Podcast appearances and mentions of tony martignetti

This Week:  Apps, Tools & Tactics Jason Shim returns with his annual rundown of the digital resources and tips that'll make your online, phone and app lives easier, more productive and safer. He's with the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital … Continue reading →

This Week:  Brand Your Giving Programs  Farra Trompeter returns, with Ishmam Rahman, to share their advice around applying brand strategies to your monthly, mid-level and Planned Giving programs. You'll build connections between your programs and improve outcomes. Farra is with … Continue reading →

This Week:  DAFs: 2026 Benchmark Report We return to our 2026 Nonprofit Technology Conference coverage with a discussion of the third annual report on Donor Advised Fund fundraising. Our panel shares DAF giving results; changed donor behaviors; illiquid assets; best … Continue reading →

This Week:  Mission-Driven Mergers Dave LeVan shares the merger story of Water for Good and Lifewater International, to reveal how to lead a nonprofit merger in a resource-constrained environment, without sacrificing the mission. He explains the role of the board … Continue reading →

Jessica talks with Tony Martignetti, Leadership Advisor, Artist, & Creative Guide.Tony Martignetti is a leadership advisor who helps leaders navigate complexity without losing themselves. With over 30 years across high-tech and life sciences, he has worked where innovation, pressure, and uncertainty collide. His defining insight: brilliance doesn't disappear in organizations; it goes dormant when people are asked to fragment themselves to perform. Through Inspired Purpose Partners, Tony designs experiences that integrate purpose, presence, creativity, and connection to drive meaningful impact. He is the author of Climbing the Right Mountain and Campfire Lessons for Leaders, host of The Virtual Campfire Podcast, and a keynote speaker known for creating “campfire” spaces for honest, expansive dialogue.Follow Tony and his work at:https://tonymspeaks.com/ https://linktr.ee/inspiredcoach https://www.ipurposepartners.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonymartignett1/ ~About The Ampersand Manifesto:What happens when you refuse to choose just one path? On The Ampersand Manifesto, host Jessica Wan sits down with “the most interesting people at the dinner party” – those who have made their mark in two or more seemingly different worlds. Through candid conversations, we explore what it takes to navigate multiple callings, find the connection points between them, and redefine success on our own terms. Together, we're co-creating The Ampersand Manifesto: principles for leading a multi-passionate life.~About your host, Jessica Wan:Executive Coach | Classical Singer | Former Marketing Leader & Tech ExecutiveJessica helps founders and leaders make the invisible visible. With 20+ years of experience scaling brands like Apple, Smule, and the San Francisco Opera, and as an ICF-certified executive coach, she provides the clarity and strategy needed to lead bravely and find fulfillment in a multi-passionate life.Work with Jessica: Book a Free Intro CallJoin The Cohort: An Ampersand Community for Dual-Career ProfessionalsFollow the Journey: @ampersandmanifestoConnect: Jessica's LinkedInListen: Singing Excerpts~CreditsCo-produced and hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

This Week:  Mid-Level Recruiting Strategy & Tactics Mitch McDermott stresses the value of a strong middle management team, and brings contrarian hiring and interviewing tactics, so you recruit the best team possible. He shares advice for nonprofits and individuals on … Continue reading →

This Week:  Honoring Others Through Effective Listening We take a break from our Nonprofit Technology Conference coverage, to learn the difference between hearing and listening; how effective listening makes people feel; the 4 habits of listening; the goal of listening; … Continue reading →

This Week:  Disaster Recovery & Incident Response For Accidental Techies Our conversations from the 2026 Nonprofit Technology Conference continue with your DR & IR plan. Cyberattacks, hardware failure or human error can cause big problems, but get minimized when you … Continue reading →

He learned that he had to leave the room to truly make a difference. Today, we're talking to Tony Martignetti, Executive Coach and Author of Campfire Lessons for Leaders. We discuss why hiding your true self at work leads to burnout, how the three C's of curiosity, compassion, and connection can unlock self-awareness, and why leaving the room to change the room is the ultimate act of courageous leadership. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To learn more about Tony Martignetti, check out his website here.

BIO: Tony Martignetti is the evangelist for Planned Giving fundraising for small- and mid-size nonprofits.STORY: Two years into building his business, Tony convinced himself he could become the nation's thought leader on planned giving fundraising — not just for nonprofits, but for all Americans. He walked into a swanky Midtown Manhattan PR agency, got dazzled by a four-inch binder, and signed up at $6,750 per month. Two months and $13,500 later, his only return was a single bylined op-ed in a free subway newspaper.LEARNING: Check your ego. Vet your big ideas with honest, trusted people before spending any money. Understand that PR, even when it works, rarely converts to actual revenue. "This was an ego investment. I did it for my vanity project. I got one placement in a giveaway newspaper on a federal holiday when nobody was in the subway. That was it." Tony Martignetti Guest profileTony Martignetti is the evangelist for Planned Giving fundraising for small- and mid-size nonprofits. Connect with him on LinkedIn.Check out Tony's free How-to Guide on Planned Giving Fundraising.Worst investment everTwo years into running his consultancy, Tony had a big idea. He didn't just want to serve the nonprofit sector; he wanted to reach all Americans and make planned giving a concept that everyday citizens (not just charity insiders) would understand and act on.To do that, Tony decided he needed PR, the kind that lands you on 60 Minutes and gets Charlie Rose calling.He found his way to a prestigious agency in Midtown Manhattan, far from his own modest office in the Flatiron neighborhood. They had an 80-story skyscraper overhead to match. At the pitch meeting, they brought out what Tony describes as a four-inch-thick three-ring binder, every page in a plastic sleeve. Client on The Today Show. Client on Good Morning America. Client on 60 Minutes. Client with Charlie Rose.All this sucked Tony in, and he bought it all—hook, line, and sinker. They kept feeding his ego. He signed on at $6,750 per month.What he got for $13,500After two months, Tony canceled the contract. His total return: one bylined op-ed in AM New York, a free newspaper distributed in New York City subway stations. The placement ran on Martin Luther King Day. A federal holiday when subway ridership was a fraction of normal on a Tuesday.No leads from Good Morning America. No call from 60 Minutes. No magazine profiles. No newspaper reporters are following up. Nothing promising on the horizon. Just $13,500 lighter and one op-ed that almost nobody read.Why the agency let it happenThe agency saw a solo entrepreneur with ideas far bigger than the media landscape could realistically support, and instead of managing Tony's expectations honestly, they kept stoking his enthusiasm to secure the fee. They should have talked him down to what's reasonable to expect. Instead, they completely mismanaged his expectations and kept feeding his ego to capture a fee.The fundamental problem was that Tony's ambition—to educate ordinary Americans about the value of nonprofits, then about the value of supporting them long-term, then to direct them toward specific giving vehicles—was a multi-step awareness campaign that no single PR placement could accomplish. It was simply too much to ask of the media.The uncomfortable truth about PR and revenueYears after the failed agency experiment, Tony had better PR results. He hired a skilled freelance publicist who secured quotes for him in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the leading trade publication in his sector. Reporters on the nonprofit beat came to know him and called him when they needed a source.And yet: not one new client ever picked up the phone because they saw Tony's name in the Times. This taught him a lesson: PR is more about reputation and awareness than revenue.Lessons learnedPR might get done right, and it still won't save you. It can build reputation and awareness over the years. It is not a customer acquisition channel.For early-stage founders, the honest question to ask before writing a large check is: Is this actually going to build the business, or is this about making me feel like I've arrived?Don't go check your idea with the people who are going to get a fee for capitalizing on your pie-in-the-sky idea. The people most likely to validate an idea are often the ones most financially motivated to tell you it's great. Lawyers, consultants, vendors, agencies—all have a stake in your enthusiasm. The honest input has to come from people with nothing to gain: trusted colleagues, mentors, or experienced friends who will tell you what they actually think.Andrew's takeawaysEgo investments are a universal founder trap. Almost every entrepreneur who has started a business has made at least one purchase driven more by identity and aspiration than by clear ROI thinking. Naming it "a vanity investment" is the first step to catching it before it costs you.PR almost never converts to customers. This is one of the most consistent findings across hundreds of My Worst Investment Ever PR can build credibility and awareness over time. But it is not a sales channel, and expecting it to deliver clients, especially early in a business, is a setup for disappointment.The stage of business matters for marketing strategy. Early-stage businesses need direct, efficient client acquisition, not brand awareness campaigns aimed at broad audiences. Align your marketing spend with where you actually are, not where you imagine yourself to be.The media landscape has to be ready for your idea. Tony's vision of educating all Americans about planned giving required multiple layers of awareness-building before a single TV segment could have any effect. Even flawless PR execution couldn't shortcut that process.Actionable adviceAsk yourself: Is this a business investment or an ego investment? Before any significant marketing or PR spend, write down the specific customer acquisition outcome you expect. If you can't describe a clear path from the spend to a paying client, it's probably a vanity investment.Match your marketing strategy to your business stage. In the first two to three years, most professional service firms grow through direct outreach, referrals, and relationship-building rather than mass media. Invest accordingly.Understand what PR actually does. PR builds reputation and credibility over the long term. If that's your goal, it can be worth it. If your goal is revenue next quarter, look elsewhere.If you're going to do PR, set explicit expectations in writing. What placements will they pursue? In what timeframe? What counts as success? If the agency won't commit to specifics, that tells you something important.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsTony's number one goal for the next 12 months is to publish his first self-published book: Planned Giving Accelerated, due out in September. A companion course will follow the book's release.Parting words "Thank you very much, Andrew. This was great, great fun. It's very different than what I've done."Tony Martignetti [spp-transcript] Connect with Tony MartignettiLinkedInYouTubePodcastAndrew's booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming's 14 PointsAndrew's online programsValuation Master ClassThe Become a Better Investor CommunityHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock Market

This Week:  AI For The Rest Of Us Our coverage of the 2026 Nonprofit Technology Conference continues with Allison McMillan's survey of these Artificial Intelligence tools: Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Suno. She reviews their use cases; the differences between them; … Continue reading →

This Week:  Responsible AI Adoption We continue our coverage of the 2026 Nonprofit Technology Conference (26NTC), with a panel that helps you find the low-hanging fruit for AI at your nonprofit. They share their 5-Step framework for deploying AI in … Continue reading →

This Week:  Consider The Human Factors We launch our coverage of the 2026 Nonprofit Technology Conference with an NTC perennial: Rubin Singh. This year, he asks you to consider the human side of tech that impacts your CRM, and really, … Continue reading →

This Week:  Emotional Intelligence For Leaders  Raised in Northern Ireland during years of deep division, Dr. Irvine Nugent brings EQ and conflict resolution skills for nonprofit leaders. He identifies the 4 skills leaders need along with how to avoid escalation … Continue reading →

This Week:  “Sell” Your Nonprofit Encouraging you to know your nonprofit as your product, Jason Barnaby wants you to talk about it in a way that makes people curious to learn more, drawing them closer to your work. Also, he'd … Continue reading →

Recorded live at the Fairmont Austin during SXSW, Joe Pardavila sits down with leadership advisor and author Tony Martignetti just moments after his first SXSW talk. The conversation explores the experience of speaking on one of the world's most influential stages and the deeper ideas behind Tony's upcoming book, Illuminating Hidden Brilliance.Tony has spent more than three decades working across biotech, high tech, and leadership development, helping individuals and organizations reconnect with what he calls their hidden brilliance. In this conversation, he explains why many leaders appear successful on the outside while feeling numb on the inside, and how reconnecting with forgotten parts of ourselves can restore creativity, purpose, and stronger leadership.Joe and Tony discuss the journey that led Tony from a career in finance and strategy to becoming a leadership coach and author. They explore the idea of “flashpoint” moments that reshape how people see themselves, the courage required to bring your full identity into your work, and why teams become more innovative when people share the passions they keep outside the office.The conversation also tackles practical leadership questions:• Why many successful leaders feel stuck or disengaged• How organizations overlook the potential inside their own teams• The role of compassionate accountability in strong leadership• Why culture emerges from behavior rather than slogans• How AI and new workplace dynamics might reshape how people contributeTony shares stories from his work with innovation teams, explains how personal passions can spark new ideas at work, and argues that organizations thrive when leaders create space for people to bring their full selves to the table.At its core, this episode asks a simple but powerful question: What brilliance are we leaving behind when we separate who we are from the work we do?Tony's new book, Illuminating Hidden Brilliance, arrives this fall and offers a roadmap for individuals and teams who want to reconnect with their deeper potential.

This Week:  Podcasthon: Athens Area Humane Society As part of the worldwide Podcasthon, we make space for Cheryl McCormick, CEO of Athens Area Humane Society, in Athens, GA, to reveal her secrets to enormously successful Planned Giving fundraising at a … Continue reading →

This Week:  Your 5-Step Inclusive Strategic Plan The author of the book “Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits,” talks you through her strategy of kickoff; discovery; prioritization; planning; and, implementation. She makes your plan a valuable, living resource, rather than a … Continue reading →

This Week:  Savvy CSR Seeking Kimberly O'Donnell delivers strategies and tactics for your corporate social responsibility fundraising. She advises you to build relationships and avoid transactions; lead with mission and your compelling story; include volunteering; tap your community to avoid … Continue reading →

This Week:  Systems & Processes So Your People Thrive Dylan Bassett helps you create your invisible infrastructure, so you can quietly reduce burnout, increase efficiency and make it easier for your nonprofit to grow. He shares the signs that your … Continue reading →

This Week:  Grow Your Personal Brand & Your Nonprofit As a nonprofit leader, you can build your personal brand and watch benefits accrue to both you and your organization. With the right messaging, strategy, consistency, and authentic connection, your individual … Continue reading →

This Week:  Bring Fun To Evaluation & Impact Data Kayla Meyers reveals the fun in what may sound dull, through braids, data galleries and data escape rooms. She distinguishes between outputs, outcomes and impact, and explains the disconnect between traditional … Continue reading →

This Week:  Monthly Giving Matters  First, Dana Snyder shares info on the Global Monthly Giving Summit later this month. Then, she shares what she knows about how to launch or grow your monthly sustainer fundraising. How to convert one-time donors … Continue reading →

This Week:  Put Passion & Fun Into Your Fundraising  Ben Cooley brings his energy and warmth as he shares his thinking on intimate donor events; savvy stewardship (Thanking is banking!); your major donor conversations; the critical role of leadership in … Continue reading →

This Week:  Thrive Amid The Digital Transformation The digital marketing we grew up with is no more, mostly due to Google AI Overview and all the other Artificial Intelligence surrounding us. We've talked about this and Lou Kotsinis brings his … Continue reading →

This Week:  Be Human & Be Yourself, For Best Fundraising  Messy and authentic. That's how Brad Ton wants you to come to your fundraising relationships, for best outcomes. Be genuinely curious about people, with a dose of strategy, and you've … Continue reading →

This Week:  771: 2026 Outlook  Our Esteemed Contributors kick off 2026 to share what they're looking out for in the New Year. We talk about increased hesitation around AI adoption; mitigating the risks of political, legal and PR attacks; your … Continue reading →

This Week:  Decolonizing Wealth This first aired in 2018, yet it feels more relevant right now, as we witness gross acts of separation and exploitation of non-white people, and the wealth divide has become larger and more consequential. Edgar Villanueva's … Continue reading →

This Week:  Overlooked Consequences Of A.I. & How To Preserve Your Humanity There's a broad temptation we each face, to enlist Artificial Intelligence tools in all nonprofit and personal decisions. Some people have intimate relationships with A.I. bots. At what … Continue reading →

This Week:  Bookkeeping Red Flags & Your Board’s Oversight Jackie Shaw reveals the biggest financial red flags most nonprofits overlook, including proper controls; reconciliation; getting receipts; your chart of accounts; and more. She also shares how to keep your board … Continue reading →

This Week:  Another Conversation With Art Taylor  The CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), returns to share his thinking on the GoFundMe chaotic week in October, addressing the decline in families who donate to nonprofits, and our community's … Continue reading →

This Week:  What We Can Learn From For-Profits  Let's not fawn over for-profit companies. Not everything they do carries over to our nonprofit community. But some things do. Like building systems and processes; diversifying revenue; knowing KPIs cold; relentless customer … Continue reading →

This Week:  Takeaways From Film Work, So You Flow & Do Your Best Work  Steven Puri brings lessons from his work in film, which is inherently remote and distributed, to help increase your personal and team productivity. Time boxing; mono-tasking; … Continue reading →

This Week:  The New Tax Law: What It Means For Your Fundraising Right Now & In 2026 In January, there are substantial changes coming to tax and donation laws that impact your fundraising messages for end-of-year, and in the new … Continue reading →

This Week:  HR Equity For Non-HR Professionals Following last week's HR Overview, our panel focuses on equitable human resources. They take you through the employee lifecycle, from job description and your hiring process, through professional development and a career competencies … Continue reading →

This Week:  HR Overview For Non-HR Professionals  Trust is key, and so is strong middle management, for CEOs and EDs responsible for human resources in their nonprofit. Janelle Miller Moravek helps with what to focus on, and how to manage … Continue reading →

This Week:  Your AI Brand Footprint  What is this thing, why should you care and what can you do to improve it? George Weiner returns to acquaint you with his company's study of how Artificial Intelligence will influence giving in … Continue reading →

This Week:  Better Governance With Relational Leadership  Let's have a frank conversation about the state of nonprofit governance, and staff and volunteer leadership. Some of the issues are individual. Some are systemic. All are fixable once we identify them and … Continue reading →

This Week:  The State Of The Sector (Beginning With AI)  This year, any conversation about the nonprofit sector finds its way to Artificial Intelligence. So we start there, with our contributors Gene Takagi on legal and Amy Sample Ward on … Continue reading →

Tony Martignetti Founder | Leadership Advisor | Chief Illumination OfficerProvide executive coaching services and transformational leadership development programs for global teams across industries. Lead an agile team of experienced staff in delivering measurable results to client stakeholders.Successfully delivered over 300 leadership development programs, engaging over 10,000 leaders through customized workshops, executive coaching sessions, and high-profile speaking engagements. Empowered leaders with practical skills and strategies, significantly enhancing their capabilities to drive organizational success.Achieved recognition as a thought leader in executive development by authoring best-selling books, publishing influential articles, and creating a strong personal brand through speaking engagements and podcasts. Known for thought-provoking insights, contributed to shaping leadership strategies and inspiring transformation across industries.https://linktr.ee/inspiredcoach

This Week:  The Value Of Nonprofit Journalism For Your Work  Monika Bauerlein reveals lessons to learn from when Mother Jones, the magazine, had its nonprofit status revoked in the 1980's during the Reagan administration. She also shares her thinking on … Continue reading →

This Week:  Storytelling, With An Award-Winning Crime Fiction Author  Carl Vonderau has made many mistakes in his professional writing—and he wants you to learn from them. His savvy advice includes: Use the senses; evoke emotion; get your readers and viewers … Continue reading →

This Week:  Your Emergency Marketing Plan  Our panel helps you prepare for, and respond to, emergencies with your digital marketing and fundraising. They also help you steward your new donors. They're Sarah Allen from BRAC USA, along with Julia Molinaro … Continue reading →

This Week:  Put The Fun In Fundraising  Sarah Angello and Dinesh Nadar want to see you have enjoyment, pure fun(!), in your fundraising. They reveal the psychology behind gamification, and share elements and case studies of successful gamification. This will … Continue reading →

In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the pleasure of speaking with leadership advisor and host of The Virtual Campfire, Tony Martignetti. Tony shares what it means to live as a multidimensional person in a one-dimensional world, explaining how we are too often asked to compartmentalize or suppress parts of ourselves. Together, we explore why people feel trapped in narrow roles, how integrating hidden passions can unlock our true potential, and why embracing our multidimensional selves may be the key to solving today's most pressing challenges. Tony also introduces his Illumination Framework—a four-step path to uncovering what matters most and living with full expression. This episode is for anyone who feels boxed in by expectations, craves the freedom to express their true self, and is ready to step fully into the light of who they are meant to be. Guest's Contact – Linkedin Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that's keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You'll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

This Week:  Inclusive & Engaging Virtual Meetings  Our panel reveals how you can host accessible virtual meetings that foster active participation by removing barriers for diverse audiences, so all voices are heard and valued. They're Tiffany Ferguson and Akailah Jenkins … Continue reading →

This Week:  Congrats, You're A Manager, Now What?   Our panel shares advice for new managers, which can also support established leaders. They bring strategies for employee-centric growth; self and team advocacy; goal setting; coaching; building trust; and more. They're … Continue reading →

This Week:  Fundraising Storytelling To Show Your Impact  Lots of nonprofits don't have direct monetary impact to promote their work. If that's you, Megan Castle has practical tips and strategies to collect and distribute quality, down-to-earth stories from your real … Continue reading →

This Week:  750th Show!   It’s Nonprofit Radio’s 750th show and 15th Anniversary Jubilee. To celebrate, co-host Claire Meyerhoff shares her “Ode to Nonprofit Radio.” We have our associate producer, Kate Martignetti; 3 live songs from Scott Stein, including our … Continue reading →

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