By Melissa Lagowski Big Buzz Idea Group Founder/CEO/Queen Bee With all the tasks that are on your to-do list, how often are you able to take a step back and think strategically about where the association is headed and what you hope to accomplish? Too often, nonprofit leaders are rushed for time, so to meet all the demands on their time, they wash, rinse and repeat yearend planning documents without much consideration. But if you keep doing what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten. According to the National Center on Charitable Statistics, more than...
By: Melissa Lagowski Founder, CEO and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group It happened again last week. A nonprofit organization called to discuss their annual gala, describing how much money they want to raise while lamenting that they have no budget to hire a planner to assist them. Shortest conversation ever. They’re married to this event, though, so who will they find to do the work, and does that appear in the event budget? If they don’t outsource, then they self-produce, which comes at a cost. And staffing costs are a line item expense, so if they aren’t even identified, then...
By: Joan Garry Principal and Founder, Joan Garry Consulting When my wife ran The Food Network, she often got 911 calls during Thanksgiving week. “Eileen, do you brine your turkey?” “What’s your favorite stuffing recipe?” It was actually hilarious. Eileen is a very good cook mind you but she would respond to all callers the same way. “I am not a chef; I make TV shows.” As for me, I get more than my fair share of 911 calls. Some folks expect me to be an accountant, a human resources professional and oh my, lots of folks ask me...
