Making Bread Out of Straw
- Dec 22, 2025
- 3 min read
By Cinzi Lavin
One of the cornerstones of my success as a creative professional is my belief in a generosity-based society. I've been championing this philosophy for years because it feels good, it makes life good for everyone, and it works.
To give you some background, one of my grandmothers was particularly dedicated to philanthropy and volunteerism, and I’m immensely grateful that from the time I was very young, she encouraged me to serve with her in our community. One of the charities with which she was involved was a sewing group; they made pads for cancer patients in the hospital by sewing lengths of fabric together by hand. There was a piano in the hall where they convened each week, and she asked me to play the piano for them, which I did. These women were contemporaries of hers, and often made requests of songs I didn’t happen to know because they were mostly from the 1920s, but they would sing them for me and I’d learn them by ear. It taught me a lot about the music of that time. I also helped her assemble handmade crafts that would be sold at fundraising events for the causes she supported. She served on many boards of directors for nonprofit organizations, and when I was older, she sometimes brought me along to meetings. From that, I learned the value of working with others--as diplomatically as possible--to get things done.
Overall, these early experiences taught me that the most powerful gift of volunteering is the knowledge that everyone is needed, and that we all need each other.
Years later, as someone with no formal training in music who was starting from nothing, circumstances dictated that if I wanted to enjoy success, it would take more than hard work, luck, ambition, or even talent. I advanced my career by doing three things: helping others, thinking creatively, and ignoring obstacles.
Whenever I wanted something, I would instead ask “What can I give?” I wanted to become a musical dramatist and playwright. My first musical drama--which went on to win a prestigious award--was the result of my asking a local drama group “What would you like me to write about?”
The answer wasn’t exactly what I expected: “An estuary.”
It turned out that there was a local area of critical environmental concern which could benefit from some awareness-raising in the community. After I got home (and looked up the definition of “estuary”), I got to work writing the script and music.
One year later, I’d completed a show called On This River, and it premiered a few months later to sold-out crowds and standing ovations. After that, paid work followed.
Over the years, I’ve been involved in many nonprofits and served on many boards of directors. In 2022, I received an award for exceptional charitable contributions and volunteerism. It means a lot to me because I’m proud to continue my grandmother’s legacy.
In 2024, I wrote Making Bread Out of Straw: How to Succeed with Almost Nothing by Helping Others, Thinking Creatively, and Ignoring Obstacles. If you have several thousand dollars with which to launch your dream, a master’s degree in your subject matter, and some decent connections, there are a lot of books about success that can help you. However, Making Bread Out of Straw is about making something out of nothing.
In it, I explain how you can achieve the life you want, even if you feel held back by the situation in which you find yourself.
There are many practical strategies which can be powerfully leveraged to further your goals.
Giving is an exceptionally powerful practice that can transform you and those with whom you engage. Making life good for everyone is about the most worthy goal I can imagine, and together, we can achieve it through generosity.
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