The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser
The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser is the podcast I wish had existed during my 15 years in fundraising. It’s a love offering to the people behind the mission—the professional fundraisers who give their hearts and energy every day to make the world better.
This show isn’t about strategy, metrics, or money. It’s about you—the human being doing the work. Each episode offers real tools and soulful conversations to help you regulate your nervous system, reconnect with your purpose, and renew your energy so you can lead with clarity, compassion, and courage.
If you’ve ever felt stretched thin, overworked, or caught in the constant pressure to perform, this podcast is your invitation to return home to yourself. Join me to learn how to cultivate balance, resilience, and authentic impact—from the inside out.
Full Episode Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/fkFZpmNYF3v
Episodes
39 episodes
Who Does She Think She Is?
The Fear That Keeps Brilliant Women Playing SmallHave you ever downplayed your accomplishments, brushed off a compliment, or hesitated to celebrate a win because you didn't want to seem arrogant?Many of us were taught that ...
Getting Fired Might Be the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You.
How Unexpected Endings Can Lead You Back to YourselfLosing a job can feel devastating. It can shake your confidence, your identity, and your sense of security. But what if getting fired wasn't the end of your story? What if it was...
How to Fundraise as a Board Member Without Burning Out
Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than Fundraising ExperienceServing on a nonprofit board can be one of the most meaningful ways to give back—but it can also become one of the fastest paths to burnout if you're carrying too ...
Calm the Chaos, Challenge Distortions with Kelly Hint
How cognitive distortions drive fundraising anxiety—and a simple progressive muscle relaxation practice to shift your nervous system back into ease, clarity, and authentic confidence.Ever feel like you have to be “palatable” to do...
The Lava Rock Effect
Why Other People's Emotions Keep Pulling You Away from Your Most Important WorkHave you ever sat down with a clear plan for your day… only to find yourself pulled into everyone else's problems?In this episode, Erin shares a...
The Emotional Work No One Trains You For, with Betsy Burris
What Teachers and Fundraisers Can Teach Each Other About Burnout, Boundaries, and Being HumanTeachers and fundraisers may seem worlds apart—but underneath the surface, they're doing remarkably similar emotional work.In this...
You're Talking Yourself Out of Donations
How Your Words Can Make Donors Pull AwayHave you ever answered a simple question and then kept talking long after you'd already answered it?Maybe you've explained your reasoning, then explained your explanation, then explai...
The Urgency Trap
Why Moving Faster Isn't Always the AnswerWhat if the thing making you feel like you need to speed up is actually the thing asking you to slow down?In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin ...
Your Nervous System IS the Fundraising Strategy, with Dr. Pollyanna Chavez
The “state” shift that turns scarcity into abundance… fastIn this episode, Erin sits down with Dr. Pollyanna Chavez, hypnotherapist and NLP trainer, to explore why your state might be your most powerful fundraising tool. ...
The Thoughts You Keep Thinking About Money
And Why They Keep Becoming Your RealityWhat if the thoughts you repeat most often about money are quietly shaping your entire life?In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explore...
The Myth of the Selfless Servant
Why Overresponsibility Eventually Turns Into ResentmentWhat if the very thing that makes you “good” at fundraising is also quietly exhausting you?In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright e...
Why Nice Fundraisers Become Bitter
How resentment quietly builds when you abandon yourself for the missionHave you ever noticed how some people in fundraising start out hopeful, warm, and deeply connected to the mission… and a few years later they’re cynical, exhau...
You’re Not Stuck—You’ve Hit Your Money Ceiling
The invisible limit that’s controlling how much money you raise.Have you ever had a stretch in your fundraising where things feel easy—momentum is building, conversations are flowing—and then suddenly, it’s like you hit a wall?
When Fundraising Becomes Your Identity, with Mallory Erickson
Why Stress, Comparison, and “Not Enough” Are Driving More Than You ThinkIn this conversation, Erin McQuade-Wright sits down with fundraising coach and What the Fundraising host Mallory Erickson to explore the inner dyna...
You’re Walking Past Money Every Day (Here’s Why)
The hidden filter that’s keeping you from seeing opportunity right in front of youIf 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 powerf...
Why You Feel Stuck (and the Simple Shift That Gets You Moving Today)
The hidden reason you’re avoiding action—and how to move anywayIf 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 episod...
Why Asking for Money Feels So Personal
The Psychology Behind Fundraising Discomfort — And What to Do About ItWhy does asking for money feel so… personal?In this episode, Erin explores the moment many fundraisers recognize: when a professional ask suddenly feels ...
Why Fundraisers Feel Responsible for the Money
The Hidden Pressure Behind Nonprofit Revenue GoalsIf 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. Prog...
Mission Over Burnout with Mary Beth Alvarez
What Fundraisers, Donors, and Doctors Can Teach Us About Sustainability, Mental Health, and the Long GameIn this episode of The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser, Erin is joined by Mary Beth Alvarez, a dual-boarded int...
Hold Your Own Energy: A Somatic Reset for Fundraising Events
A Nervous System Approach to Donor Events, Fundraising Anxiety, and Executive PresenceHave you ever left a fundraising gala feeling outwardly successful but internally depleted?Fundraising events are high-stimulation enviro...
The Enneagram in Fundraising: Your Superpower and Your Growth Edge
How Your Enneagram Type Shapes Donor Relationships, Major Gifts, and Sustainable Fundraising SuccessHave you ever wondered why certain parts of fundraising feel effortless — while others drain you?In this episode of The...
Fundraising Resilience: What Are You Making It Mean?
How donor “no’s,” board scrutiny, and grant rejections shape your nervous system—and how to build real resilience from the inside out.Fundraising is a profession built on exposure to rejection. Donors decline. Boards stress-test y...
Reactive Boss, Constant Pivoting: How Fundraisers Handle Workplace Whiplash Without Burning Out
How to stop managing everyone else’s anxiety and protect your clarity, confidence, and fundraising results.If your workplace feels like emotional whiplash—full speed ahead on a campaign one day, questioning the entire strategy the...