adQuadrant’s Post

Embrace the Unconventional, Be Bold, Disrupt the Norm! 💥 This book is something you NEED to read! Imagine the scene - the jewel-studded, black-tie gala, the scene of last year's underwhelming fundraising efforts. The funds barely scraped together, the exhausted team still lingering. The same worn-out adage bouncing off the walls: 'we've always done it this way.' Let's boldly break the mold! In the world of non-profit leadership, creativity, and daring are the new black. Following traditional, outmoded strategies? That's so yesterday! Let's reach beyond the mundane, beyond the worn-out, focusing on the golden 20% that ignites the flame. It's about daringly seeking out refreshing, ground-breaking ways to connect with your donors. Can you picture this? Instead of another dreary ball, you're hosting an intimate open house. You're sharing real, potent stories that spark connections, paint vivid pictures, and tug at heartstrings. That's more like it! Unclench your grip on the 80% that's pulling you down. Read this book! And let's talk about how you focus on the 20% and increase your giving and change the world #fundraising #nonprofitstorytelling #nonprofitstrategy #nonprofitleadership

I’m just finishing up my first year as a Board Member for Apparo - Business and Tech Solutions for Nonprofits and I have to say: I’m so proud to be working with this group of incredible people. This annual advance meeting was one of the best board meetings—honestly, one of the best meetings!—I’ve ever experienced. Why? Because it was a great combination of learning, collaboration, and engagement. In fact, I left this meeting so energized—and with a better understanding of both my fellow board members and the opportunities and challenges for Apparo—that I decided to write about it. My full blog post is in the comments below, but in brief, here are the four shifts that were made at this board meeting to create maximum engagement: ✔️ Make pre-reading a prerequisite. We’ve all been at those meetings where you sit and go through a huge slideshow of data—one that was probably emailed to you several days in advance. Asking board members to read everything ahead of time—and hold the first 20 minutes for any questions or concerns related to the pre-read materials—will help you get to meaningful discussion much quicker. ✔️ Develop specific discussion questions. Having a set of questions that guide your meeting conversation—whether it’s related to a specific challenge or theme the board wants to tackle—makes it possible to stay on task and actually talk about the important issues. ✔️ Break the mold of a “typical” board meeting. Board meetings need structure, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be fun. Have a set part of your agenda devoted to celebrations, or gamify your meeting (this is what was done at this meeting, with Apparo trivia!). It’s a great way for your members to learn about your organization and connect with others. ✔️ Give board members opportunities to get to know each other. This is incredibly important—boards are stronger together, and that means being able to trust one another. Consider baking in pre- or post-networking into your board meetings by having a social hour, or grabbing dinner together afterwards. Thank you again to the Apparo board for this impactful meeting. I appreciate you all! 

🌟 Meet Kristin Burnett, the driving force behind STS Enterprise's marketing magic! 🚀 From coaching in the Strive Program in 2020 to now leading the charge as our Marketing Director since 2022, KB's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Her dedication to our mission is unwavering, and her resilience and boldness make her a true trailblazer. Read about her in our latest blog post, "What does STS mean to you?" on stsenterprise.org/news/. #MakingExcellenceTheNorm #MarketingMaven #NonProfit

When Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey started out, neither had experience in the wine industry. However, they persisted and learned from everyone who could help them. “[They] questioned everyone who touched [their] product, from clerks to buyers and from distributors to forklift drivers. [They] got real practical answers, not always available from the C-Suite. From buyers and clerks [they] learned what wine package was needed in the market, rather than what we wanted to produce. From bottling line managers [they] learned what labels work and which ones don’t and why. From a fork lift operator [they]  got color specific cartons to reduce miss-deliveries.” [https://lnkd.in/gYbDxFtS] I think it is even more interesting to hear about Barefoot’s commitment to charitable causes. Early on, Barefoot did not have the cash for traditional advertising. Instead, the business adopted “a marketing technique they dubbed ‘Worthy Cause Marketing’ to grow from the ground up. By donating both wine and time to small, local non-profits, they could establish and retain brand trust. That trust grew from local to regional and eventually national organizations. Currently, Barefoot [] is partnering with the New Voices Foundation for its #WeStanForHer campaign. It has invested over $150,000 in grants to Black women-owned businesses to support, recognize, and uplift emerging entrepreneurs.” [https://lnkd.in/gawUXjjk]

Happy new year! For many fundraisers, today is the last day of the fiscal year. One of my proudest career accomplishments as a fundraiser was creating a New Year’s celebration tradition for our organization—complete with streamers and hats. It was a reminder to pause to celebrate your journey and your accomplishments before working toward your next big goal. This is one of the important themes from ONE BOLD MOVE A DAY, too. There were many things that went into making this tradition possible, and it all started with a Bold Move. The next time you find yourself thinking about whether you should share that idea at work you’ve been holding back on, here are four things to keep in mind. 1. Trust yourself to pitch your big idea 2. Follow through—and include others 3. Celebrate the moment 4. Remember who supported you and your vision What idea are you holding back on? When you have the little dream—share it in a big way. With confetti. It just may end up being one of your most significant contributions. For my story of how the New Year’s Eve celebration in June came to be, I’ll share a link in the comments.

Setting The Tone For Non-Profit Organization Leadership First and foremost one of the best ways to have a plan that effectively communicates the vision, defines the Purpose, models the core values, and sets in motion, the all-inclusive objectives. In addition, the tone should essentially build a foundation of Trust, integrity, and credibility. It also has to be consistent with its audience, which serves to inspire new partnerships and boost community support.

Don’t let your f-ups f you up. It’s a lesson that every leader needs to learn to seize their own power.  And what better time to process that lesson than at the new year? If you’re thinking of gifting LaTresse Snead “When Black Women Rise” to a nonprofit leader in your life, the deadline to order from Amazon is December 22, so don’t wait!  Order now at latressesnead.com/book. #racialequity #nonprofitleadership #nonprofit  

We all know that we need to clarify our nonprofit’s message internally, but you probably don’t know just how much this affects your external marketing success. This is one of my favorite parts of the conversation I had with Jordana Merkin. We talked about amplifying your message and connecting people to your mission through storytelling. My biggest takeaway was just how important it is to clarify your message internally to increase the effectiveness of your external marketing efforts. If you missed this episode, here’s a link to listen: https://lnkd.in/gW6yUvRb #Nonprofit #Mission #NonprofitMarketing #ClarifyYourMessage

Learning from other small business owners is the best, and we want to introduce one of doola’s seriously inspiring customers: Deon Bryan. A dedicated British Army veteran and founder of Viteranz, a supplement creating better health and well being for black veterans. It’s not easy setting up a business and many founders are put off by the logistics of it, but doola made the whole process smooth and simple for Deon. Learn more about Deon’s experience with setting up and running an Amazon business, and his challenges in our interview with him. PS: Each Viteranz purchase commits 30% of profits to black veteran charities. Check out the interview ➡ https://lnkd.in/dyUTx-9S Want to start your own business? Grab a free consultation with one of our doola experts, link in the comments 👇 #llc #llcformation #businessowner