Inspiring Conversations with Wanda McArn of Next Step Development Corporation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wanda McArn.

Hi Wanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I am the CEO and President of Next Step Development Corporation (NSDC), a nonprofit I formed in 2021. I lived in and traveled to some of the largest cities in the US during my career and was overwhelmed by the sheer number of homeless Americans sleeping under highway underpasses, in tent cities, or the parks, streets, and storefronts. Closer to home, I have several family members dealing with substance use issues and mental illness. Others are couch surfing, paying daily for hotels, or sleeping in their cars, and all have jobs but can’t find affordable apartments. This firsthand experience has made me an advocate for an improved and more robust mental health system and affordable housing strategies that keep pace with the community’s needs.  After 18 years with W.W. Grainger, I retired in 2020 to pursue my ikigai – the reason for being. I have over 35 years of sales, business consulting, and leadership experience in the office supplies and industrial distribution industries and knew there was more I had to offer the world.

During the pandemic, I developed the idea for Next Step Development and reached out to seven passionate and community-focused individuals to serve on the Founding Board of Directors. We are working diligently to raise the funds to purchase land and build our first community in 2023. Additionally, I was a Founding Board Director for the National Sales Network Raleigh Chapter serving in various leadership roles, and now serve as the VP of Marketing. I am a member of several other community-focused organizations and Christ Our King Community Church. I am an avid reader and completing my first book on life lessons and another of my original poetry. I enjoy spending time with my large extended family and friends, including serving as the primary caregiver for my 90-year-old diva mother, Rosa.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Growing up poor in Lumberton, NC, the road was not always smooth, but I never went without. We lived in a housing project, and by God’s grace, my mother kept a roof over our heads without receiving any social services other than subsidized rent. This hard-working woman was my encourager and example. She is advocate for higher education and knew I was smart, so she encouraged me to attend UNC Chapel Hill, where I received a BS in Industrial Relations. I may not have gotten everything I wanted growing up, but I certainly had everything I needed including a lot of love.

My biggest career obstacle has often been being “the only” in a room or at the table: the only woman or African-American. Trying to prove my value day after day was very exhausting. Yet, I chose to be a voice of the voiceless in the corporate world and spoke up even if it was an uncomfortable conversation. Great ideas can be left on the table if we include only some experiences and ideas in the creative process. I will be 60 years old in April, and I am sad to hear this current generation of leaders say they are experiencing some of the same issues as I did 35 years ago. I think this is what is driving me to do the work for those experiencing homelessness. We can’t keep saying someone needs to do something. I am the someone to be their voice!

When I am passionate about something, it is well-researched, and my soul is invested in selling it. So as we develop this organization, I cannot get discouraged by the length of time it’s taking to get funding and donors. I am the Chief of everything which is strange for me after spending nearly 40 years with multi-billion dollar companies with lots of money to invest in bringing ideas to market. I am new in this nonprofit space, so it will take more time than I had anticipated, but I am ready for the long haul.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Next Step Development Corporation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization created in 2021 to address the issue of chronic homelessness in North Carolina. Our mission is to provide supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness or unhoused by developing tiny home villages, affordable housing units, and emergency shelters. We will provide case management, job training, life skills training, mental health, substance use support groups, and resident-focused community services such as vegetable gardens, food pantries, clothing closets, and essentials. Our goal is to address their need for safe, permanent housing and give them a sense of belonging.

Major cities in the US and now the RDU area see the value in using accessory dwelling units and tiny houses as alternative housing options. Our concept is an affordable rental community of tiny homes of about 300 sg ft. We plan to use innovative and sustainable options like 3D printed and container homes, as well as traditional lumber or stick built homes. This tiny home rental concept isn’t unique and can address the need for housing for over 1500 Wake County individuals who are homeless each night. Our niche will be individuals ages 18 and up who are chronically homeless, meaning they have been experiencing homelessness for over a year and they must be capable of living on their own. Our goal is to build a protype community in Wake County and move to other areas of NC. We’d eventually like to develop a guide  others can use to build these communities throughout the US. As I mentioned, we are looking for a half-acre to one acre of land in Wake County to build our first prototype community. Ideally, we need to have our residents near city services such as a bus route, grocery store and medical facilities. This makes finding land it bit more difficult but possible. I am hoping we can get land donated.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
People would be surprised how much of an introvert I am, personally. My Myers-Briggs is ENTJ which means I am a natural-born leader, judgmental, forceful in action, and love interacting with people, which is true, but I am a loner. I spend a lot of time alone reading, writing, or binge-watching Netflix series. I love historical figures and just completed a book on Abraham Lincoln by historian Jon Meacham, which I’d highly recommend. I also read the Bible daily and books on Native American culture, world religions, business, and UFOs. Yes, I believe!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nextstepdevelopmentcorporation.org
• Instagram: @nextstepdevelopmentcorporation
• Linkedin: @nextstepdevelopmentcorporation
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanda-l-mcarn-6970a14