Driven by Cause

Arreva

What does it mean to be Driven by Cause? We hope to find out just that! Introducing a podcast sponsored by Arreva and MaestroSoft; hosted by nonprofit experts, David Blyer and Jay Fiske. In our show, David and Jay sit down with some of the brightest minds and prolific philanthropists in the nonprofit world. We’ll discuss their achievements and how you -our audience- can do the same!

  1. 09/26/2025

    Designing for Impact, Building Brand Trust, and More with Eric Ressler

    Branding isn’t just design, it’s strategy. In this episode of Driven By Cause, Eric Ressler, Founder and Creative Director of Cosmic, explains how nonprofits can leverage brand infrastructure to amplify their mission, increase engagement, and drive long-term impact. With a background in design, strategy, and nonprofit communications, Eric leads a team that transforms the way purpose-driven organizations show up in the digital world. In this episode, Eric unpacks the concept of brand as infrastructure, challenging nonprofits to think beyond logos and style guides to embrace branding as a strategic asset that drives awareness, engagement, and revenue. He discusses why many mission-driven organizations struggle to communicate their value clearly, and how that lack of clarity can limit growth and impact. You’ll learn how to align your brand, messaging, and digital presence around your theory of change, and why investing in brand-building is not a luxury, but a necessity in today’s noisy, attention-scarce landscape. Eric also dives into the role of websites as primary engagement tools, how to make digital content more user-centric, and why form should always follow strategic function. Listeners will come away with insights on: Why brand strategy is as critical as fundraising strategy How to move from reactive to proactive communications The importance of internal alignment before external messaging Leveraging design and storytelling to convert attention into action Whether you’re launching a new initiative, refining your organization’s digital footprint, or struggling to stand out in a crowded cause space, this episode offers clear, actionable guidance to help you build a brand that moves your mission forward.

    49 min
  2. 09/05/2025

    Emotional Connection, Smart Storytelling, EPIC Messaging, and More with Hailey Evans

    Step into a transformative episode of Driven By Cause featuring Hailey Evans, national speaker, marketing strategist, award-winning storyteller, and creator of the EPIC Communication Framework. From navigating life as a single mom on food stamps to earning three degrees debt-free through the power of story, Hailey now equips nonprofit leaders and changemakers to communicate with clarity, connect emotionally, and grow sustainably.   In this episode, Hailey shares how she turned personal adversity into a strategic advantage—developing a messaging system that helps organizations cut through the noise and inspire action. She unpacks her EPIC Framework (Engage, Persuade, Inspire, Close), designed to help nonprofits communicate more effectively with donors, volunteers, and stakeholders across every platform.   You’ll learn how to craft messages that drive results, use storytelling to deepen donor relationships, and avoid the “info overload” trap by leading with emotion and transformation. Hailey also demonstrates how pairing AI with intentional messaging can save overwhelmed nonprofit teams hours of content creation time—and even generate entire campaigns from a single conversation.   Listeners will walk away with actionable strategies to: Create more compelling appeals, emails, and donor updates Leverage AI to repurpose stories across multiple channels Clarify and segment messaging for different audiences Craft a seven-second “EPIC intro” to clearly express their mission Whether you’re trying to stand out in a crowded fundraising landscape or looking for ways to do more with less, this episode offers the clarity and confidence to move your message forward. To learn more about Hailey, please visit haileyevans.com

    26 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

What does it mean to be Driven by Cause? We hope to find out just that! Introducing a podcast sponsored by Arreva and MaestroSoft; hosted by nonprofit experts, David Blyer and Jay Fiske. In our show, David and Jay sit down with some of the brightest minds and prolific philanthropists in the nonprofit world. We’ll discuss their achievements and how you -our audience- can do the same!