Nonprofit Lowdown

Join me on today's pod as I talk with veteran nonprofit leader, Jane Martinez Dowling.  In today's chat, Jane discusses how her experience as a first-gen college-going, Dominican-American woman has influenced her leadership.  She's been in the top job in three different organizations and also touches on how to be a boss and a mom.  Spoiler alert: leave the guilt and judgement behind.  Jane was a joy!

Today, we're speaking with our resident Tech Goddess, Emily Hicks-Rotella about how technology and spirituality are connected.  This conversation is a little more whoo-whoo than others we've had so feel free to skip it if it's not your jam.  We talk about what it means to have a single source of truth, how technology can connect us to our purpose and clarity and how you don't have to go sit on a mountaintop to achieve peace.   Click here for more about Emily.

So. Many. Truth. Bombs.  This interview with The Ready's Sam Spurlin.  I reached out to Sam because I'm OBSESSED with the book Brave New Work by Aaron Dignan.  So often in organizations when things aren't working, when communication breaks down, when we're having meetings about meetings--well, it just makes you crazy.  Sam talks about how our approach to organizational change might be about identifying and fixing the operating system one experiment at a time.  We talk so much about culture, but culture is created by organizational operating systems.  Tune in to this very educational interview with Sam.

Usually, we feature episodes that help nonprofit executives to run their nonprofits better.  Today, we're talking with Clara Chow about her work in creating pathways to financial sustainability and a product that can help low-income Americans from falling prey to payday loans.  I've seen what financial instability and predatory lending practices have done to families.  Take a listen to Clara's take on how we can help hard-working Americans to access capital and build strong financial foundations. To learn more about this or to get into the pilot, email Clara here.

Today I'm chatting with Dr. Kerry Ann who was Founder of the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity.  As a young African-American professor, she founded her organization to mentor and support women and faculty of color in their academic careers.  We talk about what happens when it's time to move on from your organization and what life looks like on the other side.  Kerry Ann is wise, warm and wonderful.   To find out more about Kerry Ann's adventures, check out her blog: www.TheBestChapter.com

I'm so pleased to welcome back my friend Emily.  Today, we're talking about how small nonprofits that don't have a big IT budget or IT department can take steps to become more data-driven and tech-forward.  Emily will be a recurring guest so if you have tech/data questions, email them in at rheawong@gmail.com. https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hicks-rotella-0b99a04

"I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man." Get ready to jump because we're setting this house ON FIRE.  Ify Walker is the founder and CEO of Offor, which is one of the nation's top talent broker agencies in the country.  In today's episode we talk about the war for talent, especially for leaders of color, how to find the courage to run your own company and change the conversation about race, access and getting to the C-suite.  Ify is telling the truth about building her business, creating power brokers and why you need an FU fund.   Find Ify and her team here.

Joyful.  Thought-provoking.  Truth-telling.  Join me for this wide-ranging conversation with Erica Hamilton.  Erica shares her wisdom and perspective as an expert leader, manager and "nonprofit whisperer."  We talk about the women of color tax, the benefits of saying NO and how to survive and thrive as a nonprofit executive.  A must-listen for current and aspiring nonprofit execs!

Hold onto your hats because Dianne is about the blow the roof off.  #Realtalk: we're addressing some of the elephants in the room about why it can be so exhausting to be a woman of color in the top job.  Dianne is the Executive Director and CEO of Phipps Neighborhoods and has been wildly successful in her role.  So, what did she do when she was told she was "flying too close to the sun"?  What emotional labor does it take to do the work every day?  Please let me know your thoughts and feedback in the comments.  

I LOVED this interview with Columbia University doctoral candidate Micah McElroy.  Micah is pursuing his PhD in the history of philanthropy in the US and we delve into all sort of interesting historical examples of philanthropy in America.  What cycles of wealth and philanthropy are we seeing today?  Can we expect Jeff Bezos to lift the rock upon which he stands?  Let me know what you think in the comments!