The Technopath Way: Productivity through tech for nonprofits

In the first guest episode of the new season of The Technopath Way, Sarah and Michael Kolodner, a Salesforce MVP and advocate for tech in the nonprofit space, dive into the realities, complexities, and costs of Salesforce implementation for nonprofits. They take a critical look at the new nonprofit cloud and its implications in terms of pricing and functionality for users.Check out more of Michael's musings on his blog - Free Like a Puppy: https://www.freelikeapuppy.tech/Learn about the Modern Classrooms Project: https://www.modernclassrooms.org/ Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-up00:35 Introducing: Michael Kolodner01:45 Michael's Journey into Salesforce Ecosystem03:38 The Realities of Salesforce for Nonprofits04:55 The True Cost of Salesforce Ownership06:01 The Impact of System Robustness on Nonprofits08:01 The Pressing Technology Needs for Nonprofits11:39 Maximizing Impact for Salesforce in Nonprofit Setting16:23 The Challenges of Salesforce Admins24:08 The New Nonprofit Cloud: A Discussion28:29 The Struggles of New Product Documentation29:28 The Pressure to Sell New Products30:04 The Challenges of Being a Small Partner30:30 The Overwhelming Nature of Salesforce32:23 The Push for Nonprofit Cloud34:03 The Difficulties of Implementing New Products36:38 The Complexity of the New Data Model40:23 The Price Increase of the New Nonprofit Cloud45:34 The Struggles of Learning New Features48:39 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude51:16 The Success Story of Modern Classrooms Project

In past seasons we've focused on decreasing overwhelm and increasing clarity when it comes to nonprofit technology. This season,we want to create a space to have more open unfiltered conversations around Salesforce and technology.Salesforce is known for hosting events called True to the Core. These events, however, often fall short of providing concrete answers to the burning questions that attendees have. They leave us wanting more, yearning for a deeper exploration of the topics at hand. That's where season three of the Technopath Way comes in. We aim to uncover the truth behind these events and provide the honest conversations that are often kept behind closed doors.For more information on Sarah connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahepting/.For training resources on NPSP find resources on https://www.technopath.io.Sign up for our newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips here.#salesforce #alwaysbelearning

Take Away Tips:The stories we tell ourselves about circumstances determine our emotional reactions and self-worth. Changing the stories is all about changing our mindset. One book Jackie recommended on mindset was "Mindset" by Carol Dweck, Ph.D.Figure out what you want -- this does not mean making a list of what you don't want!Overthinking can hinder progress, and it is important to break down goals into manageable steps and not get overwhelmed. Breaking down goals into easily achievable steps increases the likelihood of success and eliminates the pressure of overwhelming tasks.Learn more about Jackie's Path to Purpose: 30-Day Intensive here.”In general if you want to know more about Jackie, go here: Learn more about Jackie here: https://jackiecoley.com/Interested in Sarah's joint - build and learn session with Jackie on August 31st at 1 pm. Jackie will give us some steps on getting yourself unstuck and Sarah will talk about how we can record those steps in a Salesforce dev org! Register here.Sarah's NPSP Study Guide and preview can be found at technopath.podia.com.

Take Away Tips:At a small nonprofit if you've been hired on as a developer, expect to do a little bit of everything from administration, to BA, to solution architecht + developer.Nonprofits can run into the problem of developers, coding and then ghosting. If this happens to you -- take a step back from the code, map out what the system is doing, and document it. Then you can use a sandbox to turn off the code and see if you can manage the same thing declaratively. If you decide to alter the code in the sandbox and it works, great! Now document that too!You do not need to even know Salesforce to learn development. It helps, but once you understand how the data model works you can work step by step to be a coder.Start small by hitting the trails or getting on the waitlist for Warren's next Cloud Code Academy CohortChat GPT may be able to help you untangle code, but be aware that it may not always be right.For more awesome tips, check at Warren's youtube channel, Salesforce Mentor website, and Cloud Code Academy. His first cohort sold out in 39 minutes, so keep your ear to the floor!Sarah's NPSP Study Guide and preview can be found at technopath.podia.com.Also visit here to get an early bird discount on her next cohort of Nonprofit Training Program.

INFONever miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips here.Take Away Tips:Have micro-goals to accomplish a big goalWork hard, even if it is toughYou can learn anything if you give it enough timeIt takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something, but only 20 to get a fairly good understanding on how to do something.Adriel's recording his "Road to the Pro" cornhole journey on his YouTube channel here.Download free tools or enroll in our courses at technopath.podia.com.

INFONever miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips here.Take Away Tips:You do not need a Salesforce Certification to work in a Salesforce Career, Laurel knows many that don'tCertifications demonstrate theoritical and technical knowledge and can be an asset in a job searchBefore you sit for a cert, spend time doing a self-assessment, finding adjacent roles, and building hands-on experience, but be wary of volunteer roles, because you may not be preparedNonprofits, give any Salesforce volunteers a super-user mentor as they come into your organization.Laurel's free career self-assessment is here: lm-consults.com/product-page/salesforce-career-self-assessmentBook a free 30-minute call with Laurel to get Salesforce career advice: www.lm-consults.com/Need study guides? Laurel's got both for the visual and video learner: lm-consults.com/salesforce-certification-trainingSarah's NPSP Study Guide and preview can be found at technopath.podia.com

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way TipsThank you to this week's sponsor - Sunsama! Have you tried Sunsama? Get your first three weeks free with our link: https://www.sunsama.com/a/technopathThis week's episode we have something special in store! We're sharing one of our recent Salesforce Saturdays when Sarah talked all about technical debt and how to Spring Clean your systems. She dives deep into how you can get organized, clean up confusingly named reports and converting process builders to flows.Take Away Tips:Start every flow's name with the object it effectsUse Scribe to document your changesBe careful about why a contact may not have any activity listed - is it a disengaged contact? Or is it a duplicate of an engaged member of your community?

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThank you to this week's sponsor - Sunsama! Have you tried Sunsama? Get your first three weeks free with our link: https://www.sunsama.com/a/technopathA couple of weeks ago, Sarah hosted a very popular Salesforce Saturday session about building an app to track goals. We heard feedback about why it was so popular for two reasons. Reason number one is the geeky reason - people want to know how to build an app. Reason number two though is that other people are feeling behind on their goals not sure what to do about it.Here are some of Sarah's best tips for setting and working toward your goals:Outline your goals in detailDivide by category (fitness, relationships, career, etc)Create milestones to achieve along the way (break the goal down into smaller steps)Establish small daily habits that support you achieving the smaller milestones and in turn, the bigger goalsKnow your ‘why' - why do you want to achieve this goal? For instance, you may want to lose 10 lbs so you can feel more energetic and less out of breath while playing with your dog. Having this ‘why' in mind will help keep you working toward the goal even when your initial motivation flags.Track your progress toward your milestonesCelebrate your wins! Decide on how you'll want to celebrate yourself once you've achieved your goals. (Sarah's go-to is ice cream!)Until next time on the Technopath Way!P.S. Looking for expert guidance, step-by-step visual instructions and comprehensive video explanations to help prepare you to take the Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam with confidence? Check out a free preview of the study guide here: https://coda.io/d/NPSP-Study-Guide-Preview-by-Technopath_dB7GHMLpEhi/Overview_su0UH

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upOne of the things that is often left out or at least not easy to organize when dealing with technology is documentation. Specifically training documentation. Last year around this time one of my students from our masterclass came to office hours and showed us this tool that blew my mind. I am so pleased to have the CEO of that amazing tool, Scribe, here to tell us about not only how the tool works and how it was developed, but also how it can benefit nonprofits and you!Here are some of my key take-aways from our chat:Traditional methods of creating documentation can take hours, but using Scribe has given people HOURS of their lives backIterate - the first version you create of anything is going to be simplistic. Keep building on it and incorporating feedback, whether that's a tech tool you're developing or a nonprofit program you've just launched.Think deeply about the problem you are solving and for whom, don't just build something because you think it's coolShare your knowledge! Your whole organization will benefit from your insider tips and short cutsGet started with Scribe here: https://scribehow.comThanks for joining us today, Jennifer!P.S. Looking for expert guidance, step-by-step visual instructions and comprehensive video explanations to help prepare you to take the Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam with confidence? Check out a free preview here: https://coda.io/d/NPSP-Study-Guide-Preview-by-Technopath_dB7GHMLpEhi/Overview_su0UHHave you tried Sunsama? Get your first three weeks free with our link: https://www.sunsama.com/a/technopath

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThank you to this week's sponsor, Sunsama! Have you tried Sunsama? It's one of Sarah's favorite tools to organize her day and get everything done. Her favorite feature? The warning that pops up when she plans too many hours of work tasks to be able to accomplish in 8 work hours a day.Get your first three weeks free with our link: https://www.sunsama.com/a/technopathWhat do we mean when we say ‘program management' in terms of Salesforce for nonprofits? Programs are what nonprofits are really all about. They are what nonprofits actually do to serve their constituents. For instance, a nonprofit vision clinic could have a program where they provide free eye exams to children, another program where they provide free eye exams to teenagers, and a third program that accepts donated eye glasses.Today our discussion will focus on the current landscape of program and case management tools out there. Whether it's a workforce development, a food bank, or an after-school program, any human service program needs to be able to track how the humans they are serving are doing as a result of the nonprofit's programs. After today's episode you'll walk away with a better understanding of why process mapping is crucial to running a sustainable nonprofit, how to get started mapping your organization's processes and how a program management expert translates these processes into Salesforce.Joining us for this discussion is Matt Henry. Matt is an expert in technologies that help nonprofits run their programs more efficiently. He currently runs his own nonprofit consulting firm, Ascendably, where he helps nonprofits implement and maintain their Salesforce orgs and zero in on their processes.Key Takeaways:Always start by writing out all processes. You'll be shocked at how many different interpretations there are of certain steps between staff members.Once you've written out processes it's much easier to figure out how to streamline them or even add in a completely new process or program.Try elements.cloud, Lucidchart, or draw.io to create a visual representation of your processesWatch Matt map out a nonprofit's processes in real time in the free webinar pinned at the top of our free community NPSP Academy: https://npsp-academy.mn.co/share/nxvxYbrrqeCqJ_yb?utm_source=manualMatt uses Sunsama every day to organize his most pressing tasks and keep himself on track as an independent consultant with many projects going at once. Try it today: https://www.sunsama.com/a/technopath

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upWe love learning here at Technopath which is why we are so excited to welcome Alexander Lapa as today's guest! This week we're hearing about his journey to help nonprofits with Salesforce and subsequent adventure building a tax receipting app for Canadian nonprofits using Salesforce. If you've wondered how those apps your Salesforce org uses, make it from idea all the way into the App Exchange, this episode is for you! Alex walks us through his experience and answers Sarah's questions about the process.Curious about how Sarah gets it all done as a business owner while balancing her health and social life? Check out her secret weapon, Sunsama, here http://www.sunsama.com/a/technopathHer favorite part is the alerts that let you know when you've scheduled more work tasks than could fit into your set work hours for the day!

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upSalesforce is becoming a more popular career and when people start down the path they have choices to make. Will they be a Salesforce Administrator for a single company, will they be a consultant, do they want to work as a business analyst, learn to be a developer, or even a Salesforce architecht. There are so many different paths to take just in roles and then in terms of industry you can pick finance, healthcare, or nonprofits just name a few.Niching down can become just as overwhelming as the first time you realized you needed to learn allllll the aspects of Salesforce.Pamela Howell knew from the outset when she started her Salesforce journey that she wanted to pursue nonprofits and she is still working towards that goal. She is a student in our NPSP Training Program and currently volunteers with a Golden Retriever Rescue nonprofit based in Atlanta.Sarah's conversation with Pamela dives into how to find your own calling within the Salesforce ecosystem, why Salesforce is ‘learnable' even for people who think they're terrible at tech and building the self-confidence to make a change, even if you can think of a million reasons why it ‘wouldn't work'.Key Takeaways:If you don't have a college degree, doing badges on Trailhead and getting certified through Salesforce is a good way to ‘prove' your qualifications without having to spend mountains of money going back to collegeThinking ‘I'm no good at this' or ‘I'm just not a ____ type of person.' is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you keep telling yourself these negative stories, you'll only ever see yourself struggling with those concepts.Tweak the thoughts instead: ‘I'm not good at this yet.' or ‘I'm still struggling with _____, but I'm learning. I know more about it today than I did last week because I'm taking steps.'Volunteer in a non-Salesforce related capacity at a nonprofit that supports your passion. This will help you deeply understand their processes and real pain points before trying to introduce them to SalesforceBuild your network - that next job opportunity will be much easier to land if you actually know someone at the company rather than continually responding to mass job postingsP.S. Have you seen our Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam Study Guide? Expert guidance, step-by-step visual instructions and comprehensive video explanations help prepare you to take the Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam with confidence. Check out a free preview here: https://coda.io/d/NPSP-Study-Guide-Preview-by-Technopath_dB7GHMLpEhi/Overview_su0UH

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on The Technopath Way we're tackling a topic that's been on our minds a lot lately: Imposter Syndrome. What is it, where does it come from and how can we overcome it? Many people suffer from a lack of confidence around their careers or jobs, and a big part of why Sarah formed Technopath was to support and mentor people in their nonprofit Salesforce careers. So this week's topic is one that she encounters often from Accidental Admins who aren't sure they're actually qualified to be using their organization's Salesforce org, to seasoned Salesforce Consultants who are stumbling when it comes to their nonprofit clients.Here are some things an expert at the Imposter Syndrome Institute said we can do to cure imposter syndrome in ourselves:1. Break the silence. Shame keeps a lot of people from “fessing up” about their fraudulent feelings. Knowing there's a name for these feelings and that you are not alone can be tremendously freeing.I've also been thinking about whether or not being able to label this feeling imposter syndrome is useful or a detriment...not sure.2. Separate feelings from fact. There are times you'll feel stupid. It happens to everyone from time to time. Realize that just because you may feel stupid, doesn't mean you are.This is especially true for you out there that are trying to grasp a new technical or even business concept. You can figure it out, it may take more time. 3. Recognize when you should feel fraudulent. A sense of belonging fosters confidence. If you're the only or one of a few people in a meeting, classroom, field, or workplace who look or sound like you or are much older or younger, then it's only natural you'd sometimes feel like you don't totally fit in. Plus if you're the first to achieve something in your world (first VP, astronaut, judge, supervisor, firefighter, honoree) there's that added pressure to represent your entire group. Instead of taking your self-doubt as a sign of your ineptness, recognize that it might be a normal response to being on the receiving end of social stereotypes about competence and intelligence.5. Accentuate the positive. The good news is being a perfectionist means you care deeply about the quality of your work. The key is to continue to strive for excellence when it matters most, but forgive yourself when the inevitable mistake happens.6. Develop a healthy response to failure and mistake making. Henry Ford once said, “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Instead of beating yourself up for falling short, do what players on the losing sports team do and glean the learning value from the loss and move on reminding yourself, “I'll get 'em next time.”Right the rules. If you've been operating under misguided rules like, “I should always know the answer,” or “Never ask for help” start asserting your rights. Recognize that you have just as much right as the next person to be wrong, have an off-day, or ask for assistance.7. Develop a new script. Become consciously aware of the conversation going on in your head when you're in a situation that triggers your Impostor feelings. This is your internal script. Then instead of thinking, “Wait till they find out I have no idea what I'm doing,” tell yourself “Everyone who starts something new feels off-base in the beginning. I may not know all the answers but I'm smart enough to find them out.”8. Visualize success. Do what professional athletes do. Spend time beforehand picturing yourself making a successful presentation or calmly posing your question in class. It sure beats picturing impending disaster and will help with performance-related stress.9. Reward yourself. Break the cycle of continually seeking and then dismissing validation outside of yourself by learning to pat yourself on the back.10. Fake it ‘til you make it. Now and then we all have to fly by the seat of our pants. Instead of considering “winging it” as proof of your ineptness, learn to do what many high achievers do and view it as a skill. The point of the worn-out phrase, fake it til you make it, still stands: Don't wait until you feel confident to start putting yourself out there. Courage comes from taking risks. Change your behavior first and allow your confidence to build.P.S. Have you seen our Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam Study Guide? Expert guidance, step-by-step visual instructions and comprehensive video explanations help prepare you to take the Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam with confidence. Check out a free preview here: https://coda.io/d/NPSP-Study-Guide-Preview-by-Technopath_dB7GHMLpEhi/Overview_su0UH

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upNonprofits need to stay in touch with their donors, volunteers, and members to keep them engaged and informed. And with so many communication channels available, email remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to do so. But managing email campaigns can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially for small nonprofits.That's where email automation comes in. With email automation tools, nonprofits can streamline their email campaigns, save time, and provide a more personalized experience for their audience. If your nonprofit uses Salesforce as its CRM, there are several email automation options that you can integrate with it.To talk about this, we've brought someone on with a ton of expertise in Salesforce email tools: Aaron Beatty. Aaron recently founded Engage Evolution to design solutions for marketing cloud, pardot for nonprofits and other industries as well after years of experience helping other companies achieve these goals in house.In this episode Sarah and Aaron get into brass tacks about email service providers, email automation and even Salesforce connected tools that can help with push messaging, SMS messaging and scheduling and tracking your social media. Talk about an all-around tool!Some Key Take-Aways:Build the strategy before you build the toolKnow exactly what it is you're lookin to use the data or automations for before you engage an implementation partnerHave marketing and sales stakeholders involved in the planning and implementation of new tools to make sure they are going to solve the actual problems those departments are facing. If you wait until the tool is built to simply train them on it you're likely to realize you've missed crucial questions or data points.Create hyper-personalized emails for recipients beyond the traditional mail merge/Name fields. What information do you already have about this person? Have they filled out interest surveys? Come to specific topic based webinars? Use that information to send only truly relevant content and your open rates will soarIf you are a Salesforce Admin looking to get into Marketing Cloud, the best way to do this is with on the job trainingRemember, you have loads of transferrable skills as an Admin that will help you with Marketing Cloud, the skills to really focus on are the soft skills: communication, understanding your clients' pain points, digging into feature requests and helping them think through their toolsIf you want access to Sarah and everything Technopath is doing, be sure to join our free community to gain more clairty and confidence with helping nonprofits with Salesforce tech: https://npsp-academy.mn.co/share/nxvxYbrrqeCqJ_yb?utm_source=manual

Never miss an episode or recap again! Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upOverselling: What is it? How do we avoid it? What do we do if it happens to us?Nonprofits are often approached by software salespeople promising to revolutionize their work and streamline their operations. However, it's not uncommon for these salespeople to oversell what their software can do. They may make claims that aren't accurate or that the software can't deliver. This can be especially dangerous for nonprofits who often have limited resources and can't afford to invest in software that doesn't meet their needs.By taking these steps, nonprofit organizations can make informed decisions about software purchases and avoid overselling. It's important to take the time to evaluate software products carefully to ensure that they meet the organization's needs and expectations. If you are a consultant, be sure to heed these warnings.There are several warning signs that a salesperson may be overselling a software product to a nonprofit organization, including:Promising too much: If the salesperson is making unrealistic claims about the capabilities or benefits of the software, this may be a red flag that they are overselling.SHOW DON'T TELL! If they say it can do it, say let me see it before I sign the contract.Focusing on the sale, not the needs of the nonprofit: If the salesperson seems more interested in closing the deal than in understanding the nonprofit's unique needs and goals, this may be a sign that they are overselling.Not providing detailed information: If the salesperson is unwilling or unable to provide detailed information about the software's features, functions, and limitations, this may be a sign that they are overselling.Pressuring for a quick decision: If the salesperson is pushing for a quick decision or trying to rush the nonprofit into signing a contract, this may be a sign that they are overselling.Making promises that can't be backed up: If the salesperson is making promises that seem too good to be true or that they can't back up with evidence or references, this may be a sign that they are overselling.Ignoring the nonprofit's questions or concerns: If the salesperson is not listening to the nonprofit's questions or concerns, or is dismissive of their feedback, this may be a sign that they are overselling.Pushing add-ons or upgrades: If the salesperson is recommending expensive add-ons or upgrades that are not necessary for the nonprofit's needs, this may be a sign that they are overselling.Tips to Avoid Being Oversold:Clearly define your needs and requirements before engaging with software salespeople. This will help you identify the features and functionality that are essential to your organization.Ask for demos and trials before committing to anything. This will allow you to see the software in action and get a better sense of its capabilities.Check references and read reviews from other nonprofits who have used the software. This can give you a better idea of whether the software meets the needs of organizations like yours.Don't be afraid to negotiate. Software salespeople may be willing to work with you on pricing or feature sets if you ask.What to Do If It Happens to YouEven with the best research and due diligence, it's still possible to be oversold by a software salesperson. We've seen this happen before at smaller nonprofits where an executive or even volunteer purchases a product quickly to meet an urgent need. If you find yourself in that situation, here are a few steps you can take:First, be honest with the salesperson about your concerns. Explain the specific features or functionality that you were promised but that the software doesn't deliver.Ask if there are workarounds or alternative solutions that can be used to address your needs. Solution architechts are creative people. That's why they built the app in the first place! They could get the clearance to design something for you that would benefit many nonprofits.If the salesperson is unable or unwilling to address your concerns, escalate the issue to a manager or supervisor. They may have more authority to offer a solution or disappointingly refund.Links Mentioned during the episode:Episode 210 - How to Choose a Database for Your Nonprofit:https://www.spreaker.com/user/15193886/pros-and-cons-of-salesforce-for-nonprofiArticle by Paul Ginsberg and Eli Kaufman evaluating CRMs:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nonprofits-when-salesforce-great-choice-paul-ginsberg/?trackingId=pPt8H7tlRd6fM4Da4Lr9Og%3D%3DDigital Wireframing Resources:LucidChart - https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/elements.cloudFind a webinar Sarah hosted with Matt Henry showing how to use elements.cloud to outline an actual nonprofit's needs in our community Lunch and Learn recordings: npsp.academy.mn.co

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on The Technopath Way we're listening in on a collaborative discussion Sarah had at Salesforce Saturday with other Salesforce enthusiasts who are wondering about how ChatGPT and AI will change daily Admin tasks. Should we be incorporating it ourselves? Is it going to make human Admins obsolete? If you've been seeing all the posts about what ChatGPT and all this improved AI means for the Salesforce Ecosystem, you'll hear a few different takes on the future of Salesforce Admins.During the discussion everyone shared about how they've been experimenting with ChatGPT lately. The conversation then turned to how Admins who aren't experienced developers could use AI to help them create usable code.Some take-aways from this week's conversation:You can ask a chat bot to explain development concepts to you and continue asking it to simplify the explanations until they're at your level of understandingTry asking the AI to translate bits of code you aren't sure about into something a human can read to learn what it's supposed to be doingWhen trying to fix error codes, enter what you are trying to do along with the error code you received. The ChatGPT will likely be able to give you an explanation of what went wrong and give you possible ideas on how to fix itWarren Walters' video Sarah mentioned:

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upDo you look around at everything you need to do - household chores, professional tasks, learning objectives - and just throw your hands up in the air instead of get down to business? It turns out most of us are in this boat at least some of the time. You know there are many things to accomplish but you somehow can't quite get started. Maybe it feels overwhelming thinking about everything to be done, or there's so many steps you're not sure where to start. I recently came across a term that helped me understand these feelings in myself and put a name to what had been going on - Demand Avoidance.Demand Avoidance is rooted in anxiety which is often made worse by...... you guessed it - overwhelm.Today I am talking with Allyson Kennett about the things we are avoiding and ways we can break ourselves out of the inertia and move ourselves forward.Quick Tips to Break the Inertia:Start small, you'll only overwhelm yourself more if you try to change everything at onceForm small habits, one or two at a time to build your consistency and truly make lasting changeJust grab the next thing you see that you need to do, and do it. Even if it's out of order. Grab the plate sitting next to you on the table and put it in the dishwasher, that act will give you the momentum to open up Trailhead and do 10 minutes, which leads to a break through in a work task you've been stuck on.Some things Sarah wishes she'd put into practice before now:- Know when to cut your loses with a piece of technology and move on- Even if you don't think you'll like a piece of technology, give it a try and push yourself a little bit outside your comfort zone- Ask for help. Even if you feel like a tech-whiz there will always be some things you're better at than others.* Productivity Tech only works if you actually use it so don't just pick what everyone else is saying they do, test drive the tool to see if it truly makes sense for you* Know your own weaknesses and choose tech tools that help bolster you in those areas-There's benefits to doing A/B testing-Take things one step at a time and start small-Figure out what you want to measure and start there

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upHave you tried sending press releases, connecting with journalists and seemingly every other ‘trick in the book' to get your organization into the news cycle only to be met with crickets? Then today's episode with nonprofit PR expert, Nadia Tchoumi, is exactly what you need.If you're an Awesome Admin, many of these lessons can be applied to building your personal brand and getting visible to land those coveted Salesforce roles. Be sure to listen until the very end as I've also recorded a special PS to give you some quick lifts to build the tracking Nadia and I talked about into a nonprofit's Salesforce org!Nadia began her career as a journalist traveling across Canada. She often received press releases and inquiries from nonprofits about good, important work they were doing to support their communities and wanted to include all of them in her stories. Unfortunately, many of them missed the mark with their communications and didn't end up making it into the publications they wanted. This led Nadia to eventually found New Hope Media as a place where she could help nonprofits get the visibility they needed.Tips for getting your story seen:Build relationships: Cold calling newsrooms is often not the best route. For the best chance of making it into the news cycle you're hoping for, build relationships with the reporters, journalists or creators at the outlets you want to be in.Once you have the interview, give it legs!: Social media can be fickle for getting actual exposure, but it's great for helping extend the reach of interviews, spotlights, or any other type of coverage you might get from traditional media. Help extend the reach of your hard earned exposure by putting it on the internet with social media!Track it: The power of tracking your PR efforts lies in helping you build deeper relationships with the organizations you want to be in and the individuals who work there. What should you be tracking when you're trying to get noticed in bigger outlets?Who you are connecting with. Not just the organization, but the specific people thereWhat stories you've pitched themWhich stories they've picked upThe type of coverage they've given (positive, negative, etc)Have they come to any of your events? Engaged in any of your initiatives?Media engagement goalsGoals: Set very small, attainable media engagement goals each quarter. When you're first starting out you shouldn't be aiming for more than 1 engagement each quarter to build confidence and quality.Tackle your fears: Realize your own areas of expertise, value yourself and your experiences. Get outside of your comfort zone!Evaluate: How did you do communicating the core message? What happened after the interview? Not just in donations or direct emails/calls to your organization, but did you suddenly get more followers on social media? Did your website traffic spike? (Track it!)The BEST strategy: consistency. Don't give up!Links:Find out more about how Nadia can help your organization here: www.newhopemedia.caA free resource Nadia shared to help you write better press releases: https://mailchi.mp/403b00fc23b6/3reasons

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upAre you ready to take the Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam? Use our checklist to find out: technopath.ac-page.com/exam-readiness-checklistThis week on The Technopath Way, Sarah is flying solo with some common pitfalls many newer Salesforce Admins face when looking for experience by volunteering at nonprofits and 8 tips on how to avoid them.Tip #1: To understand what the nonprofit needs you first need to understand nonprofits and the nonprofit success pack.If you sit down to discovery with them and you don't understand how nonprofits function, that's like being unprepared for an interview. Study how nonprofits work. This is why I teach about it in my training program. Nonprofits are scrutinized more than for profits — by the government, by the board, by foundations and grantmakers, by their donors, and a lot of information is public. A clean system can be the difference between getting a grant and not.Tip #2: Start with something simple, choose one pain pointKnow your time and how much you have to devote. If you bite off a big project and then realize you didn't really have time to volunteer, you are leaving the nonprofit with a big hole. Even if your new and it is hard to gauge how long something might take, you may want to block off 4-6 hours on your calendar a week until you are done with the deliverables you've defined.Bonus Tip: Once you have the one pain point you are going to solve for, make sure that the feature being requested isn't already offered for free by NPSP. Some of the NPSP solutions are too complex or are add on features that cost money. The fees for Salesforce's donation product, Elevate, may be something the Makerspace could afford, but in the case of integrations, you want to bring them a few options and do your research.Tip #3: Don't forget to ask them for a login!This should be the first assignment you give to the nonprofit. You got to see what you are dealing with now that you know their pain points. You may need to send them instructions on how to create a user.Bonus Tip: On a Salesforce Saturday for Nonprofits we hosted in the past, Paul Ginsberg talked about what you should do on the first day on the job of being a Salesforce admin for a non-profit. The first thing he said (and we think this is a really great tip) is to create a sandbox. This gives you a copy of exactly where the system was when you started. Also create a backup file of their data, this also gives you a file with the starting point. If you have an integration request like the one at Markerspace, create an integration user if they don't already have one.Tip #4: Don't fear productionA big pitfall we see in a lot of new admins is that they've heard the advice about ALWAYS building in a Sandbox first so much that they are scared to do anything in production. Do most things in a sandbox, but don't be afraid to push to production. Especially for nonprofits who are not yet using the system and don't have tons of data, you are not going to screw what they have up that much, because they don't really have anything yet.Bonus Tip: Did you also know that if you really screw something up on you can call Salesforce and put in a case to have a system revert to a prior date. Avoid this like the plague, but know that it is possible.Tip #5: Build some reports and dashboardsThis is one of the first things you should bone up on. The only reason nonprofits want to have a system is for reports. They are scrutinized by so many different audiences and parties that they need to be able to pull reports quickly when a donor asks. They want to make strategic decisions based on donor retention and other key performance indicators and you can help them with that!The great thing about reports is that it doesn't touch any of their core system or functionality.Bonus Tip: Let them know that you can schedule reports or dashboards to come to them weekly or monthly. They might not know this.I have some lessons on easy lift reports like donor retention in the Salesforce Saturday vimeo collection. Ask your nonprofit about the kind of metrics that their board or funders ask them for. If they do have clean data, you can build reports that display things in a way that really helps them. Some things they may be struggling with if they have already started pulling reports is soft credits. It is so crucial I've touched on it in multiple Salesforce Saturdays, my mini-course, extensively in my study guide and in the Nonprofit Training Program. Be sure you understand how these work if you are working with a nonprofit that expresses this as one of their pain points.Tip #6: Don't take on data cleanup unless you have excel skillsWe aren't saying you can't do this, but you need to have fairly excellent Excel skills. The NPSP data model is complex and it is really important to know if you are working with nonprofits. (link at the bottom of the notes to Excel learning materials)Tip #7: Do not build something hard to maintain and leave behind documentationYou are fabulous and will not be there forever so make sure whatever you build, avoid hard coding unstructured data as variables in automations or report filters like a campaign name. If someone isn't aware you did this and renames a campaign, what you built no longer functions.You do not need to reinvent the wheel. Tip #8: Leave behind documentationThis is SUPER important. It's a huge focus of the portfolio project within my Nonprofit Training Program and for good reason! It is such a waste of your time if you build out Salesforce and no one uses it.Bonus tip: There are programs that make creating this documentation a breeze like Scribe, which is what we use in class.Links mentioned in the episode:Study Guide Preview:https://technopath.ac-page.com/preview-nonprofit-consultant-study-guideCourse page:technopath.podia.comPower of One Formula:https://www.salesforce.com/video/296533/Excel Course and Cheat Sheetshttps://linktr.ee/CheatSheetsMelissa Hill-Dees book:https://www.amazon.com/Accelerating-Nonprofit-Impact-Salesforce-cost-effective/dp/1801070911

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upWe're closing out 2022 with a look forward to what we are planning for Technopath and The Technopath Way in the coming year. Listen in as Sarah and Allyson sit down to discuss a focus shift for The Technopath Way and the goals and changes for the company as we move into Q1.If behind the scenes looks at Technopath are some of your favorite Technopath Way episodes, then you're in for a treat today! Over the course of the last several months we've been reading responses from our audience and looking at who tends to listen to our episodes. The results show us that on the whole, people are interested in more in-depth technical Salesforce discussions, and nonprofit basics. As a result, in 2023, we will add more of that content and reach out to more guests that can speak to those topics.In Q1 we will also be opening enrollment for the NPSP Training Program again, with a twist! Last time, we heard from many people who wanted to take the class in a more DIY, asynchronous format. This time around you will have the option to be in weekly live class sessions with Sarah to ask questions, work on your project and have direct guidance OR receive all the same class materials and have access to optional office hours every other week to ask questions. Enrollment will re-open January 16, you can sign up to the waitlist and get notified as soon as we open the doors here: technopath.ac-page.com/january-2023-join-the-waitlistWe're excited to see what 2023 brings for all of us, Happy New Year!

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page... One of the most common questions I get from nonprofits is how to decide whether or not they really need Salesforce. I spoke with Alexandra Mannerings last week on her podcast, Heart, Soul & Data, about how to pick the right tech stack for your nonprofit. This inspired today's episode of The Technopath Way. While Salesforce is a robust and customizable tool, it may not be the best fit for every organization. I also dive into a few alternatives I've heard about throughout my years working with nonprofits. My episode on Heart, Soul & Data: https://heartsouldata.com/ep-4... “Salesforce might be a good fit for us” Checklist: * We need to track donations and donor information * We need to track our activity * We need integrations with PayPal/Stripe * We need to track event registration * We need to send mass emails and texts * We need to track custom information specific to our organization * Our organization has unique needs * Our organization wants custom automation * Want to use it as a donor engagement/nurturing tool * You have a designated data base administrator (someone who is in charge of taking care of and in putting data) on staff “Salesforce might NOT be a good fit for us” Checklist: * Only tracking gifts, contacts, email and text messages * Your cause fits within a specific niche that has specific CRMs (example: a church, there are dedicated CRMs for churches that are designed to satisfy the unique needs only religious institutions would need to track) * If you do not have a designated data base administrator (DBA) on staff. You absolutely need someone on your staff in charge of your data base if you are going to get Salesforce. Great alternatives for very small nonprofits (small budget, no DBA) * Little Green Light - https://www.littlegreenlight.c... * Aplos - https://www.aplos.com * Neonone - https://neonone.com * Bloomerang - https://bloomerang.co * Donor Perfect - https://www.donorperfect.com * Social Solutions - https://www.socialsolutions.co... * Hubspot for Nonprofits - https://www.hubspot.com/nonpro... * Blackbaud/Raiser's Edge - https://www.blackbaud.com/prod...

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upOne of our most listened-to episodes of all time was our Mini Episode of Sarah's productivity hacks back in November of 2021 ( https://www.spreaker.com/episode/47567458 )This week Sarah is revisiting that episode and updating it with the picks she discovered this year that help her stay even more on top of her growing business.Key Takeaways:* Productivity Tech only works if you actually use it so don't just pick what everyone else is saying they do, test drive the tool to see if it truly makes sense for you* Know your own weaknesses and choose tech tools that help bolster you in those areas* Check for free trials before committingLinks:Mail Mergehttps://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/mail-merge-using-an-excel-spreadsheet-858c7d7f-5cc0-4ba1-9a7b-0a948fa3d7d3https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Efb_oMgxEsAI writinghttps://www.copy.ai/ - free up to 2,000 wordshttps://www.jasper.ai/https://rytr.me/Episode with Joshua Peskay: https://www.spreaker.com/user/15193886/tame-the-content-creation-overwhelm-withNotetaker AppJoins your Zoom meeting and takes notes for you!Fathom: https://fathom.video/invite/JiseqgTime blocking toolCreate your tasks and time-block your day and week with ease.Sunsama: https://sunsama.com/?referralId=6298b999b21f7b00014470c3

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on The Technopath Way, Allyson Kennett, Technopath Marketing and Strategic Director, joins Sarah to talk about what we're thankful for right now. Gratitude practices have been very popular for a while now, and we wanted to think about our ‘wins' over this past year as we move into the next one. Some of what we're thankful for is business related, but a lot of it is tied to our lives and families. What are you grateful for this year? Drop us a line and let us know! If you have any suggestions for future topics or guest speakers you'd like to hear Sarah interview please email us at allysonkennett@technopath.ioWe're running a Black Friday Special on our Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam Study Guide and Practice Questions this weekend only! https://technopath.podia.com/npsp-exam-study-guide-and-questions?coupon=STUDYGUIDEBLACKFRIDAY2022

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on the podcast we have Tim Lockie of The Human Stack. Tim Lockie is CEO and Founder of The Human Stack℠, co-host of the Why IT Matters podcast, and uses he/him/his pronouns. His history with the nonprofit world and technology seems to be intertwined. Tim has 20 years of organization experience as a volunteer, youth worker, camp counselor, music instructor, foster parent, getaway driver for teens in danger, board member, finance director, bookkeeper, recruiter, and community administrator…the list goes on. He has seen system deficiencies range from missed opportunities to damaged relationships in these capacities. Tim believes that Digital Transformation is affordable and scalable with nonprofits of all sizes and is obsessed with The Human Stack℠. You can hear more from him and his co-host Tracy Kronzak on the Why IT Matters podcast. Key Takeaways:* Take the shame out of tech hesitancy - tech isn't everyone's strong suit and that's okay!* Don't overbuild your CRM* A complex piece of technology is like a car, if you don't have anyone who knows how to drive it, it doesn't matter how beautifully it's built, your organization will ‘crash' it* If you're drowning in tech, more tech is not the answer to the problem, take it bite by bite* You have to think about the humans using the technology and set them up for success* Make training on new technology a part of your organization's culture* It's better to have fewer tools that more people know how to effectively use* Get your data clean and right before building out technology* Have a simple way for people to report unexpected issues with the technology AND the data in less than 30 seconds* Keep your technology-enthusiasts happy in your organization by giving them a sense of belonging, this will help with the Human Stack vs Tech Stack issuesFind out more about Tim Lockie and The Human Stack at their website: https://thehumanstack.com

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upAlexandra Mannerings is the founder of Merakinos, a data services and education company devoted to helping nonprofits sustainably access the analytics they need to grow and thrive. She earned her PhD in epidemiology and public health from the University of Cambridge in England. Studying the risk of disease spillover from fruit bats in Ghana, West Africa, taught her firsthand how to ask impactful questions and creatively leverage limited resources to answer them. Today on The Technopath Way, Alexandra sits down with Sarah to discuss how our values and emotions are central to capturing good data in our organizations. Key Takeaways:* The Google Maps Policy: * You have to know where you're going and why you want to get there in order to choose the best route the software offers you. The same goes for your data. You can track anything. The numbers will be there, but without your intentions they won't be meaningful.* Emotions don't cloud judgements, they are essential to making good decisions * Not sure you believe that? Check out the massive body of brain research generated about the man behind the example Alexandra shared https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/phineas-gage-neurosciences-most-famous-patient-11390067/ * Collaborating with other nonprofits serving in similar capacities as yours is a great way to benchmark data and chase down more grants* Just starting to benchmark a newer program? Look to other nonprofits who have done similar programs in the past to gauge appropriate benchmarks. * Example: Your organization is starting a program to improve childhood literacy. * What are the current levels in the population you want to serve? * What other nonprofits have served similar populations in the past? * What were their first year results like? Aim for similar levels in the first year and expand from there as appropriate* Check out Alexandra's interview with Sarah on her own podcast Heart, Soul & Data https://heartsouldata.com

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upWhat is a ‘dashboard of zeros'? What is the most crucial 3 part question to ask yourself when building reports to show your leadership? What do we really mean when we say ‘data literacy'? Sarah is diving deep into how to think about pulling data out of your nonprofit's CRM, how to look for untapped donations hiding in your data and quick wins for any size nonprofits when it comes to their data with Apsona's Chief Engagement Officer, Justin Barss. Key Takeaways:* Dashboard of Zeros * Who are you missing data from in your CRM? Are you losing out on possible employer matching, leaving potentially THOUSANDS of dollars on the table?* Crucial 3 part question: * Did it happen? (Is the data there?) * What happened? (Specifics about what happened, who gave, how much, when?) * Why did it happen? (Was it at a particular event? After a specific ask?)* Build a ‘lookalike audience' based on donors completing actions that are important for your organization * If you have a donor that gives after each email campaign, or comes to all events she's invited to, pull up her record and see what other identifying factors your CRM contains about her. Then pull a donor report based on those factors, minus the specific donor's name to build an audience of donors already in your system.* What story do you want to tell with your data? * You can show the impact of your leadership by comparing data points* You need at least 3 data points to establish a data trend* Think about how else your partnerships bring value to your organization beyond just dollars/donations

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://www.technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on The Technopath Way Sarah is joined again by Technopath's Director of Marketing, Allyson Kennett, to look back on some of the highs and lows the company experienced during Q3. If you're struggling with difficult decisions in your organization, this episode dives into how it feels to make the tough calls and why pivots are sometimes necessary for better growth.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upSummary:Sarah sits down with Melissa Hill Dees of Hands on Connect Cloud Solutions. Melissa has 15 years of experience as a nonprofit executive and over 10 years leveraging Salesforce. Her goal is to automate what can be automated so that nonprofits have more time to do what can't be automated. She is an NGO Community Group Leader, Dreamforce speaker, Lightning Champion, SFDO Sprinter, founder of #foodforce and Nonprofit Dreamin, and advocate of #domoregood, #WiT, #EqualityForAll. She is 4X Salesforce certified: Admin, Platform App Builder, Sales Cloud Consultant, and Nonprofit Cloud Consultant.We're so glad she took the time to speak with our Technopath Way community about consequence scanning for nonprofits. In today's episode you'll hear about ways to think through possible negative and positive outcomes from implementing a new piece of technology or program. Something we as overwhelmed nonprofit professions don't do often enough is think through every possible outcome when jumping into something new. It's understandable - when you're running at a million miles a minute, who has time to stop and dive that deep into the ‘what ifs' of a situation? Well if we don't, we can often end up in situations that take far more of our time than we have to spare.Key Take Aways:* Consequence scanning means thinking through 4 different categories: - Intended positive outcomes, unintended positive outcomes, possible negative outcomes, unintended negative outcomes* Find someone with fresh eyes to help you think of other unintended consequences* Even really positive outcomes can cause issues we may not have thought about * Ask ‘Why' at least 5 times to get to the bottom of what's needed (and avoid data that isn't truly necessary, just clogging up your system)* Ask yourself what you're not seeing* Automate everythin you can so you can spend all your time on things that can't be* Initial registration to be a volunteer for a simple task (beach clean up, handing out food, etc) should only require a name and email address - more data than that doesn't serve your organization and discourages people to help you!* Truly use the 360-customer view your CRM gives you to cultivate donor-volunteers

Ep 133 - Tame the Grant OverwhelmSign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week's episode features Gauri Manglik, CEO of Instrumentl, an institutional fundraising platform for nonprofits. It is a favorite tool among grant seekers for bringing grant prospecting, tracking, and management to one place.Gauri joined Sarah today to talk about keeping volunteers engaged, the mistakes she's seen nonprofits make when introducing new technology and how to simplify your tech stack.Gauri was kind enough to extend a coupon code to all of our lovely listeners! TECHNOPATH50 will get you $50 off their first month or year of Instrumentl. You can sign up for a 14-day free Instrumentl account here: https://www.instrumentl.com/r/TechnopathGauri's Tips for Taming the Fundraising Overwhelm:* Do fewer things, but do them better * Whether you're training staff on new technology or developing a new program for your constituents, focus on just 1 or 2 things at a time so you can really dive deep and make sure you're being as thorough as possible* Training is essential to adoption * If you want staff to adopt the new tech you've found so it can actually be useful, then you need to train them on it! Take the time, slow down, really make sure they completely understand if you want them to actually use it.* Have processes * Even if you think a task is extremely simple, write out the process you use to do that task. This can show you where things could benefit from more technology, what areas might need more attention and make delegating easier* Additional Free Grant Writing ResourcesThe Ultimate Grant Writing Resources Collection: features over 100 pages of grant writing resources ranging from grants calendar guides to RFP evaluation tools.Live Grant Writing Classes: weekly live and free grant writing education featuring best-selling authors, educators and more.Grant Writing Classes On-Demand: 50+ hours of free grant writing education that can be watched by any grant writer regardless of skill levelSuccessful Grant Proposal Examples: The Ultimate List: this post digs into successful grant proposal examples to show how you can start winning grant funding for your organization.49 Grant Writing Resources: The Ultimate List: the most comprehensive list of grant tools and grant writing resources for nonprofits.8 Things That Only Instrumentl Can Do: learn what makes Instrumentl the definitive institutional fundraising platform for nonprofits.

Join the NPSP Training Program wait list: technopath.ac-page.com/NPSP-Training-Program-Sept22This week on The Technopath Way, Sarah is talking with Rebecca Tasetano and Ruby Menon about their experiences before and after joining the NPSP Training Program earlier this year.Tame the NPSP Learning Overwhelm* Have a real person to talk to when you're stuck* Check your trainer's credentials before diving in * Why is this person qualified to teach me about this topic?* Use the resources you have * Both women discussed how having the course materials and the study guide have continued to help them in their careers as nonprofit Salesforce consultants * Make sure to actually dive into the study resources you've got around you - you get out what you put in!* Tap into community * The NPSP Academy connects current students and other nonprofit Salesforce enthusiasts to have a space where people can collaborate, ask questions and find community support * While in the Training Program, both Ruby and Rebecca mentioned how they were so glad to have a group of other people at the same experience level as them so they didn't have to feel concerned about whether or not their questions seemed too basic * Trailhead is great, but it can be a lonely experience. Find a buddy interested in a similar learning path inside the NPSP Academy and study together!Links mentioned in the episode:* Free webinar on September 20 at 1 pm PT/4 pm ET - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/so-you-want-to-be-a-nonprofit-salesforce-consultant-tickets-408902266687* Free NPSP Academy - https://npsp-academy.mn.co/landing/plans/217036* NPSP Training Program wait list: technopath.ac-page.com/NPSP-Training-Program-Sept22

Looking to take the Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam? Get on the waitlist for our comprehensive study guide here: technopath.ac-page.com/study-guide-wait-listAre you currently doing the work of what should be 5 separate positions in your small nonprofit, while staring down the business end of burnout? We see you. It's very similar when you're growing a small start-up company like we are here at Technopath. This week, Sarah and Allyson discuss when it's time to think about hiring someone to help you, the process Sarah went through to find Allyson, how they're approaching hiring now that Technopath is growing even more and how to handle the double-edged sword of ‘there's too much work, but I'm still worried there isn't enough budget.”If this sounds like your current situation, connect with us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/technopathsf or our free Nonprofit community https://technopath.mn.co/share/tke03sU6qwViCc-L?utm_source=manual and let us know what resonated with you in this episode!How will you know when it's the right time to hire?* Things are falling through the cracks * Emails aren't getting returned * Social posts aren't getting posted * Donors aren't getting acknowledgements* You're doing ALL of the jobs * While working in a small organization often means filling more than one position at a time, no single person should be doing all of the jobs. That's a recipe for things not getting done.* A specific task needs deep knowledge of a particular topic * Major donors * Creating a new programHow can you on-board someone new when you're already overwhelmed? * Check out the Technopath Way episode Taming the On-boarding Overwhelm - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/48956537* Instead of one marathon meeting with minimal info retention, consider recording smaller videos explaining aspects of your organization and processes* Have all necessary on-boarding documents saved in one place (we use Coda.io) What if it's not in our budget?* Is this new position something you could put out a call for volunteers on? * Simple admin processes to free up valuable time and brain space * In-frequent tasks that require specialized knowledge* Start with a part time position * If this position would normally receive $80,000 annually for 40 hours of work a week, start off-loading your overwhelm with someone doing 20 hours a week for $40,000 annually.* Consider contractors * Contractors are a lower commitment than W2 employees if you don't always need someone to cover these tasks or aren't sure about hiring a dedicated team member yet. * Check sites like fiverr and Upwork for contractors who can do specialized website work, execute on your social media strategies, or any other number of tasks that are overwhelming you * Put a call out to your community for local people who also do these kinds of tasks and would be willing to work on a contract basis

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: echnopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upOn this episode listen to Sarah talk about how you can use technology to make true, real-life connections with people even if they start out online. The last few years have made it necessary to do a lot of connecting and networking on the internet, but what do we do now that things have started to open back up and everyone wants a break from their screens?Sarah is giving examples from her own networking adventures as someone who identifies as an introvert. Sarah's Tips to Tame the Networking Overwhelm:* Call it something else * Lots of people are intimidated by the term ‘networking' and picture stiff suits, awkward conversation and stilted small-talk. Get out of your head by calling it something more fun!* If you still just aren't able to meet in person, check out our episode with Rebecca Tasetano about how to make hybrid and online events more engaging * https://www.spreaker.com/episode/49285325* Turn to people you already knew in real life to connect you with others who could be interested in your organization's cause* Use Meet-up (https://www.meetup.com) * An online platform to connect with groups who are aligned with your nonprofit's mission and then meet up in person* Invite connections on LinkedIn/Instagram/Facebook to coffee * You can do this in person or virtually * Even virtual coffee dates can be helpful as you're able to directly connect with one individual rather than speaking generally to large audiences on your social channelsHow do you nurture your online communities into real-life connections?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: echnopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upRuby Menon's non-linear career path has equipped her with the many diverse skills she bring to help small to medium sized nonprofits leverage their systems, incoporate technology and shift mindsets internally to collect better data and drive more consistent outcomes.Currently Ruby is a consultant helping small to medium sized nonprofits with their technology and data needs. She and her husband work with incarcerated people to help them rejoin society after their release through her husband's nonprofit: worknetinc.org Today Sarah sat down with Ruby to learn about what data literacy means in terms of smaller nonprofits, small steps you can take to start collecting better data and ways to get more staff buy in for big technology shifts. Ruby's Tips to Increase Data Literacy for your organization:* Establish what it means to be ‘data literate' in your organization * Know where your data flows from * Know where you want to display it (for funders, for volunteers, for stakeholders) * Be able to distinguish important data points from vanity metrics* Work backwards from the outcomes you want to achieve * Desired Outcome: You want to have every contact associated with a company * Current Situation: Hundreds of contacts with no comapny association * Why is this? The organization is not asking for employer details on in-take forms (or not making question required) * Fix: Create a field on the organization's in-take form for employer details and make it a required field so the form cannot be submitted without that information.* Map out your processes as clearly as possible. This one has lots of benefits * Hand-off to new team members is easier because there is an objective, pre-determined list to give the new person * You'll be able to determine what data points you actually need * Can simplify the build out of new data tracking systems* Understand where your data is coming from * Which forms are you using to collect information * What questions are being asked * Why are these data points being collected?* Being data literate cuts down on the need to clean your data later as you are already collecting relevant, complete data

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: echnopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upChris Federspiel began his career at a young age, coding websites in middle school followed by Perl and CGI scripts in high school. He later moved into the field of sales and marketing for Internet Creations and Silverline. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found Plative as a Salesforce Systems Integrator (SI), followed by Brainiac. Chris's latest venture, Blackthorn.io, was established in 2015 and has seen exponential growth and success since then, having received multiple Salesforce.org Partner of the Year awards. Under Chris's leadership, his dedicated teams have worked relentlessly to earn Blackthorn Events the honor of being the highest-rated events app on the Salesforce AppExchange, while Blackthorn Payments now has the most gateways and payment methods available on the platform.Chris's Tips for Taming the Event Tech Overwhelm:* Every event has a message to deliver whether it's a new piece of content, capital campaign or updates to stake holders * Think through what your event's message is and how you'll know if you've conveyed it to your audience/constituents/donors* Answer these questions to help you think through event metrics you'll need * Will this be in person, virtual or hybrid? * Do you know who attended which types of events in the past? * If they were virtual, do you know if they actually attended vs just registered? * Do you know how long they were at your event? (For in person: Did they stay the whole time, leave before the keynote, etc? For virtual: Did they log on early/late? Did they pop in and out of the event? When did they exit the virtual event space?) * Did this person register for and attend more than one of your events? Which ones? * Did they engage with you at the event? Did they type in the chat box, ask a question, participate in a poll? * Have you entered data from past events into your database? * What do you want these attendees to do after this event? (Ie, become a recurring donor, attend more events, volunteer regularly, make a planned gift)* Make your event as easy to engage with as possible * Have multiple ways for attendees to tell you what they're thinking with polls * Focus on making your event's content compelling* Have one system for everything (event attendance recording, donor/attendee information, payment processing, poll results) rather than seperate systems you have to cobble together or remember to update individually* If you're having sponsors consider a piece of technology that integrates with the rest of your system to be able to see if attendees engaged with sponsors, which ones and how * C-vent for virtual, in person and hybrid events with sponsors https://www.cvent.com/* Silent Auction management * Blackthorn.io event management and payment processing apps. They are native to Salesforce so you will skip having to do all of the extra data imports, tech management and typical scrambleOther Interesting Links* Stripe Climate * https://stripe.com/climate * Contribute a portion of the revenue you accept through stripe toward funding companies working toward capturing carbon in the atmosphere* Watsi * https://watsi.org * A nonprofit organization collecting donations to fund vital health care and procedures for people in developing countries.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: echnopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upWhen a nonprofit wants to add a new system to their tech stack, what's the first step they need to take? In this episode Sarah speaks with Watt Hamlett of Hamlett Consulting to find out what sets nonprofits whose tech implementations succeed and those who struggle, apart. After years of experience with nonprofits and Salesforce, Watt founded his consultancy four years ago. He was curious about why some nonprofits' new tech implementations went smoothly, while others were long, drawn out and painful. He dedicated his consultancy to helping more nonprofits improve their tech usage while integrating new pieces of tech with minimal headaches. From initial steps before the discovery process through adoption, Watt has some excellent tips and strategies to tame the new tech overwhelm.Watt's Tips to Tame the New Tech Overwhelm* Do a tech audit * What do each of your staff members currently use, sometimes you'll find them using different tools for the same job (one uses Mailchimp, another uses Constant Contact)* What do you want the technology to do? * Sit down with your board and your staff members to establish clear goals and the exact set of issues you want the tech to help with* How does the technology actually work? * Often the people making the tech choices don't understand what the tool's limitations are, and often end up paying a lot more than they thought for initial implementation help * If you don't already know how to work with the problem this tech ‘solves' you'll likely end up with something too complex for your needs. * Hire a technology expert to advise you during the process * Hiring a separate technology expert to help you on your hunt for the right implementation partner can save you a lot of time, money and headache. * The technology expert can help you prepare before the implementation, choose a partner that actually understands nonprofits' needs and knows the technology you are bringing in. * Keep up team morale throughout the process * Staff members are more likely to adopt the technology if they aren't already frustrated with it before they even get started. * Remember that the team working toward implementation is doing their normal jobs with the added responsibility of making this new tech work for everyone in your organization. Find ways to show extra appreciation for the extra work they're doing.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: echnopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upTake Aways from Nathan's Episode1. Join a community like our Technopath community to get your technology and data questions answered by experts and others going through similar situations (https://technopath.mn.co/share/tke03sU6qwViCc-L?utm_source=manual)2. Make your list of questions – What do you want to measure? What's relevant to your organization? How do you measure the things you've chosen? What will you do with the data once it's collected?3. Make your goals/KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)4. Put out an RFP, look for an AmeriCorps Vista program or write a job description5. Check out our On-boarding episode to help tame the overwhelm of acclimating the new person to the job (Episode 20: Tame The On-Boarding Overwhelm)6. It will likely take time to find the perfect fit for your organization so have a back-up list of other candidates7. Have the “meeting before the meeting” to reduce drama and friction in main board or stake holder meetings. This gives you a chance to get buy-in from anyone who might be reluctant to adopt new ideas about data.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: echnopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upWhat is the secret to finally get more people to turn their cameras on during virtual events? How can you get people to actually answer questions and interact? This week on The Technopath Way Sarah interviews hybrid event facilitator and Salesforce Admin, Rebecca Tasetano. They get into ways to make hybrid and fully online events more impactful and fun for attendees and organizers alike!Rebecca's tips for taming the digital event overwhelm:* Give your audience a reason to actually have an event together ie be interactive rather than passive* Interactive tech options besides Zoom * Gatherly * Topia * Remo* Map out the event before hand * What will you need in the physical room to help the digital attendees feel included? Ie Where should the camera be? Can you set up a projector so the presenter can see their digital audience as well? * Will there be physical and online presenters? What orders will they present in? * How many breaks will you include?* Utilize Zoom's break out rooms feature* Have a purpose or discussion topic for each break out room to get the conversation flowing* Plan on breaks throughout your program, don't feel like you have to have every moment scheduled or programed* Track your metrics * Who RSVP'd vs who showed up * Who did your attendees engage with? * How long did your virtual attendees stay? * Check out the facilitator cards Rebecca mentioned https://www.facilitator.cards/cards/* Learn more about Rebecca's online/hybrid event facilitator services - https://www.pkasolves.com

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week's episode is short and sweet. Did you know even the tech pros out there come across technology they don't love and struggle with sometimes? On The Technopath Way this week Sarah chats about different ways to think through tech you may not love, but might need to use. She gives you an inside peek at a piece of technology she struggled with this week and how she went about trying to solve her problem. Take Aways:- Even if you don't think you'll like a piece of technology, give it a try and push yourself a little bit outside your comfort zone- Ask for help. Even if you feel like a tech-whiz there will always be some things you're better at than others. - Know when to cut your loses with a piece of technology and move on

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on The Technopath Way, Sarah is mixing it up with a discussion on the book "Different" by Harvard Business School Professor Youngme Moon.Professor Moon talks about the increasingly small differences between competitors in different niches throughout her book. Sarah and Technopath's Strategic Assistant, Allyson, discuss how the points Professor Moon makes in her book might apply to nonprofits, especially as it pertains to their marketing or outreach efforts.Take-aways:- It can be hard to avoid comparison and 'shiny-object syndrome' when you start looking around at other organizations in your space. Take inspiration from them, but realize you should be striving to be radically different to serve the largest amounts of people possible.- Sometimes internal processes are the best ways to set yourself apart in your field. Are you living out your stated values within your organization?- Try making connections with other nonprofits, businesses or organizations that might not be an intuitive fit for your nonprofit. It might surprise you how much extra engagement you get from people who haven't happened into your orbit before.Curious about the music video idea Sarah mentions in this episode? Check it out for yourself - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jij22c6DYCc

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upAre you getting ready to tell your board about your data? Are you prepared to tell a compelling story using your data, or are you drowning in numbers, reports and spreadsheets?Come to our free workshop on March 17 and walk away with a thorough understanding of how to turn your data into an amazing story and ideas for how you'll apply it to your own data.Register for the free workshop here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tell-amazing-stories-using-your-nonprofit-salesforce-data-tickets-288099893537Today Sarah is diving into how documentation practices can help you with the on-boarding and retention of new employees or volunteers. Did you know major staffing firms estimate businesses spend tens of thousands of dollars every year on finding, hiring and on-boarding new employees? Let's move toward making the process of on-boarding and retaining the amazing humans you find for your mission, easier and maybe even fun!

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on The Technopath Way we welcome Dr. Kim Hunt, Ph.D. Dr. Hunt shares some tips for collecting relevant data, thinking through your nonprofit narrative, and what else your data can do besides inform funders of your impact.

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week Sarah discusses data she and her family tracks in their personal lives, the usefulness of it, and the little steps nonprofits may be able to take to move the needle forward despite externalities.Some things she mentions:Book of the month: Winning with Data - https://amzn.to/369PcevArticle discussed next week: Using Data for Action and for Impact - https://bit.ly/3gJmenP

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upWe're so excited to welcome Cindy Wagman, fundraiser extraordinaire, of The Good Partnership to the Technopath Way this week! She brings a wealth of knowledge about how to make fundraising less intimidating and more fun, what tech she has found helps lessen the overwhelm and some quick, actionable tips to supercharge your fundraising right away.Cindy's Tips for Taming Fundraising Overwhelm:* The more we repeat things, it becomes second nature and you become less hyper-aware and more on ‘auto-pilot'* The most important thing we can do to improve our relationship with fundraising is adjusting our perceptions around it * The typical messages we hear about money, who gives and the value of our work over-all, are negative * We need to adjust this messaging about who gives, what it means to have money before we can effectively change how we feel about fundraising* What are the best steps to take to over-come the overwhelm right out of the gate? * What are the short-cuts or messaging in your own brain about money? * How do I feel when I hear the word ‘fundraising'? We can't change what we don't recognize. * How do I start to prove those assumptions wrong? * The best way to do this is by talking to the clients about the impact and donors about why they give. Why is it important? * What do the current donors get from giving to your organization? A sense of helping their community directly? Making a positive impact on a group they have a special connection to? * We need to listen and understand before we ask. * We need to re-wire our brains to understand that fundraising is safe. The people around us deeply understand and support our mission.* We often rush to the ‘tactics' without thinking about how the donors are on our team and want the same things we do* Build relationships with your donors who are not just large corporations - it helps you connect with who is giving in a way that will help you see the fundraising funds as a tool to move the mission forward* Spend time working or volunteering in your organization's programs so you are truly bought into the organization's mission, have the stories of the impact on your clients to share with potential donors* The fundraising ‘pitch deck' is holding you back. It is a crutch so many fundraisers use to put off connecting with donors. Connect and listen before you worry about tactics.* Donors have already made the decision to give or not based on the stories you tap into from your organization before you ever put a pitch deck in front of them* All humans make assumptions about what others are thinking and we're almost always wrong. Ask a donor about their thoughts before you assume it will be a ‘no'.What tech will help with fundraising?* Always have systems in place - they're crucial for scaling* Systems and CRMs can be cheap to free these days * Small to medium nonprofits almost never need the huge, expensive systems* Tax receipts should be automated* Once you have systems and know your donors, the sky is the limit on how many individual donors you can build relationships with* Your system should * issue tax receipts automatically * integrate with your tools to accept donations * automatically assign tasks or alert stakeholders to donations at or above certain levels * Email options built in* Send video thank you's personalized 40 second video using: * bonjour * vidyard * loom* You don't have to go for the big name brand CRMs, there are many different options* Salesforce is good for more beyond fundraising and it doesn't have to be expensive * If you have many metrics to track * Need to collect multiple data points * Organize a large amount of records both client and donor

You can sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-page/While so many people are eager to leave 2021 in the dust, it's important to recognize that we can usually find some positives in a situation if we look closely. Today, Sarah is reflecting on the growth, positives and some downsides of her 2021. Join her in taking stock of your own year with the questions she's exploring.Link to questions: https://coda.io/d/Untitled_dlBZkGQcBIgLet us know what some of your wins were!

Ep 116 - Bradley Rice: Leverage LinkedIn to uncover Experienced, Passionate VolunteersYou can sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-pageBradley's Tips for Finding the Right Salesforce Volunteer:Every organization and its needs are unique so you will need to spend time getting the volunteer up to speed on your requirementsGet extremely clear internally about what your organization wants out of Salesforce before you begin looking for a volunteerIf you don't know what you want out of a volunteer, they won't be able to deliverFind out what Salesforce is capable of doing firstDon't just accept the first volunteer to offer when you make your request on volunteer websitesMake sure they are certified and what their level of technical ability isWhen might you want to hire a full time IT or Salesforce Admin?When you have a large volume of data to maintainHow you're using the Salesforce system (Is it just for contacts? Or do you need to know who donated how much over certain periods of time?)Bradley's LinkedIn TipsIf you leverage LinkedIn properly you may not have to settle for a volunteer with zero experienceA healthy community is made up of give and take, ie don't post your request for help/volunteers immediately after creating your profileUse LinkedIn as a platform to educate your community about what you do, why your organization's mission is important, how your programs are making an impactSpend a minimum of a month posting regularly several days a week (does not need to be every day) before making your first askGive more than you take: even after you get the volunteers you're looking for, continue to post valuable information for your network

You can sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-page/So often new professionals are advised to volunteer with organizations to gain experience, but what exactly can you rely on someone with no prior experience to do with confidence? Justin Dux, an interview coach with Talent Stacker, sits down with me to talk about tasks you can confidently give a new Salesforce Admin that can benefit you both.What to look for:Salesforce Admin CertifiedUnderstands Salesforce has a Nonprofit Success Pack (often referred to as Salesforce NPSP)Knows where to look for answers when they come across an unfamiliar conceptWhat are some good tasks to hand off?Research - new app extensions, possible troubleshooting solutions, etcBasic reports and dashboardsBuilding out options in a sandbox or Dev Org to show the value of different apps or further investment in consultantsStanding up the basics of a Salesforce Org to help visualize the ROI for reluctant stakeholders

Ep 113 - Metrics that Matter with Alex HochbergerYou can sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-page/What should we look for to turn a metric we're unhappy with, around?First of all, don't freak out!Next, double check that everything is working correctly. Ie, payment processing isn't down, the server is working correctly.Finally, do some A/B testing of messaging or design Pro Tip: Only A/B test one element at a time.Website A/B Testing Tools Alex Uses:Google Optimize: Ties in well with Google Analytics OptimizelyGoogle “A/B testing tool for nonprofit websites” and you're likely to get some good optionsPro Tip: Set up a dedicated “Thank You” page for a donor or client to be directed to after they have completed your Call to Action. You can then set up tracking for that Thank You page and see your results much more clearly than if you sent them back to the Home Page. Marketing A/B Testing:You'll set up ‘optimization' wherever you're running your campaigns. For instance, if you're running Google Ads, there's an option to do A/B testing in the backend. Same for Facebook ads.Pro Tip: Make sure you set your goals accurately so your tracking software can tell you how effective your campaign is.Some Good Metrics to Present to BoardsWebsite Visits: It's an easy one to access and an easy concept to explain to board members. Social Media vanity metrics: Facebook likes, Instagram follows, Twitter follows are easy to show and explain to board membersEngaged Users on Social MediaHow many people have reached out for help/filled out their information to receive helpHow many people have been helpedHow many people have donated and how much

Sign-up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-page/This week Sarah talks about the 'why' and the 'how' of impact measurement. The main trick is drilling down to what exactly it is your organization wants to do to make the world, your community or your clients lives better. This involves making an organization impact statement.From there, she gives you some creative examples for figuring out how to take those qualitative indicators and turn them into the numbers and data that big donors, board members and other important stake holders are looking for. Check back next week for an episode about which metrics truly matter for nonprofits.Helpful tech for collecting data from clients:FormAssembly.comFormStack.comSurveyMonkey.comGoogle Forms*Bonus Tech Tips: - Check before using the tool if it has native tools to help you turn the answers you get into visual reports for stake-holders. (Most do) - Can it export reports? - Does it have a way for you to connect it with your CRM so you can follow up with specific clients and pre-fill some of the information for them such as name, age, contact info.Helpful tips for quantifying your survey data:Using a Likert Scale Giving Answers Point Values (example: 1 point for 'Yes' or 'True', 2 points for 'No' or 'False')Sarah's Impact Measurement Hot Tips: - Create 3 impact statements: 1, What impact do you want to make on your clients? 2, What impact do you want to make on the planet? 3, What impact do you want to make on your community? - For each of those impact statements what would be good indicators of success? - From there you can create questions that directly point to the indicators you've chosen.

Ep 111 - Is Your Tech Stack Earning its Keep? (Part I)You can sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-page/This week Sarah dives into the first part of evaluating your tech stack. Are you actually utilizing all the features of those fancy solutions the organization is paying for? Or would a simpler piece of technology be a better fit? She walks you through some questions to establish your organization's needs. Let's see if your organization could benefit from a technology refresh!Questions to ask yourselfWhat is your goal for this piece of technology?What do you want to accomplish? How does it connect to your mission?What is the actual pain point for your organization that you hope this technology will help resolve?Will this piece of technology need an expert's help to properly set-up? Does the free version of this solve the immediate problem I have?Is there a way to test out the solution before committing to a subscription/purchasing a license?

Ep 109 - Quick Productivity Hacks with Tech You Probably Already HaveYou can sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-page/This week on the podcast Sarah is doing a shorter episode focused on productivity hacks and tools she uses every day! Listen in as she goes through the tech she loves to make sure none of her commitments fall through the cracks.Reading and writing productivity:Voice and voice typing (speech to text)Read aloud (text to speech)Screen Recordings:Loom (has chrome extension)https://www.loom.comVimeo (has chrome extension)https://www.vimeo.comScheduling:Calendly.comhttps://calendly.comOverall Productivity:Coda.iohttps://coda.io/pricingJotformshttps://www.jotform.com