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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...

Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages

Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages

By Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Debates continue about the “great resignation” and the fast-rising salary demands that are running rampant in the current hiring climate (also known as wage compression). As nonprofits and associations strive to serve their missions with diminishing resources, many are struggling to find the experienced workers they need at a salary they can afford. Just as frustrating, the labor shortage increases the demands on your existing staff (who are already taxed as a result of the pandemic), which results in higher levels of burnout. So, what is an organization to do? We’ve seen a recent rise...

Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!

Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!

By Cat Donovan Executive Assistant Employee wellness continues to be a topic circulating at the forefront of nonprofits and associations. The pandemic has escalated workplace pressures and shifted expectations placed on employees by both supervisors and also the employees themselves. For example, working from home has made it much easier for employees to check email at all hours of the day and night. Without the real separation of office and home, employees may be off the clock but essentially still “working” and may feel pressure to constantly check in, fearful that others are doing the same and, thus, they might...

Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit

Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit

By Cat Donovan Executive Assistant Big Buzz Idea Group “It’s been a long … a long time coming. But I know a change is gonna come.” Sam Cooke took his real-life experience of being turned away from a whites-only motel in Louisiana during the Civil Rights era and turned it into the 1964 smash hit, “A Change Is Gonna Come.” The message of his song – equal treatment for all – has carried through the airwaves in the decades since. And while significant strides have been put into action by the Black Lives Matters movement, there are still many areas...

Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?

Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?

By Brad Ball Big Buzz Idea Group Vice President It should go without saying that sponsorship can be a great tool for associations to increase revenue, but what goes into any well-planned program may vary widely depending on context. For example, sponsorship for a single event will likely look very different from an annual sponsorship. There are many excellent resources on sponsorship across the web (including these articles from the Big Buzz Idea Group blog). However, one point that doesn’t seem to get much attention is the touchy subject of whether to include membership dues in your sponsorship packages. This...

Crisis Management: Are You Ready?

Crisis Management: Are You Ready?

By Melissa Lagowski Big Buzz Idea Group CEO/Founder/Queen Bee It is a moment that every nonprofit executive hopes will never come: Your day is flowing like most days, and all is well when, in a blink, a single phone call disrupts the status quo and turns your world upside down. Dazed and confused now, how do you react? What are the next steps? Who ya gonna call? As part of your fiduciary responsibilities to your association, it is prudent to have a crisis communication plan in place. This is a task that many organizations put on their to-do list, but...

Word of the Year: Manifestation

Word of the Year: Manifestation

By Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group What does it mean to manifest something? The spiritual definition of manifestation is “the public display of emotion or feeling, or something theoretical made real.” This concept is part of the Laws of Attraction where positive thoughts beget positive outcomes. So, are you a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty type of person? Throughout the pandemic, we and many of our clients have continued trying to be optimistic, to roll with the punches, to make lemonade out of lemons. But have you seen this recent meme: Enough is enough already! We at Big Buzz...

Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders

By Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group November is the month of gratitude. Gratitude is regularly cited for improving one’s happiness, improving our health and in managing adversity. Something so simple wields so much power in our daily lives. Today our team would like to take a moment to express our gratitude for all the leaders, employees, volunteers and board members that choose to serve the nonprofit arena. You are effecting positive change in the world. Every day, you do your job because it matters to someone else (maybe more than you will ever know). It has meaning;...

Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results

Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results

By Melissa Lagowski CEO / Queen Bee / Founder Big Buzz Idea Group Nonprofit organizations exist to serve a very specific purpose. You know that your mission should always be the driving force for every project, program and event that you host. But how focused on that mission are you? What about your Board of Directors and your staff? Are you utilizing yours properly for decision-making? There are times when a nonprofit might accidentally lose its way. It may be a well-intended meeting that veers off-course. The enthusiasm builds and before you realize it, the committee has created an entire...

6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair

6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair

By Melissa Lagowski CEO / Queen Bee / Founder Big Buzz Idea Group In thinking back to my first day as an Executive Director (E.D.), I realize now that the tone was set right there on day one. I met the Board President at my new office. He unlocked the door, handed me the key and said, “Have a nice day” as he left. There was no training, nobody to answer my questions. I don’t even know if I saw any of the board members between meetings (except, on occasion, for the Board member who owned the building where my...

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Check Out These Recent Posts

  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation

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Insights Blog Archive

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

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  • 4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105 Chicago, IL 60646
  • 773.804.8589
  • 773.804.8986
  • info@bigbuzzideagroup.com

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