Contagious Culture

Kyle S. King
  • 5.0 (29)
  • Non-Profit
  • Weekly

The Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King is focuses on helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams and fund bold work, without losing the heart behind the mission. Each episode features real conversations with nonprofit founders, school leaders, and impact-minded partners, sharing the strategies, stories, and systems that drive culture, leadership, and sustainable growth. If you’re building in education, youth development, or community impact and want practical insights you can apply immediately, this show is for you.

  1. 3d ago

    #222 | Mission Matters: Build a Partner Journey That Outlasts One Gift

    Most nonprofits pour everything into getting new donors in the door, then quietly lose them out the back. In this episode, Kyle breaks down a complete Partner Journey strategy for turning one-time donors into lifelong partners. He covers the five-rung Relationship Ladder, the four pillars every touchpoint should hit, a 12-month calendar with only two asks in it, and how to set the whole system up in your CRM. If you raise money, lead a nonprofit, or sit on a board, grab a notebook. In this episode: Why retention is the growth strategy nobody talks about The shift from "donor stewardship" to a partner journey The Relationship Ladder: Visitor, New Friend, Returning Supporter, Committed Partner, Mission Champion The Four Pillars: gratitude, belonging, invitation, and impact A 12-month donor journey you can copy Tiered stewardship, relationship owners, and the "upgrade engine" A four-touch plan to win back lapsed donors Timestamps: 0:00 The leaky bucket 3:30 From stewardship to partner journey 6:00 The Relationship Ladder 9:30 The Four Pillars 13:00 The 12-month journey 17:00 Tiered stewardship and relationship owners 20:30 Building it in your CRM 24:00 The upgrade engine, lapsed donors, and storytelling 27:00 The 30-60-90 roadmap and your challenge Episode History:  0:00 Cold open 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud 4:00 Why subtraction comes first 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3 16:00 What I'm making room for 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations 22:30 How to let go without guilt 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns 28:30 Challenge and close - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

    #222 | Mission Matters: Build a Partner Journey That Outlasts One Gift

  2. Oct 22

    #220 | Mission Matters Series: How to Tell a Story That Makes People Give

    Data informs and logic convinces, but story moves people to act. In this episode, Kyle breaks down what a story actually is (and what it isn't), the three parts every powerful story needs, and the PACT framework for shaping one in minutes. You'll hear a before-and-after example, the five story types every nonprofit needs, and the seven mistakes that quietly kill connection. Then he shows you how to build a story bank so you never walk into a donor meeting empty-handed. In this episode: What a story is: a person at the center, a tension in the middle, and a resolution that invites someone in Why an annual report, a program list, or a mission statement isn't a story The PACT framework: Person, Action, Conflict, Transformation The hook, the bridge, and the ask, or how to earn attention in seven seconds Five story types: Origin, Impact, Crisis, Community, and Future Seven story mistakes and how to fix them Where to use your story, from email appeals to board meetings How to build a story bank your whole team feeds Timestamps: 0:00 Why story moves people 3:00 What a story is, and what it isn't 6:00 The anatomy of a story 9:00 The PACT framework 13:00 Before and after: a report vs. a story 16:00 Capturing an audience: hook, bridge, ask 19:00 Five story types every nonprofit needs 22:30 Seven story mistakes 25:30 Building your story bank 28:00 Your challenge Episode History:  0:00 Cold open 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud 4:00 Why subtraction comes first 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3 16:00 What I'm making room for 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations 22:30 How to let go without guilt 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns 28:30 Challenge and close - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

    #220 | Mission Matters Series: How to Tell a Story That Makes People Give

  3. Oct 19

    #219 | Housing Is the Foundation: Jessica Lefkowitz & Dr. KT Harcourt-Medina on Ending Homelessness

    Homelessness is a circumstance, not an identity. In this episode, Kyle King sits down with Jessica Lefkowitz, Founder and Executive Director of Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition, and Dr. KT Harcourt-Medina, the organization’s Director of Impact and Development, to talk about ending unsheltered homelessness through street outreach, data, and dignity. Jessica shares why she founded the organization in 2020 and what it means to address homelessness with ethical urgency. KT explains how she turns impact data into stories that move funders and community partners. Together, they talk about supporting outreach staff, breaking down misconceptions, and how Charlotte can come together to help more neighbors find permanent housing. In this episode: Why street outreach and Housing First go hand in hand What “ethical urgency” means in the fight to end homelessness How Hearts for the Invisible served 755 people and helped achieve 198 permanent housing placements in 2025 Using data and storytelling to show nonprofit impact Supporting front-line staff and preventing burnout Misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness Another Day in Paradise, an evening of storytelling and impact on November 14 About Jessica: Jessica Lefkowitz founded Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition in 2020 and has grown it into Mecklenburg County’s lead housing-focused street outreach agency. She has served as board chair of the Mecklenburg County Continuum of Care and was recently selected for the 11th edition of Who’s Who in Black Charlotte. About KT: Dr. KT Harcourt-Medina is Director of Impact and Development at Hearts for the Invisible, with more than 15 years of experience in applied research, data, and program evaluation. She previously led evaluation of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s A Home For All strategy at United Way of Greater Charlotte and served as an associate professor at East Carolina University. Connect: Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition Email: info@hfticc.org Another Day in Paradise, November 14, Independent Picture House, Charlotte This week’s challenge: The next time you see an unhoused neighbor, see the person first. A kind word, eye contact, or a cold bottle of water can remind someone they still matter. - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

    #219 | Housing Is the Foundation: Jessica Lefkowitz & Dr. KT Harcourt-Medina on Ending Homelessness

  4. Oct 15

    #218 | Mission Matters Series: Donors Don't Fund What You Did. They Fund What Changed.

    "We served 200 students" is an output. "200 students gained mentorship, confidence, and career pathways" is impact. In this episode, Kyle explains the difference and why it changes everything about how you raise money. He walks through the Story of Impact framework and the Million Dollar Nonprofit Map. He also shows what a $1,000,000 year could actually look like, plus the five things that make that number possible. You'll leave with a strategic ask script you can use this week. In this episode: Output vs. impact: "What did we do?" versus "What's different because we showed up?" The Story of Impact: Problem, Person, Proof, Pathway The Million Dollar Nonprofit Map: clarify impact, build the case, map your network, open doors, make asks, steward and repeat What a $1,000,000 year could look like, broken down by relationship type What makes the number possible: credibility, clarity, proximity, pathways, and rhythm Creating proximity with partners: invite, immerse, and innovate The strategic ask script Timestamps: 0:00 You cannot scale impact alone 2:30 Output is not impact 7:00 The Story of Impact 11:00 The Million Dollar Nonprofit Map 15:00 What could $1,000,000 look like? 18:00 What makes the number possible 21:30 Creating proximity with partners 24:00 The strategic ask script 27:00 30 people, 30 asks, 7 days   Episode History:  0:00 Cold open 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud 4:00 Why subtraction comes first 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3 16:00 What I'm making room for 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations 22:30 How to let go without guilt 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns 28:30 Challenge and close - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

    #218 | Mission Matters Series: Donors Don't Fund What You Did. They Fund What Changed.

  5. Oct 13

    #217 | Why Not You? 34 Lessons on Leadership, Love, and Becoming

    Yesterday I turned 34. Instead of a party, I want to give you something: 34 lessons I've learned about leadership, relationships, boundaries, rest, and becoming the person you're called to be. Some of these I learned through wins. Most I learned through hard seasons. In this solo episode of Contagious Culture, I'm sharing all 34, grouped into five themes: knowing where you belong, choosing your posture, leading with character, knowing your worth, and pacing yourself. Grab a pen. At least one of these is for you today. In this episode: Why you should go and settle where you're valued Change it, accept it, or remove it: a simple filter for hard situations Why love is a behavior, and character is a love language Getting comfortable saying no without an explanation Why the best addiction is subtraction Fast is slow, slow is fast, and why you have more time than you think Why not you? This week's challenge: Pick the one lesson that hit hardest and write it somewhere you'll see it every day this week. Then send this episode to someone who needs that lesson too. - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

    #217 | Why Not You? 34 Lessons on Leadership, Love, and Becoming

  6. Oct 8

    #216 | Mission Matters Series: Pressure Doesn't Lie, Your Roadmap For Q4

    Q4 is here, and with it come year-end giving, budget season, Giving Tuesday, and the quiet creep of burnout. Kyle unpacks why the final 90 days of the year reveal an organization's real culture. He covers the five culture killers that show up every Q4 and how to finish strong without finishing your people. He also explains why year-end giving is a culture moment, not just a fundraising moment. Plus, he shares his own Q4 commitments and a challenge to carry you to December 31. In this episode: Why pressure doesn't create culture, it reveals it Three questions to diagnose your culture under load The five Q4 culture killers: the scarcity spiral, the hero complex, communication collapse, gratitude going dark, and the January hangover Four practices for finishing strong without burning people out Why you should thank before you ask this giving season A four-question Q4 culture plan you can build in minutes Timestamps: 0:00 Values on the wall vs. culture under load 3:00 Pressure reveals culture 8:30 The five Q4 culture killers 14:00 Kyle's Q4 commitments 15:30 Finish strong without finishing people 20:30 Year-end giving as a culture moment 24:00 Build your Q4 culture plan 27:30 Your challenge Episode History:  0:00 Cold open 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud 4:00 Why subtraction comes first 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3 16:00 What I'm making room for 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations 22:30 How to let go without guilt 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns 28:30 Challenge and close - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

    #216 | Mission Matters Series: Pressure Doesn't Lie, Your Roadmap For Q4

  7. Oct 5

    #215 | Mission Matters Series: Why The Cure For Burnout is Each Other

    We're more connected than ever, and lonelier than ever. In this episode, Kyle makes the case that community isn't a perk; it's medicine. He explores why isolation hits leaders and mission-driven teams especially hard, why a network can't heal you the way a community can, and the five ingredients that make community work like a prescription. In this episode: Why so much of what we call burnout is really isolation The difference between a network (access) and a community (belonging) Five ingredients of healing community: regularity, belonging before productivity, being known, permission to not be okay, and mutual care Practical ways leaders can build community into meetings, teams, and everyday rhythms Why leaders have to protect their own "dose" of community first Episode History: 0:00 When was the last time someone checked on you? 2:00 Welcome and episode overview 5:00 The quiet epidemic of loneliness 15:00 Network vs. community 27:00 Five ingredients of community as medicine 42:00 How leaders prescribe community 54:00 Your prescription for this week This week's challenge: Reach out to one person you haven't checked on in a while. No agenda. Just ask, "How are you really doing?" and listen. Resources mentioned: U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 advisory on loneliness and isolation Contagious Culture Podcastathon, Community edition: livestreaming October 29 Kyle's weekly newsletter: an episode, a tool, and a word of encouragement every week - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

    #215 | Mission Matters Series: Why The Cure For Burnout is Each Other

  8. Oct 2

    #214 | Mission Matters Series: What I'm Leaving Behind in Q3 and You Should Too

    You can't pour into a big season with a full cup. As Q4 kicks off, Kyle turns the mic on himself and shares the three things he's intentionally leaving behind: a habit, a yes, and a story he's been telling himself. He explains why subtraction comes before growth, how organizations collect "cultural clutter," and how to let go without carrying guilt. Then he walks you through a 10-minute reflection so you head into the last 90 days of the year lighter than you arrived. In this episode: Why most of us don't have a capacity problem, we have a clutter problem The three reasons letting go is so hard: sunk cost, identity, and fear of disappointing people The three things Kyle is leaving in Q3: grabbing his phone the second he wakes up, saying yes to every coffee meeting, and the story that "if I'm not busy, I'm falling behind" Five types of cultural clutter hiding in your organization, from zombie meetings to outdated stories Four ways to let go without guilt, including the "trial, not a tattoo" approach A guided two-column reflection you can do in 10 minutes Episode History:  0:00 Cold open 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud 4:00 Why subtraction comes first 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3 16:00 What I'm making room for 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations 22:30 How to let go without guilt 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns 28:30 Challenge and close - Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts 📞 Schedule Your Call Here 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

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About

The Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King is focuses on helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams and fund bold work, without losing the heart behind the mission. Each episode features real conversations with nonprofit founders, school leaders, and impact-minded partners, sharing the strategies, stories, and systems that drive culture, leadership, and sustainable growth. If you’re building in education, youth development, or community impact and want practical insights you can apply immediately, this show is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Kyle S. King
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Contagious Culture