Podcasts about 501c

Episode 309: Do you remember what it was like when you first joined the nonprofit management profession? My guest Craig Polk, MSEE, MBA, Senior Program Manager-Future Networks Tech Community, IEEE, became a nonprofit management professional 3 years ago after many years in for-profit companies. He shares his insights and observations on moving into a career path inspired by wanting to do something that makes a difference. From asking the question "why" to conducting a personal skills audit, Craig brings a fresh take on choosing a new path. His big realization: nonprofits are marathons, not sprints. You'll enjoy this fun and broad conversation that reminds us why we do what we do. What would you tell someone interested in a nonprofit management career? Share a comment!

The holiday season can be particularly hard to navigate for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, but for many people there is comfort in believing that or receiving signs from their loved ones who they feel are very much still with them.  Following the loss of his daughter, today's guest, Bob Ginsberg, author and co-founder of the Forever Family Foundation, a federal 501C, alongside his late-wife Phran, began a journey into the science and evidence behind topics surrounding life after death and the certification and validation of the work of mediums.  Big Talk Question: Have you ever had an experience that seemed like a message from someone who has passed away? **Get the new Big Talk Questions – Starter Pack** Guest's Website: https://foreverfamilyfoundation.org/ Guest's Book: The Medium Explosion Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.  Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy's website at www.kristyolinger.com  and find her work journal at Work Journal — Kristy Olinger. Connect with us at theoppositeofsmalltalkpodcast@gmail.com

Episode 308: It's Thankful for the Arts Month and we wrap up our celebration of the Arts with Trudy Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Trudy gives us the history of the school, how it contributes to the community, and how they support artists. She also tells us about two beautiful pieces of art that are in their gallery and ready to become part of your permanent collection. Trudy discusses the Arrowmont campus, programs for artists in residence, and how you can visit and be part of the Arrowmont experience. Trudy's love for what she does shines through -- there's so much in this conversation that will inspire you! What would you do to support artists? Share a comment! Find it on our podcast page: www.roguetulips.com/podcast

Episode 307: It's Thankful for the Arts Month on Radio Free 501c! We continue our celebration of the Arts with Jay Dick, Sr. Director, Advocacy and Partnerships, Government Affairs Department, Americans for the Arts. In this fun and wide-ranging conversation, Jay explains what he means by SOBs (it's not what you think), how he relates to decision makers when talking about support for the arts, why we need to work to keep arts education in our schools, and why he believes art is for everyone. Jay shares the Americans for the Arts pinwheel tool that you can access on their website -- it will inspire you. Don't miss this conversation with a passionate and experienced advocate. Would you like to learn more about supporting the arts and arts education? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, "Rogue Speak." This week's topic: The Step - How Mindset Traps Us and Frees Us

It's time for Episode 306 of Radio Free 501c brought to you by Rogue Tulips Consulting. It's Thankful for the Arts Month on Radio Free 501c! We continue our celebration of the Arts with Cynthia Young, CAE, Executive Director, American Art Therapy Association. Our conversation covers the many reasons we should all do art, like mental health, emotional wellbeing, community, connection, and learning about our own creativity. From throwing clay to getting lost in a museum, Cynthia shares her own experiences with art and talks about why her members love what they do. She also shares how you can bring their Art for Wellness Clinic to your conference to provide support and relationship building to your own members. You will be inspired by this wide ranging exploration of how art is good for us. What is your favorite creative outlet? Share a comment! 

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, "Rogue Speak." This week's topic: Why You Should Admit Your Mistakes

Episode 305: It's Thankful for the Arts Month on Radio Free 501c! We kick it off with Shana Corrada, Executive Director of Dance Tampa Bay. Times are always challenging for arts funding but we discuss how building a strong and supportive community keeps the arts alive. Shana shares insights into what builds community, how Dance Tampa Bay supports dancers with benefits programs, their work partnering with other cities to present programs like "Dance Rising," and talks about how all movement is expressive! You don't want to miss this uplifting and positive conversation about how nonprofit organizations bring us joy through the arts. How do you support the arts? Share a comment!

It's time for Episode 304 of Radio Free 501c brought to you by Rogue Tulips Consulting. Jeff De Cagna AIMP DAIG FRSA FASAE, Executive Advisor, Foresight First, joins me for an in-depth conversation about association Boards. The discussion focuses on the paper that came out 90 days ago, "The Future of Association Boards" or FAB for short. Jeff created a community to identify all the angles of board activity and this paper provides insights, advice, and suggestions for any association (or any nonprofit) to help their Board do their best work and have a valuable experience. You don't want to miss this episode because Jeff answers my question, "If you could eliminate any orthodoxy with the snap of your finger, which would it be?" He also makes an announcement about what's next for the FAB report. What orthodoxy would you eliminate? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, "Rogue Speak."This week's topic: Can I Live Up to my Headshot?

Episode 303: This episode supported by USAE News! Gatlinburg, TN is a city with a lot to offer to groups and tourists. Who better to share their love for the city and its great stories than my guest Dave Esslinger, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. We talk about how Gatlinburg partners with the nearby cities, how the city got its name, negotiating tips for contracts, and some surprise costs you may not be aware of at convention centers! In addition to his excellent expert advice, he also shares a hidden benefit of Gatlinburg: its wonderful arts district. Most of us don't think of Gatlinburg when we think of art centers but it is home to Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, the only accredited arts and crafts school in the United States. Dave shares how this enhances the visitor experience whether you are at a conference or on vacation because you can create something to take home. Dave wears several hats which is a bit unusual -- he'll explain how his role is slightly different than other CVB leaders. Listen or watch to find out what is so different about how Dave represents this lovely city. What questions do you have about negotiating with CVBs or Convention Centers? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak. This week's topic: Giving Dues Their Due

Episode 302: As we near the end of the calendar year, budget tends to be on the mind of associations -- especially in this era of uncertainty and unease. The good thing is that we can always adjust our plans to maintain financial sustainability and there is no better guest to have on that topic than Mike Gellman, CPA, CGMA, Co-Founder, Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits. Mike walks us through what sustainability actually means, what actions can we take that relate to it, what role reserves actually play in the organization's life, and managing funding sources. The goal is to have long-term financial health! We dive deep into finances so don't miss this important episode where we also talk about IOM and our personal commitment to volunteering. What questions do you have about financial sustainability? Share a comment!

The author reads here weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak. This weeks' topic: Annoyingly Intrusive - Lessons from Clippy the Paper Clip

Episode 301: We focus on the new white paper, "Lean at 10: Culture Eats Methodology for Lunch." Lean Start Up Methodology was really on our minds about a decade ago. While there are many professionals who use it and swear by their results, associations and other nonprofits are still slow to adopt this approach. But it could be just what we need to stay adaptive and responsive in the fast-moving 21st century. My guests include the co-authors of "Lean at 10," Elizabeth Engel, M.A., CAE, Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting, LLC, and Jamie Notter, Culture Scientist, Jamie Notter.com, and a practitioner of Lean Management, Chrissy Bagby, CAE, PMP, Chief Strategy Officer, AAVSB. Elizabeth and Jamie outline the major concepts in the paper, and why they revisited this topic 10 years later. Chrissy shares examples of how she and her colleagues use Lean Methodology t principles to move things ahead. She says, "Challenge your idea of failure." That alone is worth the listen! You will also hear fun stories about our early days in association work and how blogs were something we weren't sure would catch on . . . We give a shout out to Guillermo Ortiz de Zarate, the co-author of the original paper. Some may call him just G, but he'll always be Guillermo to me :) What would motivate you to try Lean Methodology? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak.

Radio Free 501c celebrated Episode 300 with a LIVESTREAM to YouTube. We were joined by some of our past guests and had a great time talking about the podcast and the future of associations.

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak. This week's topic: Memories of Bunny Sparkles

Episode 299: This episode supported by USAE News! Many of us "fall into" nonprofit management as a career, but what if we would have known it was a great career track when we were in college? My guest Shelby Truxon, Vice President, Internship Experience at The Nonprofit Alliance, gets to work with students and employers all year long facilitating their great student internship program Leading Edge. Shelby connects students with employers at nonprofit organizations and at vendor partner companies supporting nonprofits -- I think she has one of the best jobs in the world because she gets to advocate on the benefits of the nonprofit community! She shares how the program works, the support resources for employers offering internships, and data on how the program has grown since it started 3 years ago. Are you looking for an intern next summer? Listen to this insightful conversation and learn more about how you can participate -- did I mention the MICRO internship opportunities? What do you think is important in an internship program? Share a comment! Check out our podcast web page to see the show notes and how you can sign up for TNPA's internship program information sessions!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, "Rogue Speak." This week's topic: 2 out of 3 certifications

Episode 298: Member Adjacent Industries can expand your membership base and add new depth and vitality to your member community. Exploring adjacent industries can move the needle on flat membership growth too -- but you need to do a lot of research and planning before you move forward. My guest, Cathy Lada, Chief Membership and Marketing Officer at AAOE, is here to explain what a member adjacent industry is, how you evaluate opportunities in these segments, the necessary research to create a plan, and working with the Board of Directors to expand into these adjacent industries. Cathy shares 5 Steps any association can take to launch an investigation into growing your membership by serving new segments. Does your organization serve member adjacent industries? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter Rogue Speak. This week's topic: Everybody out of the Pool!

Episode 297: Association Mergers are even more complicated than you think they are! Thank goodness my guest Andy Duncan, Association Management Expert, is here to guide us through all the layers of investigation and decision making. From why two associations merge, to choosing a new name, to selecting infrastructure for technology and finances -- and let's not forget that culture thing -- he walks us through the process. Andy shares his experiences and points out the questions we should ask, the data we need to collect and analyze, and how mergers are like jigsaw puzzles. What questions do you have about Association Mergers? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak. This week's topic: We Live in a Marvelous Age

Episode 296: He's back! It's Mike Bober, Government Affairs & Policy Expert, and he talks with me about "Advocacy Writ Large!" Known for breaking down complex topics into easy to remember (and use) acronyms, in this episode Mike and I get to the *C.O.R.E.* of the matter and why all nonprofits SHOULD make advocacy a part of their strategic actions. We discuss the ins and outs of advocacy for c3 organizations as well as c6 groups. He even drops a bonus acronym on us so you don't want to miss this one! I'll give you a hint: it's the "3 Ms." What questions do you have about advocacy? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak. This week's topic: The Future of Nonprofit Boards is the Nonprofit Future

Episode 295: This episode supported by USAE News! DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations) are the current evolution of Convention & Visitors Bureaus. These groups are contributing strongly to the concept of Placemaking and creating vibrant destinations where people can connect. If you are not quite sure what these terms mean -- I didn't either until I spoke with my guests Rob Hunden, President & CEO, and Jay Burress, Executive Vice President-Tourism of Hunden Partners. They explain it all in a way that is relatable to what we do in associations inside and outside of our conferences and events. Whether you are new to the concept of DMOs and Placemaking or you are a seasoned event planner, you will get a lot out of this conversation. What questions do you have about the future of connection? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting E-newsletter, Rogue Speak. This week's topic: Don't Chase People Away with Thoughtless Service

Episode 294: Component Relations is one of the most fulfilling and challenging areas of association management. I loved being a Component Relations Professional (CRP) and that's why I thoroughly enjoyed this week's conversation with my guest Samyuktha Neeraja, MPH, CAE. A CRP that brings enthusiasm, positivity, and a love for the work, Samyuktha guides her members with a genuine concern for their long-term success. We swap stories, share advice, and have a great time discussing something we truly love! Whether you are new to component relations, are experienced, or just want to learn more you will get a lot out of this episode. What do you think is the most important thing about component relations? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

Episode 293: This episode supported by USAE News! He's back! It's Carl Weaver, Publisher, Broken Column Press with another question about associations in our movie series. This time we are discussing "How are Associations like the movie 'Cool Hand Luke'?" From failures to communicate, ideas that seemed good at the time, and shiny distractions this movie seems like an association handbook. Or does it? Join us and find out! How do you think associations are like the movie "Cool Hand Luke"? Share a comment!

The author reads here weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak.

Episode 292: Have you ever wondered how to get the most out of a conversation with a consultant? Then this is the episode for you! My guest Vinnu Deshetty of Event ROI Coach is here to share her tips on creating valuable projects that deliver the outcomes your organization wants. We discuss how to design the dialogue, identifying outcomes -- they may not be what you think they are! -- and how to be open and flexible in project development. Yes, we do discuss the delicate topic of fees. We also have fun talking about our shared identity of being "data nerds." What questions would you like to ask a consultant? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak.

Episode 291: Those of us in the profession of association management often joke that when we were kids, we didn't say "when I grow up, I want to be an association executive." But what if both your parents were in "the biz"? And what if they were not just in the biz, they were forward thinking trend setting Chief Staff Executives? And what if you grew up in a state society and now you are a member? We have lots of questions and my guests bring the answers! It's Owen Kavanagh of the Atlanta Apartment Association, Wendy Kavanagh, CAE, of the National Protein & Food Distributors Association, and Damian Kavanagh, CAE, of MISBO! That's right folks: we've hit the Kavanagh Trifecta! This conversation covers family dynamics, respectfully disagreeing, and the joy that comes from the work we do. Don't miss this delightful conversation with these association leaders. What did you want to be when you grew up? Share a comment!

Episode 290: Non-dues revenue is an important part of every association's financial plan, but it can be challenging to grow income while providing support to your members. Creating corporate partnerships is an excellent way to do this and we have just the guest this week to help you build your own corporate sponsorships program: Bruce Rosenthal of Bruce Rosenthal Associates. He literally wrote the book on Mastering Association Corporate Sponsorships and he's here to discuss his book, his philosophy, and some great advice for providing value to both your members and your corporate partners. This is not the gold/silver/bronze approach -- it's an approach that actually delivers connection to the people your corporate partners want to meet. The best part? Your members get more of what they need when they need it! Listen to the conversation then buy Bruce's book on Amazon. What is your biggest challenge with corporate sponsorships? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newletter, "Rogue Speak." This week's topic: Time to Sunset Big Association Boards?

Episode 289: This episode supported by USAE News! This week I spoke with Walt Leger, President & CEO of New Orleans & Company. Walt is a native of New Orleans and shares his love for this beautiful city, its long history and its bright future. New Orleans has something for everyone including: world-class cuisine, a vibrant artists' community, a convention center that is retooling for the future, a renowned World War II Museum, City Park for family fun, and major events that include sports, music, and even Pokemon! (I didn't even know Pokemon was still a thing.) We also discuss the city's people and how they always have time to be friendly and welcoming to visitors. As Walt shares in our talk, "New Orleans exists in the imagination of so many people in so many ways. I call it magical because I do think it's a magical place that's not like everywhere else." Listen to this fascinating episode about one of the world's most popular cities and get an insider's view on why this should be on your list to visit. There's more to this exciting city than Mardi Gras. What do you think of when you think of New Orleans? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak. This topic: My Birthday PlayList for Tense Times

Charities are great at following up, asking for the sale and going after people who've donated once. You could learn a lesson or two from them. I discuss in today's episode. Listen and subscribe so you don't miss out. Email tony@tonyresonno.com

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Johanna Holling, volunteer relations program manager at National Invest Program, hosts a conversation about attracting young talent to the insurance industry with Ashley Engl, business development manager at Jencap, and Hal Soden, Jr., principal and risk management advisor at Oliver L.E. Soden Agency Corp. Together, they discuss what Invest is, how they got involved with the program and how it can help attract more talent to the insurance industry. "I think a lot of it is the image that we put out there, and the content that either resides on your company's website or your social media", Engl says. “That's where they're looking for roles. They're trying to get a picture of what this job looks like.” Also, it's about “educating the general public on careers and insurance,” Engl continues. “If someone is looking to hire people, you want to showcase that they can make a career at your agency or your company, so find ways to communicate that." Over the past year, Invest has collaborated with DECA—a 75-year-old organization dedicated to preparing young leaders for business and entrepreneurial careers. Invest has introduced insurance education to DECA through classroom connections, corporate challenges and insurance volunteers. There are also numerous opportunities to volunteer at Deca events, such as being a judge at a competition, representing Invest at a booth and participating in insurance career panels. To learn more about volunteering, please visit investprogram.org/volunteer. If you are unable to volunteer, but would still like to contribute to the program, you can use the donation button as Invest is a 501C. Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts.

In this episode Karl & Vinnie present their picks for the biggest creeps of 2024: On Karl's cop cam we meet a drunk woman dressed like a cow who refused to Mooo-ve (get it?): The Scum Parade features a lazy FedEx delivery driver, a guy who had a little too much fun at mass and a set of parents who don't like a bragger The score is currently Vinnie 2 - Karl 2, visit thecreepoff.com to vote and decide this week's winnerCheck out the Scum Parade stories: Want to support the show? Find us on Patreon, Supercast & Backed.by to get exclusive merch an extra bonus episode every week! FedEx Contract Worker Arrested After Allegedly Dumping Undelivered Packages In WoodsMan poured whiskey into church holy water during mass: CopsTexas woman allegedly flushed fetus down toilet in Whataburger bathroomMan accused of rape in Covington allegedly sent mother photos of sexual acts with daughterDon't forget you can leave us a voicemail at 585-371-8108You can follow our Results girl Danni on Instagram @Danni_Desolation

[00:01:07] Dianne Ogle: I had my first child in Texas and I was working for a corporation running their marketing department. And I had to put my oldest son in with a lady who had a small group of children in her home. And every day I'd go get him. I would see him in a swing. And I told my husband, I cannot do this. I feel like I couldn't run this marketing department yet. I want to have more of an impact on my own son. And so, my boss said, great. She said go start your own business, figure out what that looks like. And I'll be your first client. And I thought, oh my goodness, how am I going to do this? [00:01:47] Tommy Thomas: Our guest today is Dianne Ogle. Dianne began her career in sales and marketing before making a name for herself as a leader who could grow organizations and identify trouble spots and bottlenecks that tended to enter an organization's growth and effectiveness. As a prominent figure in the Executive Women of Influence Network, Diana has dedicated her career to empowering women in leadership roles across various industry sectors. Her leadership experience spans leadership development, team dynamics, and organizational strategy, thus making her a sought-after advisor and coach. Her impact is widely recognized, and she continues to inspire and support women in their professional journeys, helping them to navigate the complexities of leadership and achieve sustained success. [00:02:38] Tommy Thomas: Dianne, welcome to NextGen Nonprofit Leadership. [00:02:41] Dianne Ogle: Thank you for having me, Tommy. I'm excited to be here with you. [00:02:45] Tommy Thomas: I've been looking forward to this. You come with good recommendations from one of my previous guests and one of my future guests. I'm looking forward to this. Take me back to your childhood. What was that like? What are some of your fondest memories? [00:02:59] Dianne Ogle: I grew up in the Midwest. I was born in Colorado but grew up in Indiana with a high work ethic, middle class. Early on, my parents took us to a church that didn't really preach the gospel as far as what the Bible taught. And one summer when I was 11, my mom took us to a local Baptist church that had VBS. That was the first time both my mom and I heard the gospel. And she became a Christian with the mother's group that they had. And then I did shortly thereafter and so it was a beautiful place to grow up and go to college. And we lived on the baseball field because I had a brother who played baseball up until minor leagues. And so, there were three of us. I was the oldest of three. So, it was just a great way to grow up in the Midwest. [00:03:57] Tommy Thomas: So, what was high school like? [00:03:57] Dianne Ogle: I had to change high schools in my junior year.  I went to one school in Indianapolis from kindergarten until my sophomore year. And then my parents went north of Indianapolis. And at the time it was a really rural area in Fishers, Indiana, which now it's like the largest high school. But back when I transferred, it was farm kids and I was the city girl moving out into the farm kids and I went kicking and screaming. That was not a good transition for me, but the Lord's hand was in it even then. I had to take the driver's ed course and I had the athletic director who was a tough football coach, and my dad was a barker, so he didn't intimidate me, but he quickly got me involved and got me to be a stat girl because my brothers were athletes. [00:04:58] Dianne Ogle: And he taught me to do the statistics for football, basketball, and track. And so, it was a great entry into a smaller school that was very established with kids who had been growing up together. And then I got a chance to be in musicals and got to play in Annie Get Your Gun. So, it was just a fun, great group.   [00:05:22] Tommy Thomas: What kind of career aspirations did a young 16-year-old Dianne have? [00:05:29] Dianne Ogle: I had a lot of parents thinking I should go to California to go into acting. I had a lot of common sense of knowing the value of a dollar. Because I was raised that if you wanted extra money, you had to work. So, I started working as a babysitter at age 11, got my first job at 15. I bought furniture, I bought my car. And so, I had a really deep, intrinsic work value at a very young age. And I didn't have a lot of role models of women. Unless you wanted to be a teacher or a nurse, there was not a lot of women, at least in my little world view at that time in the Midwest. [00:06:06] Dianne Ogle: Mom stayed at home with us. Now I knew she had worked at the Air Force Academy back when she was single in finance but other than that, I didn't have a lot of visual people ahead of me that I could see. Now my dad was in business. And so that's started me out in that track of well, maybe that's what I'll tip my toe into. [00:06:29] Tommy Thomas: What's something that people are always surprised to find out about you? [00:06:35] Dianne Ogle: They are probably surprised that I come from all brothers, that I was raised on a baseball field, that I love sports, and I can talk with the best of them about many sports. And now I have three boys, and I've got a grandson. And so, Boys-R-Us is what we call ourselves. And I now have two granddaughters. Yay, I've been redeemed. But it's interesting because now the Lord has had me working with mostly all women. So, it's interesting. I was raised with mostly all men and then God's used it to now have me work with women. So it's been a sweet time. ++++++++++++++++ [00:07:10] Tommy Thomas:   You graduated from college, and you got out in the workforce. Take me back to the first time you ever had a staff. And what do you remember about that element of basic leadership? [00:07:23] Dianne Ogle: I started my career in Indianapolis at a computer software company.  And then about a year and a half in, I was working in Pittsburgh running a sales territory and their president's club, only women. So, I learned really young about being the only woman in a whole salesforce and I didn't see any women ahead of me. And then I was tapped in Pittsburgh to come to central Florida and open an office for a temporary help company, which is in your industry. I didn't have any experience in it, but I thought I would just go down there. And that really was my first hand at leadership because before that, as you can imagine, I'm in charge of a sales territory and my clients and peers, but I wasn't having anybody that I was personally in charge of leading until I moved to Florida, had to launch this office. [00:08:19] Dianne Ogle: This was back in the early eighties and I had it doing over a million dollars in annual revenue within three years and they eventually had me take over Tampa and then do trap troubleshooting up here in Atlanta where I'm at. But yeah, that was the first time I got inherited by a staff, but then I had to build staff. I had to train them both inside sales and outside sales and didn't get a lot of training. It was just let's go do it. I really did it based on my own values on what I saw worked. I have a high work ethic and integrity is huge for me. And so being able to just navigate that was really important for me. [00:09:05] Tommy Thomas: If I could have shadowed you earlier at that time, as you were building that team, what would the typical weekday or month look like? Dianne Ogle: I started out with team meetings, daily team meetings, especially for my internal staff, of course that was back before computers. And so, everything was on these huge Rolodex clocks and these files that were flipping around and we had clients, we had built it to Martin Marietta and law firms and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. We were considered a little bit higher level administrative, so we didn't do lower and then we did some permanent placement. We would start off our day on just trying to get our grounding. Who was going to do what and what was coming up. Because every morning you had either calls coming in from clients or you had employees that either could or could not make their commitment, which was always a challenge. And then my sales staff, who are you going to visit? What appointments do you have? What do you need? How can I come alongside you? Do you want me to go with you? And so just that constant motivation and help to make sure that they were adhering to what we needed the office to do. [00:10:24] Tommy Thomas: If I could have been in one of your staff meetings and you took a break and left the room and I asked them, what's the toughest thing about working for Dianne? What do you think they would have said? [00:10:35] Dianne Ogle: Probably just adhering to their commitment to their numbers and even if the climate is tough, and it is hard with rejections, especially my sales team. But having to get back on the phone or having to try to get back in front of people, which is, like I said, we didn't have computers. So, all of it was either you had to just do cold calling. Knock on those old doors, which I got kicked out of some buildings early in my career, but you just had to have that tenacity and not every day is that easy. And so that's probably what they would say is that, boy, she's going to keep making us get up and go back out and try to call that person again and try to see them. Because we found that the more we could see people in person and have that face to face, the stronger that trust bridge and relationship could happen. [00:11:28] Dianne Ogle: And then we can not only help navigate any kind of problems or issues, but we have a chance to grow together. And so, we all knew, and that's what I kept telling all our team, both internal and external. We've got to be able to find ways to get in front of them to build those relationships. [00:11:46] Tommy Thomas: If I flip that, what would they say was the most rewarding part of being on your team? [00:11:51] Dianne Ogle: Probably their autonomy. I'm not a micromanager. And so, if they wanted to do their schedule a certain way, I wasn't going to micromanage how they did it. I always want to just come alongside to encourage and spur them on and help to motivate them for their highest and best. And quite frankly, it's tough every day, whether you're going through something personal, cause we're all whole people, right? [00:12:15] Dianne Ogle: And how we show up each day can change based on other areas of our life that could be impacting us. And so just helping to navigate that I care deeply about not only today working with my C level clients, but also back then. We are real people. We have real issues. And so how can we be there to support each other? [00:12:38] Tommy Thomas: You started out not having many mentors. When did mentors show up in your life? [00:12:45] Dianne Ogle: Once I asked. [00:12:47] Tommy Thomas: Okay. [00:12:48] Dianne Ogle:  I had my first child in Texas, and I was working for a corporation running the head of their marketing department. And I had to put my oldest son in with a lady who had a small group of children in her home. And every day I'd go get him, and I would see him in a swing. And I told my husband, I cannot do this. I cannot feel like I could run this marketing department yet. I want to have more of an impact on my own son. And so, my boss said, great. So that's when I made the transition from corporate into on my own. Cause she said just do your own job, go start your own business, figure out what that looks like. And I'll be your first client. And I thought, oh my goodness, how am I going to do this? And so, I ended up listening to a lady who was a speaker. She came from a similar but different background than me, but I could see, we saw things similar, and I thought, that's it. [00:13:48] Dianne Ogle: I'm going to go up afterwards and ask her to mentor me. And what I didn't know, she was highly sought after. She was an author and a public speaker. And she heard my why and my desperation. And she goes, of course, but you'll have to do homework. I'm like, fine, put me to work. And her name's Betty Price out of Dallas. And she was a gem. She shared; she opened her heart. She showed me how to write contracts. She showed me how to set up a business and really grow it. So that was absolutely amazing. [00:14:20] Tommy Thomas: Before we get a little broader, what are some times in your life that have really tested your metal and what did you learn? [00:14:36] Dianne Ogle: I got married at 30 and then we moved from Florida to Texas for my husband to go to seminary to get a master's in religious education and marriage and family counseling. And so, I was the breadwinner, which didn't bother me at all because I'd been independent and been earning my own income, but it bothered him more because he came from a hospitality background. And so that was an interesting season for us because I didn't fit the mold of most seminary wives or any that I ever saw. And we couldn't live on campus because my job location would bend too far for me to commute in that big metroplex. That was a hard season. Being a newlywed, having a heart for the Lord, but not finding community for anybody who could really. In fact, I got a lot of judgment and condemnation because of what I did. And I wasn't fitting that traditional role of a seminary wife. That was painful back then. [00:15:41] Tommy Thomas: Frederick Wilcox says progress always involves risk. You can't steal second base with your foot on first. What's the biggest risk you've ever taken and how did it turn out? [00:15:53] Dianne Ogle: Starting my own business. That was out of desperation. I had no vision. So that was also something I really wrestled with. Cause I'm like, I don't sell Tupperware or Avon. I don't know, what do you do? But it helped me. At least my old boss said do what you do now for me. And you'll figure it out. And sure enough, I started having small businesses tap me to help them. At least I initially started helping them on how they could grow their business through effective sales and marketing and with the teams that they had and how to develop those teams so that they could be a producing, performing, high performance, achieving team together. But that was a huge risk because we were still meeting my income. And so, you go from the luxury of having great benefits and a great package to, oh my goodness, I got to build this thing fast. [00:16:49] Tommy Thomas: It's been said, most of us learn most things from our failures. If that's the case, why are most of us so afraid to fail? [00:16:57] Dianne Ogle: Because sometimes the stakes are high. Like in my case, we needed my income, and we needed it, it wasn't a luxury. We didn't have a lot put aside or family that would just say, oh, let me write you a check or any kind of investments back in that day. And so, there was a lot on the line for us to succeed or for me to succeed for sure. And yet still support my husband and our joint goals moving forward. ++++++++++++++ [00:17:27] Tommy Thomas:   Let's move a little bit into your current organization. I'm fascinated and I'm going to probably mispronounce the title. So why don't you save me that embarrassment? And you tell us about your women's collaborative. [00:17:39] Dianne Ogle: It's called Areté Executive Women of Influence. Areté is a Greek word. It is unique. But when, and I can tell you the backstory, the name is a Greek word that means excellence and the Greek men and women attained it, especially in the face of adversity. And when I saw that definition, I'm like, that's it. That's the name. Because we all could either opt out or we press into the pain and stay in the game that God's called us to through that whole sphere of excellence, right? It's not perfectionism, but it's excellence. [00:18:19] Tommy Thomas: Where did the idea come from? Did you think about it on the tennis court one day or did somebody approach you? [00:18:26] Dianne Ogle: We serve a master weaver.  He weaves our story, weaves our expertise. So, one of the clients that I had when I first started my business, someone in New York City found me and said, hey, we want to start a chapter for women business owners that are at a higher level. We want to start a chapter there in Dallas and we want you to launch it, grow it, run it. And of course I had no background in that. I had other background, but I knew what it would take. I could see what it would take. Initially I said, no, because by then I think I had two little boys at home. I had other clients on my books, but they kept coming back around. And I thought, you know what? If I can rally women, because I too know the plight of the high-level woman and I can encourage her. Then I need to be open to it. And so, it was very quickly the Lord let me know that I should take that endeavor on. And so, I grew a very large chapter in Dallas, ended up taking over their Houston chapter. And then there were some ethical issues. I just couldn't protect my Dallas women anymore. [00:19:39] Dianne Ogle:   I finally let them know I need to step aside because I cannot continue to be this placeholder for some integrity issues that I just can't be a part of anymore. So, they said Dianne, start your own. I'm like, okay. That's not my vision but they were desperate. So, I started my own with that particular group. They all came with me, not that I was trying to do it out of ill means. It was their choice. And so, I launched it, figured out how to do a 501C(3) and did that until we moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. And I had my third boy at age 40, and I did that for just a small bit. And I finally handed the baton over to them and said, you take the organization. [00:20:22] Dianne Ogle: I'm going to get this back to you because I needed to be more present for my boys in that new season. So then fast forward, we moved to Orlando and oh, back up, one other caveat. They called me their little Christian leader. And so, I always felt handcuffed in my leadership with them. They knew I was a Christian. I'm not a Bible leader, but I'm authentically going to be who God created me to be. But they put me on notice that you better keep that in a box. And I thought, I told my husband, I said, that is too hard. That doesn't fit who I am. I'll never do that again. Love when you tell the Lord, never going to do that again. [00:21:06] Dianne Ogle: That was hard. So fast forward in 20, the crash happened in 08. My husband had been with Wyndham Worldwide at that point for a decade and his job got released, finally catching up to him about 2010. So, I started introducing him to some men that I didn't know. They didn't know my backstory. They didn't know me, but I would get us in front of some men. Cause I wanted to teach my husband, just have to tell your story and see what God's doing and see if there's any fits. Tommy, four men in a short amount of time would look across the table at me and I'm trying not to keep the conversation on me at all and said, Dianne, you need to start something for the high-level woman. By the fourth one, who was the president of the Central Florida Chamber, he just knew he couldn't meet the needs of his high-level women and that he would come in contact with another one. It was his partner. Another one. It was his wife who was an engineer. It was, they were all coming from different places and spaces, but they heard the plight of the high-level woman. [00:22:10] Dianne Ogle: So, I went back to my prayer closet, and I thought, Lord, I always say, here I am, use me, send me. I thought, woe to me if I start putting guardrails up going, been there, done that, this is too hard, I know what it would take. And he quickly showed me four columns, like those Grecian columns. Before he gave me the name of Areté, which is interesting how God works, but I'm a visual girl. And he showed me that they would come from profit, non-profit, academia, and public service sectors. Because I always knew we were missing a lot of women. Not every woman owns her own business. I didn't come from that space. I ended up there by default, but I came from corporate, and I thought we're missing women everywhere, especially women of faith and those who love Jesus. [00:22:55] Dianne Ogle: And I thought, what Lord, what would it look like if we could link arms with this higher level of women and create a container of confidentiality of trust of authenticity and vulnerability. What would that look like, Lord? And what could we do where we are better together? As one of our members says. And so that's when Areté was born. I called my CPA at the time and said, this has been a year since I've done this. I don't know Florida laws. And she said, Dianne, get it going. I'll be your first member. I was like, whoa, I hadn't even quite made the decision that I was going to do this. Then I'm like jumping in the fire ring again. So that's how that got launched. [00:23:39] Tommy Thomas: So, it's primarily a word-of-mouth growth pattern. [00:23:42] Dianne Ogle: Yes, Tommy, I would say absolutely. And our men still do this day. I had a pastor in Tennessee call me this week. He used to be my pastor at Knoxville. And he said, hey, I've met somebody that, there's not many of y'all out here, but she needs to talk to you. And because I also do executive coaching. So, she wasn't sure if she needed executive coaching or if she needed an Areté type of group. Because we have a chapter in central Florida, one in Atlanta, and then I have remote members now I've opened that up for the past two years. In Texas and Pennsylvania. And yeah, it's been quite an adventure for sure. Over the last 13 years now. [00:24:22] Tommy Thomas: Next week, we will continue this conversation with Dianne Ogle. In that episode, Dianne shares her insights on the importance of authenticity, community, and resilience in leadership. She delves into the importance of building a supportive community among women leaders and the role of prayer in strengthening leadership. She'll also share her observations on key areas that can derail leadership or enhance a leader's career. This episode offers profound insights for anyone looking to deepen their leadership impact.   Links and Resources JobfitMatters Website NextGen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas The Perfect Search - What every board needs to know about hiring their next CEO Areté - Executive Women of Influence   Connect tthomas@jobfitmatters.com Follow Tommy on LinkedIn Follow Dianne on LinkedIn   Listen to NextGen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify    

Listen up! This episode is part two of Dave's conversation with fellow podcast hosts KiKi L'Italien, Joanna Pineda, Dave Will, and The Ben Muscolino. Dave and the gang talk about what's happening with the podcast community, the ominous membership cliff, and association entrepreneurship. 

Alexis Pauline Gumbs' Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde Book Reading Information: https://www.charisbooksandmore.com/event/survival-promise-eternal-life-audre-lorde-homecoming-celebration-alexis-pauline-gumbs-and   Book Reading Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/survival-is-a-promise-the-eternal-life-of-audre-lorde-tickets-938622193247?aff=oddtdtcreator   A queer black troublemaker, a black feminist love evangelist and a prayer poet priestess, Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs was the first scholar to research the Audre Lorde Papers at Spelman College, the June Jordan Papers at Harvard University, and the Lucille Clifton Papers at Emory University during her dissertation research. We are eagerly awaiting her forthcoming biography, Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde on August 20, 2024. https://www.alexispauline.com/   Alexis's work as a media maker and her curricula for participatory digital education have been activated in 143 countries.  Her digital distribution initiative BrokenBeautiful Press, her work as co-founder of Quirky Black Girls and her loving participation in the Women of Color Bloggers Network in the early 2000's established her as one of the forerunners of the social media life of feminist critical and creative practice.   Alexis has been honored with many awards from her communities of practice including being lifted up on lists such as UTNE Readers 50 Visionaries Transforming the World, The Advocate's 40 under 40, Go Magazines 100 Women We Love, the Bitch 50 List, ColorLines 10 LGBTQ Leaders Transforming the South, Reproductive Justice Reality Check's Sheroes and more.  She is a proud recipient of the Too Sexy for 501C-3 trophy, a Black Women's Blueprint Visionary Award and the Barnard College Outstanding Young Alumna Award.   From 2017-2019, Alexis served as visiting Winton Chair at University of Minnesota where she collaborated with Black feminist artists in the legacy of Laurie Carlos to create collaborative performances based on her books Spill and M Archive.  During that time she served as dramaturg for the award winning world premiere of Sharon Bridgforth's Dat Black Mermaid Man Lady directed by Ebony Noelle Golden.   Alexis is a 2023 Windham-Campbell Prize Winner in Poetry. Alexis's most recent book Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals won the 2022 Whiting Award in Nonfiction.   Alexis was a 2020-2021 National Humanities Center Fellow, funded by the Founders Award, and is a 2022 National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellow.      Original Photography of Alexis Pauline Gumbs by: Sufia Ikbal-Doucet   Graphic Design of cover art image by: Angela Denise Davis

In this episode of “This Is Palestine,” host Diana Buttu speaks to Josh Ruebner, the director of IMEU's new 501C-4 organization, the IMEU Policy Project, about recent developments in the US Congress and Palestinian human rights. The episode unpacks the alarming rise in anti-Palestinian legislation and actions in Congress aiming to suppress Palestinian rights work amid Israel's genocide in Gaza. Just days after the ICC issued a statement it is seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for committing war crimes in Gaza, the US Congress invited the Israeli prime minister to deliver a speech to members. Netanyahu is slated to address Congress on July 24. From providing Israel with billions of U.S. tax dollars to commit genocide in Gaza to holding hearings intended to strike fear into the student movements calling for Palestinian freedom, and even introducing legislation aiming to sanction the International Criminal Court, the episode discusses the multitude of ways that the U.S. Congress provides Israel with a shield of impunity for its war crimes and brutality. Listen to learn more about the history of anti-Palestinian racism in Congress and the ways you can help uplift Palestinian freedom and support members of Congress who are champions of Palestinian rights today. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter https://twitter.com/dianabuttu  Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/?hl=en Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/theIMEU Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ Visit our website https://imeu.org

Our very last episode of The Terrible Anvil (Season One) was recorded this week! With Tom and Jess together in the same room! We tried to tie a bow around the business of comics by offering ideas on HOW TO KEEP GOING (FOREVER), AKA making your own sustainable comics practice amidst inner/outer turmoil and also remembering to wash the dishes. A big takeaway from this episode: CELEBRATE SMALL WINS! Other thoughts from the call: * Forming bonds with others and keeping each other going is a great form of sustainable accountability * DEADLINES also keep us going - we can't forget the TERRIBLE ANVIL! * You can have accountability buddies in near strangers too, like SAW's organically-formed online meeting spaces * Body doubling is a great hack! * Wanting to impress your friends can be a great motivator too (you don't have to impress the whole world!) There's more from this final episode, so check it out—and catch up on any others you've missed! And don't worry, this isn't goodbye. It's see you later! Stay tuned for a sequel season of The Terrible Anvil podcast! In the meantime, consider joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group As always, happy making!!

Last week we recorded the penultimate episode of The Terrible Anvil, this time discussing scripts, dialogue, and writing for comics! Art (slightly adapted) from Jess Ruliffson!The words we use and how they are arranged on the page can guide readers' understanding of our comics and influence how they feel about a story and its characters. But how do you pick the right words? How much is too much dialogue? How can you make sure readers understand your text the way you intend? Tune in for answers to these questions and more from Jess and Tom! Some quick tips: * If you've got a lot of dialogue from one speaker, break up the text into multiple balloons to give readers space to digest what they're saying * Read your dialogue out loud to make sure it sounds natural * Try not to repeat information that the images are already conveying, unless the text is there to clarify what's happening in the visuals—if your drawing is lousy, a good caption will help the reader 'believe' the story! There's even more on the call, so give it a listen! And join us on Friday for the FINAL EPISODE!!!! You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-groupSee you for the finale!

This week on the Terrible Anvil, we parsed one of Jess's favorite topics: COLOR!!(Watercolor illustration by Jess!)Here's a quick look at our tips for approaching color (in comics or otherwise) as a newbie: * Pick just one color at first, especially if working in a new medium/with new tools. If that's not interesting, try two colors, maybe three. By using limited color palettes you will gain confidence and figure out what works with color!* Are you color confused? Color curious? When in doubt, think about CONTRAST! Jess's hot take: if something is the 'right' value, it doesn't really matter what color it is.* Err on the side of a lighter color: reading the lines and artwork/what is happening in the panel is more important than the color itself.* Start with an "anchor" color: if something NEEDS to be a certain color (nursing scrubs in Jess's hospital comics are seal blue, for example) start there. Then each choice after that informs the rest of the palette. * Steal a palette from a comic you love! There's more to love and learn in the full episode, so give it a listen! Aaaand join us next week for our next (penultimate??) episode, where we'll talk all about DIALOGUE! (and scripting and writing comics!) You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group Until then, happy making!

Comics itself is a medium and practice. But it also can be host to lots of different working mediums: traditional comics materials, new digital tools, watercolor, printmaking—whatever your heart desires! How do you choose yours?(Watercolor illustration by Jess Ruliffson)What medium feels gratifying, what feels satisfying, what is too labor intensive right now? Maybe you are still learning a new medium, and figuring out how to make short experiments to get fluent and/or fast. Try practicing it every day—returning to the "terrible anvil of daily deadlines" to establish your style! Hyena Hell once said to avoid using materials that present more of a block to you. Working in the ‘wrong' medium, i.e. one we are unfamiliar with, can be a kind of defensive armor against finishing the work: "Once I get good at this I will start/finish my comic." Don't wait, call today! WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW? Use that first. Some tips or things to try when choosing a medium for your comics: * Do what works for you, not what people say you should use* Find the tools that feel good in your hand and help you express yourself* Set parameters for yourself to not get overwhelmed by choice* Play with 'weirder' mediums like photo comics and collage* Use whatever materials are available to you (financially, spatially)* Get the fancy stuff if you want! * Change mediums between projects There's lots more on the call, so give it a listen! And join us for next week's episode as we get deep into COLOR! You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group See you next time!