At last week’s Fundraising Nest’s "Nest Fest Down Under," I was asked, “What advice would you give to your younger self?” My answer: Be your authentic self and be discerning about whose advice you listen to. Reflecting on this led me to write this blog, but I hesitated to publish. I was then inspired by Kamala Harris’ bold stand for the truth and calling out misinformation, so here it is. I’d love your thoughts.

Some time ago, I was forwarded a document, written by a purported corporate partnerships expert. It dismissed the importance of non-profits valuing their brand, claiming, “Getting your brand valued is a waste of money,” and “It won’t get you more partnerships.”

As someone who, in collaboration with experts, has developed the only rigorous process for valuing a non-profit’s brand, in Australia and New Zealand, I felt this criticism was pointed at me and my tool.

I’m all for being challenged and...

Sorry Lao Tzu, I know the journey begins with a single step but preparation is vital.

It’s been a tumultuous year for me, so a few weeks ago, I decided to escape Melbourne’s bitter winter. I booked a holiday to Bali.

My dear friend Susan, was there for work. We always have a good laugh, and a laugh was exactly what I needed. When she asked me what I wanted from my holiday, I said, "I want to come back with an aching jaw from laughing so much." So, I had a clear intention!

Ah, Bali. The brochures promise an island paradise: cocktails, white beaches, sun, massages. It's like the allure of an amazing corporate partner when you first set out on the adventure. Perhaps Bali doesn’t sound that adventurous to you, but it was my first time overseas in eight years and my first solo trip in a long while.

Three weeks ago, I boarded a 6am flight on a cold Melbourne morning. The flight was smooth - I slept all the way. When I landed, I was immediately struck by the unfamiliar....

Winter. It’s my time to light the fire, cook a hearty curry, and savour a glass of Pinot Noir. And head to bed early! For centuries, Winter has been a natural season for introspection. As nature rests and animals hibernate, humans often cocoon and reflect on life and work.

If you’re reflecting on your corporate partnerships’ strategy, now is an ideal time for a review. Whether you’re just starting out, actively pursuing corporate prospects or managing a handful of existing partnerships, setting a Corporate Partnerships Intention is a great way to re-align your corporate partnerships strategy with your Mission and Vision.

There’re 3 good reasons to set a Corporate Partnerships Intention:

1) Focus

It gets you focused on a clear outcome so you can concentrate all your energy on that and avoid distractions and so-called ‘opportunities’ that throw you off course. Changemakers can’t waste a drop of precious time. There’s a world of...

A brilliant example of a corporate that’s bringing its full resources to bear for a cause, is that of rebel. Partnering with Lifeline since 2021, they’ve made a significant financial commitment, initiated campaigns, and leveraged their digital channels, retail outlets, suppliers, and sporting ambassadors to champion mental health and raise funds.

rebel – Australia’s leading sports retailer – believes in the transformative power of sport. To rebel, it’s more than just fitness - it’s about holistic well-being. Sport can build confidence, swim off a bad day and slam dunk stress. They express this belief in three simple words: ‘Sport is Calling’.

As a torchbearer for well-being, it made sense to partner with a leader in mental health – Lifeline. It was a perfect match – both iconic brands, with national reach, serving a young adult audience. Not to mention that ‘Sport is Calling’ neatly aligns to a...

In part 1 (read here) I explained the difference between the words Philanthropy and Capitalism, Collaboration and Partnership, all Greek words popularised by the Romans. Philanthropy means ‘love of mankind’, capitalism means ‘an economic system controlled by private owners for profit’. Quite different. Collaboration and Partnership – which is what we at BePartnerReady.com® specialise in – is about working together, sharing resources and responsibilities with mutual benefit.

Practical differences

There are theoretical differences but also practical and legal differences. When a company partners with a charity and derives a commercial difference (eg there is mutual benefit), it cannot be called a ‘philanthropic donation’ because according to the ATO, it’s not. If a company’s ‘philanthropic foundation’ invests money into a charity and claims a philanthropic tax deduction, they cannot ask or demand logo...

Some phrases just become part of everyday language. Many come from Shakespeare but occasionally a comedian says something so funny it’s embraced by the world over.

John Cleese is a comedian best known for (TV show) Fawlty Towers but before that he was in a group called Monty Python, with 4 other comic geniuses. In the cult film The Life of Brian he asks “what did the Romans ever do for us?”[1] And the group respond “the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system…”.  It’s funnier when you watch it – trust me.

Philanthropy

As well as wine, irrigation etc, the Romans also popularised[2] a word I hear at least 10 times a day – Philanthropy. It comes from ‘philanthropia’ which means ‘love of humanity’. Its roots are Latin: ‘philos’ (loving) and ‘anthropos’ (human being) combined.

Today, modern philanthropy embodies the act of...

It’s no secret that recruitment and retention of talented people within the non-profit sector is challenging. Staff turnover in 2023 was at 9%[1] (working with non-profits for almost 30 years, I reckon it’s much higher). I believe it has much to do with three things: 1) insufficient support 2) little opportunity for advancement and 3) overwork.

Working in a non-profit is hard. Physically, intellectually and emotionally. People who choose to work for non-profits are deeply invested. They’re about impact, and when they can’t see it, or are being held back from achieving goals, it wounds them, profoundly. I know this as I hear it all too often from students.

So, if they feel unsupported, not nurtured and overworked, it’ll result in burnout, mental health issues and ultimately, yet another resignation.

Professional development - investing in people - is a relatively easy way to address all three issues. 

Support

If you’re working within a big,...

It was 2018. I was burned out and on the verge of walking away from the business I’d built up over 23 years. I’d moved from Melbourne to a small country town in Victoria (for love and a balanced lifestyle). Let the team go, working alone for the first time in years, struggling with technology & loneliness. I hated every minute of it. The worst-case scenario – lose the business, sell the house that my husband had built with his own hands, buy a caravan and travel around Australia – was looking very appealing.

But fate had other ideas. As a last ditched attempt to try and ‘get with the technology’ program, I put a post on the local Warburton facebook page to see if there was anyone that had the skill set to create videos.

First message and enjoying Hailey’s gin cocktail

Kate Perkins AKA Perko, responded. Kate had spent 4 years as a senior relationship manager at LinkedIn and did brilliant music videos in her spare time, for fun. I...

It’s the 1950’s. The era of pointy boobs, Good Housekeeping, tv dinners, Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor.  Ford is one of the most successful car companies in the world, due to Henry Ford’s invention of the moving assembly line. In the fifties, Ford was riding the wave of the industrial revolution.

But then Ford decided to create a new car model that would fit between the Ford and Mercury brands, targeting the mid-priced automobile market. This ambitious project was named the Edsel, after Edsel Ford, the son of the company's founder.

Ford invested heavily in the development and marketing of the Edsel, allocating a substantial budget for design, production and promotion. The company aimed to make the Edsel a symbol of innovation and style, incorporating unique features and a distinctive design.

However, despite careful planning and substantial investment (US$250 million), the Edsel faced numerous challenges upon its launch in 1957. The car's unique design,...

When the Barbie movie first came out, I was hesitant to go see it. Then my friends – from ages 14 – 70 - kept saying “Have you seen Barbie? It’s fantastic! It’s not what you expect!”

The Barbie movie broke 17 box office records. The biggest opening by a female director, highest grossing film by a female a director and the highest grossing movie of 2023, to name just three. Aside from the hundreds of millions of dollars invested in pink-saturated marketing and 100+ brand collaborations to create hype, why did this movie, starring a 64-year-old doll, create such a buzz?

I believe it’s got a lot to do with the brand’s willingness to listen to its customers, adapt its product to reflect consumer attitudes and evolve to remain contemporary, in demand and relevant.

Barbie launched in 1959, the brainchild of Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler, named after her daughter, Barbara. ‘Ponytail Barbie’ was influenced by 1950s movie stars,...