Relentlessly Human Tour
198 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years 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
047 Making the Most of Organizational Downtime
July 09, 2018 23:57 - 10 minutes - 23.4 MBIn the summer, my nonprofit is insanely busy, so I tend to assume that *everyone* is insanely busy. But I know there are lots of orgs that may be in a bit of a summer lull. So this week, I'm talking to you and wistfully daydreaming about my own organizational lull in a couple of months.
046 5 Red Flags When Interviewing for a Nonprofit Job
July 03, 2018 01:12 - 10 minutes - 25.1 MBThis week I'm talking specifically to people who are interviewing for jobs at a nonprofit or who are conducting the interviews for these jobs. Everyone wants to put on their best face for a job interview, so you have to be vigilant in looking for these red flags. And if you are the interviewer, you have to discuss frankly the challenges your organization faces. Here are 5 red flags that I've seen pop up in an interview situation. Let me know what you'd like to add to this list.
045 Board Recruitment Macro Strategy
June 26, 2018 00:57 - 6 minutes - 14.7 MBThe biggest indicator of success for an organization is its culture, and the biggest influence on culture comes from your board. It is worth taking the time to find the right fit in the recruitment process. This week's episode talks about how to do that from a macro level. In this episode I mention downloadable fundraising worksheets. Here's the link for more info: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/index.php/5-steps-worksheets/
044 How to Say "No" Without Feeling Like a Jerk
June 19, 2018 00:06 - 6 minutes - 14.2 MBWe've all heard the trope, "No is a complete sentence." I mean, sure, it is. It's also a quick way to alienate people you care about. This week I talk about how to say "No" and still maintain those important relationships.
043 How to Prepare for your Busy Season
June 12, 2018 03:19 - 15 minutes - 35.3 MBI happen to be in my busy season. I know this to be true because the almond milk I just bought expires after my event is over. When my food outlasts my work project, I know it's crazytime at the job. So this week I'm sharing with you my 5 tips for preparing for your next busy season.
042 How to take a sick day
June 05, 2018 01:10 - 6 minutes - 14.3 MBThose of us in leadership know we don't get sick days the way a lot of other people do. Sure, they are part of our benefits package, but when we're out sick, no one is there to pick up the work, and things start falling through the cracks very easily. So how can we take care of ourselves and our nonprofits at the same time? This week I'm sharing my secrets for how to take a sick day without everything falling apart.
041 Event Day Storytime
May 28, 2018 19:49 - 9 minutes - 21.8 MBAs this is being released, families in the USA may be road-tripping home from the long weekend. So instead of my usual "how to" podcast, here's a little story from a recent big event.
040 Accountabilibuddies
May 22, 2018 02:20 - 5 minutes - 12.8 MBYou don't have to go it alone. Studies show that having an accountability partner (or "accountabilibuddy") increases your rate of success with whatever you're trying to accomplish. This week, I talk about the value of an accountabilibuddy and how to make the relationship work.
039 The One Thing I Never Do When Fundraising
May 15, 2018 02:11 - 12 minutes - 27.9 MBI use many different fundraising tactics for my org, but the one thing I never do is this. I never try to sell to the unsellable. This week I talk about what an "unsellable" looks like and what to do to work around them so you can still meet your fundraising goals.
038 How to Approach Networking
May 07, 2018 23:00 - 14 minutes - 32.2 MBThis week I'm sharing my tips for how to network the "right" way. It takes patience and a willingness to give without expectation. When you do that, you build relationships that are there when you need them. In the podcast I share how to craft a solid elevator pitch, why it pays to be patient, why business cards aren't dead, and how to start and continue conversations with strangers.
037 Working Effectively with Interns
May 01, 2018 00:00 - 14 minutes - 34.1 MBMany of our orgs will be getting a crop of summer interns soon. Here's my best advice about how to make this a valuable experience for them and for you.
036 How to Defeat the Most Powerful Force
April 24, 2018 00:41 - 10 minutes - 25.1 MBThere is no more powerful force in the universe than "I don't wanna." I'm experiencing it right now. I'm on a major deadline, I spent the weekend moving--no shoehorning--my parents into a new house. My body and mind are exhausted and yes, I have a really bad case of the "I don't wannas." So what do you do when you're in charge of a nonprofit that demands and deserves your best, and so does your family, your community, and yourself? I've got some quick tips for how to get things done in spite ...
035 Insight into Individual Donors
April 17, 2018 01:00 - 18 minutes - 42.2 MBI could not stop talking with Melissa Thomas (aka Melissa the Coach) last week. Here's the continuation of our interview, giving you a peek inside the head of a dedicated individual donor. Her nonprofit of choice is Canines for Service (caninesforservice.org). As you listen, note especially why this means you want most of your contributed income from individuals, and think of ways that you might better connect with your donors.
034 How to Make a Budget, with Melissa the Coach
April 10, 2018 04:13 - 52 minutes - 121 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Melissa Thomas (aka Melissa the Coach). She is a personal finance coach, speaker, and author of Building My Yellow Brick Road: Life Lessons from Pursuing a Dream. Melissa teaches us from the beginning of the process how to make a budget. I was surprised at how often I get asked about budgeting, so I think this episode will be helpful to many. Like she suggests, listen twice--once just to listen and once more to take notes. You'll want to capture her ideas about:...
033 Leadership Lessons From Improv
April 03, 2018 00:46 - 13 minutes - 31.1 MBAt SponCom I took a workshop taught by David Christopher of Miami's Just the Funny theater. The workshop was on short-form, a format most people are probably familiar with thanks to the TV show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" As he was teaching, the relationship between hosting a short-form improv show and Leadership (with a capital L) revealed itself, and I just had to make that the subject of this week's podcast. The leadership resources I mention in this episode are: "21 Irrefutable Laws of Lea...
032 Your Emotional Health with Isabel Hundt
March 27, 2018 00:19 - 49 minutes - 114 MBThis week is different from my usual short, pithy, show, as I indulge in a longer conversation with Isabel Hundt about emotional health. We talk about how to protect yourself as an empath, what our purpose is as nonprofit leaders, and even how to recenter and reclaim your emotional space in the middle of a typical hectic day. Isabel is a public speaker, reiki healer, and certified transformation coach. Her nonprofit connection is in her service as a Global Presence Ambassador, which promotes ...
031 How to Respond Not React
March 20, 2018 01:54 - 12 minutes - 27.5 MBI don't know about you, but I can sometimes be hot-headed. When someone says or does something that pushes my buttons, I have a tendency to react (poorly) rather than to respond (thoughtfully). In a recent improv workshop I learned how to listen to others and then the three questions to ask myself before I respond to them. I think this will help you, too, if you're quick to react. It will also help you if you hold everything in and don't really know what to say in the moment. Let me know what...
030 Building Strategic Partnerships
March 13, 2018 02:05 - 11 minutes - 25.5 MBThe benefits of strategic partnerships far outweigh the potential downfalls. This week I talk about the best practices around building strategic partnerships and how I spotted an opportunity in disguise.
029 People not Props
March 06, 2018 00:02 - 6 minutes - 15.2 MBActivism took center stage at the recent Oscar awards, which is thrilling for this nonprofit leader. Then came the missed opportunity of all missed opportunities, and what could have been a soaring moment for our nonprofit community left the audience confused about where to park their majestic high horse. Here's what we need to make sure we do next time we trot out our community heroes. (With apologies for the many names that I surely butchered.)
028 How to Practice Patience
February 27, 2018 02:04 - 10 minutes - 24.3 MBThe practice of patience is critical to your success as a nonprofit leader. We all know it takes at least twice as long to see change (or even any movement towards change)when you're working primarily with volunteers and within the culture of nonprofit orgs. What does patience look like day to day? How do you practice patience? This week's podcast is inspired by Gary Vaynerchuk and my fellow executive directors.
027 How to Finish a Grant
February 23, 2018 00:17 - 11 minutes - 25.4 MBSo sorry about the previous upload of this episode! Check out the @Virtual_Exec or our FB page to see what happened. In the meantime, here's the real deal. Grant writing is a cornerstone fundraising activity. I've talked about tools for finding grants, and how to write a grant so that it makes sense to a panelist or reviewer. This week's podcast is about how to finish strong and celebrate the work you put into this process.
026 Being Liked
February 13, 2018 01:56 - 15 minutes - 35.4 MBLately I've been wrestling with the question of whether it's better to be liked or to be respected. If you've been thinking about this, too, this week's podcast is for you.
025 Small Biz (Nonprofit)Life with Kristin Ingram
February 06, 2018 02:17 - 36 minutes - 83.3 MBThis week on the podcast I chat with my friend, Kristin Ingram, about how nonprofits can use the new tax law to their advantage (among other things). Kristin is a CPA, CEO of Ingram Digital Media, and co-host of the Small Biz Life podcast. Check her out at smallbizlife.com.
024 How to Conference
January 30, 2018 02:59 - 13 minutes - 31.5 MBAs this podcast comes out, I'll be heading to the Virginia Commission for the Arts annual conference in Richmond, Virginia. I know how hard it can be to find the budget for conference attendance, so I thought I'd share with you how to get the most return on your investment of both time and money when you go to conferences.
023 Things People Say
January 23, 2018 03:19 - 14 minutes - 32.6 MBPeople say the darndest things, especially at board meetings. Here are a few of the craziest and the thoughtful, appropriate responses that you can keep in your back pocket for just the right moment.
022 Building Unity Around Big Changes
January 15, 2018 23:40 - 12 minutes - 27.9 MBNow that you recognize the signs of transition and you know you want to do something to get ahead of these challenges rather than wait for them to crash into you, this week's podcast talks about how to build the support you need around these big changes.
021 Signs You Are Heading Toward Transition
January 09, 2018 02:55 - 12 minutes - 29.4 MBIn our nonprofit life we have purposeful transitions, like launching a new program, and accidental transitions, like a major sponsor going out of business. These are pretty straightforward and (for the most part) we know how to handle them. Then there is a middle ground of transitions that aren't here yet, but if you know what to look for, you'll see the signs. That's what we're talking about in this week's podcast.
020 How to Start a Nonprofit
January 01, 2018 19:56 - 14 minutes - 33 MBI've been getting a lot of questions lately about how to start a nonprofit. If that describes you or someone you know, here's the podcast to listen to first. I go over the steps to take that will set you and your org up for success from the beginning. To get the full checklist, visit virtualexecutivedirector.com
019 My Favorite Quotes of the Week
December 26, 2017 14:49 - 12 minutes - 28.5 MBSince it's the holiday season (fun!) and year-end (stressful!), this week's podcast brings the gift of an easy listen. In the Executive Director Mastermind group, we like to share "Quote of the Week" from our nonprofit life. This week's podcast is 8 of my favorite QOTW to entertain and help you get through the year-end crazies. See you in the New Year!
018 Grant Writing Tips From a Panelist
December 19, 2017 01:48 - 17 minutes - 40.8 MBDid you know I serve as a grant panelist for the Virginia Commission for the Arts? Yep! And now I'm sharing 8 of my top grant writing tips to keep you from wanting to smash your face into your desk.
017 Nonprofit Lessons from GBBS
December 12, 2017 03:25 - 10 minutes - 23.2 MBI'm back after being sick for two weeks! While slowly melting into the couch, I had the opportunity to watch "The Great British Baking Show." Maybe it was a fever-dream, but I think I learned a few things applicable to nonprofit life. Let me know if you think I missed any.
016 Boundaries for Nonprofit Leaders
December 06, 2017 01:16 - 48 minutes - 110 MBThis past week has found me too sick to record a full podcast, so I found a video call that I recorded earlier this year with certified relationship expert, Jen Moff, on boundaries. Why are they so difficult? How do we set them effectively? And what do we say to someone when they violate them? This is a long one, and originally it was on video. There may be references to visuals, but I think you'll find this helpful. This can be an especially tricky time of year with work and personal demands...
015 Tools
November 28, 2017 03:19 - 16 minutes - 37.7 MBThis week's podcast is about three new tools I've been using lately that might be helpful for you, too. They are Stay22 (map widget): https://www.stay22.com/ MeetingSift (meeting survey software): http://meetingsift.com/ Instrumentl (grant aggregator): http://www.instrumentl.com/ Don't feel bad if I left out one of your favorites. These are 3 that came to my attention recently and that I've had success with. Feel free to comment and let me know what tools you're using that you love.
014 Suffocating Negativity
November 20, 2017 22:51 - 11 minutes - 27.1 MBWhy is important to suffocate negativity in your organization, and what does that look like in day-to-day practice? This week I share how to get on top of this productivity issue.
013 Things You Don't Want to Think About...
November 14, 2017 01:01 - 7 minutes - 16.5 MBThis week's podcast is a quick reminder about what matters.
012 Finding Help
November 07, 2017 13:38 - 9 minutes - 22.7 MBYou can't do it all, but who do you delegate to when you have, like, zero budget? This week on the podcast I talk about where to find help when you're not ready to make a permanent hire.
011 Tricks to Treat Yourself
October 31, 2017 02:48 - 10 minutes - 24.8 MBThis week's episode lands on Halloween in the US, so I thought I'd reward our hard fundraising work this month with an episode on self-care. I share 3 tricks I use to treat myself, so that I'm at my best for my org. BTW, listen to the very end, past the closing music for an audio treat, courtesy my dog, Oakley. This is real life, y'all.
010 Effective Corporate Sponsorship Follow-up
October 24, 2017 00:33 - 18 minutes - 42.1 MBDon't let your awesome corporate appeal package go to waste by slacking on the follow-up. In this episode I share with you how to approach follow-up from a place of service and take all the angst out of those phone calls.
009 Individual Giving: Anatomy of an Effective Appeal Letter
October 17, 2017 01:19 - 10 minutes - 25.1 MBIn this episode I share with you the elements of a great appeal letter and how to structure your appeal so that it hits all the areas of the DiSC personality profile.
008 Fundraising Prep
October 10, 2017 01:22 - 15 minutes - 36.2 MBIn this episode I go over the things that you should know and prep before you even start asking for money. This prep work will help make the fundraising process go much more smoothly.
007.5 Board Orientation Template: The "Yes, You" Game
October 04, 2017 00:49 - 4 minutes - 11 MBSo....I could not, in fact, find anything online describing the opening icebreaker game I used at our board retreat, so I've recorded a bonus episode. Hope you have a chance to use this game at your next meeting!
007 Board Orientation Template
October 03, 2017 02:39 - 21 minutes - 49.3 MBWhen was the last time you led an effective and enjoyable board orientation? In this week's podcast, I report on our board orientation/retreat, talk you through the event outline, and share come cool team-building activities. Big thanks to those who helped me directly and indirectly with this event content. Here are the resources I mention throughout the podcast: Link for Board Orientation Outline: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Board-Orientation-Retreat-Outlin...
006 Keeping in Touch
September 25, 2017 23:53 - 12 minutes - 27.8 MBIt's important for quality communication that you keep in touch with your board more frequently than at the monthly meeting. One way I accomplish this is through a weekly report. This accomplishes a few things: - It keeps you accountable - It engenders trust - It gives your board consistent talking points In this episode, I outline the weekly report I use. Swipe it for yourself and modify it to fit your needs. Download my weekly report template here: http://virtualexecutivedirector.com/wp-con...
005 Personality Profiling: Are you an Otter, a Wombat, or an Influencer?
September 19, 2017 00:29 - 34 minutes - 78.8 MBLearning to recognize personality types can go a long way to facilitating quality communication with your board, staff, volunteers, and even fundraising prospects (like a nonprofit fundraising hack). In this episode, I touch briefly on several different profiling systems, and talk about the one I'll be using at my board orientation. Link to a free version of the DiSC Assessment: https://discpersonalitytesting.com/free-disc-test/ Link to a free version of the Myers-Briggs assessment: https://p...
004 Building Unity
September 11, 2017 23:56 - 16 minutes - 38.5 MBWorking with a unified board, staff, and volunteers is the key to speed, execution, and lower stress. In this episode I share the "5 Enemies of Unity" from Dave Ramsey's book, Entreleadership, and show you how to apply it to your nonprofit. Resources DiSC Profile: http://discprofile.com/what-is-disc/overview/ Meyers-Briggs: https://www.mbtionline.com "Difficult Conversations": https://smile.amazon.com/Difficult-Conversations-Discuss-What-Matters-ebook/dp/B004CR6ALA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505...
003 Wheel of Nonprofit Life
September 05, 2017 04:49 - 13 minutes - 31.3 MBEpisode 3: Based on Zig Ziglar's original "Wheel of Life" goal-setting graphic, I've created a "Wheel of Nonprofit Life" for goal-setting for nonprofit orgs. Download for the graphic is available at this link: http://wp.me/P86oVQ-Y Special thanks to Kendall Caldwell for the use of their song, "Follow Me."
002 Brand Knowledge For Fundraising Success In The Arts
September 05, 2017 03:10 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBEpisode 2: I walk a client through the branding process as it relates to fundraising.
001 New Podcast, New Season!
September 05, 2017 03:01 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBEpisode 1: They say "September is the new January." How does that apply to nonprofits?