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The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit

The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit

By Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee It was October 1, 1999, when I began my first full-time position in the nonprofit world. I showed up excitedly and ready to dig in and get started. The president of the organization met me at the office, said the organization was looking forward to working with me, handed me the key to the office and walked out the door. Now what? As a staff of one, I was responsible for what would become 24 annual events, 12 newsletters and 8 committees. I remember looking around the office and trying to figure out where to...

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Insights Blog Archive

  • Goal-Setting For Successful Events
  • Four Step Process to Building Better Buy-In
  • 4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit
  • Securing Help from Your Board: Are You Ready?
  • Cancelling or Postponing Your Events in Light of COVID-19
  • How to Hire a Consultant
  • Making a Case for Strategic Planning
  • The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser
  • Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out: Creating Impressions for Impact
  • Never Overlook the Value of Gratitude
  • Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit
  • Networking for Personal and Professional Growth
  • Leveraging E-Newsletters For Nonprofit Growth
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals
  • The Taxman Cometh (Yes, Even For Your Exempt Organization)
  • If You’re Feeling Hopeless of Late, Remember That Your Work Matters and You Do, Too
  • Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization
  • Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant
  • New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members
  • Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times
  • 2020: A Lesson in Gratitude
  • Communication Tips to Advance Your Organization
  • Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?
  • Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection
  • Nonprofit Event Venues 101
  • Organizational Operations Versus Organizational Strategy
  • Leadership Starts with You
  • Lessons Learned in Nonprofit Management
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • How to Keep Your Visuals On-Brand
  • The Birth of a New Vision
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • 5 Tips for Prioritizing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
  • Post-Pandemic Event Lessons
  • How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona
  • 3 Tips For Maintaining Your NPO’s Digital Assets
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II
  • Please Send a Hi-res Copy of Your Logo
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services
  • Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
  • 10 Tips to Cultivate Sponsor Relationships
  • Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up
  • Clearer Communication Is the Secret to Better Outcomes
  • Celebrate You and Avoid Nonprofit Burnout
  • Take Time to Evaluate Your Events
  • Tips to Ensure Event Safety
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I
  • Tips for Virtual Event Success
  • Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission
  • Why Is My Organization Not Growing?
  • How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status
  • How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!
  • How To Secure More Donor Dollars
  • Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • Defining Your Value: Reclaiming Relevance to the Community You Serve
  • Cyber Security: How To Protect Yourself In Today’s “Connected” World
  • 3 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Use Canva
  • 4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value
  • Talk to Me! Prioritizing Internal Communications During Times of Transition
  • 9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference
  • 5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks
  • Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic
  • 6 Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
  • Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture
  • The Board’s Hot (Summer) Topics
  • Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results
  • Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important
  • Board Nominating: A Better Way
  • Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing
  • Four Pillars to Attracting and Retaining Ideal Employees
  • Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel
  • 7 Tips for Managing Hybrid Events
  • How to Rewire Your Brain with Positive Thinking
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams
  • Four Tactics to Resolve Nonprofit Staffing Shortages
  • Innovative Approach to Volunteer Recruitment
  • 11 Tips to Make Your Newsletter More Readable
  • Fresh Funding Ideas Are Blooming
  • Optimize Your Contact List for Nonprofit Growth
  • Why Your Nonprofit Needs Brand Guidelines
  • Real Progress Requires Intention: What Do You Want to Achieve in 2020 for Your Nonprofit?
  • Why Nonprofits Need to Evaluate Their Budgets Every Year
  • Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit
  • Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth
  • DIY Event Photos
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: To Package or Not to Package
  • 6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members
  • Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns
  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • Transparency and Nonprofit Organizations
  • 5 Reasons to Outsource Instead of Rely on Volunteers
  • Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing
  • 50 Content Promotion Tactics: How to Drive Traffic to Your Next Article
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s Story
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • Big Buzz Has COVID-19 Resources For You!
  • Meet Big Buzz, the Creators of Ribfest Chicago
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership
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  • Organic Methods to Cultivate Sponsorship Leads
  • 3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership
  • A Job Gone Wrong
  • Does Your Mission Have a Compelling Voice?
  • Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times
  • Financial Planning for Uncertain Times
  • Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven
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  • Boost Your Daily Productivity
  • Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • To Be Successful, Nonprofits and Associations Must Be Forward-Thinking
  • Is Your Marketing Missing the Mark?
  • Put Some Zing in Your Zoom (Or Any Other Virtual Meeting)
  • The Compelling Case to Renew
  • The Need to Go Beyond Surveys
  • 5 Ways to Generate Sponsor Leads

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  • 4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105 Chicago, IL 60646
  • 773.804.8589
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