The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser

Erin McQuade-Wright
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Non-Profit

The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser is the podcast I wish had existed during my 15 years in fundraising. It’s a love offering to the people behind the mission—the professional fundraisers who give their hearts and energy every day to make the world better. This show isn’t about strategy, metrics, or money. It’s about you—the human being doing the work. Each episode offers real tools and soulful conversations to help you regulate your nervous system, reconnect with your purpose, and renew your energy so you can lead with clarity, compassion, and courage. If you’ve ever felt stretched thin, overworked, or caught in the constant pressure to perform, this podcast is your invitation to return home to yourself. Join me to learn how to cultivate balance, resilience, and authentic impact—from the inside out. Full Episode Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/fkFZpmNYF3v

  1. 6d ago

    How to Fundraise as a Board Member Without Burning Out

    Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than Fundraising Experience Serving on a nonprofit board can be one of the most meaningful ways to give back—but it can also become one of the fastest paths to burnout if you're carrying too much responsibility without enough support. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores what effective board fundraising really looks like, why asking for money isn't the only way to advance your organization's mission, and how emotional intelligence can help you become a more confident and sustainable volunteer leader. Whether you're brand new to board service or you've been volunteering for years, this conversation will help you approach fundraising with greater clarity, healthier boundaries, and a mindset that allows you to serve without sacrificing yourself. In this episode, you'll learn: Why relationship-building is more powerful than simply asking for donations.How a culture of philanthropy strengthens fundraising across an entire organization.Practical ways new board members can begin fundraising with confidence.Why nonprofit organizations have a responsibility to support—not just expect—their volunteer fundraisers.How emotional intelligence helps you recognize your limits before burnout and resentment take over.If you've ever wondered whether you're doing enough as a board member—or felt like you're carrying more than your share of the load—this episode is for you. Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share it with a fellow board member, volunteer, or nonprofit leader who could use a little encouragement. Want more practical tools for leading with courage, clarity, and emotional resilience? Sign up for The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter, where I share reflections, coaching insights, and practical strategies to help you lead from alignment instead of anxiety. Join here: https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1 Send Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

  2. Jul 28

    Calm the Chaos, Challenge Distortions with Kelly Hint

    How cognitive distortions drive fundraising anxiety—and a simple progressive muscle relaxation practice to shift your nervous system back into ease, clarity, and authentic confidence. Ever feel like you have to be “palatable” to donors—like you need to shrink, mask, or perform to succeed? In this episode, Erin sits down with Kelly Hint, LMHC, NCC, and OCD specialist, to unpack the difference between cognitive dissonance (the body-level discomfort of not being your authentic self) and cognitive distortions (the anxious thought-loops that fuel perfectionism, catastrophizing, mind-reading, and the “shoulds”). You’ll hear how these patterns show up in fundraising pressure—like tying your self-worth to results, assuming a “no” means you failed, or believing you can’t be fully yourself without losing the donor. Then Kelly guides a progressive muscle relaxation practice you can use before donor meetings, after tough interactions, or anytime anxiety takes over—helping you release tension and regain steadiness. In this episode, you’ll learn: Common cognitive distortions that drive fundraising anxietyWhy uncertainty triggers the mind to “fill in the gaps” with fearHow the body holds stress—and why job changes don’t automatically reset itA step-by-step progressive muscle relaxation exercise (quick, practical, and repeatable)About Kelly Hint: Kelly is a licensed mental health counselor in New York, a nationally certified counselor, a nationally certified clinical mental health counselor, an OCD specialist, and the author of Kick Ass Coping Companion. Find Kelly: Book: Kick Ass Coping Companion (https://a.co/d/7slRbZ7)Therapy: KellyMHint.comCoaching: CoachKellyHint.comPodcast: The Hint Hive: Amplifying Women’s VoicesSend Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

  3. Jul 21

    The Lava Rock Effect

    Why Other People's Emotions Keep Pulling You Away from Your Most Important Work Have you ever sat down with a clear plan for your day… only to find yourself pulled into everyone else's problems? In this episode, Erin shares a simple metaphor from the New Mexico desert that completely changed the way she thinks about work, leadership, and people-pleasing. Using the image of lava rock—with all of its tiny holes and distractions—she explores why so many caring professionals abandon their own priorities in order to manage relationships, smooth conflict, and keep everyone else comfortable. If you've ever finished a workday exhausted without making progress on what mattered most, this episode will help you understand why—and how to begin changing the pattern with curiosity instead of self-criticism. In this episode, you'll learn:  Why people-pleasing is often a nervous system safety strategy—not a personality trait.  How workplace relationships can quietly pull your attention away from your highest priorities.  What this looks like in fundraising conversations with donors and volunteers.  Why mindfulness helps you notice unconscious patterns before they take over your day.  A simple question to ask yourself whenever you feel pulled into everyone else's agenda. Resources mentioned Playing Big by Tara MohrIf this episode resonated with you, subscribe so you never miss an episode, and join The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter, for practical insights on emotional mastery, leadership, and fundraising without burnout. Sign up here:  https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1 If you found this conversation helpful, I'd be grateful if you'd leave a rating or review—it helps more thoughtful fundraisers discover the show.  Send Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

  4. Jul 14

    The Emotional Work No One Trains You For, with Betsy Burris

    What Teachers and Fundraisers Can Teach Each Other About Burnout, Boundaries, and Being Human Teachers and fundraisers may seem worlds apart—but underneath the surface, they're doing remarkably similar emotional work. In this special podcast swap episode, Erin joins Betsy Burris, host of Teaching Through Emotions, for a wide-ranging conversation about the invisible emotional labor that comes with helping professions. Together they explore burnout, people-pleasing, nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, the Enneagram, and why so many caring professionals end up sacrificing themselves in the name of serving others. Whether you spend your days in classrooms, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, coaching practices, or any profession centered on helping people, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: the relationship you have with yourself shapes every relationship you have with others. In this episode, we discuss:  Why teaching and fundraising attract many of the same kinds of people.  How people-pleasing can become an unconscious survival strategy.  The difference between compassion and self-abandonment.  Why burnout is often rooted in emotional patterns—not just workload.  How somatic awareness helps us access wisdom beyond our thinking minds.  The hidden cost of tying your worth to your performance.  Why learning to feel your emotions creates more capacity to support others.  A simple 90-second daily practice to begin reconnecting with yourself. Connect with Betsy Burris If this conversation resonated with you, be sure to check out Teaching Through Emotions, where Betsy helps teachers understand the emotional and relational dynamics that shape life in the classroom. Even if you're not an educator, you'll find practical wisdom for navigating relationships, emotions, and leadership with greater awareness. Stay Connected If you're enjoying The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and join The Brave & Balanced Note, my free newsletter filled with practical tools for emotional mastery, fundraising, and sustainable leadership. I'd also love to hear what stood out to you from this conversation. Leave a review, share this episode with a colleague, or send it to someone in a helping profession who needs the reminder that taking care of themselves isn't selfish—it's essential.  Send Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

  5. Jul 7

    You're Talking Yourself Out of Donations

    How Your Words Can Make Donors Pull Away Have you ever answered a simple question and then kept talking long after you'd already answered it? Maybe you've explained your reasoning, then explained your explanation, then explained why you explained it in the first place. If so, you're not alone. In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden emotional and nervous-system dynamics behind over-explaining. What appears on the surface to be a communication habit is often something deeper: a fear of rejection, disapproval, misunderstanding, or not being enough. Drawing on a recent experience in a group setting, Erin unpacks what happens when explanation turns into self-protection—and how this same pattern can show up in fundraising conversations, where too much talking can unintentionally push donors away. You'll learn:  Why over-explaining is often a nervous system response rather than a communication problem  How fear of rejection can drive us to keep talking long after we've made our point  What a donor taught Erin about the importance of leaving room for others to respond  How over-explaining can crowd out connection and make people pull away  A simple somatic practice for catching yourself when you're leaving your center and seeking approval If you've ever found yourself talking faster, explaining more, or trying to convince someone to understand you, this episode offers a compassionate invitation to pause, breathe, and trust that your words can stand on their own. In This Episode:  The difference between explaining and over-explaining  Why silence can feel uncomfortable  The connection between over-explaining and self-worth  How this pattern shows up in fundraising asks  Learning to let your words land A Question to Reflect On: The next time you catch yourself over-explaining, ask: "Am I speaking to inform, or am I speaking to seek safety?" The answer might surprise you. Subscribe to The Brave & Balanced Note for weekly reflections and practical tools to help you fundraise, lead, and live with more courage, clarity, and ease: The Brave & Balanced Note Send Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

  6. Jun 30

    The Urgency Trap

    Why Moving Faster Isn't Always the Answer What if the thing making you feel like you need to speed up is actually the thing asking you to slow down? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden cost of living in a constant state of urgency. From fundraising campaigns and Giving Tuesday deadlines to overflowing inboxes and endless to-do lists, many nonprofit professionals have learned to operate as though every day is an emergency. But what happens when urgency becomes our default way of being? Drawing on her own experience in fundraising leadership, Erin shares how chronic urgency can narrow our perspective, strain our relationships, disconnect us from our bodies, and ultimately make us less effective—not more. You'll learn:  Why urgency is a normal human response—but a dangerous long-term strategy  How constant activation affects your nervous system, creativity, and decision-making  The surprising reason reflection can feel uncomfortable when you're stuck in "go mode"  Why many fundraisers feel guilty slowing down, even when they desperately need it  Practical ways to pause, regulate, and respond more intentionally when everything feels urgent Erin also shares insights from Mark Nepo's The Book of Awakening and reflects on the fundraising culture that often rewards exhaustion while overlooking sustainability. If you've ever felt like you can't stop, can't rest, or can't slow down because there's simply too much to do, this episode is for you. In This Episode:  The difference between true urgency and chronic urgency  How fundraising culture can normalize burnout  Why post-campaign reflection is often the first thing to disappear—and the thing we need most  The hidden belief that slowing down is irresponsible  What it means to "slow down to go fast" Journal Prompt: Where in your life are you telling yourself, "I don't have time for that"? Could that be the very thing your nervous system needs most? Subscribe to The Brave & Balanced Note for weekly reflections and practical tools to help you fundraise, lead, and live with more steadiness and less stress: The Brave & Balanced Note Send Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

  7. Jun 23

    Your Nervous System IS the Fundraising Strategy, with Dr. Pollyanna Chavez

    The “state” shift that turns scarcity into abundance… fast In this episode, Erin sits down with Dr. Pollyanna Chavez, hypnotherapist and NLP trainer, to explore why your state might be your most powerful fundraising tool. Pollyanna shares the surprising origin story that led her into hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming — a wild mustang that mirrored her internal anxiety — and then guides Erin through a simple, practical exercise to shift from scarcity and constriction into abundance, joy, and play. You’ll learn how to “anchor” a resourceful state (using thumb + index finger), why donors can sense incongruence even when you’re saying the “right” words, and how to give your high-achiever mind an on/off switch — so you can show up calm, connected, and magnetic. In this episode, we cover: The wild mustang that became a “thousand-pound emotional thermometer”Why your nervous system broadcasts louder than your fundraising script“Every machine needs an on and off button” (and how to install one)A guided state-shift exercise you can replay and practice at homeAnchoring abundance, joy, and play before donor meetings“Be happy for no reason at all” (and why it’s not suppression)“If you don’t know how to run your mind, your mind is gonna run itself”Try this: Before your next donor meeting, press thumb + index finger together (your anchor), recall a vivid memory of abundance/joy/play, and let the feeling expand through your body. Notice what changes in your presence. Find Dr. Pollyanna Chavez and her NLPI (Next Level Pro Institute) here: https://linktr.ee/nlpi If you loved this episode: Follow/subscribe to The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, and share this with a fundraiser friend who’s ready to stop white-knuckling their way through asks. Send Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

  8. Jun 16

    The Thoughts You Keep Thinking About Money

    And Why They Keep Becoming Your Reality What if the thoughts you repeat most often about money are quietly shaping your entire life? In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden “money mantras” many of us inherited in childhood — beliefs like money is hard to make, there’s never enough, I have to sacrifice myself for money, or people with money are selfish — and how those unconscious thoughts continue to shape our nervous systems, fundraising, relationships, leadership, exhaustion, and sense of self-worth. Erin shares personal stories, practical examples, and reflective journaling prompts to help listeners uncover the financial beliefs they absorbed before they were old enough to question them — and begin intentionally choosing new beliefs that create more peace, possibility, and alignment. In this episode, you’ll learn:  How unconscious “default mantras” about money are formed  Why your brain continually searches for evidence supporting your beliefs  How scarcity beliefs show up in fundraising and leadership  The connection between money beliefs, burnout, hyper-independence, and over-functioning  Why receiving support and abundance can feel emotionally unsafe  A simple exercise to help you identify and upgrade inherited money beliefs Erin also explores how the nervous system often prefers familiar struggle over unfamiliar expansion — even when the old patterns are painful — and why changing your internal story about money can begin changing your external experience of life. Journal prompt from this episode: The money belief I inherited was…The belief I want to practice instead is…Subscribe to Erin’s newsletter, The Brave &Balanced Note, for reflections and tools to help you lead, fundraise, and live with more steadiness and less scarcity: The Brave & Balanced Note Send Erin a text Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

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About

The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser is the podcast I wish had existed during my 15 years in fundraising. It’s a love offering to the people behind the mission—the professional fundraisers who give their hearts and energy every day to make the world better. This show isn’t about strategy, metrics, or money. It’s about you—the human being doing the work. Each episode offers real tools and soulful conversations to help you regulate your nervous system, reconnect with your purpose, and renew your energy so you can lead with clarity, compassion, and courage. If you’ve ever felt stretched thin, overworked, or caught in the constant pressure to perform, this podcast is your invitation to return home to yourself. Join me to learn how to cultivate balance, resilience, and authentic impact—from the inside out. Full Episode Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/fkFZpmNYF3v

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