If you lead development work and you're tired of the grind, this nonprofit fundraising podcast episode is for you. Fundraising doesn't have to feel heavy. It can feel like joy.

In this episode, host Max Kringen sits down with Tesha McCord Poe, founder of Joy Raising, for a candid conversation about joyful fundraising, inclusive philanthropy, and donor engagement that actually builds relationships. 💛

Tesha is a former lawyer, banker, journalist, and chief advancement officer who now coaches leaders to raise more money with more people and more joy. She unpacks boundaries, belonging, ego, and the moment she realized she was excluding herself from the ask. ✨

You'll Learn

By the end, you'll know how to:

• Reframe fundraising as a relationship practice, not a performance
• Stop excusing yourself from asks where you belong in the room
• Build boundaries that protect your wellbeing and your team
• Prepare well enough to walk in with honest confidence
• Find points of connection with donors beyond wealth or status
• Choose joy as a daily, practiced leadership muscle
• Lead with courage even when the work feels heavy

Key Quote Highlights:

"If you have the capacity for joy right now, don't you dare keep it to yourself."

"Boundaries are the space between you and I that allows me to love us both."

Guest Bio

Tesha McCord Poe is the founder and CEO of Joy Raising, a consultancy helping mission-driven organizations raise more money with more people and more joy. She holds a JD/MBA and has served as a lawyer, banker, journalist, school administrator, and chief advancement officer. Tesha is a sought-after keynote speaker and coach known for her work in inclusive philanthropy and donor engagement. Learn more at https://joy-raising.com

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome and how Max and Tesha met 02:30 – The meaning behind Tesha's name and middle name Joy 05:45 – From the Bronx to Barnard, and learning about access 09:15 – Choosing joy through profound personal loss 12:30 – Boundaries as love, not distance 16:00 – Why fundraising felt terrifying, and what changed 21:45 – The ask she excused herself from, and what it taught her

📌 Resources Mentioned

• Joy Raising: https://joy-raising.com
• Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
• The dash poem, the origin of Joy Raising's URL
• Connect with Tesha: [email protected]

🔔 Stay Connected

Subscribe to Tellwell the Podcast wherever you listen, and leave a review if this episode moved you.

Follow Tellwell on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/tellwell-story-co Follow host Max Kringen: https://linkedin.com/in/maxkringen Visit us: https://wetellwell.com

📣 About Tellwell the Podcast

Tellwell the Podcast is a show for mission-driven leaders who believe story is the most powerful tool they have. Hosted by Max Kringen, founder of Tellwell Story Co. in Fargo, ND, each episode features honest conversations with nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and storytellers about

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

If you're in nonprofit leadership and wondering how to build real connection with your community, this episode will change how you think about growth.

Kelly Krenzel turned recycled jars, donated flowers, and a spark of inspiration into Hope Blooms. A Fargo nonprofit that has delivered over 115,000 bouquets to people facing isolation and hardship. Her approach? Leading with vulnerability and showing up with intention every single time.

Kelly sits down with Max Kringen to unpack what intentional kindness looks like inside a growing organization. She shares the story of building a 100% community-funded nonprofit, attracting thousands of volunteers and creating a culture where generosity is the operating system. If you care about donor engagement or doing meaningful work without burning out, this one is for you.

✅ Checklist

• A framework for leading with vulnerability instead of polish
• How to build trust through authentic, non-transactional relationships
• The mindset shift that turns small acts into a sustainable mission
• Why surrounding yourself with the right people matters more than having all the answers
• Practical ways to sustain your own energy while giving your heart to the work

By the end, you'll know how to:

• Lead with intentional vulnerability to attract high-hearted supporters
• Move past transactional fundraising into relational donor engagement
• Use a simple, repeatable act of kindness as the engine for growth
• Build a volunteer culture rooted in authenticity and genuine connection
• Identify when to invite others into the conversation instead of going it alone
• Protect your energy while leading mission-driven work that demands full presence
• Turn everyday moments of connection into long-term community investment

🌸 About Kelly Krenzel

Kelly Krenzel is Founder, Executive Director and Chief Joy Maker at Hope Blooms in Fargo, North Dakota. Over nine years she built a 100% community-funded nonprofit that repurposes donated flowers into bedside bouquets for people experiencing isolation, grief and hardship. Hope Blooms has delivered more than 115,000 bouquets, built nearly 100 community partnerships and mobilized thousands of annual volunteers. Learn more at https://hopeblooms.org

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Meet Kelly Krenzel and the Hope Blooms mission 

03:00 – What "more than flowers" really means after nine years 

11:00 – Leading a mission built entirely on generosity 

14:30 – How nonprofit leaders sustain joy without burning out 

20:00 – Balancing heart-led work with organizational structure

 27:45 – The Mavis story: what one visit taught Kelly about showing up 

33:00 – What Hope Blooms wants to teach this community

📌 Resources Mentioned

• Hope Blooms: https://hopeblooms.org
• Hope Blooms on Facebook: https://facebook.com/hopebloomsnd
• Kelly's first podcast appearance: Episode 15, Season 1
• Blog post: https://wetellwell.com/2025/03/welltold-kelly/
• Radical Candor by Kim Scott

🔔 Stay Connected

Subscribe to Tellwell the Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube so you never miss an episode. Connect with Tellwell on LinkedIn and follow along at wetellwell.com.

📣 About Tellwell the Podcast

Hosted by Max Kringen, founder of Tell

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

Why fundraising feels hard isn't about effort. It's about clarity. If you're a nonprofit leader drowning in shoulds, this episode will show you how to focus on what actually moves the needle.

Noah Barnett, Chief Strategy Officer at DonorDock and speaker at the WellTold Conference, believes the real villain in fundraising isn't lack of resources or strategy. It's the question haunting every fundraiser at night: Am I doing enough?

In this conversation, Noah walks through his framework for nonprofit focus, donor engagement, and strategic clarity. You'll learn why the best fundraising strategy isn't about doing more. It's about doing what matters most and actively choosing what to omit. This episode is for executive directors, development teams, and nonprofit leaders tired of adopting every "should" from the outside world.

Checklist

✓ Stop chasing shoulds and start defining what matters most
 ✓ Use the omissions list to reclaim agency and reduce stress
 ✓ Focus on three priorities per time period, not thirty
 ✓ Align strategy with mission before adding tactics
 ✓ Put your head on the pillow knowing you did something that mattered today

Key Quote Highlights:

"I think that's what's at stake. This deep uncertainty and letting this villain survive, which is, am I enough? Am I doing it enough? Is this the right thing to do? That villain loves to keep you distracted."

"If we can help our users put their head on their pillow at night and say, I got done today something that mattered, that's what we're doing here."

Guest Bio

Noah Barnett is Chief Strategy Officer at DonorDock, where he helps nonprofits use technology to scale growth without losing their humanity. He's spent over a decade in nonprofit technology after seven years in international relief and development. Noah is a builder, conversationalist, and strategist who believes the best work happens when you focus on what matters most and intentionally omit the rest. He'll be speaking at the WellTold Conference on April 30th in Fargo. Learn more at https://toolry.com/walk

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – The villain keeping fundraisers distracted
 03:15 – Noah's journey from international relief to nonprofit tech
 08:00 – Where the focus framework came from
 13:30 – The omissions list: deciding what NOT to do
 19:00 – When it's never going to be enough
 23:00 – What we lose when we're scattered
 26:00 – The Eastern Europe story that changed everything

📌 Resources Mentioned

• DonorDock CRM platform for nonprofits
• WellTold Conference (April 30, Fargo): https://welltoldconference.com
• Book a virtual walk with Noah: https://toolry.com/walk
• Friend of DonorDock promo code: 20% off WellTold registration

🔔 Stay Connected

Subscribe to Tellwell the Podcast wherever you listen. New episodes every week with mission-driven leaders, fundraisers, and storytellers who are actually doing the work. Follow Max Kringen and the Tellwell team on LinkedIn for more stories that move people to action.

📣 About Tellwell the Podcast

Hosted by Max Kringen, Chief Storyteller at Tellwell Story Co., this podcast gets to know the humans behind the campaigns, brands, and causes that move people to action. Every week we talk about what worked, what flopped, and the moments that changed the way our guests think about f

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

Nonprofit storytelling doesn't always start with a strategy deck or a brand workshop. Sometimes it starts with a rare diagnosis, a meal train, and a small town that wraps its arms around you.

On this episode of Tellwell: The Podcast, host Max Kringen sits down with Kyle Gagner, an insurance agent, public speaker, and founder of Levi's Hope, a nonprofit advocacy group born out of his son's life-limiting muscle disease. Kyle shares how that experience cracked him open, reshaped his faith, and taught him that the most powerful stories come from people willing to just be alive out loud.

This isn't a polished keynote recap. It's a raw, funny, and deeply human conversation about what happens when you stop performing and start surrendering to generosity, community, and the messy truth of who you actually are.

✅ What You'll Walk Away With

• Rethinking how vulnerability fuels authentic nonprofit storytelling
• Understanding the difference between giving to receive and surrendered generosity
• Seeing how small-town community rallies around trauma in ways that teach us about donor relationships
• Learning why "just do it" applies to the stories you've been afraid to tell
• A fresh lens on the go-giver mindset and how it applies to mission-driven work
• Proof that you don't need a perfect origin story to move people to action
• Permission to stop pretending and start connecting

Key Quote Highlights:

"Being alive means not pretending to be anything that you are. Just be who you are. Just be alive."

"The more that we've given, the more that we've gotten. But you can't go into that with the intent to gain only, or it's not gonna come."

Kyle Gagner is an insurance agent with Farm Bureau Financial Services, a public speaker, and the founder of Levi's Hope, a nonprofit advocacy group supporting children with rare muscle diseases. Based in Cavalier, North Dakota, Kyle has spent the last decade turning his family's story into a platform for authentic connection, community building, and radically honest leadership. His speaking platform, Kyle Speaks, is growing fast because his message is simple and real: just be alive. Learn more at kylespeaks.com

📌 Resources Mentioned

• The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
• Levi's Hope: levishope.com
• Kyle Speaks: kylespeaks.com
• Kyle Gagner at Farm Bureau Financial Services: fbfs.com/find-an-agent/kylegagner
• Levi's Hope film on YouTube
• WellTold Conference: welltoldconference.com
• Tellwell Resources: wetellwell.com/resources

🔔 Stay Connected

Subscribe to Tellwell: The Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. Connect with Tellwell on LinkedIn and visit wetellwell.com to explore how strategic storytelling can move your mission forward.

📣 About Tellwell: The Podcast

Tellwell: The Podcast is hosted by Max Kringen and produced by Tellwell, a strategic storytelling agency serving nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. Each episode brings you real conversations with leaders who are using story, strategy, and vulnerability to build deeper connections and drive lasting impact. Whether you're a fundraiser, executive director, or communications lead, this show gives you tools you can use today.

#nonprofitstorytelling #nonprofitpodcast #donorengagement #gogiver #nonprofit

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

Is your nonprofit struggling to stand out in a crowded space? Nonprofit leadership gets a lot easier when you stop trying to do everything and start owning your story.

Ashley Ham, Executive Director of Dear NICU Mama, knows what it means to build something meaningful from a place of deep personal experience. In this episode of Tellwell: The Podcast, Ashley shares how leaning into the power of story transformed a small peer support idea into a national nonprofit reaching millions of NICU families every year.

This is not a conversation about tactics. It is a conversation about identity, clarity, and what happens when a leader stops trying to fit a mold and starts leading from who they actually are.

What you will walk away with

• Why story is the most underused tool in nonprofit leadership 
• How Dear NICU Mama grew into a national organization almost overnight 
• Why Ashley chose podcasting as a primary community-building tool 
• How virtual programming unlocked reach and accessibility for vulnerable families 
• The power of peer support over clinical resources for families in crisis 
• Why doing one thing exceptionally well beats trying to serve everyone

By the end, you'll know how to:

• Identify the single story your nonprofit is uniquely equipped to tell 
• Use audio content to reach your audience where they already are 
• Build community without requiring people to show up in person 
• Create programming that gives your audience a sense of control 
• Lead with authenticity instead of trying to match a prescribed executive director mold 
• Position your organization as the go-to for one specific, powerful thing 
• Use story to eradicate shame and build genuine human connection

Ashley Ham is the Executive Director and co-founder of Dear NICU Mama, a national nonprofit she built from her own experience delivering her son Silas at 28 weeks. What began as a desperate search for community and hope grew into an organization reaching over 8 million people annually on Instagram and 11 million on Facebook. Ashley is also the host of the number one NICU podcast in the world and the author of the new children's book Right On Time, a love letter to NICU families reminding them that growth is not linear and every baby's story is unfolding exactly as it should. Learn more at https://www.dearnicumama.com/

📌 Resources Mentioned

Dear NICU Mama website: https://www.dearnicumama.com/ 

Right On Time children's book: https://www.dearnicumama.com/right-on-time-book/ 

Dear NICU Mama podcast: Search Dear NICU Mama on your favorite podcast platform 

Tellwell resources: wetellwell.com/resources

🔔 Stay Connected

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe so you never miss a conversation like this one. New episodes drop regularly on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow Tellwell on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/tellwell Visit us at: wetellwell.com

📣 About Tellwell: The Podcast

Tellwell: The Podcast is hosted by Max Kringen and is built for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and mission-driven communicators who believe that story is the most powerful tool they have. Each episode features honest conversations with people doing remarkable work, and every episode is designed to leave you with something you can actually use. Find more at wetellwe

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

If your board goes silent the moment fundraising comes up, this nonprofit fundraising podcast episode is for you. Learn how to help your board members find their story, build real confidence, and actually show up for the mission.

Most boards aren't lazy. They're unprepared. There's a difference. And once you understand that difference, everything changes.

Christal Cherry has spent 20 plus years working at the intersection of nonprofit fundraising and board governance. She's worked with grassroots organizations, hospitals, foundations, libraries, and everything in between. In this conversation, she breaks down why boards disengage, how storytelling unlocks confidence, and what consistent board development looks like week to week. If you lead a nonprofit or serve on a board, this one is going to hit.

Checklist:

• Does your board know their own story?
• Are you giving board members tools or just expectations?
• Is accountability built into your board culture?
• Are you doing consistent bite-sized board training?
• Do your board members feel prepared to make an ask?

By the end, you'll know how to:

• Unlock your board members' personal connection to the mission
• Use storytelling to replace fear with confidence and purpose
• Reframe fundraising as an invitation, not an imposition
• Build consistent board development into every single meeting
• Create a culture statement that sets the tone for how your board shows up
• Use simple accountability practices that feel supportive, not threatening
• Onboard new board members in a way that actually prepares them to lead

About Christal Cherry:

Christal Cherry is a nonprofit board development consultant, speaker, and coach with more than 20 years of experience in fundraising and governance. She works at the intersection of board leadership and fundraising strategy, helping organizations of all sizes build boards that are engaged, accountable, and mission-driven. Her clients include grassroots nonprofits, university foundations, hospitals, and libraries. She is also the chair of a nonprofit board herself, which means she practices what she preaches every single day.

Learn more at theboardpro.com

📌 Resources Mentioned

• theboardpro.com — Christal Cherry's home base for board development resources, consulting, and speaking
• WellTold Nonprofit Storytelling Conference — April 30th in Fargo: welltoldconference.com
• We Are For Good Podcast — where Max and Christal first connected through a mutual speaker, John McCoy
• Christal Cherry on LinkedIn: search Christal Cherry
• The Board Pro on Facebook and Substack

🔔 Stay Connected

If this episode gave you something to think about, subscribe so you never miss a conversation. New episodes drop regularly and every one is built for nonprofit leaders who want to lead with more clarity, more story, and more purpose.

Follow Tellwell on LinkedIn and visit wetellwell.com to learn more about how we help nonprofits tell stories that move people to give.

📣 About Tellwell: The Podcast

Tellwell: The Podcast is hosted by Max Kringen and brought to you by Tellwell, a strategic storytelling agency for nonprofits. Each episode features honest, practical conversations with fundraisers, consultants, board leaders, and mission-driven thinkers who are doing the work. If you lead a nonprofit, s

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

Nonprofit storytelling doesn't have to be a tearjerker to move people. It just has to be human. If you're a fundraiser who feels stuck telling the same sad story, this episode will change how you think about your work.

• Rethink the tearjerker story formula
• See donors as partners with a role to play, not an audience to convince
• Use CRM data as a window into real human stories
• Move from solicitation mode to invitation mode
• Find the quiet, powerful story hiding in plain sight
• Give donors a clear role and a genuine place to matter

Clay Buck has spent over 30 years in fundraising, moving from database admin to chief development officer. In this conversation, he challenges the core assumptions baked into how nonprofits approach donor engagement and nonprofit storytelling.

Clay makes the case that donors aren't customers making a transaction. They're partners enacting their own values and identity. When we treat them that way, everything shifts, from our appeals to our data strategy to the stories we choose to tell.

This episode is packed with practical reframes on nonprofit leadership, storytelling, and what it really means to invite someone into a mission.

By the end, you'll know how to:

• Reframe the deficit-based story into something quieter and more powerful
• Identify the stories hiding inside your CRM data
• Shift from solicitation mode into genuine invitation
• Give donors a clear role and a reason to belong
• Use perspective and detail to make any mission feel relatable
• Stop chasing donors who just aren't that into you
• Approach fundraising as community building, not transaction management

Clay Buck is a fundraising strategist, speaker, and principal at Next River Fundraising with more than three decades of experience across performing arts, social services, and homeless services organizations. He has held roles from database administration and grant writing to chief development officer. Clay is known for challenging conventional wisdom in fundraising, including the belief that donors are customers, and for helping organizations move from surface-level transactions to genuine, lasting donor relationships. Learn more at nextriverfundraising.com

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome and intro to Clay Buck 03:20 - Why quiet stories outperform tearjerkers 08:45 - The three-legged stool: donors, nonprofits, and beneficiaries 13:30 - Donors aren't customers: a fundraising reframe 17:00 - Giving as an act of mattering and belonging 19:30 - Donors are data: what your CRM is really telling you 26:00 - Clay's personal story on being too much and being enough

📌 Resources Mentioned

• Clay Buck, Next River Fundraising: nextriverfundraising.com
• Clay on LinkedIn: TKBuck
• Well Told Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, April 30, 2026, Fargo, ND and online: wetellwell.com

🔔 Stay Connected

Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Tellwell: The Podcast. New episodes drop regularly, so subscribe and never fall behind. Visit us at wetellwell.com and connect with us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/wetellwell/

📣 About Tellwell the Podcast

Tellwell: The Podcast is hosted by Max and brought to you by Tellwell, a strategic storytelling agency helping nonprofits raise more money, build stronger communities, and share stories that matter. Each episode features honest conversations with nonprofit leaders, fundraiser

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

This nonprofit fundraising podcast explores how to turn one-time givers into lifelong partners. If your fundraising feels stuck in transaction mode, this conversation will show you a better way.

Bethany Hardwig is a philanthropy strategist who has spent years building donor pipelines in higher education and nonprofit spaces. She brings a powerful framework to the table: engagement breeds affinity, and affinity breeds investment. In this episode, she walks through practical strategies for donor engagement, alumni engagement, and major gifts that prioritize relationships over revenue targets.

You'll hear about a housing program she launched at the University of Utah that transformed how alumni connected with students and the institution. The result? Donors who stopped asking for their stipends back and started asking how they could give more. This is impact-centered philanthropy in action, and it works across any mission-driven organization.

By the end, you'll know how to:

• Take every donor "hand raise" seriously and follow up with intention
• Build engagement opportunities that deepen affinity before making asks
• Recognize when your fundraising has crossed into propaganda territory
• Design programs that put donors up close to real impact
• Train your team to lead with love and authentic connection
• Shift from deficit-based messaging to dignity-centered storytelling
• Create a sustainable pipeline of donors at every giving level

Key Quote Highlights:

"There's a fine line between marketing and engagement and propaganda. If I'm reminding you of something that isn't true, I'm lying to you, and love cannot lie to you."

"At a certain point when people raise their hand and you don't call on them, they stop raising their hand. It's my job to take you at your word."

Guest Bio

Bethany Hardwig is a philanthropy strategist and the founder of Signal and Story Studio. She has led donor engagement and alumni relations initiatives at institutions including the University of Utah, where she launched innovative programs that transformed transactional giving into deep community partnership. Her approach centers on authentic relationships, impact-driven storytelling, and creating engagement opportunities that allow donors to see and feel the difference their support makes. Bethany is currently writing a book titled Impact-Centered Philanthropy. Learn more at https://www.signal-and-story.studio/

📌 Resources Mentioned

• Signal and Story Studio: https://www.signal-and-story.studio/
• Bethany's upcoming book: Impact-Centered Philanthropy
• Email Bethany: [email protected]

🔔 Stay Connected

Subscribe to Tellwell: The Podcast so you never miss an episode. Connect with us on LinkedIn for more nonprofit storytelling strategy and fundraising insights that actually work.

📣 About Tellwell: The Podcast

Tellwell: The Podcast is hosted by Max Kringen, Chief Storyteller at Tellwell. Every episode brings you honest, practical conversations with nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and mission-driven professionals who are doing the work and getting results. You'll walk away with frameworks, stories, and strategies you can use immediately to move your mission forward.

#nonprofitfundraising #donorengagement #philanthropy #nonprofitleadership #majorgifts #fundra

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

👉 Ready to transform your organization's story into action? Book a free planning call: https://wetellwell.com/get-started

Your nonprofit storytelling might be stuck in reporting mode when it should be in building mode. In this episode of Tellwell: The Podcast, Andrew Jason reveals how he made the shift from journalist to ecosystem builder and why that same shift can transform how your organization connects with donors, volunteers, and community members.

Andrew leads Emerging Prairie and Grand Farm, two organizations that have welcomed over 5,000 visitors from 30 countries in a single year. His secret? Start small, move fast, and invite people to genuinely opt in to your mission. No massive galas required. No perfect plans. Just consistent touchpoints that build real community engagement over time.

This conversation is packed with practical wisdom for nonprofit leaders who feel stuck on the event treadmill or overwhelmed by the pressure to launch big. Andrew shares how his open heart surgery at 21 shaped his urgency and focus on people first, and how that perspective drives everything he builds today.

By the end, you'll know how to:
• Shift from reporting your mission to building your mission through story
• Create on-ramps that invite community members to participate at different levels
• Use small iterative wins to build momentum instead of waiting for the perfect plan
• Develop regular touchpoints that keep your organization top of mind
• Invite donors and volunteers to opt in rather than demanding their attention
• Build depth in your narrative that transforms curious supporters into committed partners
• Put people before technology in everything you design and communicate

Key Quote Highlights:
"The audience will come as far along in the story as you take them."
"At the end of the day, it's about the people. Everything you do comes back to the people and the places."

About Andrew Jason
Andrew Jason is a leader at Emerging Prairie and Grand Farm, organizations focused on ecosystem building and agricultural innovation in the Fargo-Moorhead region and beyond. With nine years of editorial leadership at Spotlight Media and six years building startup and agriculture ecosystems, Andrew brings a unique perspective on how storytelling creates real community impact. Under his leadership, Grand Farm has hosted over 5,000 visitors from 30 countries and worked with 61 organizations on technology demonstrations.
🔗 Learn more at https://grandfarm.com

📌 Resources Mentioned
Grand Farm: https://grandfarm.com
Emerging Prairie: https://emergingprairie.com
Startup Brew (weekly event): https://emergingprairie.com/startupbrew
Tellwell Resources: https://wetellwell.com/resources

🔔 Stay Connected
Subscribe to Tellwell: The Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. Connect with Tellwell on LinkedIn for more nonprofit storytelling insights and resources.
👉 Ready to transform your organization's story into action? Book a free planning call: https://wetellwell.com/get-started

📣 About Tellwell: The Podcast
Tellwell: The Podcast is hosted by Max, Chief Storyteller at Tellwell. Each episode brings you conversations with nonprofit leaders, consultants, and changemakers who are doing the hard work of mission-driven storytelling. Whether you lead a nonprofit, a university foundation, or a community-driven brand, this show delivers practical strategies to help you stop blending into the noise and start invit

A one-day gathering for nonprofit leaders ready to tell stories that move people to action. Join us at The Magic Factory at Brewhalla for hands-on sessions with master storytellers, practical frameworks you can use immediately, and a community that gets the work you do. Early bird tickets start at $127 in-person or $47 virtual. Register at welltoldconference.com

Many nonprofits are stuck on the fundraising treadmill with little to show for it. This episode on nonprofit revenue strategy shows how to grow without burning out.

 Max Kringen sits down with Sherry Quam Taylor, nonprofit growth expert and founder of QuamTaylor LLC, to unpack what’s really holding mission-driven organizations back. If you're still debating the cost of a website while working 70-hour weeks, this conversation will reframe how you think about general operating revenue, major gifts fundraising, and investment-level donor conversations. A must-listen for leaders ready to stop begging and start building.

By the end, you'll know how to:

• Shift from event-driven fundraising to transformational giving
• Reframe how you talk about general operating revenue with donors
• Spot the hidden costs of “irrational frugality” in your organization
• Lead investment-level donor conversations with confidence
• Align your fundraising strategy with your long-term mission
• Break free from the busywork and focus on scalable revenue activities
• Make the mindset shift from scrappy to sustainable

Key Quote Highlights
"You’re not hiding from donors. You’re hiding from your own potential."
"Events should be a step in the donor journey, not the whole experience."

Guest Bio
Sherry Quam Taylor helps nonprofit leaders scale their revenue by building strong major gifts strategies rooted in confidence and clarity. A former corporate leader turned fundraiser, Sherry has worked with organizations of all sizes to unlock transformational giving without overworking small teams. Her firm, QuamTaylor LLC, empowers leaders to stop being irrationally frugal and start making strategic investments that actually move the mission forward. Learn more at https://www.quamtaylor.com

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 Why working harder isn’t working
04:45 Sherry’s journey from corporate to nonprofit growth coach
08:02 What “hours to dollars” fundraising really means
12:45 Breaking free from irrational frugality
20:15 Shifting from event-based asks to major gift relationships
28:00 How to slow down your strategy to speed up your revenue
34:40 The courage to stop hiding and lead boldly
39:00 Peer-to-peer relationships and authentic fundraising

📌 Resources Mentioned

• Sherry Quam Taylor’s website: https://www.quamtaylor.com
• Sherry’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherryquamtaylor
• Book: The Answer to How Is Yes by Peter Block
• Ramit Sethi’s podcast and financial philosophy
• Tellwell Story Co.: https://wetellwell.com

🔔 Stay Connected
Enjoying these conversations? Subscribe for more insights that help nonprofits grow with clarity and purpose.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wetellwell
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wetellwell
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📣 About Tellwell the Podcast
Hosted by Max Kringen, Tellwell the Podcast dives into the real stories behind mission-driven work. We talk with nonprofit leaders, marketers, and changemakers to explore how storytelling, strategy, and smart creative fuel meaningful growth.

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