The Hidden Drivers of Nonprofit Growth with Karen Mozenter

The Hidden Drivers of Nonprofit Growth with Karen Mozenter

Non-profit leadership is transforming, and forward-thinking executives are finding new ways to grow impact, attract resources, and run their organizations like businesses. In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/] sits down with Karen Mozenter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmozenter/], CEO of Jewish Family Services [https://jfscolumbus.org/] in Columbus, Ohio, and a leader who has spent nearly a decade scaling a human services agency through entrepreneurial thinking, strategic relationship-building, and community-driven innovation. Karen shares why nonprofits are far more business-savvy than people realize, how her organization leverages board members and relationship mapping to open doors with companies and donors, and why every staff member, from the receptionist to the senior leadership team, plays a critical role in telling the organization's story. From navigating a rapidly changing funding landscape to building a fee-for-service workforce development model that competes with the private sector, this conversation reveals how mission-driven leaders can think like salespeople, create real economic impact, and grow sustainably, even when the rules keep changing. Key takeaways: * Why nonprofits must think and operate like businesses to survive in today's funding environment * How relationship mapping with board members and staff unlocks doors to companies, donors, and community leaders * Why every person in your organization is part of your sales and growth strategy Episode highlights: (00:00) Introduction (01:38) Karen’s unconventional career path to nonprofit leadership (02:26) What Jewish Family Services does and who they serve (04:02) What people get wrong about the nonprofit world (05:04) Why everything a nonprofit does is sales (06:21) How board members become champions and open doors (10:13) Empowering every staff member to be part of the mission (14:07) Building a value proposition that competes with the private sector (15:03) Pivoting to a fee-for-service model as grants dry up (20:46) Using storytelling and community education to build brand awareness Connect with the team: Karen Mozenter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmozenter/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmozenter/]  Explore Jewish Family Services: https://jfscolumbus.org/ [https://jfscolumbus.org/]  Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/]  Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/]  Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/ [https://salesxceleration.com/]

Building Powerful B2B Networks from Scratch with Donnie Boivin

B2B networking is evolving rapidly, and top professionals are discovering new ways to connect and grow. In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/] sits down with Donnie Boivin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnieboivin/], CEO and Founder of Success Champion Networking (SCN) [https://successchampionnetworking.com/], and expert in building high-impact B2B referral networks. They explore how business owners and fractional executives can leverage strategic relationships, trust-building, and intentional networking to accelerate growth without relying on transactional approaches. Donnie shares why connecting through the right referral partners creates sustainable opportunities, how a structured “virtual coffee” process drives meaningful engagement, and how going deep in relationships builds long-term trust that fuels business development. From mapping networks to executing events that generate real connections, this conversation shows how professionals can expand influence, create value for others, and grow their business while maintaining focus on what matters most. Key takeaways: * Why connecting through the right partners and focusing on trust drives sustainable results * How B2B professionals can build strategic referral networks to accelerate growth * How structured approaches like virtual coffees create repeatable opportunities and long-term relationships Episode highlights: (00:00) Introduction (02:11) Transition from transactional to B2B networking (03:50) Launch and growth of Success Champion Networking (06:13) Building early traction through referral partners (08:40) The givers gain philosophy vs mutual respect approach (12:24) Virtual coffee process for meaningful networking (16:03) Networking experiment: building from zero in Houston (19:31) Long-term relationship building for business owners (21:27) Overview of the Badass Business Summit and value for attendees Connect with the team: Donnie Boivin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnieboivin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnieboivin/]  Explore Success Champion Networking (SCN): https://successchampionnetworking.com/ [https://successchampionnetworking.com/]  Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/]  Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/]  Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/ [https://salesxceleration.com/]

Helping SMBs Scale Smarter Through Fractional CMOs and AI with Joseph Frost, MBA

The market is splitting in two, and smart businesses are already quietly repositioning to the right side. In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh sits down with Joseph Frost, MBA, co-founder of yorCMO, serial entrepreneur, and expert in fractional marketing solutions for SMBs. They explore what founder-led companies can learn about strategic marketing, customer understanding, and scaling with clarity without assuming one-size-fits-all solutions. Joseph shares why fractional CMOs provide the leadership SMBs need to move past tactical frustration, how clear messaging based on real customer insights drives growth, and how integrating AI with human strategy can create a sustainable marketing engine. From simplifying the buyer journey to building systems that continue to learn and scale, this conversation shows how businesses can grow smarter while freeing founders to focus on what matters most. Key takeaways: * How fractional CMOs deliver strategic leadership to align marketing with business goals * Why customer interviews reveal the triggers, language, and needs that drive conversions * How combining human expertise with AI-powered systems can create continuous growth Episode highlights: (00:00) Introduction (02:31) Transition from video business to fractional CMO (03:24) Six marketing fundamentals overview (06:28) Pre-sale insights drive messaging success (08:04) Modern buyer journey and trigger points (10:18) Enhancing word-of-mouth and sales support (12:32) Effective website messaging and conversion tips (16:01) Preparing marketing for AI integration (21:09) Core growth system explained (27:44) Founder-led marketing solutions Connect with the team: Joseph Frost, MBA on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephfrost/  Explore yorCMO: http://yorcmo.com  Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/  Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/  Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/

How Strong Partnerships Help Companies Scale Smarter with Lance Black, MD, MBID

Champions are made, not found. In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/] sits down with Lance Black, MD, MBID [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-black-innovation/], Senior Associate Dean of Innovation & Strategic Projects of Texas A&M Engineering Medicine [https://enmed.tamu.edu/]’s innovation program, physician, engineer, and startup advisor. They explore what healthcare innovation can teach SMB leaders about customer development, champion building, early partnerships, and scaling without assuming one model fits every business. Lance shares why the first meaningful partner can become the key to unlocking growth, why founders must keep listening long after the first customer conversations, and how small, nimble teams can use technology as an advantage. From refining your message through real conversations to developing champions with frequency, depth, and diverse engagement, this conversation shows how businesses can move faster, learn sooner, and build growth around actual customer needs. Key takeaways: * Why strong champions are developed through consistent, intentional engagement * How customer conversations reveal the real value, timing, and fit of your solution * Why scaling requires a custom strategy, not a copied playbook Episode highlights: (00:00) Introduction (01:40) How engineering medicine connects innovation and industry (07:50) Why the first partner can unlock growth (10:24) What SMBs can learn from healthcare partnerships (12:07) Why the best pitch starts with conversation (14:16) How to develop champions with intention (18:53) Why small teams have an AI advantage (22:10) The founder mistake that slows growth (25:27) Why scaling needs a custom strategy (28:16) How real-world use reveals what customers need Connect with the team: Lance Black, MD, MBID on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-black-innovation/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-black-innovation/]  Explore Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine: https://enmed.tamu.edu/ [https://enmed.tamu.edu/]  Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/]  Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/]  Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/ [https://salesxceleration.com/]

Stop Leading Alone: Build a Self-Running Team with Brent Robertson

What if the biggest thing holding your business back isn't a people problem, but a missing piece? In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/] sits down with Brent Robertson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentrobertson/], CEO and Founder of Be Generative [https://www.be-generative.com/], to explore why the 150-year-old leadership narrative is leaving business owners burned out and bottlenecked. Brent introduces the choreographer mindset, the idea that leaders who design the right conditions for their teams, rather than controlling every outcome, unlock dramatically higher performance, accountability, and growth. Brent digs into how creating clarity around authority and decision-making can immediately release the burden from leadership, why vision is most powerful when co-created by the entire team, and how companies approaching succession and exit can use that transition as a catalyst for doubling or tripling in value, rather than simply minimizing disruption. Key takeaways: * Designing the right team conditions is what drives lasting performance * Clarity around authority and decision-making is the fastest way to eliminate leadership bottlenecks * Co-creating vision with your team transforms employees into owners and accelerates growth through succession Episode highlights: (00:00) Introduction (02:47) The old leadership narrative holding SMBs back (03:59) The choreographer mindset: designing conditions for performance (07:50) Most problems are symptoms, not the root cause (09:04) The architecture firm story: what was really missing (10:36) The $350K waiting tax: what decision bottlenecks cost you (12:42) Change where you're thinking from first (13:43) Vision is a story about the future you want to be true (15:05) Inviting your team to author and own the vision (17:26) The coming fire sale in businesses and how to stand out (28:41) Using AI and technology as a growth accelerant Connect with the team: Brent Robertson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentrobertson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentrobertson/]  Explore Be Generative: https://www.be-generative.com/ [https://www.be-generative.com/]  Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/]  Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/]  Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/ [https://salesxceleration.com/]