Nonprofit Lowdown

My guest, Amy Eisenstein, a fundraising consultant, author, and speaker, shares her expertise on why you SHOULD consider a capital campaign during uncertain times.

Amy explains that a capital campaign is a focused fundraising effort to raise a significant amount of money for a specific project or initiative, and it's crucial for nonprofits to achieve their long-term goals and expand their impact. She then goes on to explain that launching a capital campaign during economic uncertainty, like the current pandemic, may seem counterintuitive, but it can actually be a strategic move. Amy explains how nonprofits can use this time to build stronger relationships with donors and demonstrate their resilience.

To learn more about capital campaigns and how to launch one for your nonprofit, visit the Capital Campaign Pro website: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/

"When there's a will, there's a way." - Amy

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Ellen Wong, a naturopathic doctor and happiness expert.  

During our conversation, Dr. Wong emphasized the importance of understanding that happiness is not a destination, but rather something you create.  We also discussed the importance of self-care and self-compassion in achieving happiness. Dr. Wong stressed that taking care of yourself, both physically and emotionally, is crucial for your overall well-being. She also emphasized the importance of being kind to yourself and treating yourself with the same compassion and understanding that you would offer to a close friend.  

Finally, Dr. Wong offered some practical tips for cultivating happiness in your everyday life. These included: 

✅ Making time for hobbies and activities that bring you joy.
✅ Surround yourself with positive and supportive people.
✅ Practicing mindfulness and meditation to help you stay present at the moment.
✅ Setting realistic goals and celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem.  

To learn more about Dr. Wong and her upcoming Happiness Summit, visit her website at Dr. Ellen Wong, ND - Chief Happiness & Well-Being Officer. https://drellenwong.com/ 

"Productivity is not about doing more things" - Dr. Ellen Wong  

📣 If you wanted to get inspiration for Fund Raising Notices, Upcoming events, and a cute dog 🐶 picture, subscribe to my weekly newsletter now: rheawong.com

Calling all New York based nonprofits!

In this episode, we speak with Suzi Epstein, Senior Program Officer at the Robin Hood Foundation, and Kim DiPalo, Director of Development and Communications at Drive Change, about the GRIT program. Applications due March 15!

Listen and learn about:

What is the GRIT program? How does the GRIT program work? What impact has the GRIT program had? How can you, the listeners apply to the GRIT program!

GRIT Program: https://www.robinhood.org/program/grit/
Robin Hood Foundation: https://www.robinhood.org/
Drive Change: https://www.drivechangenyc.org/

Quote: "Everything old is new again"

In this interview with Jason Frazell, we discuss the three levels of listening and how they can impact our ability to connect with others, particularly in the context of fundraising.

Listen in to find out the difference between pretend listening, active listening, and energetic listening.

We also discuss how the need to be right or how operating in scarcity can keep us in a transactional, not relational state.

To learn more about Jason Frazell and his work on listening and connection, visit his website at https://www.jasonfrazell.com/

QUOTE FROM JASON "Pay attention when the words do not align with a person's energy"

Happy 2023 everyone! 🎇

To start off our year right, join me and Hardy Smith to discuss his book Stop the Nonprofit Blame Game. Hardy and I touch on some of the hot-button 🔴 issues like why board members don't do what they're supposed to do (i.e. fundraising), what the role of the governance and fundraising committees are and how board chairs manage (or don't) in real life. This is an eye-opening interview and I hope it inspires us all to go forth and manage our boards better.

To check out Hardy's book and other work: https://www.hardysmith.com/

Quote from Hardy "Board members tell me that they don't feel listened to"

We are in our very last week of 2022 and I think we can all agree, it has been a lot. After the upheaval of the pandemic, I feel like life is back to normal-ish. And what I've been hearing from a lot of you is that you are feeling really tired and so that you find some time at the end of the year to enjoy it with your friends and family. 

Here's a fun way to wrap up our year, I have decided to put on my prognostication hat and discuss some of the Top 10 trends that I see for fundraising in 2023, listen now!

Have a happy, healthy, safe and restful, joyful time and I will see you in 2023! Take care 🐶 Happy holidays 🎄

Happy holidays, friends. As we wind down, I wanted to give you the gift of this podcast episode with my dear friend Glasa Gottschalk. Glasa is a coach who specializes in working with women of color. We talk about Glasa's own professional journey, how coaching is different than therapy, how coaching can help you progress in your career and in life and how to make the case to hire a coach.

Glasa is thoughtful, wise and brings a healing energy to the conversation. This was such a delight and I hope it brings you much joy and wisdom in the final days of 2022.

To connect with Glasa, check out: https://www.gotogii.com/

Quote from Glasa "Coaching is a space where you want to be able to be 100, there's no sugarcoating here"

Join me and expert fundraiser Sherry Quam Taylor as we talk about making big ass asks. 

We discuss board and staff reluctance to engage personally with donors, how we're mismanaging our board's time and efforts, and where we really need to spend our time with our investment-level donors. This was an insightful conversations and Sherry drops value bombs all over the place. Are you ready to scale up?

CONNECT WITH SHERRY
LINKEDIN: www.linkedin.com/in/sherryquamtaylor
WEBSITE: www.quamtaylor.com

ROCKET FUEL BOOK: www.eosworldwide.com/rocket-fuel-book

QUOTE FROM SHERRY:

"Your major donors need more, your mid-level donors need more need to have one on one conversation that donor experience needs to be exclusive. They need different things. And so I think we fear fundraising because sometimes we're misaligning the fundraising activity to what the donor needs and that's not successful."

Hey Gen X Leader: confounded by your millennial and Gen Z staffers? At a loss for how to make an organizational change and DEI happen in my conversation with Leslie Short, the President and the Founder of the CAVU group.

We discuss managing the generational divide in organizations, acceleration of DEI, the difference, and the snapshot of today's generation who are entering the workforce.

For more about Leslie: https://www.leslieshort.com/

To connect with Leslie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-short-1020052/

You can also follow her on:

Facebook - https://web.facebook.com/leslieskimmedia?_rdc=1&_rdr

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/k.i.m.mediallc/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/kimmediallc

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/kimmedia/

Resources and Websites Mentioned in the Podcast:

The Cavu Group - https://thecavugroup.com/

Marshall Goldsmith - https://marshallgoldsmith.com/

K.I.M. Media LLC - https://kim-media.com/

(Leslie’s Book) Expand Beyond Your Current Culture - https://www.amazon.com/Expand-Beyond-Your-Current-Culture/dp/1947540130

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

QUOTES

“If you can communicate the big picture of the focus, mission, values, and how this is going to be executed, then you wouldn't be stuck with every generation that asked him for all these other details…” - Leslie Short

“There's much more communication that's expected. To give a quarter and say, go and do this without the context of the bigger picture, that doesn't work for this generation.” - Leslie Short

“For the younger generation, you have to understand that you have talent, but you also have a huge talent that hasn't been released yet that maybe needs to be cultivated…” - Leslie Short

“Culture… You have to cultivate. That's the expectation of how you expect people to work, how you expect people to show up, how they should be trusted when they show up, how you handle meetings, what your branding, your mission, your values, and your vision is, and how you make that come alive every day.” - Leslie Short

“That's why visibility and not transparency are important… That you all are up-to-date on things that are happening.” - Leslie Short

“Don't assume that everyone understands the mission. Even though it's printed somewhere, make sure you're clear on the mission, make sure you're clear on the values. Values are very big to this generation.” - Leslie Short

“Understand that everyone doesn't work the same way.” - Leslie Short

“Be aware of who you're working with, in their strengths and their weaknesses from leadership all the way through…” - Leslie Short

“Understanding your strengths and your weaknesses, you have to know what that is in order to be a leader.” - Leslie Short

“In order to manage someone else, you have to know what you're good at, and what you're not so good at. And you have to listen, and you have to build trust.” - Leslie Short

“You have to build trust, and trust is action. It’s not just always a conversation.” - Leslie Short

TIME STAMPS

TOPIC: What Led Leslie Short to Found the CAVU Group

00:36 - 02:10

TOPIC: Talking About the Ways in Which DEI Has Changed in the Last Three Years

02:32 - 04:37

TOPIC: how do we balance the sort of complexity of the organizational change with the demands of this young workforce

09:29 - 11:24 

In this week's episode, we speak to the amazing Trish Adobea Tchume about her thoughtful piece in the Nonprofit Wakanda Quarterly about what it means to live liberation.  We define terms and discuss four useful frameworks to help us understand how to liberate ourselves, liberate others around us and to liberate our organizations.  I loved this discussion for its practicality and tactical bend to help all of us live free and to help others do so as well.

To read Trish's piece: https://www.nonprofitwakanda.com/blog/four-frameworks-for-living-liberation

To connect with Trish: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishtchume/

[Updated--was a snafu with original upload]

Join  me and expert fundraiser Adam-Michael Royston as he unlocks the vault  on some of his secrets.  He's raised serious money for capital campaigns  and annual campaigns and he shares some of his stories from the  trenches.  We dive deep on details on how he prepares for the ask, where  he does it and what happens when things don't go his way.  The big  takeaway here is that Adam-Michael knows that his job is to prepare and  to swing at the ball, not to get too in-his-head about the outcome.

For more about Adam Michael, check out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-michael-royston-cfre-/

Join me and expert fundraiser Adam-Michael Royston as he unlocks the vault on some of his secrets.  He's raised serious money for capital campaigns and annual campaigns and he shares some of his stories from the trenches.  We dive deep on details on how he prepares for the ask, where he does it and what happens when things don't go his way.  The big takeaway here is that Adam-Michael knows that his job is to prepare and to swing at the ball, not to get too in-his-head about the outcome.

For more about Adam Michael, check out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-michael-royston-cfre-/

Y'all!  This episode is fire.  My friend and new BFF Mallory breaks down how we embody energy that either attracts or repels money.  We talk about the different types of energy, how to harness the energy and, most importantly, tips that you can employ to help you get out of the funk.  This is one of my favorite conversations with Mallory (who has amazing energy btw:)  Check it out!

For more about Mallory: https://malloryerickson.com/

In order for someone to remark on something, it must be remarkable.  Michelle, Executive Director of the Human Services Council, and I talk about their last video campaigns.  In it, they had the courage to claim an edge and to use humor to make their point.  Facts: we don't need another boring, canned nonprofit video.  In this interview, Michelle talks about the creative process, how the videos have been received and how they have made a point using humor.  The takeaway: the work is serious, but you don't have to be.  Listen to this as inspiration and courage to plan your next campaign.

To see the videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gELZnORV4U

To connect with Michelle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-jackson-03a1a648/

Andrea is a Managing Partner at BDO which releases an annual State of Nonprofits report.  Join us as we discuss trends from 2020-2021 and opportunities and risks for 2022.  Will individual and foundation giving trends persist?  What risks should leaders be aware of and how can we mitigate them? What is the role of technology in the future of nonprofits.  

For more about Andrea, connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-espinola-wilson-74a1507/

To read the report: https://www.bdo.com/insights/industries/nonprofit/nonprofitstandards

Join me and my friends as we tackle the big questions: what does "disrupting" fundraising really mean in theoretical and practical terms?  How do we develop our own theories of change and operation beyond the frameworks of "donor-centric" versus "community-centric" fundraising?  This trio is a masterclass in asking important questions, practicing fundraising as justice and daring to dream of a just future for all.  I am blown away by my guests and their thoughtful approaches to fundraising for a more equitable world.  

For more about my guests:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-billings-4087b860/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/santana-moreno/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgesuttles/

Join me and my long-time friend Gabe Scheck to talk about how to successfully open, cultivate and solicit gifts from foundations.  Gabe has raised money for Teach for America and New Leaders among others and shares his top tips for raising major money.  He shares some early lessons learned, his guidance for how to network in order to get a warm intro and how to get the lead funder in.  Gabe is a fount of knowledge and a whole lot of fun.

To connect with Gabe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-scheck-5260925/

Join me and my friend Darren Isom as we discuss the case for endowing Black-led nonprofits.  Darren published a thought-provoking piece in the Stanford Social Innovation Review on this topic and we do a deep dive on how we can shift the conversations from the myths and unhelpful narratives that keep Black-led nonprofits from growing endowments.  In this conversation, Darren offers up helpful tips on how we think about funding partners, shifting the conversation and elevating the conversations to trustees.  Instead of surviving, endowments help organizations to thrive.

For more about Darren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/disom/

To read Darren's whitepaper: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/endow_black_led_nonprofits

Join me and adventurer, writer, environmentalist and former Patagonia executive Rick Ridgeway as talk about his many adventures and his experience in building Patagonia's famous corporate culture.  We talk about the hows and whys of his decades at Patagonia and how his adventures have informed his leadership.  This is a really fun conversation and I hope it inspires you to go outside and have fun in nature.

For more about Rick, visit: https://rickridgeway.com/

Did you know that 5% of your supporters and responsible for 100% of your word-of-mouth referrals?  Do you know how to engage and activate your best supporters?  What is the role of a CRM system in engaging your supporters?  Join me and Hilary Doe of Nationbuilder to talk about how to start, nurture and leverage networks on behalf of your nonprofit.  We discuss common misconceptions about worrying too much about your brand and the fine balance between structure and freedom to take your network to the next level.

For more about Hilary, visit: https://nationbuilder.com/hilary

For more about Susan Fiske: https://www.fiskelab.org/

Do you freak out when people unsubscribe to your newsletters?  Are you overwhelmed with marketing on different platforms: Facebook, email, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, oh my?  If so, this episode is for you.  Christina, email marketing maven, walks us through some actionable tips on how to clean up your lists, increase your opens and conquer email for conversions to donations.

Get Christina's free email clean-up tips: https://www.splendidcourses.com/emailguide?r_done=1

To connect with Christina: https://www.splendidatl.com/

My new BFF Oly and I have a blast answering all of your questions about boards. Listen to our take on hot topics like board fundraising, changing your board culture and loving board members right out the door. This is a fun, high-energy interview about a not-always-fun topic.

To learn more about Oly, visit: www.theolympiacollective.com/

To download my training about sourcing board members and donors via LinkedIn, visit:

https://mailchi.mp/rheawong/6-ways-to-use-linkedin-for-fundraising

Friends--this episode is a veritable smorgasbord of insights.  Greg, a master marketer, and Dr. Russell James, an academic, break down the data and practices of major gift fundraising.  If you're looking to make bigger, transformational asks, this episode is for you.  We break down the framework and power of story, the ways to add value before an ask and how to overcome the chasm of distrust.  This is a must-listen.

To get FREE copies of Dr. James's books, visit: https://imarketsmart.com/donorstory/

To connect with Dr. James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/encouragegenerosity/

To connect with Greg Warner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmarketsmart/

In this episode, Derrick Coleman and I discuss some of the top myths about  Black board members.  Some of the top myths: they're not out there, we  can't have diversity AND financial capacity, we don't know how to find  them...etc.  Derrick and I talk about concrete ways to find, attract and  retain Black board members for your nonprofit.  This is a highly  actionable and straightforward conversation that anyone looking to  diversify their board should listen to ASAP.

For more about AABLI: https://www.aabli.org/

To connect with Derrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colemand/

What are some of the biggest mistakes that people make on their homepages?  Are you guilty of it?

Join me and my friend Boris as we discuss fundamentals of good marketing, how to use storytelling as a tool and how to take your homepage from snoozefest to sizzle.  Boris, a former coder turned actor turned nonprofit marketing strategist, shares helpful insights into how to make your marketing efforts more effective.  He also offers a number of free resources on his site.  

To check them out, visit: https://dotorgstrategy.com/

Otis Rolley, Senior Vice President at the Rockefeller Foundation, discusses his career in government and philanthropy.  We talk about how the Rockefeller Foundation has implemented DEI through its practices, how Otis has been at the forefront of equity at the foundation and his views on the trends in philanthropy.  This is a thoughtful and insightful conversation from a philanthropy insider.

To connect with Otis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/otis-rolley-he-him-4832587/

Sometimes, we're overwhelmed with the enormity of solving problems in the world that we forget small actions can make a difference.  Join me and Masami Sato who is the founder of the global Buy One Give One business model that helps businesses big and small make impacts on nonprofits.  It's a reminder that we can all do something.

To learn more about Buy One Give One, visit: https://b1g1.com/

For nonprofits, visit: https://www.b1g1.org/

When we're in the role of fundraisers, there is so much that is unsaid and lurking just below the surface.  Join me and my dear friend Christine Lai to talk about how to approach philanthropic partners from a place of strength ("Who deserves to fund you?").  This is a wide-ranging and energizing conversation about creating culture, the value of white space and how to Christine designs her life.  She's a sage among us.

For more about Christine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinelai21/

Let's face it: PR and marketing are the first to get cut in a budget.  And yet, you're still the best kept secret in your city?  What gives?  Rebekah walks us through actionable strategies and tips for small nonprofits on a tight budget and even tighter labor market.  You can't afford NOT to let the media know about your work, and Rebekah shows us how to do it ourselves.

For more about Rebekah, visit: www.fifteen-media.com/

Happy 2022 y'all.  This pod is here to help you start off the new year right by getting money through the door.  Join me and my dear friend Chitra Ayar as we talk about how to get money back from the IRS for all those payroll taxes you paid during the pandemic.  If you're like me and the word taxes creates a twinge of anxiety, listen up to this podcast where Chitra explains all.  You could be eligible for up to $26K per employee thanks to these tax credits.

For more info and to get in touch with Chitra, visit: nonprofitcovidrelief.net/

This is a rebroadcast of one of the most popular episodes of 2021 and one of my personal faves.  Happy new year, friends!

Podcast fans, if you listen to only one episode of NPL, this should be the one.  Join me and Expert on The Ask Laura Fredricks to talk all about the ask.  She breaks down her five-step formula for an ask, how the getting the ask out of your mouth IS the win and how we can support our boards to ask.  Laura's advice is smart, effective and actionable.  She's raised hundreds of millions of dollars for charities and it's easy to see why.  This is a must-listen for those of you who need to ask for anything (which is everybody).

For more about Laura and to purchase her book, visit: https://expertontheask.com/

This is a rebroadcast of one of our most popular episodes!  Happy holidays fam!

Happy 2021 to the Nonprofit Lowdown family!  Let's get this 2021 party started off right.  Join today's conversation with expert fundraising consultant and board whisperer Jay Frost to activate our boards to bring resources to the table.  We discuss juicy topics like defining a give/get for board members, whether "access" counts as a contribution (spoiler: it doesn't) and how NOT to recruit board members.  This conversation was both educational and uplifting: the work of the board is the work of leadership and inviting people to be part of something that is personally meaningful to them.  In 2021, let's make an agreement to work towards unleashing the potential of our board members for the good of our organizations.

For more about Jay, visit him at: https://www.frostonfundraising.com/

This interview is a goldmine, y'all.  I interviewed my friend, Rob Lapidus, who should rightly be considered a major donor by most measures.  He's also incredibly forthright and I ask him all the questions that fundraisers wonder about all the time.  He gives a no BS, no holds barred interview about the worst fundraisers he's ever encountered, how he and his wife make philanthropic decisions and the secret to success ("We're all in sales--don't take it so personally.")  This interview will shed light on how some of your major donors think and it's worth a listen.

For more about Rob: https://www.ll-holding.com/our-people/robert-t-lapidus/

This is a solo show where I'm spilling all the tea on how to get started with your major gift program.  It's not rocket science and it's not magic.  Tune in for actionable tips and tricks for how to identify the 20% of donors who will support 80% of your operations.  My two favorite words in the English language: unrestricted gifts!  Tune in to this episode to help you build your major gift program for the future.

For more information about my Accelerator: https://www.rheawong.com/join-accelerator/

Ah, Giving Tuesday for fundraisers: it's like Christmas, Tax Day and Lunar New Year all rolled into one.  Love or hate it, my friend Asha Curran (CEO of Giving Tuesday) shares her perspective on it.  She offers some best practices, advice on what to avoid, surprising stats and how to inspire generosity year-round.  This is a really important and full-hearted interview for any (read: all) fundraisers who are thinking about participating in Giving Tuesday and joining the global generosity movement.  Top quote: "People don't get tired of giving just like they don't get tired of loving."  

For more about Asha and Giving Tuesday: https://www.givingtuesday.org/

Y'all: the time has come to consider a crypto strategy for fundraising.  Join me and co-founder of the Giving Block, Pat Duffy, to discuss some of the misconceptions and benefits of accepting crypto for your nonprofit.  We discuss how to deal with volatility, some of the common misunderstandings and misgivings about crypto and some of the mistakes (i.e. don't put all your eggs into a crypto basket).  This is a really insightful and interesting episode for those looking for bigger donations and to engage younger donors.  Get it!

For more about the Giving Block, check out: https://thegivingblock.com/

It's  Q4, y'all!  How many times can I say it?  You gotta get in the game!   Today's interview is with Suhailah Waheed who walks us through the top  five tips she has for how to launch a successful digital fundraising  campaign.  This includes warming up your audience, ignoring your vanity  metrics and realistic goals (i.e. you're probably not going to go  viral).  This is a must-listen for all the EDs and fundraisers trying to  make the most of year-end giving.

For more about Suhailah, visit: https://www.givinggeeks.com/

Join me and communications expert Adora Drake as we talk about some of the do's and don'ts of nurturing your email list.  We talk about content strategies, how to move your audience from social media to your newsletter and how to do it without overwhelm.  As we head into year-end, Adora talks about how to plan for the new year.  Adora also has a freebie for Nonprofit Lowdown listeners available below.

To get your freebie, visit: www.adoradrakemarketing.com/nonprofitlowdown/

Join me and Jess Campbell to talk about how to end your Q4 with a "W".  I always say that Q4 is the Superbowl of Fundraising and Jess walks us through how to make the most of it.  Jess talks about how to avoid the most common mistakes, how to embrace progress over perfection and ways to do year-end without making you crazy.  We also talk about "magic" words and why direct mail trumps all.  This is a must-listen unless you hate money.  

To reference Jen Shang's work: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/giving/understanding-donor-behavior-to-increase-contributions.html

To get in touch with Jess: https://www.outintheboons.me/

Join me and my dear friend Shanthi to talk about social media.  Shanthi is a social media strategist and communications expert who walks us through the nuts and bolts of social media.  More than just a "necessary evil," Shanthi tells us about where social media should fit into our fundraising strategy, how to connect with your audience and realistic ways to do social media without a dedicated team or burning out.

To connect with Shanthi, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smblanchardjr/

Join me and filmmakers Tosca Davis and Cedric Smith to talk about their award-winning documentary film, TO BE US: To Work.  In this interview, they share their experiences of interviewing the experience of Black people at work and the harm and trauma experienced in predominantly white settings.  We discuss the relief of knowing you are not alone, of naming white supremacy at work and how to be an ally to our Black colleagues.  This is a critical conversation for all of us working towards equity and justice. 

For more information about the film, visit: https://www.tobeusproductions.com/projects

I bemoan the fact that there is so little understanding between nonprofit people and corporate people.  Join me and my friend Lee Crockett as we explore the motivations that corporate folks have for joining nonprofit boards and how to make sure it's a fit on both sides.  Lee talks about ways to attract, recruit and utilize corporate people on your board.  Also, we share tips on how to use LinkedIn and to find the ever-elusive corporate board member of color.  

For more about Lee, check out: https://leecrockett.com/

Have you ever considered developing a product to support your revenue goals?  Listen in to this conversation with Brenna Vaughn, founder of Mercantile for Good as we talk about the considerations for productizing.  She shares some successes and lessons learned from nonprofits that have gone to market with their products.  We cover how long to expect an ROI, what you should do (and not do) and how to know when to kill an idea.  

For more about Brenna: https://mercantileforgood.com/

The nexus of generosity is where mission and donor purpose meet.  Listen in to my conversation with nXu founder Yutaka Tamura as we talk about his work in unlocking and connecting humans with their purpose.  Why does purpose matter?  Turns out, it drives everything from emotional well-being, community and even fundraising.  Yutaka shares actionable tips for us and asks some really evocative questions about purpose and why we're here.

For more about Yutaka and nXu: https://www.nxueducation.org/

Listen in on my conversation with Karene Richards as she talks about her experience as a philanthropist and board member.  We directly confront myths about the lack of Black wealth and Black philanthropists and she shares some of her tips for engaging philanthropists of color.  Ultimately, it's all about relationships, people.  Karene majored in math, is a former banker and launched her own fitness consulting business.  When she's not helping people to pump iron, she models in bikini competitions and gives back to her community.  Seriously, check out the befores and afters from her biz.

For more about Karene, visit: https://fithiddenfigure.com/

This interview was a total delight.  Join me and my friend Adili as he walks us through how he doubled his budget in one year via strategic partnerships and Facebook fundraising.  He shares how analysis of his competitive advantage led him to partner and generate revenues from bigger partners and the value of making others "the hero."  Adili is warm, knowledgeable and an all-around mensch.  

To connect with Adili, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adili-kea-bbab75151/