#52 | How do small shop fundraising professionals avoid the post-conference blues?
The Fundraising Talent Podcast | Hosted by Jason Lewis | Episode #52 | How do small shop fundraising professionals avoid the post-conference blues?
One of unfortunate realities of attending conferences is that after the breakout sessions and motivational keynotes are over, everyone has to return to the office and attempt to implement everything they have learned. What was most evident in my conversation with Cindy Wagman, Founder of The Good Partnership, is her commitment to and grasp of the challenges of small shops. Both of us have observed that too many experts speak big shop language and sometimes find it difficult to translate their wisdom to those in smaller shops with limited resources.
As a young fundraiser, Cindy recalls attending AFP Congress in Toronto, having learned from the world’s best fundraisers, only to return to her office discouraged and overwhelmed with what to do with all her newly-gained knowledge. Solving this all too familiar and inevitable problem was the focus of her session today in San Antonio. Interwoven into her insights was learning how recognize yourself as the expert, ensuring that your great ideas are accompanied with a plan and structure for being carried out, and learning to rely on a host of productivity tools to make sure you’re making progress every day.
Here’s some feedback from those who attended our seminar in Toronto last month.
“I haven’t enjoyed a fundraising workshop as much as yours in many, many years!” — Maryann Kerr, CEO, The Medalist Group, Toronto, 2019
“Probably one of the best days of professional development I've experienced.” — Jack Silverstein, VP, Development at National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA, Ottawa, 2019
“I found the seminar fun, instructive, affirming and educational.” — Sue Ellen English, National Director, Development, Prison Fellowship Canada
If you're interested in joining us at an upcoming stop on the How Fundraising Really Works roadshow, it's it important to know that this is not the typical “Tips and Tricks” experience we've grown accustom to. Instead, we're going to confront the real reasons for why most fundraising strategies are designed to fail, challenge everyone’s assumptions about how fundraising really works, and ensure that fundraising professionals know how to be recognized and admired for meaningful work. Anyone who isn’t thinking more critically about the fundraising profession when they leave wasn’t paying attention.