60 seconds with brian schindler: “emotional intelligence is one of the greatest gifts we can pass down to our own children.”

Brian Schindler is the perfect example of the power of human connection – and what can happen when someone decides to share their story with the world.

Brian is the Founder and Executive Director of The Beacon Project, a nonprofit organization born from one of the most heartbreaking challenges a parent can face: the loss of a child. After the loss of their son in 2022, Brian and his wife, Hannah, embarked on a journey of grief, one that could have stayed private. But instead, for the Schindlers, it became a calling. 

And that calling eventually became The Beacon Project, a place that meets men in their grief and walks them back toward clarity, community, and care. 

As we continue shining the spotlight on nonprofit leaders this month (reminder: National Nonprofit Day is Aug. 18th!), we’re honored to share some of Brian’s story.

– the toth shop team  

toth shop (ts): You’re the founder of The Beacon Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to help men who suffer premature loss find hope and joy in Jesus – an organization that was born from your own grief. Can you recall the moment when you decided that this was the path you wanted to take as you and your family processed the loss of your son? 

Brian Schindler (BS): There wasn’t one large moment, more so a series of events where we couldn't deny what they were leading us into. It started as a trip for fathers like me, ones who carry a void in their life that’s been created from the loss of a child. We took it on our own, paid our own way, and made memories that would last a lifetime. It came together from my own circle of friends, and while I knew everyone, they didn’t know each other. I thought at some point my wife and I could fund this trip ourselves as a gift to those who are suffering. Her faith and belief from the get-go was that people would step up to help make these trips happen. When I shared about the trip on my own social channels, the resounding feedback was essentially, “Brian, why are you not doing this full-time? This is what you’re meant to do.”

We prayed, we sought the Lord, and through many different people it was confirmed that this was the next step, to start The Beacon Project. The big moment for me didn’t happen, but it revealed itself when I started paying attention to the steps that the Lord was putting before me. All I had to do was say “yes.” 

ts: You’ve spent two decades telling stories through photography, digital media, and podcasts. How has that long career as a storyteller prepared you to build and lead a nonprofit?

BS: I firmly believe that the organizations that last and the missions that get real momentum are the ones that are able to tell exactly why they exist and invite people into it. Every part of my professional life, and many from my personal life, have been about telling stories that other people need to hear. I’ve lived the journey of creating one big invitation into what I’m doing for years and now this is the ultimate expression of that, a chance for people to understand that stories like ours are much more common than people realize, and that men around the country are desperate to be seen in a way that feels real. My storytelling doesn’t necessarily qualify me to “lead” a non-profit, but my passion for people and obedience are what give me the courage to try. 

ts: The three pillars of The Beacon Project are Clarity, Community, and Care. How do these three pillars work together to give life to the organization’s mission? 

BS: Our focus is to become a place where men who are grieving find more than a retreat, and take hold of a toolkit that we’re constantly developing and refining. Our mission is that no man walks alone, and these three create a framework that eliminates the isolation. Clarity is one of life’s greatest gifts, and we create content to help drive men to where (we believe) ultimate clarity exists – in Jesus. We dive into scripture, have honest conversations, and let our men take this journey through what we create. 

Community is the lifeblood of The Beacon Project. It’s more than retreats; it’s the group texts, the pickleball games, the cookouts, and every event or getaway that we plan all in the name of breaking down the barriers that grief builds so quickly. 

Care creates the mission to make counseling available for any man who desires it, regardless of cost. When we work with offices to create subsidized programs, or even through funding we can cover it as an organization, we help put men on a path to healing that finishes the final pillar. 

ts: You wrote “The idea of suffering alone has been the narrative for far too long.” What do you envision as a “new normal" for the next generation of men navigating grief and loss?

BS: It’s more than the “next,” it’s also the generation right now. The more men I meet, the more I realize that men are craving a space where grief is welcomed, not pushed aside. We have been sold for far too long that a “strong man” shoves his feelings down and moves on, when in reality this creates more problems than anything else. I believe the new normal will look like relationships that push past “reminiscing” and the good ol’ days. Men will be active in their communities and churches, and men will be leading the grief conversations at-large, fully embracing that emotional intelligence is one of the greatest gifts we can pass down to our own children. 

ts: Every person we interview answers this same question last – Mile 18 is generally considered to be one of the hardest miles in a marathon. You’re hitting a wall. You’re forced to dig deep. What’s mile 18 in your line of work, or at a point in your career, and what do you tell yourself when you find yourself in the middle of a mile 18?

BS: Ask me this again in a few years, because I feel like I’m on mile .05 😂. I’ve always been told that running, especially long distances, is simply reminding yourself to put one foot in front of the other. I have a hunch that this will be no different. We can distract ourselves so easily thinking that the finish line is the goal, but then we get tired, our feet hurt, and it’s hard to envision filling the gap between mile 18 and mile 26. So when I’m on mile 18, I’ll tell myself that yes, vision is important, the end goal can be motivating, but it’s not in sight yet. The only thing that’s in sight is one foot in front of the other, and to keep going.