I’m sure you can tell by any photo you’ve seen of me, that clearly, I’m a finely tuned athlete.
If you needed additional evidence, look no further than the letters I got in high school: Bowling, Choir & Student Government.
Sure, I’m functional on the golf course for at least 4 holes during a round, but I’m not here to brag about that.
But as this week’s news in sports with major trades in football sending big names to different teams reminded me: it doesn’t matter how athletic you are, if there isn’t a coach to get the most out of your natural talent, frustration can set it, burnout will occur, and opportunities will be wasted.
Sound relatable to the nonprofit sector? You bet it does.
Get a coach.
Whether it is for your fundraising team or just for you, my advice and admiration for nonprofit leaders everywhere is find someone to help keep you focused, motivated and enthusiastic – because the work you do is important, hard and sometimes underappreciated.
I have two business coaches. Apparently, my brain is so scattered that it takes two brilliant minds to collectively tame the undiagnosed ADD that courses through my veins. One, is a genius when it comes to sales and strategy. The other is a genius in tactical process that forces me to uncomplicate my natural inclination to complicate things.
And they have profoundly helped rekindle my passion for running this lil’ ol’ consulting firm I own.
I’m inspired every day by the nonprofit leaders I’m fortunate to coach every day. Whether it is through a webinar, quick phone call, DM or over coffee – I’ve learned that most fundraisers just need a little direction, encouragement and someone to help confirm or bounce ideas off of in a safe and confidential environment.
So, as much as I love doling our inspirational and motivating pieces to get you pumped up to conquer the philanthropy world, today for a quick change of pace, I’d love to formally invite you to join me and dozens of other nonprofit leaders in our group coaching program that launches April 1st.
And here are 5 kick ass reasons you should join!
1. Enthusiasm Delivered Weekly
Need a dose of direction, purpose and clarity as you plan the week? Good. I got you covered. Need that type of information conveyed with the power of 2 pots of coffee to give you that “can-do” attitude? Oh, that’s my jam!
Each week we gather to learn something, help your fellow cohort members with fundraising situations that need a bit of group guidance, get answers to pressing questions you have about events or donor meetings and set goals that you’ll be accountable for.
Done alone, this is an overwhelming task. Done with the support of other nonprofit leaders who want to see you succeed? Heck, that’s a lot less intimidating!
2. 24/7 Access to My Fundraising Brain
If you have a question, need a bit of help with a project, or just need to vent – consider me your amateur nonprofit therapist. Part of being a leader in an organization like yours, is getting answers or figuring our solutions to issues quickly. So, your membership in the group bumps you up to the front of the line when it comes to chatting with me with things you need perspective on!
Oh, and it’s super convenient with an app, so you just send your note, and within 24 hours you get an answer! Boom. Awesomeness.
3. Exclusive Guest Expert Trainings
One of the cool things (and unexpected/planned) from having nearly 200 interviews on the podcast, is that my rolodex of folks who are WAY smarter about marketing, writing, solicitations, media, and legacy giving is crazy robust. And as a group, if there is a topic that needs a bit of extra explaining, we invite the smartest people I know to the coaching party!
4. Templates Galore
One of the hardest things about doing things on your own, is starting from whole cloth. How do you write a board job description? How do you build a social media marketing schedule? How do you script a donor call? How do you calculate the tax deduction value of an event ticket?
Don’t you worry about a thing! We’ve got ALL that and more so you can concentrate on building better relationships with donors rather than scrambling to the interwebs to Google search for hours on end. Ask, and you shall receive!
5. A Team of Accountabilibuddies
Not only do you get me to walk side-by-side with you on your fundraising journey, but you get a crew of amazing leaders who want to see you succeed. No one gets in with out a willingness to embrace an abundance mindset. No Debbie/Donnie Downers get in that hijack the vibe of doing good. Yes, we can have the occasional “I need to vent for a second” moments, but this isn’t a crew that will dwell on negativity…we’re here to lift up, support and push forward.
Sound like something you’d be interested in? Of COURSE it does! Want to set up a time to chat about how you can join, what the workbooks, schedules, costs and timing is?
Well, let’s DO IT!
You can schedule a call with me HERE, or connect with Leah directly at Leah@DoGoodBetterConsulting.com to get on my calendar to discuss!
I’d love to be your coach. But if we’re not a good fit – find someone who is. It’ll change the outlook you have on this profession, this nonprofit realm, and your personal work/life balance.
You got this!
-Patrick