Everyone walks into their first conference feeling like the only person who doesn't know what they're doing. The lanyard, the business cards, the list of people you're supposed to meet. And still, somehow, nothing quite prepares you for the room.

So before we get into the how — the prep, the pitch, the follow-up — we start with the why. Why do we go at all? Why do leaders from across Africa travel thousands of miles to Oxford, New York, San Jose, to meet people who are sometimes just a few countries away from home?

In this episode, Beatrice speaks with Bill, Aaron, Darlene, Brian, and Roseline. Each of them have very different answers to that question. Funding is one reason. It is not the only one.

Becoming a Fundraiser is a podcast for nonprofit leaders learning to raise money, through the real experiences of people doing the work . Season 1 is all about conferences.