The Influential Nonprofit

When your nonprofit outgrows spreadsheets and sticky notes, your impact can stall. In this episode, discover how smart, accessible data systems can free your team from copy‑and‑paste drudgery and unlock real capacity for relationship-building and growth. Key Takeaways: Resilience in the face of uncertainty can become the catalyst for building an entirely new, impact-driven business. As organizations grow, decentralized spreadsheets eventually break; a centralized database becomes essential to scale programs and funding. The most effective systems are co-created with the people doing the work, so they’re intuitive, low-friction, and actually get used. Thoughtful automation should target repetitive, manual, time-consuming tasks so staff can focus on high-value relationship and strategy work. The people who step up to improve operations and systems often position themselves for future leadership opportunities inside their organizations. "You can think of Airtable like spreadsheets on steroids, or smarter spreadsheets." “Airtable really comes in at a point where people are really struggling with all of their spreadsheets and their data is in too many places, and that's when you start implementing a database to store and centralize all of that information.” “The key thing in automation that hasn't changed in the last while is just what sorts of things we want to automate: It's the repetitive work, the manual work, and the time-consuming work.” - Cherry Yang Cherry Yang is the founder of Claribase, an award-winning Airtable consultancy and Airtable’s Non-Profit Vertical Partner of the Year. She helps mission-driven organizations streamline operations with custom Airtable databases and automations so teams can save time, reduce chaos, and make better data-driven decisions. Reach out to Cherry Yang at: Website: https://claribase.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherry-yang-12368141/

When you finally set a boundary, and everything seems to explode, it doesn’t mean you did it wrong; it may mean it’s finally working. In this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize and ride out the “extinction burst” so your new agreements, standards, and leadership can actually stick. Key Takeaways: Boundaries define what you will no longer tolerate, while agreements define what you are actively choosing and saying yes to; both are essential for healthy leadership. When you change a pattern that has benefited others, the first response is usually not compliance, but escalation; more intensity, more emotion, and more testing. The “extinction burst” is not proof that your new boundary is failing; it is often the clearest sign that the old pattern is losing power. If you give in during the extinction burst, you don’t solve the problem; you teach people exactly how hard they need to push next time to get what they want. Real change requires expecting pushback, calmly reinforcing your agreements, and being willing to release relationships or dynamics that no longer serve your mission. “If you give in during the extinction burst, you don't stop the behavior. You actually train it to keep continuing.” “Whenever you raise standards, you invite testing.” “We can't change behavior unless we change the boundaries and agreements that support the behavior.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Dave LeVan is President and CEO of Water for Good. They transform lives by providing access to reliable water, sanitation, and hygiene in needy communities. He recently led a merger with Lifewater International. Key Takeaways: Successful mergers start as honest conversations about where each organization wants to go and what assets they bring, not as a rushed decision to combine. Fear of change is universal, even among leaders who specialize in transformation, so acknowledging loss, grief, and uncertainty is essential. Over-communicating the “why” behind big changes, long after leaders are tired of saying it, is what finally helps staff, donors, and partners internalize the vision. Honoring history and founders while clearly articulating a new shared identity allows people to see the merger as an evolution, not an erasure. When nonprofits collaborate and share proven models instead of staying in silos, they can dramatically increase impact, sometimes doubling the number of people served without doubling revenue. “People just want to be seen and heard, even more so than they want to be right.” “We don't have to double our revenue to double our impact.” “You need to communicate and communicate and communicate and keep sharing that vision.”- Dave LeVan Reach out to Dave LeVan at: Website: https://waterforgood.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/water4good/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/water_for_good LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlevan/

Sally is the founder and CEO of Commonwell Marketing, a heart-centered marketing and leadership firm that helps nonprofits and rural health organizations stand out. A former brain injury rehabilitation therapist turned marketer, Sally brings a rare blend of art and science to her work—applying the neuroscience of belonging, trust, and human connection to marketing, communications, and leadership strategy. Key Takeaways: Sally’s work sits at the intersection of neuroscience and marketing, showing that effective nonprofit communication isn’t about doing more, but about doing less with intention—simple visuals, few words, and a clear emotional hook consistently outperform dense, information-heavy messaging. Emotion is the gateway to attention and memory. According to Sally, nonprofits have 2–8 seconds to spark an emotional response; if they start with data dumps, history lessons, or program lists, the brain simply checks out to conserve energy. Instead of trying to make people care, great nonprofit marketing finds and attracts people whose lived experience and “philanthropic heart” are already aligned with the cause—shifting from convincing and chasing to resonating and inviting. The “energy” behind communication matters just as much as the words: desperate, scarcity-based, or pushy outreach is neurologically and emotionally repelling, while servant leadership, curiosity, and genuine human connection build trust, oxytocin-driven bonding, and long-term engagement. Rural health organizations face unique pressures—funding volatility, hospital closures, staffing shortages—but Sally stresses that no amount of new programs or technology will transform outcomes without strategic, trust-building communication that makes patients feel seen, safe, and confident choosing local care. “More stuff for the sake of stuff is not what the world needs from marketers.” “There has to be something in it that triggers a neural response in our brain of emotion… at roughly two to eight seconds, you've got to capture an emotion enough to get attention, then people's brains start to wander.” “There is no transformation without engagement and connection, because they don't know that you have a cool new telemedicine, or who it's for, or… why would I want to trust it?” – Sally Mildren Reach out to Sally Mildren at: Website: commonwellmarketing.com / theleadershipcafe.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@christiansforimpact/videos Book: https://www.christiansforimpact.org/getbook Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Naomi Hattaway is the founder of Leaving Well, a practice devoted to helping organizations treat leadership transitions not as crises or cleanups—but as acts of cultural maturity. She works with mission-driven teams to address board development, succession planning gaps, and workplace transition support. Through interim executive leadership and advisory services, Naomi's work lives at the intersection of trust-building, systems change, and the radical belief that how we end things matters just as much as how we begin. Key Takeaways: Leadership changes are often treated as crises even though they are normal and predictable. Naomi reframes exits as acts of cultural maturity rather than simple HR events. Thoughtful offboarding helps organizations create healthy closure and continuity. Transitions affect not only leaders but also the team that remains. Founder departures can trigger identity questions when organizations are built around one personality. Acknowledging grief and uncertainty helps teams move forward with clarity. Succession planning should involve the whole team, not just top leadership. Documentation, relationship handoffs, and knowledge transfer strengthen organizational resilience. Sabbaticals and temporary leaves can help organizations practice navigating absence and return. People respond to change in different ways, and each style brings value. Understanding these differences helps teams balance stability with forward movement. Healthy organizations accept that transition is messy but handle it with intention and care. “We need to normalize the reality that people leave.” “We put so much effort and beautiful intention into the onboarding, and then the offboarding is not the same level of energy.” “We have to start somewhere by being a little bit better to each other when it comes to goodbye.” - Naomi Hattaway Reach out to Naomi Hattaway at: Website: https://naomihattaway.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/naomihattaway LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/naomihattaway Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Heidi is a nonprofit communicator passionate about helping civic tech, human services, and food access organizations tell clear, human-centered stories. She believes marketing carries great responsibility and shapes how communities understand and access support. As the founder of Heidi Kerr Strategies, she loves building thoughtful campaigns and social videos that earn trust and inspire action. Key Takeaways: Marketing in nonprofits is not just about fundraising but about shaping how communities understand and access support. When treated as strategy and education, it becomes core to the mission, not an afterthought. Short-form, phone-shot videos often outperform highly produced content. Imperfect, human storytelling builds more trust than scripted perfection ever could. Pair real stories with data while protecting dignity and consent. The person sharing their experience should be the hero, not a prop for fundraising. Strong marketing equips teams with reusable tools, aligned messaging, and clear goals. Capacity-building creates momentum that lasts beyond a single campaign. “When you ask them to create a short form video… ‘who is the star?’ And my answer to that is the people you serve - the humans in your organization.” “The data is out there that those little videos - informal, authentic - they outperform anything fully branded or anything fully produced.” “One thing I just can't talk about is ethical storytelling and trauma-informed storytelling, and the importance of ensuring that you're not having people perform for their poverty.”- Heidi Kerr Reach out to Heidi Kerr at: Website: heidikerr.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidikerr/ Substack: https://substack.com/@heidikerr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidikerr/

Key Takeaways: Chasing a yes often comes from anxiety, not intention, and people can feel that pressure immediately. When you stop needing a specific outcome, your tone relaxes and trust increases naturally. Your role is to help others decide freely, not to manage your own fear through follow-ups. Momentum shows up as shared energy, mutual curiosity, and agreed-upon next steps. Chasing looks like one-sided check-ins, escalating urgency, and tension after sending messages. Learning to tell the difference protects your time and preserves relational integrity. People avoid giving honest answers when saying no feels costly or awkward. Explicit permission to decline reduces avoidance and leads to faster, cleaner decisions. Trust grows when people feel respected, regardless of what they choose. Fantasy relationships rely on polite delays that sound like yes but function as no. Booking the next meeting during the current one turns vague interest into real movement. When someone will not schedule a follow-up, it is often wiser to release than to pursue. “Pressure is when a donor feels managed. Relationship is when they feel respected.” “A fantasy relationship just means that you’re not able to be honest. So you’re both pretending… because nobody knows what to say to actually get you out of it.” “The more permission you give people to say no, the more likely they are to say yes.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways: Fundraising nos and prolonged indecision often reflect emotional readiness, not the quality of the ask. Letting go of over-attachment to a yes allows fundraisers to listen more clearly. The Map of Consciousness offers a practical way to understand donor behavior without ranking people as better or worse. Effective fundraising adapts presence and strategy to a donor’s current emotional state. Lower emotional states call for safety and acknowledgment rather than solicitation. Courage is the turning point where donors become open to clear, values-based asks. Repeated follow-up does not move donors emotionally; trust and presence do. When a relationship leads, financial support follows. “The issue isn’t your ask. It isn’t your words. It isn’t your case. It’s that the ask is happening at the wrong level of readiness.” “You cannot argue your way into a yes.” “Love doesn’t need a pitch; it needs a pathway.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways: 90 days is long enough to get something done, but short enough that there’s some urgency to it. The 90-day MOST stands for Mission, Objective, Strategy, and Tactics. It accounts for having an overall vision and creating simple strategies to implement each quarter. We need to have a clear vision so that we know what we’re looking for. Before creating a plan, take time to create a vision board. Visualize what you want to create in your life and depict it in your vision board. Once you have a vision, determine an objective. Then, create three strategies that will serve to achieve that objective. Under each strategy, create three simple tactics. Keep it simple. “90 days has been studied to be very effective. It's long enough to get something done. But it's short enough that you there's some urgency to it.” “We create the vision. And then from that vision, we create the plan. But we don't want to plan while creating the vision, because we wind up talking ourselves out of doing some bold things.” “We're keeping it very, very simple. The more complicated you make this, the less likely it's going to work for you. So you pick what would make this quarter be the win for you.” - Maryanne Dersch

Key Takeaways: Sustainable change begins by raising standards, not just managing expectations. Standards define the floor you will no longer fall below, while expectations shape the ceiling you desire. Boundaries and agreements act as the walls that uphold both. Boundaries focus on what you no longer want to tolerate or experience. Agreements clarify what you do want and how it will work in practice. They turn avoidance into intention and make expectations visible to others. Agreements reduce resentment by replacing unspoken rules with shared understanding. They teach others how to relate to you personally, professionally, and in leadership spaces. Strong agreements create safety, predictability, and mutual respect. Raising standards often invites testing, especially in the early stages. Holding the agreement while releasing the outcome allows relationships to adjust naturally. Over time, people either rise to meet the standard or drift away. “We can't change behavior unless we change the boundaries and agreements that uphold and support that behavior.” “We teach people how to treat us.” “Your internal agreements will determine your external results.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways: Influence is the art of getting people you have no authority over to do what you want them to do, not just because they have to do it, but because they choose to. Your ability to influence others is critical to your success. The first step in mastering the art of influence and showing up as an influential leader is knowing yourself. It’s not about anybody else. Train yourself first before anybody else in the organization, because you are the trailblazer who sets the limit for others. If you raise your game, they will rise with you. Discover and honor the things that make each person in your team unique. Acknowledge those things so that they will light up and they will join you in your vision. Look within yourself for credibility rather than relying on others to recognize your worth. This is the key to becoming a sovereign, influential leader. If you want them to recognize something in you, you have to recognize it in yourself first. “An influential leader shifts that narrative from going to somebody who needs other people to feel good. Instead, we know ourselves, and we cultivate our own energy ourselves so that we stay sovereign.” “If you can feel anything, you can do anything, and influential leaders understand how their thoughts and feelings play into their everyday decision-making, and they know how to navigate in a way that feels really good, really easy, and really aligned. ” “Showing up as an influential leader means having deep trust in yourself and others, that everything is working out as it should, that there is nothing to fear. ” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways: Supporters engage for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, each bringing unique value. Instead of expecting long-term loyalty from everyone, recognize the natural ebb and flow. Gratitude for every contribution keeps the relationship healthy and grounded. Tourists, seasonal residents, and townies each play a meaningful role in the ecosystem. One-time donors bring energy, visibility, and new connections when they matter most. Long-term supporters reveal themselves through aligned values and deeper engagement. Lasting relationships grow through purpose, connection, and involvement beyond giving. Inviting donors into stories, conversations, or behind-the-scenes roles builds ownership. When people feel seen and included, loyalty naturally strengthens and expands. Not every donor will stay forever, and that is part of a healthy pipeline. Letting go with appreciation frees energy to invest in aligned relationships. Focusing on shared values ensures every interaction remains meaningful and mutual. “Our job is to give them meaningful experience while they're with us and release them with gratitude when they're ready to go.” “Every donor plays a role in your ecosystem. You know, tourists bring energy and visibility, townies bring depth and sustainability, and there's space in between them, where just the relationships involved.” “Relationship first, money will follow that. Build belonging, not just giving.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways: Goals are meant to guide, not judge. When they serve as a compass instead of a scorecard, they inspire growth and unity instead of strain or shame. Progress becomes something to celebrate, not a verdict on worth. Nonprofit leaders often walk the line between big dreams and achievable results. Rigid focus on financial targets can create tension and burnout, but realistic goals rooted in purpose help teams stay motivated and grounded. True success goes beyond numbers. Relationships, learning, and consistent effort shape sustainable impact. By valuing process over perfection, organizations can find meaning in every outcome—good or bad. Lasting results come from people, not pressure. Relationship-building should be prioritized over transactions, with gratitude and reflection fueling resilience, renewal, and authentic growth for the long run. “Goals should stretch us, not strain us. They should unite, connect us, not divide us, and they should inspire us to grow, not shame us for being human.” “What if we saw goals as a compass instead of a scorecard? It gives us direction, but it doesn’t judge us.” “The growth comes from the receptivity of all of it: what worked and what didn’t, because everything was progress, everything was a lesson, everything was information.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence 1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker