The Rich Nonprofit

Lisa Avila
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  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Your vision is too big to keep putting off. I'm Lisa Avila, and this podcast is about creating impact and legacy by starting or scaling a nonprofit. We dig into the real strategy behind building organizations that change lives. If you've been told you can't make money AND change the world, you're in the right place. I've worked for nonprofits, served on nonprofit boards, and I'm here to share what I've learned so women entrepreneurs can see that they can start their own nonprofits and pursue their big vision. We're going to talk about making money while saving the world. About creating generational wealth and sharing it with other women. About what it looks like when you're building impact and legacy, when you're hopeful because you're changing lives and seeing the outcomes. In some episodes, I'm walking you through frameworks and real decisions. Others, I'm sitting down with women who are building their nonprofits in real time. Every conversation is about turning ideas into strategy and strategy into impact. This is for the woman who's ready to make her nonprofit work, whether she's been running one for years or she's finally ready to start. Let's get to work.

  1. 21H AGO

    How to Turn Your Nonprofit Idea Into a Strategic Plan in 2 Days

    Lisa sits down with client Gabs Hayes fresh off their two-day Momentum Strategy Intensive in Tulsa to talk about what it's like to walk into a room with a head full of ideas and walk out with a plan. Gabs shares how she went from nervous about having "too many ideas" to building a full strategic plan for her nonprofit, Overwhelmed and Over It, a community space where parents can find support and parent differently. They talk elevator pitches, event planning, involving your family in the mission, and why feedback is the most underrated tool in nonprofit leadership. If you've ever had a nonprofit idea living rent-free in your head and wondered what it would feel like to finally get it on paper with someone in your corner, this is the episode. In this episode: What it's like inside a Momentum Strategy Intensive How Gabs went from scattered ideas to a clear elevator pitchPlanning community events that families will feel, not just attendWhy involving your kids in your mission makes the work deeperThe role of feedback and asking the right questions to the right audienceWhy nonprofits need to run like businesses to survive Chapters: 00:00 Strategic Planning Reflections  05:39 Elevator Pitch Breakthrough  11:15 Event Planning and Execution  16:44 Building Confidence in Nonprofit Leadership 19:25 Family Involvement in Nonprofit Journey 21:36 Navigating Teen Relationships: The Importance of Space 25:18 Human-Centered Design in Parenting 27:02 Finding Connection in Everyday Moments 28:16 The Emotional Weight of Parenting 30:28 Creating a Family Vision and Goals 33:00 Strategic Planning for Nonprofits 36:41 Feedback and Growth in Community Events Connect with Gabs: https://gabshayes.com/podcast Connect with Lisa: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavilaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/

    44 min

  2. FEB 10

    50. How to Know If Your Nonprofit Idea Is Actually Viable

    You have an idea. Maybe you’ve had it for years. But before you invest your time, energy, and leadership, you need to know if it’s something that should actually be built. Caring deeply isn’t enough. Passion isn’t enough. A nonprofit has to sustain itself, create real impact, and grow beyond relying on you to hold everything together. In this episode, I walk you through six questions I use with clients to evaluate whether a nonprofit idea is viable before you commit years to something that may not last if not done correctly. This isn’t about discouraging you.It’s about helping you lead responsibly and protecting your bandwidth. In this episode, we cover: How to validate the problem you want to solveWhy competition is often a sign you’re on the right trackThe difference between wanting to help and offering a clear solutionWhy “I’ll figure out funding later” creates fragile nonprofitsHow to assess whether you’re the right person to lead thisWhat long-term nonprofit leadership requiresIf you’re serious about building a nonprofit that creates true impact and you don’t want to do this incorrectly, this episode is your starting point. The Rich Nonprofit - https://poppygrovellc.com/the-rich-nonprofit Connect with LisaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila

    16 min

  3. FEB 3

    49. Strategic Planning for Nonprofits: How One Founder Turned Overwhelm Into Action

    You have the idea. The resources. The drive.But you're exhausted before you even start.Not because you can't figure it out. Because you're doing it alone.In this episode, I talk with Gabs Hayes about preparing for strategic planning for her nonprofit and why trying to build by yourself makes everything harder than it needs to be.We cover:Why smart, capable women still get stuck What happens when you stop second-guessing and start building with guidanceWhy decisiveness matters more than having all the answersHow mentorship creates momentum you can't get from YouTube videosIf you've been carrying your nonprofit vision alone, this conversation shows you what's possible when you stop doing it alone.Connect with Lisa: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila

    36 min

  4. JAN 27

    48. Why Successful Women Are Using Nonprofits as Their Legacy Vehicle

    You hit every revenue goal. Built the team. Got the freedom. And instead of feeling satisfied, you're asking, "What's this all for?" Scattered giving stopped working. Writing checks to seven organizations doesn't create the change you want to see. So successful women are doing something different. They're building nonprofits. Their own nonprofits. In this episode, I talk about why nonprofits are becoming the legacy vehicle for women who've built wealth. Main Topics Covered: Why scattered giving doesn't create lasting changeThe difference between funding someone else's vision and building your ownHow your business skills transfer directly to nonprofit leadershipWhy wanting your name on it is accountability, not egoHow your wealth was preparation for this work Resources Mentioned: The Rich Nonprofit group program - https://poppygrovellc.com/the-rich-nonprofit Connect with Lisa: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila/

    11 min

  5. JAN 20

    47. 5 Signs You're Ready to Launch Your Nonprofit in 2026

    You've been thinking about starting a nonprofit for years. And every time you get close, that voice shows up: "Not yet. You're not ready." That voice is lying. The women who wait until they feel ready never start. The ones who create actual change? They start before they're ready. In this episode, I break down the five signs that tell you it's time to stop planning and start building. Main Topics Covered: Why the idea that won't leave you alone is a calling, not a distractionHow doing the work informally means you're already running a nonprofit without the structureWhy your business experience, network, and resources are proof you're readyThe difference between healthy frustration and a mission trying to break throughWhy waiting for permission is the thing keeping you stuck Resources Mentioned: The Rich Nonprofit group program - DM me on instagram @lisathestrategist - https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/

    17 min

  6. JAN 13

    46. Building a Nonprofit in Real Time with Gabs Hayes

    Most people spend years thinking about starting a nonprofit. Gabs Hayes is doing it now. In this episode, I sit down with Gabs as she's launching her nonprofit, Overwhelmed and Over It, which creates meaningful family experiences and core memories. We talk about: Why she felt misaligned in her previous business and knew she needed to do moreThe decision to start now instead of waiting until everything felt perfectWhy seeking help and guidance can save you years of spinningHow small moments of quality time with kids create ripple effects in entire communities Gabs is building this live. No perfect plan. No waiting for ideal conditions. Just commitment to a mission that matters. If you've been thinking about starting a nonprofit but keep putting it off, this conversation will show you what's possible when you stop waiting and start building. The impact you want to create doesn't happen by thinking about it. It happens by doing it. Link to her podcast Overwhelmed & Over It https://gabshayes.com/podcast Join me at Audacious Purpose in-person event this April and start your nonprofit http://poppygrovellc.com/audacious-purpose-2026

    25 min

  7. JAN 6

    45. Money, Mission, and the Middle Ground

    Happy New Year! I'm watching something shift. Successful women are finished choosing between wealth and impact. Finished with scattered giving. Finished with guilt. And they're building something different. In this episode, I introduce the 4 P's of Philanthropic Profit™ - my framework for designing nonprofits that support both your life and your mission: PURPOSE - Why your wealth exists in the first place (your personal, non-negotiable reason)PEOPLE - Who you're serving (specifically, not everyone)PROMISE - The change you're committed to creating (outcomes, not activities)PLATFORM - The structure you're building (foundation, nonprofit, board service, strategic funding) This framework helps you design sustainable models that don't require martyrdom, poverty wages, or sacrificing your business. Mission doesn't have to mean sacrifice. Impact doesn't require you to go broke. You can build wealth and circulate it intentionally. 2026 is the year we build rich nonprofits - abundant in resources, strategy, impact, and sustainability. Not someday. Now. Let's map your PURPOSE, PEOPLE, PROMISE, and PLATFORM together. Book your Legacy Intensive - https://poppygrovellc.com/legacy-intensive

    14 min

  8. 12/30/2025

    44. Purpose-Driven Ambition

    The ambition doesn't go away when you hit seven figures. It doesn't disappear when you build the team or check all the boxes. It just changes direction. It's no longer asking "How do I make more money?" It's asking "What do I want to be remembered for?" In this episode, I talk about what happens when your drive evolves from revenue to legacy: Why that restlessness after hitting your goals isn't a problem - it's growthHow obligation kills ambition (and what leading from intention looks like instead)Why women building foundations alongside their businesses are MORE ambitious, not lessWhat it means to channel your drive into solving one problem completely If you're feeling that pull toward something bigger than your next launch, pay attention to that. That's not a distraction. That's your ambition evolving. Join me at Audacious Purposse in-person event - https://poppygrovellc.com/audacious-purpose-2026

    16 min
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About

Your vision is too big to keep putting off. I'm Lisa Avila, and this podcast is about creating impact and legacy by starting or scaling a nonprofit. We dig into the real strategy behind building organizations that change lives. If you've been told you can't make money AND change the world, you're in the right place. I've worked for nonprofits, served on nonprofit boards, and I'm here to share what I've learned so women entrepreneurs can see that they can start their own nonprofits and pursue their big vision. We're going to talk about making money while saving the world. About creating generational wealth and sharing it with other women. About what it looks like when you're building impact and legacy, when you're hopeful because you're changing lives and seeing the outcomes. In some episodes, I'm walking you through frameworks and real decisions. Others, I'm sitting down with women who are building their nonprofits in real time. Every conversation is about turning ideas into strategy and strategy into impact. This is for the woman who's ready to make her nonprofit work, whether she's been running one for years or she's finally ready to start. Let's get to work.

Information

  • Creator
    Lisa Avila
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Lisa Avila
  • Show Website
    The Rich Nonprofit