Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast

Throughout this series, I’ve been making the argument that the best way to grow your organization is not to focus on budget or staff or board size as the key metric, but instead, to notch down and focus on the stage of development -- the specific characteristics and goals of each stage, and the clarity, capacity, and capital milestones that are aligned with where you are.  In this final series epi...

In this episode, we explore the exciting world of nonprofit growth and development with our guest, Brooke. We discuss the different stages of organizational growth, early and late, and the importance of setting stage-specific goals to ensure long-term success. Brooke shares her insights on the characteristics of early and late-stage growth organizations, emphasizing the importance of iteration, in...

Nonprofit growth isn't linear. It's messy and winding and full of stops and starts. That's why knowing where you are in the process is absolutely critical. Being able to anchor yourself to the right milestones... to face the right challenges... and to take the right next step is how you navigate the chaos of the childhood phase. In this episode, I talk about how the stages of develo...

In this podcast episode, I discuss the significance of understanding a nonprofit organization's development stage, and the importance of taking a strategic approach to growth.  I highlight the crucial role of a nonprofit organization's development stage in setting goals and addressing challenges, and the need for strategic growth that prioritizes stability and sustainability. (0:05) I wa...

In this podcast, Brooke dives into the world of Chat GPT and how it can benefit nonprofit organizations in various aspects of their workflow. Learn how this AI-powered tool can save time, spark creativity, and increase engagement through a range of practical applications. Listen now to revolutionize your organization's productivity! Links mentioned: Nonprofit ChatGPT Quickstart Bundle: richie...

I'm joined today by Cindy Wagman,  Founder and President of The Good Partnership , best-selling author of Raise It! The Reluctant Fundraiser’s Guide to Raising Money Without Selling Your Soul, and host of the top-rated podcast, The Small Nonprofit.   Cindy offers a mini-masterclass on how to build your fundraising team as your organization grows, before you have the budget for a full-time dev...

I’ve loved getting questions from folks. It’s honestly one of my favorite things. This month’s Mastermind Hotseat question is a great one:  My board has identified as a goal for itself wanting to be better as a board. My board members are open to trainings but we don’t know what to focus on. Honestly, it’s a little overwhelming. What would you recommend we focus on first if we want to level up our...

When it comes to leading or growing an institution, a habit of reflection, assessment, and planning is really important.  It’s an opportunity to take stock and make sense of the previous quarter, and to use that insight to make plans  - or reset existing plans - for the coming quarter.  In today's episode, I'm sharing the quarterly check-in process that I've used for 15 years to hel...

Finding time to get out of the weeds of the organization is by far the biggest challenge the EDs I work with deal with. There is so much work to do in the organization, it can feel impossible to find time to work ON the organization -- to think about the organization as a whole.   But what does it actually mean to get out of the weeds? What does that look like in practice? And how do you do it?  ...

A Simple, Powerful Tool For Maintaining Board Engagement Want to work together? Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind , a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.   Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core eleme...

In this episode, you will learn the why and how of forming your own personal mastermind group.  I’ll talk about:  The reasons that forming a mastermind group is such an important and powerful leadership and organizational growth strategy, The 6 steps you can take to form your own group, and   3 lessons that will help you keep the group going! Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “This podc...

In this episode, you will learn a 4-part framework for bringing new donors and funders into your organization, without constantly having to find and chase new resources.  The most efficient and effective way to attract new funders and donors is to find the watering holes of the people who would have an affinity for your mission, share what you’re doing, and get them to have the thought: “I want to...

In this episode, you will learn a simple 4-part framework for identifying your next best hire. I’ll cover:  Common mistakes to avoid that bloat your team and can keep you mired in overwhelm How to make sure you’re thinking creatively about staffing options  The difference between hiring for ownership and hiring for execution  Links included/ referenced:  Podcast episode: Strategy Quick Hit: How To...

How to scale without losing the secret sauce that can be created with a tiny staff How to be an effective leader when you are also in the weeds of the org, doing so much of the operations, admin, fundraising, financial management, and HR because you don't have enough staff to fill all these roles? How to effectively grow as an organization and continue expanding the scope and reach of our pro...

In this week’s episode, I’m getting to the root of what’s a play with a truly high-impact nonprofit board. How to answer perennial questions like: How should my board be working together? What “should” my board be doing? How do I know if they’re a “good board”? The answer is not what people necessarily always think. It’s not about having wealthy people on your board, or people who know “the right...

In this week’s episode, I’m talking about nonprofit problem-solving and root causes.  We’ve all experienced challenges in our organizations. It can be hard to get to the actual root of the problem and figure out what’s causing it, much less determine how to resolve it.  In this episode, you’ll learn:  The 10 core building blocks of organizational design  How to use organizational design to make su...

In this week’s episode, I’m finishing my new year series about setting intentions to guide your leadership and growth in the new year. In this episode, I’m sharing two final intentions to guide your year:  Intention #3: Let Form Follow Function Intention # 4: Master Your Mindset  In this episode, you’ll learn:  How to align your board & team structure with your purpose  The “right” structure f...

In this week’s episode, I’m continuing my new year series about setting intentions to guide your leadership and growth in the new year. Goals are important, but I argue that intentions are perhaps even more foundational and important. While your goals are a commitment to an outcome, your intentions are a commitment to a process - they are an orientation to your work: How you want to approach your...

In this week’s episode, I’m kicking off my new year series about setting intentions as a way to guide your leadership and growth in the new year. Goals are important, but I argue that intentions are often over looked and in some ways more foundational.  While your goals are a commitment to an outcome, your intentions are a commitment to a process - they are an orientation to your work: How you wan...

In this week’s episode, I’m wrapping up my short series on the architecture of a powerful annual strategic plan. I’m focusing on goal setting - a simple framework for setting goals that will serve as the powerful link between your vision for impact and what you actually do every month and week and day.  When you’re bogged down by the messiness of running your organization, managing your team, work...

In this week’s episode, I’m continuing my short series on the architecture of a powerful strategic plan by zeroing in on the why, what, and how of strategic priorities.   In this episode, you will learn:  Why it’s so important that you create strategic priorities to guide your planning process What makes priorities strategic  How to identify strategic priorities for your own organization  Rate, Re...

In this week’s episode, I’m starting a short series on the architecture of a powerful strategic plan. Why it’s so important to have an effective plan, and how to build that plan from the ground up, starting with having a clear and compelling strategic vision.  In this episode, you will learn:  The elements of an effective strategic plan  The difference between vision and strategy  The dangers of n...

In this week’s episode, I talk about a powerful strategy for getting out of the weeds in your organization: The CEO Day (also known as the personal leadership retreat). So often we label taking time for big-picture thinking as a "nice to have." But it’s actually a must have: We need to make time for our CEO -level work just as we make time for anything else that’s critical if we want the...

In this week’s episode, I’m highlighting one common - and dangerous - challenge that may be hiding in plain sight in your organization. Like a shape-shifting snake in the grass, it can hold us back and we don’t even recognize that it’s happening. So I’m highlighting some of the ways that it shows up so that you can spot the snake and build systems to stop it once and for all.  In this episode, you...

This is Mental Health Week. So in this week’s episode, I’m talking about one of the most important and transformative lessons about leadership and mental health that I ever learned, and how it came from listening to one of - if not the - shortest songs on the Hamilton soundtrack.    Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “This podcast is heaven-sent. Gratefu!!I”  <– If that sounds like yo...