Know More.
Do Better.
About us.
Real Path was born from the desire to help organizations doing social impact work to access the benefits of a design thinking approach.
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We believe you need to remove assumptions and get a true understanding of your customers, supporters, donors and members to improve their experiences with your organization.
We are ‘Real’ because we deliver unparalleled insights directly from your supporters and customers (we’re talking face to face with people - over zoom, in their homes, on the street, wherever they are). We tell it like it is and don’t sugarcoat insights.
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We draw from our combined experiences in non-profit research, fundraising, experience design, digital product development and customer strategy - and to add to that public engagement, advocacy, campaign strategy and storytelling.
We want to help you create the paths, programs, products, services and touch points that satisfy the real needs of your supporters and customers and create long-lasting connections between them and your organization.
Are We The Kind of People You Want To Work With?
We operate with these core principles in mind always:
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Candor No fluff, no jargon. Transparent approach even if it's uncomfortable.
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Humility Cultivating generosity. Assuming the best of us all and belief in a mutual expert model.​​
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People centred Empathetic and aspiring to equity including with where, how and from whom insights are developed.
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Future focused Not sacrificing the future for right now, focusing on long-term benefits for our partners, supporters, beneficiaries and communities.​​
Managing Director.
Leigh Sandison is an action-oriented strategist focused on uncovering truths, defining opportunities and designing engaging experiences.
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Specialist in gaining rich, qualitative insights to design empathetic strategies and innovative experiences.
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15+ years of donor, member, stakeholder and customer consultation and research across sectors including non-profit, education, politics, technology, media, retail and sport.
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5+ years of fundraising: strategy, innovation, corporate partnerships, product development and donor segmentation.
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Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certified
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Experience leading strategy and experience design projects for global companies such as Microsoft, L'Oréal, Cadillac Fairview, GORE-TEX, LCBO, Walmart, and CVS.
Our Experts.
Our subject matter experts combine the best of social purpose experience and specific industry knowledge to help our clients achieve the latest and greatest in insights and experience design.
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They're also really good people who are passionate about making things better.
David Dougherty.
Strategy & Design​
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Aether Labs - Founder & CEO
Sarah Barclay.
Donor Stewardship​
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UBC - Senior Director, Development & Engagement
Thomas Muirhead.
Non-Profit Innovation
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Novlr - CEO & Co-Founder
Dianne Canzius Moira.
Change Management
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Metrolinx - Manager, Community Engagement
Andrea Chiu.
Content​
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CBC - Manager Social Media Marketing
Britt Gold.
Brand​
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Rule3 - Founding Partner
Andrea Lown.
Product & eCommerce​
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PayPal - Innovation Ambassador & Product Marketing
Roger D'Abreo.
Finance​
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Google - M&A, Finance
Ahmad Nassri.
Technology​
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Fractional - CTO
We acknowledge that we, the children of new immigrants (including European colonizers, African slaves, coastal Amerindian peoples - the Kalihna, Lokono and Warau, and many other peoples) are settlers living, playing and working on the lands of the first people, including the Anishinaabeg, Haudensoaunee, Wendat, Mississaugas of the Credit and Chippewa people, and the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh, who have lived, played and worked on this land for well beyond 20,000 years.
We understand that our upbringings come with biases and prejudices. We strive to acknowledge, learn and grow on an ongoing basis and commit to bringing as many voices from different people and places into all of our work.
Join the Conversation.
Subscribe to our substack newsletter for all things supporter insights, journey mapping, user experience and lifetime value.
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