The podcast is back. In this episode Clark talks about a simple strategy for expressing gratitude to your donors during the Thanksgiving season. Questions, comments? Email Clark at [email protected]

What can we learn about fundraising from Ronald Reagan, Mitt Romney, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal? Two stories that demonstrate that demonstrate passion and a burning desire to succeed, which are two qualities of great fundraisers. If you want to hear more podcasts like this one, email Clark at [email protected].

In life there are times that we put things on auto-pilot. In this episode, Clark guides you through an honest self-assessment, asking you the question, "Where you at?" You even get a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson in this episode.

Encouragement from Clark to be curious and to be bold. We ask good questions in meetings not because we are trying to find the right numbers to punch into the ATM so the ATM will spit out cash. We ask good questions because we are genuinely curious, and because we are genuinely curious, we are then bold enough to ask the questions. 

In this episode Clark talks about why his meetings almost always go as planned -- and how and why he is able to almost always ask his strategic questions, in the order in which he anticipated asking those questions -- and why this is NOT the case for many development professionals he talks with. Plus -- an important point -- these questions don't just lead to better meetings and move your organization forward. These questions lead to better relationships with your donors. Thoughts? Questions? Email Clark at [email protected]

What are you willing to do and what are you willing to give up in order to become the person that you want to be? You can email Clark your answers and he will hold you accountable. Email Clark at [email protected]

If you identify as an empathetic person who wants to make a difference in the world, it's easy to grow entitled our resentful of others when we feel like they "don't get it." How do we deal with that? Questions or comments? Email Clark at [email protected].

In this episode Clark shares the story of how he came to spend his entire adult life as a fundraiser, how he and Monica developed the system that is Peak Performance Fundraising, and some of the individual pieces that are part of that system. Shout outs to Jerry Pattengale, Floyd Brown, Ron Robinson, Jerold Panas, Darren and Nancy Campbell, and the amazing Monica Vandeventer. Questions or comments? Email Clark at [email protected]

You want to write a great donor report that makes your boss think you're awesome. Start writing your report before the meeting. If you want your donor to tell you awesome stuff that will make for an awesome report, ask awesome questions to get them to tell you awesome stuff. And do that before the meeting, not after. Thoughts? Email Clark at [email protected]

In this episode Clark talks about looking for ways to connect with people -- finding tiny things, grabbing on, and going for a ride. We can connect with people my being observant and then by being bold and curious. Questions, comments? Email Clark at [email protected]