When Mike Bahun reflects on his life, he doesn’t focus on the obstacles he faced growing up in inner-city Omaha. He focuses on how those hardships became the foundation for his success—and how they fuel his passion for helping others do the same.
On the latest episode of The Franchise Woman: Where Passion & Purpose Collide, Mike shares his raw and inspiring journey from an under-resourced youth to college baseball coach, and ultimately, the founder of Fundraising University. It’s a business that has raised over $150 million for high school teams, bands, and student programs across the country, while also building life skills, character, and leadership in the students and franchisees it serves.
From Struggle to Strength
Mike’s childhood lacked the structure, mentorship, and stability many of us take for granted. But sports became his safe place—a structure that taught him discipline, perseverance, and the value of community. It was on the baseball field that Mike first learned the life-changing lesson of focusing on process over outcome.
“I realized that struggle wasn’t something to avoid—it was something to embrace,” Mike says. “That mindset changed everything for me.”
This belief became the cornerstone of Fundraising University and the leadership model Mike now teaches franchisees, student-athletes, and business owners alike.
Lessons from the Field and the Franchise World
Mike’s approach to business, coaching, and life is deeply rooted in these core principles:
- Do the hard things first. It’s easy to get stuck in busywork or chase quick wins. Mike teaches the power of tackling the most challenging tasks first, creating momentum, confidence, and growth.
- Focus on the process, not the outcome. Whether you’re raising funds, growing a business, or leading a team, staying committed to the daily process—not fixating on instant results—builds sustainable success.
- Build ownership, not entitlement. Mike is passionate about helping students and franchisees take ownership of their journey, their performance, and their future.
- Develop mental skills, not just strategies. From student-athletes to business owners, Mike believes that emotional intelligence, resilience, and mental toughness are just as critical as technical skills.
Fundraising with Heart
Fundraising University isn’t your typical franchise. There are no upfront fees, no product inventory to buy, and no barriers to getting started. Mike and his team partner directly with schools, providing a turnkey system that allows students to raise much-needed funds—while learning life and leadership skills along the way.
Whether it’s helping a football team afford new helmets or giving a band the chance to travel to a competition, Mike sees each fundraiser as an opportunity to create transformation, not just transactions.
“It’s not about selling a product,” Mike says. “It’s about building confidence, teamwork, and ownership in these students. And the same is true for our franchisees.”
A Purpose-Driven Mission
Mike’s story is more than a business success story—it’s a call to action. A call for leaders, parents, and entrepreneurs to stop looking for shortcuts and start doing the hard work that leads to real growth.
His message is clear: Be good at the hard things. Embrace the struggle. Build the ownership spirit. That’s where transformation—and true success—happens.