The Selfish Reason to Be Generous with Philanthropy Expert Rondal Richardson

What if the secret to improving your own life, health, and happiness had nothing to do with self-care and everything to do with giving back? In this episode of Human School, host Miles sits down with long-time music industry veteran and philanthropist Rondal Richardson to flip the script on how we think about generosity. Because you don't need millions of dollars or a massive platform to make a real impact. Today, Rondal shares remarkable behind-the-scenes stories from his 40-year journey in the music business—working alongside legends like The Judds, Garth Brooks, and Naomi Judd—and how an "almost Oprah moment" changed the trajectory of his life.  You’ll also discover practical ways to get involved in charity, how to know which organizations and causes to align with, and why the best way to heal your own life is often to show up for someone else. If you're in middle Tennessee, join the Music Community Foundation for a Give Like Dolly event this weekend: https://www.giving9to5.com/Stay ConnectedFollow Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04xQ4Zt0Follow Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ50V0Subscribe to Our Substack: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ55q0Looking to dive deeper into your own story? Onsite offers the opportunity to come back to yourself. Learn more here: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ53Z0In this episode:00:00 – Introduction to Rondal Richardson and entertainment philanthropy 00:54 – Meet Rondal Richardson, founder and executive director of the Music Community Foundation 00:03:00 – The story of meeting Miles through Naomi Judd 00:15:30 – The Oprah Winfrey connection00:23:40 – Rondal’s origin story: starting on the road at age 17 00:32:15 – Touring with Garth Brooks and country music history 00:40:50 – Making the pivot from the music industry to philanthropy 00:46:00 – The psychological and physical benefits of service 01:03:40 – Vetting charities: Charity Navigator, 990s, and finding your cause 01:17:40 – The impact: Raising $350M+ and the work of the Music Community Foundation 01:30:30 – Purpose through pain, community support, and looking forward