Mike Bahun, Ohio State baseball director of player development and leadership, wears many hats far beyond the confines of the stadium. The former collegiate and professional baseball player and pro scout founded Fundraising University in 2009, a company that was honored by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the fastest-growing franchises in the country.
According to the prestigious magazine, Fundraising U’s growth has impressively spiked 104.3% in just three years. Fundraising University became a nationwide franchise in 2020 and today has rallied to raise over $150 million for teams across America.
The company funds the dreams of school sports and activity programs across the United States. It employs a playbook of efficient strategies proven to raise the money needed to keep sports programs alive and student-athletes active. Comprised of former athletes, coaches, and business leaders, the team at Fundraising University has been helping equip students, reach out-of-town tournaments, and more for over ten years.
Fundraising University believes its proven methods bring teams closer together and enrich communities with positive, lasting change.
Bahun is excited about the future. Mike’s career is excelling, the people he coaches and mentors are blooming, his company is celebrating 15 years of visionary leadership, and his foundation has just launched a rebrand with another exciting masterclass season about to start in the summer of 2024.
Coaching Matters Empowers People at Every Stage of Their Journey
Mike Bahun’s nonprofit organization, Coaching Matters Foundation, offers mentorship, resources and professional guidance to help individuals reach their full potential in their respective fields. The foundation aims to foster growth, leadership, and excellence among its participants by providing valuable insights and support, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge needed to succeed. Through its masterclass program, Bahun and his team support and empower entrepreneurs, business leaders, athletes, coaches, and other innovative pioneers.
Beyond the numbers, however, Coach Mike Bahun is a family man who is proud of his children and the countless players, coaches, and administrators he’s been able to serve. Giving back is at the heart of everything he does. Fueled by an unquenchable passion for mentorship and development, Mike takes a “whole life” attitude to everything he touches, whether it’s life, baseball, family, or friends.
Recently, we sat down with Mike Bahun to learn more about his passions, excitement for the future, and business dreams. Here’s what he had to share.
Interview with Mike Bahun
Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in your chosen field and fundraising in general?
Just what being involved with coaches and the student-athlete experience it creates for people.
Can you share what moment helped shape yourself as a Founder when you realized this is what you wanted to do?
Well, in 2003, I started to see the tangible results of what we did for teams the second time.
As far as personal values, if you could give me three to five personal values that you hold most dear and something that drives your life, what would be some of those personal values?
Competitive, organized, and coachable.
That definitely leaks into your professional values as well. But is there anything you separate professionally and personally regarding values?
I’m a big believer that you are who you are. You don’t have different versions of yourself. So yeah, I’m really consistent in that they’re the same throughout.
What advice would you give your 20-year-old self, if you could, considering what you know now?
The constant investment in yourself is what most people are chasing. If you’re just getting better and becoming more valuable, rather than chasing the results, chase the process.
Would your message change to a seven or eight-year-old version of yourself?
I think that would be consistent. Young people need to figure out themselves and their environments to grow and learn as consistently as possible. The rest of the things will come.
Regarding personal and professional achievements, what are some of your favorites in your professional career regarding business?
Probably the Entrepreneur magazine [recognition], brand of the year the first time we got that in 2022, and being inducted into the Omaha High School Hall of Fame would be the top ones.
What are your biggest tips for managing stress and maintaining a healthy life balance to ensure overall well-being?
You have to schedule taking care of yourself like everything else you do because if you don’t, it won’t happen, and life will regulate itself if you don’t regulate it.
So, scheduling those time blocks to care for your mind and body, not just work?
Yeah, just working out or being consistent with your meditation, whatever that is, and scheduling that is just as important as anything else.
How would you define success? That’s a big question people often struggle with. What do you define that as?
I think success is when you’ve developed into a version of yourself where your skills don’t transfer just inclusively into certain things. You could move into almost any industry or scenario and be just as successful by applying the same principles that got you there. The principles and dynamics are more important than the circumstances. I think someone can be defined as successful when they can take their skills and plug them into anything and have an impact.
Who is an entrepreneur or business leader you consider one of the greatest of all time or an inspiration to you?
I like Mark Cuban because I don’t think he settles on his value system to partner with businesses. He fundamentally doesn’t like the supplement space because there’s no data supporting the majority of the marketing claims. He pursues businesses to make it versus Mr. Wonderful or someone else who is purely transactional. Cuban balances transactional discussions with having a heart that stays involved regardless of success.
Is there any life advice you were given that changed the trajectory of your life?
I was once told that if I pursued coaching, I would never let the scoreboard define me as a coach. That’s another process-oriented initiative that was meaningful to me.
What’s one book you recommend everyone should read and why?
“Relentless” by Tim Grover. It’s about maintaining a competitive edge.
What is your superpower, and how do you use it to succeed at work?
Execution and engagement—seeing things through to completion.
Moving Forward With Hope for the Future
As our conversation with Mike Bahun draws to a close, it’s clear that his journey is of relentless dedication and inspiring vision. With Fundraising University celebrating 15 years of impactful leadership and the Coaching Matters Foundation gearing up for an exciting new season, the future looks incredibly promising. Mike’s unwavering commitment to empowering individuals and fostering growth shines through in every endeavor he undertakes. As he continues to inspire and uplift those around him, people can look forward to even greater achievements and innovations from his company and foundation.
The road ahead is bright, and the possibilities are limitless with Mike Bahun at the helm.
