From Mud Hut in Liberia to Coaching Nonprofits Across 3 Countries | Chris Lambert

Most people who want to change the world start with a cause, not with Chris Lambert, ‘coz he started with a crisis…Chris Lambert, Founder & CEO of Next Level Nonprofit, grew up in a small town in northern Indiana, gave his faith the finger at 16, then spent six years chasing whatever he thought would make him happy, but no, it didn't, then there became a chance encounter at a church service in Australia, and when he came home, he wasn't the same person who'd left.We covered:→ How Chris's faith journey, from a small-town kid to a mud hut in Liberia, shaped everything he built after→ What Life Remodeled actually did in Detroit and why the Gallup results shocked even him→ The $300,000 check that completely rewired how he thinks about fundraising and donor relationships→ How Indiana University's 16-0 season explains the one principle that separates great organizations from struggling onesThere's a line Chris said that I keep thinking about, that is "Sometimes you just have to take the step forward even if you don't really know where it's going." He's done that more times than most people would be comfortable with, and it's produced something remarkable every single time!Chris, thank you for being so open about the whole journey, not just the wins. The stories you brought into this room were the kind that stay with you.Chapters0:00 - Introduction & How Chris and Dillon Connected2:16 - Who Is Chris Lambert? Defining Himself3:01 - Faith Journey: Growing Up in Small-Town Indiana4:06 - Walking Away from Faith at 164:34 - The Encounter in Australia That Changed Everything9:21 - Returning to Indiana, Seminary, and the Call to Detroit11:39 - Living in a Mud Hut in Liberia13:25 - Moving to Detroit and Starting a Church14:02 - The Birth of Life Remodeled (2010)18:43 - What Life Remodeled Actually Does21:35 - $56 Million, 87,000 Volunteers, and the Gallup Study26:59 - Writing Next Level Nonprofit and Leaving Life Remodeled33:07 - Why He Finally Wrote the Book (And Did It in 45 Days)36:43 - Right People, Right Seats: The IU Football Story44:00 - The $300,000 Check That Changed His Fundraising Mindset47:50 - How to Actually Raise Money: Donations vs. Investment55:06 - Building Capital for a For-Profit Studio: Dillon's Story57:34 - Final Thoughts and Where to Find ChrisConnect with ChrisWeb: https://www.nextlevelnonprofit.org/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nextlevellambertBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support.*Connect with Dillon*https://www.instagram.com/thedillonenglandshow/https://twitter.com/imdillonenglandhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonmengland/https://www.facebook.com/dillon.england.5*Sponsor — Broadcast Brew (Low-Acid Coffee)*Order our LOW ACID COFFEE “THE BROADCAST BREW”Thank you to Cool Beans Coffee Brewery for your partnership.https://www.coolbeanscoffeemi.com/product-page/broadcast-brew-low-acid-blend*ABOUT THE DILLON ENGLAND SHOW*Authentic conversations with interesting people across personal growth, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle — direct, faith-forward, Detroit grit.Subscribe for full conversations and weekly clips.Share this with someone on your leadership team.Comment your biggest takeaway.