You want your nonprofit to make the biggest impact possible on those you serve and to do that you need a community of support.
Each week, join Maryanne Dersch, nonprofit revolutionary, as she interviews nonprofit leaders who are growing their influence to raise more money and do more good.
If you want to fundraise with ease, build better relationships with board and staff, or just need a shot of fresh ideas and inspiration, this show is for you.
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Pitching, pushing, convincing, or trying to get someone to see things a certain way doesn’t work. When pressure is applied, people tend to push back. Instead of pushing ideas onto others, focus on drawing out their thoughts and feelings.
Release attachment to the outcome. The more you are able to avoid fixating on the outcome, the more likely you can achieve it. Also, set aside personal agendas. Remove anything that might distract from your main goal which is to make people feel seen and heard.
Ask questions, and understand the other person’s perspective. Listen without trying to fix, solve, or argue against their points. Validate what has been shared and then ask if thoughts can be shared from a personal perspective. Continuous validation and feedback without judgment are key.
The key is to give people the sovereignty to make an empowered choice, leaning into what they want. Although it may seem counterintuitive, the more this approach is used, the more likely others will choose the desired outcome because they feel in control.
“Our job is not to push into people. Our job is to pull out.”
“Rejection is protection.”
“The less you want something, the more likely you are to have it.”
- Maryanne Dersch
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Prioritize understanding and catering to donors' thoughts, feelings, and motivations for giving to deepen relationships and increase donations.
Understand and align with a donor's "ego-system" or self-perception to effectively fundraise. Minimize risks or expand donors' self-views to align with desired actions, reframing activities to fit their identities.
Use empathy mapping, listen to values, and customize experiences within donors' comfort zones for successful partnerships. Listen and understand donors' pains, gains, values, and motivations before pitching for action.
Expand your sense of self, and accept all parts to authentically connect without being triggered. Respect people's truth, align your mission with their passion and release those who don't connect, as a common identity attracts loyal relationships.
“The most frustrating position you can put anyone in is to not feel seen and heard.”
“We're either going to lower the risk or grow the window. And how we grow the window is to help people step slowly outside of their comfort zone.”
“We lead by listening. We lead by understanding.”
- Maryanne Dersch
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
Nonprofit Conflict Resolution
Episode 156
Thursday, June 27, 2024 • Duration 45:23
Key Takeaways:
Developing conflict resolution skills is essential for nonprofit leaders, requiring practice and the ability to handle less intense conflicts to grow.
Embracing conflict, rather than avoiding it, helps identify true problems and fosters harmony, while avoidance can lead to more significant issues.
Often the apparent problem is not the real issue; effective leadership digs beneath the surface to uncover the underlying insecurities, fears, or miscommunications.
Balance in handling conflict is key. Leaning too much towards needing control or seeking praise can lead to vulnerability and chaos.
Empathy and empathetic listening are critical for resolving conflicts, building trust, and facilitating more productive interactions.
"Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means."
"Release the need to control the outcome and listen with empathy to truly resolve conflicts and negotiate effectively."
"Feeling seen and heard can defuse most conflicts and is a cornerstone of building trust."
"If you want to be an influential leader...navigating conflict is a skill that I highly encourage you to learn to master."
- Maryanne Dersch
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
Stop Sharing Negative Messages
Episode 66
Thursday, September 8, 2022 • Duration 22:48
Key Takeaways:
Our brains don’t process a negative so it’s important for us to speak in a language of what we want instead of what we don’t want.
Look at your own messaging. Are we mired in the negative? Is there a better story we can tell?
Here’s our six needs in order of lowest to highest: certainty, variety, significance, love and connection, growth, and contribution. When creating a vision, we need to consider how we will fulfill the higher order of needs such as connection, growth, and contribution, for our donors and the people we serve.
Don’t focus merely on the prevention of bad things. Ask yourself what world you want to create for the people you serve. People are more excited about creation than prevention.
“When we talk about things in the negative, that is a lower energetic than if we want to create something positive.”
“Instead of talking about a negative - about what we’re going to keep certain or safe - we talk about a vision we have for the future and the love and connection we want to create, the growth and the contribution everyone involved can make to anyone else’s benefit.”
“If you look at your board, any relationship that you have and you’re like this relationship isn’t going so well’ - then you look and say, ‘how well am I meeting all six of their human needs?’ Chances are, you’re probably missing a few.”
Be more confident, credible & convincing to your board & supporters without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy.
Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.
Jenny Beatrice: How To Communicate With Courage And Authenticity
Episode 65
Thursday, September 1, 2022 • Duration 38:09
Jenny is a veteran in nonprofit communications and she’s been with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 16 years, from doing PR Campaigns, Big Picture strategies, to making Facebook memes. She also shares her expertise through consulting projects and speaking engagements and she is a long time member in the Communicators For Women Religious and a local group in St. Louis, the Nonprofit Marketers Network. Currently her team is striving to be more courageous and authentic in sharing the Sisters’ message of unifying love which is much needed in today’s divisive world.
Key Takeaways:
We can connect to like-minded people by being authentic. We tend to shy away from authenticity because it’s not for everyone. However, your authentic story will attract the right people to your organization.
Recognize that people can solve their own problems, give them the opportunity to do so. Sit in the discomfort of not being “helpful” to others because the end result will be that they will feel empowered.
People come for the cause and stay for the community. The courage to communicate your true authentic values will shift your community. Some will fall away, but some will feel an even stronger bond with the organization.
Being bold about who you are requires that you know who you are. Take time to reflect and look within. Are your own personal values aligned with the organization’s? Your personal fears and beliefs can impact the work that you do.
“We want to be authentic, bring their personality and their spirit and their message to our communications and connect with people on the values.”
“To be authentic - it’s not for everybody. You might disappoint people. But your boundaries are really saying what you’re willing to say yes and no to.”
“If you’re going to be authentic and be bold, fearless, and fun about who you are, you have to know who you are.”
How Stories Can Make Victims Of Your Clients
Episode 64
Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Duration 18:22
Key Takeaways:
You are the creator of your experiences. You have options and possibilities. You don’t have to put yourself in the role of a victim.
A lot of times we paint our nonprofit spaces in the hero-victim-villain dynamic. We were taught to make our donors the hero and make the people we serve the victims.
When you are challenged, you have the opportunity to flip from being the victim into being the creator of your own experience. That’s why it’s important to practice empowerment rather than the drama triangle.
One little shift in thinking can help you move from victim to creator. You have the power to choose what story to tell others and yourself.
“I went from ‘woe is me’ to ‘I am the creator of my own experiences’ - I realized I went from victim to creator.”
“Anytime we create a hero, we automatically create a victim and then a villain. That is the nature of the drama triangle.”
“Instead of a victim, you’re a creator. Instead of a hero, you’re a coach. And instead of a villain, you’re a challenger.”
- Maryanne Dersch
Be more confident, credible & convincing to your board & supporters without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy.
Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Adora Drake: Marketing Your Organization Like An Expert
Episode 63
Thursday, August 18, 2022 • Duration 27:56
Adora Drake is a digital marketing consultant with High Spirits Marketing and she is an expert digital marketing strategist, coach, and consultant. She helps nonprofit organizations feel inspired to take action and to gain clarity in their marketing strategy and learn how to convert their followers into raving fans who want to be part of their mission.
Key Takeaways:
How you set boundaries at home or in your personal life directly translates to how you set boundaries at work or in any other part of your life. Your whole life is connected, everything is connected.
Maximize the work that you’ve already done. Create less and send out more frequently and in all channels and forms available.
There are certain metrics you have to watch out for in order to have the information you need in order to know how to proceed in your marketing plan. However in marketing, not everything is measurable.
Just because your members are not sharing your mission, doesn’t mean that they don’t care. They might not just know how. You need to explicitly tell your members to share, if they don’t know how, you can instruct them or advise them to share it in the way that they could.
“Post events, show your work in the community and tell the story of how you got to where you are - people like to hear those things, they really do."
“Clickthrough rates, are they opening our emails, retention rate, how much money are the donors donating this year vs last year - look at all these things when you create a marketing plan. That’s going to tell you where do we need to continue working on our marketing going forward. ”
“What you wanna do is really make sure that you are keeping the donors that you already have excited and engaged - by keeping that consistency in front of them. Letting them know what’s going on, where’s the money going, getting them excited about what’s to come. ”
- Adora Drake
Joanna Brody: Keeping PR In Your Marketing Mix
Episode 62
Thursday, August 11, 2022 • Duration 42:14
Joanna Brody, M.A., is an award-winning communications professional with a distinct expertise in social marketing and a passion for promoting causes and issues.
Her full-service public relations firm, Brody Public Relations, is known as “an agency with a conscience” for its work with clients who make a difference in the world. Joanna has spent 25 years in public relations, creating a variety of successful programs for government agencies, social enterprises, professional associations and nonprofit organizations in the areas of public health, education, business management, public safety and emergency management, dispute resolution, environmental education and crisis communications.
Key Takeaways:
Crisis PR isn’t always about something bad that’s happening, but it can be anything that’s way out of the ordinary for a nonprofit or organization.
People don’t really care about what you do, or how it’s done, they care about the difference it makes. People will care about how it’s done only in the context of what its impact has been.
Don’t create different content for different channels, you’re using the same content and distributing it in as many different ways as you can.
The fullness of the impact of your message or your action can not be completely quantified. There are some parts of your impact that can’t be turned into numbers or statistics. Don’t forget these qualitative results, they are just as meaningful as quantitative ones.
“You need to do it all, you need to use every form of communication because you’re reaching different people and people are going to consume their information in different ways.”
“There’s one caveat to the publicity: if there’s not a good story to pitch, then you don’t want to expend those resources.”
“The ideal client is somebody who puts their trust in the PR person - the client has to put their trust in us that we’re going to do the best job we can possibly do…”
Hourglass System For Busting Through The Marketing Clutter
Episode 61
Thursday, August 4, 2022 • Duration 42:05
Key Takeaways:
Don’t deliver content in silos. You don't have to pump out a lot of content to get people’s attention. Consistency is key.
The top of the hourglass is one awesome story that you will tell per week. One story with one call to action. Tell this story on a video instead of writing it down.
Upload the video of you telling the story on YouTube, now you have video content. Take the audio from that, have it transcribed and now you have an article. Make a graphic out of the content. Put all this on your web page.
It’s important that content posted on your social media would encourage people to go to your web page. You can do this by teasing some of the story and giving them the option to go to your page to read more.
“I hear people say this all the time, ‘I want people to know this about my nonprofit’ - that’s what you want them to know, that’s not really what they want to know. Sometimes this need to over-communicate comes from fear and scarcity… what happens is that we’re overpromoting and not connecting enough.”
“You’re going to tell one awesome story a week — with one call to action… If you give people too much choice, they just won’t pick. ”
“Your job is to get people off of social media and onto your email list.”
- Maryanne Dersch
Be more confident, credible & convincing to your board & supporters without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy.
Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.
Jess Campbell: How To Tell Killer Stories To Connect With Donors
Episode 60
Thursday, July 28, 2022 • Duration 42:32
Jess is with Out In The Boons, a small shop fundraising house. She teaches nonprofits how to raise more money through writing killer stories.
Key Takeaways:
Stories will outlast “billboard style” advertisements. That’s why when advertising for your nonprofit, you must use stories.
The most vulnerable person is often the most powerful. Tell your story in an authentic and open way.
Tell stories about transformation - stories of how your nonprofit has changed someone’s life for the better. Another kind of story you can tell is your origin story.
If you’re not confident in your skill as a storyteller, the best way to improve is just to keep trying, keep getting feedback, and keep honing your skill through feedback and experience.
“People retain information more when it’s told through a story. That’s why storytelling has been around from the beginning of time.”
“Studies and data actually show that stories of hope and inspiration are way more effective from a marketing standpoint than the stories of despair. ”
“Nonprofits need some mental work on showing up and taking up space and holding the mic. People give money to people. Your connection is with the people, more so than the work that you do.”
Be more confident, credible & convincing to your board & supporters without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy.
Apple Podcasts
🇩🇪 Germany - nonProfit
12/08/2026
#73
🇩🇪 Germany - nonProfit
14/07/2026
#99
🇨🇦 Canada - nonProfit
22/06/2026
#77
🇬🇧 Great Britain - nonProfit
26/04/2026
#83
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Be more confident, credible & convincing to your board & supporters without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy.
Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.
Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Be more confident, credible & convincing to your board & supporters without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy.
Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.
Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Be more confident, credible & convincing to your board & supporters without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy.
Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.
Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence
1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders
Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
2. Team Coaching + Training
I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
3. Board Retreats + Trainings
Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.
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