CEO of Colossal Mary Hagen Says Being Part of the Company Is a 'Tremendous Honor' and 'Incredibly Fulfilling'

Before Mary Hagen became the CEO of Colossal, she helped "shape and develop a similar company — in a business consultant capacity" prior to becoming COO.

"During that time, I collaborated with the owners to develop and launch this new idea of a Professional Fundraising Company, and they asked if I would head it up as CEO. It was a tremendous opportunity to grow the brand from the ground up and I had a vision for the company immediately, which I’m proud to say we’re living now and it feels pretty good to be here," Hagen exclusively tells Morning Honey.

Colossal, the leading nationally registered professional fundraiser, experienced mega growth under Hagen's leadership – both internally (675 percent internal growth) and by the amounts raised for nonprofits ($175 million since 2022!).

"There’s a real need for what we do. Traditional fundraising methods such as galas, auctions, walkathons, etc. are extremely time consuming and come with the high risk of significant out of pocket expenses for charities to take on," she shares. "Colossal offers one of the most powerful fundraising methods available today at literally no out of pocket cost to the charity. It’s unheard of — and I’m proud to say I believe we’re setting a new bar for what corporate giving can (and maybe should) look like. But there’s not just one thing that makes Colossal successful. It’s the combination of doing a lot of little things right. We have great marketing, fast and thoughtful customer support, stellar execution, strong processes and procedures, great partnerships… We really work to bring a fantastic experience to the marketplace and it shows through our success."

"Everyone who participates in a Colossal competition wins. From our partners, to the charity, to the participants, to the voters — and that’s helped us grow as more and more folks want to get involved with us. All that said, at the end of the day I think the really special thing about Colossal is our team. I truly believe that everyone who works here really cares about the work that we’re doing — and I’m proud to say we’ve been able to maintain that passion as we’ve grown from seven people to nearly 100, which in my experience is quite rare. When you bring 100 talented people together who all really believe in your mission — you’re going to do big things," she continues.

At 19 years old, Hagen "knew" she wanted to be an entrepreneur, and at 20 years old, she started her own business.

"It’s been an incredible roller coaster from there and every business I’ve built has had some sort of philanthropic mission tied to it. When I was presented with the opportunity to build this business from the ground up — I had zero hesitation. It was like, this is what I’ve been preparing for my whole career. I could see where we are now (and where we’re headed still) from day one. It’s like the company and I were made for each other," she says.

Hagen admits she also "was definitely born with a natural drive for achievement — I like to win, and as much as anything, I especially like to know that whatever part I played contributed to the success," she states.

According to Hagen, right now, her team is one of the many reasons the company is flourishing.

"I have grown as a leader to feel a deep passion for this remarkable group of people who have entrusted me with their careers and their livelihood. Folks who get up every day and come to work for a company that I built and am responsible for leading into a prosperous future. I don’t want to let anybody down, and I don’t intend to. As the CEO, I’m aware that the energy I bring to the office can set the tone for the rest of the company. I take that responsibility very seriously and am highly motivated to bring my A-game every day of the week," she says.

Though being part of the C-suite can be intimidating and come with its set of challenges, Hagen takes it all in stride.

"It’s a tremendous honor to be entrusted with this responsibility. Most days, I feel like I’ve got the world by the tail," she declares. "For other female CEOs: While the rest of the world can (and should) admire you for being a 'girl boss,' don’t let your gender define your career. Remove the word 'female' from your title in your own mind. Let your skills and your track record define who you are as a CEO."

She adds, "For everyone else: You won’t make your career by following in someone else’s footsteps. So read all the books, listen to all the podcasts, learn all the time and then find your own way."

Ultimately, Hagen — who also facilitated a $1M grant to Baby2Baby’s Hurricane Relief Fund during Helene and Milton — wants Colossal to "make a difference in the lives of those who need it most every day by raising millions of dollars and viral awareness for important causes all over the world."

"As far as the legacy we leave behind, I’m not sure what more I could ask for," she says. "Colossal’s mission is to support charities and nonprofits through its reimagined fundraising business model that’s designed to make sure the most of every dollar donated via a Colossal campaign goes directly to the cause."

Ultimately, Hagen is ready for whatever comes her way. "For Colossal, I’d like to see us as the world’s leading professional fundraiser — and we’re well on our way to achieving that. I’d personally love to have the opportunity to share my experience. As the team grows more and more independent of me, I’d like to join boards, take speaking engagements and consult for other businesses looking for ways to make an impact," she says.

She concludes, "I’m fortunate to have had so many defining moments already throughout my career and Colossal does such big things every day — it’s kind of the little things now that stand out in my memory as some of the best moments, like getting to promote one of my team members and see them grow into a leader or being asked to mentor someone’s daughter. Those moments are immensely fulfilling."