Legacy Leadership Podcast

Fundraising isn't just about getting people to invest in your mission. It's about being willing to invest in people first. In Part 4 of our series on  Winning With People  by John Maxwell, we explore the "Investment Question": Are we willing to invest in others? We'll discuss: ✅ The Gardening Principle ✅ The 101% Principle ✅ The Patience Principle ✅ The Celebration Princi...

Fundraising is built on relationships—and relationships are built on trust. In Part 3 of our series on  Winning With People  by John Maxwell, we explore the "Trust Question": Can we build mutual trust? We'll discuss: ✅ The Bedrock Principle ✅ The Situation Principle ✅ The Bob Principle ✅ The Approachability Principle ✅ The Foxhole Principle Along the way, I share personal storie...

Fundraising isn't about convincing people to support your mission—it's about learning how to genuinely connect with people. In Part 2 of this series on  Winning With People  by John Maxwell, we explore the "Connection Question": Are we willing to focus on others? We'll discuss: ✅ The Big Picture Principle ✅ The Exchange Principle ✅ The Learning Principle ✅ The Charisma Pr...

Fundraising is all about relationships—but are you prepared for relationships? In Part 1 of this series on  Winning With People  by John Maxwell, I explore the "Readiness Question" and five powerful principles that can transform the way you connect with donors, volunteers, and supporters.  We'll discuss: ✅ The Lens Principle ✅ The Mirror Principle ✅ The Pain Principle ✅ The Hamme...

Many nonprofit leaders struggle with marketing because it feels manipulative or sales-focused. But what if marketing is really about helping the right people connect with the mission they already care about? In this episode, I unpack the concepts of marketing, perception, branding, demographics, and mindshare—and how each one impacts fundraising.  You'll learn: ✅ Why people can't support...

Many leaders have a clear vision for the future, but struggle to turn that vision into consistent action. In this episode, I share the Vision-to-Action Framework that I've used with nonprofits, businesses, and leadership teams to transform big dreams into achievable goals.  You'll learn how to: ✅ Create a compelling 3-year vision ✅ Identify your most important annual goals ✅ Break goals...

In this episode, I share lessons from The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown and how its principles apply directly to fundraising, leadership, and building authentic relationships.  We talk about courage, compassion, connection, self-worth, authenticity, fear, and belonging—and why these things matter far more in fundraising than most nonprofit leaders realize. If fundraising has ever felt exhau...

Many nonprofit leaders want to outsource fundraising—but doing so too early can actually limit your growth. In this episode, we break down why the founder, CEO, or executive director must remain the primary fundraiser and why relationships—not tactics—are the foundation of long-term funding. You’ll learn what parts of fundraising you can delegate, what must stay with leadership, and how to confide...

How often should you ask people for donations? This is one of the biggest questions nonprofit leaders face—and one of the biggest reasons many avoid fundraising altogether. In this episode, we break down how to approach asking through the lens of relationships, not transactions. You’ll learn how to recognize donor patterns, avoid over-asking or under-asking, and build a rhythm that strengthens tru...

Social media is one of the most powerful tools nonprofits have—but most aren’t using it effectively. In this episode, we break down how to use social media to consistently engage your audience, build trust, and create the touchpoints needed for people to take action. You’ll learn why consistency matters more than perfection, how to think about reach and engagement differently, and simple ways to g...

What if the reason your fundraising isn’t working… has nothing to do with money? In this episode, we break down why effective, long-term fundraising is all about relationships—not transactions. You’ll learn the difference between treating people as donors vs partners, why most nonprofits unintentionally damage relationships, and how to build trust that leads to consistent, long-term support. If yo...

If you don’t have a framework for fundraising, you’ll always feel stuck. In this episode, we break down a simple, proven system for nonprofit fundraising: Plan, Present, Gain, and Maintain. You’ll learn how to clarify your mission and vision, communicate your work effectively, make clear and confident asks, and build long-term donor relationships. If fundraising has felt inconsistent or overwhelmi...

Most nonprofits don’t struggle because of their mission—they struggle because they don’t have a clear funding system. In this episode, we break down why passion alone isn’t enough to create sustainable funding and how many nonprofit leaders fall into the trap of random, inconsistent fundraising. You’ll learn why more donors, more events, or more posts aren’t the real solution—and what’s actually m...