Career Journey Episodes

121: New Nonprofit CEO? 5 Keys to Success (Ken Fuquay) SUMMARY Have you wondered what it would be like to lead a nonprofit organization? Many talented professionals, both within and outside of our sector, are considering a move into senior leadership at a charitable organization, but are not exactly sure what to expect. Ken Fuquay is a great example of a talented professional who made a move later in his career to embrace nonprofit leadership. Thankfully, he’s not only embraced the chal...

120: Is Your Nonprofit Board Leading with Intent? (Jim Taylor) SUMMARY As Jim Taylor shared on episode #35 of the Path Podcast, conversations around race and inclusion are more prevalent than ever in nonprofit meeting rooms around the world. But are these discussions leading to significant change in the recruitment, make-up and leadership style for these same board leaders? That’s exactly what BoardSource’s latest Leading With Intent report set out to explore, and the results are fascin...

119: Building A Career in Nonprofit Leadership (Elizabeth Abel) SUMMARY As more talented professionals enter the nonprofit sector, they are looking for ways to develop their skills, find the best professional development opportunities, and better navigate the personal and professional challenges that can inhibit success. Elizabeth Abel not only works with nonprofit leaders across the country as they manage all of these issues, she’s also teaching the next generation of talent through her work...

115: Need to Recharge Your Nonprofit Career Plan? (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY While the new year gets most of the attention as the time for personal resolutions and career planning, the summer may be an even better time for personal and professional reflection, and a great time to re-evaluate your path to nonprofit leadership. In episode #115 of the Path Podcast, Patton offers a solo summary of two key planning instruments that can help with your nonprofit career planning. You’ll...

113: How to Balance the Mission and the Business as a Nonprofit Leader (Jim Warren) SUMMARY Many nonprofit leaders struggle to maintain their passion for the organization’s mission as they grapple with the management realities required to run a complex nonprofit business. If you’re wrestling with that “mission versus business” tug-of-war, Jim Warren is the perfect person to know. Jim is the Executive Director of the Carolina Raptor Center, and brings his energy and wisdom from 40 ...

111: The Importance of Strategic Visioning as a Nonprofit Leader (Chris Jackson) SUMMARY There are many essential elements to successful nonprofit leadership, but perhaps none more important than an ability to conceive and implement a strategic vision. Chris Jackson has demonstrated that exact skill, and shares it with our listeners on episode #111 of the Path Podcast. Chris leads Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, one of the largest nonprofits in the Southeastern United States. He...

95: Adapting Your Plan to Nonprofit Leadership (Bob Carter) SUMMARY Are you open to new opportunities along the path to nonprofit leadership? None of us know exactly where our journey will take us, but advice from Bob Carter, the guest on episode #95 of the Path Podcast, will certainly help. Bob brings four decades of leadership experience in the charitable sector, and leads one of the top philanthropic consulting practices in the world at Carter Global. He shares man...

89: How to Accelerate Your Nonprofit Leadership (Men Tchaas Ari) SUMMARY How do you combine a diverse set of skills, talents and experiences to best position yourself for nonprofit leadership? In episode #89 of the Path Podcast, I explored that exact question with Men Tchaas Ari, who successfully engineered a career path that positioned him for his current role as President & CEO of Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, one of the largest CIS affiliates in the United Sta...

88: How Do You Create a Dynamic Culture as a Nonprofit Leader? (Mary Ward) SUMMARY Will you be ready for your next opportunity to be a nonprofit leader? Often the best opportunities occur when you're least expecting them, and you must rely on past experience, great mentors, and simply gut instinct, before you make the move. This type of opportunity occurred for Mary Ward, our guest in episode #88 of the Path Podcast, when she had the opportunity to lead the McLeod Center. She off...

84: 4 Keys to Building A Global Nonprofit (Elizabeth Hausler) SUMMARY Are you pondering nonprofit leadership among multiple career options? That’s exactly what Elizabeth Hausler considered before she started the global nonprofit Build Change in 2004, and she offers a fascinating review of her leadership journey and the many lessons learned on Episode #84 of the Path Podcast. These lessons, of course, offer great insight for others considering a similar nonprofit caree...

83: Maximizing Advocacy to Fulfill Your Mission (Karen Lee) SUMMARY Managing a nonprofit organization requires a variety of skills and experiences to succeed, and a leader can certainly be consumed by simply keeping their organization in motion. The best nonprofits, however, commit to a vision the exceeds the direct impact of their programs and services but also seeks to positively influence their communities at large. Karen Lee is a great example of a nonprofit leader just like ...

80: How to Attract Young Professional Talent to Your Nonprofit (Kamber Parker) SUMMARY As more young professionals look to the nonprofit sector as an attractive option for their career path, Executive Directors and other senior leaders are eager to recruit and retain the best and brightest to join their organizations. In episode #80 of the Path Podcast, I had a great conversation with Kamber Parker, who not only serves as the Development Director for the nonprofit Greenville Area Parki...

75: How to Engage Your Community Through Nonprofit Leadership (Stacy Sumner Jesso) SUMMARY Perhaps you are considering a move between nonprofit sectors, or even moving to an entirely different community to advance your career. As a nonprofit leader, these are transitions you’ll likely manage along your journey, and you may also be helping navigate such a transition for someone who joins your team. My guest in episode #75 of the Path Podcast, Stacy Sumner Jesso, has managed a...

72: What Can a Mastermind Do for Your Nonprofit Leadership? (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY What is a mastermind, and how could it help you on your nonprofit leadership journey? In episode #72 of the Path Podcast, Patton provides some history on the mastermind concept, and explains how PMA has adapted the model to best serve nonprofit leaders. He explains the characteristics that best describe successful participants, and the philosophies and structure that went into the design and imp...

71: Bringing A Global Perspective to Nonprofit Leadership (Jennifer Garner) SUMMARY How do you incorporate all of your previous nonprofit leadership experiences in a way that strengthens your current work? Jennifer Garner has built an impressive resume on the way to her current position at the University of Denver, including international advancement work at two institutions in the United Kingdom. While the experiences are impressive in and of themselves, she also does a fa...

65: Why You Shouldn’t Start a Charity (Matthew Zachary) SUMMARY As a cancer survivor and marketing expert, Matthew Zachary approaches most things in life with a very different perspective, including nonprofit leadership. This approach is provocative and thought-provoking, and is sure to make you think differently about many of the “standards” of nonprofit leadership. On episode #65 of the Path Podcast, Matthew shares his rationale for NOT starting a nonprofit, why charitable...

61: 4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Career (Jay Dowd) SUMMARY What are some practical ways you can advance your nonprofit leadership career? In episode #61 of the Path, South Carolina native Dr. Jay Dowd brings experience from leading four different university fundraising teams to answer that question. He shares the critical advice he learned early in his career from mentors and donors themselves, as well as the value of his network and his involvement in professional associatio...

58: How to Make Nonprofit Leadership Your Dream Job (Carson Tate) SUMMARY Given the uncertainty we all face right now, it is reassuring to speak with someone like Carson Tate who understands the challenges of maintaining personal and professional balance, as well as the nuances of productivity. Carson offers great advice and resources for nonprofit leaders in Episode #58 of the Path, starting with an understanding of your personal productivity style, and how to adapt if your style...

57: Bringing Authenticity to Nonprofit Leadership (Lisa Baxter) SUMMARY Like many in the nonprofit sector, Lisa Baxter did not seek a role in philanthropy; the sector quite literally sought her out. And while the path to nonprofit leadership has not always been accommodating to her, the lessons learned and wisdom gained has helped Lisa not only succeed but also provides valuable advice for other leaders on a similar career track. In episode #57 of the Path podcast, Lisa dis...

56: 10 Essential Skills & Experiences for Nonprofit Leadership (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY This episode of the Path Podcast, #56, includes a top-10 list of the most important skills and experiences necessary for successful nonprofit leadership: Lifelong Learning PlanPersonal OrganizationLeadershipNonprofit/SectorFinancial AcumenSpoken CommunicationWritten CommunicationListening/Conversation SkillsNetworkingStrategic PlanningABOUT PATTON Patton has spent his entire 30-year career helpi...

50: Elevating A Cause Through Nonprofit Leadership (Curtis Drafton) SUMMARY Not many nonprofit leaders have actually experienced the personal and professional challenges facing the individuals their organization serves. After two Army tours in the Middle East left him injured, Curtis Drafton then had to overcome the tragic loss of his fiancé to cancer. In his words, he was “mentally broken and confused,” but also realized he was not alone in his struggle. Few would have blamed him for taking yea...

46: Finding New Opportunities Through Nonprofit Leadership (Cheryl Richards) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, how do you know when it’s the right time to make a change? That’s exactly where Dr. Cheryl Richards and I started our conversation, as she was only two weeks into her new role as the first female President of Johnson & Wales University’s Charlotte Campus. After great success in her previous leadership role as the CEO & Founding Regional Dean at Northeastern University, she certainly was ...

45: Navigating the Nonprofit Leadership Journey (David Malloy) SUMMARY Making a job transition is challenging enough under any circumstance, but how about with the addition of a pandemic, cross-country logistics, and the addition of a new baby in the family?!?! That’s exactly what David Malloy had to maneuver as he assumed his new role as Executive Director of the California-Nevada United Methodist Foundation. David and I had great discussion in episode #45 of the Path in which he shares many ...

43: What is Your Nonprofit Career Vision? 6 Questions You Need to Answer (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY These are challenging times for all kinds of reasons, given the isolation of the pandemic, the obvious disparities of race and privilege we’re seeing up close, and the economic uncertainties that affect our personal and professional livelihoods. These existential questions don’t have easy answers, but nonprofit leaders are looking for guidance as they get their heads around them and evaluate what i...