Nonprofits are messy

Ep 215: The Worst Headline Just Hit The New York Times. Now What?

with Seth Chalmer

Seth Chalmer’s insights on crisis management will help you navigate today’s challenging social landscape as a nonprofit leader. This conversation gives tools to spark valuable conversations that can create clarity and confidence the next time your organization faces a hot-button topic and needs to respond.

Ep 214: Productive Conversations in Polarizing Conflicts

with Parisa Parsa

Nonprofit Leadership Lab CEO, Glennda Testone, and Parisa Parsa explore how nonprofit leaders can have productive conversations amidst polarization and division. Parisa shares practical strategies for addressing power dynamics and leading productive conversations across differences.

Ep 213: Racial Dynamics in Nonprofit Fundraising

with Mikaela Levons + Jamila Hodge

Jamila Hodge and Mikaela Levons from Equal Justice USA join the podcast to discuss the challenges and strengths of fundraisers of color. We explore how race, white supremacy power dynamics, and lived experiences shape their approach to fundraising and leadership.

Ep 212: Street Cred, Trust Capital, and Impact-Focused Fundraising

with Michael Thatcher

I sat down with Michael Thatcher, CEO of Charity Navigator, to explore how nonprofits can use data to build trust with donors and move beyond the outdated focus on overhead. Michael shared valuable insights on how nonprofits can better engage donors, make the right asks, and thrive in today’s challenging giving environment.

Ep 211: The Maverick Marketing Approach

with Seth Godin

Seth Godin, the marketing GOAT, shares a fresh, transformative approach to nonprofit marketing. He reveals how understanding and aligning with your donors’ emotions can significantly enhance your strategy.

Ep 210: Scaling Social Impact: Strategies for the Small Nonprofit

with Scott Curran

One-third of all nonprofits fail within 10 years, and 30% of the 1.5 million nonprofits in the U.S. have budgets under $100,000, putting them at significant risk of failure. To address this challenge, Scott Curran, CEO of Beyond Advisors, shares his expertise on how growth-stage social impact enterprises can strengthen their core, define their unique value, and strategically scale. This episode offers nonprofit leaders practical advice to ensure long-term sustainability and maximize their impact.

Ep 209: Finding the Courage to Say No

In this episode, Glennda Testone and I dive into real-life scenarios where we’ve had to make tough decisions and say no. Our intimate conversation offers practical tips on navigating common leadership challenges with confidence and diplomacy.

Ep 208: Bring Back the Joy of Giving

with Allison Fine

Allison Fine and I discuss the need to transform nonprofit fundraising from a transactional to a relational model, leverage technology to build meaningful donor relationships, and create a more sustainable and joyful fundraising environment.

Ep 207: From Walmart to Feeding America

with Claire Babineaux-Fontenot

Like me, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot moved from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector with zero previous experience in nonprofit work. In this episode, she shares her inspiring story of how and why she shifted her focus to step into her most impactful work yet.

Ep 206: The Nonprofit Sector’s PR Problem – And How We Can Fix It

The nonprofit sector has a serious PR problem that impacts its ability to garner adequate support. Nonprofit leaders have a powerful opportunity to be ambassadors and advocates for the sector as a whole. In this episode, I make a poignant call to action for nonprofit leaders everywhere to rally to the side of saving public perception of the important work they do.