Ever feel like you’re running at 95% capacity and one small hiccup sends the whole day sideways? We’ve been there. That’s why we sat down with meditation teacher and former publisher, Leslie Zanoff, to unpack how small, simple practices can restore your energy, sharpen your focus, and help you lead with calm, even when budgets are tight and event season is on fire.

We start by busting myths around mindfulness. You don’t need a cushion or a candle; you need a moment. Leslie explains why stillness can feel uncomfortable at first and shares science-backed practices you can use anywhere: box breathing, fingertip anchoring, gentle tapping over the heart, and five-minute pauses that retrain your nervous system over eight weeks. We talk about “calm excellence” as a leadership standard, making space to respond thoughtfully instead of rushing into urgent perfectionism, and how language and boundaries protect your best work.

This conversation also gets personal. Allison opens up about her long weight loss journey and the mindset shift from all-or-nothing to progress over perfection. Movement became medicine: dancing in the living room, walking outside, water workouts, joyful, doable choices that sparked momentum. We explore how exercise can double as meditation, why gratitude is a powerful nightly reset, and how to claim the “snow day” feeling on an ordinary Tuesday by issuing your own permission slip to pause.

We honor faith and skepticism, too. If prayer is talking to God, meditation is listening, no beliefs required to practice presence. Whether you lead a nonprofit team or carry a heavy caseload, these tools are for you: five minutes to breathe, reset, and return to the work with clarity. If anxiety is chronic, bring in therapy or medication; mindfulness complements, it doesn’t replace.

Ready to release the belief that it has to be hard? Hit play, try one practice today, and share this with a colleague who needs a reset. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us the one small habit you’re starting this week.

What happens when the grant you’ve always counted on disappears? We sit down with Teresa Mills, CEO of Peace at Home Family Shelter, to unpack a calm, practical roadmap for nonprofits facing sudden funding cuts. From building a pet sanctuary that keeps survivors and their animals safe to rebuilding donor trust after tough seasons, Teresa offers clear steps leaders can use right now.

We start with radical transparency that steadies your inner circle, board, staff, and core donors, without alarming the people you serve. Teresa breaks down how to communicate early and often, frame the real gap, and invite supporters to stand with you. Then we get tactical: how to identify mission-critical programs, rank ROI, and protect the services that change lives. You’ll hear how to diversify revenue so no single grant or gala dominates, and why small, steady reserve-building transforms your ability to weather delays, shutdowns, and policy shifts.

If you’ve ever questioned whether events are worth the grind, this conversation will resonate. Teresa shares how cutting a signature event freed up time for deeper donor relationships, monthly giving, and a simple stewardship luncheon that actually strengthens community. We dig into the mechanics of booking donor meetings, what to say on the phone, and how executive directors should lean into fundraising every single day. Along the way, you’ll get practical scripts, post-event follow-up tips that convert attendees into supporters, and a reminder that hope and focus are strategic assets.

Looking for one step to take this week? Call five core donors with a candid update and a clear plan.

If this conversation helped, follow the show, share it with a colleague who needs it today, and leave a review so more nonprofit leaders can find it.

The room goes quiet, the story lands, tears well up—and then the program shifts and the moment to give disappears. If you’ve ever watched donations evaporate in a 30-second transition, this conversation will feel like a masterclass in what to fix and how to do it fast.

I sit down with 3W Magazine founder Kasie Yokley to unpack the playbook that helped Northwest Arkansas stop stepping on its own toes. Years ago, galas stacked up on the same night, sponsors were stretched thin, and donors had to choose. Kasie's answer was deceptively simple: build a charitable events registry that lets nonprofits see each other, coordinate dates, and plan with confidence. That single system turned competition into collaboration and raised the bar for fundraising across Benton and Washington counties.

We get into the details that leaders rarely say out loud. Why “black tie optional” wrecks your photos and brand. Why bloated auctions should shrink to two or three experiences. Why smaller, intimate events with higher tickets and strong themes win hearts and wallets. And most importantly, how to design the moment of impact: tell the mission story, then ask clearly, with pledge cards and QR codes ready—plus a monthly giving option that compounds support without burdening donors.

You’ll hear practical tactics for better ROI—counting staff time, investing in AV so your message carries, choosing flexible venues that allow donated F&B, and sending concise, bullet-point follow ups that show results fast. We also make a case for balance: one signature event to build awareness, and a second, low-lift touchpoint where donors see programs up close, offer input, and feel like true partners.

If you plan events, sit on a board, or just want your giving to matter more, this is your permission slip to simplify, clarify, and be brave. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with your best event idea or biggest pet peeve—we’ll feature our favorites in a future episode.