Lead with Heart | Philanthropy, Nonprofit Leadership, Nonprofit Management & Fundraising – Détails, épisodes et analyse

I am so excited to welcome Dru Wischhover to the Lead with Heart Podcast. Over the past 20 years, Dru has founded three real estate companies — Inspired Title Group, Inspired Development Group, and Winspire LLC —  dedicated not just to business success, but to making an impact.

 With every closing, his companies give back: funding scholarships, supporting mental health awareness, and mentoring the next generation of leaders. Through his mission, the inspired way, Dru has built more than companies. He's built a culture that elevates clients, team members, and entire communities.

In today’s conversation, we explore how leaders can break the stigma of mental health in the workplace and why a healthy culture is the foundation for long-term success. If you’re a nonprofit or business leader ready to build happier, more supported teams and integrate mental wellness into your leadership style, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode:

• [02:55] Building companies that give back
• [05:55] How early experiences in service shaped Dru’s lifelong commitment to philanthropy
• [09:48] Why culture is everything
• [16:13] Bringing mental health into the leadership conversation
• [20:19] How to create safe spaces for open dialogue at work
• [24:38] Simple ways to support your team’s mental health
• [27:36] The power of trust and flexibility in building resilient teams
• [31:49] Reframing mental health as a leadership responsibility

RESOURCES

The Lead with Heart Summit is not just another conference. It's a powerful, purpose-driven experience created specifically for nonprofit fundraisers who are feeling burned out, stretched thin, and in need of real, meaningful support. April, 2026.

E81:

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

Dr. Lola Gershfeld’s EmC Masterclass helps you boost communication skills to raise more revenue. Trusted by top universities and global organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART for 10% off.

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

I am so excited to welcome Dr. Jennifer Dall, a grief-informed neurodivergent specialist and founder of ADHD Holistically, to the Lead with Heart Podcast. This episode explores how understanding and embracing ADHD can actually help nonprofit professionals, and especially leaders, thrive.

Dr. Jen shares her personal story of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life, how grief reshaped her purpose, and what she’s learned about navigating overwhelm, focus, and emotional regulation. Together, we discuss how nonprofit leaders can use neurodivergent strengths to their advantage and create supportive, inclusive workplace cultures that help everyone shine.

In this episode:

• [03:15] Dr. Jennifer’s late-in-life ADHD diagnosis
• [06:03] How ADHD presents differently in women and why it’s often missed
• [10:10] Recognizing ADHD patterns
• [14:55] How to advocate for neurodivergence in the workplace without fear
• [20:21] The organizational benefits of supporting ADHD and neurodiversity
• [22:16] Why long-term coaching can overwhelm ADHD brains
• [24:44] Actionable tips for tackling everyday ADHD challenges
• [30:36] Lifestyle shifts for better focus and follow-through
• [32:05] One small mindset change that creates immediate impact

The Lead with Heart Summit is not just another conference. It's a powerful, purpose-driven experience created specifically for nonprofit fundraisers who are feeling burned out, stretched thin, and in need of real, meaningful support. April, 2026.

CONNECT WITH DR. JENNIFER

LinkedIn: Dr. Jennifer Dall

Instagram: @adhd.holistically

Website: https://adhdholistically.com/ 

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

I'm excited to welcome Ben Williamson to the Lead With Heart Podcast. Ben is  the Director of Recruitment at Ambitious Impact, a dynamic organization, reshaping how we identify and support the next generation of nonprofit leaders. He works with their Charity Entrepreneurship program, an incubator for nonprofits, where he helps people move from good intentions to real-world impact.

 Ben brings a refreshingly honest and insightful perspective to the table from hard-earned lessons of starting and shutting down a charity that wasn't delivering results, to focusing on what really matters to create impact, to spotting the unexpected qualities that make founders thrive.

In this episode:

• [02:45] How Ben found his own way to create social impact
• [05:12] Why Ben is focusing on international development
• [07:12] Ben's journey to building a nonprofit in West Africa
• [10:46] Navigating the vast cultural differences around family planning
• [16:03] Ben's brave decision to shut down his nonprofit
• [21:06] What founders must keep in mind when starting a nonprofit
• [24:40] Measuring what really matters in delivering real change
• [33:17] The traits behind excellent nonprofit founders
• [36:53] Advice for aspiring nonprofit founders to take the first step

Learn more about Charity Entrepreneurship, the incubator for nonprofits that Ben is a part of.

Catch up with my interview with Elaine Lankford on Episode 89 of the Lead With Heart Podcast.

Get my book Sow, Grow, Lead, where I share my own journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi, Africa, and more.

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

Dr. Lola Gershfeld’s EmC Masterclass helps you boost communication skills to raise more revenue. Trusted by top universities and global organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART for 10% off.

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Lead with Heart, I’m having Ami Paradise with me, and we're going to talk about finding balance, and how to prioritize self-care for your well-being. Ami shares her journey of burnout and how she discovered the importance of self-care.

If you're someone who struggles with balancing your own well-being with the things you care about, this episode is for you. So, tune in to this podcast episode and learn how to prioritize your own needs while still being there for others.

Ami Paradise is a professional life coach and working mom who specializes in supporting people to achieve a balance between the many things they care about AND their own well-being. She believes that we show up better not only for ourselves but for the people and things we love when we do.


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• [05:29] Why taking care of yourself first is vital for your well-being and success
• [09:12] Practical ways to take care of ourselves emotionally
• [16:55] The power of accountability buddies in prioritizing emotional well-being
• [20:04] How prioritizing our needs and shifting our focus improves our relationships

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“Rest before you need it. Because once you need it again, it's almost too late. But as you said, that's a real privilege. So what are some practical ways that we can do this? When we feel like, one, there's no space for it, perhaps. And two, we don't know how.” - Ami Paradise

“one has discovered that it becomes harder to focus when you're not taking care of your own needs. And suddenly, the spreadsheet in front of you is like gobbledygook, or you're making mistakes. So those are other pieces of how this plays out.” - Ami Paradise

“I like the idea of having accountability buddies. And I was thinking about this in terms of support, that if there's something that you need, but you're having trouble asking for it? Who can you talk it out with? Why do I need this, what's important to me about it, and then once we stand on that are grounded in the truth of this, this is necessary to my well-being that can help fuel us into having the conversation.” - Ami Parad

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode, I'm joined by our special guest Rhea Wong, a former executive director turned entrepreneur and the host of the Nonprofit Lowdown Podcast.

Join our discussion today to learn more about Rhea's journey in the nonprofit space, various aspects of successful fundraising, and how to shift your fundraising mindset.


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• [4:39] Fundraising is not about money
• [10:04] The scarcity mindset: What it looks like and how an organization can shift to an abundance mindset
• [14:03] How to utilize the art of storytelling to move beyond desperation and effectively communicate your organization's needs
• [21:54] Why you should develop a strong relationship with your donors
• [28:45] Take your fundraising to the next level by mastering the art of active listening
• [32:13] The importance of involving the CEO in the fundraising process 

RESOURCES

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss.

Get That Money, Honey!: The No-Bullsh*t Guide to Raising More Money For Your Nonprofit by Rhea Wong.

Podcast: Nonprofit Lowdown


NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“A big piece that I would say is number one, and I made this mistake early on is thinking that fundraising is about the money. It's not about the money. It's about relationships. It's about trying to help people, change the world, and build the legacy that they want to build. And

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

Dr. Lola Gershfeld’s EmC Masterclass helps you boost communication skills to raise more revenue. Trusted by top universities and global organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART for 10% off.

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Lead with Heart, I have Elizabeth Abel as my guest. She is a Senior Vice President at CCS Fundraising, a global fundraising consulting firm to nonprofits.

In this episode, we will get to know Elizabeth's background, what led her to nonprofit work and how she started, what philanthropy is, and how to embrace it in your daily life, leadership, and so much more!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• [05:06] What philanthropy is and how to embrace it in your daily life.
• [10:16] The power of 1 VS 1000.
• [12:42] How leaders can be better at communicating a clear vision to their staff.
• [18:02] To become a self-aware leader, you should be open to asking questions and seeking feedback.
• [23:01] How Elizabeth executes her leadership styles: The importance of meeting people where they are and putting them first.
• [28:37] Building authentic relationships with direct reports.
• [31:49] Tips for instilling a culture of feedback within your organization. 

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“Philanthropy for me as the driver, it's the fuel. It's the energy that drives the direction of nonprofits and allows us to serve the communities we're working so hard to serve.”

“A culture of philanthropy to me is when you have an organization that focuses on philanthropy as the lever to drive the social change that you wish to realize as an institution.”

“what's really important for me is to understand my direct reports Are they someone that primarily thinks logically authentically or empathetically, and I try and elevate those pillars in myself based on how I feel I've received their energies.”

“If I have a 30-minute check-in with one of my directors, I really internally commit to spending five or six minutes not talking about work, and it's little questions like, What did you do over the weekend? It

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

Dr. Lola Gershfeld’s EmC Masterclass helps you boost communication skills to raise more revenue. Trusted by top universities and global organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART for 10% off.

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

I’m so honored to have Alison Edwards as my guest in this episode of Lead with Heart. She is a local nonprofit leader and the CEO of Orange County Human Relations.

At OC Human Relations, they truly embody their mission not only when it comes to being the changemakers in their community, but when it comes to creating a good workplace for their staff with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).

Tune in to discover how Alison and the people in the organization are co-creating this workspace, including their current goal of providing staff with a baseline salary of $75,000, as well as some practical ways you can move the needle on DEIB and make your own organization a better place to work.


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• [03:04] How the OC Human Relations creates change in Orange County
• [07:21] Practical ways they have been supporting their staff and creating more equity and belonging
• [17:56] Ways to develop and foster a culture of psychological safety and trust internally
• [25:33] Navigating fundraising and being authentic to the organization’s values
• [30:15] Creating a good workplace and putting people first 
• [35:41] The value of listening to implement change in your organization

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“Folks should be accountable for getting their responsibilities completed. But we need to make sure we're not playing a role in being part of the problem.”

“We have this calling to do important work. But I just want to make sure that folks don't have to survive on that calling alone.”

“I think it does start with leadership. But part of my leadership is getting out of the way so other people can create the spaces that they need and they think that their colleagues need to be successful.”

“Ultimately, if we want to have good workplaces, we got to b

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

Dr. Lola Gershfeld’s EmC Masterclass helps you boost communication skills to raise more revenue. Trusted by top universities and global organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART for 10% off.

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode, I’m talking to Alana Weinroth. She is the Director of Development and Communications at Covenant House California, a Certified Life & Mindset Coach, and a 200-hour Registered Yoga Instructor.

After experiencing bouts of severe burnout and vicarious trauma, Alana reconnected with herself, established a healthy self-care routine, and started the Give a Damn Community to help others do the same and take care of themselves.

Join us today as we dive deeper into burnout, vicarious trauma, self-care, and life and mindset coaching. Alana shares some practical advice as well as some tools to help you start taking care of yourself first.


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• [06:14] Advice for those who want to get into nonprofit work
• [09:12] Vicarious trauma, its impact on you, and some strategies to deal with its very real symptoms
• [14:52] How the Give a Damn Community was born
• [19:11] The importance of self-care and tips to start filling yourself up first
• [25:17] What Alana’s Give a Damn Coaching work looks like
• [32:00] How to help someone who is experiencing burnout

RESOURCES

If want to start journaling, Alana has a free 30 Day Guided Gratitude Journal for new journalers or busy friends wanting to incorporate more mindfulness and gratitude. It will only take you about 2-5 minutes a day to connect with yourself more.

Gabrielle Bernstein’s May Cause Miracles: A 40-Day Guidebook of Subtle Shifts for Radical Change and Unlimited Happiness.


NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“We feel like

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

Dr. Lola Gershfeld’s EmC Masterclass helps you boost communication skills to raise more revenue. Trusted by top universities and global organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART for 10% off.

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

I’m so excited to have Mazarine Treyz as my guest in this episode of Lead with Heart. She is an effectiveness coach specializing in Human Design who helps leaders and teams step into their highest potential by knowing their unique designs.

Join us today to discover what Human Design is all about and the ways it can help you become a better leader and fundraiser. Mazarine walks us through very simple and practical examples of how different aspects of Human Design can show up in the context of leadership, the workplace, fundraising, and more, while also providing strategies to best deal with them.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• [04:15] The basics of Human Design and the 5 different types
• [10:07] How leaders can apply Human Design to their team dynamics
• [13:15] Self-work is the name of the game
• [17:22] Building trust and emotional safety with Human Design
• [20:16] Considering your team’s unique designs when setting goals
• [25:45] Ways Human Design can influence fundraising

RESOURCES

If you want to get your own Human Design chart, go to mybodygraph.com.

If you want to learn more about Human Design, check out Karren Curry’s book Understanding Human Design - The New Science of Astrology: Discover Who You Really Are.

To get your own Human Design Chart Reading with Mazarine or discover more ideas on how you can work together, please see: humandesignreadings.net/corporate-government


NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“There's no such thing as a bad chart.”

“Self-work is the name of the game in entrepreneurship and in leadership. [If] you don't do the self-work, you're going to be a terrible person to work with.”

“What human design really does, is that it allows us to be aware of our flaws and vulnerabilities in a way that's not very personal. It's like, ‘oh, this is just part of my chart. This isn't personal.’”

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Lead with Heart, I have Dawn Reese, the Chief Executive Officer of The Wooden Floor, as my guest. She is a social innovator who leverages her unique blend of experience in business, technology, education, and the arts to propel young people forward.

Tune in to discover ways to become a better nonprofit leader, as Dawn shares with us all about the power of leading with empathy through servant leadership, how to be proactive when it comes to fundraising, planning the way to achieve your vision for the organization, building an authentic and engaging culture of philanthropy, and so much more.


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• [04:31] Dawn’s transition from the for-profit sector to the nonprofit sector
• [08:34] The Wooden Floor’s successful long-term strategic planning
• [16:19] The Forward Thinking Fundraising Model
• [21:15] The culture of philanthropy at The Wooden Floor and how to build your own
• [26:40] What Servant Leadership looks like in practice
• [39:52] How Dawn stays true to her brand mission

RESOURCES

If you want to learn more about outcomes listen to Lead with Heart’s Episode 9: How Data Can Help Your Nonprofit Organization Thrive with Traci Shirachi.

Dawn is a big believer in Stephen Covey’s Speed of Trust, one of her top reads. To find out more about the book visit speedoftrust.com


NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“As nonprofit leaders [we] have to cultivate that in a really authentic way, that's really heartfelt, and not about transactions. It's about developing a heart for our mission and making sure that it's authentic. That's what I do, I don't lead with fundraising, I lead with heart [...] and that'

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

Dr. Lola Gershfeld’s EmC Masterclass helps you boost communication skills to raise more revenue. Trusted by top universities and global organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART for 10% off.

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com
YouTube: thesavvyfundraiser
Produced by Ideablossoms