E98: Smart Growth Without the Grind: Redefining Leadership and Culture in Nonprofits with Luis Báez Artwork

Lead with Heart | Philanthropy, Nonprofit Leadership, Nonprofit Management & Fundraising

Welcome to the Lead with Heart Podcast, where the heartbeat of philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, and fundraising resonates in every episode. I'm Haley, your host—a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Certified Stress Management Coach, Certified EmC trainer, and, most importantly, a recovering nonprofit burnout survivor.

In this empowering space, we invite nonprofit professionals to amplify their voices and unveil the heart behind their missions.

Our mission is clear: to empower, elevate, and engage nonprofit leaders, fostering the growth of healthy, thriving organizations.

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Lead with Heart | Philanthropy, Nonprofit Leadership, Nonprofit Management & Fundraising

E98: Smart Growth Without the Grind: Redefining Leadership and Culture in Nonprofits with Luis Báez

June 24, 2025 • Haley Cooper | Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Certified Stress Management Coach, Certified EmC Trainer • Episode 98

What if we told you that hustle isn’t the only way to grow your nonprofit’s impact?

In this episode, I’m joined by Luis Báez, a revenue enablement strategist and sales coach whose mission is to prove that you don’t have to grind to grow. Luis spent the last decade translating high-growth tech strategies into sustainable success for executive sales leaders and heart-centered business owners. We dive into the power of servant leadership, developing strong organizational culture, and embracing smarter systems to support sustainable growth.

If you’re a nonprofit leader navigating burnout, limited resources, and siloed teams, this conversation is your permission slip to lead differently, with heart, strategy, and intention.

In this episode:

[02:52] Luis’s transition from sales to purpose-driven coaching
[04:39] What “revenue enablement” means for nonprofits
[05:57] Why donor experience matters as much as fundraising
[07:53] The mindset blocks leaders must shift to scale without burnout
[11:41] Building authentic workplace cultures from the top down
[16:02] How to align core values with everyday leadership
[20:13] Replacing grind culture with smarter systems
[22:07] Creating succession and leadership development pathways
[26:44] Moving from scarcity to abundance in nonprofit leadership
[28:37] Conscious engagement and feedback for team alignment
[31:50] A simple yet powerful strategy to build stronger teams

RESOURCES

Find Luis’s LinkedIn Learning courses here: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/luis-baez

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES

“ I like to think of nonprofits as businesses with a different tax privilege.” - Luis Báez

“ We have to honor the things that intrinsically motivate the people that we hire.” - Luis Báez

“ I'm not against working hard when it's needed. I'm just against working hard for the sake of working hard and looking busy for the sake of looking busy.” - Luis Báez

CONNECT WITH LUIS

LinkedIn: Luis Báez

Website: https://www.luisba

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies for nonprofit leaders to create real impact.

Trusted by 80,000+ organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox offers easy fundraising tools to help you raise more. From fast donation forms to crowdfunding, events, and Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, grow your impact with donorbox.org

CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a CFRE, Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, she brings experience in human services, homelessness, and youth nonprofits. She specializes in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, empowering nonprofit leaders to build thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com

Produced by Ideablossoms