Home
Categories
EXPLORE
True Crime
Comedy
Business
Society & Culture
Sports
Health & Fitness
Technology
About Us
Contact Us
Copyright
© 2024 PodJoint
Loading...
0:00 / 0:00
Podjoint Logo
US
Sign in

or

Don't have an account?
Sign up
Forgot password
https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts211/v4/29/d9/1b/29d91b41-8867-7bf2-fb47-60a318e35d67/mza_18428792301265250616.jpg/600x600bb.jpg
Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Eric Ressler
64 episodes
3 days ago
The dominant narrative this year has been that everything’s falling apart. But what if we're manifesting a social impact doom loop? Why I have a newfound resurgence of hope and optimism for this work. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could ...
Show more...
Non-Profit
Education,
Business,
Marketing,
How To
RSS
All content for Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact is the property of Eric Ressler and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
The dominant narrative this year has been that everything’s falling apart. But what if we're manifesting a social impact doom loop? Why I have a newfound resurgence of hope and optimism for this work. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could ...
Show more...
Non-Profit
Education,
Business,
Marketing,
How To
Episodes (20/64)
Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
You Can’t Control Everything (But You Can Control This)
Reflections on fear, control, and what you can actually do about it. As we head into year-end — often the most high-stakes season in our sector — this episode will help you develop the right mindset to navigate it skillfully. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write ...
Show more...
2 days ago
6 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
What If the Economy Were Built on Care?
What if everything you’ve been taught about economic progress is wrong? In this episode, Stacey Edgar — social worker turned social entrepreneur and now executive director of the International Folk Art Market — shares her journey through the “career jungle gym” of the social impact sector. We unpack her concept of artisan economics, a radically human approach to commerce rooted in care, dignity, and connection. From surviving U.S. customs mishaps to rewriting economic theory from a feminist p...
Show more...
1 week ago
29 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
The Vision Window is Open...For Now
How to recognize and act on the rare moments when transformation is possible. Join the conversation on substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/eressler/p/the-vision-window-is-openfor-now?r=8rkfl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in ...
Show more...
2 weeks ago
7 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Amanda Litman on How Real Change Happens
What if real change doesn't begin with institutions, campaigns, or capital — but with the people we invite into our lives? In this episode, Eric sits down with Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something and author of When We’re In Charge, to explore how small, human-scale actions can spark transformational impact — from politics to parenting to how we rebuild our social lives post-pandemic. Amanda has helped 225,000+ people raise their hands to run for office — and she’s just getting star...
Show more...
3 weeks ago
28 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
What's your truth?
In this episode, I’m exploring a question that’s been showing up in a lot of our recent work — and in my own thinking: What is your truth? Links: 📝 Read the full essay version on our new Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/eressler/p/what-is-your-truth?r=8rkfl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=podcast&showWelcomeOnShare=true Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your f...
Show more...
1 month ago
5 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
The Power (and Pitfalls) of Partnerships
Everyone loves the idea of collaboration — but real partnership? That’s harder. From mismatched visions to unclear roles, even the most well-intentioned alliances can go sideways fast. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan break down what makes partnerships work — and what to watch out for before saying yes. ➔ The five elements every partnership needs to succeed (straight from the Collective Impact framework). ➔ The one conversation to have before committing to collaborate. ➔ How to recog...
Show more...
1 month ago
30 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
How to Build a Strong Case for Support
Too many social impact leaders step into donor meetings with a bold vision — but an unclear case for why anyone should support it. Your case for support isn’t just a fundraising tool — it’s a strategic asset that can align your messaging, mobilize your team, and inspire serious investment in your mission. But only if you get it right. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan walk through a 5-part framework to help you build a clear, compelling case that connects with hearts and minds — and opens do...
Show more...
1 month ago
28 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Is Our Obsession with Efficiency Backfiring?
We’re constantly told to “do more with less” — but what if that’s the wrong goal altogether? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan challenge the traditional definition of efficiency and unpack why it can be a trap for social impact organizations. From donor pressure to staff burnout, they explore how the pursuit of efficiency often undermines effectiveness — and what to prioritize instead if you're serious about sustainable, meaningful impact. ➔ Why efficiency and innovation often live at opposi...
Show more...
2 months ago
27 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Storytelling For Complex Missions
Too many social impact organizations are stuck trying to explain everything they do — and in the process, end up saying nothing that sticks. When your mission is complex, how do you distill it into a clear, compelling story that actually resonates? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into the storytelling struggles that come with multifaceted missions — and offer a practical framework to help you cut through the noise, focus your narrative, and connect more powerfully with your audiences. ...
Show more...
2 months ago
23 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Pros and Cons of Major Donors
Major donor funding can feel like the holy grail of nonprofit growth — big checks, deep relationships, and potentially game-changing support. But what’s often left out of the conversation? The risk. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dive into the real tradeoffs of major donor programs — the power dynamics, the mission drift moments, and the long runway it takes to build trust at scale. Whether you're building from scratch or recalibrating your fundraising strategy, this candid conversation w...
Show more...
3 months ago
34 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Designing Impact Reports That Actually Work
Annual reports shouldn’t feel like an obligation — they should feel like a gift. But for too many nonprofits, impact reporting is still stuck in the past: flat, uninspired, and quickly forgotten. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan unpack how to rethink your approach to reporting — and turn your annual impact story into one of your organization’s most powerful strategic tools. ➔ The secret ingredient of high-performing reports. ➔ The real ROI of a well-designed impact report — and how to...
Show more...
3 months ago
31 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
How to Sell a Vision Before It’s Real
Social impact leaders are visionaries — but getting others to see what you see isn’t easy. When your work hasn’t caught up to your ambitions, how do you win over funders, staff, and partners who need proof before they commit? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan explore what it really takes to sell a bold new vision — even when the work is still taking shape. ➔ Why internal conviction is the first — and most underrated — step to building external trust. ➔ How to frame your future vision w...
Show more...
4 months ago
33 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Eric’s 3-Part Content Strategy That Works Every Time
Stuck on what to post or say? Eric shares a 3-step content strategy any mission-driven org can use to cut through the noise: name the problem, show the impact, and paint the vision. Clear, repeatable, and built for the long haul. Episode Highlights: [00:00] Why “the problem” isn’t always one thing[01:51] Intro to the 3-step content strategy: Problem, impact, vision[02:39] Naming and framing the problem: It’s more powerful than you think[05:10] Problem sets, not problems: How to tell differen...
Show more...
4 months ago
31 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
What to Do When Funders Say "No"
Not all “no’s” are equal—and if you’re in fundraising, you know that firsthand. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan unpack the three types of objections every social impact leader will face: the silent no, the vague no, and the hard no. They explore why each shows up, what it’s really signaling, and how to respond in a way that transforms rejection into relationship. Whether you're navigating donor hesitancy or partner pushback, you'll walk away with practical tools to shift conversations from...
Show more...
5 months ago
27 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
The Sector Is Shifting: Here's How to Lead
Social impact leaders are scaling back, funding streams are evaporating, and public trust is eroding. In this candid kickoff to Season 4, Eric and Jonathan hold space for what’s really happening in the field—and why this moment demands courageous communication, community resilience, and reimagined leadership. This isn’t a time to shrink. It’s a time to show up. The surprising parallels to early COVID-era chaos (and how that can inform today’s crisis response)Why you might need to ‘scale back’...
Show more...
5 months ago
25 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Stuff We've Messed Up (and Learned From)
To wrap Season 3, Eric and Jonathan are doing something different — and a little vulnerable. In this raw and unfiltered finale, they look back on the leadership decisions, strategic misfires, hiring blunders, and marketing missteps that didn’t go according to plan. No spin. No gloss. Just two founders owning their hardest lessons out loud. Why end the season like this? Because mistakes aren’t just part of leadership — they are leadership. If we want a social impact sector that embraces failur...
Show more...
5 months ago
37 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Jonathan’s Big Problem
What do you do when your mission is evolving… but your brand, programs, and funding strategy haven’t caught up yet? In this episode, Jonathan brings a live challenge to the table: a bold new vision for the Seymour Center that could reposition it as a hub for climate solutions and STEM leadership — but it comes with branding risks, potential backlash, and major funding implications. Eric coaches him through the decision-making, exploring when to stay quiet, when to go big, and how to avoid mis...
Show more...
5 months ago
32 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
How to Build a Sustainable Revenue Stream
The funding landscape is shifting, and relying on the same revenue strategies that got you here may not be enough to take your organization to the next level. Many nonprofits and social enterprises struggle to generate enough revenue—not just to sustain their work, but to fully fund their missions and reinvest in long-term growth. So how do you build a revenue model that works? One that’s not just about survival, but about impact at scale? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dive into how fund...
Show more...
6 months ago
43 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Social Impact in the Era of Misinformation & Media Chaos
We are living through the biggest shift in media and marketing of our lifetimes. Misinformation spreads faster than ever, trust in institutions is crumbling, and social impact leaders are left navigating a fractured, chaotic digital landscape. So how do you build credibility, mobilize communities, and create real impact when attention is scattered and trust is eroding? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan break down the new realities of marketing and media—the rise of digital tribalism, the fin...
Show more...
6 months ago
28 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
Beyond Vanity Metrics: Measuring Real Impact
Most social impact leaders think they’re measuring their impact — but are they really? Measuring impact is especially difficult when change happens over years or even decades, and when the outcomes are tied to complex, systemic issues. On top of that, the process of evaluation and measurement can feel like extra work — another task on an already full plate. But without it, we risk relying on anecdotes and vibes instead of real data to prove we’re making a difference. In this episo...
Show more...
6 months ago
32 minutes

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
The dominant narrative this year has been that everything’s falling apart. But what if we're manifesting a social impact doom loop? Why I have a newfound resurgence of hope and optimism for this work. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could ...