#189 | Kindness Is Not Weakness with Shola Richards

#192 | Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy with Vu Le

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Vu Le, [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vu-le-b395a69/]writer, speaker, nonprofit thought leader, and author of Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy. Vu brings his signature honesty, humor, and boldness to a conversation about power, philanthropy, donor dynamics, systemic change, and what the nonprofit sector must be willing to confront. He challenges traditional ideas around fundraising, donor-centered models, wealth, gratitude, and why nonprofits often focus on treating symptoms instead of solving root problems. Kyle and Vu also discuss what real impact looks like, why philanthropy must be reimagined, how funders shape nonprofit priorities, and why leaders with privilege must be willing to use their voice, even when it costs them. Episode Highlights 00:00 — Introduction 00:15 — Meet Vu Le 01:00 — Holding joy during difficult times 02:30 — Vu describes himself as a rabble-rouser 03:30 — Writing boldly about the nonprofit sector 04:15 — The problem with donor-centered fundraising 05:30 — Is philanthropy helping or maintaining control? 06:00 — Redefining philanthropy as love of humanity 07:00 — How wealth can distort giving 08:00 — Who holds power in the nonprofit ecosystem 09:15 — What nonprofit leaders should do differently 10:00 — Solving root causes instead of managing symptoms 11:30 — Why organizations should aim to solve themselves out of existence 12:00 — Advocacy, politics, and systems change 13:00 — Defining true impact 14:00 — What progressive movements can learn from conservative strategy 15:00 — Building institutions and funding long-term work 17:00 — White moderation and nonprofit ineffectiveness 18:30 — The cost of being bold 20:00 — Using privilege to speak up 21:00 — Vu’s journey into nonprofit leadership and social work -- Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference [https://spreadcontagiousculture.com/] Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contagious-culture/id1829207363] 📞 Schedule Your Call Here [https://links.theculturelab.org/widget/booking/DmipbO4FF6aXtbSgzwlQ] 🖥️ Join the #1 Community for Leaders and Change Makers [https://the-growth-lab-community.lovable.app/] 👉🏽 Apply to Be in the Growth Alliance [https://growth-alliance-2026.lovable.app/] 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King [https://meet-kyle-s-king.lovable.app/]

#191 | Innovation Needs Laughter with Kathy Klotz-Guest

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Kathy Klotz-Guest [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathyklotzguest/], keynote speaker, author, comedian, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and creator of BoldNet. [https://www.keepingithuman.com/] Kathy shares how humor, improv, and authenticity can help leaders build trust, reduce fear, and create cultures where people feel safe enough to take risks. She explains why many organizations get stuck in “innovation theater,” where teams talk about innovation but never create the conditions for real creativity, experimentation, or change. Kyle and Kathy also discuss psychological safety, leadership vulnerability, positive humor, the power of “yes, and,” and why leaders must model the courage they want to see in their teams. Key Topics: * Why humor builds trust and psychological safety * What “innovation theater” looks like inside organizations * How fear blocks creativity and risk-taking * Why leaders must model vulnerability and experimentation * The role of laughter in healthy team culture * How improv principles like “yes, and” strengthen collaboration * Why teams need support systems to be bold * How leaders can become one percent bolder every day Episode History 00:00 — Introduction 00:18 — Meet Kathy Klotz-Guest 01:22 — Who Kathy is beyond the titles 02:48 — Reclaiming humanity inside corporate spaces 03:00 — How Kathy’s work began 05:45 — Moving from fragmentation to integration 06:20 — Courage, comedy, and stepping outside your comfort zone 08:40 — What innovation theater means 10:44 — Fear, support, and the role of humor 12:45 — Laughter as a measure of trust 13:30 — How leaders can model psychological safety 15:00 — Ritualizing mistakes and learning from failure 16:20 — Building the ensemble through “yes, and” 18:00 — Why old leadership models no longer work 20:00 — Becoming one percent bolder every day 21:45 — The meaning of “yes, and you” -- Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference [https://spreadcontagiousculture.com/] Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contagious-culture/id1829207363] 📞 Schedule Your Call Here [https://links.theculturelab.org/widget/booking/DmipbO4FF6aXtbSgzwlQ] 🖥️ Join the #1 Community for Leaders and Change Makers [https://the-growth-lab-community.lovable.app/] 👉🏽 Apply to Be in the Growth Alliance [https://growth-alliance-2026.lovable.app/] 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King [https://meet-kyle-s-king.lovable.app/]

#190 | Why Every Organization Needs a Succession Plan With Naomi Hattaway

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Naomi Hattaway [https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomihattaway/], founder of Leaving Well, for a timely conversation on workplace transitions, succession planning, board leadership, and what it means to leave an organization with intention. Naomi shares why organizations often talk about hiring, growth, and vision, but avoid the harder conversations around departure, transition, termination, retirement, and succession. She explains why leaving well is not just about the person leaving. It is about protecting the mission, honoring the people, and creating continuity for the organization. Kyle and Naomi also discuss board responsibility, documenting systems, proactive succession planning, interim leadership, and how organizations can create more humanity, clarity, and even joy in the process of transition.   Episode History 00:00 — Introduction 00:39 — Meet Naomi Hattaway and Leaving Well 01:00 — Can workplace transitions include joy? 02:00 — Why people leaving should not surprise us 03:00 — Practical ways to add humanity to departures 04:30 — How personal history shapes our relationship with transition 05:00 — Hattaway’s background and personal connection to leaving well 06:00 — Moving, change, and learning how to say goodbye 06:45 — Interim leadership, succession planning, and board development 08:45 — Why succession planning matters in nonprofits 09:45 — Defining what it means to leave well 10:45 — Leaving a legacy through documentation 12:00 — Why organizations struggle to document processes 13:00 — The value of after-action reviews 14:00 — Creating transition binders and archives 15:45 — Where boards and leaders should begin 17:30 — How to introduce succession planning without creating fear 18:30 — The danger of starting from scratch after a leader leaves -- Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference [https://spreadcontagiousculture.com/] Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contagious-culture/id1829207363] 📞 Schedule Your Call Here [https://links.theculturelab.org/widget/booking/DmipbO4FF6aXtbSgzwlQ] 🖥️ Join the #1 Community for Leaders and Change Makers [https://the-growth-lab-community.lovable.app/] 👉🏽 Apply to Be in the Growth Alliance [https://growth-alliance-2026.lovable.app/] 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King [https://meet-kyle-s-king.lovable.app/]

#189 | Kindness Is Not Weakness with Shola Richards

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Shola Richards, [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sholarichards/] international keynote speaker, founder of Go Together Global, [https://sholarichards.com/] bestselling author, and host of the Kindness Extremist Podcast. Shola shares the personal story behind his work and explains why kindness is not weakness. He opens up about pain, depression, imposter syndrome, and how his own wounds became the foundation for a global movement rooted in kindness, courage, and humanity. Kyle and Shola also discuss the difference between being nice and being kind, why kindness requires boundaries and difficult conversations, and how leaders can create cultures where people feel safe, seen, and valued. Episode History 00:00 — Introduction 00:24 — Meet Shola Richards 03:25 — The person behind the platform 06:30 — Why Shola does this work 08:30 — Pain, depression, and choosing kindness 10:54 — Why perfection is not required to lead 12:07 — Nice vs. kind 15:20 — How to embody kindness daily 16:24 — Boundaries, behavior, and difficult conversations 18:32 — Finding your voice through pain and healing 20:00 — Practical tools for the inner critic -- Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference [https://spreadcontagiousculture.com/] Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contagious-culture/id1829207363] 📞 Schedule Your Call Here [https://links.theculturelab.org/widget/booking/DmipbO4FF6aXtbSgzwlQ] 🖥️ Join the #1 Community for Leaders and Change Makers [https://the-growth-lab-community.lovable.app/] 👉🏽 Apply to Be in the Growth Alliance [https://growth-alliance-2026.lovable.app/] 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King [https://meet-kyle-s-king.lovable.app/]

#188 | How Strategic Partnerships Create Opportunity With Natalie Brown

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Natalie Brown [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-brown-6479514/], Head of Strategic Workforce Partnership at Ally Financial, [https://www.ally.com/] for a conversation on leadership, workforce development, strategic partnerships, and preparing the next generation for success. Natalie shares how her work connects business goals, community priorities, and talent pipelines to create real opportunities for students, professionals, and future leaders. She also discusses the importance of mentorship, relationship-building, financial education, AI readiness, and partnerships rooted in shared values. Kyle and Natalie explore what meaningful partnerships look like, why relationships matter in career growth, and how companies can build ecosystems that help people thrive. Key Topics: * What strategic workforce partnerships really mean * How companies can build stronger talent pipelines * Why partnerships must be rooted in shared values * Preparing students for corporate America * The role of AI skills in the future workforce * Why mentorship and relationships matter * How young professionals can build meaningful networks * The importance of excellence, trust, and paying it forward Episode History 00:00 — Introduction 00:12 — Meet Natalie Brown 01:30 — Who Natalie is beyond the title 03:10 — What keeps Natalie excited about the work 04:34 — Defining strategic workforce partnerships 06:20 — What meaningful partnerships look like 09:17 — Preparing students for future opportunities 11:20 — AI, prompting, and workforce readiness 13:20 — Why partnerships sometimes fail 16:30 — Mentorship, leadership, and advice that shaped Natalie 19:30 — The leadership traits young professionals need 21:30 — How to build and nurture relationships   -- Learn More About the Contagious Culture Conference [https://spreadcontagiousculture.com/] Subscribe & Leave a Review to The Contagious Culture Podcast Subscribe to Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contagious-culture/id1829207363] 📞 Schedule Your Call Here [https://links.theculturelab.org/widget/booking/DmipbO4FF6aXtbSgzwlQ] 🖥️ Join the #1 Community for Leaders and Change Makers [https://the-growth-lab-community.lovable.app/] 👉🏽 Apply to Be in the Growth Alliance [https://growth-alliance-2026.lovable.app/] 👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King [https://meet-kyle-s-king.lovable.app/]