The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser

When Fundraising Becomes Your Identity, with Mallory Erickson

Why Stress, Comparison, and “Not Enough” Are Driving More Than You Think In this conversation, Erin McQuade-Wright sits down with fundraising coach and What the Fundraising host Mallory Erickson to explore the inner dynamics that shape how fundraisers show up: comparison, visibility discomfort, nervous system dysregulation, and the quiet belief of “not enough.” Together, they unpack the hidden cost of tying your identity to outcomes—and what it takes to create space between who you are and what you produce. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing well on paper but struggling internally, this episode will hit home. In this episode, we cover: *  Why visibility can feel unsafe—even when you want to grow  *  The comparison trap and what it’s really about  *  How “not enough” quietly drives overperformance (and burnout)  *  What nervous system dysregulation actually feels like in real time  *  Practical ways to regulate before a donor conversation  *  The subtle ways fundraisers become attached to stress  *  How to separate your identity from fundraising outcomes  Key Insight You can’t control how a donor responds—but you can control how you show up. And that starts with your inner climate. 🔗 About Mallory Erickson Mallory Erickson is the founder and CEO of Practivated, an executive coach, fundraising consultant, and host of the podcast What the Fundraising. She helps fundraisers move beyond transactional approaches to build lasting, mission-aligned partnerships. Through her Power Partners Formula™, Mallory has trained over 60,000 fundraisers, blending executive coaching, behavior design, and strategic fundraising. Her book, What the Fundraising, explores how shifting away from scarcity leads to more sustainable and impactful fundraising. 🔗 Connect with Mallory *  Learn more: malloryerickson.com/powerpartners  *  Podcast: What the Fundraising — malloryerickson.com/podcast  *  Book: malloryerickson.com/book  *  Instagram: @_malloryerickson  *  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallory-erickson-bressler/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallory-erickson-bressler/] *  Practivated: https://practivated.com/ [https://practivated.com/] 🔗 Connect with Erin *  Website: vitalistcoaching.com  *  Newsletter: The Brave & Balanced Note [https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1] Send Erin a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2555461/fan_mail/new] Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com [https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com] Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser [https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser] Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough [https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough] Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

You’re Walking Past Money Every Day (Here’s Why)

The hidden filter that’s keeping you from seeing opportunity right in front of you If you’re not raising the money you want, what if the issue isn’t effort—but awareness? In this episode, Erin McQuade-Wright explores a powerful (and often invisible) truth: you may be walking past opportunities every single day—not because they aren’t there, but because your brain is filtering them out. Drawing on a simple but eye-opening story from her own life, Erin breaks down how your mind prioritizes safety, familiarity, and identity over possibility—and how that directly impacts your ability to see and act on fundraising opportunities. From avoiding follow-ups to deciding a donor “isn’t ready,” many of the choices we make aren’t based on facts—they’re based on internal filters designed to protect us from discomfort, rejection, or risk. And every time you obey that filter, you may be leaving money on the table. This episode will help you recognize where this is happening in your own work—and give you a simple, grounded way to start shifting it today. In this episode, you’ll learn: *  Why you’re not actually missing opportunities—you’re filtering them out  *  How your brain’s need for safety impacts your fundraising decisions  *  The subtle ways avoidance shows up (and how it costs you money)  *  Why waiting until something feels “ready” keeps you stuck  *  A simple, body-based practice to help you take action with more ease  A moment to reflect: What am I not allowing myself to see? Ready to go deeper? If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to my newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, for weekly tools and reflections to help you regulate your inner climate and raise money with more clarity, confidence, and ease. Sign up here [https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1]. Send Erin a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2555461/fan_mail/new] Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com [https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com] Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser [https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser] Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough [https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough] Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

Why You Feel Stuck (and the Simple Shift That Gets You Moving Today)

The hidden reason you’re avoiding action—and how to move anyway If you’ve ever tried to push yourself out of feeling stuck—only to end up overthinking, procrastinating, or avoiding the very thing you know you need to do—this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Erin McQuade-Wright unpacks what’s actually happening beneath the surface when you feel stuck. Instead of treating it like a problem to fix, she reveals how “stuck” is often a protective strategy your nervous system is using to avoid pain—especially the pain of judgment, failure, or getting it wrong. You’ll learn why waiting for clarity keeps you frozen, how avoidance disguises itself as productivity, and the simple shift that moves you back into action—without white-knuckling your way through it. This episode also includes a brief somatic reset you can use in real time, plus one powerful question to help you move forward today: “What do you need to let go of to experience being in action?” In this episode, you’ll learn: *  Why feeling stuck is often a nervous system response—not laziness  *  How avoidance shows up as overthinking, procrastination, and “busywork”  *  Why clarity and confidence only come after action—not before  *  The hidden cost of staying stuck (and how it impacts your work and relationships)  *  A simple, body-based practice to help you take your next step  A quote to carry with you: “God meets me in action.” — Cathy Heller Ready to go deeper? If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to my newsletter, The Brave & Balanced Note, for weekly reflections and tools to help you regulate your inner climate and show up with more clarity, courage, and ease. Sign up here [https://brave-balanced-note.kit.com/profile?_gl=1*qniw91*_gcl_au*MjEwODgyNzI0OS4xNzc1NzY5ODE1]! Send Erin a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2555461/fan_mail/new] Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com [https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com] Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser [https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser] Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough [https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough] Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

Why Asking for Money Feels So Personal

The Psychology Behind Fundraising Discomfort — And What to Do About It Why does asking for money feel so… personal? In this episode, Erin explores the moment many fundraisers recognize: when a professional ask suddenly feels like something about you is on the line. Not strategic. Not neutral. Personal. This isn’t a tactics problem—it’s a human one. You’ll learn why the ask can trigger a sense of social risk, how identity and nervous system responses shape your experience, and what to do in the moment to stay grounded, present, and connected. If you’ve ever avoided an ask, overthought it, or walked away feeling drained, this episode will help you understand why—and how to approach it differently. In this episode, you’ll learn: *  Why asking for money activates a sense of social risk  *  How fight, flight, and freeze show up in fundraising  *  The connection between identity, worth, and the ask  *  Why burnout isn’t caused by the ask itself—but what it means to you  *  Simple ways to regulate your nervous system before and during a conversation Send Erin a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2555461/fan_mail/new] Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com [https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com] Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser [https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser] Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough [https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough] Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright

Why Fundraisers Feel Responsible for the Money

The Hidden Pressure Behind Nonprofit Revenue Goals If you work in fundraising, you may know the quiet pressure that lives in the background of the job: the feeling that if the money doesn’t come in, something bad might happen. Programs could shrink, staff jobs could be at risk, and the mission you care about might struggle to continue. In this episode, Erin explores why so many fundraisers end up carrying the emotional weight of their organization’s finances — and how that pressure can show up in the body, the nervous system, and the way we approach donor conversations. You’ll learn why this sense of responsibility is so common, how it can quietly shape your fundraising energy, and how releasing that burden can lead to more grounded, relational, and sustainable fundraising. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why fundraisers often feel personally responsible for their organization’s financial health  • The three forces that create this pressure: proximity to revenue, mission-driven empathy, and nervous system patterns  • How over-responsibility can show up in the body as tension, urgency, or anxiety  • The powerful shift that happens when you remember your role is to facilitate generosity — not control every outcome When fundraisers release the belief that everything depends on them, the nervous system settles. And when that happens, fundraising becomes what it was always meant to be: a relationship, not a rescue mission. If this conversation resonated with you, consider sharing it with a fellow fundraiser who might need the reminder that they’re not carrying this work alone. You can also join the conversation inside the Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook community (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/181QkraoKQ/), where fundraisers talk honestly about the inner side of this work. Send Erin a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2555461/fan_mail/new] Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough ✨ Stay Connected & Continue Your Fundraising Growth Listen to all episodes + subscribe: https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com [https://thebraveandbalancedfundraiser.buzzsprout.com] Join the community: The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser Facebook Group 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser [https://www.facebook.com/groups/braveandbalancedfundraiser] Book a Brave & Balanced Breakthrough Call: A personalized 1:1 session to support your inner clarity and fundraising wellbeing. 👉 https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough [https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough] Learn more about Erin’s coaching & nervous-system based support: VitalistCoaching.com Connect on Instagram: @erinmcquadewright