Consumer Products
CEO: Nate Rajalingam | Area of Impact: Local Charities
Lots of entrepreneurs donate a percentage of revenue to charity—typically in the low single digits. But Nate Rajalingam, 44, founder and CEO of Uncommon, has considerably upped the ante. He chose to donate 10 percent of revenue, a figure he says is truly meaningful.
“It’s 100 percent alignment from everyone, that what we’re doing is bigger than all of us,” he says. “And if we do it correctly, we will all benefit—meaning our brands, we financially, as well as the community. And it seems to be working.”
The Minneapolis-based sales agency reps some 40 brands sold at Target, half of which are minorityowned. It has doubled the number of brands it reps in the past year.
Within its charity framework, Uncommon works with organizations nationwide, but selected five local flagship causes for 2023: Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities, the BeliEve Foundation, Every Meal, GiGi’s Playhouse, and Make-a-Wish Minnesota. While serving the
