Secrets of Social Impact Communicators: A Silver Maple Strategies Podcast with Nate Birt

Do you ever feel like you're encountering a series of neverending bottlenecks within your nonprofit? Here at Silver Maple Strategies, we see this all the time - and it's nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, it's part of the natural growth of any purpose-driven organization. The best part? There are tremendous solutions available to any leader looking to break through bottlenecks and deliver increasingly higher levels of impact. In this episode, I'll teach you how. It really boils down to focusing your attention and strategy in three key areas:

• Mindset: Erase doubt, stop denying your own value, and avoid sabotage
• People + Machines: Shift away from analog-only systems and toward human-centered, digitally streamlined processes, embrace automation where sensible, and encourage your team to cross-train
• Money (aka Fundraising): Focus attention versus spreading it broadly over many areas, bias toward action (rather than primarily research) and navigate tricky predicaments with an eye toward financial sustainability.

I hope these insights can be helpful to you in determining which bottleneck you'll break through next.

And if you're curious to explore what this could mean for your own nonprofit's health and growth, I'd love to visit with you. Book a free, no-pressure consultation to dive deeper on your nonprofit's specific needs. You can simply schedule a time to talk with me, CEO Nate Birt, at www.SilverMapleStrategies.com/Contact.

Are you struggling to get noticed by funders and strategic partners — even though your nonprofit is doing critical, impactful work?

In this episode, I'll walk you through the essential keys to making your nonprofit brand unforgettable. Drawing on insights from more than 17 years in communications and 8+ years advising nonprofit leaders, I share the most common branding challenges nonprofits face today — and the exact steps you can take to rise above the noise.

You'll learn how to shift your mindset from "surviving" to "thriving" and build a brand that funders remember, partners rally behind, and your team is proud of.

• Why caution-mode branding holds nonprofits back — and what to do instead

• The top five branding pitfalls that make nonprofits invisible

• How to reframe your narrative to emphasize transformation, not just activity

• Why audience clarity is the new brand superpower

• Five "Invisible No More" branding keys you can implement today

Plus, listen in as I reveal the action steps you can take right now to start moving the needle on visibility, funding, and influence.

Whether you're leading communications, fundraising, or executive strategy — this episode will give you the clarity and momentum to lead with confidence.

• Schedule your free 30-minute consultation with me: www.silvermaplestrategies.com

• Reach out directly for your copy of the Invisible to Visible Messaging Clarity Checklist: [email protected]

Subscribe to Secrets of Social Impact Communicators, my weekly newsletter full of tools, case studies, and inspiration for nonprofit leaders: Join here

Visit Silver Maple Strategies to learn more about our work.

In this episode, I walk nonprofit leaders through timely strategies for building fundraising resilience in a complex and fast-evolving 2025 landscape.

You'll walk away with actionable ideas, renewed confidence, and a powerful framework to tackle today's toughest fundraising challenges.

I introduce our team's proprietary Resilience Leadership Model, crafted to help nonprofit organizations navigate change with purpose and strategy. You'll learn why so many nonprofits struggle with silos, underutilize AI, and fall into reactive patterns—and how to break free.

Plus, I share behind-the-scenes insights from my 8+ years working alongside nonprofit leaders on:

• Why resilience is the new success metric for nonprofits

• How to foster morale, flexibility, and clarity across your team

• What AI can (and can't) do for your fundraising efforts

• Why reporting isn't just about metrics—it's about strategic storytelling

• A practical 3-step path: Communicate, Experiment, Accelerate

Whether you're a nonprofit executive, development professional, or simply passionate about impact-driven work, this episode will leave you energized and equipped to lead with greater confidence and creativity.

If you'd like access to any of the following, simply email me at [email protected]:

🎁 Journaling Prompts for Fundraising Strategy – Designed to help you clarify next steps for your organization 📥 Session Recording & Slides – Available to all attendees and registrants 📅 Book a 1:1 Strategy Session with Nate – No pressure, just a conversation about your nonprofit and specific areas where you're looking to grow. Schedule here

💡 Want personalized support for your nonprofit? Visit our website at Silver Maple Strategies 📬 Sign up for Nate's free newsletter: Secrets of Social Impact Communicators 🎙️ Check out the podcast on your favorite player—and on YouTube!

In this episode, I sit down with Eva Goulbourne, Founder and CEO of Littlefoot Ventures, for a fascinating discussion of why this is a historic moment for addressing climate change via food and agriculture.

Eva's food systems and sustainability strategy firm focuses on using food systems transformation as the climate solution. She brings extensive expertise serving both for-profit and nonprofit executives including food business technology companies, venture capital, nonprofits, and family philanthropy.

Eva's passion for food and its ability to connect people and transform lives began before the age of 10, when she became a loyal subscriber to Martha Stewart Living. She went on to develop a passion for international development and spent time working with farmers in Kenya and Malawi before serving as Senior Associate in Agriculture Technology Innovations at the World Economic Forum and later as Employee No. 1 and Director of Business & Multistakeholder Programs at ReFED, where she helped scale food waste solutions across the U.S.

In this episode, Eva shares insights on timely topics for social impact leaders, including:

• Diversifying Your Funding Strategy In Partnership With Family Philanthropy: Eva shares how nonprofits can partner with family philanthropy by developing relationships grounded in trust, understanding individual trustees' priorities, and adding immediate value rather than simply asking for an investment upfront.

• Connecting Your Nonprofit's Outcomes To The Broader Climate-Action Narrative: Eva explains how many nonprofits undersell their climate impact. She offers practical communications strategies nonprofits can use to frame their programs as climate solutions.

• Appreciating The Unique Nature Of This Food-Climate Moment: Eva shares her perspective on what makes this moment - 2024 and beyond - so special for leaders and organizations advancing climate solutions via the food system.

Resources and Links:

• Connect with Eva Goulbourne on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Little Foot Ventures at LittleFootVentures.com.
• Get my free report, "10 Climate-Smart Ag Risks Facing Nonprofits in 2025," by emailing me at [email protected].
• Purchase my new book, 7 Secrets of Highly Effective Social Impact Communicators: Grab your copy here.

Credits:

Thank you to our producer, Lee Williams, for editing and producing this episode.

Please rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Every review helps spread the word!

In this episode of Secrets of Social Impact Communicators, I welcome Jan Barlow, founder of Better Job Fit, for an insightful conversation on career transitions, leadership, and purpose-driven work. Jan shares her incredible journey from a successful corporate career in pharmaceuticals to creating an organization that helps vulnerable populations such as veterans and foster care communities transition into civilian work.

Jan opens up about her own career challenges, including the burnout that came from working outside of her strengths and how it led her to rethink her path. She now uses her extensive experience in job matching to help others find meaningful, aligned careers that make a difference. Jan also delves into the critical role of emotional intelligence, behavioral diversity, and creating shame-free environments where individuals and teams can thrive.

Key Takeaways:

1. Career Alignment & Well-Being: Jan emphasizes the importance of working in alignment with your strengths and gifts to avoid burnout and stress. Her personal story highlights how job misalignment can lead to physical and mental health issues for social impact leaders and their teams.

2. Conscious Awareness in Leadership: Social impact leaders must prioritize raising their own self-awareness and make the mindset shift from "me" to "we" to use their strengths for the greater good.

3. Helping Vulnerable Populations: Better Job Fit's work with veterans and foster care communities provides structured job-matching, helping individuals transition from highly regulated environments (military, foster care) to the unstructured private sector with confidence and clarity. Jan shares several poignant stories of career transformation that will challenge you to take your purpose-driven work to the next level of excellence.

4. Behavioral Diversity: Jan discusses the importance of recognizing behavioral differences in teams and explains how understanding these differences can mitigate conflict and improve collaboration.

5. Creating Solutions, Not Blame: Building a "solution-oriented" culture helps teams focus on progress, rather than dwelling on problems. This fosters a healthier, more collaborative workplace.

Memorable Quotes:

• "What's really not spoken of or discussed much is the psychological impact when you are in job transition. ... When you are in that food, water, shelter mode you can have a house, you can have everything fine, but mentally, if you're in that fear mode ... you start to get into that psychological spiral. That's really what I wanted to help alleviate." - Jan Barlow
• "It's about deference over difference, respect over talking about how different we are ... . That's really what behavior diversity is about." - Jan Barlow

Resources:

• Connect with Jan Barlow on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Jan and her work at her website, Better Job Fit
• Interested in personalized career consulting? Reach out to Jan at [email protected].

Call to Action: Be sure to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform, and check out my latest book, 7 Secrets of Highly Effective Social Impact Communicators. For guest ideas or topics you'd like to hear about in future episodes, reach out to Nate at [email protected].

Production Credits: Special thanks to Lee Williams for producing this episode.

Remember: Social impact work is soul work. Lead like you live.

In this episode, B3C Global CEO and Founder Cytandra Hoover shares her fascinating experiences building climate resilience in local communities and advancing equity across the world. Cytandra is a seasoned expert in global social impact and inclusive insurance. You'll learn something new and be inspired in equal measure, I promise!

In This Episode:

• Cytandra's Background: Discover how her childhood experiences traveling with her botanist father and witnessing global disparities in conflict zones and places devastated by natural disasters shaped her career path.
• The Power of Microinsurance: Learn about microinsurance's role in protecting vulnerable populations against climate-related events and other risks.
• Sustainability and Finance: Consider the importance of sustainable, financially viable solutions for long-term community support.
• Challenges and Opportunities: Hear insights into the barriers to adoption of microinsurance in the U.S. and other high-income countries, and how these can be overcome.
• The Future of Social Impact Finance: Examine the finance trends social impact professionals should watch in the next 12 to 18 months.

Connect with Cytandra:

• LinkedIn: Cytandra Hoover

Additional Resources:

• Visit B3C Global: Learn more about Cytandra's work and her company's mission at B3C Global
• Social Impact Insights: For more on how to engage in impactful work and the intricacies of microinsurance, check out our website.

Special Thanks:

• Editing and Production: Lee Williams, for his impeccable production work on this episode.
• Get My Book: "7 Secrets of Highly Effective Social Impact Communicators" now available wherever books are sold.

In this fascinating episode, we dive deep into the world of social impact crowdfunding with Devin Thorpe, the CEO and Champion of Social Good at Super Crowd Inc. Devin, an acclaimed author, speaker, and a beacon of hope for entrepreneurs and investors alike, shares valuable insights into leveraging crowdfunding for meaningful social change.

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Devin's Journey: Learn about Devin's transition from finance to focusing on making a meaningful difference through social impact. His story is a testament to the power of leveraging financial expertise for the greater good.
• Understanding Crowdfunding: Devin demystifies regulated crowdfunding, explaining how it differs from traditional crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo. This segment is crucial for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of investment in social ventures.
• Inclusivity in Finance: Discover how crowdfunding is creating new opportunities for women, diverse founders, and other entrepreneurs who have historically faced barriers in accessing capital.
• Impact Investing Made Accessible: Devin discusses how platforms like SMBx make it possible for virtually anyone to start investing in small businesses with as little as $10, emphasizing the democratization of impact investing.
• Strategic Advice for Social Entrepreneurs: From navigating legal landscapes to employing AI tools such as ChatGPT for business planning, Devin offers actionable advice for entrepreneurs looking to harness the power of crowdfunding.
• The Future of Crowdfunding: Hear Devin's vision for the future, where social impact crowdfunding becomes a normalized and integral part of our financial ecosystem, driving widespread social change.

Devin's Recommendations:

• Book: How to Make Money with Impact Crowdfunding - A guide to navigating the world of investment crowdfunding with a focus on maximizing both financial returns and social impact.

Connect with Devin:

• Visit Superpowers for Good to learn more about Devin's work.
• Follow Devin on LinkedIn for insights and updates in the field of social impact crowdfunding.

Special Thanks:

• A huge thank you to Lee Williams for his editing and production work on this episode.

Stay Connected:

• Interested in more insights on social impact communication? Order my book, "7 Secrets of Highly Effective Social Impact Communicators," available now on Amazon.
• For more about me and my work in climate change consulting, visit Silver Maple Strategies.
• Connect with me on LinkedIn for updates and discussions on social impact strategies.

In this episode, I'm delighted to introduce you to Tamika Bickham, founder, CEO, and creative director at TB Media Group. We bonded immediately over our shared background in journalism and dived into a fascinating discussion of human-centered storytelling.

During our conversation, Tamika discusses her journey into purpose-driven work, shares real-life examples of powerful stories that address challenging issues with authenticity and human connection, and discusses how to build a meaningful legacy.

You'll get so much from hearing Tamika share how brands are leveraging video to bring authentic stories to the world -- creating connection and breathing new life into organizations that can make a meaningful difference in our world.

More from our conversation:

• Connect with Tamika Bickham on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
• Visit the TB Media Group website to learn more about Tamika's team, success stories, and services
• Tamika recommends the documentary, "Beyond Utopia"

Thanks as always to Lee Williams for editing and producing this episode!

You can find me online here:

• Order my new book, "7 Secrets of Highly Effective Social Impact Communicators"
• Get to know me and my approach to climate change consulting
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Book me as a speaker or facilitator for your next event

In this episode, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Deborah Marshall, director of sales and marketing at Missouri Life, an iconic B2C media brand in my adoptive state of Missouri. Deborah is a true leader in the world of sales, marketing, and purpose-driven communication.

During our conversation, Deborah talks about where her best ideas come from - and how other social impact communicators can spark their own creativity. She also talks about the promise of risk-taking and the value of collaboration to create amazing, powerful storytelling.

You'll also capture powerful ideas for strengthening your leadership capacity as a social impact communicator. Deborah shares how openness and cross-pollination of ideas can foster a culture of mutual respect, innovation, and preserved integrity.

Deborah also delves into the practical side of creativity, discussing how she and her team evaluate the potential value and impact of new ideas and initiatives. She shares her strategy of categorizing projects based on their potential business value and brand impact, providing listeners with a tangible framework for assessing their own creative endeavors.

I absolutely love Deborah's fearless approach to her work and life. She encourages listeners to embrace risk and not to fear failure. Your willingness to try new things in social impact can lead to unparalleled growth and success. Whether you're a young professional just starting out in your communication career or a seasoned veteran, Deborah's insights will inspire and challenge you to think creatively, take well-calculated chances, and keep learning.

More from our conversation:

• Connect with Deborah Marshall on LinkedIn
• Visit the Missouri Life website to learn more about Deborah's work and find great examples of social impact storytelling
• Deborah recommends the movie, "Sound of Freedom"

Thanks as always to Lee Williams for editing and producing this episode!

You can find me online here:

• Preorder my new book, "7 Secrets of Highly Effective Social Impact Communicators"
• Visit the Silver Maple Strategies website for more about me and my social impact work
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Book me as a speaker or facilitator for your next event

Have you ever worked with a communications consultant - or considered hiring one? In my latest episode, I sit down for a fantastic conversation with Jacque Matsen, owner and president of Relate Strategies LLC. Jacque's communications consulting firm specializes in a range of services including communications strategy planning, thought leadership development, crisis response planning, and much more.

Jacque offers a window into her passion for purpose-driven work and how it shapes every decision she makes at Relate Strategies. As a seasoned communications executive, she reveals the must-have qualities of the best communications consultants and provides invaluable tips for organizations looking to hire and collaborate with them effectively.

Be sure to listen for our discussion about authenticity and why every organization must make it a top priority for their social impact communication.

More from our conversation:

• Connect with Jacque on LinkedIn
• Visit the Relate Strategies website to learn more about Jacque's work and find her blog with insights from her dad
• Jacque recommends reading Tim Schurrer's book, "The Secret Society of Success"

Thanks as always to Lee Williams for editing and producing this episode!

You can find me online here:

• Visit the Silver Maple Strategies website for more about me and my social impact work
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Book me as a speaker or facilitator for your next event