What Is It?

Per Givelink's LinkedIn About section: "We're a transparent giving platform where donors pick real items needed by real people, give online, and see photo proof of their help reaching someone's life. Every donation is visible. Every item is tracked. Every life reached is real."

Per Panos Kokmotos, one of three co-founders of Givelink, he describes Givelink as "helping nonprofits get the exact goods they need, and helping donors see where their money goes."

What Do They REALLY Do?
Givelink serves nonprofits coming and going.

• ​If you're a nonprofit seeking in-kind donations, Givelink has the perfect system to streamline order deliveries, confirm deliveries (hello, Amazon photo proof!), and most importantly help you thank your donors to build ongoing relationships!
• It's also a fabulous database of vetted nonprofits for those seeking their next good cause to support. 

Graphics that describe Givelink's advantages best as adapted from their website:

How Much Does It Cost?
As if this little gem could get any better, the generous folks of Givelink manage it! Use of this amazing service is free to nonprofits! Just be ready to provide your EIN for them to confirm your nonprofit status. 

Get to the Point
As you can tell, I'm a bit over-the-moon excited for my recent discovery of Givelink! I've enjoyed chatting with Panos by zoom to get to know each other and email for continued discussions. 

This service meets a huge need in the nonprofit realm.

• I've been on the receiving or purchasing end of donation lists, trying to manage items from Amazon Wish Lists where it's not always easy to confirm the address is built in if you're purchasing to have items mailed to the list creator.
• If you built the Amazon Wish List, you have items arriving at all sorts of days and times and can never be sure deliveries will be safe if there are "porch pirates" in your neighborhood. Heaven help you if you'll be traveling and packages keep arriving!
• It's not always easy to determine who purchased the item to donate to even consider thanking them or confirming the donation arrived.
• Donors automatically receive a tax-deductible receipt once a delivery photo is uploaded!
• If you're lucky, you know the donor to be able to send a personal thank you for their generosity. Otherwise, it's impossible to follow-up or send ongoing information about your cause. 
• No contracts, no minimums, no commitments—just sign up in the platform.
• Givelink assists you with adding a "Give In-Kind" button to embed on your website, emails, and social media to drive donations.
• In-kind donors retain 60% more than any other monetary platform currently on Givelink.

​
How Do I Sign Up?
You can email Panos directly or head to Givelink's For Nonprofits page for details and ways to get started. 
​
Your Turn!
Solopreneurs and authors—you likely work with nonprofits who may benefit from this service. Please share with them!

Nonprofits—I hope you give Givelink a try! What are you currently using if you have in-kind donations needed? 

I'd love to hear if there are alternative options out there - Let's Chat (shoot me an email) or message me on LinkedIn or Substack!

What Is GeekPack?

​GeekPack per the LinkedIn company page "is a business education company built for online business owners who are technically excellent—but revenue is inconsistent. We work with coaches, course creators, service providers, and agency owners who have the skills, the systems, and the clients—but not a predictable pipeline."

Founder Julia Taylor, self-professed introvert "who'd rather be behind the screen than out in front," is a "business coach for tech-savvy women" (although I've seen a few gentlemen in the group), "helping you stop hiding in the backend & build predictable revenue."

Special thanks to Julia Taylor for allowing me to interview her!

Julia began GeekPack in October 2018, but started her first business in 2016. On becoming a military spouse with multiple moves, Julia started her business to manage her own career progression with flexibility to work from anywhere. As she shared on social media about her journey—teaching herself how to code, build websites, location independence with the RV life—she began hearing "I want to be able to do what you do—can you teach me how to do it?" 

“I wanted everything I did to be based around a supportive & encouraging community" as any time she asked any tech questions, she was made fun of. “I wanted to teach people how to build websites and start a business, but I wanted to wrap it around community—supportive, encouraging, and geeky," thus GeekPack was born.

Who Is This For?
Following and participating in the GeekPack programs are useful for solopreneurs, authors (writing books is your business!), and even nonprofits. 

I have seen a number of fellow nonprofit leaders in the GeekPack program. I asked Julia how she sees the match in her programs for nonprofit founders. “There are many parallels with nonprofit leaders and business owners—selling a service or funding, storytelling, marketing, letting others know you exist, have conversations, build relationships, networking—it's all the same. The only real difference is owner vs nonprofit, but I would argue most nonprofit leaders feel like owners, because they're probably the ones who started it, so there's not a huge difference. There are a lot of similarities.”

GeekPack offers a number of programs:

• 6-week free foundation program thanks to a grant partnership with Verizon Small Business Digital designed to help you think through your brand: the Who, What, Why, Where, and How of your business plan. Entry is open to all with an application process and new cohorts regularly starting.
• Revenue OS (Operating System) is the GeekPack flagship paid program where you work closely with Julia for personalized guidance as you move forward with your business plan. The focus is on creating habits that will help you build predictable revenue. While this sounds more geared to the solopreneur, the concepts absolutely translate to nonprofits as well. 

Get to the Point
I recently completed my second iteration of the 6-week foundation program--completion certificate achieved!

I initially completed the program a year ago, year 3 of my business, where I gained insights that guided me forward, to ensure my business foundation was in place. Admittedly, I participated half-heartedly, thinking I knew more than I did and more focusing on the day-to-day of what I was doing in my business to build connections.

I gained insights but not nearly as many as I did this year with many thanks to my instructor in GeekPack, Glenna Garcia.

This time on year 4 of my business, I'm taking a step back to check my business foundation, and listening—truly participating this time each and every week—showing up live 2x/week with the cohort, watching the Verizon videos accompanying each lesson, doing the homework, and engaging with my classmates—all fellow solopreneurs.

This year was more of an intermediate program—perfect for where I am in my business and for others in my cohort.

• The next-level frame of reference was refreshing.
• I was also tapped to be an "Ambassador" during the session which totally got my attention, focus, and tapped into my existing business service of social engagement. I made a point to be present and participating! Who knows—a future business opportunity for me with GeekPack! At a minimum, deeper connections with a program I already love.

What's Next?
The timing for the most recent GeekPack/Verizon program was perfect to commit to investing in Revenue OS, which I also highly recommend. It is not necessary to take the GeekPack/Verizon program before jumping into Revenue OS, however, I found the programs a good match for me.

Revenue OS provides:

• Personalized 1:1 interviews or chats with Julia Taylor to map your business plan, mid-program status check, and solidifying your ongoing plan.
• A handy app to track daily progress with an opportunity to reflect on your week's activities—what worked, what didn't, what to consider adjusting in your strategy. (Julia is an app developer and a whiz at it—the app alone is gold!) This is where you build the daily, weekly, and monthly habits that will lead to more stable revenue.
• Inclusion in a group of like-minded business owners also going through the program. It's a fabulous resource to bounce ideas off of, share challenges and successes, and get out of your own head which is useful when you're predominantly working on your own as a solopreneur, author, or small nonprofit. (a number of folks in the GeekPack programs lead small nonprofits!)

Want More?
Head here to sign up for GeekPack/Julia Taylor's email at a minimum. This will keep you posted of upcoming opportunities to join programs or learn about new options available.

Head here to apply for the next GeekPack/Verizon program.

Head here to learn more about the Revenue OS program. 

Your Turn!
Have you found any business development programs you like and have participated in? 

Love to hear about them! We all grow by sharing resources! Let's Chat or message me on LinkedIn or Substack to share!

What's the Difference?

This is a frequent question I receive and I'm glad for it! The differences may seem subtle on the surface but are significant when you dig in.

Short Definition

• Brand Marketing is more the backbone of your business, your strategy and consistency
• Marketing is more the nuts and bolts how of marketing, the tools and methods you use to share your opportunity

Resources
This post will pull together information from four resources: 

• Vistaprint
• Shopify
• Kantar
• Aventi Group

Comparisons
We'll review the basic differences between brand marketing and marketing, pulling thoughts together with a beautiful graphic courtesy of the Vistaprint article cited. 

Brand Marketing

• ​This is the unique identity of your company, what differentiates you from competitors
• Shares your core values
• Reflects your target audience's preferences—reflects your Ideal Client Persona (ICP).
• Establishes your brand reputation
• Remains consistent
• Creates trust, loyalty, and awareness of your business
• Pieces can include your logo and brand color scheme—your brand voice

​
Marketing

• Strategies—the how of your message—that evolve over time, may change depending on products, services, or even campaigns
• SEO tactics
• Social media content
• Email newsletters
• Sales or donor campaigns

Great Marketing Quotes Courtesy of Vistaprint

• Marketing can be a great way to get a customer’s attention, but branding is a great way to keep their attention
• Marketing drives sales, branding drives recognition and loyalty
• Branding comes first, marketing comes second - ah, the chicken or the egg question is settled!
• Marketing strategies come and go, but branding is forever

Recent Poll Results
I conducted a poll on LinkedIn recently asking what the biggest frustration is about marketing?

• Responses overwhelmingly noted it's a "time suck"—a necessary "evil" of doing business and all would far rather be doing client work.
• Less noted an admission of not really knowing how to market! It's not like it's an intuitive skill, yet somehow we all need to be an "expert" marketer in addition to a business manager. 

Get to the Point
I provide brand marketing services, which includes marketing services, but I start any conversation by identifying your brand marketing pieces to see if we need to strengthen or establish your plan. 

Your Turn!
Do you have a solid brand marketing plan in place yet or simply random thoughts as your foundation? Are you able to see the difference between brand marketing and marketing?

I'd love to hear your brand marketing and marketing journey--Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

Meet Author Liane Davey

I discovered Liane last week on a LinkedIn live interview by Lynnaire Johnston. You can find Liane on her website and her LinkedIn. "Thoughtload" was released in May 2026 and is her fourth published book. I'm looking forward to checking on the other three! 

Liane has created a community website, full of resources, that you'll want to spend time getting to know. It's available on her book landing page. You can find her book on Amazon, available in Kindle, Audible, and paperback. I'm a big fan of audiobooks and loved that the author read the book. It was very engaging, full of her personality and warm humor. 

Who Is This For
Liane regularly coaches and speaks with teams, so much of the focus was on a team perspective. I was still able to find plenty of useful nuggets as a solopreneur (as would an author). I was definitely thinking of nonprofit teams I've worked with while reading. Even as solopreneurs, we're working with clients and occasionally teams. I found the majority of the content very useful.

Focal Points of "Thoughtload"
The author focuses on three basic premises:

• Attention/Focus
• Emotions
• Energy

I paid most attention in the Attention and Energy sections. The Emotions segment is certainly useful when juggling team personalities, but she offered many examples of useful considerations for personal relationships as well. 

Focus Fine Points
Points that resonated with me:

• Liane urged a focus thought session on the outcomes you or your team are aiming for.
  • What would it take to make meaningful progress in 6 months?
  • Is this what customers want from me?
  • Take a photo or create a Canva design of your outcome goals to save as your phone's wallpaper for regular visibility.
• Calendar review
  • What activities are essential vs trivial/non-essential? (do you need all of those meetings?)
  • Create 3 Priority Lists
    • Category 1: the most important, tied to your outcomes
    • Category 2: tied to helping others meet their outcomes, items you're counted on to deliver
    • Category 3: basic admin tasks that simply need maintained
  • Ensure activities are important, urgent (delegate as able), targeted, and essential.
• Focus results: I loved this framing.
  • ​If you focus on activities, you become a busy person.
  • If you focus on outputs, you become a productive person.
  • If you focus on outcomes, you become an effective person. 

Energy Fine Points
Schedule set-up

• Focus & Forge time: scheduled at the strongest, most focused, energetic part of your day; no more than 2 hour blocks broken into two 45 minute sessions with a 15 minute break in between.
• Connect & Collaborate time: may be afternoons when your energy is a bit less, more scattered. This is a good spot for your Category 2 activities when you're productive but your best thought time isn't necessarily needed - possibly client calls or tasks assisting others. 
• Tidy & Tend time: low energy demand activities but they continue to move you forward. This is a good spot for your Category 3 activities, admin or routine sorts of tasks.

Get to the Point
I definitely recommend "Thoughtload" by Liane Davey! It's not a long read, I love hearing the author read the book, and she offers so many additional resources including blog posts, worksheets, and even a printable planner. Give it a try!

Your Turn!
Reality check: 1) Do you find you focus on activities, outputs, or outcomes? 2) Have you assessed your day's energy and are in alignment with your priority list? 

My turn: 

• I'll admit, I'm amazing with activities which typically do lead to outputs. Outcomes? I'm working on more focus there. It's also a matter of how you frame "output" vs "outcomes" I propose. I am much better at being "productive" vs "effective"!
• Liane's category references line up better than many "time blocking" efforts I've run into. I naturally tend to schedule as she suggests, but I'm also paying more attention to outcome tasks for my energy. 

How about you? Let's Chat or message me on LinkedIn or Substack!

Have You Heard Any Good Podcasts Lately?

I'm a huge fan of podcasts! Audio options are my daily exercise companion. Podcasts have the advantage of fitting in a variety of time windows you may have, anything from 10 minutes long to 30 minutes, an hour, or more. Podcasts are fun and educational! I'm always keeping my ears open for new podcasts that mentors I admire recommend and often have on their podcasts. 



Podcasts for Nonprofits
These are a number of podcasts available for those of us in the nonprofit sector. Most of these are on my To Listen list but I've seen good reviews.

• Nonprofit Deep Dive by Nonprofit.courses/Matt Hugg: nontraditional style, this is basically a NotebookLM "podcast" sharing of website content. I've personally met Matt Hugg and he's a wealth of information and experience!
• Nonprofit Hub Radio
• Nonprofit Nation with Julia Campbell
• The Nonprofit Podcast with Jena Lynch, Brittan Stockert, and Cara Augspurger

Podcasts for Authors
There is only one favorite on my podcast feed particularly for authors. Definitely check out my friend Gillian Whitney's Easy Peasy Books with her weekly podcast! She has additional content including monthly deep dives along with great articles on her LinkedIn.

​Podcasts for Solopreneurs/Business Tactics
I have a number of favorites here on a variety of topics.

• AI
  • The Artificial Intelligence Show: hands-down favorite follow on the topic, my every Tuesday and occasional Thursday listen (special episodes)
  • AI Explored with Michael Stelzner
• General
  • This Old Marketing with Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose: the best for topical marketing news of the day but mostly just a fun listen with their banter, my every Friday listen
  • Selling Your Expertise with Renee Hribar: I can't get enough of this podcast right now as I'm working my way back through all of her content
  • The Aspiring Solopreneur with Joe Rando & Carly Ries of LifeStarr: a new favorite of mine, posts 2x/wk, great general content for solopreneurs
  • Marketing Mentor Podcast with Ilise Benun: practical general marketing ideas 
  • Ditching Hourly with Jonathan Stark: recent discovery on pricing structure, moving from hourly to value based
  • The Amy Porterfield Show with Amy Porterfield: great general marketing content, most of her high-income business information is applicable to the general majority of us—why not aim high!
• Email
  • Easy Email Marketing with Yael Keon: focused, list-style content every 2 wks; very practical, hands-on information
  • Do This, Not That! by Jay Schwedelson: a regular short favorite with quick notes 3-4x/wk on email topics
  • Create Online Business Success - Email List & Leads Growth by Tracy Beavers: a recent discovery focusing on how to grow your email list through your social media and website
• Social Media
  • Informed with John Espirian: focus is on LinkedIn, short bits of Q&A plus updates on LinkedIn
  • Social Media for B2B Growth - LinkedIn Strategy for BTB Marketers with Michelle J Raymond: great suggestions with a heavy emphasis on company page strategy
  • Rocky Mountain Marketing - Digital Marketing for Entrepreneurs with Katie Brinkley: general coverage of news and strategy on all the social platforms
  • Networking and Marketing Made Simple with Scott Aaron: focus is on LinkedIn strategy
  • The LinkedIn Branding Show with Michelle B Griffin and Michelle J Raymond: great team perspective balancing personal and company page profile suggestions
  • Write Build Scale with Jari Roomer, Sinem Gunel, & Philip Hofmacher: ideas and tutorials on developing your Substack

Your Turn!
This scratches the surface of my podcast list. I've tried to focus on those I've actually listened to, although my nonprofit list is predominantly sharing available resources I have not heard yet as it's a rather niche podcast topic to find. 

What are your favorite podcasts right now and why?

Love to hear - Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

Let's Start with Statistics

Many of these statistics are from Solving Procrastination and Zippia: 

• Roughly 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators.
• 80-95% of college students procrastinate.
• The average adult spends over 3.5 hours procrastinating daily.
• 88% of employees procrastinate at least 1 hour per day. 
• 14-29 year olds are most likely to procrastinate. 
• Chronic procrastination has increased from 5% in the 1970s to over 20% today. 
• Higher levels of procrastination are linked to higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and poor sleep according to an article in the National Library of Medicine. 

Do you feel called out yet? I know I do!

Procrastination Proof
Jon Acuff recently posted his latest book, Procrastination Proof. Jon has regularly noted his procrastinating tendencies in his many earlier books. He's become a "goal guru" as his business platform. I'm a fan of his and have noted him in earlier blog posts here, here, and here. 

Jon's current book urges readers to aim for remarkable! (I love that attitude) He suggests four processes to move forward:

• Dream: 10% of time spent
• Plan:15% of the process
• Do: 70% of your activity
• Review: 5% - important but don't get stuck here

Planning Makes It Easier
Jon focused on how his Night Me plans for Morning Me—tomorrow is made much easier by planning today. Take a few minutes to schedule and prepare for the next day before settling in for the night. This may include packing your lunch the night before, packing or setting out the work-out clothes and business items to be ready to go—no excuses.

Especially for entrepreneurs and those working from home, when your choice is everything (completely open schedule to plan), you often can't choose anything. You're overwhelmed by choices and possibility so do nothing and procrastinate.

Stress Stacking
Many procrastinate because they see the long list of items all seemingly due now. Jon suggests we dial back "right now" to make your options more manageable to take action. 

• What's due in the next hour?
• What's due today?
• What's due in a week?

Get Into the Mindset
Reflect on your goal and ask yourself

• what would a healthy person do? (if you have exercise, diet, or weight goals)
• what would a remarkable leader do?
• what would a [INSERT JOB] do? 

Get rid of the "I" reference to reduce procrastination and depersonalize. 

Additional Mindset Ideas

• Make sure your actions match your intentions.
• The person who still has to do it is me.
• Never confuse preference with requirements. (while you may prefer to work sitting in a park, it's not a requirement)
• Do it everywhere—find a new location if needed to shake things up. 
• Run toward the fear. Look at it but don't obsess about it. 

Perfection
As a procrastination tool, perfection keeps us stuck in Plan mode—always far too many items to check off to really move forward.

Try auditioning dreams—test them for a month, then 2 months, and later 4 months to reduce the feeling of commitment that may be attached and holding you back. They don't have to last forever! (think of it as a henna tattoo rather than permanent ink)

Motivation Portfolio
Jon suggests we create a Motivation Portfolio of anything and everything that motivates you so you can pull them out in the thick of Doing when you start losing energy and procrastination sneaks in. Ideas of what may motivate you:

• Music: tunes get you moving!
• New skills acquisition excites you.
• Bills are due (#reality)
• Consider how tough it is for others (someone's always a bit worse off or faces more challenges than you)
• If you don't do the thing, what would you have missed? (think of George in It's A Wonderful Life)

You don't feel motivation, you have to practice it. 

Review
Tracking progress is the only way to review. Consider focusing on one of these aspects—keep it simple. Don't get bogged down in details which will only give you more excuses to procrastinate.

• Actions
• Time
• Results

A few random ideas that struck me while reading:

• Remarkable is an infinite game with no limits!
• In the battle against procrastination, you are selling you to you - choose remarkable! Along this line, he noted we're selling to ourselves, not lying to ourselves to motivate action.
• Permission + action makes dreams come true. 
• The difference between dreams and done is action.
• Dream big/Do small - Jon suggests small activities add up to big things.
• Jon shared a story of a school that didn't give students an F but a "Not Yet," encouraging a work in progress.
• Do less of what you like and more of what you love. An example was you may like to scroll on social media, but you love holding the book you just wrote! 

Procrastination costs you Time which costs you your life. 

Your Turn!
I don't think I'm making too large a claim to say we all procrastinate to some degree in various circumstances. 

How do you battle procrastination? Any tips or tricks for what's worked to motivate yourself?

Love to hear about it - Let's Chat or message me on LinkedIn or Substack! 

Book Review

To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others by Daniel Pink was published December 31, 2012. I only just read it. This has been #1 on the  New York Times Business Bestseller list, Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller, and Washington Post bestseller. 


We're All in Sales
While reportedly one in nine Americans work in sales per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics according to Daniel Pink, he makes the case that the other eight do as well. He's not wrong. When you consider "selling" is how we make our way as nonprofits, solopreneurs, and authors, it starts to make sense. We all tend to sell far more than products—we're selling ourselves, our cause, and our books.

We're "selling" our kids or each other to motivate action. You may be trying to convince your kids it's time to stop playing to begin homework. We're selling ourselves daily that it's time to stop procrastinating to get focused on work. Healthcare professionals are selling us on ways to be healthier. 
​
Sales Are Icky
Talk of sales likely brings up images of stereotypical sales guys, anything from door-to-door salesmen to an Avon lady to the car dealership sales person. It's time to defuse the knee jerk reaction to realize it's "every man" (and woman!) out there selling "something." 

New ABCs
The old philosophy of "Always Be Closing" Pink suggests needs to now be grounded in 

• Attunement: take someone else's perspective - I love this one. Talk less/listen more. Ask more questions.
• Buoyancy: staying afloat in a sea of rejection.
  • Interactive self-talk: think Bob the Builder - "Can we do it? Yes, we can!" Internally generated, responses are based on your own experience.
  • Optimistic explanatory: rejection is temporary not permanent, specific not general, external not personal.
  • Flexible optimism: optimism with clear eyes, overall consequences aren't really that bad or pervasive.
  • Enumerate and embrace: every no is on the path to a yes. 
  • Defensive negativism: what IF the worst happens - who cares! 
  • Allow SOME negativity: it's ok to be angry, then use that emotion to move forward. 
• Clarity: help others see problems and information in new ways
  • Problem finding vs problem solving
  • Curate your resources
  • Ask "Why" 5 times in response to a question for added clarity (channel your inner 2-year old)

Skills Needed

• Pitch: The purpose of your pitch isn't to get an immediate sale but to share an idea so compelling that it will begin a conversation that brings someone in as a participant to arrive to an outcome benefitting both of you. 
• Improvisation: ways to be adaptable when your pitch goes sideways, many theater ideas were discussed
• Service: make it personal and purposeful (I liked these ideas best)
  • Share your desire to improve the world with something you have to offer. 
  • Be upserving, not upselling: do more for a customer than is expected or intended. Turn a mundane interaction into a memorable experience. Elevate what you do for others. 
  • Make a point to solve problems for your customer. 
  • Proceed with humility and gratitude. 
  • Pretend every customer is your grandmother as the ultimate personalization.
  • Bear in mind—if someone agrees to buy, will their life improve?
  • When done, will the world be a better place than when you began?

​Your Turn!
Do you see yourself as selling things or even yourself? Do you embrace it or is it a struggle? Have any great sales tips to share with the rest of us?

Love to hear them - Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

What is "Networking"?

Let's make sure we start on the same page. According to Merriam-Webster, networking is "the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions, specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business."

That's a bit more broad than I had in mind, but that's fine. 


Forms of Networking
Networking is simply any interaction with other humans. Pulling a few sources together from an online search, a rather varied list develops:

• Operational Networking: Build relationships within your current organization.
• Personal Networking: Engage with people outside your company for personal professional development, referrals, and long-term career opportunities.
• Strategic Networking: Connect with people who can help you achieve business goals.
• Informal Networking: Casual interactions, such as chatting while getting coffee, attending hobby-related events, or connecting via social media, which can lead to professional opportunities.
• Virtual Networking: Engage in online platforms (LinkedIn, virtual meetups, webinars) to connect with people online.
• Event-Based Networking: Attend organized gatherings such as seminars, conferences, career fairs, or happy hours to meet professionals. 

To me, it all comes down to two types:

• In person
• Virtual/online

Which is Better - In Person or Online?
It depends.

If you can manage opportunities to meet in person, all the better. However, online offers opportunities unimaginable until recently to connect with people from around the world!

Event-Based Networking Opportunities
These are available in person or online. The more in person opportunities you can create for yourself, the more satisfying it tends to be for folks. 

• Seminars: Most education opportunities include networking time in their agenda—the best of both worlds! These can be free or low cost to definitely needing thoughtful budgeting for the expense. 
• Conferences: These tend to be more expensive, often a price break for those who purchase annual membership, and tend to last longer, on the order of days. 
• Career fairs: These are designed for purposeful networking. If you're actively in the job market, this is a great way to meet hiring representatives in person to cut through online job application systems and connect names with faces. This enables your personality to shine!
• "Happy hours": This is the most casual of organized networking. These can be after work or coffee/tea meet-ups. They can also be in person or online!

But I'm an Introvert!
Start small. One event at a time. Start with smaller events and work up to larger events. Many larger events, especially online, host networking "rooms" for a small group atmosphere.

Some event hosts provide discussion topics to start conversations. Consider jotting your own conversation starters if you feel like you freeze when it's time to talk; these will help you feel more prepared. 

I've met a few self-professed introverted trainers on LinkedIn that you may wish to connect with as resources.​Greg Roche, The Introverted Networker, is a great resource sharing on socials, a newsletter, and a podcast. (LinkedIn is hyperlinked; Substack newsletter is here)

Human Connection - the AI Differentiator
Networking and human connection will be what ultimately sets us apart from AI providers. AI can and will be able to do many of the tasks and services each of us provide. Some of our potential clients will be just fine or even prefer the output or convenience of AI providing services.

Those are not the clients we're looking for.

Networking is already a key deciding factor for employers when hiring staff. It's the primary way many in the job market are getting job opportunities currently. This article from OpenArc from October 2025 has a number of fascinating statistics. 

• "85% of available positions are never publicly advertised on job boards or company websites."
• "Online job applications have an average success rate of approximately 2%, compared to significantly higher rates through networking."
• "...referred candidates are hired at a 30% rate, while all other application methods combined yield only a 7% success rate—that’s a 4.3× advantage."
• "According to LinkedIn and HubSpot studies, an incredible 85% of all jobs are filled via networking."
• "Referred candidates move through the hiring process 11% faster than those from other sources. Additionally, referred employees tend to stay with companies 70% longer than those hired through other channels."

What's the difference between you and AI? Human connection. Personality. Interaction. A sense of humor. The unique experiences that you bring to the discussion.

Where Do I Start?
You may consider an AI chat to help you focus your energy on where your ideal client may be. You'll likely want to consider in person and online opportunities depending on your business, time, and energy!

• Local events: Chamber of Commerce, business associations, conventions, community groups (where you live, social media groups, HOA groups), NextDoor, Eventbrite, or MeetUp options in your target audience. Book fairs are great options for authors, and local nonprofit events are perfect for those in the nonprofit realm.
• Library events: Your local library and community centers likely offer low to no cost meet ups or groups that align with your client market. If you don't find a group that interests you, consider working with the facility leaders and offer your services as an instructor to create an event! 
• Online networking: Some social media platforms create events for the purpose of networking. My friend on LinkedIn, Sigrid de Kaste, offers an online networking opportunity every two weeks with a free trial option before membership. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Substack event and group options abound, as varied as your interests. The Nonprofit Hive courtesy of Tasha Van Vlack is a fabulous opportunity I recently discovered. Ilise Benun, Lynnaire Johnston, John Espirian, Felipe Cofiño, Roy Kowarski, and Joe Rando of LifeStarr offer networking communities as do many others on LInkedIn. 

I've Networked - Now What?
Build those new-found friendships and relationships! Keep in touch personally and in group activities. Consistent, regular participation builds your networking muscles and helps you be seen as a trusted resource. 

You won't typically find your new best friend in networking events, but you'll generally develop at least a passing awareness of others (if not deeper) to be able to chit-chat on occasion, refer client leads and opportunities, and support each other on the socials with comments and post engagement. You'll learn along the way, as many networking events are bundled with education opportunities—the best of both worlds in my book. 

Your Turn!
Do you prefer in person or online networking events? Do you have a favorite resource or group to suggest to others?

Love to hear about your networking journey! Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

Book Review

I just finished Simon Sinek's book "The Infinite Game." Have you read it? I read his books "Start with Why" and "Leaders Eat Last" this past year and saw good reviews about "The Infinite Game." A lot of the concepts he shares in "The Infinite Game" are very applicable to nonprofit leaders, solopreneurs, and authors. Let's see what we can learn from him.

Basic Definitions
Sinek shares examples throughout his book of businesses and systems with a finite and infinite game mindset. 

• Finite game mindset: There's a clear winner and loser, generally in a given firm time period. A sports match is an easy example or when a business tries to "beat" another in some measurement. The focus is on winning and defeating opponents.
• Infinite game mindset: This is a long game. There are no winners or losers—no behind or ahead. The rules are fluid and changeable. This is more about pursuit of a "just cause" often cited in his book. The focus is on building trust, encouraging innovation, maintaining flexibility, and being adaptable to change.

A Just Cause
Sinek lists five characteristics of a just cause:

• For something, not against: optimistic and constructive
• Inclusive: welcomes all who wish to contribute
• Service oriented: benefits others, not just self
• Resilient: can weather changes in environment and culture
• Idealistic: bold, challenging, and can never be fully achieved

Referring to his books "Start with Why" and "Find Your Why," the difference between a Why and Just Cause:

• Why: tied to the past, origin story
• Just Cause: focuses on the future, the vision being built

Rivals
Rivals have different aspects in finite and infinite games.

• Finite rivals: these are competitors to be beaten or defeated
• Infinite rivals: these are "worthy rivals" to learn from, to improve oneself in comparison, spurs growth you wouldn't necessarily otherwise be inspired to consider. He gave an example of tennis players Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova inspiring each other to be better.

Get to the Point
How are these concepts useful for nonprofits, solopreneurs, and authors?

• A Just Cause: This sounds so inspiring, don't you think? Those I partner with typically have a bigger-than-themselves goal in mind to improve the world in some way. I support my clients in their rise to their just cause, helping to share their message in a variety of ways to inspire others to join their cause.
• Teams lift each other: Everything is more fun when shared with others! "A rising tide lifts all boats." We're all prosperous when one is prosperous. Let's work together to support your clients who can then support others. 
• "Rivals" for "coopetition": A friend through LinkedIn, Brenda Meller, has shared a term I love and hope she focuses on more - "coopetition." A mix of "cooperation" and "competition," "coopetition" is designed to lift others in your field as Sinek's "worthy rivals" suggests. You can get a sense of "coopetition" on her LinkedIn post. 
• Life of service: I am all about serving others and have realized I tend to seek other service-minded folks and organizations to collaborate with. In a world feeling a touch crazy some days, by focusing on those you can partner with and even rival to improve yourself along the way, the world has to get better in the process to lift others. The good we do ripples more broadly to others.

Your Turn
As you can tell, I enjoyed and related to Simon Sinek's book, "The Infinite Game."

If you've read the book, what did you think? Do you tend to focus on finite games or infinite games? (no wrong answer and no judgement - there's a time and place for both)

​Have you found your "just cause" or "worthy rival"?

Feel free to leave a comment or Let's Chat! You can also message me on LinkedIn or Substack. Thanks for reading!