By Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group As a leader, you’ve likely spent plenty of time and money hiring just the right person for each role on your team. Here at Big Buzz Idea Group, we have a quote we frequently reference from author Rudyard Kipling: “For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” Successful teams (the pack) are built from each individual team member (the wolf) bringing their best effort to the company and to the job every day. We count on each other for individual excellence...
By Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group Celebrating wins and recognizing opportunities for improvement are crucial components of successful and connected teams. Each week, the staff at Big Buzz Idea Group meets on Monday and Friday mornings and included on those agendas is “Something Good” and “Something Better.” By taking just a few minutes each week to connect about successes and SNAFUs, we enjoy a deeper connection to one another and the work we do for our clients. Something Good “The power of progress is fundamental to human nature, but few managers understand it or know how to...
By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group We have always known that, out of necessity, nonprofit organizations are incredibly nimble and resilient. Over the last 12 months, organizations have made quick pivots and showed great commitment and creativity to the missions they serve. Now that it has been a full year of life with COVID-19, we asked our clients if they had any unexpected positive results from the pandemic. Here is what they had to say: Rogers Park Business Alliance “We added video interviews to our Small Business Saturday event in 2020. The pivot to video for...
By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Have you ever lost sleep at night with the feeling that you aren’t meeting the needs of your nonprofit? Do you devote all your time and effort successfully leading the organization only to receive that one negative comment from a board member that leaves you beating yourself up for days? Are you struggling with keeping your association – as well as your staff, board and volunteers – navigating current events to find yourself completely depleted at the end of the day? There is no “one way” to run a nonprofit organization....
Three Nonprofit Leaders Share the Benefits of Enlisting Outside Support for Development Assistance By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group For nonprofits with a small development department—or perhaps none at all—outsourcing is a valuable option. In our work at Big Buzz, we provide support with fundraising, events, communications, database management, marketing and more, offering a deeply impactful value to nonprofit organizations. But you don’t have to take our word for it. This month, we talked to three client partners to hear (directly from them) about the value they saw in outsourcing development work. Here are the main benefits...
By: Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group Whether you are well-seasoned in your nonprofit management career, just starting out at an entry-level nonprofit job or somewhere in the middle, you most likely spend a good deal of time in the digital workspace. In this post, we’re going to tell you about our top five favorite online tools to make your life easier and keep your nonprofit organization running smoothly without spending a penny. DESIGN: Canva We’ve written about this one before and it’s worth mentioning again because it’s such a powerful tool for your nonprofit marketing team. Keep...
By: Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group According to a 2017 Gallup study, nearly one half of the American workforce spends at least some time working from home (WFH). While the study doesn’t specifically identify nonprofit professionals as part of the inquiry, experience tells us that WFH is becoming more commonplace all the way around. One of the more important ways to connect when team members or volunteers are working from home is via the conference call. Available as both dial-in audio-only and increasingly common video conference, here’s a list of how to conference like a pro. Know...
By: Melissa Lagwoski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Do you feel overwhelmed by the demands of your organization? Struggling to balance all of the responsibilities in your work week? Are the pressures of your nonprofit spilling over into your personal time? These common challenges can happen throughout the year but there are simple actions that will remove those issues for more productivity. And January is a great time to make a few small changes to reclaim your time and elevate your organization to new heights! Identify Your Priorities Take some time to get clear about what you must do...
By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group Do you find yourself buried in overwhelm while reviewing the weekly to-do list? Does it feel as though you work and work but never get to the one thing that needed to get done today? Are you constantly struggling to tame an inbox that constantly floweth over? When overwhelm hits me, I am instantly reminded of Elton John’s “Circle of Life:” “From the day we arrive on the planet, and blinking, step into the Sun, There’s more to be seen than can ever be seen; More to do...
Have you ever had a difficult time getting your committees to focus on the task at hand because they get easily distracted? Does it sometimes feel like every member of your Board is rowing in a different direction? It happens unexpectedly and just when everything seems to be going well. Your organization stands to have an amazing year because the strategic planning has been completed, the team has become clear on the mission and maybe even rebranded the new vision of the organization. The energy is high and everyone is excited about the things to come. Then fast forward six...
