Contagious Culture

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Oct 29, 2026 31 min

#220 | Mission Matters Series: How to Tell a Story That Makes People Give

Episode 222

Show notes

Data informs and logic convinces, but story moves people to act. In this episode, Kyle breaks down what a story actually is (and what it isn't), the three parts every powerful story needs, and the PACT framework for shaping one in minutes. You'll hear a before-and-after example, the five story types every nonprofit needs, and the seven mistakes that quietly kill connection. Then he shows you how to build a story bank so you never walk into a donor meeting empty-handed.

In this episode:

• What a story is: a person at the center, a tension in the middle, and a resolution that invites someone in
• Why an annual report, a program list, or a mission statement isn't a story
• The PACT framework: Person, Action, Conflict, Transformation
• The hook, the bridge, and the ask, or how to earn attention in seven seconds
• Five story types: Origin, Impact, Crisis, Community, and Future
• Seven story mistakes and how to fix them
• Where to use your story, from email appeals to board meetings
• How to build a story bank your whole team feeds

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Why story moves people
• 3:00 What a story is, and what it isn't
• 6:00 The anatomy of a story
• 9:00 The PACT framework
• 13:00 Before and after: a report vs. a story
• 16:00 Capturing an audience: hook, bridge, ask
• 19:00 Five story types every nonprofit needs
• 22:30 Seven story mistakes
• 25:30 Building your story bank
• 28:00 Your challenge

Episode History:

• 0:00 Cold open
• 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud
• 4:00 Why subtraction comes first
• 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3
• 16:00 What I'm making room for
• 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations
• 22:30 How to let go without guilt
• 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns
• 28:30 Challenge and close

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Oct 22, 2026 35 min

#219 | Housing Is the Foundation: Jessica Lefkowitz & Dr. KT Harcourt-Medina on Ending Homelessness

Episode 235

Show notes

Homelessness is a circumstance, not an identity. In this episode, Kyle King sits down with Jessica Lefkowitz, Founder and Executive Director of Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition, and Dr. KT Harcourt-Medina, the organization’s Director of Impact and Development, to talk about ending unsheltered homelessness through street outreach, data, and dignity.

Jessica shares why she founded the organization in 2020 and what it means to address homelessness with ethical urgency. KT explains how she turns impact data into stories that move funders and community partners. Together, they talk about supporting outreach staff, breaking down misconceptions, and how Charlotte can come together to help more neighbors find permanent housing.

In this episode:

• Why street outreach and Housing First go hand in hand
• What “ethical urgency” means in the fight to end homelessness
• How Hearts for the Invisible served 755 people and helped achieve 198 permanent housing placements in 2025
• Using data and storytelling to show nonprofit impact
• Supporting front-line staff and preventing burnout
• Misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness
• Another Day in Paradise, an evening of storytelling and impact on November 14

About Jessica: Jessica Lefkowitz founded Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition in 2020 and has grown it into Mecklenburg County’s lead housing-focused street outreach agency. She has served as board chair of the Mecklenburg County Continuum of Care and was recently selected for the 11th edition of Who’s Who in Black Charlotte.

About KT: Dr. KT Harcourt-Medina is Director of Impact and Development at Hearts for the Invisible, with more than 15 years of experience in applied research, data, and program evaluation. She previously led evaluation of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s A Home For All strategy at United Way of Greater Charlotte and served as an associate professor at East Carolina University.

Connect:

• Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition
• Email: info@hfticc.org
• Another Day in Paradise, November 14, Independent Picture House, Charlotte

This week’s challenge: The next time you see an unhoused neighbor, see the person first. A kind word, eye contact, or a cold bottle of water can remind someone they still matter.

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Oct 19, 2026 54 min

#218 | Mission Matters Series: Donors Don't Fund What You Did. They Fund What Changed.

Episode 219

Show notes

"We served 200 students" is an output. "200 students gained mentorship, confidence, and career pathways" is impact. In this episode, Kyle explains the difference and why it changes everything about how you raise money. He walks through the Story of Impact framework and the Million Dollar Nonprofit Map. He also shows what a $1,000,000 year could actually look like, plus the five things that make that number possible. You'll leave with a strategic ask script you can use this week.

In this episode:

• Output vs. impact: "What did we do?" versus "What's different because we showed up?"
• The Story of Impact: Problem, Person, Proof, Pathway
• The Million Dollar Nonprofit Map: clarify impact, build the case, map your network, open doors, make asks, steward and repeat
• What a $1,000,000 year could look like, broken down by relationship type
• What makes the number possible: credibility, clarity, proximity, pathways, and rhythm
• Creating proximity with partners: invite, immerse, and innovate
• The strategic ask script

Timestamps:

• 0:00 You cannot scale impact alone
• 2:30 Output is not impact
• 7:00 The Story of Impact
• 11:00 The Million Dollar Nonprofit Map
• 15:00 What could $1,000,000 look like?
• 18:00 What makes the number possible
• 21:30 Creating proximity with partners
• 24:00 The strategic ask script
• 27:00 30 people, 30 asks, 7 days

Episode History:

• 0:00 Cold open
• 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud
• 4:00 Why subtraction comes first
• 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3
• 16:00 What I'm making room for
• 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations
• 22:30 How to let go without guilt
• 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns
• 28:30 Challenge and close

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Oct 15, 2026 27 min

#217 | Why Not You? 34 Lessons on Leadership, Love, and Becoming

Episode 234

Show notes

Yesterday I turned 34. Instead of a party, I want to give you something: 34 lessons I've learned about leadership, relationships, boundaries, rest, and becoming the person you're called to be. Some of these I learned through wins.

Most I learned through hard seasons. In this solo episode of Contagious Culture, I'm sharing all 34, grouped into five themes: knowing where you belong, choosing your posture, leading with character, knowing your worth, and pacing yourself. Grab a pen. At least one of these is for you today.

In this episode:

• Why you should go and settle where you're valued
• Change it, accept it, or remove it: a simple filter for hard situations
• Why love is a behavior, and character is a love language
• Getting comfortable saying no without an explanation
• Why the best addiction is subtraction
• Fast is slow, slow is fast, and why you have more time than you think
• Why not you?

This week's challenge: Pick the one lesson that hit hardest and write it somewhere you'll see it every day this week. Then send this episode to someone who needs that lesson too.

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Oct 13, 2026 57 min

#216 | Mission Matters Series: Pressure Doesn't Lie, Your Roadmap For Q4

Episode 223

Show notes

Q4 is here, and with it come year-end giving, budget season, Giving Tuesday, and the quiet creep of burnout. Kyle unpacks why the final 90 days of the year reveal an organization's real culture. He covers the five culture killers that show up every Q4 and how to finish strong without finishing your people. He also explains why year-end giving is a culture moment, not just a fundraising moment. Plus, he shares his own Q4 commitments and a challenge to carry you to December 31.

In this episode:

• Why pressure doesn't create culture, it reveals it
• Three questions to diagnose your culture under load
• The five Q4 culture killers: the scarcity spiral, the hero complex, communication collapse, gratitude going dark, and the January hangover
• Four practices for finishing strong without burning people out
• Why you should thank before you ask this giving season
• A four-question Q4 culture plan you can build in minutes

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Values on the wall vs. culture under load
• 3:00 Pressure reveals culture
• 8:30 The five Q4 culture killers
• 14:00 Kyle's Q4 commitments
• 15:30 Finish strong without finishing people
• 20:30 Year-end giving as a culture moment
• 24:00 Build your Q4 culture plan
• 27:30 Your challenge

Episode History:

• 0:00 Cold open
• 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud
• 4:00 Why subtraction comes first
• 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3
• 16:00 What I'm making room for
• 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations
• 22:30 How to let go without guilt
• 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns
• 28:30 Challenge and close

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Oct 8, 2026 28 min

#215 | Mission Matters Series: Why The Cure For Burnout is Each Other

Episode 224

Show notes

We're more connected than ever, and lonelier than ever. In this episode, Kylemakes the case that community isn't a perk; it's medicine. He explores why isolation hits leaders and mission-driven teams especially hard, why a network can't heal you the way a community can, and the five ingredients that make community work like a prescription.

In this episode:

• Why so much of what we call burnout is really isolation
• The difference between a network (access) and a community (belonging)
• Five ingredients of healing community: regularity, belonging before productivity, being known, permission to not be okay, and mutual care
• Practical ways leaders can build community into meetings, teams, and everyday rhythms
• Why leaders have to protect their own "dose" of community first

Episode History:

• 0:00 When was the last time someone checked on you?
• 2:00 Welcome and episode overview
• 5:00 The quiet epidemic of loneliness
• 15:00 Network vs. community
• 27:00 Five ingredients of community as medicine
• 42:00 How leaders prescribe community
• 54:00 Your prescription for this week

This week's challenge: Reach out to one person you haven't checked on in a while. No agenda. Just ask, "How are you really doing?" and listen.

Resources mentioned:

• U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 advisory on loneliness and isolation
• Contagious Culture Podcastathon, Community edition: livestreaming October 29
• Kyle'sweekly newsletter: an episode, a tool, and a word of encouragement every week

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Oct 5, 2026 33 min

#214 | Mission Matters Series: What I'm Leaving Behind in Q3 and You Should Too

Episode 218

Show notes

You can't pour into a big season with a full cup. As Q4 kicks off, Kyleturns the mic on himself and shares the three things he's intentionally leaving behind: a habit, a yes, and a story he's been telling himself. He explains why subtraction comes before growth, how organizations collect "cultural clutter," and how to let go without carrying guilt. Then he walks you through a 10-minute reflection so you head into the last 90 days of the year lighter than you arrived.

In this episode:

• Why most of us don't have a capacity problem, we have a clutter problem
• The three reasons letting go is so hard: sunk cost, identity, and fear of disappointing people
• The three things Kyle is leaving in Q3: grabbing his phone the second he wakes up, saying yes to every coffee meeting, and the story that "if I'm not busy, I'm falling behind"
• Five types of cultural clutter hiding in your organization, from zombie meetings to outdated stories
• Four ways to let go without guilt, including the "trial, not a tattoo" approach
• A guided two-column reflection you can do in 10 minutes

Episode History:

• 0:00 Cold open
• 1:00 Why I'm doing this out loud
• 4:00 Why subtraction comes first
• 8:00 The three things I'm leaving in Q3
• 16:00 What I'm making room for
• 18:00 Cultural clutter for teams and organizations
• 22:30 How to let go without guilt
• 25:30 Guided reflection: your two columns
• 28:30 Challenge and close

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Oct 1, 2026 36 min

#213 | From Raising Money to Raising People: Building Courageous Nonprofits with Jonathon Roe

Episode 217

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle sits down with Jonathon Roe, Founder and CEO of Venture 1:9, for a conversation on courageous nonprofit leadership, sustainable growth, fundraising, organizational strategy, and creating nonprofits that actually move the needle.

Jonathon shares his journey from nearly two decades of church and ministry leadership into nonprofit coaching, training, and development. He explains why Venture 1:9 believes the world doesn't need more nonprofits, it needs more courageous nonprofits and why effective leadership, clear strategic direction, and sustainable funding are essential to creating lasting impact.

This episode is a powerful reminder that nonprofit leadership isn't simply about keeping an organization busy. It's about building the leadership, strategy, relationships, and resources necessary to create meaningful and sustainable change.

Key Topics
• Building courageous nonprofit organizations
• The three pillars of a healthy nonprofit
• Effective leadership and organizational assessment
• Creating clear strategic direction
• Building sustainable funding models
• Fundraising as relationship building
• Moving beyond transactional fundraising
• Raising people instead of simply raising money

Key Takeaways
• The world doesn't need more nonprofits, it needs more courageous nonprofits.
• A healthy nonprofit requires effective leadership, clear strategic direction, and sustainable funding.
• Fundraising is not simply about raising money; it's about raising up people.
• Donors want to understand why their involvement matters and what their support makes possible.
• Strong fundraising starts with genuine relationships, not an immediate ask.
• Nonprofit leaders should know the stories and motivations behind their strongest supporters.
• Be specific when communicating opportunities for people to get involved.
• Before asking supporters for another gift, show them the impact of their previous one.
• Leaders have to honestly assess where their organization is strong and where it needs help.
• Sustainable nonprofit growth requires more than passion, it requires leadership, strategy, and infrastructure.
• The goal isn't simply to stay busy; it's to move the needle.
• Courageous leadership means being willing to take the next step even when you don't have every piece of the puzzle.

Episode History
00:00 — Kyle introduces Jonathon and Venture 1:9
02:00 — Jonathon's journey into nonprofit leadership and coaching
06:00 — Taking a leap of faith and moving to Arizona
10:00 — The story and mission behind Venture 1:9
14:00 — Why the world needs courageous nonprofits
18:00 — The three pillars of a healthy nonprofit
22:00 — Assessing leadership, strategy, and funding
26:00 — Venture 1:9's training, coaching, and granting model
30:00 — Why fundraising is about more than raising money
34:00 — Building authentic relationships with donors
38:00 — Three practical things nonprofit leaders can do
42:00 — Getting to know the stories behind your supporters
46:00 — Creating specific opportunities for people to give
50:00 — Reporting impact and closing the loop with donors
54:00 — Leading with courage and creating sustainable impact
58:00 — Jonathon's final encouragement for nonprofit leaders
01:00:00 — Kyle closes the conversation

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Sep 17, 2026 34 min

#212 | Healing Through Movement, Connection, and Purpose W/ Shanea Calhoun

Episode 216

Show notes

What if therapy didn't require sitting still? In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with Shanea Calhoun, founder of Therapy and Motion, an organization built on purposeful movement, human connection, and inclusive wellness. A Division I triathlete turned entrepreneur, Shanea shares how her love of movement became a model for meeting people exactly where they are — serving individuals with autism, Down syndrome, TBIs, and dementia through adaptive, creative, connection-first care.

The conversation goes beyond the work itself. Shanea opens up about the moment she went from being the resource to needing one, why healing is a slow and personal staircase, and how her own therapy is watching the people she serves thrive. It's a candid look at purpose, resilience, and taking care of yourself with the same rigor you pour into everyone else.

In this episode

• The origin of Therapy and Motion and why it looks beyond traditional therapy
• What makes the program unique: serving lower-functioning populations from age three to dementia care
• Behavior as communication — learning to listen to what someone can't say in words
• The early challenge of standing out, and the current challenge of finding staff with the heart for the work
• Shanae's background as a University of Pittsburgh triathlete and how sport shaped her leadership
• The story that keeps her going: moving to North Carolina and becoming the one in need of a resource
• Advice for entrepreneurs running low on passion — prayer, mentorship, and remembering your "why"
• How Shanea defines healing, and why it looks different for everyone
• Why the work is her own therapy
• What she's running toward vs. running from as a leader
• What's next: the nonprofit arm, Sports Motion in Learning

Key takeaways

• Meet people where they are — don't make them fit your program.
• Everyone can move, everyone can communicate something, and everyone needs connection.
• At any moment, the person serving can become the person in need. Lead with that awareness.
• Healing is a continual, step-by-step journey, not a quick fix.
• Take care of yourself with the same care you give others — you deserve it, and it's possible.

Memorable moment

"Life is a staircase… eventually you'll get to the top — not society's top, but their top."

About the guest

Shanea Calhoun is the founder of Therapy and Motion, which delivers therapeutic recreation, movement, cognitive activities, and purposeful connection for individuals with diverse needs. She is also building the organization's nonprofit arm, Sports Motion in Learning, aimed at expanding inclusive, adaptive wellness into sports and community settings.

Connect with Shanea

• Instagram: @therapyinmotion_LLC
• Facebook: Therapy in Motion
• Personal: Shanea Calhoun

Follow the show

If this episode moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it. And go support Therapy in Motion — be a supporter, not just a watcher.

The energy you bring is the culture you create.

Sep 10, 2026 30 min

#211 | From Group Chat to Global Impact W/ Nick Kalenichenko

Episode 215

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle sits down with Nick Kalanichenko, founder of Kingdom Kickbacks, for a conversation on community, leadership, volunteer engagement, nonprofit growth, and building organizations that can sustain their mission.

Nick shares how Kingdom Kickbacks started as a simple group chat between friends across churches and grew into a thriving community serving thousands of young adults in Charlotte. He opens up about the challenges that come when a mission grows faster than the systems supporting it, the decision to bring on an Executive Director, and why sustainable growth requires leaders to learn how to delegate, empower others, and build a team around the mission.

This episode is a reminder that growth is both a gift and a responsibility. When the mission outgrows the capacity of the founders, leaders have to be willing to evolve, build systems, trust others, and create a structure that allows the mission to keep moving forward.

Key Topics
• Building community from the ground up
• Growing a mission-driven organization organically
• Volunteer leadership and engagement
• Delegation and empowering others
• Knowing when to hire your first executive leader
• Transitioning from founder-led to team-led leadership
• Building sustainable nonprofit infrastructure
• Identifying and responding to real community needs
• Networking and learning from other leaders
• Scaling a nonprofit without losing the mission
• Building a repeatable organizational playbook
• Expanding impact into new communities

Episode History
00:00 — Kyle introduces Nick and the story behind Kingdom Kickbacks
02:00 — How a simple group chat became a growing community
06:00 — Creating consistent community for young adults in Charlotte
10:00 — Growing through worship, service, and relationships
14:00 — The challenges of leading a rapidly growing organization
18:00 — Learning to delegate and empower volunteers
22:00 — Recognizing when the mission has outgrown the founders' capacity
26:00 — The decision to hire an Executive Director
30:00 — Finding the right leader from within the volunteer community
34:00 — Building sustainable systems and nonprofit infrastructure
38:00 — What Mission Charlotte revealed about the organization's capacity
42:00 — Why networking and learning from other leaders matters
46:00 — The importance of identifying a real community need
50:00 — Nick's vision for expanding Kingdom Kickbacks into new cities
54:00 — Final leadership lessons and closing

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Sep 3, 2026 27 min

#210 | When Purpose Meets Process with Heather Shafter

Episode 214

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle sits down with Heather Shafter, COO, keynote speaker, author, and operations consultant, for a conversation on purpose, process, leadership, and healthy organizational culture.

Heather shares how purpose-driven organizations can move from big vision to clear execution, why leaders need curiosity in difficult conversations, and how strong processes help teams avoid burnout, confusion, and mission drift.

This episode is a reminder that passion alone is not enough. To build something sustainable, leaders need clarity, communication, accountability, and systems that support the mission.

Key Topics

• Purpose-driven leadership
• Difficult conversations and curiosity
• Bias, identity, and respectful dialogue
• People problems vs. process problems
• Role clarity and accountability
• Healthy organizational culture
• Mission alignment
• Strategic planning and execution
• The Entrepreneurial Operating System and Traction
• Building sustainable teams and organizations

Key Takeaways

• Difficult conversations become easier when leaders stay curious.
• Many “people problems” are actually process problems.
• Healthy culture shows up in how people communicate, help one another, and make decisions.
• Purpose-driven organizations need systems to sustain their mission.
• A strategic plan only works when it is used consistently.
• Leaders must identify the work that creates the greatest mission impact.
• Culture is what people consistently experience, not just what leaders say.

Episode History

00:00 — Kyle introduces Heather and the focus of the conversation
02:00 — Heather shares what is inspiring her right now
04:00 — Difficult conversations, curiosity, and respectful disagreement
08:00 — Bias, humanity, and learning from people with different views
12:00 — Leadership lessons from mentorship and operations
15:00 — People problems vs. process problems
18:00 — What healthy culture looks like behind the scenes
22:00 — Aligning daily work with mission
26:00 — Strategic planning and choosing quarterly priorities
30:00 — Heather shares why justice and purpose drive her work
34:00 — Final leadership challenge and closing

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Aug 13, 2026 33 min

#209 | You Can’t Scale Culture If You’re Losing Yourself W/ Kyle S. King

Episode 213

Show notes

In this solo episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King reflects on leadership, burnout, capacity, and the hidden cost of building something that matters.

Kyle shares why many leaders are not struggling because they lack ability, but because they are carrying too much. He opens up about moving the Contagious Culture Conference to 2027, simplifying organizational priorities, and learning to build a company that fits within his life instead of consuming it.

This episode challenges leaders to stop adding more and start asking what needs to be removed, realigned, or rebuilt.

Key Takeaways

•

Leaders often break because they are carrying too much.

•

Growth sometimes requires removing, not adding.

•

You cannot scale culture if you are losing yourself.

•

Alignment matters more than activity.

•

Teams should be built around needed skills, not comfort.

•

Strong leaders tell the truth, even when decisions are hard.

•

Your organization should fit inside your life, not become your life.

Episode History

00:00 — Welcome and Episode #209 milestone
01:50 — Leaders are carrying too much
03:45 — Success, wholeness, and unbecoming
06:00 — Why the conference moved to 2027
08:00 — Leaders default under pressure
10:30 — Combining Growth Lab and Growth Alliance
11:00 — Capacity challenges and founder limits
12:45 — Identifying team skill gaps
14:30 — Aligning podcast, community, and offers
15:30 — Playing defense through processes, personnel, and systems
19:10 — You cannot scale culture if you are losing yourself
21:30 — Let the company fit inside your life
22:50 — Final challenge and closing

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Jul 10, 2026 26 min

#208 | The Power of Shrimp to Change Lives W/ Maxie Gluckman, Ph.D.

Episode 210

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King sits down with Maxie Gluckman , executive director of Friends of Fundesur, to explore leadership, global service, education, migration, and the power of listening.

Maxie shares how her journey as a teacher, researcher, and global citizen led her to support communities in southern Honduras through a foundation connected to the shrimp industry.

They discuss how environmental and economic changes affect families, why storytelling must center dignity instead of trauma, and how leadership often begins with one small act of courage and kindness.

The message is simple: you do not have to change the entire world at once. You can listen, take action, and create meaningful change one person at a time.

Episode History

00:00 — Introduction
01:00 — Maxie’s walkout song and educational journey
02:30 — Growing up as a first-generation American
03:30 — Teaching and learning from immigrant families
04:50 — The work of Friends of Fundesur
05:45 — Why shrimp farming has become more difficult
07:00 — How supply-chain changes affect children and families
07:30 — Why this work became Maxie’s calling
08:45 — Leadership through action
09:15 — A small act of kindness after a fundraiser
11:00 — Stories from migrant families
13:15 — Identity beyond professional titles
14:30 — Running toward motherhood and greater equity
16:30 — How listeners can support the mission
17:30 — Maxie’s slingshot moments
18:30 — Identity, allyship, and community work
19:30 — Reconnecting a mother and daughter
21:30 — Advice for sustaining meaningful work
22:30 — Where to connect with Friends of Fundesur

Key Takeaways

• Listening to communities should come before designing solutions for them.
• Leadership is choosing to act when doing nothing would be easier.
• Small moments of kindness can hold as much meaning as large-scale initiatives.
• Stories should highlight resilience, learning, and dignity, not only trauma.
• Access and privilege create a responsibility to build bridges for others.
• Community work requires humility, self-awareness, and a willingness to question your role.
• Caring for yourself is necessary if you want to continue caring for others.
• Relationships and introductions can be just as valuable as financial donations.

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Jul 9, 2026 28 min

#207 | From Boardroom Ideas to Meaningful Action W/ Kelly Beeland

Episode 209

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle Kingsits down with nonprofit strategy and execution advisor Kelly Beeland to explore why so many strategic plans stall after they are approved.

Kelly shares how boards and executive directors can create clarity, assess capacity, define roles, strengthen governance, and move from endless conversation to meaningful execution.

The message is clear: strategy only creates impact when people understand the plan, know their responsibilities, and have the capacity to act.

Episode History

00:00 — Introduction
02:30 — Kelly’s journey into change management
04:00 — Lessons from large-scale transformation
06:00 — Governance and nonprofit board leadership
09:00 — Seeing both systems and people
10:30 — Where struggling boards should begin
12:30 — Getting everyone on the same page
14:30 — Creating a culture of execution
17:00 — Capacity, alignment, and role clarity
19:30 — Building the right board
22:00 — The value of serving on an emerging board
24:00 — Developing high-performing boards
25:30 — Planning board development across the year
28:00 — What is next for Kelly
31:00 — Supporting burned-out executive directors

Key Takeaways

• A strategic plan is only useful when it includes clear ownership, timing, and execution.
• Boards often struggle because members do not understand their role or expectations.
• Alignment and role clarity are different from capacity, but all three affect performance.
• Boards should plan for the full year instead of moving from one meeting agenda to the next.
• Committees need defined responsibilities, deadlines, and reporting structures.
• Executive directors must honestly assess what their organization can accomplish with its current resources.
• A strong relationship between the board chair and executive director is essential.

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Jul 8, 2026 39 min

#206 | Reclaim Your Story and Lead Unapologetically W/ Frank Velásquez Jr.

Episode 211

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle Kingsits down with Frank Velásquez Jr. for a powerful conversation about authenticity, courage, joy, and reclaiming the stories that shape who we are.

Frank shares how values-aligned leadership can help people become more confident, lead with greater intention, and create environments where others feel seen, supported, and empowered.

The message is clear: meaningful leadership begins when you stop hiding, own your story, and give yourself permission to lead unapologetically.

Episode History

00:00 — Introduction
01:15 — Meet Frank Velásquez Jr.
03:30 — Frank’s origin story and leadership journey
06:45 — Reclaiming your personal story
10:00 — Authenticity and values-aligned leadership
14:30 — Leading with courage
18:00 — Practicing joy unapologetically
22:00 — Creating spaces where people can show up fully
26:00 — The leadership program and its impact
30:00 — Why Frank is determined to restart the program
33:00 — Advice for leaders who are hiding parts of themselves
36:00 — How to connect with and support Frank
38:00 — Final reflections

Key Takeaways

• Authentic leadership requires the courage to be fully seen.
• Your values should shape the way you lead.
• Joy is not separate from serious leadership. It can strengthen your impact.
• Your story can become a source of connection, purpose, and confidence.
• Transformational programs give people space to discover who they are and how they want to lead.
• Reclaiming your story allows you to lead without apology.

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Jul 7, 2026 33 min

#205 | Why Nonprofits Need Infrastructure, Collaboration, and Clarity With RJ Caswell

Season 3, Episode 200

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with RJ Caswell, a Charlotte-based social impact leader with a heart for connecting people to purpose and helping organizations grow stronger.

RJ shares his perspective on leadership, collaboration, nonprofit sustainability, and the importance of building real infrastructure behind mission-driven work. He also discusses the role of Mission Charlotte, the challenges many nonprofit leaders face, and why organizations need systems, relationships, strategy, and support to create lasting impact.

Kyle and RJ explore the messy middle of social impact, the importance of cross-generational learning, and why collaboration requires leaders to set aside ego, logo, and competition for the sake of the mission.

Episode History

00:00 — Introduction
00:12 — Meet RJ Caswell
01:10 — RJ’s mission beyond titles
02:30 — What keeps RJ energized
03:40 — Learning from the next generation
05:15 — Innovation, earned revenue, and new nonprofit models
06:25 — How Mission Charlotte supports nonprofit leaders
08:15 — Sustainability, systems, and organizational development
09:50 — Where nonprofits should begin
10:55 — Collaboration versus competition
13:20 — Putting mission above ego and logo
14:00 — RJ’s 25-year leadership journey
16:20 — Advice for young purpose-driven leaders
17:30 — The power of mentorship
18:00 — Mark Hoffman’s impact on RJ’s leadership
21:15 — Personal clarity and understanding how you’re wired

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Jul 6, 2026 41 min

#204 | Building More Than Housing: Dr. Patrick Graham on Systems Change, Equity, and Community Impact

Episode 208

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Patrick Graham, CEO of We Build Concord, nonprofit and public leader, and architect of economic and social justice initiatives.

Dr. Graham shares how his upbringing in Long Island, his Southern roots, hip-hop, church, and his mother’s role in a federal housing discrimination case shaped his passion for justice, housing, and community transformation. He explains why housing does not exist in a vacuum and why leaders must connect affordable housing to workforce development, economic mobility, public policy, and community trust.

Kyle and Dr. Graham also discuss systems change, community land trusts, down payment assistance, regional housing solutions, public-private partnerships, and why leaders must have courage, adaptability, resilience, and respect to create lasting change.

Key Topics:

• Dr. Graham’s roots in Long Island, Southern culture, and hip-hop
• How his mother’s housing discrimination work shaped his calling
• Why equity and systems change must move beyond theory
• How housing, workforce, policy, and economic development connect
• Why you cannot build your way out of the housing crisis alone
• Community land trusts and creative affordability models
• The role of grants, public funding, and private partnerships
• Why organizations must go into communities, not expect people to come to them
• The L.O.V.E.R. framework for community engagement
• Courage, adaptability, and resilience as leadership essentials

Episode History

00:00 — Introduction
00:15 — Meet Dr. Patrick Graham
01:15 — Growing up on hip-hop and grits
02:30 — Long Island, Southern roots, and the Great Migration
03:30 — Community institutions and early leadership experiences
04:30 — Dr. Graham’s mother and housing discrimination advocacy
05:00 — Defining equity and systems change
06:00 — Working outside traditional systems
06:30 — Community land trusts and permanent affordability
07:00 — Loaned equity and down payment assistance
08:00 — Building a sustainable affordable housing business model
09:00 — Using public dollars and partnerships to create savings
10:00 — Advice for leaders building nontraditional impact models
11:00 — Learning the craft while staying open to innovation
12:00 — Can affordable housing challenges be solved?
12:30 — Why housing does not live in a vacuum
13:00 — Building people and building homes at the same time
14:00 — Economic development must include housing
15:00 — Going into communities with trust and respect
16:00 — Exposure as the father of innovation
17:00 — The L.O.V.E.R. framework
18:00 — Why respect is the foundation of community love
19:00 — Courage, adaptability, and resilience in leadership
21:30 — Teaching young leaders patience, grit, and experience
24:30 — Going through the fire before leading the charge

Guest Bio

Dr. Patrick Graham is the CEO of We Build Concord, a nonprofit and public leader, and a strategist working at the intersection of affordable housing, workforce development, economic mobility, equity, and systems change. His career has focused on building stronger communities through housing stability, policy innovation, wealth-building strategies, and cross-sector partnerships that create long-term opportunity for individuals and families.

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Jul 5, 2026 39 min

#203 | Edited for Scale: Erin Peshoff on Building Smarter Systems, Clearer Operations, and Sustainable Growth

Episode 207

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Erin Peshoff, chief curator of Vivid Operational Advisors for a practical conversation on systems, operations, infrastructure, and what it really takes for nonprofits to grow well.

Erin explains why organizations cannot scale if they are not optimized for growth. She shares how strong systems create predictability, reduce friction, support team clarity, and help people show up with more joy in their work.

Kyle and Erin also discuss why most nonprofit “emergencies” are created by poor systems, the importance of documentation, handoffs, project management, password management, board alignment, and why leaders must be willing to edit operations instead of simply organizing clutter.

Key Topics:

• Why systems create predictability and safety
• How joy can become an economic metric
• Why most nonprofit emergencies are self-created
• The difference between organizing operations and editing them
• Why documentation matters during staff turnover
• How poor handoffs create confusion and frustration
• Password management, CRM issues, and hidden system gaps
• Why leaders should not force old tools into new organizations
• How boards can create chaos when they do not speak with one voice
• Why organizations must slow down before they can scale

Episode History

00:00 — Introduction
00:20 — Meet Erin Peshoff
01:15 — What is giving Erin energy right now
02:00 — Hope, glimmers, and positive graffiti
02:30 — Personal systems and morning routines
03:00 — Why systems matter personally and professionally
03:30 — Systems create predictability and safety
04:00 — Joy as an economic metric
04:30 — Are there real emergencies in nonprofit work?
05:30 — How poor planning creates urgency
06:00 — Defining what a system really is
07:00 — CRM, reporting, and campaign tracking examples
08:00 — Why systems should feel like habits
08:45 — Editing operations instead of organizing them
09:30 — Pulling everything out before rebuilding
10:00 — Letting go of systems that no longer work
11:00 — Common system gaps in nonprofits
11:30 — Documentation and turnover
12:00 — Handoffs between development and finance
13:00 — Ownership, integrations, and broken workflows
14:00 — Passwords, shared accounts, and system access
15:00 — Why leaders should not force their favorite tools
16:00 — Clear expectations and team preferences
17:00 — Erin’s diagnostic process with organizations
18:00 — Listening to staff before changing systems
19:00 — Boards, alignment, and speaking with one voice

Guest Bio

Erin Peshoff is the chief curator of Vivid Operational Advisors, where she helps nonprofit leaders reduce friction, cut through clutter, and build operational infrastructure that actually supports growth. With experience across fundraising, customer experience, operations strategy, and AI-enabled workflows, Erin helps organizations strengthen systems, improve handoffs, document processes, and create healthier environments where people can do their best work.

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Jul 4, 2026 40 min

#202 | Cultural Humility, Belonging, and the Courage to Lead Differently W/ Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC

Episode 204

Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC, award-winning author, executive coach, belonging consultant, Gallup Strengths coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, and author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence Through Cultural Humility.

Joel Pérez, PCC shares how leaders can create cultures of belonging by practicing cultural humility, leading with clarity, and learning to operate in ambiguity. He explains why leadership begins with self-awareness but must move beyond the individual into the organization, community, and systems leaders influence.

Kyle and Dr. Joel Pérez, PCCalso discuss work-life integration, cultural humility, psychological safety, identity as a leadership superpower, mental health, intent versus impact, leading across difference, and what it takes to become a belonging-centered leader in a turbulent world.

Key Topics:

• Why leadership requires comfort with ambiguity
• The difference between work-life balance and work-life integration
• What cultural humility looks like in practice
• Why leaders must look in the mirror first
• Leading with clarity and self-awareness
• The four dimensions of a belonging-centered organization
• Psychological safety and healthy conflict
• Systems that work for everyone
• Accountable leadership and daily habits that build belonging
• How identity can become a leadership superpower
• Why mental health matters for exceptional leadership
• Intent versus impact in leadership
• Leading across difference with curiosity instead of judgment

Episode History

00:00 — Introduction
00:15 — Meet Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC
01:00 — Dear White Leader and award recognition
01:30 — Balancing multiple roles and work-life integration
02:30 — Holding things loosely and living in the gray
03:30 — Why better people lead better teams
04:00 — How leaders can operate in ambiguity
04:30 — Leading with clarity
05:30 — Cultural humility and nonprofit leadership
06:30 — Looking in the mirror as a leader and organization
07:30 — Turning philosophy into practical frameworks
08:00 — The belonging-centered organizational framework
08:30 — Psychological safety
09:00 — Systems that work for everyone
09:30 — Accountable leadership
10:00 — Daily habits that build belonging
10:30 — Exceptional leadership in a turbulent world
11:00 — Identity as a leadership superpower
11:30 — Mental health and leadership
12:00 — Nostalgia is not a strategy
12:30 — Leading through turbulence
14:00 — Dr. Perez’s first-generation college story
15:00 — Growing up as the son of Mexican immigrants
16:00 — Learning to lead across difference
17:00 — Cultural humility coaching
18:00 — Identity, code switching, and belonging
19:30 — What belonging-centered leadership means
21:30 — Intent versus impact
22:30 — Apologies, accountability, and leadership repair
23:30 — Why belonging is both moral and strategic

Guest Bio

Dr. Joel Pérez, PCCis an award-winning author, executive coach, belonging consultant, Gallup Strengths coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, and founder of a coaching and consulting practice focused on helping leaders and organizations create cultures of belonging. He is the author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence Through Cultural Humility, which was recognized with the Silver Award for Best New Voice Nonfiction by the Independent Book Publishers Association. Through his work, Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC helps leaders practice cultural humility, lead across difference, build psychological safety, and create organizations where people can thrive.

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