The answer isn't louder marketing or bigger budgets. It's better storytelling, stronger community, and experiences that connect people to your mission in a meaningful way. That's the case Stephanie Matthews makes in this episode.

Stephanie is the Executive Director of A Tribe for Jazz, a nonprofit redefining what arts education can look like. After more than 20 years as an award-winning photographer and creative director, she moved into nonprofit leadership, where she's using visual storytelling, cross-sector partnerships, and programs like Jazz Lab to connect jazz, STEM, and creativity for the next generation.

In this episode, we get into how her background in visual storytelling changed the way she thinks about marketing a mission, what nonprofits often miss when telling their own story, and how to market something people might not immediately understand. We also talk about what makes one nonprofit's brand memorable while another fades into the background, how to inspire people emotionally without it feeling like a constant ask, and what jazz's principles of improvisation and listening teach us about leadership and marketing. Plus, the one storytelling principle that's held true across documentaries, campaigns, live performances, and nonprofit work, and where a nonprofit with almost no visibility should focus their time over the next year.

Connect with Stephanie Matthews: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemmatthews/

Learn more about A Tribe for Jazz: https://www.atribeforjazz.org/

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Events shouldn't be a one-night success story, they should be a springboard for long-term relationships. Lisa Wein, CSEP, founder of LW Events, joins us to break down what most organizations get wrong about that mindset and when post-event strategy actually needs to start.

In this episode, Lisa shares how nonprofits can use events to tell their mission instead of just hosting another fundraiser, what's changed after 20+ years working inside nonprofit events (including a trend that's disappeared and one organizations should be embracing now), and how she intentionally designs the moments a donor should feel before they leave a gala. We also get into the real time investment behind nonprofit events (500 to 1,500 hours to produce), how to think about the ROI of outsourcing versus keeping it in-house, the subtle details that signal professionalism at any event, and where a small nonprofit with a limited budget should invest first.

Connect with Lisa Wein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-wein-csep-0053558/

Learn more about LW Events: https://www.lweventscbus.com/

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Your network really is your net worth, and no one proves it better than LaChandra Baker, founder of LBB Edutainment and self-described "Conduit for Connection."

In this episode, LaChandra joins us to talk about how relationships, not just strategy, drive real business growth. We get into how she landed on the name LBB Edutainment and what it takes to stand out in a crowded market, why she calls herself a "Conduit for Connection" instead of a consultant or coach, and how to actually connect relationship-building to revenue when people write it off as just "nice to have."

We also cover what builds instant credibility (and what quietly damages a personal brand), what authentic leadership looks like beyond the buzzword, and why being a mentor and "community auntie" has helped her business rather than distracted from it. If you have the skills but no visibility, LaChandra shares the first three things to do in the next 90 days to change that.

Connect with LaChandra Baker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lachandrabbaker/

Learn more about LBB Edutainment: https://www.lbbedutainment.com/

Need help with your marketing? Visit us at https://thecultofrebel.com/

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