Relentlessly Human Tour
198 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsBecky Brett is an executive coach for creative entrepreneurs. In her new show, Relentlessly Human Tour, Becky interviews artists around the country to rebuild the connections that have been lost and damaged because of the pandemic or how Life has scattered everyone. Her one rule for this show is that all interviews are done in person.
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Episodes
Summer Reruns: Self-Care for Leaders with Susan Axelrod Part 2
June 01, 2020 22:00 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MBWelcome to summer reruns! The time of year that I bring back the most popular episodes from the past year for you to rediscover all the juicy bits you forgot you learned. This week is part 2 of my interview with Susan Axelrod about self care for leaders. We have been given the gift of a pause, and if you have been neglecting yourself, this is the time to fix that. Resources for this week: Susan Axelrod: https://www.whatwillyourlegacybe.com/take-action/ Email Becky@virtualexecut...
Summer Rerun: Self Care for Leaders with Susan Axelrod (part 1)
May 25, 2020 22:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBWelcome to summer reruns! The time of year that I bring back the most popular episodes from the past year for you to rediscover all the juicy bits you forgot you learned. This week, as I take myself off line for some re-visioning and re-evaluation on a personal retreat, I realize it is perfect timing to rerun Susan Axelrod's 2-part episode on self care for leaders. (Part 2 will come out next week). We have been given the gift of a pause, and if you have been neglecting yourself, this is...
Time to Re-think Everything
May 19, 2020 02:18 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBI've got some vacation time coming up, and yes, I'm gonna take it. I'm using the time as a personal retreat, because this pandemic has put everything back on the table for evaluation. When I come back, I expect to be better than before--for myself, my loved ones, my business, and my organization. This week I share some questions to ask yourself if you are in re-evaluation mode like I am. And even if you're not, ask yourself at least one of these today. You may be surprised where the answe...
My 7 Top Tips for Zoom Meetings
May 12, 2020 02:49 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBWith most of us holding meetings via Zoom these days, I'm adding my personal top 7 tips to improve your Zoom experience. No really, you don't want to miss this one. Especially tips 4, 5, and 6 (I know, clickbait-y, but I really do love those specific tips). I'd love to hear your top tips, too! Catch me on email or social media to share. Email [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrettcaldwell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeckyBrett Instag...
Shatter & Surrender: an interview with David Razowsky
May 06, 2020 04:36 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBWe are in the midst of a global shattering, and improv director/teacher/actor David Razowsky is here to help us through it. You may recall a few episodes ago when I was talking with Kim Farris-Luke about the global grieving process that I mentioned feeling the feelings we're feeling the moment we feel the feelings. That was channeled directly from David. From his time on stage at The Second City in Chicago with the likes of Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert to his time as artistic director...
The Things That For-Profits Can Learn From Non-Profits
April 25, 2020 20:03 - 24 minutes - 22 MBI'm salty about saying nonprofits should act more like "real businesses." Nonprofit is just a tax designation. We are all real businesses here. So I'm turning the tables this week and talking about the things that for-profit business could stand to learn from non-profits. Warning for parents: some language in this episode. Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtual_exec/ Executive Director Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorMastermind ...
The (Fun) Things We Do Now
April 20, 2020 22:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBThere are a lot of things we do now that we didn't do just a couple of months ago: washing our hands compulsively, wearing gloves and masks to the store, and spraying Lysol on Amazon deliveries just to name a few. But what about the more enjoyable ways we've found to cope? Check out some of the more fun things we're doing now to get through the pandemic and be better leaders.
A Global Grieving Process
April 13, 2020 19:46 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBMuch like in every other area of life during this pandemic, my plans changed for this week's podcast. I had the opportunity to talk with my pal, Kim Farris-Luke. Kim is a funeral director and owner of Farris Funeral Services. She is an expert on the grieving process, and exactly the person we need right now, as we are globally grieving through COVID-19.
The Things That No Longer Work For Us
April 06, 2020 18:33 - 11 minutes - 11 MBIn last week's episode, Jen Moff and I talked about the opportunities and lessons available to us now during this time of COVID-19. In an effort to learn something from all this, I took a look at my own situation and asked myself, "What is no longer working for me?" I also asked this question of my colleagues in the Executive Director Mastermind group on Facebook, and it is our collective answers that I bring to you this week. What would your answer be? What's no longer working for you ...
Leadership in the Time of COVID-19
March 30, 2020 23:49 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBLet's cope together. Jen and Becky talk about self-care, boundaries, how to support your nervous system, and the many lessons to be found during this unprecedented public health crisis. For more about Jen: http://www.magicalmindfulness.com/ For more about Scott Berkun: https://twitter.com/berkun Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExecutiveDirectorM...
Reclaiming My Time
March 23, 2020 22:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector What a year it's been this week! With so many of us working from home and trying to stay on top of COVID-19 developments, it's easy to get caught up in the urgent and lose track of what's important. This week's podcast is about how to reclaim your time and get back on track. I talk you through my 3-step process that helps me stay focused, under almost any circumstance. This complete toolk...
A Pep Talk to Get Us Through the COVID-19 Outbreak
March 16, 2020 22:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBAs nonprofit and mission-driven leaders, we're dealing with a lot of stuff right now. Here are some tips, advice, and a pep talk to help get us through. As mentioned in this episode, here are the resources sent out by the Virginia Commission for the Arts for arts organizations. Please reach out to the state or government agency for your particular sector for similar resources. American Alliance for Museums COVID-19/Coronavirus Resources & Information for the Museum Field, contains a...
Executive Coaching, Mindful Transitions, and a Virus
March 10, 2020 00:34 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Inspired by conversations inside the Executive Director Mastermind group, this week's episode explains what executive coaching is, suggests one way to carve out self-care time throughout your day, and discusses what to do in the face of the coronavirus. Learn more about executive coaching: https://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/ Join the Executive Director Mastermind Facebook group: https:/...
Community is an Activity
March 03, 2020 01:36 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector I am freshly back from the 2020 Create Virginia conference in Lynchburg, VA, where I lead a session for artists of all kinds on how to make the most of being in a festival. It was a blast! Big thanks to the organizers and everyone who attended my session. Also, big thanks to the other speakers who created a valuable day of learning how to make a living with your artistry. Much of the information applied acr...
Never Go With Your Gut - How to Make Better Decisions
February 24, 2020 23:03 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Whether you're a rock star decision maker or you can't choose whether to send a text or an email, Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is here this week to help us all get better at making decisions for ourselves and for our organizations as part of a team. Known as the Disaster Avoidance Expert, Dr. Tsipursky is on a mission to protect leaders from dangerous judgment errors known as cognitive biases by developing the most...
Secrets for Happier Board Meetings
February 17, 2020 23:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBSupport the Podcast on Patreon at this link: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector This week on the podcast I take us on a meandering journey to reveal what I have discovered are the secrets to having a happier board meeting. Board meetings are draining for nonprofit leaders, even at the best of times. As staff we have to be on our best behavior. We're not allowed to have a bad day and carry it into the board meeting. We are expected to be ON and ready to answer any question,...
Unintentional Mentors with Chef Travis Milton
February 10, 2020 23:00 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MBSupport the podcast on Patreon. Sometimes people inspire and guide us in ways they didn't intend. Chef Travis Milton, an expert on Appalachian heritage cooking and foodways, swaps stories with Becky about the unintentional mentors from their lives and how these "unintentional mentors" shaped the people they are today. Note: Some language NSFW Links: Create Virginia conference: https://www.createvirginia.com/ Sean Brock/Travis Milton on March 4: https://bartertheatre.com/big-shows/c...
Lessons from the 2020 ArtWorks VCA Conference
February 04, 2020 03:20 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBIn this week's episode I share my top three takeaways from this year's Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) conference called ArtWorks. Those takeaways are: There is no greater affirmation of freedom of expression than public funding for the arts. Donors give based on aspiration, even if it's not achievable. Small nonprofits have a lot of advantages over large organizations, specifically their ability to know their donors. I also shoutout the podcast subscribers from our Facebook gr...
Part 2: Four Steps to a successful Capital Campaign
January 27, 2020 23:00 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector This week is part 2 of our capital campaign miniseries, where Lynn and I (Lynn Terelle of Terelle & Graham Consulting https://www.terellegrahamconsulting.org/) focus on step four of the four-step process, the public phase of the campaign. We also talk about common mistakes, best practices, and other ways to keep yourself on track for fundraising success. I also share my hack for taking notes when listenin...
Four Steps to a Successful Capital Campaign
January 20, 2020 23:00 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector Is your nonprofit org ready to build a new facility, start an endowment, or make a major purchase that would significantly improve your ability to fulfill your mission? Then you may find yourself wanting to launch a capital campaign. Before you do, listen to this week and next week's podcasts to make sure you know the steps that will ensure your success. A capital campaign takes a lot of time, money, and e...
Loneliness, Mental Health & Suicide Prevention with Dennis Gillan
January 14, 2020 02:59 - 1 hour - 55 MBI've been obsessed over the past couple of weeks with Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Talking to Strangers." In processing through the information I started to think about loneliness and mental health--especially for those of us working in nonprofit and mission-driven leadership. This provided the context for an interview with Dennis Gillan. Dennis and I were speakers at TEDx Hickory this past November, and his talk on suicide prevention presented the topic with gentle humor and warmth. I've been ...
Inclusion & Belonging: An interview with Jonathan Pitts
January 07, 2020 04:16 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBPlease support the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/virtualexecutivedirector If you're a nonprofit leader or social entrepreneur and you don't have a stated position on diversity, equity, and inclusion, you are behind the times. This miniseries here in the first quarter of the year will help us wrap our collective heads around what these mean to our organizations, our communities, and ourselves. I'm going to address these three ideas separately in conversations with people who have ...
Lessons Learned in 2019
December 30, 2019 23:00 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MBAs we close out 2019, I was looking through my journals for the lessons learned this year that might apply to all of us. Here are 19 of them plus one bonus lesson to get us started right for 2020. I talk about how I learned these lessons (sometimes the hard way) and how they might apply to your situation as a mission-driven leader or nonprofit director. They cover three major categories: tactical, boundaries/self-care, and leadership. Links for this week: 4 executive coaching slots ...
My 19 for 2019 List: An Update
December 24, 2019 01:43 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBDid you set goals for yourself at the beginning of 2019? This is a great time to look back over your list and see how you did. I was inspired by "Happier with Gretchen Rubin" to make a 19 for 2019 list of 19 things I wanted to accomplish in my career this year. (I love a goal-setting strategy!) This week on the podcast, I'll review my list and share how I did. My hope is that this inspires you to make your own list for 2020 and to look back and celebrate all you've accomplished this year. ...
Carry Your Experience with You
December 16, 2019 23:00 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBWhether you are happily searching for something new or feeling stuck in your current job, it's important to know how to package the amazing work you've done already into transferable skills. This week on the podcast, I talk with Rachel Fowler--actor, director, and executive coach--about how to identify your transferable skills, how to reframe what you're experiencing now into something positive, how to overcome inertia, and more. If you'd like to get in touch with Rachel, email her here or...
Thanking You Season
December 09, 2019 23:00 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MBThanksgiving and the accompanying public displays of gratitude has come and gone, but I think this week and next are really the thanking season. Now is the time that we receive year-end donations, and hopefully get to sign and send out a small mountain of thank you notes to donors. There are 5 elements to a really great thank you note: The amount and date of the donation It is genuine It reads like it is from one human to another It includes how their gift is already being pu...
When Board Members Go Rogue
December 02, 2019 23:00 - 26 minutes - 24 MBIn episode 114 I talked about how to survive a bad board. Well that opened the floodgates and I've been hearing about aaaaaaaall sorts of bad board member behavior. Rather than sit and be mad about it, I wanted to give you some things to consider and maybe even a couple of action items you can use to help you get back on mission. The top 3 reasons why board members go rogue (in my experience) are: Expectations weren't made clear They were recruited poorly One of you is overstepping ...
My TEDx Experience
November 26, 2019 02:40 - 34 minutes - 32 MBAs nonprofit leaders we are expected to represent our organizations to the public and to be experts at sharing our story. At this moment in time, there is no more prolific platform for doing this than TED talks. I had the privilege of speaking at a TEDx conference recently (on Saturday, Nov. 23), and could hardly wait to share my experience with you! Because of rules and reasons, I couldn't share any of this until the organizers had publicized that I would be part of the event, and I could...
GivingTuesday Redux
November 18, 2019 23:00 - 19 minutes - 18 MBWe are two weeks away from #GivingTuesday, December 3, 2019. Love it or hate it, #GivingTuesday is a great opportunity to ride a publicity wave and bring positive attention to your organization, regardless of the size of your company. While it may seem like only the big, well-known orgs get the donations on this day, your tiny org can benefit from it, too, when you set yourself up for success. This is a repeat of last year's episode about #GivingTuesday because after reviewing it, I found...
Major Gifts Fundraising with Lynn Terelle
November 11, 2019 23:00 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MBWe're in it now--fundraising season, that is--and I have a special treat for us this week. Lynn Terelle is on the show to talk about major gifts fundraising. She is a fundraising consultant, and expert on major gifts and capital campaigns, and she's my own fundraising coach for the past two years. In this episode, we talk about: What motivates someone to give a major gift How long the process takes How to break the ice How to follow up And the top three mistakes people make when ...
Board Retreat Follow-Up
November 04, 2019 23:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBLast week I promised to let you know how things went with my board retreat, and here it is. The main things I would have done differently are: Allow a good 30 minutes at the beginning for chit-chat, people's late arrival, and getting coffee/breakfast Set the expectation that some discussion may be curtailed in the interest of time, if we feel we have all the info needed Schedule 1-2 more hours for the retreat to ensure that we got through everything and had plenty of time for making dec...
My Board Retreat Agenda
October 29, 2019 00:20 - 40 minutes - 37 MBMy org has a board retreat coming up, so I've put a lot of energy into creating an agenda that will work for us. I'm excited to share it with you now. This week I'll talk you through each item on the agenda, why it's there, and how I think it will go. Next week I'll let you know how it went. If you would like a hard copy of the agenda that you can use yourself, email me ([email protected]) and I'll send you the download link. Learn more about executive coaching here:...
Storytime: How to Survive a Bad Board
October 21, 2019 23:44 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBI am currently fortunate to be working with an amazing board. Since our org is mostly volunteer-run and board members have operational authority over 90% of our programs, this is a very good thing. But it wasn't always like this. This week I'll share how I survived a bad board year and share some tips that you can use if you are currently dealing with this. And if you are on a board where you see your ED and/or senior staff being bullied in the workplace by other board members, please ...
Bonus Episode: How Are You Doing
October 16, 2019 02:20 - 8 minutes - 7.41 MBAfter all the big-picture interviews recently, I'm checking in to see how everyone is doing. Please let me know! Also, I'm excited to share the full podcast song with you. I don't think I've let the whole song play before, so here it is at the end of this episode. "Follow Me" by Kendall Caldwell and Lynette Kendall And seriously, reach out to me or someone and let folks know how you're doing. The beautiful thing about our community is that we're here for each other.
Lessons from a Serial Interim Executive Director
October 14, 2019 23:39 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBAre you new to your leadership position? Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you lie awake at night wondering if everyone's job is as messy and chaotic as yours? Then this week's episode is for you. Trae Ashlie-Garen is an executive coach and serial interim executive director. She explains why we as nonprofit leaders melt down and the bigger, global issues that influence our organizations. Resources: Trae Ashlie-Garen on LinkedIn Learn more about executive coaching with me here Support t...
No-Fear Strategic Planning with Gregory Nielsen
October 07, 2019 22:00 - 47 minutes - 43.3 MBDoes the thought of creating a strategic plan make you want to hide in in your bed, hoping this monster goes away? Gregory Nielsen is a former nonprofit CEO and current consultant for nonprofits, specializing in strategic planning and board development. We talked about how and why strategic plans go wrong, what it looks like when they work, and how to fearlessly create a plan that helps your org thrive. I loved this conversation so much because Greg has been where we all are. He has made bad...
More Self Care for Leaders with Susan Axelrod
September 30, 2019 22:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBOh WOW! This continuation from last week's episode is juicy! Susan Axelrod is an executive coach who specializes in fundraising and self-care. In this half of the conversation, we rant about how badly nonprofit leaders need executive coaching, Susan explains her "Golden Rule" of self-care, and I reveal something embarrassing about myself. This was truly one of my favorite conversations this year! Resources for this week: Learn more about Susan Axelrod: Confident Fundraising Learn more ...
Self-Care for Leaders with Susan Axelrod
September 24, 2019 00:47 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBThis week I got to spend time talking with Susan Axelrod about how colossally bad we are at self-care and what to do about it. Susan is an author and executive coach, who reached out to me while she was researching for a series of articles on self-care for nonprofit leaders for Charity Channel (link below). She is an expert on self-care for nonprofit leaders (really for all leaders). Having spent 30 years in nonprofit and as a fundraising coach, she has seen all the terrible things we d...
Applied Improv Training with Margaret Hicks
September 16, 2019 22:00 - 45 minutes - 42.6 MBImproviser and top-ranked tour guide, Margaret Hicks, teaches museum docents, hospitality workers, and anyone who faces the general public some improv tools to better connect with visitors. We got to talk before her workshops in Abingdon and covered everything from radical acceptance to the hidden success found in failure. I can't wait to hear what you think of this! NOTE: there is one swear word, for those sensitive to that ..... Resources and links: Chicago Elevated......The Tour Boost.......
What's the Big Deal About Year-End?
September 09, 2019 04:32 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBHello and welcome to year three of the Virtual Executive Director podcast! Same music, same host (me), and yes, the same dogs possibly interrupting our recording sessions (though they are blessedly asleep right now). Philosopher and author Alain de Botton said “Anyone who isn't embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn't learning enough.” This is a great springboard for us to talk about the end of the year. Think back to this time last year. Were you launching a perfor...
My Best Advice in Two-Minute Segments
September 03, 2019 00:07 - 1 hour - 92.4 MBThis week's podcast is a compilation of all the "Two-Minute Mini" episodes that I have posted so far on Patreon, exclusively for Patreon supporters of the podcast. Before I officially start my third season of the VED podcast, I thought it would be fun (now that Patreon supporters have already heard them) to share these bite-sized bits of wisdom, thoughts on topics of the day, rants, and advice. Listener warning: Ordinarily my podcast language is clean, but because these mini episodes l...
106 Summer Rerun Wheel of Nonprofit Life
September 02, 2019 20:30 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBThis is the last summer rerun of the year--thank you for sticking with me throughout this season and for indulging me in re-running some of my favorite episodes. In honor of September being the new January, here is one of my earliest episodes (ep. 3)about how to set goals for your organization in this new season. Here is a link to the Wheel of Nonprofit Life download: drive.google.com/file/d/0B2608HgR…view?usp=sharing
105 Summer Rerun Arts and Economic Development
September 02, 2019 20:09 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBIn anticipation of the Virginia Commission for the Arts event, Town Hall for the Arts, I'm rerunning the conversation I had in the spring with Dirk Moore of Emory & Henry College on the arts and economic development. I'm excited to follow this up in a few weeks with insights from the live Town Hall, so be sure to subscribe for more as it happens.
104 Summer Rerun Being Liked
August 12, 2019 22:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBWe can't make everyone happy. There are some people in life who you will just not connect with, and that's OK. Check out this week's summer rerun on "Being Liked."
103 Summer Rerun: How To Recover After A Big Event
August 05, 2019 22:10 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBThe Festival I run has just ended, and this seemed like a perfect time for another listen to a summer rerun of how to quickly and effectively recover after a big event. Enjoy!
102 Summer Reruns How To Prepare For Your Busy Season
July 29, 2019 21:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBThis week's summer rerun falls smack in the middle of the busiest week of my year, so it's only fitting that I run the episode about how to prepare for your busy season. Remember, self-care at this time is not selfish. It is critical to your success as a leader, so don't slack on it. Enjoy the show!
101 Inside This Year's Virginia Highlands Festival
July 22, 2019 21:00 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBFresh content this week! I got to talk with Callie Heitela of "Art Speaks" about this year's Virginia Highlands Festival. This week you get a peek into my "actual" executive director life. Thank you for being part of this community and for your work in nonprofit. Shine on!
100 Summer Rerun Making The Most Of Organizational Downtime
July 15, 2019 23:00 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBYes, this is episode 100 of the podcast, and it is *not* a "very special episode." It got way too close to Festival time for me to do that. But I will tell you, I'm planning something cool for the 2 year anniversary of the podcast in early September, so keep your ears open! In the meantime, enjoy this summer rerun about how to make the most of organizational downtime. Because not everyone has a crazy busy summer.
099 Summer Rerun Insight into Individual Donors with Melissa The Coach
July 08, 2019 23:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBNext up in our summer reruns series is an interview I did with financial coach, Melissa Thomas. She had great insight as to why our individual donors are so valuable to our organizations--even beyond their financial gifts. Enjoy!
098 Summer Rerun Boundaries
July 01, 2019 23:59 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBThis week's summer rerun is about boundaries. You know you need them, but it can be so hard to maintain them. In this episode I interviewed Jen Moff, a certified relationship coach, about boundaries--why they are important, why people encroach on them, and how to maintain them. Please share this with a friend who might need to hear it, because we shine brighter together.