Discover key strategies to a successful leadership transition with seasoned Executive Director, Dhivya O'Connor. 

Navigating Nonprofit Leadership Transitions with Dhivya O'Connor

With over half-a-million downloads, the Successful Nonprofits Podcast  shares insights, tools, and tips to help you and your nonprofit thrive.  Our incredible content is the reason we're ranked in the top 2% of podcasts globally. 

Each week, Dolph interviews nonprofit experts and leaders who share their experiences and wisdom on a wide range of topics relevant to the nonprofit sector. From fundraising and board development to leadership and strategic planning, and more!

We also offer shorter Bonus Break episodes you can listen to while taking a tea break – and get the added bonus of making you and your nonprofit stronger. These Bonus Breaks are solo episodes, where Dolph shares hard-learned (sometimes painfully learned) lessons from his 3 decades in the sector. And he often create worksheets and templates that accompany the bonus breaks.

The podcast is hosted by Dolph Goldenburg, a consultant, coach, and confidant to nonprofit leaders across the nation.

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In this encore episode originally aired in 2021, we bring you the insights and wisdom of 11 guests who have made significant impacts in their careers. Each guest shares what they started doing—or stopped doing—that made the biggest difference in their professional journey. These short and powerful moments of wisdom are designed to help you become more authentic, curious, and direct, leading to greater success in your career. Whether you're looking for practical advice or inspirational stories, this episode offers valuable takeaways that can transform your professional life.  This episode answers the following questions:   What should I be doing with my career?  How can I achieve my career goals?  What habits can significantly impact my career success?  How can I become more authentic in my professional life?  What are the most effective strategies for career growth?  How can I make a game-changing move in my career?   Links mentioned in this episode:  Podcast: Ep 223: Do More Good…Through Your Website with Adam Walker  Podcast: Ep 219: Fill That Job with the Perfect Candidate with Kathleen Duffy   Podcast: Ep 218: the Gift of Struggle & The Leadership Secret with Bobby Herrera   Podcast: Ep 213: The Magic of Strategic Plans with Liana Downey   Podcast: Ep 215: Take a Deep Breath with Jay Johnson Podcast: Ep 214: Gender Matters in Philanthropy with Jeannie Sager Podcast: Ep 220: When Your Program is Broken with Kelsey Smith   Podcast: Ep 222: Transform Your Public Speaking with Neil Gordon  Podcast: Ep 217: Rethink How You Fundraise with Jack Silverstein  Podcast: Ep 212: The Supportive Board Chair with Monica Khant  Podcast: Ep211: The Story Your Voice Tells with Tracy Goodwin StrengthsFinder  Assessment  Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:   Ep 282: 12 Ways You Can Recruit and Retain Top Talent (Episode Title on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or  our website with show notes)  Ep 272: 17 Leadership Books to Add to Your Reading List  (Episode Title on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or  our website with show notes) 

Encore Episode: 11 Guests Share Career Building Advice

Join the conversation as I sit down with Jake Krotonsky and Alec Bansal, two remarkable high school seniors who didn't just dream of making a difference — they made it their mission. Jake and Alec have accomplished what many seasoned nonprofit leaders find challenging — they started and run a thriving nonprofit in their community.  During their sophomore year of high school, Jake and Alec looked at their shared passion for sneakers through a new lens, asking themselves how they could use it to serve others. The answer led to the birth of Soles2Souls, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing shoes to those in need. From a simple act of kindness to a thriving nonprofit, their journey is a testament to what we all can achieve with a blend of passion, innovation, and the desire to serve. We explore the challenges and triumphs these young founders faced as they transformed their high school project into a full-fledged organization. From navigating the complexities of nonprofit management to motivating board members to scaling their impact across communities, Jake and Alec's insights are a roadmap for aspiring changemakers of all ages. Don't miss this incredible story of friendship, philanthropic ambition, and the power of giving back. Listen and learn how these two youth are walking the talk, one pair of shoes at a time. This episode answers the following questions:  What are the steps to incorporate a nonprofit? How do I manage a nonprofit while still in school? What are effective fundraising strategies for new nonprofits? How can small nonprofits gain media attention and build credibility? How do I recruit and manage a nonprofit board effectively? How can I turn my passion into a nonprofit mission?  Links mentioned in this episode:  Soles2Souls’ Website   News story on Soles2Souls on Arizona Family News   Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:  Ep 306: Youth and Intergenerational Collaboration with Ilona Dougherty and Lilah Williamson (Apple Podcasts |  Spotify | or  Our Website with Show Notes) Ep 319: Start a Nonprofit from Scratch with Genevieve Piturro (Apple Podcasts |  Spotify | or  Our Website with Show Notes) 

Inspiring Nonprofit Leadership with Jake Krotonsky and Alec Bansal

Joe Mull shares the secret to happy, productive employees who stay: employer loyalty and building humanity within the workplace. You read that right – employer loyalty is necessary before we earn employee loyalty.  In this episode, Joe discusses his new book Employalty: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work. Joe and Dolph discuss practical strategies for increasing your retention rate, fostering a humane work environment, and transforming your leadership approach to meet your team’s needs.  This episode answers the following questions:  Why are my employees resigning? How can I improve my organization’s retention rate? What is a human-centered workplace? How can I create a more humane workplace? What factors drive my staff members’ decision to leave?    Links mentioned in this episode:  Joe Mull’s Website Employalty (the book)  Joe Mull’s YouTube Channel Boss Better Now Podcast   Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:   Ep 284: Attracting Great Development Staff (even when you can’t pay high salaries) with Emily Haynes and Rasheeda Childress (Episode Title on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or  Our Website with Show Notes) Ep 314: Build Stronger Teams and Team Members with John Augusto (Episode Title on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or  Our Website with Show Notes) 

Employer Loyalty --- > Employee Loyalty with Joe Mull

If you’ve ever signed a contract for a new CRM only to regret it a few months later, this episode will help you get the most out of your current donor database (and out of your next one, too). Paul Morris, a veteran in nonprofit fund development, shares invaluable insights from decades of CRM experience. This episode delves deep into the common pitfalls of CRM implementation and provides practical strategies to avoid costly mistakes and maximize the potential of your CRM to enhance donor relationships and streamline fundraising operations. This wide-ranging conversation also discusses the critical role of negotiating your CRM contract and ensuring that your CRM aligns with the unique needs of your organization’s fundraising strategies. This episode answers the following questions:  What are the common pitfalls in CRM implementation for nonprofits? How can I choose the right CRM for my organization? What are effective strategies for negotiating CRM contracts? How can I use my donor database to better engage donors? How do I make sure the data in my CRM is right?    Links mentioned in this episode:   Auxilia’s Website  Paul’s Website, Foundry Fundraising   Paul’s Article: No Shortcuts to Success – A Real-Talk Guide to Successful Fundraising   Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:  Ep 114: Everyone Must Get Onboard the Tech Train…or It’s Not Leaving the Station with Peter Gross (Apple Podcasts | Spotify |  Our Website with Show Notes) Ep 164: How to Love Your Next CRM with Maureen Wallbeoff (Apple Podcasts | Spotify |  Our Website with Show Notes) 

Make Your Donor Database Work Harder with Paul Morris

As a nonprofit leader, you navigate the complexities of managing time, resources, staff, and your board. Today’s guest, Huggy Rao, wants you to create friction within your organization that makes the right things easier and the wrong things harder. Huggy and Dolph dive into practical strategies for reducing 'bad friction' that wastes time and energy, while advocating for 'good friction' that fosters deliberation and educated decisions. This episode is a must-listen for nonprofit executives seeking actionable advice on enhancing organizational efficiency and culture. Huggy Rao is co-author of  the best-selling book “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder,” and other best-selling books. And as a distinguished professor at Stanford Business School, Huggy has also authored “Scaling Up for Excellence” and “Market Rebels.”  This episode answers the following questions:  What is 'bad friction' and how can it be identified and removed? How does 'good friction' benefit an organization? What are the impacts of time poverty and addition bias on organizational efficiency? How can nonprofit leaders effectively manage both types of friction? What simple steps can be taken to make work easier?  Links mentioned in this episode:   Huggy’s Website Friction Project’s Co-Author  Buy the book The Friction Project   Huggy’s LinkedIn Page   Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:   Ep 180: Creating a Strong Back Office with Sean Hale [Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or our website with show notes]  Ep 277: Make the Most of Your Time with Shanice Miller [Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or our website with show notes) 

Navigating Nonprofit Leadership Transitions with Dhivya O'Connor

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