Successful Nonprofits Podcast

Successful athletes have coaches. So why shouldn't you? Well, we think you should! Dive into the benefits of executive coaching with Johnny Martinez, Executive Director of Northern Cares. Johnny joins us to discuss the unexpected benefits he received from executive coaching and how it ultimately reshaped his executive director journey. Don't miss this powerful discussion that sheds light on the pr...

Have you ever attended a gala dinner, art auction, or golf tournament that faded from memory all too quickly? It's a common experience.   If you're tired of your own event's fleeting impact, then you won't want to miss this episode. We are joined by Joey Goone, a true maestro in producing unforgettable live, hybrid, and virtual events nationwide. Joey walks us through the three Cs of event success...

Tech-savvy nonprofit leaders spill the beans on their favorite apps! Discover the game-changing tools they are using to revolutionize their organizations' operations. Get ready to boost your own efficiency and productivity with these expert insights! Here are just a few of the apps mentioned in this episode: Pocket Windy Gallup Access app   Todoist Clara Fahlo   Looking for more? Check out these a...

Imagine having a superpower that helps people relate to you and your nonprofit. And that superpower also helps you feel happier and more connected with the world around you! Well, that superpower exists. And guess what, it's empathy! In this episode, Tim Leon shows us how to strengthen our empathy muscle and infuse empathy into our branding and marketing.  Tim runs the strategic marketing agency G...

Hopefully your nonprofit will never face a suicide among your staff, clients, or constituents. But just as we develop emergency plans for fires and natural disasters, we also need to be prepared in the event of a suicide within our organizations. In today's episode with Beth Eversole, we discuss suicide postvention. Postvention is an organized response following a suicide to facilitate emotional r...

In this essential Bonus Break episode, Dolph delves into the secret sauce of exceptional board member onboarding. Discover the transformative Triple-I approach - Inform, Initiate, and Inspire - and learn how to elevate your organization's onboarding process from mediocre to magnificent. Join Dolph as he shares personal experiences, debunks common onboarding myths, and provides actionable strategie...

Today's guest, Lindsay LaShell, has an important message: Stop wasting your time on random acts of marketing! Instead, make sure your marketing is so well thought out and so well planned that your audience members (be they clients, volunteers, staff, or donors) don't even realize they are being led down a carefully cultivated path.   Listen in as we explore the steps Lindsay walks her clients thro...

Discover innovative Board onboarding techniques that will revolutionize board member engagement at your organization. Dolph provides a step-by-step guide to effective board member onboarding, revealing a multi-stage process that ensures high-performing, committed board members. These expert insights have the power to transform your nonprofit's leadership landscape. Links:  Read the blog post that...

Do you find yourself on auto pilot for days or weeks at a time? Going through the motions of running your organization but not getting joy and awe from your work?   Steve Fredlund, known worldwide as The Safari Dude, helps you bring wonder and excitement back into your daily life. Steve was an actuarial scientist who recognized and escaped the "good life" trap. As an author, two-time TEDx speaker,...

Are you ready for 2024 to be your best year yet? And I don't mean just your most productive year. I mean a year with your most rewarding work relationships and healthier work/life boundaries? If you are, then this bonus break is for you! By the end of the episode, you'll be ready to set five career-changing goals and develop a plan to achieve them.  You can download the goal planning template disc...

The holidays are a great time to reset and recharge so we are ready to take a fresh look when we come back in the new year. To help you get ready, join today's guest, Jack Fuller for a conversation about how to break out of the everyday routines and structures that can hamper the creativity and imagination we need to come up with new ideas. Listen in for tips on how you can spark imagination and h...

In this episode, we demystify transitioning to a 4-day workweek at your nonprofit. Jessica Weitzel joins us to share the blueprint she and her team at Via Evaluation used to develop, implement, and evaluate a 4-day workweek pilot. With Dolph by her side, they explore:  Defining success metrics Crafting your optimal work schedule Priming your team for the shift Communicating the transition to your...

In this episode, Dolph and Lexie dig into some of the most commonly asked questions they receive from listeners and clients. Listen in for expert advice on:  Finding a new job after a layoff Filing for your 501(c)3 status Networking and marketing for a new nonprofit Building the Board you need Setting Board member expectations Engaging your Board in fundraising  Links mentioned in this episode: Pr...

As I was preparing for the end of a year-long coaching engagement, a coaching client asked me to share advice wish someone had given me earlier in my professional career. I thought this was a unique twist on the question "What advice would you give your younger self?"  My client's question was actually a tough one to answer because I have been incredibly fortunate and privileged throughout my care...

A chance encounter with a child without pajamas led today's guest, Genevieve Piturro, to launch a nonprofit from her living room. Today her organization, Pajama Program, has over 40 chapters across the US and has provided children with over 7.5 million pajamas and books. In this episode, she joins us to share the wisdom she gained from building her organization from scratch including: Building an...

At some point in your nonprofit leadership journey, you will encounter a damaging Board member who needs to be removed.   But it's hard to find a playbook for how to handle this delicate situation correctly.   In this bonus break, I outline three ways to terminate a problem Board member and answer the following questions: How do I fire a Board member? Who is responsible for firing a bad Board memb...

In this episode, nonprofit leader Kiersten Hill shares invaluable insights from her own experience as an executive director on developing productive, harmonious relationships with Board leadership. She discusses best practices for maintaining a healthy relationship such as clear communication, effective onboarding, annual training, and more. Kiersten also shares tips for what CEOs can do when Boar...

There are just five weeks left in the year, and there are five fundraising tasks I want you to implement before December 31. If you don't already have an end-of-year campaign, make this your year-end strategy. And, if you do have an end-of-year campaign that is currently rolling out, consider strengthening your strategy by incorporating these tasks.   Each can be planned and launched in just eight...

This week kicks off the holiday season here in the US, which is a time of reflection and gratitude. It also kicks off giving season. Whether you have a thank-you plan in place or not, make sure you listen in to this montage episode brimming with donor-tested, staff-approved strategies to convey just how deeply you cherish your end-of-year donors. We know how important it is to thank donors, yet th...

What if you could ignore the incessant demands on your attention, giving you the time and space to develop and maintain habits that make you more productive and help you care for yourself?  I recently read the books Indistractible by Nir Eyal and Atomic Habits by James Clear, and together these two books answer that important question. That's why this Bonus Break shares three key concepts and four...

Kristin Sukraw, an award-winning storyteller and film producer with a passion for bringing nonprofit narratives to life, gives us a masterclass in finding and telling our nonprofit's best stories. Kristin introduces essential interviewing techniques that transform the way stories are told and received.   Techniques like 'embracing the pause', 'doing the dip', and 'effective restatements.' Kristin...

For five years after Aretha Franklin's 2018 death, her estate couldn't be settled because her heirs had to wait for a judge to decide which of her multiple wills to recognize.   Ultimately, the judge accepted a will found in a notebook stuffed into couch cushions as her last will and testament.  Can you imagine your organization being paralyzed for 5 years waiting for a judge to decide which by-la...

W hat we've come to believe are fundraising "best practices" can have a damaging impact on those we serve, our staff, donors, and mission. Join today's guests, Tanya Rumble and Nicole McVan, as they discuss philanthropic practices that cause harm and share steps you can take to challenge and dismantle them. Join us for a transformative conversation that challenges the status quo of fundraising and...

Ever accepted a new job then regrated not negotiating enough on your salary and compensation ? If so, y ou're not alone! Navigating job offers and salary negotiations is daunting to most of us because we don't do it every day .    Early in my career, I made a negotiation decision that cost me more $150,000. Fast forward almost 25 years, and I've had significant ly more experience negotiating pay –...

If you're tired of restricted funding that only allocates 10% (or less) of a grant for admin and overhead, Nick Turner shares how he successfully makes a case for unrestricted grants and gifts.  Nick Vera is the CEO of the Institute of Justice, and he has dramatically grown his organization by soliciting and leveraging unrestricted gifts. In this episode, you and Nick will explore: The importance...