Diversify Your Revenue with Tammy Zonker
“We have to stop being ashamed of the fact that we have needs and kids and houses and mortgages and dreams and passions. So you can live a life of purpose and be financially rewarded and emotionally rewarded for it. -Tammy Zonker
Diversify Your Revenue with Tammy Zonker
In today's episode, our guest Tammy Zonker, founder and president of Fundraising Transformed, peeled back the curtain to her successful business model – and to a few confessions. What she's built is not just a business but a thriving community that champions work-life balance and profitability through diverse and strategic offerings for nonprofit organizations. We're getting real about the boundary-setting, strategic planning, and partnership synergy that makes Tammy's operation soar. So, tune in and join us on a journey that goes beyond revenue to the heart of impactful and intentional nonprofit work.
Key Highlights:
Elevate Your Consulting Game In the world of nonprofit consulting, it’s not just about hard work; it’s about smart work—integrating passion with strategy. Tammy embodies this like a boss! From moving her mission forward at the crack of dawn (seriously, she’s up at 4:00 a.m.!) to knowing when to say a polite “no,” Tammy’s approach is the mentorship gold we all need.
Building Revenue Streams That Work for You Tammy’s genius lies in her diversified business model. High-end consulting mixed with her "Fundraising Transformers" community and an array of on-demand learning resources, Tammy’s teaching us to spread our wings and soar toward sustainable revenue. Remember folks, it's about creating that sweet spot between making a living and making a difference.
Partnerships In and Out of Business Tammy shares how she collaborates with her life partner in running their business. She points out the presence of respect, complementing skill sets and clear communication in making the partnership successful.
Say "Yes" to Boundaries Listen up, friends; it's boundary-setting time! Tammy's got it down to an art—saying no means saying yes to alignment, loyalty, and value. And isn't that what we're all here for? To fuel our passions and empower organizations while respecting our time and genius.
Find Us Online: https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com/
Connect with Tammy Zonker:
Tammy Zonker (Linkedin): https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammyzonker
Tammy Zonker (Twitter): https://twitter.com/TammyZonker
Fundraising Transformed: https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com
The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-intentional-fundraiser-podcast/id1493678510
Connect with Cindy:
Cindy Wagman Coaching https://cindywagman.com
Fractional Fundraising Network https://www.fractionalfundraising.co/
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/cindywagman
Connect with Jess:
Out In the Boons: https://www.outintheboons.me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-campbell-outintheboons/
Transcript:
00:00:00 Cindy: Welcome to the Confessions podcast. I'm Cindy Wagman.
00:00:03 Jess: And I'm Jess Campbell. We're two former in-house nonprofit pros turned coaches and consultants to purpose driven organizations.
00:00:12 Cindy: After years of building up our separate six-figure businesses from scratch, we've thrown a lot of spaghetti at the wall and lived to see what sticks.
00:00:20 Jess: We're on a mission to help other nonprofit coaches and consultants looking to start or scale their own businesses past the six-figure mark by pulling back the curtain.
00:00:31 Cindy: Whether you're still working inside a non-profit and thinking of one day going out on your own, or you've been running your consulting business for years, you understand that working with nonprofits is just different. We're giving you access to the business leaders who serve non-profits as their clients. You know, the people who truly get it.
00:00:52 Jess: No more gatekeeping, no more secrets. This podcast is going to give you an inside look at what running a successful nonprofit coaching and consulting business looks like. Basically, we're asking people how much money they make, how they get paid, and what has and hasn't worked in their businesses.
00:01:11 Cindy: Listen in as these leaders share their insights, their numbers, and the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to building a nonprofit coaching or consulting business. We're going to empower you to make the power moves that give you the income and freedom you set out to create from day one.
00:01:28 Jess: You ready? Let's go.
00:01:31 Cindy: Hey, Jess.
00:01:32 Jess: Hello.
00:01:34 Cindy: Today, I feel like this guest has been on our radar for a while, and it just hasn't happened that we've been able to schedule a time to record until now. So I feel like this is a long time coming, and I know our audience are going to be super excited to hear from Tammy Zonker from Fundraising Transformed.
00:01:54 Cindy: Tammy, I feel like the whole sector knows who you are, but in case the people don't, can you take a minute to introduce yourself and tell us about your business? What do you do?
00:02:08 Tammy: Yeah, for sure. And just let me just start by saying what a fun honor it is to be here with the two of you.
00:02:16 Cindy: It's our pleasure.
00:02:17 Tammy: I'm a listener of this podcast and I learn so much and I laugh along with you. And so it's just super special to be here. So as you said, Cindy, I am Tammy Zonker and I'm the founder and president of Fundraising Transformed. And essentially, we are primarily a fundraising training and consulting company. So we've been, gosh, we've been a company for like 16 years. However, I've only been full-time in the business for the last three. And so that was like one of those pandemic leaps.
00:03:00 Cindy: Yeah.
00:03:01 Tammy: Yeah. Yeah. So we work with all kinds of nonprofit organizations, smallish grassroots organizations, lots of human services, healthcare organizations, including hospital, foundations and hospice centers and children and adult mental health, you know, services serving those who have addictions, higher ed, both universities, private schools, pretty much the gamut.
00:03:32 Cindy: So amazing.
00:03:33 Tammy: I love the variety. And, you know, we love our nonprofit people. They're so big hearted.
00:03:39 Cindy: They are. And I like variety as well. So I can totally appreciate. And having seen you speak, I know that what you teach is universal to the sector. So yeah, why limit it? Tell us a little bit about the like 13 years ago versus the last, or like the 13 years prior to COVID and the last three, and how things have changed for you. Was it just you? Is it like, what is the, like, were you kind of just side hustling, speaking and training? And then, now it's full time. Tell us about the evolution.
00:04:17 Tammy: Yeah, yeah. So way back. Oh, my gosh. So way back in the beginning. In the beginning, I took the leap. I had been an employee of a large national fundraising training company based in Seattle. And I got the phone call one day and it was, Congratulations, it's time for you to move to Seattle. And I'm like, oh, but I have a son in high school. Like, he's a senior. I don't know that I want to live in Seattle. I love Seattle, but you know, I'm a Midwestern girl. And so that was really the catalyst for me to start Fundraising Transformed. And it was really at the height of the economic recession here in the US.
00:05:08 Tammy: And so I thought, okay. Well, you know, my son is going off to college in a few short months. And so if I really wanted to test my fundraising skill, what would I do? Where would I go? And I thought Detroit, right? So I started doing really kind of fractional fundraising in Detroit with the Children's Center and then the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. So, you know, 20 hours here and 30 hours there and kind of piecing together some really meaningful work and I was so grateful, grateful to do it.
00:05:48 Tammy: And at the time, you know, in Detroit, unemployment was 30%, one in five homes were in foreclosure, two of the three biggest employers were in bankruptcy, you know, General Motors and Chrysler. And so it's like, yes, if I can fundraise there, I can fundraise anywhere. And so I fell in love with Detroit and we still have a presence there. Our company is based in Detroit and it just has such, heart. The fundraisers there are just big hearted and it's a very diverse community. And I just, I love, love, love all of that.
00:06:32 Tammy: And so fast forward, like I've been doing practitioner work and then training work. And then in 2012, the Children's Center where I had been doing practitioner work, they essentially said, our chief philanthropy officer position is open. Why don't you apply? And I said, yeah, no thanks. Like I love, like you said, Cindy, I love the variety, I love the training, I love speaking at conferences. It would be such extraordinary circumstances in which that would work for me. And they're like, like what? Try us.
00:07:13 Tammy: And so that was really the opportunity where we had a special employee agreement. I could still speak at conferences. I could use all my work at the Children's Center as case study material and use statements, and documents, and I could still keep a small, smaller portion of my coaching clients and training opportunities. And so we did it. And I'm very grateful to say that in the first three years in that role of Chief Philanthropy Officer, I curated a team, led the team to triple fundraising in the first three years. And then we doubled again by the time I left six years later. So I was there in that role for nine years.
00:08:02 Tammy: And then came the pandemic. And me, inching closer to a big birthday. And I thought, gosh, you know, if I'm really gonna take Fundraising Transformed to the next level, like I better do it soon. I'm not getting any younger around here. And so that's when I made the big leap. I'm very fortunate in that my partner, life partner, is a brand and marketing expert. And so, you know, he's always managed the Fundraising Transformed brand. We've collaborated on, actually, some award-winning campaigns.
00:08:45 Tammy: And so I made the leap, then he shifted from his company to be full-time in our company. And so it's really the two of us, plus some really amazing contract partners. So in terms of employees, we are very small but mighty, but you know, like the beauty of this sector is we network and we leverage, we partner. And so I feel like we bring the best of the sector to our clients when they need it.
00:09:21 Jess: Oh, I love that whole story. That was, you're such a good storyteller. That was so fun to listen to. Okay, so could you break down for us what your revenue buckets are? Like, how do you get paid? You mentioned speaking, but what are some of the nuts and bolts of the other buckets?
00:09:38 Tammy: Yeah, so we have, you know, a business model that is, you know, on the higher end, I do consulting, I do private customized workshops, fundraising effectiveness assessments, kind of that higher end deep dive consulting and customized training. On the far end, like the lower cost or higher accessibility, and we have a couple of things that we do. Number one, we have a community, a monthly membership community called Fundraising Transformers.
00:10:19 Tammy: And so for $79 a month and any time, just like a monthly giving program, we bring a training topic and ask me an hour's training topic later in the month and a one hour ask me anything. And then an online community, safe private community, where people can ask questions, share wins, share challenges and really support one another. And then in between, we offer, you know, on-demand training, monthly webinars. We're looking at some additional kinds of offerings that might be more in the line of training series.
00:11:09 Tammy: For example, we just launched, or in the process of launching our second cohort of our intentional fundraising plan masterclass, which is a six week online masterclass. Likewise, with a weekly community live call and an online community. And actually people have access to that course forever. You sign up for it, it's yours forever. So that's fun. And then we have, as you said, I do speak and both I am paid to keynote speak and also find that that generates leads for us. People hear you speak and they're like, oh, come speak at our conference or could you do a private training for us?
00:11:54 Tammy: And I see you both nodding because you live in this world too. You speak and of course you're paid, but then it also is a great way to find people who really need your help and that you can help elevate their fundraising. We have the Intentional Fundraiser Podcast. And that's a weekly podcast. I think we're now on episode 60 something, almost to 70 episodes, and we invite sponsorship of that podcast. And then last year in January, we launched our very first virtual fundraising summit called TRANSFORM23. And man, Jess, you are the guru on virtual summits. So like, bow to your expertise here. But we are doing our second round of that in January 24th and 25th of 2024. So TRANSFORM24.
00:12:56 Tammy: And last year we were so pleased. We had Adrian Sargeant and Jen Shang and Una Osili from the Indiana University School of Philanthropy and like so many extraordinary thought leaders. Same is true this year. And spoiler alert, one of our speakers is Seth Godin. So I'm really excited to have Seth. He was on the podcast earlier this year. So we're excited to invite him to the summit. So essentially, those are the main ways, the main revenue buckets for our company.
00:13:33 Cindy: Just a few in there, you know, it's not that. Just a few. I love it. I'm so impressed. And which leads me to, okay, I have two questions. One's quick and one's a little longer. The quick one, I'll ask them both. The quick one is, do you have a sense of like the revenue makeup in terms like percentage of how much comes from different buckets? But then the other question is, which I'd love to dive into a little bit, is kind of like how do you think of those as pieces fitting together?
00:14:06 Cindy: We hear a lot about things like sales funnels and journey, like customer journeys. And so as you, do they fit together? How do they fit together? How do you see your customers kind of evolving their relationship with you? So those are the two, you can answer them whatever order you want.
00:14:29 Tammy: Okay. Well, the first, the first question around, like where does the percentage of revenue come from? Well, obviously, on the high end, there are fewer engagements, but they are a bigger investment. So the majority of the revenue comes from those. But I do love the, just like monthly giving, I love the sustainability and the reoccurring nature of our Fundraising Transformer community and some of those more price accessible services. So I feel like they fit together from a revenue perspective because typically, I do find that one, to your second question, one typically leads to another. There may be some communities or some organizations that they hear me speak at a conference, they want a private training.
00:15:25 Tammy: And then over the course of the next year, 18 months, two years, they have turnover in their fundraising team. And so they want to make certain that those folks are ramped up. And so they will have them join the intentional, the Fundraising Transformer community as a way to onboard them and to kind of get a vibe of how we approach fundraising. Because I think that regardless of which service you consume or you partake in, the core values are the same, right? Human centered, equity and inclusion, erring toward generosity, generosity of spirit, anticipating generosity, dwelling in abundance versus scarcity, and really looking at your fundraising efforts as an investment that yields a return.
00:16:24 Tammy: And what I have found is when we frame it in that context, we get, quite frankly, selfishly, we get more of what we want. So when we budget and we say, I want to invest in these tools or this staff with this expertise, or I want to train up this superstar, this rising star on our team to add these two skills to their already impressive skill set. And here's what we would anticipate in terms of an increase in donor retention. And those numbers of donors multiplied by our median gift value is a return on investment in year one of X amount of dollars. So it's like heart centered business minded. Did I fully answer your question? Cause I get on these little–
00:17:13 Jess: No, no, you're good. You're good. So one of the things I'm thinking of, you were talking about all of your different amazing offerings is this idea around the choice paradox and how sometimes when people have too many choices, they actually take no action and how as a business owner, especially a lot of us entrepreneurs, we can get so excited about, we hear one need from one customer and we're like, okay, we're going to go solve this." And then you're a different need from a different customer. And you're like, oh, I'm going to turn left and go this way.
00:17:42 Jess: And so I'm just curious how you decide what to prioritize and how to market each individual offer because they are at such different price points, even though they do fold into one another. Yeah, I guess that's my question. Do you really start people on the lower pricing side of things and then resell to them again and again and again so they eventually make it, their way up the ladder? Or are you, like, a different, like what's your launch calendar like? Is it just wild, you're constantly launching? I'm just curious how it is that you are effectively telling people what it is that you offer at all times.
00:18:25 Tammy: Yeah, yeah, because you're right. There is a gamut of offerings. And I will say that we've gotten much more strategic and laser focused on what we offer and what we don't offer. So if you looked at me two years ago, here's one of my early confessions, maybe even three weeks ago, when someone says, oh, we need this. I'm a helper. And so I'm like, oh, yeah, we could develop that. We could totally do it and customize, take a bit of it. I've got to stop doing that. And I'm dedicated.
00:19:08 Tammy: Like we've developed this menu that should meet the needs and solve the problems of a great majority of nonprofit organizations and the fundraising challenges that they face or the fundraising opportunities that are in front of them. And there's power in saying: “Ah, I don't do that.” I mean, I can do it, but I'm not doing that. But here's someone I trust who I think is extraordinary that does it and that is their core business. Would you like an e-introduction? Right, and so I've really, I'm getting so much better at that and I'm finding so much ease.
00:19:54 Tammy: One of the goals, it was one of the, we have, my partner built this beautiful fire pit in our backyard and we call it the arena. And so when we go to the arena, there's often a glass of wine or an old fashioned and a cigar somewhere in the mix there between the two of us after hours, of course, and we will talk about our business and we'll talk about the challenges and I think that that was just one of those arena conversations is that we, we want and hear me out on this. I said, I want to work less and make more.
00:20:36 Tammy: I mean, Cindy, we've had these conversations, like we shouldn't be apologetic, like working in or for the nonprofit sector doesn't mean that we take a vow of poverty, right? I'm not a nun, I'm not Catholic. I mean, I have not taken a vow of poverty, much respect to those who do, that's not me. And so when I say I want to work less, I mean, I wanna work 30 hours a week in my business. Now does that mean that I want to go, like gardening or reading books or whatever it is the rest of the time? Well, maybe.
00:21:11 Tammy: But what I really mean by that is I want to work in the business 30 hours a week and I want to work on the business additional hours. I have a vision like I am going to write a book. I am going to do these other things. I want to, there's delivering content and there's creation of content. And I find creating content so life-giving. And yet it gets kind of crammed in like, oh, well, you know, maybe between Christmas and New Year's that I'll get to, or maybe between 4 AM and 8 AM. And so those are, kind of the conversations that I am trying… I'm trying to be true to myself as an entrepreneur, as a business owner, as a good partner, to someone who's really strategic and has that discipline not to chase the opportunity when it's not in the business model.
00:22:16 Cindy: Okay. I had a question and then you kept talking and now I have more things I wanna talk about, but I'm gonna come to my original question because I don't think we've ever talked about this on the podcast. But before I ask my question, I just want to say, like yes to doing, to be more focused so that you can do less and have a bigger impact. I mean, I'm all for that. But what I want to ask you about, I don't think we've ever had anyone on the podcast who works with their partner, with their life partner in their business.
00:22:50 Cindy: And as you were talking, that just really stuck out to me as like, tell me more. How does that work? How is that going? Yeah, we've had business partners on, I mean, John and Jen have been on, we've talked about working with a business partner, but working with a business partner who's your life partner seems next level. So tell us about that, how's it going? Ups and downs.
00:23:17 Tammy: You know, it has to be the right person. For sure. We are both so impact and purpose driven. That's the one thing. I think number one, we are both as crazy focused and diligent and purpose-driven as the other. Our skill sets and our minds compliment each other. There's not a ton of duplicity, right? He is the brand marketing guru expert. And I respect that. I mean, I've learned so much from him. I'm the fundraising expert. And I know he has, if he were on, he would say, I've learned so much about fundraising from her.
00:24:00 Tammy: So we learn from each other, but we respect one another's, you know, the skill set, the discipline that we are so deeply trained. I mean, both of us have been doing that. He's been in this marketing world for 30 plus years. I've been a fundraiser for more than 25. And so I think it's, you know, the respect. And yes, we, sometimes, mostly me, I'll say, time out, or he'll see that glazed look come over my face and say, when would be a better time to talk about this? Because, you know, he used to call me the fire hose. The truth is, he's the fire hose. And I love it. They're like so many great ideas. First things first.
00:24:48 Tammy: And so for us, it works. It works really, really well. And I think part of it is, I was just talking with, earlier today, recorded a podcast for my podcast with Laura Fredricks and her new book, Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want. And she was talking about that, the two devils are, expectation and assumptions. When we assume like, of course, they see that I just loaded the dishwasher. Why wouldn't they put their cup in there? Of course they would put their cup in without me saying, hey, when you're done with that, would you load your cup and then start the dishwasher?
00:25:34 Tammy: Like we, especially as fundraisers, need to get really good about saying what we want, what we need, what we don't need right now. And I think we give each other permission for that. We don't make assumptions and we don't have unspoken expectations.
00:25:54 Jess: All right, Tammy, we are back for another round of our rapid fire questions with Jess and Cindy. Ready?
00:26:01 Tammy: Ready.
00:26:02 Jess: Okay, great. So as a fellow podcaster, I'm curious, what is the one podcast you enjoy listening when you're working in your garden or hanging out?
00:26:15 Tammy: Oh my gosh. Well, I follow a lot of podcasts. I love Confessions, of course, as a consultant. I would say, of course, We Are For Good is an incredible.
00:26:26 Jess: Yeah, shout out to Becky and Jon.
00:26:28 Tammy: Yeah, they're amazing.
00:26:30 Jess: Definitely. What is your favorite marketing channel and why?
00:26:36 Tammy: Favorite marketing channel, I mean, it has to be, emailing to our list, connecting with our list, whether it's, we like to use video a lot. And I would say that from a social perspective, LinkedIn.
00:26:51 Jess: Okay. Cool.
00:26:52 Tammy: Yeah, we get the most traction there.
00:26:54 Jess: Okay. Okay. Well, I'm glad to hear that. And you talked a lot on your interview about being a speaker. What is your favorite conference to speak at?
00:27:05 Tammy: That is such a loaded question. Of course, it's like, what's your favorite child? I love them all. But I will say–
00:27:13 Jess: Okay, so top three, fan favorites.
00:27:15 Tammy: All right, fan favorites. Excellent. So nonprofit storytelling conference comes to mind. There's a warmth there, a feeling of family, and really excellent speakers. Of course, AFP ICON, the international conference, and of course, it's going to be in Toronto. Shout out to Canadians, right? You're gonna be hosting us this year. I love ICON. And, goodness, the third one. Wow, that's tricky. Here's what I'll say. I'm on the faculty at the Institute for Charitable Giving, which was founded by Jerold Panas and carried forward by his wife Felicity Panas. So I'm on the faculty, I'm a dean. And while it's not a conference, it's a three-day seminar, that's pretty special. Yeah, it's about, you know, 70, 65 to 75 individuals, really intimate and completely focused on major gifts.
00:28:19 Jess: Oh, okay, cool. Good to know. All right, thanks for playing.
00:28:22 Tammy: Yeah, fun, fun. Thank you.
00:28:29 Jess: I'm curious how this correlates into boundaries, not just with your partner around work and then personal life, but also with your team. Like is your vibe to be available at all hours? I have a client right now who is like, insanely responsive and I cannot live in my inbox the way that she expects. And so I'm like, but how? It feels like she must have a rope on her at all times being just like tug, tug, tug. So it's one thing when you have distance between a screen, for example, if your team's not geographically located where you are. But when you're a partner and you share the same roof, like, how do you establish boundaries so that work is work and then your personal life remains your personal life?
00:29:20 Tammy: Yeah. I mean, I think, again, you just speak them, like, my, like I am my sharpest, we're recording this at 1:31 Eastern time. And I'm sorry to tell you, I'm smarter in the morning. Right? So. And I really do get up at 4 AM. I also… I have two dogs that are 15 years old. They need to go out by 4 AM. And Cindy, I know you're an early riser too. And so from 4 AM till 10 AM, like that is when I am just cranking out content. I'm working on client project work. I'm doing my, like, true zone of genius work. And then if we wanna have like meetings, you know, like a quick check in about this or that or this project or this campaign or, you know, he may say, Tammy, I've loaded up some talking points in Basecamp and I need you by, you know, Wednesday, can you crank out some videos to promote the masterclass or to promote this or to talk about where you're speaking next?
00:30:34 Tammy: And so again, we, it's a combination of systems. And to your point, Jess, boundaries. Like, you know, unless something's on fire, I'm really focused in the morning. So let's do our collaborative stuff. Tell me what your needs are. Let's talk about that in the afternoon.
00:30:53 Jess: Oh good and so helpful. And I think that all of us, and I'm just gonna say it like, especially women, we need to be super strong and voicing. I'm trying to teach that to my daughter. She, the other day like, got really upset because my husband and I have never attended a jog-a-thon. Like, I don't know. And hers was coming up and I was like, well, you've never once said you wanted us to come cheer you on. You have to ask for what you want.
00:31:20 Tammy: Yes.
00:31:21 Jess: So we're trying to teach that too, but it's not easy, especially us, people that like to just do it all ourselves.
00:31:31 Tammy: Yes, it's so true. Like we don't like to ask for help. We think we can handle it all. We should be able to do it all. And I think that we as women especially can fall, you know, pray to that mindset. And really it's, cultural expectation, right? Like, so dad's helping out with the kids, but mom is the care provider in a lot of families. Right? And so when we just think even as an example, like the home-based, home accountabilities, equity, or we can fall into stereotypes like, he takes out the trash and I do everything else. So, it's really important that we have those conversations about what works for us and what doesn't work. Yeah.
00:32:20 Cindy: This is so good, because this all comes up, even though we don't work with our partners, But on the piece around boundaries and focus, I feel like all the things we're talking about are really about getting strategic and intentional with our relationships and our time and how we communicate, all of those things. And so I wanna ask you about, we're recording this right now, it's December, 2023. We're looking ahead to 2024. What are some things, some boundaries, changes, things you're saying no to as we go into next year? And what does your strategy look like around that?
00:33:03 Tammy: Well, it's going back to the business plan. What's on the business plan has to happen. Now, not that we can't or don't need to be flexible, adaptable, but the core is like, this is the Rosetta Stone. Go back to the business plan when opportunity, like I said, in alignment, yes. Fabulous. No? Like think twice, have a conversation or just say no. Right? No, is the… what is it? No is the new yes or something like that.
00:33:38 Cindy: I like that. I've heard no is a complete sentence, which I like.
00:33:42 Tammy: Yes.
00:33:43 Jess: That's a good one.
00:33:43 Cindy: Yeah.
00:33:44 Jess: What are some of your parameters for saying no? Like how do you decide this is a go, this is in the business plan or not? I mean, I was actually reading a newsletter because I'm one of those people that reads all the newsletters. I love them from one of my favorite creators and she has an online business plus a coffee shop and kind of from the sky a catering business was born. And like now she's the, like she lives in Las Vegas. So she's like the, one of the exclusive partners, caters for Mandalay Bay. And it's like overnight a six figure business.
00:34:27 Jess: So she was kind of making the point, like if you don't say yes to things sometimes, even though they're not in the business plan, like it could be a huge misstep. But then I also hear you saying, like how important focus is and to go back to the plan. So like, how do you decide?
00:34:45 Tammy: Well, I think that everyone has to have their own framework, right? So when you have an opportunity, it should go through like five questions. Is it in the business plan? Yes or no? Is it with an existing client who has been loyal, who gives lots of referrals, who like this would compliment what you're already doing? And if the answer is yes, like you know, you want to take care of them. You want to be a great partner with them. So let's just say, okay.
00:35:20 Tammy: So they do meet that criteria. This is not a first time client that's asking me to do something off, business plan. This is a loyal client who does lots of business with us and sends referrals. So I wanna do it. Is it a big stretch or a little stretch? You know, what are the opportunity costs? Cause if I spend even just three hours doing that for them, what am I not doing in those three hours that has a bigger impact on the business or with clients? And so it's, you know, I like to think that it's that simple. Is it on the business plan? But we know that doesn't necessarily work.
00:36:03 Tammy: So is it a loyal client? Is there repeat business? What are the opportunity costs? Is this something that could be a bit of a pilot that might be added and scaled to the business plan in 2025 or down the road? Is this something someone's asking me to do that is an emerging trend? We can predict this is going to scale and be important in the sector. Maybe it would be a good idea to devote some time to exploring it and it possibly being something bigger down the road and something really relevant to the sector and to the business.
00:36:47 Tammy: So I think, yeah, there's no, it's really not a yes, no. It's a yes, no, maybe. But not, I was the one who was always like, yes, of course. Like without even thinking it through necessarily because I wanna take care of people. That's what I do, I take care of people. But taking care of one in a way, way off way means I'm not taking care of the bigger group. So you have to reframe it.
00:37:23 Cindy: I think that's just so on point. I see that a lot for people in our sector and women in our sector and the way that working in the sector trains us to take on more and more responsibility and do more. And we're always trying to save everyone. So I think to your point, it's not about like, not wanting to help or anything like that. It's about being able to focus on helping in the best way that you can and knowing when, where you have limits. So I think that's so fantastic and important to hear.
00:38:00 Cindy: You mentioned your business plan. And another thing I see a lot of consultants in our space not do, is have business plans. So I would love to see… Jess's laughing like, no they don't. Maybe Jess doesn't.
00:38:15 Jess: Myself included.
00:38:19 Cindy: Tell us a little bit about your business planning process. Is it, do you have, like a specific cadence, structure to it, like, or does it just feel like when it needs to happen, you make it happen? How do you go about doing that?
00:38:34 Tammy: Yeah, well, what I will say is, my partner, Trent Thompson, is very structured. He's an amazing creative, but he's trained as an engineer. So systems, processes, planning. So he keeps that present. And he may frame something up for me to respond to and for us as a jumping off point. When you think about… what is it, Strength Finders? Strength Finders. One of my top strengths is a maximizer. And maximizer, one of the traits of a maximizer is we don't always do great with a blank page. We do much better with an idea or a spark or something to start with. And so we, another great way that we work together is that he will… together a plan and say tear it apart. I'm not attached and that's so important.
00:39:37 Tammy: Like I have to say what I have to say. And he's like, you're not gonna hurt my feelings. Because we need to make money. Ha ha ha! And again, we have to stop being ashamed of the fact that we have needs and kids and houses and mortgages and dreams and passions. So you can live a life of purpose and be financially rewarded and emotionally rewarded for it. So there's my commercial break. So no one thinks I'm a terrible, terrible human.
00:40:14 Jess: No, it is not a sin to want to be paid well. I just have to like, comment because it's had come up, like quite a few times on the podcast when we've interviewed folks who work in pairs. And even though Trent's not doing this interview with us right now, you can just tell you to a real true partners in your business. And I think it was Kishshana Palmer who first brought this to our attention, but just how much more success or faster success it seems to be that consultants who have partners tend to go.
00:40:56 Jess: And so whether that's because of the accountability or you just have that extra confidence or you are each other's, you know, you fold it into each other nicely with each other's strengths. So just think that, that, like, whether it was intentional or not is so wise for you to do and it seems to be reflected so well in your business. So I just have to like, hats off to you–
00:41:21 Tammy: Thank you.
00:41:21 Jess: For making it work because honestly like partnering up in business and in life is, can be… I'm sure, challenging at times too.
00:41:32 Tammy: Yeah, for sure. For sure. And I will say for the first, gosh, you know, like the first 12 years we were together, he had his business, I had my business, we'd have occasional shared clients. But finally, we said, we would like, we're stronger together.
00:41:51 Jess: Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:52 Tammy: And he was the one who said, I think I should get behind Fundraising Transformed.
00:41:57 Jess: Cool. I love that. Bring them over to the fundraising side. I love that. So with every episode that we do, Tammy, we have to ask what your juicy confession is in your business. It can be something that maybe you've been thinking about, but never really talked about out loud, or maybe it's something you talk about out loud all the time, but just want to share with our audience. What is your confession?
00:42:21 Tammy: Oh, my confession. I already gave a mini confession. So I'm feeling like, oh my gosh, this has to be like a more juicy, juicier confession. I don't know how exciting this is, but it is a true confession. I should have started my business much earlier. I should have, I was at the Children's Center for nine years. Like that was like a semi intermission in the life of Fundraising Transformed in my entrepreneurial journey. And it was way too long. And I will tell you. Oh, kind of a crazy story. So it really was the pandemic. It was the let's go back to work conversation. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. And there's this weird thing and magical thing.
00:43:19 Tammy: In my life, at certain times, there's the yellow birds, yellow finches, goldfinches will appear. Trent and I are taking a walk and a covey of them will fly up from a field. I'm sitting at my dining room table where we have bird feeders out through the window in the garden. And, you know, there will be two, three, six yellow finches. The day that I had set up the Zoom meeting with the executive director, CEO of the Children's Center, Debora Matthews, who has since retired. And I love this woman. She is an amazing human. And I'm resigning. I'm going through my bullet points, like it has been an amazing nine years. I've been so grateful for this opportunity. And you could see, like she suddenly, she was looking down and suddenly she's looking up. And I am actively resigning.
00:44:13 Tammy: And I glance out the dining room window and there are over 40 yellow finches on the feeder, on the ground, eating the bird seed. And the yellow finch, the yellow bird represents freedom, possibility, abundance. And it was just like, Oh my gosh, this is a sign. And so now anytime I met a crossroads in the business and I have this question, here's my, I guess, confession, because it's completely illogical and totally in the realm of magic. I will look for a yellow bird. I'll look for a sign and that's my sign. And that's like, sometimes it's the business plan. And sometimes I need a yellow bird.
00:44:59 Cindy: I love that. And that is so great. And sometimes we just need some outside like, just not, some nod from the universe to be like–
00:45:13 Tammy: Yes.
00:45:14 Cindy: You're good. Oh, so, so great, Tammy. Where can our listeners connect with you, tune into your podcast and follow along your entrepreneurial journey?
00:45:26 Tammy: Yes, thank you for asking. So wherever you consume podcasts, you will find the Intentional Fundraiser podcast. Please subscribe so you don't miss a single episode. If you like it, rate us, review it. You can go to fundraisingtransformed.com and sign up for our newsletter. We have a free mentor level community. You can sign up and participate in that way. And just even connect with me on LinkedIn. We do a lot of social on LinkedIn, post a lot of our newsletter, our blog, and just, let's just stay connected. And if of course, look for me at your favorite conferences or suggest me for your favorite conferences.
00:46:12 Cindy: Yeah, I was gonna say, one of the things that someone recently said to me was like, they were a little worried about going to a conference because it feels like so many consultants know each other and they didn't know it. And so I will say that Tammy amongst all the other amazing speakers that I have interacted with are like the most friendly and approachable people. So if you are, if you do see her in person, do go and connect because she's lovely. And there's no insider crew. Everyone is welcome at the table. So come hang out.
00:46:53 Tammy: Yeah, definitely come hang out. Thank you. Thank you both. And you're both so warm and approachable and so brilliant.
00:47:01 Cindy: Well, thank you.
00:47:02 Jess: That's so kind.
00:47:03 Cindy: Thanks a lot.
00:47:03 Jess: Thank you for being on the show today, Tammy.
00:47:06 Tammy: My pleasure. Thanks for having me.
00:47:10 Cindy: Thank you again for listening to the Confessions podcast for nonprofit coaches and consultants. If you enjoyed today's episode, which I sure hope you did, you can show your support in one of three ways.
00:47:21 Jess: Number one, post a screenshot of this episode to your Instagram stories or LinkedIn profile and tag Cindy and I so we can repost you.
00:47:29 Cindy: Number two, share this podcast with a fellow nonprofit coach or consultant.
00:47:34 Jess: And number three, leave a positive review on Apple podcasts so we can continue to grow and reach new listeners.
00:47:40 Cindy: And of course, make sure you subscribe so you can get the latest and greatest interviews as they drop every Thursday.
00:47:47 Jess: And to our fellow nonprofit coaching and consulting friends, remember, we're an open book and here to answer your burning biz questions.
00:47:55 Cindy: See you next time.