Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bypassing Bite #5: Stay in the Room | 17 Oct 2026 | 00:03:16 | |
What to Do Instead of Bypassing So if we stop bypassing, what do we do instead? We stay. Not forever. Not because discomfort is inherently good. And not because we need to wallow in every difficult emotion that comes along. We simply practice staying present long enough to notice what’s actually happening before we rush to avoid it, fix it, reframe it or make it disappear. In this final installment of Bypassing Bites, we bring the series together with a simple practice for meeting uncomfortable moments differently: notice, name, stay and choose. What am I feeling? What am I trying to avoid? Can I stay with this sensation for just a little longer? And if I weren’t trying to escape this feeling, what would I choose to do next? Because emotional mastery isn’t getting so evolved that uncomfortable feelings stop showing up. It’s becoming increasingly capable of staying with yourself when they do. Your final Bypassing Bite: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Bypassing Bite #4: Peace at Any Price Isn’t Peace | 16 Oct 2026 | 00:02:32 | |
The Hidden Cost of Needing Everyone to Be Okay There’s a difference between being peaceful and needing there to be peace. If you need everyone around you to be happy, comfortable and pleased with you, keeping the peace can become a full-time job. You monitor people’s reactions. Soften what you really mean. Say yes when you mean no. Take responsibility for someone else’s disappointment. Rush in to fix tension before you’ve even decided whether it’s yours to fix. And ironically, all that peacekeeping can leave you with very little peace inside yourself. In this fourth installment of Bypassing Bites, we look at what happens when our desire for harmony becomes a way of avoiding discomfort—and why someone else’s disappointment, frustration or disagreement doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done something wrong. Real peace has room for awkwardness. It has room for disagreement. It even has room for someone not being happy with you. Your Bypassing Bite: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Bypassing Bite #3: I Just Don’t Like Conflict | 15 Oct 2026 | 00:05:15 | |
When Being Easy to Work With Gets Expensive “I hate drama.” Sometimes that’s discernment. And sometimes it’s avoidance dressed up as a virtue. In this third installment of Bypassing Bites, we’re looking at conflict avoidance—and the ways being agreeable, flexible and “easy to work with” can keep us from saying what actually needs to be said. Avoiding the conversation may keep things comfortable in the moment. But the conflict doesn’t necessarily disappear. It can show up instead as resentment, exhaustion, withdrawal, over-explaining or quietly checking out. Not having the conversation doesn’t mean you’ve eliminated the conflict. Sometimes you’ve simply moved the conflict inside yourself. In this bite-sized episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, we explore what it costs us to continually keep the peace—and what can change when we become more willing to tolerate the discomfort of honest conversation. Your Bypassing Bite: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Bypassing Bite #2: Avoidance Works. That’s the Problem. | 14 Oct 2026 | 00:04:37 | |
Why the Thing That Gives You Relief Today Creates Trouble Tomorrow Avoidance gets a bad rap. But here’s the problem: avoidance works. Don’t send the email. Don’t make the ask. Don’t have the uncomfortable conversation. Say “it’s fine” and move on. And almost immediately, you feel better. That relief is exactly what makes avoidance such an effective self-preservation strategy—and why we keep returning to it. But the thing we avoided rarely disappears. Instead, we may be teaching ourselves that the discomfort itself is something we can’t handle. In this bite-sized episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, we look at why avoiding discomfort can feel so good in the moment, how short-term relief can create bigger problems later, and what changes when we become more willing to stay with discomfort instead of immediately trying to escape it. Because sometimes the very thing you’re doing to protect yourself from discomfort is also protecting you from the result you want. Your Bypassing Bite: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Bypassing Bite #1: "But I’m Trying to Stay Positive" | 13 Oct 2026 | 00:04:59 | |
Spiritual Bypassing and the Feelings We’d Rather Not Feel What if “staying positive” isn’t always as healthy as it sounds? In this first installment of Bypassing Bites, a five-part mini-series from The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, we’re looking at spiritual bypassing—the ways we can use positivity, gratitude, forgiveness, spirituality and even personal-growth language to avoid feelings we’d rather not feel. Sometimes “I’m choosing gratitude” really is gratitude. Sometimes “I’ve let it go” really does mean we’ve let it go. And sometimes we’re trying to skip over the anger, hurt, disappointment or fear underneath it. In this bite-sized episode, we explore the difference between genuinely moving through an emotion and trying to get to the other side of it before we’ve actually allowed ourselves to feel it. Because emotional mastery isn’t about feeling good all the time. It’s about becoming more willing to be with what’s actually here. Your Bypassing Bite: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| How to Ask Without Feeling Like a Burden, With Susan Fox | 06 Oct 2026 | 00:49:43 | |
Releasing the fear of imposing so you can fundraise with clarity and ease. In this live coaching session, Erin sits down with Susan Fox, a practitioner and nonprofit founder who feels like she’s imposing whenever she asks for donations. Together, they unpack the money stories she inherited from family, the “I have to do it all myself” pattern, and the shame that shows up in her body every time she thinks about fundraising. If you’ve ever felt like asking for support is a burden—or worried people will avoid you if you make the ask—this conversation will feel very familiar. In this episode, you’ll hear:
You’ll walk away with language, insight, and a next step you can use right away as you prepare your next appeal. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| One Foot In, One Foot Out | 29 Sep 2026 | 00:21:25 | |
What Your Split Energy Is Communicating Before You Say a Word You say you want the gift. The promotion. The client. The opportunity. But is all of you moving toward it? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin explores “split energy”—what happens when one part of us wants something while another part is quietly backing away. Using the story of a real estate agent who seemed enthusiastic about selling her house and then disappeared, Erin looks at the messages we're sending beyond our words. Because people aren't only listening to what we say. They're experiencing our follow-through, body language, presence, hesitation, urgency, and energy. And in fundraising, that matters. Split energy might look like avoiding the ask, softening it until it's barely an ask at all, overexplaining, failing to follow up—or desperately needing the donor to say yes. But being “all in” doesn't mean eliminating fear, doubt, or uncertainty. It means becoming clear about your part: showing up, making the invitation, staying present, and allowing the other person to be free in their response. In this episode:
A question to take with you: Because your job isn't to control someone else's yes. Your job is to notice whether you've said yes to your part. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Why do I Keep Doing That?! | 22 Sep 2026 | 00:13:38 | |
The Hidden Patterns Making Fundraising Harder Than It Has to Be September used to make me itch. As a professional fundraiser, I knew the all-important fourth quarter was approaching, and I never felt ready. Appeals, Giving Tuesday, events, planned giving messaging—my days were long on tasks and short on energy. I kept working, but underneath all that activity was a familiar mix of overwhelm, pressure, and avoidance. What I understand now that I didn't understand then is that the problem wasn't just my workload. Some of the patterns I brought to my workload were making an already demanding season even harder. In this episode, we explore why we keep doing things we know aren't helping us—overthinking, taking rejection personally, saying yes when we mean no, avoiding uncomfortable conversations, and carrying things that aren't ours to carry. We'll look at how to recognize these patterns with curiosity and begin choosing a different response. Because maybe you don't need another Q4 strategy right now. Maybe you need fewer old patterns coming with you into Q4. Join me for a free workshop: September 24 | 3 p.m. Eastern Register here: https://lnkd.in/gknTTmEq ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Awkward Middle | 15 Sep 2026 | 00:32:05 | |
Navigating the Heebie Jeebies of Learning in Public We love growth. We just don't necessarily love letting other people watch us grow. There's an awkward middle between deciding you want to get better at something and actually becoming good at it—a place where you don't quite know what you're doing yet, other people may be watching, and you can't control what they think about your performance. For many of us, that's when preparation starts to look awfully attractive. One more course. A little more research. Another degree. A few more donor touches. Just a little more practice before we put ourselves out there. But when does responsible preparation become hiding? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, I'm exploring the vulnerability of learning in public—and sharing some of my own discomfort with doing exactly that as I learn how to podcast. We'll look at why being a capable, accomplished adult can actually make beginnerhood harder, what research tells us about women's desire to feel prepared before pursuing professional opportunities, and why avoiding discomfort can quietly cost us the very experience we need to grow. We'll also look at how this shows up in fundraising: delaying the major-gift ask, researching instead of talking to donors, waiting until we can answer every possible question, or convincing ourselves we're not quite ready for the next opportunity. Because eventually, there's something preparation can't give us: Experience. In this episode:
The goal isn't to become fearless. It's to become safe enough within yourself to say: You might see me struggle. You might see me make a mistake. You might see me learn. And I'm going to do it anyway. Because that's how we get from here to there. Research mentioned in this episode Tara Sophia Mohr, “Why Women Don't Apply for Jobs Unless They're 100% Qualified,” Harvard Business Review. Mohr is also the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead. The episode also references subsequent research examining gender differences in how prepared people want to feel before applying for jobs—and why the commonly repeated “women apply at 100%, men at 60%” statistic shouldn't be treated as established scientific fact. Stay connected 💌 Join The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter for reflections and practical tools around fundraising, leadership, emotional mastery, and your inner climate: https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile Learn more about my coaching and speaking at Vitalist Coaching: https://www.vitalistcoaching.com If this episode made you think of someone who's been preparing, researching, studying, or waiting for permission to begin, send it their way. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Fastest Way to Lose a Great Idea | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:16:19 | |
Why your first reaction to a big vision may be the very thing keeping you small Have you ever had an exciting idea—only to talk yourself out of it before it had a chance to breathe? In this episode, I share a powerful insight from a recent one-on-one business retreat: the biggest obstacle to our dreams often isn't a lack of time, money, or opportunity. It's the habit of rushing straight to the logistics. When we're operating from old patterns of fear or self-protection, our minds become remarkably efficient at explaining why something won't work. Before we've even allowed ourselves to imagine what's possible, we've already dismissed it. What if the first step isn't figuring out how your vision will happen—but giving yourself permission to simply hold it? Whether you're dreaming about a bold fundraising initiative, a career move, or a life that feels more aligned, this episode invites you to notice how quickly you leave possibility behind—and how opening your heart may be the key to opening your future. In this episode, you'll discover:
Sometimes the most courageous thing you can do isn't to build the dream. It's to stop talking yourself out of it. Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if this conversation resonated with you, I'd love for you to leave a rating and review. It helps more fundraisers and nonprofit leaders discover a healthier, more sustainable way to lead. 💌 Join my free newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, for practical tools and reflections on emotional mastery, fundraising, leadership, and creating an inner climate where abundance can grow: https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile You can also learn more about my coaching and speaking at Vitalist Coaching: https://www.vitalistcoaching.com ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Ready Is Not a Feeling | with Tania Cervoni | 01 Sep 2026 | 01:00:34 | |
How to Stop Believing the Stories That Keep You Small What if the loudest voice in your head isn't the wisest one? In this special collaboration episode, Erin sits down with Tania Cervoni, host of Banish the Lies, to explore the stories we unknowingly carry about ourselves—and how those stories shape our confidence, our relationships, our careers, and our willingness to pursue what matters most. Together, they discuss the inner critic, nervous system regulation, curiosity, perfectionism, and the surprising truth that ready isn't a feeling—it's a decision. Whether you're a fundraiser, leader, entrepreneur, or simply someone who wants to stop second-guessing yourself, this conversation offers practical tools for recognizing the voices that keep you small and choosing a different path. In this episode, you'll learn:
About Tania Cervoni Tania Cervoni is the host of Banish the Lies, a podcast that helps listeners recognize and challenge the unconscious beliefs that quietly shape their lives. Through thoughtful conversations and practical insights, she explores self-awareness, self-compassion, leadership, and the stories we inherit about who we are. If this conversation resonated with you, I encourage you to listen to Banish the Lies and connect with Tania for more conversations about quieting the inner critic and creating a life based on truth rather than fear. Stay Connected If you're enjoying The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, be sure to subscribe and join The Brave &Balanced Note, my free newsletter with practical tools for emotional mastery, sustainable fundraising, and living with greater courage and ease. And if this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to leave a review or share it with someone whose inner critic has been a little too loud lately. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Medicine We've Forgotten | 25 Aug 2026 | 00:22:58 | |
How Plants Can Help You Return to Calm, Healing, and Self-Sovereignty In this personal episode, I'm stepping outside my usual fundraising conversations to share one of the practices that has profoundly shaped my own healing journey: working with medicinal plants. When I became seriously ill in early 2020, I found myself searching for ways to support my body while the world felt uncertain. That search led me into the study of herbalism—a path that reminded me of something our ancestors once knew well: that many of the plants growing around us have been trusted allies for generations. This isn't about rejecting modern medicine. Quite the opposite. It's about expanding our understanding of what caring for ourselves can look like. Alongside the incredible gifts of modern healthcare, there's also something deeply empowering about learning simple ways to support our nervous system, our rest, and our everyday well-being. In this episode, I share:
Whether you're simply curious about herbs or you've been longing to reconnect with the natural world, I hope this conversation encourages you to explore with wonder, wisdom, and respect. Mentioned in this episode Penn Herb — Quality dried medicinal herbs and supplies Strictly Medicinal Seeds — Medicinal herb seeds and plants for growing your own herbal garden If you're enjoying these conversations about living with greater courage, balance, and authenticity, I'd love to have you join my free newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, where I share practical reflections and tools to help you create an inner climate that supports the life you're here to live. Subscribe here: https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1 ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Who Does She Think She Is? | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:13:45 | |
The Fear That Keeps Brilliant Women Playing Small Have you ever downplayed your accomplishments, brushed off a compliment, or hesitated to celebrate a win because you didn't want to seem arrogant? Many of us were taught that being humble is a virtue. But what if some of what we've been calling humility is actually fear? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden emotional patterns that keep so many caring, capable people from stepping fully into their gifts. Together, we'll unpack why we shrink ourselves to stay safe, how old stories about criticism and belonging shape our behavior, and what it really means to lead with confidence without losing our humility. If you've ever worried about "getting too big for your britches," felt uncomfortable receiving recognition, or found yourself holding back even though you know you're capable of more, this conversation is for you. In this episode, you'll discover:
The goal isn't to become louder, more boastful, or more self-promotional. It's to become free—free to accept appreciation, celebrate your growth, and pursue the work you're uniquely here to do without apologizing for taking up space. Enjoying the podcast? Follow The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who has a habit of making themselves smaller to keep everyone else comfortable. Want more practical tools for leading with courage, clarity, and emotional resilience? Sign up for The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter, where I share coaching insights, reflections, and practical exercises to help you lead from alignment instead of anxiety. Join here: https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1 ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Getting Fired Might Be the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You. | 11 Aug 2026 | 00:18:17 | |
How Unexpected Endings Can Lead You Back to Yourself Losing a job can feel devastating. It can shake your confidence, your identity, and your sense of security. But what if getting fired wasn't the end of your story? What if it was the beginning of something far more aligned? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright shares her own experiences of both being fired and having to let others go, exploring why the career endings we resist can sometimes become the greatest gifts of our lives. Together, we'll unpack the fear that keeps us holding on long after we've outgrown a role, why some of us are wired to stay longer than we should, and how unexpected transitions create an opportunity to reconnect with who we really are and the work we're here to do. Along the way, Erin references the astrological concept of Fixed signs—one of the three zodiac modalities—as a metaphor for loyalty, perseverance, and the tendency to resist change. If you're curious about the differences between Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable signs, The Old Farmer's Almanac offers a helpful overview of these personality modalities: https://www.almanac.com/cardinal-fixed-mutable-cardinal-signs. In astrology, Cardinal signs tend to initiate, Fixed signs sustain and stabilize, and Mutable signs adapt and embrace change. While astrology isn't the focus of this episode, it's a useful lens for understanding why some of us naturally cling to the familiar while others are more comfortable embracing change. In this episode, you'll discover:
If you're navigating a layoff, career transition, or simply wondering whether it's time for a change, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and trust that endings often make room for beginnings we couldn't yet imagine. Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's facing a career transition or wondering what's next. Want more tools for leading with courage, clarity, and emotional resilience? Sign up for The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter, where I share coaching insights, practical tools, and reflections to help you lead from alignment instead of anxiety. Join here: https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1 ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| How to Fundraise as a Board Member Without Burning Out | 04 Aug 2026 | 00:15:43 | |
Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than Fundraising Experience Serving on a nonprofit board can be one of the most meaningful ways to give back—but it can also become one of the fastest paths to burnout if you're carrying too much responsibility without enough support. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores what effective board fundraising really looks like, why asking for money isn't the only way to advance your organization's mission, and how emotional intelligence can help you become a more confident and sustainable volunteer leader. Whether you're brand new to board service or you've been volunteering for years, this conversation will help you approach fundraising with greater clarity, healthier boundaries, and a mindset that allows you to serve without sacrificing yourself. In this episode, you'll learn:
If you've ever wondered whether you're doing enough as a board member—or felt like you're carrying more than your share of the load—this episode is for you. Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share it with a fellow board member, volunteer, or nonprofit leader who could use a little encouragement. Want more practical tools for leading with courage, clarity, and emotional resilience? Sign up for The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter, where I share reflections, coaching insights, and practical strategies to help you lead from alignment instead of anxiety. Join here: https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1 ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Calm the Chaos, Challenge Distortions with Kelly Hint | 28 Jul 2026 | 01:03:16 | |
How cognitive distortions drive fundraising anxiety—and a simple progressive muscle relaxation practice to shift your nervous system back into ease, clarity, and authentic confidence. Ever feel like you have to be “palatable” to donors—like you need to shrink, mask, or perform to succeed? In this episode, Erin sits down with Kelly Hint, LMHC, NCC, and OCD specialist, to unpack the difference between cognitive dissonance (the body-level discomfort of not being your authentic self) and cognitive distortions (the anxious thought-loops that fuel perfectionism, catastrophizing, mind-reading, and the “shoulds”). You’ll hear how these patterns show up in fundraising pressure—like tying your self-worth to results, assuming a “no” means you failed, or believing you can’t be fully yourself without losing the donor. Then Kelly guides a progressive muscle relaxation practice you can use before donor meetings, after tough interactions, or anytime anxiety takes over—helping you release tension and regain steadiness. In this episode, you’ll learn:
About Kelly Hint: Kelly is a licensed mental health counselor in New York, a nationally certified counselor, a nationally certified clinical mental health counselor, an OCD specialist, and the author of Kick Ass Coping Companion. Find Kelly:
✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Lava Rock Effect | 21 Jul 2026 | 00:15:43 | |
Why Other People's Emotions Keep Pulling You Away from Your Most Important Work Have you ever sat down with a clear plan for your day… only to find yourself pulled into everyone else's problems? In this episode, Erin shares a simple metaphor from the New Mexico desert that completely changed the way she thinks about work, leadership, and people-pleasing. Using the image of lava rock—with all of its tiny holes and distractions—she explores why so many caring professionals abandon their own priorities in order to manage relationships, smooth conflict, and keep everyone else comfortable. If you've ever finished a workday exhausted without making progress on what mattered most, this episode will help you understand why—and how to begin changing the pattern with curiosity instead of self-criticism. In this episode, you'll learn:
Resources mentioned
If this episode resonated with you, subscribe so you never miss an episode, and join The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter, for practical insights on emotional mastery, leadership, and fundraising without burnout. Sign up here: If you found this conversation helpful, I'd be grateful if you'd leave a rating or review—it helps more thoughtful fundraisers discover the show. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Emotional Work No One Trains You For, with Betsy Burris | 14 Jul 2026 | 01:22:44 | |
What Teachers and Fundraisers Can Teach Each Other About Burnout, Boundaries, and Being Human Teachers and fundraisers may seem worlds apart—but underneath the surface, they're doing remarkably similar emotional work. In this special podcast swap episode, Erin joins Betsy Burris, host of Teaching Through Emotions, for a wide-ranging conversation about the invisible emotional labor that comes with helping professions. Together they explore burnout, people-pleasing, nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, the Enneagram, and why so many caring professionals end up sacrificing themselves in the name of serving others. Whether you spend your days in classrooms, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, coaching practices, or any profession centered on helping people, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: the relationship you have with yourself shapes every relationship you have with others. In this episode, we discuss:
Connect with Betsy Burris If this conversation resonated with you, be sure to check out Teaching Through Emotions, where Betsy helps teachers understand the emotional and relational dynamics that shape life in the classroom. Even if you're not an educator, you'll find practical wisdom for navigating relationships, emotions, and leadership with greater awareness. Stay Connected If you're enjoying The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and join The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter filled with practical tools for emotional mastery, fundraising, and sustainable leadership. I'd also love to hear what stood out to you from this conversation. Leave a review, share this episode with a colleague, or send it to someone in a helping profession who needs the reminder that taking care of themselves isn't selfish—it's essential. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| You're Talking Yourself Out of Donations | 07 Jul 2026 | 00:28:49 | |
How Your Words Can Make Donors Pull Away Have you ever answered a simple question and then kept talking long after you'd already answered it? Maybe you've explained your reasoning, then explained your explanation, then explained why you explained it in the first place. If so, you're not alone. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden emotional and nervous-system dynamics behind over-explaining. What appears on the surface to be a communication habit is often something deeper: a fear of rejection, disapproval, misunderstanding, or not being enough. Drawing on a recent experience in a group setting, Erin unpacks what happens when explanation turns into self-protection—and how this same pattern can show up in fundraising conversations, where too much talking can unintentionally push donors away. You'll learn:
If you've ever found yourself talking faster, explaining more, or trying to convince someone to understand you, this episode offers a compassionate invitation to pause, breathe, and trust that your words can stand on their own. In This Episode:
A Question to Reflect On: The next time you catch yourself over-explaining, ask: "Am I speaking to inform, or am I speaking to seek safety?" The answer might surprise you. Subscribe to The Brave & Balanced Note for weekly reflections and practical tools to help you fundraise, lead, and live with more courage, clarity, and ease: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Urgency Trap | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:25:30 | |
Why Moving Faster Isn't Always the Answer What if the thing making you feel like you need to speed up is actually the thing asking you to slow down? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden cost of living in a constant state of urgency. From fundraising campaigns and Giving Tuesday deadlines to overflowing inboxes and endless to-do lists, many nonprofit professionals have learned to operate as though every day is an emergency. But what happens when urgency becomes our default way of being? Drawing on her own experience in fundraising leadership, Erin shares how chronic urgency can narrow our perspective, strain our relationships, disconnect us from our bodies, and ultimately make us less effective—not more. You'll learn:
Erin also shares insights from Mark Nepo's The Book of Awakening and reflects on the fundraising culture that often rewards exhaustion while overlooking sustainability. If you've ever felt like you can't stop, can't rest, or can't slow down because there's simply too much to do, this episode is for you. In This Episode:
Journal Prompt: Where in your life are you telling yourself, "I don't have time for that"? Could that be the very thing your nervous system needs most? Subscribe to The Brave & Balanced Note for weekly reflections and practical tools to help you fundraise, lead, and live with more steadiness and less stress: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Your Nervous System IS the Fundraising Strategy, with Dr. Pollyanna Chavez | 23 Jun 2026 | 01:14:25 | |
The “state” shift that turns scarcity into abundance… fast In this episode, Erin sits down with Dr. Pollyanna Chavez, hypnotherapist and NLP trainer, to explore why your state might be your most powerful fundraising tool. Pollyanna shares the surprising origin story that led her into hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming — a wild mustang that mirrored her internal anxiety — and then guides Erin through a simple, practical exercise to shift from scarcity and constriction into abundance, joy, and play. You’ll learn how to “anchor” a resourceful state (using thumb + index finger), why donors can sense incongruence even when you’re saying the “right” words, and how to give your high-achiever mind an on/off switch — so you can show up calm, connected, and magnetic. In this episode, we cover:
Try this: Find Dr. Pollyanna Chavez and her NLPI (Next Level Pro Institute) here: https://linktr.ee/nlpi If you loved this episode: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Thoughts You Keep Thinking About Money | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:23:14 | |
And Why They Keep Becoming Your Reality What if the thoughts you repeat most often about money are quietly shaping your entire life? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden “money mantras” many of us inherited in childhood — beliefs like money is hard to make, there’s never enough, I have to sacrifice myself for money, or people with money are selfish — and how those unconscious thoughts continue to shape our nervous systems, fundraising, relationships, leadership, exhaustion, and sense of self-worth. Erin shares personal stories, practical examples, and reflective journaling prompts to help listeners uncover the financial beliefs they absorbed before they were old enough to question them — and begin intentionally choosing new beliefs that create more peace, possibility, and alignment. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Erin also explores how the nervous system often prefers familiar struggle over unfamiliar expansion — even when the old patterns are painful — and why changing your internal story about money can begin changing your external experience of life. Journal prompt from this episode:
Subscribe to Erin’s newsletter, The Brave &Balanced Note, for reflections and tools to help you lead, fundraise, and live with more steadiness and less scarcity: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Myth of the Selfless Servant | 09 Jun 2026 | 00:26:06 | |
Why Overresponsibility Eventually Turns Into Resentment What if the very thing that makes you “good” at fundraising is also quietly exhausting you? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden emotional pattern behind overgiving, over-functioning, and burnout in the nonprofit world: the Selfless Servant persona. With humor, honesty, and powerful personal stories, Erin unpacks why so many fundraisers unconsciously tie their worth to being indispensable — and why that pattern eventually leads to resentment, nervous system exhaustion, and emotional depletion. You’ll learn:
Erin also shares a practical “Selfless Servant Checklist” to help listeners recognize this pattern in themselves — including people pleasing, emotional scorekeeping, over-responsibility, difficulty receiving support, and the belief that rest is selfish. If you’ve ever felt secretly resentful while telling everyone you’re “happy to help,” this episode is for you. Subscribe to Erin’s newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, for reflections and tools to help you fundraise, lead, and live with more steadiness and less self-abandonment: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Why Nice Fundraisers Become Bitter | 02 Jun 2026 | 00:26:13 | |
How resentment quietly builds when you abandon yourself for the mission Have you ever noticed how some people in fundraising start out hopeful, warm, and deeply connected to the mission… and a few years later they’re cynical, exhausted, and quietly resentful? In this episode, Erin McQuade-Wright explores why bitterness is often not a character flaw—but accumulated self-abandonment. When we constantly override our needs, overextend ourselves, avoid boundaries, and expect other people to regulate our emotional experience, resentment begins to build beneath the surface. And over time, that bitterness doesn’t just affect our wellbeing—it affects our fundraising results, our relationships, and the energy we bring into every room. This episode dives into the hidden emotional patterns beneath bitterness, how your nervous system shapes your fundraising presence, and why your internal climate matters more than you may realize. You’ll also learn how to recognize bitterness early, work with it instead of against it, and stop outsourcing your emotional state to donors, leadership, coworkers, or circumstances. In this episode, you’ll learn:
A moment to reflect: What if bitterness isn’t proof that something is wrong with you… but feedback that something inside you needs your attention? Ready to go deeper? Subscribe to The Brave & Balanced Note for weekly reflections and practical tools to help you regulate your inner climate and fundraise with more ease, clarity, and grounded confidence: Share this episode: If you know a fundraiser who’s carrying too much, feeling resentful, or quietly burning out, send them this episode. They may need the reminder that bitterness is not failure—and they don’t have to harden themselves to survive this work. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| You’re Not Stuck—You’ve Hit Your Money Ceiling | 26 May 2026 | 00:28:14 | |
The invisible limit that’s controlling how much money you raise. Have you ever had a stretch in your fundraising where things feel easy—momentum is building, conversations are flowing—and then suddenly, it’s like you hit a wall? Same effort. Same strategy. Completely different results. What if you’re not stuck… you’ve just hit your money ceiling? In this episode, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the concept of a “money ceiling”—the internal limit your system believes is safe when it comes to raising money, visibility, and success. When you push beyond that limit, your nervous system doesn’t celebrate—it often pulls you back. That can look like overthinking, avoidance, under-asking, or losing momentum right after a breakthrough. From the outside, it looks like inconsistency. You’ll learn how to recognize when you’ve hit your ceiling, what your system is actually trying to protect you from, and how to expand your capacity for more—without pushing harder or burning out. In this episode, you’ll learn:
A question to sit with: What would be possible if more success actually felt safe? Ready to go deeper? If this episode resonated, subscribe to The Brave & Balanced Note—my weekly newsletter where I share tools and reflections to help you regulate your inner climate and raise money with more clarity, confidence, and ease: 👉 https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1 Share this episode: Know someone who’s been feeling inconsistent or stuck in their fundraising? Send this their way—it might help them see what’s really going on beneath the surface. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| When Fundraising Becomes Your Identity, with Mallory Erickson | 19 May 2026 | 00:35:46 | |
Why Stress, Comparison, and “Not Enough” Are Driving More Than You Think In this conversation, Erin McQuade-Wright sits down with fundraising coach and What the Fundraising host Mallory Erickson to explore the inner dynamics that shape how fundraisers show up: comparison, visibility discomfort, nervous system dysregulation, and the quiet belief of “not enough.” Together, they unpack the hidden cost of tying your identity to outcomes—and what it takes to create space between who you are and what you produce. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing well on paper but struggling internally, this episode will hit home. In this episode, we cover:
Key Insight You can’t control how a donor responds—but you can control how you show up. And that starts with your inner climate. 🔗 About Mallory Erickson Mallory Erickson is the founder and CEO of Practivated, an executive coach, fundraising consultant, and host of the podcast What the Fundraising. She helps fundraisers move beyond transactional approaches to build lasting, mission-aligned partnerships. Through her Power Partners Formula™, Mallory has trained over 60,000 fundraisers, blending executive coaching, behavior design, and strategic fundraising. Her book, What the Fundraising, explores how shifting away from scarcity leads to more sustainable and impactful fundraising. 🔗 Connect with Mallory
🔗 Connect with Erin
✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| You’re Walking Past Money Every Day (Here’s Why) | 12 May 2026 | 00:13:51 | |
The hidden filter that’s keeping you from seeing opportunity right in front of you If you’re not raising the money you want, what if the issue isn’t effort—but awareness? In this episode, Erin McQuade-Wright explores a powerful (and often invisible) truth: you may be walking past opportunities every single day—not because they aren’t there, but because your brain is filtering them out. Drawing on a simple but eye-opening story from her own life, Erin breaks down how your mind prioritizes safety, familiarity, and identity over possibility—and how that directly impacts your ability to see and act on fundraising opportunities. From avoiding follow-ups to deciding a donor “isn’t ready,” many of the choices we make aren’t based on facts—they’re based on internal filters designed to protect us from discomfort, rejection, or risk. And every time you obey that filter, you may be leaving money on the table. This episode will help you recognize where this is happening in your own work—and give you a simple, grounded way to start shifting it today. In this episode, you’ll learn:
A moment to reflect: What am I not allowing myself to see? Ready to go deeper? If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to my newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, for weekly tools and reflections to help you regulate your inner climate and raise money with more clarity, confidence, and ease. Sign up here. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Why You Feel Stuck (and the Simple Shift That Gets You Moving Today) | 05 May 2026 | 00:31:40 | |
The hidden reason you’re avoiding action—and how to move anyway If you’ve ever tried to push yourself out of feeling stuck—only to end up overthinking, procrastinating, or avoiding the very thing you know you need to do—this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Erin McQuade-Wright unpacks what’s actually happening beneath the surface when you feel stuck. Instead of treating it like a problem to fix, she reveals how “stuck” is often a protective strategy your nervous system is using to avoid pain—especially the pain of judgment, failure, or getting it wrong. You’ll learn why waiting for clarity keeps you frozen, how avoidance disguises itself as productivity, and the simple shift that moves you back into action—without white-knuckling your way through it. This episode also includes a brief somatic reset you can use in real time, plus one powerful question to help you move forward today: “What do you need to let go of to experience being in action?” In this episode, you’ll learn:
A quote to carry with you: “God meets me in action.” — Cathy Heller Ready to go deeper? If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to my newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, for weekly reflections and tools to help you regulate your inner climate and show up with more clarity, courage, and ease. Sign up here! ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Why Asking for Money Feels So Personal | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:23:52 | |
The Psychology Behind Fundraising Discomfort — And What to Do About It Why does asking for money feel so… personal? In this episode, Erin explores the moment many fundraisers recognize: when a professional ask suddenly feels like something about you is on the line. Not strategic. Not neutral. Personal. This isn’t a tactics problem—it’s a human one. You’ll learn why the ask can trigger a sense of social risk, how identity and nervous system responses shape your experience, and what to do in the moment to stay grounded, present, and connected. If you’ve ever avoided an ask, overthought it, or walked away feeling drained, this episode will help you understand why—and how to approach it differently. In this episode, you’ll learn:
✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Why Fundraisers Feel Responsible for the Money | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:12:59 | |
The Hidden Pressure Behind Nonprofit Revenue Goals If you work in fundraising, you may know the quiet pressure that lives in the background of the job: the feeling that if the money doesn’t come in, something bad might happen. Programs could shrink, staff jobs could be at risk, and the mission you care about might struggle to continue. In this episode, Erin explores why so many fundraisers end up carrying the emotional weight of their organization’s finances — and how that pressure can show up in the body, the nervous system, and the way we approach donor conversations. You’ll learn why this sense of responsibility is so common, how it can quietly shape your fundraising energy, and how releasing that burden can lead to more grounded, relational, and sustainable fundraising. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why fundraisers often feel personally responsible for their organization’s financial health When fundraisers release the belief that everything depends on them, the nervous system settles. And when that happens, fundraising becomes what it was always meant to be: a relationship, not a rescue mission. If this conversation resonated with you, consider sharing it with a fellow fundraiser who might need the reminder that they’re not carrying this work alone. You can also join the conversation inside the Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook community (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/181QkraoKQ/), where fundraisers talk honestly about the inner side of this work. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Mission Over Burnout with Mary Beth Alvarez | 14 Apr 2026 | 00:34:24 | |
What Fundraisers, Donors, and Doctors Can Teach Us About Sustainability, Mental Health, and the Long Game In this episode of The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser, Erin is joined by Mary Beth Alvarez, a dual-boarded internist and psychiatrist, public health professional, philanthropist, and longtime nonprofit board member. Together, they explore why burnout isn’t actually solved by self-care alone… how secrecy and discomfort around money create anxiety for fundraisers and donors alike… and why sustainable fundraising depends on connection to mission, clear expectations, and honest conversation. Drawing from medicine, mental health, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership, Mary Beth shares why systems shouldn’t rely on burnout or heroics, how direct asks help people feel included rather than pressured, and what it looks like to play the long game with donors, board members, and fundraising teams. This episode is for fundraisers who feel the weight of the ask, for donors and board members who want to be genuinely engaged, and for anyone who believes mission-driven work should not come at the cost of well-being. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Hold Your Own Energy: A Somatic Reset for Fundraising Events | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:22:11 | |
A Nervous System Approach to Donor Events, Fundraising Anxiety, and Executive Presence Have you ever left a fundraising gala feeling outwardly successful but internally depleted? Fundraising events are high-stimulation environments — filled with noise, hierarchy, expectation, and subtle power dynamics. For many nonprofit professionals — especially empathic or highly sensitive fundraisers — these spaces can trigger nervous system overdrive. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin explores:
If you’ve ever felt yourself scanning the room, over-accommodating influential donors, or subtly shrinking in high-dollar environments, this episode offers a grounded alternative. Because your authority in fundraising does not come from hovering near power. It comes from holding your own. What You’ll Learn in This Episode
The 20-Second Reset (Quick Reference) At your next fundraising event:
Presence is power. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| The Enneagram in Fundraising: Your Superpower and Your Growth Edge | 31 Mar 2026 | 00:26:36 | |
How Your Enneagram Type Shapes Donor Relationships, Major Gifts, and Sustainable Fundraising Success Have you ever wondered why certain parts of fundraising feel effortless — while others drain you? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin explores how the nine Enneagram types show up in fundraising. You’ll discover your fundraising superpower, your hidden growth edge, and how your unconscious personality pattern may be shaping donor conversations more than you realize. This is not a technical deep dive into wings or subtypes. It’s a practical, high-level lens to help you:
We all carry all nine types within us — but most of us have one dominant pattern that drives our behavior under pressure. When you understand your pattern, you stop fighting yourself and start leading yourself. Curious about your type? You can take a free Enneagram test here: For a more in-depth, paid assessment developed by Enneagram researchers Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson: If this episode resonated and you’d like personalized support applying this insight to your fundraising and leadership, you can learn more about working with Erin at: Fundraising doesn’t require changing who you are. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Fundraising Resilience: What Are You Making It Mean? | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:26:58 | |
How donor “no’s,” board scrutiny, and grant rejections shape your nervous system—and how to build real resilience from the inside out. Fundraising is a profession built on exposure to rejection. Donors decline. Boards stress-test your plans. Grants fall through. Finance departments stay cautious. None of this is unusual—but what you make it mean about you can quietly erode your confidence over time. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin explores the hidden nervous system impact of repeated “failures to be perfect” and why resilience in fundraising isn’t about grit—it’s about recovery. You’ll learn:
This episode includes practical reframing questions, a 90-second emotional processing tool, and simple nervous system resets you can use immediately after setbacks. Journal Prompt: If you want support strengthening your resilience and leading from clarity instead of bracing, you’re invited to explore working with Erin. You’ll find the link in the show notes. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Reactive Boss, Constant Pivoting: How Fundraisers Handle Workplace Whiplash Without Burning Out | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:17:48 | |
How to stop managing everyone else’s anxiety and protect your clarity, confidence, and fundraising results. If your workplace feels like emotional whiplash—full speed ahead on a campaign one day, questioning the entire strategy the next—you’re not imagining it. Reactive leadership creates instability, and fundraisers often end up absorbing the emotional fallout. Here’s the hard truth: you cannot regulate another adult. Not your boss. Not your board chair. Not your colleague. (If that’s hard to swallow, Erin references The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins*.) What you can regulate is yourself. In this solo episode, Erin breaks down how nervous system dysregulation shows up as constant pivoting, second-guessing, and emotional contagion in fundraising workplaces—and how to stop unconsciously managing everyone else’s anxiety as part of your job description. You’ll learn how to:
Erin also shares a simple regulation ritual you can try immediately—including a medicinal-strength lavender and chamomile tea practice—to help you discharge stress and return to steadiness. Because steady fundraisers raise more money. Journal Prompt: If you want support applying this in real time—whether you’re navigating a reactive boss or noticing your own leadership insecurity—Erin offers coaching designed specifically for fundraisers working in high-pressure environments. You’ll find the link to connect below. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Fundraising From Abundance with Beth Ann Locke | 10 Mar 2026 | 01:01:36 | |
Practical major gift strategies to reduce fundraising anxiety, build trust, and stop operating from pressure—with insights from a 30-year fundraising veteran. Major gifts aren’t just strategy—they’re state. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin is joined by major gift specialist Beth Ann Locke, a 30-year fundraising veteran who teaches connection-based, customized strategies that grow major gifts without turning fundraisers into exhausted social butterflies or transactional “donor-chasers.” Together, they explore what happens inside a fundraiser’s nervous system when money pressure is high, confidence is battered, or the workplace rewards hustle over relationship. Beth Ann offers practical ways to build donor conversations around trust, curiosity, and alignment—plus simple operational shifts that create more capacity (like deep-work boundaries and post-meeting decompression time). They also discuss Beth Ann’s role in catalyzing the early sexual harassment survey that helped prompt AFP’s broader research—bringing visibility to a workplace reality too many fundraisers have been forced to carry alone. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Connect with Beth Ann Locke:
If this episode helped you, share it with a fundraiser friend who’s been carrying too much pressure—and leave a review so more fundraisers can find the support they deserve. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Is Your Fundraising Working, or Just Wearing You Out? | 03 Mar 2026 | 00:15:08 | |
How to Measure Fundraising Success Beyond Dollars Raised What does it really mean for fundraising to be “working”? Most fundraisers are trained to answer that question by looking at external metrics: dollars raised, donor retention, number of asks, meetings held, emails sent. And while those numbers matter, they don’t tell the whole story. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright invites you to look at fundraising success through a wider lens—one that includes not just outcomes, but internal cost. How are you sleeping? Are you able to rest when you’re off work? What’s happening in your nervous system as you move through donor conversations, deadlines, and expectations? You’ll explore the difference between external metrics and internal metrics, how chronic stress and anxiety affect fundraising performance, and why a regulated nervous system is not a “nice to have,” but a professional asset. This episode is for fundraisers who are technically successful—and quietly exhausted—and who suspect there might be a more sustainable way to do this work. If you’ve ever wondered whether your fundraising is working… or just wearing you out, this conversation is for you. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| A Guided Meditation to Release Fundraising Anxiety | 26 Feb 2026 | 00:09:25 | |
A calming, somatic reset to help you regulate, soften, and return to yourself. This gentle guided meditation is your nervous-system reset—a place to soften the pressure, reconnect with yourself, and release the anxious momentum that fundraising can create. In this bonus episode, Erin leads you through a grounding practice designed to help you separate who you are from the sensations of anxiety moving through your body. You’ll tune into love, safety, breath, and presence… and remember that anxiety is not a personal failing, but a messenger asking for compassion and attention. This meditation will help you:
Use this anytime you feel overwhelmed, tense, or disconnected from yourself. Your inner world is yours to lead—and every time you pause to reset, you’re building the resilience that supports you, your donors, and your mission. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Before You Quit Your Fundraising Job: Power, Control, and Choice | 24 Feb 2026 | 00:28:43 | |
A guided inquiry for nonprofit fundraisers navigating burnout, job stress, and career decisions. The average fundraiser stays in their role for just 16 to 24 months — a statistic that points to burnout, pressure, and chronic stress in nonprofit fundraising jobs. If you’ve ever thought:
This episode is for you. In this guided episode, Erin leads nonprofit fundraisers through a gentle inquiry process adapted from Byron Katie’s The Work (https://thework.com/), designed to help you slow down, question stressful beliefs, and reconnect with your own power before making a major career decision. Rather than asking “Should I quit my fundraising job?”, this episode explores:
This is not about convincing you to stay or go. You may want to listen once to absorb… ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Scarcity vs. Abundance in Fundraising: How Your Nervous System Impacts Donor Giving | 17 Feb 2026 | 00:11:51 | |
Why the “Come-From” Energy of Fundraising Shapes Donor Relationships, Confidence, and Results Fundraising isn’t just about strategy — it’s about the state you’re in when you ask. In this episode, Erin explores how scarcity and abundance live in the body, not just the mind, and why your nervous system plays a bigger role in donor relationships than most nonprofit training ever acknowledges. You’ll hear how early experiences with “no” can quietly wire scarcity patterns that follow us into adulthood… and into fundraising. Erin also shares a real-world example from her own career, where an organizational culture of fear and over-politeness led to fewer donor connections, less risk-taking, and missed opportunities. Most importantly, this episode offers practical, immediately usable tools to help you regulate your nervous system before donor conversations — so you can show up calm, confident, and connected, regardless of the outcome of the ask. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources & Practices Mentioned:
💬 Join the conversation ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Money, the Nervous System, and the Fundraiser’s Body with Claire Messett | 10 Feb 2026 | 00:52:56 | |
How Money Psychology Shapes Fundraising Conversations, and What You Can Do About It Episode Summary In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright is joined by money psychology coach Claire Messett for a grounded, insightful conversation about what really happens in the body during fundraising conversations. Drawing from her background in neuropsychotherapy, Claire explains how early experiences with money shape our sense of safety, worthiness, and power—often long before we’re consciously aware of it. Together, Erin and Claire explore how scarcity thinking, nervous system dysregulation, and identity patterns can quietly hijack donor conversations, and how fundraisers can return to presence, agency, and calm. This episode is especially relevant if you:
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources & Links
About the Podcast ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Rooted and Ready: A Short Somatic Reset for Fundraisers | 05 Feb 2026 | 00:07:26 | |
Reset your body, breath, and energy so you can fundraise from ease—not urgency. Today I’m sharing a short somatic grounding practice I use with my coaching clients — a crystal singing bowl and a simple mantra designed to help your body shift from urgency into presence. This tone aligns with the root energy center, the seat of safety and stability, and the vibration interacts with the soft tissues of your body to gently downshift your nervous system. You’ll hear the sound bowl, the mantra, and a brief guided moment to reconnect with your breath and your inner steadiness. Think of this as a quick nervous-system reset you can return to anytime — before a donor meeting, between tasks, or whenever your inner climate feels tight or overwhelmed. Vibrational sound supports the body through entrainment, helping your system settle so your thinking becomes clearer and your energy more grounded. Fundraising feels different when you begin from calm instead of pressure. If this practice helps you, share it with a fellow fundraiser who might need a moment of ease today. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| When Anxiety Drives the Bus: How Fundraisers Lose Their Power — and How to Get It Back | 03 Feb 2026 | 00:28:14 | |
Understanding your body’s stress response so you can fundraise from clarity instead of panic. Anxiety shows up loudly in fundraising… tight chest, clenched gut, racing thoughts, shrinking creativity. In this episode, Erin shares a deeply personal story of fundraising during a budget crisis — and how her body’s ancient fight-or-flight wiring took over, narrowing her focus, driving unsustainable actions, and ultimately exacting a physical cost. You’ll learn why anxiety feels so overwhelming, why it isn’t evidence that something is wrong with you, and how your nervous system is simply trying to keep you safe. Most importantly, you’ll discover how to recognize the signs, interrupt the panic cycle, and return to a grounded state where creative solutions, agency, and clarity live. In this episode, you’ll hear:
This conversation is especially for fundraisers who feel like their work is “life-or-death” for the mission, their jobs, or their team. You are not alone — and your body has been trying to talk to you. If this episode stirred something in you, keep an eye out for the companion meditation episode designed to help you regulate and return to center. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Transcend Fundraising Guilt Like a Rockstar | 27 Jan 2026 | 00:12:57 | |
Trading guilt for curiosity so you can fundraise with more ease, energy, and self-trust. That nagging voice that says you should be doing more? Most fundraisers know it well. In this episode, Erin unpacks fundraising guilt—the kind that shows up at 3 a.m. with a running list of everything you didn’t do—and why using guilt as your main motivator quietly drains your energy, creativity, and joy. Instead of beating yourself up for “not enough,” you’ll explore what happens when you switch from guilt to curiosity and start treating your body’s signals as feedback, not failure. In this episode, you’ll hear:
Journal prompt: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Pouring Out & Filling Back Up: A Fundraiser’s Guide to Renewal with Melody Wells | 20 Jan 2026 | 00:57:35 | |
How a major gifts fundraiser prevents burnout by planning emotional refills on purpose. Fundraising asks a lot of your brain, your heart, and your nervous system. In this conversation, Erin sits down with major gifts fundraiser Melody Wells to talk honestly about what it costs to pour yourself into donor relationships—and how she intentionally fills back up so she can keep doing the work she loves. Melody shares how integrity and alignment (her version of ikigai) fuel her fundraising, why she refuses to take donor “no’s” personally, and how anxiety work and therapy unexpectedly prepared her to stay steady in the yes/no roller coaster of major gifts. She also walks through the three personalized “refill” categories she keeps on a written list—so when she’s emotionally depleted, she doesn’t have to think about how to recover. In this episode, you’ll hear:
Journal prompt: ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Fundraiser or "The Help?" | 13 Jan 2026 | 00:16:19 | |
What to do when your expertise isn’t respected—and how to stop making it mean something about you. 📘 Episode Summary What happens when you bring solid fundraising expertise—and someone with less experience dismisses it? In this episode, Erin explores a common but rarely discussed dynamic: being treated like “the help” instead of a strategic professional. She shares a personal story about having her work overruled, the emotional spiral that followed, and the deeper pattern underneath it. You’ll learn how early messages about money and worth can shape your reactions at work, why certain comments sting more than others, and how to stop letting others’ opinions define your value. If you’ve ever felt dismissed, underestimated, or sidelined as a fundraiser, this episode will show you how to reclaim your power and stop shrinking in the face of pushback. 💡 Key Takeaways
📝 Journal Prompt How would you stand, speak, and decide if you deeply believed your worthiness wasn’t up for grabs? ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Meditation: Making the Ask | 10 Jan 2026 | 00:13:00 | |
A somatic, compassionate practice to regulate your nervous system before making the ask. 📘 Episode Summary This bonus meditation is a guided somatic practice designed to support you before donor meetings, fundraising conversations, or any moment when anxiety begins to take over. In this practice, Erin gently guides you through grounding in your body, noticing your felt experience, and working with Byron Katie’s inquiry process (“The Work”) to loosen the grip of anxious thoughts that often show up before making an ask. You’ll explore a real fundraising memory—at a level that feels manageable—and uncover the belief fueling your anxiety. Then, through awareness, inquiry, and compassionate self-forgiveness based on the Spiritual Psychology tools from the University of Santa Monica, you’ll shift into a regulated, steady internal climate. This meditation helps you:
Use this practice anytime you want to regulate your nervous system before fundraising, asking for support, or stepping into leadership. 💡 What This Meditation Supports
🛑 Important Note This meditation includes checking in with your body and revisiting memories. If you know you carry Big T trauma, or if certain memories feel overwhelming, please practice this with a licensed therapist or trained somatic practitioner. 📝 What You’ll Need
🎧 When to Use This Meditation
👥 Join the Community Come share your experience with this meditation inside The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group, where fundraisers support one another in cultivating emotional mastery, nervous-system regulation, and grounded leadership. ➡️ Ready for deeper support? If you'd like personalized help applying these tools to your fundraising practice, you’re welcome to book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call using the link in the footer below. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Fundraising Anxiety: What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You | 09 Jan 2026 | 00:19:21 | |
A somatic look at stress, pressure, and the internal signals fundraisers ignore. Fundraising anxiety isn’t a mindset problem — it’s a nervous system response. In this episode, Erin breaks down why fundraisers experience tight chests, clenched stomachs, throat pressure, and racing thoughts when preparing to make an ask… and why none of this means you’re bad at your job. Drawing on somatic practice, trauma-informed coaching, and fifteen years of fundraising experience, this episode helps you understand how your ancient wiring interprets budget shortfalls like a threat, how donors pick up on your internal state through co-regulation, and how anxiety quietly shapes (and sometimes sabotages) your relationships with donors. You’ll also hear two contrasting “versions” of the fundraiser: Understanding the difference is the key to asking with confidence, receiving with ease, and building long-term donor trust. This episode is foundational for any fundraiser who has ever wondered: Spoiler: Yes. And it starts in your body. 💡 Key Takeaways 1. Anxiety is not a flaw — it's biology. Your nervous system reacts to budget shortfalls the same way your ancestors reacted to predators. Nothing is wrong with you. Your body is doing its job. 2. Donors feel what you feel. Nervous system co-regulation means your internal state is always communicating, even if your words sound confident. 3. Anxiety narrows your vision and creativity. Fundraising from fight-or-flight constricts your thinking, your options, and your relational presence. 4. A regulated fundraiser is a magnetic fundraiser. When your breath slows, your energy settles, and you stop tying your worth to the donor’s “yes,” everything shifts. 5. Anxiety is a messenger, not a master. It’s pointing to a place inside that wants safety, attention, or care — and you can learn to give yourself that. 📝 Reflection Question for Your Journal Where in your body does anxiety show up — and what might it be trying to protect? 🎧 Companion Resource Be sure to listen to the guided meditation designed specifically for this episode: 👥 Join the Community Come share your insights or what came up for you inside The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group — a supportive community for fundraisers who want to show up with more ease, confidence, and emotional resilience. ➡️ Ready for more support? If you want personalized help applying what you're learning in these episodes, you can book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough session at the link below. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Why Fundraisers Burn Out: The Hidden Pattern No One Talks About | 08 Jan 2026 | 00:11:24 | |
Understanding the emotional cost of fundraising—and why it’s not your fault. 📘 Episode Summary Why do fundraisers leave their jobs every 16–24 months? In this episode, Erin reveals the hidden pattern driving burnout: the chronic under-resourcing of the fundraiser’s inner life. Erin shares how rising goals, shifting funders, and donor pressure interact with deeper, often unconscious beliefs about money, worthiness, and belonging. You'll learn why fundraising can mirror old patterns from our past—and why understanding this brings relief, power, and choice. If you’ve ever felt behind, not enough, or excluded from decisions that shape your goals, this episode will help you recognize: it’s not personal, and it’s not your fault. 💡 Key Takeaways
📝 Journal Prompt What might change if you believed your worth wasn’t tied to your numbers? ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||
| Is This Podcast for YOU? | 07 Jan 2026 | 00:03:12 | |
Why fundraisers burn out—what it costs us, and what becomes possible when we finally turn inward and get free. Episode Summary In this opening episode, Erin McQuade-Wright—former professional fundraiser of 15 years—shares why she created The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser and why focusing on the inner life of the fundraiser is not only healing… but essential for our sector’s sustainability. Fundraising is the engine of the nonprofit world, yet fundraisers are burning out every 16–24 months. Erin names this reality, shares her personal story of fundraising trauma, and introduces the tools and perspectives that helped her shift from white-knuckled survival to grounded, aligned leadership. If you’ve ever felt overstretched, anxious, alone, or like the numbers were “good” but the cost was too high, this episode offers validation, resonance, and a new way forward. What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Key Takeaways
Reflection Question Where is fundraising currently costing you energy, peace, or wellbeing—and what might become possible if you didn’t have to white-knuckle your way through it? Take a moment to journal on this or reflect during a quiet part of your day. If this episode resonated… Subscribe so you never miss a Tuesday episode, and share this with a fundraising friend who might need this space of support, grounding, and encouragement. ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: Newsletter Sign-up: The Brave & Balanced Note Join the community: Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: Connect on Instagram: | |||