DiscoverLead with Heart | Philanthropy, Nonprofit Leadership, Nonprofit Management & FundraisingE98: Smart Growth Without the Grind: Redefining Leadership and Culture in Nonprofits with Luis Báez
E98: Smart Growth Without the Grind: Redefining Leadership and Culture in Nonprofits with Luis Báez

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

Update: 2025-06-24
Share

Description

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

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.

As the fundraising engine of choice for over 80,000 organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox’s easy-to-use fundraising tools help you raise more money in more ways. Seamlessly embed a customizable donation form into your website that reduces donor drop-off with a 4x faster checkout, launch a crowdfunding or peer-to-peer campaign, sell event tickets, raise funds on the go with Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and much more. Learn more at 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

Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

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

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

Haley Cooper | Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Certified Stress Management Coach, Certified EmC Trainer