Relentlessly Human Tour: Recent Episodes
Becky Brett
Becky Brett is your intuitive executive coach for people who use their creativity to make a living. In her new show, Relentlessly Human Tour, Becky interviews artists around the country to rebuild the connections that have been lost and damaged because of the pandemic or how Life has scattered everyone. Her one rule for this show is that all interviews are done in person.
In this episode I got to meet up with college friends Heather Allyn & Rob Nagle in Los Angeles. We hugged each other for the first time in decades! I’m so excited to share with you this lovely, creative, and joyful conversation among old friends.
Also, this is the last episode of the Relentlessly Human Tour series. Thank you to Jerry Veneziano and Matt Crouch for their Patreon support of the podcast, and to Matt Crouch for co-creating this with me last fall.
Thank you also to you, the listeners, who joined me on this journey of reconnection and discovery. I am immeasurably grateful to everyone who recorded with me and participated in some way in the creation of this podcast.
Important Links
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Join our community of creative, purpose-driven entrepreneurs: https://empowered-creativity-group.circle.so/checkout/empowered-creativity-founders
Watch Eleni compete in Barzlive Bands streaming through Amigo’s Cantina’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/amigoscantinahawaii/
Listen to Sadie Sage's new album on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/sadie-martinez-582874909
Follow Becky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
In this episode of the Relentlessly Human Tour, we have Eleni Vournas and Sadie Sage, two women who’ve uprooted their lives to see if they could do life differently. If you need inspiration for taking that next step on being relentlessly human, this is definitely an episode for you!
Here's what to expect in the episode:
- How the two were called to the Big Island. There’s always something more to life than what other people think you’re supposed to be doing!
- Creating a safe space for a community to be relentlessly human and authentically be themselves. (And did I mention that it’s living off of lava?)
- Understanding that everyone has talent and a massive creative purpose - it’s deep inside all of us!
- Being in flow - what does “flow” feel like? It CAN be scary. It’s a leap of faith at every single moment.
- “We’re not human doers. We’re human BEINGS.”
- Songs, music, tunes, and more songs!
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/
Connect with Lois!
Connect with Lois Kent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loiskent/
Follow Lois Kent on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoisKent
Remember your student years? Remember hating math? We got you!
Relentlessly Human Tour is about re-connecting. We had a chance to talk to a long-time friend and corporate trainer, Lois Kent. She has been exposed to improvisation as well as instructional design and theater.
Lois shared how to turn setbacks into something meaningful and creative. This episode highlights embracing your core, creativity, and individuality. Don’t worry; we will not dwell on math. Let’s listen to what Lois has to say!
Here's what to expect in the episode:
- Beck and Lois nostalgic childhood memories
- How Lois turns corporate stress into something creative
- Having transferable skills
- Creativity during the pandemic
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Connect with Helena Lucia: https://sisujourney.com/
SISU Journey: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sisu-journey/id1559058044
Coach NAS Episode 1: https://apple.co/3PDCtTu
Coach NAS Episode 2: https://apple.co/3wIGe1n
Helena’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sisujourney/
In this episode of the Relentlessly Human Tour, we have a podcast crossover with one of my friends, Helena Lucia. Helena's the host of SISU Journey, a podcast that dives deep into healing and resilience. What do "Relentlessly Human" and resilience have in common? Let's find out!
Here's what to expect in the episode:
- A throwback to the origin of "relentlessly human".
- Helena's story of healing and unraveling the experience of growing up in an extreme fundamentalist religion.
- The meaning of SISU, and an interesting story from Helena's podcast.
- Fostering resilience in yourself – not relying on someone else when answering life's questions, but relying on them to pick toilet paper.
- It's interdependence. NOT co-dependence.
- Learning not to do things out of obligation.
- Being "relentlessly human" is also sexual, creative, and wealth-based!
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Thank you to our Patreon Supporters, Matt Crouch and Jerry Veneziano
Connect with our guest, Tony Pisculli
Tony’s blog: Love, Blood & Rhetoric
Succulent Geeks
Hawaii Shakespeare Festival
In this episode, I got to connect with writer, director, and entrepreneur Tony Pisculli. Tony is one of the founders of the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival. We connected through mutual friends, Jonathan Pitts, R Kevin Garcia-Doyle and Sean O’Malley.
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Thank you to our Patreon Supporters, Matt Crouch and Jerry Veneziano
Oil in the Alley YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdQUO2ovz-Xzc16ncBsBylw
Connect with them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OILINTHEALLEY/
Veteran improvisers R. Kevin Garcia-Doyle and Sean T.C. O’Malley brought the acoustic version of their rock band, Oil in the Alley, to Ala Moana Park in Honolulu for this episode of the podcast. What a blast to record this in the park with so much Life happening around us!
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Thank you to our Patreon Supporters, Matt Crouch and Jerry Veneziano
Download SoulVision.tv at https://soulvision.tv/
Connect with Cha on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chabare/
Cha Sears-Barefield is a story weaver, hope slinger, and a fierce encourager. She not only believes in seeing people, she believes in the knowing, the learning, and the loving of people. She believes in the pursuit of relationships, humanity, equality, the beauty of what it is to share space with someone that may otherwise go unknown.
Important Links Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Thank you to our Patreon Supporters, Matt Crouch and Jerry Veneziano
Connect with Natasha at nbpsvirtualstaffing.com
Natasha Bowles is the founder and CEO of Natasha Bowles Professional Services, a virtual assistant staffing firm. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Natasha for several years on various projects from launching an animal rescue nonprofit to hiring her assistants to help with major festival projects. We took some time to find the quietest corner of the Hilton Nashville Airport lobby to record this interview.
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Thank you to our Patreon Supporters, Matt Crouch and Jerry Veneziano
My guest is actor, singer, songwriter, and musician Eugene Wolf. Eugene and I know each other primarily through his teaching workshops for the Virginia Highlands Festival, but I first fell in love with his work when I saw him in a production of The Fantasticks at Barter Theatre.
His one-man-show, "The Book of Mamaw," is a love letter to the woman who raised him, and he has performed it throughout the United States.
Eugene is a gentle soul, a relentlessly human spirit, and one of the kindest, most generous performers you'll ever meet--typical of the performing artists in and around Abingdon, Virginia.
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Thank you to our first Patreon supporter, Matt Crouch.
Welcome to the Relentlessly Human Tour podcast produced by Virtual Executive Director. The Relentlessly Human Tour is a movement celebrating our creativity, connection, and shared humanity. Support the Tour on Patreon for exclusive video content, behind-the-scenes access to me and my guests, and the opportunity to be a stop on the tour.
In this episode you get to meet my sister, Mandy Brett. I stayed with her in Philadelphia for Thanksgiving and her birthday, we drank beer, sat on her new couch, and hit “record” for (what I think) is a deep, charming, hilarious conversation. Find out what motivated her to go back to school, how we are setting up our future selves to at least not hate us, and why we'll never be rap gods.
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Help advocate for other people’s freedom by donating: https://www.chirla.org/
The Relentlessly Human Tour is a movement celebrating our creativity, connection, and shared humanity. Support the Tour on Patreon for exclusive video content, behind-the-scenes access to me and my guests, and the opportunity to be a stop on the tour.
In this episode, I got to catch up with my friend, Carmen Aiello-Tejeda. Carmen is a Los Angeles producer and casting director who does not believe in auditioning actors. His projects have included Corbin Nash, Espionage Tonight, and the upcoming Netflix series, Guardians of Justice. Guardians of Justice includes the first ever Inclusivity Advocate credited on a series.
We met up at an outdoor cafe in North Hollywood called Groundwork, where we chatted about what we’re willing to sacrifice to be able to do work we believe in, the artist’s role in society, Carmen’s use of white privilege to deal with a moment of systemic racism, and much more.
Carmen said that rather than promote any of his own work, he would love for people to think about a small donation to advocate for other people’s freedom at https://www.chirla.org/.
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Shaun Landry, Ledge Theatre: https://www.facebook.com/theledgetheater
Welcome to the Relentlessly Human Tour podcast produced by Virtual Executive Director. The Relentlessly Human Tour is a movement celebrating our creativity, connection, and shared humanity. Support the Tour on Patreon for exclusive video content, behind-the-scenes access to me and my guests, and the opportunity to be a stop on the tour.
In this episode I got to catch up with actress, improviser, and co-founder of the new Ledge Theatre in Los Angeles, Shaun Landry. We talk about her unique advocacy, how she finds out what her guests want her to cook, and share a (somewhat) live moment of relentless humanity.
Mark your calendar for Monday, January 17, 2022, when The Ledge Theatre celebrates its gala opening night at the Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe.
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Check out Lava Lookout on this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/KhFcRxKDIe4
The Relentlessly Human Tour is a movement celebrating our creativity, connection, and shared humanity. Support the Tour on Patreon for exclusive video content, behind-the-scenes access to me and my guests, and the opportunity to be a stop on the tour.
In this episode, co-creator of the tour, Matt Crouch, and I tell the origin story of the RHT. If you’ve been wondering what this is all about, here’s how we got our start!
Welcome to the Relentlessly Human Tour podcast produced by Virtual Executive Director.
Important Links
Support the Tour: https://www.patreon.com/relentlesslyhumantour
Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/relentlesslyhumantour/
Follow Becky and the RHT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live/
Connect with Becky on her website: https://www.beckybrett.com/
Jarvis Cocker: https://www.jarviscocker.net/
The Relentlessly Human Tour is a movement celebrating our creativity, connection, and shared humanity. Support the Tour on Patreon for exclusive video content, behind-the-scenes access to me and my guests, and the opportunity to be a stop on the tour. Link is in the show notes above.
This will be one of the few solo episodes recorded at my home studio, because it is a transition from the old format into the new format. Big thanks to everyone who has subscribed and continues to listen in this, our 5th season.
This week on the podcast I get to geek out coach-to-coach with Halle Eavelyn. Halle is a Transformational Coach, speaker, and writer who helps people break out of their old patterns so they can live their best lives, the ones they always yearned for. Drawing on over 30 years of business experience in software, real estate, the movie business and travel. she works with a variety of intuitive modalities; her work is deep and extremely fast, with clients experiencing powerful shifts easily, so she chooses one-on-one and group clients who are ready for extraordinary growth. After her spiritual awakening in Egypt, she wrote the spiritual travel memoir, Red Goddess Rising, which tells that story and all about the subsequent trips she’s led up the Nile for over a decade. A former blogger for The Huffington Post, she is also the author of 100 Ways To Be In Joy, and her latest book, NutriGlamorous, How To Be Beautiful Inside and Out. Links: Halle's website: https://halleeavelyn.com/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell Labyrinth drawing originally created by artist Kathy Pullen
This week I get to bring you another graduation call with my client and dear friend, Ronei Harden-Moroney. Ronei is a writer, educator, and editor. We met in 2013 in a Facebook group started by author Jon Acuff, and she has become like a sister to me.
So when I saw her struggling to return to her badass self following some significant medical battles, I had to say something and offer my services.
I can hardly wait for you to hear Ronei's story!
Website: RoneiHarden.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoneiHarden Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell Labyrinth drawing originally created by artist Kathy Pullen
My guest this week is Lauren Chu, the communications officer for Operation Groundswell. OG is a travel company with a conscience, leading backpacktivists to experiential learning opportunities around the globe (when we can travel, that is). Ethical travel and responsible international volunteering is at the heart of all that they do – both abroad and at home. But what exactly does that mean? I'll link their manifesto in the show notes, but I want to share two of the nine points that particularly spoke to me. FULL LIFE LIVIN’: The world has infinite opportunities for wonder and enjoyment. Every tree can be a playground, every street can be your dance floor. We squeeze the sweet nectar out of every opportunity the world throws at us. “Gee, that mountain seems impossibly high,” to which we would respond, “That must mean that the top is impossibly beautiful!” Leadership: We are training the next generation of positive leaders. There are enough leaders in the world that tell people how to think. We believe the greatest leaders are the ones that teach people how to think for themselves. I could not agree more. It is against this backdrop that I discovered Lauren Chu. You know on this podcast I like to interview people whose careers are...let's say...nonlinear. Lauren started her career in manufacturing at PepsiCo. Despite studying engineering, Lauren much prefers valleys and mountains over valves and mechanics. She once planted 7000 trees in a day, cycled the length of Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, and has been on a 500km hike through the Appalachian Wilderness. In the summer you can find her on canoe trips or hike & bike adventures; in the winter, playing a pick-up hockey game on outdoor rinks or flying down a mountain on a snowboard. Lauren is keen to marry a passion for education with a love of travel with OG! Links: Website: https://www.operationgroundswell.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/operationgroundswell/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell Labyrinth drawing originally created by artist Kathy Pullen
This week on the podcast, I walk through the labyrinth with author and researcher, Kim Chestney.
Kim's new book is called Radical Intuition. She is a globally recognized innovation leader and the founder of Intuition Lab. Her work has been featured or supported by leading-edge organizations including SXSW Interactive, Carnegie Mellon University, Comcast, and Hewlett-Packard.
Links:
Website: http://www.KimChestney.com.
Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/
Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
I've come up with a new way to set New Year's Resolutions that feels much more supportive to me. Maybe this will resonate with you, too.
It's about choosing to feel and be rather than do and achieve, and think this is going to be a game changer for me and how I structure my goals this coming year.
Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
Since I've just closed a 5-week major new creative project, I'm taking some time over the next couple of weeks to rest and recover.
Please enjoy this rerun of an interview I did with country music star, John Berry, from 2018.
Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week on the podcast I get to walk the labyrinth with Kimra Luna. Kimra is a cosmic sensuality coach and pleasure activist. She is the founder of the Cosmic Connection Coven community on Discord and is the host of the Riot Doll podcast. Her podcast and Twitch channel cover topics on self-healing, sex, love, relationships, music, sensuality, self-love, psychology and activism. Her program, Slowing The Eff Down, helps you discover your deepest desires, connect with your personal pleasure and shed the shame so you can channel your inner creatrix and live the life you deserve. Kimra has been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and The New York Times and been interviewed on over 100 podcasts. She is a single mom to 3 boys and spends her free time going to punk shows and making vegan food for her family and friends. You can find her work at kimraluna.com. Links: https://kimraluna.com/ https://instagram.com/kimraluna https://twitch.tv/riotdollpodcast Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
Thank you for indulging me this week, as I've come down with laryngitis--not a great sound for a podcaster, but here we are.
So I combed through the archives and unearthed this interview with Isabel Hundt from March of 2018. Isabel is a sociologist, speaker, certified transformation coach, emotions clearing practitioner and visionary who lives in a world of endless possibilities. I figured we could all use a little Isabel right about now, as we slide on toward the end of the most globally insane year ever.
Enjoy!
Isabel Hundt website: https://www.isabelhundt.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isabelhundt/
Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
Over the past few weeks the subject of "taking out the trash" has sort of taken over my inbox. It is hands down the most effective tool I use in my coaching practice when I first start working with a client.
So I'm turning "Taking Out The Trash" into a course for anyone who doesn't have the time yet to devote to working with me one-on-one. This week's podcast episode is a preview of the course and an overview of how we take out the trash to make way for what is coming in for us.
If you'd like to enroll in the course, email me (becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com) and I'll get you the info.
Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week on the podcast I have the privilege of sharing another graduation call with one of my clients, Cha Barefield. But before I pull back the curtain on Cha's transformation, I want to remind you that as we near the end of 2020, the time is right to clear out the energetic trash from this year and set intentions for the new. Using the mantra of the labyrinth as a guide (release, receive, return), I work with clients one-on-one to release the habits, thought patterns, and relationships that no longer serve them; receive new behaviors, beliefs, and supportive relationships; and return to integrate these into their lives by setting and holding boundaries, practicing new behaviors, and supporting them through the inevitable setbacks, because transformation is not a straight path. If you're interested in working with me, the application is in the show notes or you can DM me on Instagram. A bit about my guest this week: Cha and I met a few years ago at a conference, and loosely orbited each other ever since. This year, we started paying more attention to each other on Instagram, as she launched The Cha Show and began interviewing interesting people about important topics. Cha is a story weaver. She is a hope slinger and a fierce encourager, connecting people to themselves, to each other, and to their dreams. Cha is ALL IN! She not only believes in seeing people, she believes in the knowing, the learning, and the loving of people. She believes in the pursuit of relationships, humanity, equality, and the beauty of what it is to share space with someone that may otherwise go unknown. Links: Cha Barefield: http://chabarefield.com/ Cha's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chabare/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
Because I've been away on a personal retreat, I've decided to rerun an episode from earlier this year. This week on the podcast chef Travis Milton and I talk about unintentional mentors -- you know, those people who are motivational for NONE of the reasons they think they are! Travis Milton is the executive chef at Taste, a restaurant at Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards. Whether he’s waxing poetic about bean varieties, quoting The Golden Girls, or putting the finishing touches on the dry-aged steak he just pulled from the fire, Travis is passionate about it all. Appalachia is in his DNA, so every item on the menu harkens to a unique part of his life story, the story of our region, or his journey to help usher the ancient Foodways into the 21st century while paying homage to the past.
It's been a long road for realtor Shanna Berry to open Dharma Pharmaceuticals, the first medical cannabis dispensary in Virginia. This week we talk about how she got here, you get to hear my dorky ignorance on full display, and Shanna gets to the heart of what it means to react, adapt, and persevere.
Links: Dharma Pharmaceuticals website: https://www.dharmacann.com/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week's episode is inspired by an oracle card pull I did in the middle of the night on Halloween during the height of the full moon. The cards inspired me to talk about five things that might be helpful for our community to release this week, so that we can make room for what will truly serve us.
If you like this episode, drop me a comment or message me on Instagram, and I'll do more of them.
And if you're releasing one of these things, let me know how it goes for you!
Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week I stroll through the labyrinth with travel writer Catherine Smith, founder and creator of HerBagsWerePacked.com.
Catherine has traveled the world solo and ended up moving to southwest Virginia, just in time for COVID-19 to shut everything down.
We talk about travel, releasing your baggage no matter where you are, and how the optimism of January can give way to an abundance of life lessons.
Links: Catherine's website: https://www.herbagswerepacked.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herbagswerepacked/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
As we near the time of the United States Presidential election, fact-checking our politicians is quickly becoming a full-time job. Lucky for us, author Tim Ward has a handy guide to defending ourselves from the lies and putting the truth back into politics.
Tim Ward is co-author of the book Pro Truth: A Practical Plan for Putting Truth Back into Politics. He’s on the Board of Directors that oversees the Pro Truth Pledge, founded by his co-author Dr. Gleb Tsipursky. Together they wrote Pro Truth to help people protect themselves from the lies of politicians, and to create a pro-truth movement that they believe is essential for democracy. Tim is also the co-owner of Intermedia Communications Training, Inc. Based in the Washington D.C. area, he works with global organizations helping them communicate better. Links: Take the Pro-Truth Pledge: https://www.protruthpledge.org/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
Having just wrapped up a three-day festival, I'm sharing what I had to release and receive in order to return to live event producing during this time of COVID.
My intention is to give you some hope and offer encouragement to still be your creative, innovative selves, even as life and work looks so very different for us right now.
Links: To see the artwork created and available for sale (after Oct. 13): https://vhfhighlanderad.square.site/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week on the podcast I get to walk the labyrinth with author and poetess Tanya Markul. Tanya is the author of The She Book (vols 1 & 2) and is an expert at transmuting pain and suffering into love and acceptance.
Links: Tanya Markul website: https://tanyamarkul.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanyamarkul/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week on the podcast, we get to hear snippets from a recent client graduation call.
One of the biggest lessons that my client, Liz, learned was that when she made sure she had everything she needed, she was better able to serve her own clients, her family, and her community.
I am so proud of the work we did together and of how far Liz has come. My hope in sharing this with you is that you will be able to see what coaching can do for you--whether you work with me or not.
The greatest thing you can do for your dream is to find someone who takes it seriously.
This week on the podcast I take a stroll through the labyrinth with Thomas Mizer. Tom is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared on stages and screens, of various sizes and shapes, around the world. As a songwriter, he co-wrote five original songs for the hit Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — the first time the series has ever used original music — including the Emmy-nominated “One Less Angel.” As a lyricist and librettist, he was awarded the Fred Ebb Award, one of the highest honors for excellence in theater songwriting, and was the recipient of a Jonathan Larson Grant from the American Theatre Wing — both for his musical theater collaborations with his writing partner Curtis Moore. Their credits together include commissions from Lincoln Center and the Williamstown Theater Festival as well as up-coming musicals for Universal Theatrical Group and Grove/Whitman Commissions (producers of Fun Home & The Band’s Visit). Mizer and Moore’s romantic mystery Triangle premiered at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley to rave reviews and went on to receive six Theatre Bay Area Awards including “Outstanding World Premiere Musical” as well as being named a Richard Rodgers Award Finalist by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In addition to his songwriting, Tom is an acclaimed copywriter for national media brands including Comedy Central, Amazon Studios, and Food Network. Links: Thomas Mizer: www.thomasmizer.com Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week's episode is a little different. Those of you who have been long-time listeners know that I changed my format this summer. Well this week I wanted to share with you the full back story on how and why this came about. To do that, I'm sharing the graduation call that I had with my coach, who I began working with at the end of February. Yep. Just as the pandemic hit. The person I worked with is a healer, mentor, and relationship coach. Her name is Jen Moff, and if it sounds familiar, she's been on the podcast before talking about healthy boundaries. I'm excited to bring you this behind-the-scenes look at our process. One quick disclaimer: In this conversation I talk about my day job as being completely undesirable for me right now. Well what has happened in the intervening months is that this job is evolving more and more into something sustainable for me alongside my own coaching practice, and I am not nearly as down on it as I was a few months ago. It just goes to show how when you work on yourself, you can attract the changes you want in your life.
This week improviser, teacher, and corporate trainer Joe Bill steps into the Labyrinth. We have a wonderfully rambling conversation about the shitty buddhists, our mutual oxytocin deficit, and the neurobiology of improvisation.
Listen to a couple of improv nerds discuss the global existential crisis (and how we're all gonna be OK).
Note: LOTS of adult language in this one, so pop those earbuds in. Or blast it so the neighbors hear. Whatever makes you happy.
Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/182602909978 Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
Join me in the Labyrinth with actor, comic, radio host, and "professional gay," Scott Duff.
A graduate of Northwestern University, he is an Artistic Associate of About Face Theatre, having appeared in over 15 AFT productions, and has performed all over Chicago including work with the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Theater Wit, Windy City Playhouse, Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, iO, and American Theatre Company. Scott is the host/producer of OUT CHICAGO, a live weekly talk show for the LGBT community airing Sundays on WCPT, Chicago’s Progressive Talk AM & FM, and Scott Duff Cooking Stuff on YouTube.
Links: Scott Duff: https://www.scottduff.me/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottdangerduff/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWlOhVRKzcRmjamGMpB3pIw/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/ Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
This week I get walk through the labyrinth with author Wendelin Van Draanen.
Wendelin Van Draanen has written more than thirty novels for young readers and teens. She is the author of the 18-book Edgar-winning Sammy Keyes series—often called “The new Nancy Drew”—and wrote Flipped, which was named a Top 100 Children’s Novel for the 21st Century by School Library Journal and became a Warner Brothers feature film, with Rob Reiner directing.
Her other stand-alone titles include Wild Bird, The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones, Runaway, Confessions of a Serial Kisser, Swear to Howdy, and The Running Dream, which was awarded American Library Association’s Schneider Family Award for its "expression of the disability experience."
Van Draanen has also created two four-book series for younger readers. The Shredderman books feature a boy who deals with a bully and received the Christopher Award for “affirming the highest values of the human spirit,” and was made into a Nickelodeon movie. The related Gecko & Sticky books, which are full of alluring alliterations that make for rousing read-alouds, are perfect for reluctant readers.
A classroom teacher for fifteen years, Van Draanen resides in California where she can be spotted riding shopping carts across parking lots. She and her husband, Mark Parsons, have two sons and enjoy the three R’s: Reading, Running, and Rock’n’Roll.
A couple of months ago something extraordinary happened to me. Like, Disney Princess extraordinary. I found a fledgling blue jay in my back yard, unable to fly enough to stay away from the neighborhood cats overnight. I picked it up and helped it out.
What happened next was life-changing.
Links: Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrettcaldwell/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/24-hours-wild-blue-jay-lessons-letting-go-becky-brett-caldwell/ Music: Reach The Top by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Welcome to The Labyrinth, a podcast produced by Virtual Executive Director. This week on the podcast I got to talk with Dewey Davenport. Dewey is an entrepreneur and a barnstorming pilot. Dewey caught my attention recently when he posted a series of YouTube videos about his experience having COVID-19. After a little light cyberstalking I noticed he had undergone an even bigger health transformation, so I wanted to talk with him about it. Plus, how many times in your life to get to interview a barnstormer? Dewey Davenport is the owner and operator of Goodfolk & O'Tymes Biplane rides. He grew up in the Dayton, Ohio area, birthplace of aviation, and developed a passion for flying as a young kid. His love for model aircraft gave way to real planes when he was in high school, and he has since logged more than 10,000 hours flying a variety of aircraft all over the world. Links: Dewey Davenport Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deweydavenport/ Goodfolk & O'Tymes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodfolk.otymes.biplanerides/ Website: http://www.gobiplanerides.com/home.html YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/onedgerc Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrettcaldwell/ Music: Reach The Top by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Welcome to the first official episode with the new format. This week I talk with Natasha Bowles, owner of Natasha Bowles Professional Services, a virtual staffing agency. Natasha is a naturally insightful powerhouse of a woman with perception and vision that looks to make the impossible, possible. An entrepreneur, writer, mother, speaker, executive assistant, consultant, and digital nomad, she has provided freedom and exceptional support to her clients since 2016. Often referred to as Wonder Woman by her peers, tempt her with your hopes and dreams, and you'll often be met with a smile and the words "That's crazy! Let's do it!" This attitude led to the creation of Natasha Bowles Professional Services, a remote staffing agency that supports the growth of your business or dream. Natasha’s staff supports everyone from C-level executives to creative types such as podcasters, authors, and coaches. A Texas girl by birth, Natasha now lives just south of Nashville, Tennessee, with her amazing family and rescue pups, Astrid and Apollo. Natasha’s greatest achievement is still her children. The ones she was blessed to have and the ones God saw fit to entrust to her. Links: Natasha Bowles contact: natasha@nbpsvirtualstaffing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashabeingww/ Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrettcaldwell/ Music: Reach The Top by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
This is the sorbet episode between what was Virtual Executive Director for nonprofit leaders and what will be our new interview format for artists, content creators, and entrepreneurs. The new format is called "The Labyrinth."
Listen to this week's short episode for more.
Links: Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrettcaldwell/ Music: Reach The Top by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
On March 15, 2019 I celebrated my 20 year anniversary in festival producing. This year's March 15th was spent in quarantine, and all festivals have been basically canceled for the rest of 2020. This week would have been the opening of the 72nd annual Virginia Highlands Festival, where I serve as the Executive Director. It's bittersweet. I thought this would be an appropriate week to rerun last year's episode of the lessons I've learned along the way, so that when we finally can gather together, you can learn from my mistakes. On to the next 20 21 years! Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrettcaldwell/
I was obsessed earlier this year with Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Talking to Strangers." In processing through the information I started to think about loneliness and mental health--especially for those of us working in nonprofit and mission-driven leadership. This provided the context for an interview with Dennis Gillan. Dennis and I were speakers at TEDx Hickory in November 2019, and his talk on suicide prevention presented the topic with gentle humor and warmth. I've been wanting to share his story with the Virtual Executive Director audience ever since, and this was our chance. Suicide is not a simple matter for research and curiosity, so I'm glad we were able to talk about it with openness and without the hushed tones one reserves for delivering bad news in front of strangers. That said, if you or someone you know is thinking or behaving in a way that has you worried, please call 800-273-8255. This is the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Links and resources for this week: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Dennis Gillan's website: http://dennisgillan.com/ Suicide prevention resources: https://themighty.com/suicide-prevention-resources/ "Talking to Strangers" by Malcolm Gladwell (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/2QOG8l2 Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Dennis Gillan's TEDx Hickory talk, "Dying Alone": https://youtu.be/9NES3hSNv6o Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrettcaldwell/
Whether you're a rock star decision maker or you can't choose whether to send a text or an email, Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is here this week to help us all get better at making decisions both for ourselves and for our organizations as part of a team. Known as the Disaster Avoidance Expert, Dr. Tsipursky is on a mission to protect leaders from dangerous judgment errors known as cognitive biases by developing the most effective decision-making strategies. He has over two decades of consulting, coaching, and training experience as CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and over 15 years of experience in academia as a cognitive neuroscientist and behavioral economist. Dr. Tsipursky writes for Inc. Magazine, Time, Scientific American, Fast Company, and Psychology Today. A best-selling author, his new book is Never Go With Your Gut: How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters. Links Assessments and more info: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ Connect with Gleb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gleb-tsipursky/ Application to work with Becky: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8 Follow Becky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrettcaldwell/
If you're a business owner and you don't have a stated position on diversity, equity, and inclusion, you are behind the times. This week's summer rerun is an interview with Jonathan Pitts, former executive director of Chicago Improv Productions, who has spent the last couple of years on a global improv "walkabout," which has been derailed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and so many live events canceling this year.
We put a definition to the word inclusion, Jonathan shared a mistake he made early in his career when it came to being more inclusive, and we talked about what "belonging" means in the world today.
If you'd like to contact Jonathan wherever he is in the world, you can find him through his Facebook profile.
Email Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector
Whether you are happily searching for something new or feeling stuck in your current job, it's important to know how to package the amazing work you've done already into transferable skills. In this week's summer rerun, I talk with Rachel Fowler--actor, director, and executive coach--about how to identify your transferable skills, how to reframe what you're experiencing now into something positive, how to overcome inertia, and more.
If you'd like to get in touch with Rachel, email her at rachelfowlerfilmmaker@gmail.com or find her on LinkedIn.
Email Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector
Because of our need now more than ever to be able to connect with strangers, I decided to rerun this episode with Margaret Hicks on applied improv training.
Margaret is an award-winning tour guide in Chicago and has developed workshops that use improv theater techniques to help other tour guides connect with their audiences quickly and effectively.
Her process is, above all else, filled with kindness and openness--two qualities that will help all of us navigate our way through what is happening now with #BLM and #BlackLivesMatter.
This is the time in our history when we get to listen, to empathize, and to change our outdated and ineffective systems so that they serve everyone. Margaret's workshops are a great place to start.
Resources:
Margaret Hicks: https://chicagoelevated.com/ and http://thetourboost.com/
Email Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/virtual-executive-director/id1286919221 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcVeXJSvrerUM7CgDOVPX?si=2PqkQMklTJmcU1cpjYijiw
The episode I had planned for this week was not appropriate for the times, so here are links to some other podcasts that deserve your attention:
- White Lies by NPR
- The 1619 Project by the New York Times
- Uncivil by Gimlet Media
- The Witness Podcast Network - Pass the Mic
- Seeing White
Welcome to summer reruns! The time of year that I bring back the most popular episodes from the past year for you to rediscover all the juicy bits you forgot you learned.
This week is part 2 of my interview with Susan Axelrod about self care for leaders.
We have been given the gift of a pause, and if you have been neglecting yourself, this is the time to fix that.
Resources for this week:
Susan Axelrod: https://www.whatwillyourlegacybe.com/take-action/ Email Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/virtual-executive-director/id1286919221 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcVeXJSvrerUM7CgDOVPX?si=2PqkQMklTJmcU1cpjYijiw
Welcome to summer reruns! The time of year that I bring back the most popular episodes from the past year for you to rediscover all the juicy bits you forgot you learned.
This week, as I take myself off line for some re-visioning and re-evaluation on a personal retreat, I realize it is perfect timing to rerun Susan Axelrod's 2-part episode on self care for leaders. (Part 2 will come out next week).
We have been given the gift of a pause, and if you have been neglecting yourself, this is the time to fix that.
Resources for this week:
Susan Axelrod: https://www.whatwillyourlegacybe.com/take-action/ Email Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/virtual-executive-director/id1286919221 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcVeXJSvrerUM7CgDOVPX?si=2PqkQMklTJmcU1cpjYijiw
I've got some vacation time coming up, and yes, I'm gonna take it. I'm using the time as a personal retreat, because this pandemic has put everything back on the table for evaluation. When I come back, I expect to be better than before--for myself, my loved ones, my business, and my organization.
This week I share some questions to ask yourself if you are in re-evaluation mode like I am. And even if you're not, ask yourself at least one of these today. You may be surprised where the answer leads.
Resources and Links:
Lisa Rieffel's Twitter (Jolee's mom): https://twitter.com/LisaRieffel Jonathan Mann (song writer who remixed Jolee's song): https://twitter.com/songadaymann Email: Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector
With most of us holding meetings via Zoom these days, I'm adding my personal top 7 tips to improve your Zoom experience. No really, you don't want to miss this one. Especially tips 4, 5, and 6 (I know, clickbait-y, but I really do love those specific tips).
I'd love to hear your top tips, too! Catch me on email or social media to share.
Email Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector
We are in the midst of a global shattering, and improv director/teacher/actor David Razowsky is here to help us through it.
You may recall a few episodes ago when I was talking with Kim Farris-Luke about the global grieving process that I mentioned feeling the feelings we're feeling the moment we feel the feelings. That was channeled directly from David.
From his time on stage at The Second City in Chicago with the likes of Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert to his time as artistic director of The Second City Hollywood, David has developed an improv style of elegant simplicity, where the only thing you need is the person on stage with you.
In this week's podcast, we talk about getting comfortable with the unknown, how much of the big picture we (as mission-driven leaders) are actually responsible for, and how to reconnect with the things that make us who we are (among many other helpful topics). We also dive into personal growth and acceptance, the difference between having an emotion and being the emotion, and how to ground yourself when you feel un-tethered.
David offers rich insight into how to BE right now in the middle of a pandemic, which will help you become the leader that your team and your business needs.
Resources and links:
David's website: https://www.davidrazowsky.com/
David's TEDx talk: https://youtu.be/Jp2EcuMbAmY
Jill Bolte Tayler's TED talk, "My Stroke of Insight": https://youtu.be/UyyjU8fzEYU
"A Brief History of the Dead" by Kevin Brockmeier: https://amzn.to/2W8FyBk
Email Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector
I'm salty about saying nonprofits should act more like "real businesses." Nonprofit is just a tax designation. We are all real businesses here. So I'm turning the tables this week and talking about the things that for-profit business could stand to learn from non-profits. Warning for parents: some language in this episode. Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Executive Director Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/
There are a lot of things we do now that we didn't do just a couple of months ago: washing our hands compulsively, wearing gloves and masks to the store, and spraying Lysol on Amazon deliveries just to name a few.
But what about the more enjoyable ways we've found to cope?
Check out some of the more fun things we're doing now to get through the pandemic and be better leaders.
Much like in every other area of life during this pandemic, my plans changed for this week's podcast. I had the opportunity to talk with my pal, Kim Farris-Luke. Kim is a funeral director and owner of Farris Funeral Services. She is an expert on the grieving process, and exactly the person we need right now, as we are globally grieving through COVID-19.
In last week's episode, Jen Moff and I talked about the opportunities and lessons available to us now during this time of COVID-19. In an effort to learn something from all this, I took a look at my own situation and asked myself, "What is no longer working for me?"
I also asked this question of my colleagues in the Executive Director Mastermind group on Facebook, and it is our collective answers that I bring to you this week.
What would your answer be? What's no longer working for you that you would like to change? Message me and let me know. I'd love to include it in a subsequent episode!
Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Let's cope together. Jen and Becky talk about self-care, boundaries, how to support your nervous system, and the many lessons to be found during this unprecedented public health crisis.
For more about Jen: http://www.magicalmindfulness.com/
For more about Scott Berkun: https://twitter.com/berkun
Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector What a year it's been this week! With so many of us working from home and trying to stay on top of COVID-19 developments, it's easy to get caught up in the urgent and lose track of what's important. This week's podcast is about how to reclaim your time and get back on track. I talk you through my 3-step process that helps me stay focused, under almost any circumstance. This complete toolkit will be available later this week on VirtualExecutiveDirector.com. Resources for this week: Eisenhower Matrix: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/ The One Thing by Gary Keller: https://amzn.to/2U9iAJp The Four Tendencies Quiz from Gretchen Rubin: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/ Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
As nonprofit and mission-driven leaders, we're dealing with a lot of stuff right now. Here are some tips, advice, and a pep talk to help get us through.
As mentioned in this episode, here are the resources sent out by the Virginia Commission for the Arts for arts organizations. Please reach out to the state or government agency for your particular sector for similar resources.
American Alliance for Museums COVID-19/Coronavirus Resources & Information for the Museum Field, contains advice applicable to museums and other cultural venues. Americans for the Arts | https://www.americansforthearts.org/ Americans for the Arts (AFTA) has developed a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource and Response Center, that includes an Impact Survey. Take part in the survey, and see the multitude of resources (including many listed below). Also, be advised that this year’s Arts Action Summit has been canceled. ArtsReady | https://www.artsready.org/ ArtsReady is an online emergency preparedness service that collects and shares resources that help arts and cultural nonprofits plan for and respond to a crisis. ArtsReady has circulated practical examples of measures being implemented by cultural organizations, including this March 6 New York Times article and this February 26 ArtsReady Alert. CERF+ (Craft Emergency Relief Fund) | https://cerfplus.org/ CERF+ is readiness, relief + resilience for studio artists, ensuring that they are as protected as the work they create. NCAPER | https://www.ncaper.org/ NCAPER (National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response) has created a list of resources for arts organizations and artists. Theatre Communications Group’s Coronavirus Preparedness Webinar and the Event Safety Alliance’s Prepare Your Organization for the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak—may be of particular interest to performing arts groups. The League of American Orchestras coronavirus resources page includes examples of sample audience communications as well as other readiness recommendations. COVID-19 and Freelance Artists https://covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com/
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Inspired by conversations inside the Executive Director Mastermind group, this week's episode explains what executive coaching is, suggests one way to carve out self-care time throughout your day, and discusses what to do in the face of the coronavirus. Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
I am freshly back from the 2020 Create Virginia conference in Lynchburg, VA, where I lead a session for artists of all kinds on how to make the most of being in a festival.
It was a blast! Big thanks to the organizers and everyone who attended my session. Also, big thanks to the other speakers who created a valuable day of learning how to make a living with your artistry. Much of the information applied across sectors into different realms of entrepreneurship and mission-driven work, so I think this will be valuable for most of you.
This episode is my recap of the event. Enjoy! And mark your calendars for next year in late Feb/early March for the next Create Virginia conference. It's worth the trip, even if you're not a Virginia-based artist.
Links Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Whether you're a rock star decision maker or you can't choose whether to send a text or an email, Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is here this week to help us all get better at making decisions for ourselves and for our organizations as part of a team. Known as the Disaster Avoidance Expert, Dr. Tsipursky is on a mission to protect leaders from dangerous judgment errors known as cognitive biases by developing the most effective decision-making strategies. He has over two decades of consulting, coaching, and training experience as CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and over 15 years of experience in academia as a cognitive neuroscientist and behavioral economist. Dr. Tsipursky writes for Inc. Magazine, Time, Scientific American, Fast Company, and Psychology Today. A best-selling author, his new book is Never Go With Your Gut: How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters. Links Assessments and more info: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/ Connect with Gleb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gleb-tsipursky/ Take the Pro-Truth Pledge: https://www.protruthpledge.org/ Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Support the Podcast on Patreon at this link: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
This week on the podcast I take us on a meandering journey to reveal what I have discovered are the secrets to having a happier board meeting.
Board meetings are draining for nonprofit leaders, even at the best of times. As staff we have to be on our best behavior. We're not allowed to have a bad day and carry it into the board meeting. We are expected to be ON and ready to answer any question, from the inane to the important. I imagine it feels like defending a dissertation every. single. month.
At least that's how my board has been.
Then slowly, over the past 2-3 years, I've taken part in a culture shift in the organization that is finally manifesting itself in our board meetings. It's a shift toward more happiness and joy, based on knowledge gleaned from Shawn Achor's book, The Happiness Advantage.
Achor's research shows that we are more productive and successful because we are happy. Not the other way around. Happiness comes first. When we are happy we are more productive, more prone to effective decision-making, and produce higher-quality work.
So it makes sense that you want your board meetings to be happy occasions. Fortunately for all of us, I've figured out some ways to make that happen. I'm sure I've missed something, though, so share your tips! I'll include them in an upcoming episode. Email becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com or message me on Facebook (Virtual Executive Director) or Instagram (@virtual_exec).
Resources:
The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor: https://amzn.to/2P2Ze5A
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/
Support the podcast on Patreon.
Sometimes people inspire and guide us in ways they didn't intend. Chef Travis Milton, an expert on Appalachian heritage cooking and foodways, swaps stories with Becky about the unintentional mentors from their lives and how these "unintentional mentors" shaped the people they are today.
Note: Some language NSFW
Links:
- Create Virginia conference: https://www.createvirginia.com/
- Sean Brock/Travis Milton on March 4: https://bartertheatre.com/big-shows/chef/
- Atlas Obscura article about Travis: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-appalachian-food.amp?fbclid=IwAR2Sz3bv90tVLyX6I44jCdpEo4pE9CAbu9ceMp1PBVG5b8eB4Rgoc523H5U
- Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
- Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/
In this week's episode I share my top three takeaways from this year's Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) conference called ArtWorks. Those takeaways are:
- There is no greater affirmation of freedom of expression than public funding for the arts.
- Donors give based on aspiration, even if it's not achievable.
- Small nonprofits have a lot of advantages over large organizations, specifically their ability to know their donors.
I also shoutout the podcast subscribers from our Facebook group who are doing such great work in the nonprofit sector. I'm proud to be among them and appreciate their support. Be sure to check out their organizations if you're looking for someplace to volunteer or donate: Garth Newel Music Center, The Constellation Coalition, and VOYCE.
Links for this week:
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/ Join the MasterMind on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector This week is part 2 of our capital campaign miniseries, where Lynn and I (Lynn Terelle of Terelle & Graham Consulting https://www.terellegrahamconsulting.org/) focus on step four of the four-step process, the public phase of the campaign. We also talk about common mistakes, best practices, and other ways to keep yourself on track for fundraising success. I also share my hack for taking notes when listening to a podcast when I don't have a pen and paper handy. Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/ Connect with Lynn: Terelle & Graham Consulting https://www.terellegrahamconsulting.org/
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Is your nonprofit org ready to build a new facility, start an endowment, or make a major purchase that would significantly improve your ability to fulfill your mission? Then you may find yourself wanting to launch a capital campaign. Before you do, listen to this week and next week's podcasts to make sure you know the steps that will ensure your success. A capital campaign takes a lot of time, money, and energy, so before you go running off asking for big gifts, make sure you are ready to go the distance. I'm joined again by my fundraising coach, Lynn Terelle of Terelle & Graham Consulting (https://www.terellegrahamconsulting.org/). Lynn shares her process and approach to a capital campaign and explains why they take so much effort to produce results. This week we are talking about the first three steps in the four-step process of running a capital campaign. Those steps are the planning phase, the silent phase, and the lead/major gifts phase. Since this was such a long, detailed conversation, I decided to split it in two. Next week's episode will be about the public phase of a campaign and then we'll talk about best practices, common mistakes, and other things to help you succeed with your fundraising. This is a great episode to take notes, so grab a pen and paper to keep handy as you're doing whatever you're doing. Other resource links: Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/ Connect with Lynn: Terelle & Graham Consulting https://www.terellegrahamconsulting.org/
I've been obsessed over the past couple of weeks with Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Talking to Strangers." In processing through the information I started to think about loneliness and mental health--especially for those of us working in nonprofit and mission-driven leadership. This provided the context for an interview with Dennis Gillan. Dennis and I were speakers at TEDx Hickory this past November, and his talk on suicide prevention presented the topic with gentle humor and warmth. I've been wanting to share his story with the Virtual Executive Director audience ever since, and this was our chance. Suicide is not a simple matter for research and curiosity, so I'm glad we were able to talk about it with openness and without the hushed tones one reserves for delivering bad news in front of strangers. That said, if you or someone you know is thinking or behaving in a way that has you worried, please call 800-273-8255. This is the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Links and resources for this week: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Dennis Gillan's website: http://dennisgillan.com/ Suicide prevention resources: https://themighty.com/suicide-prevention-resources/ "Talking to Strangers" by Malcolm Gladwell (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/2QOG8l2 Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/ Dennis Gillan's TEDx Hickory talk, "Dying Alone": https://youtu.be/9NES3hSNv6o
Please support the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
If you're a nonprofit leader or social entrepreneur and you don't have a stated position on diversity, equity, and inclusion, you are behind the times. This miniseries here in the first quarter of the year will help us wrap our collective heads around what these mean to our organizations, our communities, and ourselves.
I'm going to address these three ideas separately in conversations with people who have unique perspectives on these concepts.
First up is "Inclusion." I had a broad conversation with Jonathan Pitts, former executive director of Chicago Improv Productions, who has spent the last couple of years on a global improv "walkabout," with no signs of settling down anytime soon.
We put a definition to the word inclusion, Jonathan shared a mistake he made early in his career when it came to being more inclusive, and we talked about what "belonging" means in the world today.
If you'd like to contact Jonathan wherever he is in the world, you can find him through his Facebook profile.
As we close out 2019, I was looking through my journals for the lessons learned this year that might apply to all of us. Here are 19 of them plus one bonus lesson to get us started right for 2020. I talk about how I learned these lessons (sometimes the hard way) and how they might apply to your situation as a mission-driven leader or nonprofit director. They cover three major categories: tactical, boundaries/self-care, and leadership. Links for this week: 4 executive coaching slots available. Email me if you'd like to snag one of them. Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com Best Self Journal: https://bestself.co/products/self-journal?variant=18866398068805 Abstainer v. Moderator quiz: https://gretchenrubin.com/2014/07/when-facing-temptation-are-you-an-all-or-nothing-person-a-quiz "The One Thing" by Gary Keller: https://www.the1thing.com/
Did you set goals for yourself at the beginning of 2019? This is a great time to look back over your list and see how you did. I was inspired by "Happier with Gretchen Rubin" to make a 19 for 2019 list of 19 things I wanted to accomplish in my career this year. (I love a goal-setting strategy!) This week on the podcast, I'll review my list and share how I did. My hope is that this inspires you to make your own list for 2020 and to look back and celebrate all you've accomplished this year.
If this podcast brought you any value this year, please consider becoming a Patreon supporter, so that we can continue to bring free resources to as many small nonprofits as possible. Tap the link below to support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Whether you are happily searching for something new or feeling stuck in your current job, it's important to know how to package the amazing work you've done already into transferable skills. This week on the podcast, I talk with Rachel Fowler--actor, director, and executive coach--about how to identify your transferable skills, how to reframe what you're experiencing now into something positive, how to overcome inertia, and more.
If you'd like to get in touch with Rachel, email her here or find her on LinkedIn.
If you'd like to support the podcast on Patreon, click here.
As always, please subscribe and share this podcast so that we can help as many of our non-profit and mission-driven colleagues as possible.
Thanksgiving and the accompanying public displays of gratitude has come and gone, but I think this week and next are really the thanking season. Now is the time that we receive year-end donations, and hopefully get to sign and send out a small mountain of thank you notes to donors. There are 5 elements to a really great thank you note: 1. The amount and date of the donation 2. It is genuine 3. It reads like it is from one human to another 4. It includes how their gift is already being put to work 5. Reminds them of upcoming dates where you might get to connect
But there is one thing that supersedes all of these, and that's what I'll tell you about. Links: Link to episode 66 about the thank you note I wrote that became part of a museum exhibit: http://virtualexecutivedirector.libsyn.com/066-the-thank-you-note Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/virtual-executive-director/id1286919221 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcVeXJSvrerUM7CgDOVPX?si=2PqkQMklTJmcU1cpjYijiw ...or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In episode 114 I talked about how to survive a bad board. Well that opened the floodgates and I've been hearing about aaaaaaaall sorts of bad board member behavior. Rather than sit and be mad about it, I wanted to give you some things to consider and maybe even a couple of action items you can use to help you get back on mission.
The top 3 reasons why board members go rogue (in my experience) are:
- Expectations weren't made clear
- They were recruited poorly
- One of you is overstepping trying to be helpful
Listen on for my top 3 ways to deal with this.
If I haven't addressed your specific problem, email me and let me know. becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com
I mention in this episode that I am offering a limited number of coaching slots for my 13-week program to help leaders in transition or leaders who are stuck. If you are new in your position, if your organization is going through big changes, or if you know what you want to make happen but can't figure out how, email me to learn more about how executive coaching could help. (becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com)
If this podcast brings you any value, please support it podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
As nonprofit leaders we are expected to represent our organizations to the public and to be experts at sharing our story. At this moment in time, there is no more prolific platform for doing this than TED talks.
I had the privilege of speaking at a TEDx conference recently (on Saturday, Nov. 23), and could hardly wait to share my experience with you! Because of rules and reasons, I couldn't share any of this until the organizers had publicized that I would be part of the event, and I couldn't really talk about my content until after the event.
So here I am now, blabbing all my secrets so you can learn from my experience--both things that went well and things I wish I'd done differently.
If this podcast brings you any value, please consider supporting it at this link on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
If you would like to work with me directly as your executive coach, email me to schedule a quick assessment call. Becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com
Let us know how we're doing by leaving a rating and review wherever you are listening to this.
We are two weeks away from #GivingTuesday, December 3, 2019. Love it or hate it, #GivingTuesday is a great opportunity to ride a publicity wave and bring positive attention to your organization, regardless of the size of your company. While it may seem like only the big, well-known orgs get the donations on this day, your tiny org can benefit from it, too, when you set yourself up for success.
This is a repeat of last year's episode about #GivingTuesday because after reviewing it, I found that the advice still holds up. That said, if you think I missed something or would like to add your 2 cents, I'd love to hear from you! Email me becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com and share your thoughts.
Regardless of your fundraising plans for that day, you can't go wrong by starting with gratitude. <3
Podcast resources: Download official #GivingTuesday logos and other resources here: https://www.givingtuesday.org/organizations#block--additional-resources Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
We're in it now--fundraising season, that is--and I have a special treat for us this week. Lynn Terelle is on the show to talk about major gifts fundraising. She is a fundraising consultant, and expert on major gifts and capital campaigns, and she's my own fundraising coach for the past two years.
In this episode, we talk about:
- What motivates someone to give a major gift
- How long the process takes
- How to break the ice
- How to follow up
- And the top three mistakes people make when asking for a major gift
This is an episode you will want to share with your fundraising team and your board members, so be sure to forward it to them.
Resources
Lynn's website: https://www.terellegrahamconsulting.org/
Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
Last week I promised to let you know how things went with my board retreat, and here it is. The main things I would have done differently are:
- Allow a good 30 minutes at the beginning for chit-chat, people's late arrival, and getting coffee/breakfast
- Set the expectation that some discussion may be curtailed in the interest of time, if we feel we have all the info needed
- Schedule 1-2 more hours for the retreat to ensure that we got through everything and had plenty of time for making decisions and commitments at the end.
This week's episode also has a Q&A from a listener. If you have a question you'd like me to answer, or if you would like a hard copy of my full board retreat agenda, email me at becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com.
Episode Resources Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
My org has a board retreat coming up, so I've put a lot of energy into creating an agenda that will work for us. I'm excited to share it with you now.
This week I'll talk you through each item on the agenda, why it's there, and how I think it will go. Next week I'll let you know how it went.
If you would like a hard copy of the agenda that you can use yourself, email me (becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com) and I'll send you the download link.
Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
I am currently fortunate to be working with an amazing board. Since our org is mostly volunteer-run and board members have operational authority over 90% of our programs, this is a very good thing. But it wasn't always like this.
This week I'll share how I survived a bad board year and share some tips that you can use if you are currently dealing with this.
And if you are on a board where you see your ED and/or senior staff being bullied in the workplace by other board members, please say something to the board chair! You know it's wrong, so don't let it continue. I would have been devastated without the board allies I had cultivated sticking by me.
Links this week:
Support the podcast on Patreon!
Learn about Executive Coaching
After all the big-picture interviews recently, I'm checking in to see how everyone is doing. Please let me know!
Also, I'm excited to share the full podcast song with you. I don't think I've let the whole song play before, so here it is at the end of this episode.
"Follow Me" by Kendall Caldwell and Lynette Kendall
And seriously, reach out to me or someone and let folks know how you're doing. The beautiful thing about our community is that we're here for each other.
Are you new to your leadership position? Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you lie awake at night wondering if everyone's job is as messy and chaotic as yours? Then this week's episode is for you. Trae Ashlie-Garen is an executive coach and serial interim executive director. She explains why we as nonprofit leaders melt down and the bigger, global issues that influence our organizations. Resources: Trae Ashlie-Garen on LinkedIn Learn more about executive coaching with me here Support the podcast with a Patreon gift Dave Snowden and the Cynefin Framework Dr. Toby Lowe interview
Does the thought of creating a strategic plan make you want to hide in in your bed, hoping this monster goes away? Gregory Nielsen is a former nonprofit CEO and current consultant for nonprofits, specializing in strategic planning and board development. We talked about how and why strategic plans go wrong, what it looks like when they work, and how to fearlessly create a plan that helps your org thrive. I loved this conversation so much because Greg has been where we all are. He has made bad strategic plans and learned from the experience. Now he helps the rest of us avoid his mistake by crafting a strategy, structure, and culture model to guide the work of your organization. So come out from under the covers, share this with your leadership team, and get to work! Episode Resources Gregory Nielsen: https://www.nielsenconsults.com/ Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Other strategic planning episode (#80 with Sarah Olivieri): http://virtualexecutivedirector.libsyn.com/080-pivotgrounds-sarah-olivieri-on-strategic-planning
Oh WOW! This continuation from last week's episode is juicy! Susan Axelrod is an executive coach who specializes in fundraising and self-care. In this half of the conversation, we rant about how badly nonprofit leaders need executive coaching, Susan explains her "Golden Rule" of self-care, and I reveal something embarrassing about myself. This was truly one of my favorite conversations this year!
Resources for this week:
Learn more about Susan Axelrod: Confident Fundraising
Learn more about executive coaching with me here
Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here
This week I got to spend time talking with Susan Axelrod about how colossally bad we are at self-care and what to do about it.
Susan is an author and executive coach, who reached out to me while she was researching for a series of articles on self-care for nonprofit leaders for Charity Channel (link below).
She is an expert on self-care for nonprofit leaders (really for all leaders). Having spent 30 years in nonprofit and as a fundraising coach, she has seen all the terrible things we do to our selves and the consequences of a lack of self-care on our ability to do our work.
This is such an important issue, and we clicked so much, that we talked about it for over an hour. Hence, the part 2 coming next week.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this.
Resources:
Charity Channel articles here
Learn more about Susan Axelrod: Confident Fundraising
Learn more about executive coaching here
Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here
PS. Subscribers, this is the correct version. UGH yesterday I uploaded the wrong file. Thank you for letting me know so quickly! <3
Improviser and top-ranked tour guide, Margaret Hicks, teaches museum docents, hospitality workers, and anyone who faces the general public some improv tools to better connect with visitors. We got to talk before her workshops in Abingdon and covered everything from radical acceptance to the hidden success found in failure. I can't wait to hear what you think of this! NOTE: there is one swear word, for those sensitive to that ..... Resources and links: Chicago Elevated......The Tour Boost......Need help in your leadership development? Try Executive Coaching...... Support the podcast through Patreon
Hello and welcome to year three of the Virtual Executive Director podcast! Same music, same host (me), and yes, the same dogs possibly interrupting our recording sessions (though they are blessedly asleep right now). Philosopher and author Alain de Botton said “Anyone who isn't embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn't learning enough.” This is a great springboard for us to talk about the end of the year. Think back to this time last year. Were you launching a performing arts season? Getting back to work in schools? How about personally? What were you like as a person? 12 months ago, I was very happy with my job, but I wasn't completely happy with myself as a person. I was impatient and easily stressed out, and my health was on the verge of some bad preventable disease. I knew I didn't want to be in the same place by the next year, so I took steps to make a change. As Summer is winding down, let's not forget that the fourth quarter of this year will be here before we know it. Most of us in nonprofit associate year-end with fundraising, and that is still important. But what if you expanded your vision of what could happen over the next few months? What would your organization look like by the first of next year? I can already hear those of you who are Questioners in the "Four Tendencies" framework (created by Gretchen Rubin) asking me why it's important to even be thinking about these things right now. After all January 1st is just another day on the calendar. The thing is, in our society and culture, the end of one year and the beginning of the next carries a wave of transition energy with it. The closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. We fight for so much in nonprofit--for funding, for our cause, for new laws--why not take a season and ride the prevailing wave to our advantage? What does that look like? -Making time to work on organizational culture -Taking a look at the goals you set 9 months ago -And yes, fundraising So how do you want to roll into 2020? Resources Learn more about executive coaching here: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/yes-year-end-success-executive-coaching/ Support the podcast with a Patreon gift here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Take the Four Tendencies quiz here: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/
This week's podcast is a compilation of all the "Two-Minute Mini" episodes that I have posted so far on Patreon, exclusively for Patreon supporters of the podcast.
Before I officially start my third season of the VED podcast, I thought it would be fun (now that Patreon supporters have already heard them) to share these bite-sized bits of wisdom, thoughts on topics of the day, rants, and advice.
Listener warning: Ordinarily my podcast language is clean, but because these mini episodes live behind a pay wall and I know all of my Patreon supporters, I definitely let the curse words fly. Especially because some of the episodes are about the book, "The Subtle Art of Not giving a F***." Be warned! Grab your ear buds now or hit pause until the kids are out of the car.
BIG thanks to our Patreon supporters, who's support allows me to keep bringing this podcast for free to the organizations that need it the most. xoxo
If you would like to support the podcast on Patreon, please visit https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
This is the last summer rerun of the year--thank you for sticking with me throughout this season and for indulging me in re-running some of my favorite episodes. In honor of September being the new January, here is one of my earliest episodes (ep. 3)about how to set goals for your organization in this new season.
Here is a link to the Wheel of Nonprofit Life download: drive.google.com/file/d/0B2608HgR…view?usp=sharing
In anticipation of the Virginia Commission for the Arts event, Town Hall for the Arts, I'm rerunning the conversation I had in the spring with Dirk Moore of Emory & Henry College on the arts and economic development. I'm excited to follow this up in a few weeks with insights from the live Town Hall, so be sure to subscribe for more as it happens.
We can't make everyone happy. There are some people in life who you will just not connect with, and that's OK. Check out this week's summer rerun on "Being Liked."
The Festival I run has just ended, and this seemed like a perfect time for another listen to a summer rerun of how to quickly and effectively recover after a big event. Enjoy!
This week's summer rerun falls smack in the middle of the busiest week of my year, so it's only fitting that I run the episode about how to prepare for your busy season. Remember, self-care at this time is not selfish. It is critical to your success as a leader, so don't slack on it. Enjoy the show!
Fresh content this week! I got to talk with Callie Heitela of "Art Speaks" about this year's Virginia Highlands Festival. This week you get a peek into my "actual" executive director life. Thank you for being part of this community and for your work in nonprofit. Shine on!
Yes, this is episode 100 of the podcast, and it is not a "very special episode." It got way too close to Festival time for me to do that. But I will tell you, I'm planning something cool for the 2 year anniversary of the podcast in early September, so keep your ears open! In the meantime, enjoy this summer rerun about how to make the most of organizational downtime. Because not everyone has a crazy busy summer.
Next up in our summer reruns series is an interview I did with financial coach, Melissa Thomas. She had great insight as to why our individual donors are so valuable to our organizations--even beyond their financial gifts. Enjoy!
This week's summer rerun is about boundaries. You know you need them, but it can be so hard to maintain them. In this episode I interviewed Jen Moff, a certified relationship coach, about boundaries--why they are important, why people encroach on them, and how to maintain them. Please share this with a friend who might need to hear it, because we shine brighter together.
This week's summer rerun is a look at suffocating negativity. For me and my board, especially this time of year, it is easy to get caught up in the stress of the moment and go really negative. This week's episode will help all of us avoid that trap!
This week's summer rerun is a look back at personality profiling. This is by far the most downloaded episode of my 95-episode streak, so clearly people resonate with the information. When you're done listening to this, pick up a copy of Gretchen Rubin's "The Four Tendencies." It is the perfect accompaniment to this week's information. While personality styles are about how you receive information, the "Four Tendencies" are about how you respond to expectations. This knowledge is essential if you are a leader of people, which I know you are! I don't have an affiliate link, so when you do pick up Gretchen's book, it would mean the world to me if you'd let her know you heard about it here on the Virtual Executive Director podcast.
If you are a Patreon supporter, you already know that I lost my voice this past week. As you can tell, it's really bad, so I'm turning to my backup host for the intro and outro. This week's topic covers many of the things you need to be aware of in the interview process. It's a mashup of summer rerun and new content, and I think this can really help you if you're job-hunting or if you're in the process of adding people to your team. Even potential board members can benefit from these questions and this awareness. Enjoy!
This week is our first week of "summer reruns" so I wanted to start with my most popular episode: Tools. I've taken the original "Tools" episode and a "Tools 2" episode and edited them together. I hope this brings you value!
If you live in the US, today signals the unofficial start of summer. Kids are getting out of school, pools are opening up, and many businesses go on a summer schedule, whether it's flexible hours for corporate employees or longer hours if you live in a tourism-based area like me with a lot of restaurants and retail. For me the summer means Festival time. It is my busiest time of year. This summer I'm taking my own advice about delegating and time management and changing things up for the podcast this summer. I'm also adding some time within the Executive Director MasterMind group, keeping up with our supporters on Patreon, and building a waiting list of people who want executive coaching this fall. Links and resources: Support the podcast here: patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Ask to join the Executive Director Mastermind here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind/
Last week I got "glutened" which meant I was out sick for a couple of days, missing board meetings and critical proofing time before our major publication goes to print. Fortunately, I had planned a looser schedule and was able to absorb this unexpected and quite sudden sick time without too much stress. Listen to how and why I was able to do that. Resources and links mentioned this week: Support the podcast with a Patreon gift: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Email me to talk about executive coaching: becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com Check out the Best Self Journal: https://bestself.co/collections/all/products/self-journal?variant=18866392563781
The day will come (or maybe it has already) when you and your team are going to be up against a massive deadline. As you inch closer to that deadline, you may start to feel the effects of what I call the Stress Spiral. This happened to me and my team recently. A Stress Spiral looks like this: looming deadline, pieces coming together, then something slips out of place, then something happens in your personal life to knock you off balance (because big deadlines seem to have their own special kind of gravitational pull), then you begin to put the pieces back together, and the cycle begins again only faster. Sound familiar? As you spiral, you may come back to moments of clarity and purpose, but then something slips out of place, and you're off again to circle back around. In this week's episode, I'm sharing how I handled a recent stress spiral near-meltdown, thanks to a surprising source of help. Announcements: I have room in my calendar to take on a few executive coaching clients. If you'd like to learn more, email me at becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com. If this podcast brings you value, and you'd like to support its continued creation, it would mean the world to me if you would become a Patreon supporter at this link: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
When you write a grant for an arts in education residency, you don't think you'll end up with your face thisclose to the backside of an alpaca in active labor. But that's how life goes sometimes. Listen this week as I talk about how nothing went right for this arts program, but everything still went perfectly.
In nonprofit culture there is this insidious expectation that the way you show you care is by feeling as unhappy as the person who is bringing their problem to you. I'm here to debunk that right now.
On this week's episode, I'm sharing the audio from a radio appearance on WEHC, Emory & Henry College's station, where I got to talk with my pal, Dirk Moore, about the arts, economic development, tourism, and a bunch of other nonprofitly nerdy topics. The calculator that I mention in this episode can be found at http://bit.ly/artscalc. If you run a nonprofit arts org, I hope this episode helps you make your case to whoever needs to hear it. The arts are an important industry for many reasons, and I'm tired of it being treated as disposable. ___ Thank you to YOU -- our listeners who support us at Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector. Your monthly donation means the world to me and helps keep us "on the air." If you haven't become a Patreon supporter yet, please click the link and join us.
This week's podcast is my third annual "Tips from a Grant Panelist" episode. In this episode, I'll share the four top tips I garnered from reading this year's crop of applicants to the VCA general operating support and project grants, and I'll share the tips that my fellow panelists wanted to you to know about. My top four are: 1. Take our advice and apply it to your next application 2. Find a proofreader 3. Take the time to write a quality application 4. Be honest about your struggles as an organization These and about a dozen more gems to follow. I predict this will be a much-shared episode! ___ Thank you to YOU -- our listeners who support us at Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector. Your monthly donation means the world to me and helps keep us "on the air." If you haven't become a Patreon supporter yet, please click the link and join us. ___ If you have a grant-writing tip you'd like me to share in an upcoming episode, message me through the Facebook page facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector.
This past week, I got to speak again at a town council meeting. I was not happy about doing it, but I did it anyway. Sometimes we in nonprofit have to stick our necks out so that the person who comes next has it a little easier. I went before the council, and even though I was shaking and clinging to the podium to stay upright, I said what I needed to say. I hope this gives you the strength and some words you can use the next time you need to stand up for yourself and your organization. <3 As always, don't forget about supporting us as a Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector patron or through you purchase of beautiful handcrafted pens from India through Lovoso.com (promo code SHINE for 10% off your order)
I don't "observe" spring break, but my husband and I both happened to have business in Atlanta this past week, and we took the opportunity to step away from our usual routine for a few days. The time away made me realize that we don't need to take lavish sabbaticals to refresh and refocus. Even 30 seconds at your desk can have benefits. Listen to find out more.
This week on the podcast is the full audio from my talk at the YWCA's Emerge conference a couple of weeks ago. The topic was "How to Build Unity Around Big Changes," which I've covered on the podcast before. What's different about the talk live vs. on the podcast is that when it's done live, I get to reinforce what I'm talking about with some audience participation. I hope that this helps you if you need to build unity in your organization. Thank you to our Patreon supporters for keeping this podcast going. If you would like access to exclusive content and firefly swag...If I bring you any value each month...If I bring you, say, $2 of value each month... please consider supporting the podcast through a Patreon contribution. Much like the recurring donations you get for your organization, Patreon is a platform where you can directly support a creator and their work. Visit Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector to support the show. We are also sponsored by Lovoso.com. Lovoso is a handcrafted pen company with a bigger mission to help orphans transition from the system into adulthood. They provide job training and teach life skills, so that when they leave the orphanage, they have more opportunities to succeed. LOVOSO dot com and use promo code SHINE when you check out to get 10% off your order. From our world to yours, Lovoso.
Recently I celebrated my 20 year anniversary in festival producing. It's been an amazing ride so far, and I've learned some lessons the hard way. This week I'm sharing a few of those lessons with you, so you can learn from my mistakes. Briefly, those lessons are: 1. How long it actually takes to plan an event 2. How to keep your volunteers feeling valued 3. What to do when your temper rises 4. Two magical phrases to use when someone is criticizing you 5. How to plan for trouble I'd love to know what lessons you think I should have included. Email me or message me on social media and I'll include your suggestions in an upcoming episode. On to the next 20 years! Thank you to our Patreon supporters for keeping this podcast going. If you would like access to exclusive content and firefly swag...If I bring you any value each month...If I bring you, say, $2 of value each month... please consider supporting the podcast through a Patreon contribution. Much like the recurring donations you get for your organization, Patreon is a platform where you can directly support a creator and their work. Visit Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector to support the show. We are also sponsored by Lovoso.com. Lovoso is a handcrafted pen company with a bigger mission to help orphans transition from the system into adulthood. They provide job training and teach life skills, so that when they leave the orphanage, they have more opportunities to succeed. LOVOSO dot com and use promo code SHINE when you check out to get 10% off your order. From our world to yours, Lovoso.
LISTENER WARNING: As you can probably tell from the title, there are a few swear words in this week's episode. That's because I'm talking about my 5 highlights from Mark Manson's book, "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*uck." This book isn't about becoming nihilistic. It's about choosing carefully where to place your care and attention. The 5 concepts I loved most about this book are: 1. "Not giving a fuck does not mean being indifferent... 2. "Often the only difference between a problem being painful or being powerful is a sense that we chose it." 3. "We don't go from 'wrong' to 'right.' Rather, we go from wrong to slightly less wrong." 4. "The magnitude of your success is based on how many times you've failed at something." 5. "Without conflict there can be no trust." If you've read the book, I'd love to hear what you thought of my choices of highlights. If you haven't read the book, go get it already! It's a quick read. Announcements: I am speaking at the YWCA Emerge conference on Friday, March 15th. If you are local to me (northeast Tennessee, southwest Virginia) please come out to this conference. I'll have a link in the show notes or visit www.ywcatnva.org/emerge/. Thank you to our Patreon supporters for keeping this podcast going. If you would like access to exclusive content and firefly swag...If I bring you any value each month...If I bring you, say, $2 of value each month... please consider supporting the podcast through a Patreon contribution. Much like the recurring donations you get for your organization, Patreon is a platform where you can directly support a creator and their work. Visit Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector to support the show. We are also sponsored by Lovoso.com. Lovoso is a handcrafted pen company with a bigger mission to help orphans transition from the system into adulthood. They provide job training and teach life skills, so that when they leave the orphanage, they have more opportunities to succeed. LOVOSO dot com and use promo code SHINE when you check out to get 10% off your order. From our world to yours, Lovoso.
This week on the podcast I have the continuation of my interview with Sarah Olivieri. Sarah is a former executive director and current consultant for nonprofits through her company, PivotGround. In this part of the interview, Sarah unpacks digital fundraising. We talk about how to find the time to do it, how it works to scale one-on-one communication, the #1 reason why your donors leave, and a bunch of other juicy stuff to take your digital fundraising to the next level (or really any level if you're currently doing zero online fundraising). Announcements: I am speaking at the YWCA Emerge conference on Friday, March 15th. If you are local to me (northeast Tennessee, southwest Virginia) please come out to this conference. I'll have a link in the show notes or visit https://www.ywcatnva.org/emerge/. Thank you to our Patreon supporters for keeping this podcast going. If you would like access to exclusive content and firefly swag...If I bring you any value each month...If I bring you, say, $2 of value each month... please consider supporting the podcast through a Patreon contribution. Much like the recurring donations you get for your organization, Patreon is a platform where you can directly support a creator and their work. Visit Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector to support the show. We are also sponsored by Lovoso.com. Lovoso is a handcrafted pen company with a bigger mission to help orphans transition from the system into adulthood. They provide job training and teach life skills, so that when they leave the orphanage, they have more opportunities to succeed. LOVOSO dot com and use promo code SHINE when you check out to get 10% off your order. From our world to yours, Lovoso.
This week on the podcast I got to interview Sarah Olivieri of PivotGround. We nerded out over strategic planning, how to talk to your board about the need for a plan, and how to make a plan that doesn't sit in a drawer for the next 3-5 years. You can connect with her on her website: https://pivotground.com/ If you enjoy this podcast and I bring you any value, I hope you'll become a Patreon supporter at https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector. You'll have access to special content and swag just for you. We are also sponsored by https://www.lovoso.com/. Use promo code SHINE for 10% off your order.
Continuing last week's chat with chef Travis Milton, we talk about how to plan an event with food as the focus, you get to listen to us talk through the logistics of an event we have coming up soon, and in between we talk about "disappointed dad" discipline, what chefs really eat, and the history of candy roaster squash. If this podcast brings you any value, please join Marjorie Moore and become a Patreon supporter! You'll get to hear outtakes from this interview and gain access to my series of "2-Minute Mini" episodes: you can hear some behind-the-scenes takes exclusively on Patreon.com/VirtualExecutiveDirector. We are also supported by Lovoso.com. Use promo code SHINE at checkout for 10% off your order of unique handcrafted pens.
This week on the podcast I talk with Travis Milton, chef and founding member of the Appalachian Food Summit. We nerd out on economic development through foodways, sustainability/accessibility, and Appalachian food heritage. We went on for so long, that this will be a two-parter. Next week will be a more tactical episode about how to plan a gala event for foodies. If you like what I'm doing for nonprofits, please consider becoming a Patreon supporter. Visit Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector and become a monthly supporter today. You'll get exclusive content that is sure to brighten your day and make your nonprofit life just a little easier.
I'm developing thoughts around the ideas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It will be increasingly important, not just for the health of our organizations, but also for grants and other funding sources that are going to require us to have policies around this subject, that we are working towards these ideals. At the recent VCA Artworks conference, I heard Crystal Williams from Boston University talk about diversity and inclusion, and it helped me begin to create a framework for discussion at my own organization. See if what she has to say might do the same for you. If you already have a policy about this, I'd love to hear how you formed it and how it's working for your organization. Email me becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com and let's connect on this important topic. If you love the podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon supporter. You'll get access to more episodes, more helpful tips, and even some firefly swag! https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector
This past week I was sick as hell, so this week's podcast is a throwback to episodes 20 and 21 about how to identify and prepare for big changes. These are great lead-ins for the talk I'm giving at the Virginia Commission for the Arts conference on Wednesday, anyway, so if you think your organization might be on the verge of a major shift, this should help pave the way. Support the show by: Shopping at Lovoso.com and using promo code SHINE for 10% off your order Becoming a Patreon donor at Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Coming to see Becky live at the Virginia Commission for the Arts "Artworks" conference on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 3:45pm in Richmond. To register for the conference visit arts.virginia.gov.
This week I got to talk with Dann Williams of Optimum Polymer Technologies. We did a crossover episode to talk about nonprofit and small business--how the two can work together through cause-related marketing, how to work effectively with different personality types, and I even reveal my secret to pre-Festival self-preservation. Support the show by: Shopping at Lovoso.com and using promo code SHINE for 10% off your order Becoming a Patreon donor at Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Coming to see Becky live at the Virginia Commission for the Arts "Artworks" conference on Wednesday, Jan. 30 in Richmond. To register for the conference visit arts.virginia.gov.
This week on the podcast I got to interview Lena Elizer. Lena is a graphic and website designer who works primarily with women small business owners. She is the lead designer for the Virginia Highlands Festival and the designer of the Virtual Executive Director firefly logo. In this episode we talk about one of the most important questions you can ask yourself in the branding process, the biggest mistake people make when they begin the branding process, and the best advice ever about starting your own business. You can find Lena and sign up for her free 7-day branding course at lenaelizer.com. Support the show by: Shopping at Lovoso.com and using promo code SHINE for 10% off your order Becoming a Patreon donor at Patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Coming to see Becky live at the Virginia Commission for the Arts "Artworks" conference on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 2:45pm in Richmond. To register for the conference visit arts.virginia.gov.
This week I'm talking about the four questions you need to answer before starting your nonprofit, and the one bonus question that will make gaining traction so much easier. Helpful links: Visit our sponsor! Lovoso.com promo code SHINE for 10% off Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Nonprofit Launch online form: http://bit.ly/Nonprofit_Launch Zero Mile Fun Run Kit: https://gum.co/zeromile Virtual Executive Director Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector/
Thank you to our listeners who made 2018 memorable for all the right reasons! This week on the podcast, I'm sharing how I set my focus for the year by figuring out the ONE thing I can do that makes everything else easier or unnecessary. I hope this helps you, too! Some resources this week: The ONE Thing - https://www.the1thing.com/ Support the podcast through Patreon: patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Visit our Sponsor: lovoso.com and use promo code SHINE at checkout for 10% off
This episode comes out on Christmas Eve, so it's a good time to take a break from fundraising, marketing, and productivity to enjoy a low-key interview I did with country music star John Berry. John is well-known for his Christmas show, he has a new EP out called "Thomas Road," and a hit single called "Beautifully Broken" from the film by the same name. If you'd like to purchase his EP, visit https://johnberrystore.bigcartel.com/product/thomas-road-ep-2018 Resource links mentioned in this episode: Visit our sponsor! Lovoso.com promo code SHINE for 10% off Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Nonprofit Launch online form: http://bit.ly/Nonprofit_Launch Zero Mile Fun Run Kit: https://gum.co/zeromile Virtual Executive Director Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector/
It's time to bring it all home. We are coming up on the busiest fundraising time of the year--the last 3 days of the calendar year--and I am here to help you bring your fundraising campaign to a successful close. I'll talk about what to do for the next 3 weeks to bring it on home without stressing out your staff. Big thanks to our sponsors and patrons! Visit our sponsor! Lovoso.com promo code SHINE for 10% off Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Nonprofit Launch online form: http://bit.ly/Nonprofit_Launch
This week's episode was recorded live at a lunch and learn where I taught local small business owners how to give Facebook what it wants to help generate attention for their businesses. Since nonprofits are also businesses, this is a great episode to help you elevate your Facebook strategy. I'll include a link to the video in the show notes, and it's also available on the Virtual Executive Director Facebook page. Resources: Visit our sponsor! Lovoso.com promo code SHINE for 10% off Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Nonprofit Launch online form: http://bit.ly/Nonprofit_Launch Zero Mile Fun Run Kit: https://gum.co/zeromile Virtual Executive Director Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector/
Whether you love or hate #GivingTuesday, it's an opportunity to draw positive attention to your organization. I've talked about how to have a successful #GT, and this week I share my results for the organization that I run. Spoiler alert: we beat our fundraising goal and massively increased our Facebook presence. I hope this case study helps you and your organization with future fundraising efforts. And as promised, below are the resource links I mention at the beginning of the episode. Resource links: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Nonprofit Launch online form: http://bit.ly/Nonprofit_Launch Zero Mile Fun Run Kit: https://gum.co/zeromile Virtual Executive Director Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualExecDirector/
What is cause marketing and how can you get it to work for you? Cause Marketing is the marketing of a for-profit product or business which benefits a nonprofit charity or supports a social cause in some way. Customers want to spend their money where it can do the most good. That's why so many for-profit businesses align themselves with nonprofit organizations. Here are 3 tips to establish a profitable and balanced cause marketing plan for your organization. 1. Make sure you have brand alignment 2. Partner beyond the cash 3. Don't BS this Now, let's dive in. Resource links: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector 5 Steps to Fundraising Success: https://virtual-executive-director.teachable.com/p/5-steps-to-fundraising-success/ Zero Mile Fun Run Kit: https://gum.co/zeromile
This time of year we're writing a lot of thank you notes--for donations, gifts, experiences, volunteer time...What if you knew your thank you note would end up preserved forever in a museum? What would you say in it? This week I'm sharing what led to one of my thank you notes ending up in a museum exhibit, my admiration for Peter Sellars, and my theory of festivals. If you like what I'm putting out here, please consider becoming a patron on https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector.
Are you participating in #Givingtuesday? This week I'm going to talk about why you should care and how to make it work for your organization. This is also the third part of our three-part series with Paul and Shelley Gadola on how to self-care once your busy season is over. #GivingTuesday is a worldwide day of giving (this year taking place Nov. 27), fueled by the power of social media. It is celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the US, and after the widely recognized shopping events of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. According to Network for Good, On average, their customers who started fundraising on #GivingTuesday raised 5x more overall during year-end compared to customers that didn't fundraise on #GivingTuesday. That's encouraging news. We know that 30% of all donations come in the month of December, and Giving Tuesday is the unofficial kickoff of donation season. So how do you make Giving Tuesday work for you? I'll give you for strategic points to consider. Resource links: GivingTuesday: https://www.givingtuesday.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector 5 Steps to Fundraising Success: https://virtual-executive-director.teachable.com/p/5-steps-to-fundraising-success/ Zero Mile Fun Run Kit: https://gum.co/zeromile
In this week's episode, I'll walk you through the seven things that my board and I did to change our organization's culture and we'll hear part 2 in the 3-part series on self-care during your busy season. Please visit virtualexecutivedirector.com for full show notes and links to resources.
This week I'm re-visiting the tools I use to stay productive as a nonprofit leader: Network for Good, Trello, and the Pomodoro Technique. I'm also starting a 3-episode series on self-care with the owners of Iron Mountain CrossFit, Paul and Shelley Gadola. Get more detailed show notes on virtualexecutivedirector.com.
Just had Board Orientation for my org this past weekend, and thought we were due for an update here on the podcast. If you'd like to download my Board Orientation Checklist, just visit virtualexecutivedirector.com/62 and sign up to get it.
Nonprofits are notorious penny-pinchers. We are expected to solve the world's problems--problems, which, by the way, the most powerful governments on the planet can't seem to fix, but we're expected to do so with some string and a paperclip. But saving money isn't always about what you don't spend. It's also about spending in the right places, where you'll get the most impact for your investment. Some things are worth their price. Skimping on these things is a false economy, because you will waste time, you'll aggravate those who could be helping you, and ultimately you won't be effective in fulfilling your mission.
When it comes to fundraising, I teach two key principles for success: match your organization's brand with your prospects' and do not try to sell the unsellable. When you do these two things you save yourself a lot of time and frustration, and your prospect list can more easily come into focus. However, this mainly applies to corporate sponsors, so what about individual donors? This week I'm talking about a 5-question strategy to ensure that you match your organization's values with your individual donors' values. You can then use the answers to these questions to easily write up a solicitation letter that hits your donors' sweet spots.
If 30% of your organization's fundraising comes in at the end of the year, shouldn't you start giving year-end fundraising 100% of your effort? This week I don't mean to scare anyone. My goal is to share with you four of the ways my own year-end fundraising has flopped, so that you can learn from my mistakes. Those mistakes were: poor planning, starting late, horrible time management, and a lack of commitment to the process. There's even a little history lesson and a big productivity tip in here, and advance notice of a new consulting package I'm putting together just for year-end executive coaching. Resources: Zero Mile Kit: https://gum.co/zeromile Fundraising Course: https://virtual-executive-director.teachable.com/p/5-steps-to-fundraising-success/ https://blog.winspireme.com/must-share-stats-on-year-end-giving-infographic https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/eisenhower-decision-matrix/
Warning to everyone who might be listening with littles or in the open air: There is some adult language and few f-bombs this week. You are warned. This week on the podcast is a rare treat: I interview my mom! What I thought would be a discussion about how to parent a dreamer--someone who eventually ends up working at a nonprofit--turned into a little family history, what it looks like to support your kid who is in the arts, and I reveal a secret about my college life. (It's not that exciting, but Mom's reaction was priceless--be sure to listen until the end!)
This week's podcast is a quickie because I bit off more than I could chew this week. I began not one, but three challenges to kick myself into high gear: the Fundraising Intensive, a fitness challenge at my gym, and the "Be Seen" challenge with Jenn Scalia. In this episode, I share a quick outline for opening communication with potential funders and partners. If you want to join a future "Be Seen" challenge with Jenn, here's a link to her website: https://jennscalia.com/
Using Shawn Achor's "The Happiness Advantage" as a jumping-off point, this week I talk about how and why you might want to put the FUN back in your fundraising efforts. This week's links are: Accountabilibuddies episode: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/2018/05/21/podcast-episode-40-accountabilibuddies/ Training Magazine article: https://trainingmag.com/trgmag-article/happily-orange-after/ The "don't sell the unsellable" episode: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/2018/05/14/podcast-episode-39-the-one-thing-i-never-do-when-fundraising/ The Happiness Advantage book: http://www.shawnachor.com/the-books/the-happiness-advantage/ Fundraising Intensive Registration: https://virtual-executive-director.teachable.com/p/5-steps-to-fundraising-success/
Something that will be on your radar soon if it isn't already is year-end fundraising. This week I'm sharing more tips on how to get yourself ready for the big year-end push, why it's important to your organization, and a quick event fundraising tip to add a few extra dollars to your bottom line. Links below. Infographic on year-end fundraising: https://blog.winspireme.com/must-share-stats-on-year-end-giving-infographic Ep. 8 Fundraising Prep: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/2017/10/09/podcast-episode-8-fundraising-prep/ Fundraising Intensive: https://virtual-executive-director.teachable.com/p/5-steps-to-fundraising-success/
Something that I noticed this year is that fundraising has been HARD. Like a LOT harder than usual. This week I'm talking about why that might be the case, how to put the fun back in fundraising, and I answer a listener question about last week's episode on rallying around a colleague in crisis. Here's why your fundraising may feel harder than usual: 1. Your list is old and outdated 2. You're trying to sell the unsellable 3. You're approaching fundraising from a place of desperation Here's how you can put the fun back in fundraising: 1. Re-think and re-tool your list, find new people to share your message with 2. Set interim goals and celebrate them 3. Surround yourself with teammates, either online or in your organization. Push each other to achieve interim goals, share ideas, and celebrate successes. If you're looking for a team to work with and push you, I'm running a Fundraising Intensive from Sept. 17-28. Think of it like fundraising camp. There is a registration fee of $89 (or $149 if you sign up after 9/4/18). Here's the link: https://virtual-executive-director.teachable.com/p/5-steps-to-fundraising-success/
We've seen it before: a sudden divorce, a death in the family, a catastrophic illness, or maybe it's even a national tragedy... Something horrible is requiring your colleague's attention and they are ... not handling it well. Here is how you love on them and support them through this. 1. Plan for them to miss deadlines. 2. Lighten their work load for however long they need and your team can handle it. 3. Ask them what they need and then give it to them to the extent you can. 4. If it is true, assure them that their job is safe. Also, you may feel any of the following: -that they are taking advantage of you -that they are taking too long or not enough time to deal with their issues -that you don't want to ask too much of your colleague or team member in this moment I'll share with you how to deal with all these feelings. A quick pitch: It's time to gear up for year-end fundraising! Don't try to sell the unsellable, and don't wait until the last minute to get your appeals out. Join our 2-week fundraising intensive and get yourself ready! Click the link below for more info or email becky at virtual executive director dot com. Link: https://virtual-executive-director.teachable.com/p/5-steps-to-fundraising-success/
I've heard it said (though I can't cite a source) that it takes a full day of rest for every hour of event time to fully recover. Now, I know none of us has that kind of time off available, but this week I'm going to talk about ways to speed your recovery after a big event.
True tales from the 70th annual Virginia Highlands Festival, including a legit funny new nickname for one of my board members. I talk about the fires that needed putting out, the joyful moments, and what it means to redefine success as "significance."
Every now and then I'm going to share an event debrief so we can learn from each other's mistakes and successes. If you have an event debrief you'd like me to include in an upcoming episode, email me becky at Virtual executive director dot com. This debrief is on the Virginia Highlands Festival's Patrons' Event. I'll talk about what the event is, what the goals were, and where we succeeded and failed in meeting those goals.
It's one thing to be self-aware. It's another thing to put that self-awareness into practice. This week on the podcast I share a super embarrassing moment from last week and how I'm deploying self-awareness to make sure it doesn't happen again.
OK show of virtual hands. How many of you when someone asks you what you do, say something like, "I work in nonprofit. It's like herding cats." In this episode, I talk about a better approach than "herding" people towards a goal. This show has a special 5 minutes of meditative silence at the end. (This is why I need an editor!)
In the summer, my nonprofit is insanely busy, so I tend to assume that everyone is insanely busy. But I know there are lots of orgs that may be in a bit of a summer lull. So this week, I'm talking to you and wistfully daydreaming about my own organizational lull in a couple of months.
This week I'm talking specifically to people who are interviewing for jobs at a nonprofit or who are conducting the interviews for these jobs. Everyone wants to put on their best face for a job interview, so you have to be vigilant in looking for these red flags. And if you are the interviewer, you have to discuss frankly the challenges your organization faces. Here are 5 red flags that I've seen pop up in an interview situation. Let me know what you'd like to add to this list.
The biggest indicator of success for an organization is its culture, and the biggest influence on culture comes from your board. It is worth taking the time to find the right fit in the recruitment process. This week's episode talks about how to do that from a macro level. In this episode I mention downloadable fundraising worksheets. Here's the link for more info: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/5-steps-worksheets/
We've all heard the trope, "No is a complete sentence." I mean, sure, it is. It's also a quick way to alienate people you care about. This week I talk about how to say "No" and still maintain those important relationships.
I happen to be in my busy season. I know this to be true because the almond milk I just bought expires after my event is over. When my food outlasts my work project, I know it's crazytime at the job. So this week I'm sharing with you my 5 tips for preparing for your next busy season.
Those of us in leadership know we don't get sick days the way a lot of other people do. Sure, they are part of our benefits package, but when we're out sick, no one is there to pick up the work, and things start falling through the cracks very easily. So how can we take care of ourselves and our nonprofits at the same time? This week I'm sharing my secrets for how to take a sick day without everything falling apart.
As this is being released, families in the USA may be road-tripping home from the long weekend. So instead of my usual "how to" podcast, here's a little story from a recent big event.
You don't have to go it alone. Studies show that having an accountability partner (or "accountabilibuddy") increases your rate of success with whatever you're trying to accomplish. This week, I talk about the value of an accountabilibuddy and how to make the relationship work.
I use many different fundraising tactics for my org, but the one thing I never do is this. I never try to sell to the unsellable. This week I talk about what an "unsellable" looks like and what to do to work around them so you can still meet your fundraising goals.
This week I'm sharing my tips for how to network the "right" way. It takes patience and a willingness to give without expectation. When you do that, you build relationships that are there when you need them. In the podcast I share how to craft a solid elevator pitch, why it pays to be patient, why business cards aren't dead, and how to start and continue conversations with strangers.
Many of our orgs will be getting a crop of summer interns soon. Here's my best advice about how to make this a valuable experience for them and for you.
There is no more powerful force in the universe than "I don't wanna." I'm experiencing it right now. I'm on a major deadline, I spent the weekend moving--no shoehorning--my parents into a new house. My body and mind are exhausted and yes, I have a really bad case of the "I don't wannas." So what do you do when you're in charge of a nonprofit that demands and deserves your best, and so does your family, your community, and yourself? I've got some quick tips for how to get things done in spite of the "I don't wannas." Then can we all just take a little break?
I could not stop talking with Melissa Thomas (aka Melissa the Coach) last week. Here's the continuation of our interview, giving you a peek inside the head of a dedicated individual donor. Her nonprofit of choice is Canines for Service (caninesforservice.org). As you listen, note especially why this means you want most of your contributed income from individuals, and think of ways that you might better connect with your donors.
In this episode I'm joined by Melissa Thomas (aka Melissa the Coach). She is a personal finance coach, speaker, and author of Building My Yellow Brick Road: Life Lessons from Pursuing a Dream. Melissa teaches us from the beginning of the process how to make a budget. I was surprised at how often I get asked about budgeting, so I think this episode will be helpful to many. Like she suggests, listen twice--once just to listen and once more to take notes. You'll want to capture her ideas about: -How to get in the right mindset so that you actually enjoy the budget review process -How to stay motivated when it doesn't seem like you're seeing results -How to "spring clean" your old budget You can find Melissa as "Melissa the Coach" across all social media platforms, and her website is www.melissathecoach.com.
At SponCom I took a workshop taught by David Christopher of Miami's Just the Funny theater. The workshop was on short-form, a format most people are probably familiar with thanks to the TV show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" As he was teaching, the relationship between hosting a short-form improv show and Leadership (with a capital L) revealed itself, and I just had to make that the subject of this week's podcast. The leadership resources I mention in this episode are: "21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell, "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey, "Tribes" by Seth Godin, "Build Your Tribe" podcast by Chalene Johnson, and just about every keynote address that Gary Vaynerchuk delivers.
This week is different from my usual short, pithy, show, as I indulge in a longer conversation with Isabel Hundt about emotional health. We talk about how to protect yourself as an empath, what our purpose is as nonprofit leaders, and even how to recenter and reclaim your emotional space in the middle of a typical hectic day. Isabel is a public speaker, reiki healer, and certified transformation coach. Her nonprofit connection is in her service as a Global Presence Ambassador, which promotes the compassionate teaching and practice of Life Skills around the globe. You can find out more about Isabel at www.isabelhundt.com.
I don't know about you, but I can sometimes be hot-headed. When someone says or does something that pushes my buttons, I have a tendency to react (poorly) rather than to respond (thoughtfully). In a recent improv workshop I learned how to listen to others and then the three questions to ask myself before I respond to them. I think this will help you, too, if you're quick to react. It will also help you if you hold everything in and don't really know what to say in the moment. Let me know what you think and if this helps you. Email me (becky@virtualexecutivedirector.com) and let me know.
The benefits of strategic partnerships far outweigh the potential downfalls. This week I talk about the best practices around building strategic partnerships and how I spotted an opportunity in disguise.
Activism took center stage at the recent Oscar awards, which is thrilling for this nonprofit leader. Then came the missed opportunity of all missed opportunities, and what could have been a soaring moment for our nonprofit community left the audience confused about where to park their majestic high horse. Here's what we need to make sure we do next time we trot out our community heroes. (With apologies for the many names that I surely butchered.)
The practice of patience is critical to your success as a nonprofit leader. We all know it takes at least twice as long to see change (or even any movement towards change)when you're working primarily with volunteers and within the culture of nonprofit orgs. What does patience look like day to day? How do you practice patience? This week's podcast is inspired by Gary Vaynerchuk and my fellow executive directors.
So sorry about the previous upload of this episode! Check out the @Virtual_Exec or our FB page to see what happened. In the meantime, here's the real deal. Grant writing is a cornerstone fundraising activity. I've talked about tools for finding grants, and how to write a grant so that it makes sense to a panelist or reviewer. This week's podcast is about how to finish strong and celebrate the work you put into this process.
Lately I've been wrestling with the question of whether it's better to be liked or to be respected. If you've been thinking about this, too, this week's podcast is for you.
This week on the podcast I chat with my friend, Kristin Ingram, about how nonprofits can use the new tax law to their advantage (among other things). Kristin is a CPA, CEO of Ingram Digital Media, and co-host of the Small Biz Life podcast. Check her out at smallbizlife.com.
As this podcast comes out, I'll be heading to the Virginia Commission for the Arts annual conference in Richmond, Virginia. I know how hard it can be to find the budget for conference attendance, so I thought I'd share with you how to get the most return on your investment of both time and money when you go to conferences.
People say the darndest things, especially at board meetings. Here are a few of the craziest and the thoughtful, appropriate responses that you can keep in your back pocket for just the right moment.
Now that you recognize the signs of transition and you know you want to do something to get ahead of these challenges rather than wait for them to crash into you, this week's podcast talks about how to build the support you need around these big changes.
In our nonprofit life we have purposeful transitions, like launching a new program, and accidental transitions, like a major sponsor going out of business. These are pretty straightforward and (for the most part) we know how to handle them. Then there is a middle ground of transitions that aren't here yet, but if you know what to look for, you'll see the signs. That's what we're talking about in this week's podcast.
I've been getting a lot of questions lately about how to start a nonprofit. If that describes you or someone you know, here's the podcast to listen to first. I go over the steps to take that will set you and your org up for success from the beginning. To get the full checklist, visit virtualexecutivedirector.com
Since it's the holiday season (fun!) and year-end (stressful!), this week's podcast brings the gift of an easy listen. In the Executive Director Mastermind group, we like to share "Quote of the Week" from our nonprofit life. This week's podcast is 8 of my favorite QOTW to entertain and help you get through the year-end crazies. See you in the New Year!
Did you know I serve as a grant panelist for the Virginia Commission for the Arts? Yep! And now I'm sharing 8 of my top grant writing tips to keep you from wanting to smash your face into your desk.
I'm back after being sick for two weeks! While slowly melting into the couch, I had the opportunity to watch "The Great British Baking Show." Maybe it was a fever-dream, but I think I learned a few things applicable to nonprofit life. Let me know if you think I missed any.
This past week has found me too sick to record a full podcast, so I found a video call that I recorded earlier this year with certified relationship expert, Jen Moff, on boundaries. Why are they so difficult? How do we set them effectively? And what do we say to someone when they violate them? This is a long one, and originally it was on video. There may be references to visuals, but I think you'll find this helpful. This can be an especially tricky time of year with work and personal demands, business-related holiday parties, and year-end fundraising deadlines. Let me know if you'd like more of this long-form content.
This week's podcast is about three new tools I've been using lately that might be helpful for you, too. They are Stay22 (map widget): https://www.stay22.com/ MeetingSift (meeting survey software): http://meetingsift.com/ Instrumentl (grant aggregator): http://www.instrumentl.com/ Don't feel bad if I left out one of your favorites. These are 3 that came to my attention recently and that I've had success with. Feel free to comment and let me know what tools you're using that you love.
Why is important to suffocate negativity in your organization, and what does that look like in day-to-day practice? This week I share how to get on top of this productivity issue.
You can't do it all, but who do you delegate to when you have, like, zero budget? This week on the podcast I talk about where to find help when you're not ready to make a permanent hire.
This week's episode lands on Halloween in the US, so I thought I'd reward our hard fundraising work this month with an episode on self-care. I share 3 tricks I use to treat myself, so that I'm at my best for my org. BTW, listen to the very end, past the closing music for an audio treat, courtesy my dog, Oakley. This is real life, y'all.
Don't let your awesome corporate appeal package go to waste by slacking on the follow-up. In this episode I share with you how to approach follow-up from a place of service and take all the angst out of those phone calls.
In this episode I share with you the elements of a great appeal letter and how to structure your appeal so that it hits all the areas of the DiSC personality profile.
In this episode I go over the things that you should know and prep before you even start asking for money. This prep work will help make the fundraising process go much more smoothly.
So....I could not, in fact, find anything online describing the opening icebreaker game I used at our board retreat, so I've recorded a bonus episode. Hope you have a chance to use this game at your next meeting!
When was the last time you led an effective and enjoyable board orientation? In this week's podcast, I report on our board orientation/retreat, talk you through the event outline, and share come cool team-building activities. Big thanks to those who helped me directly and indirectly with this event content. Here are the resources I mention throughout the podcast: Link for Board Orientation Outline: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Board-Orientation-Retreat-Outline.pdf Link for Joan Garry's website: http://www.joangarry.com/ "Why" exchange exercise: http://trainyourboard.com/training/board-training-videos-dvd/ Link to Scott Maderer's website: http://christianstewardshipcoaching.com/
It's important for quality communication that you keep in touch with your board more frequently than at the monthly meeting. One way I accomplish this is through a weekly report. This accomplishes a few things: - It keeps you accountable - It engenders trust - It gives your board consistent talking points In this episode, I outline the weekly report I use. Swipe it for yourself and modify it to fit your needs. Download my weekly report template here: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Weekly-Report.pdf
Learning to recognize personality types can go a long way to facilitating quality communication with your board, staff, volunteers, and even fundraising prospects (like a nonprofit fundraising hack). In this episode, I touch briefly on several different profiling systems, and talk about the one I'll be using at my board orientation. Link to a free version of the DiSC Assessment: https://discpersonalitytesting.com/free-disc-test/ Link to a free version of the Myers-Briggs assessment: https://psychcentral.com/quizzes/personality/start.php Star Wars MBTI: http://geekologie.com/2013/12/star-wars-characters-myers-briggs-person.php
Working with a unified board, staff, and volunteers is the key to speed, execution, and lower stress. In this episode I share the "5 Enemies of Unity" from Dave Ramsey's book, Entreleadership, and show you how to apply it to your nonprofit. Resources DiSC Profile: http://discprofile.com/what-is-disc/overview/ Meyers-Briggs: https://www.mbtionline.com "Difficult Conversations": https://smile.amazon.com/Difficult-Conversations-Discuss-What-Matters-ebook/dp/B004CR6ALA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505174109&sr=8-1&keywords=difficult+conversations
Episode 3: Based on Zig Ziglar's original "Wheel of Life" goal-setting graphic, I've created a "Wheel of Nonprofit Life" for goal-setting for nonprofit orgs. Download for the graphic is available at this link: http://wp.me/P86oVQ-Y Special thanks to Kendall Caldwell for the use of their song, "Follow Me."