition to that, one initiative that is near and dear to my heart is providing anesthesia at no cost to patients. Is this a lofty idea? Absolutely. However, it is possible with our model, and it is needed.

Personal Insights

Q: What personal experiences or philosophies drive your commitment to The 144k Collective's mission, and how do they influence your leadership style?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: I’ll share two with you:

Give First. That was a lesson my mentor taught me early in our time together and it has proven to be an invaluable piece of advice. In addition to giving first, give more than what “they” may think is warranted. Regardless of your belief system, the law of reciprocity is just that. LAW. I am a firm believer that whatever you put into the world, you will receive back, multiplied. Give anger, give strife, give hate, and you can expect to receive more of those negative aspects in your life. Alternatively, give love, give life, give help – you will receive more of the same… and sometimes in ways you can’t even imagine.

You Can Learn From Anyone. Shortly after my lesson on giving first, my eyes were opened to the fact that I could learn from anyone. I was always a straight-A student, I was a varsity athlete, I made friends easily, I excelled at work… these positive character traits insidiously fostered another one – I thought I knew everything! It took a series of humbling experiences to recognize that I could learn resilience from an infant learning how to crawl and walk just like I could learn how and when to keep my mouth shut from an elder. I learned that if I was open to it, I could learn so much from the people around me. It was also in this way, that I realized how much I needed help and how much help I could be to others.

Once I recognized the truth that all of humanity exists symbiotically and that we all desire to live the best lives we can, learning became easier and my desire to give of myself was fueled even further. Leadership is about being the example through action, not through mere words. Leadership is about being in the trenches with your team, empathizing with what they’re going through and guiding them to and through the next step. It takes a spirit of service to be able to do that, and in order to serve, you must realize that you simply don’t know everything… but you are willing to learn. And through that learning, you’re in a better position to give.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Q: What challenges has The 144k Collective faced since its inception, and what lessons have you learned that could benefit others in the philanthropic sector?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: Since our inception, some of our biggest challenges have had to do with finding creative ways to help! Because we don’t make people compete for assistance, we are tasked with determine interesting ways to give away money. The gas giveaways have been great, and we recently hosted a pop-up of sorts where a few local independent artists paid people just for trying to make them laugh!

We’ve gone through some growing pains on the side of following protocol (we had to relocate gas stations right as CBS was arriving to cover the event) and have had to quickly pivot to make sure the giveaway still took place. Also, we’re doing something that’s really never been done before – socially responsible capitalism where we’re showing that you can have a for-profit business model AND help a lot of people. We’ve learned that being impact-driven vice being profit-driven is where we will shine. As our impact increases, our profits will also increase. As I disclosed earlier, 90% of our profits will be used to fund our philanthropic efforts, so you can see how this creates a virtuous circle – impact creating profits creating impact creating profits. Give first.

Engaging the Next Generation

Q: How does The 144k Collective plan to engage younger generations in its mission, and why is this demographic important to your long-term goals?

Dr. Janelle Thompson: I think gamifying giving is how we’ll continue to connect to the younger generation. Besides the impact of social media and influencers on the culture, teaching them how to use the dopamine hits they receive from helping people will be key to the longevity of our mission. We are looking to encourage competitive collaboration like professional sports franchises. Which “team” can help the most people? This takes a natural response to a hormone that has been numbed by video games and personal gratification and turns it into a desire to compete with like-minded individuals for a noble cause. Imagine how the world will look when people realize it’s FUN to help people!

Younger generations are where society lives and thrives. By tapping in to how they think and move, we can utilize those same young people to share how we are helping each other to be great. And THAT is how society lives on.