7-Figure Fundraising Podcast

Growth rarely feels comfortable in the moment.In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor Bragdon shares a story from a flight home from Orlando where he met a woman flying for the very first time. What started as a simple conversation about turbulence and takeoff became a powerful reminder about what it feels like to learn something new.Trevor explains how moments of embarrassment, overwhelm, and uncertainty are often unavoidable when developing new skills.. But he also shares the often-overlooked side of growth: people are usually willing to help once you take the first step.If you’ve been hesitating to try something new, this episode is a reminder that discomfort is temporary, but growth can change everything.Take the step. Book the flight to Chicago.To see all the show notes visit: https://www.7figurefundraising.com/podcast/To learn more about fundraising and our training visit: 7FigureFundraising.com

On this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor Bragdon sits down with Matt Paprocki, President and CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, to break down one of the most important skills in fundraising: storytelling.Matt explains why most fundraising stories fail before they even begin. Instead of creating emotional connection, many fundraisers summarize facts, report outcomes, or speak in vague language that donors quickly forget. In this conversation, Trevor and Matt unpack a practical storytelling framework built around three core ideas: situation, stakes, and shift.Throughout the episode, Matt shares real examples from donor meetings, family life, leadership, and nonprofit work to show how stories create trust, emotional engagement, and long-term donor relationships. They also discuss how great storytellers use vivid details, dialogue, and emotion to pull listeners into a moment rather than simply describing it.Whether you are a nonprofit founder, major gift officer, executive director, or communicator, this episode gives actionable tactics you can immediately use in donor conversations, pitches, presentations, newsletters, and public speaking.If you want donors to remember your mission, start by giving them stories they can feel.Follow Matt:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-paprocki-86337220bWebsite: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/author/mpaprocki/To see all the show notes visit: https://www.7figurefundraising.com/podcast/To learn more about fundraising and our training visit: 7FigureFundraising.com

“A donor may trust your voice before they ever meet you.”That idea sits at the center of this conversation between Trevor Bragdon and Dr. Jared Musgrove of Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), the nation’s largest Christian fraternity.In this episode, Jared breaks down how BYX turned podcasting into a relationship-building tool that strengthens donor trust, deepens alumni engagement, and creates meaningful conversations at scale. What started as an attempt to better tell the organization’s story evolved into a long-term strategy for reaching supporters across the country without relying solely on travel, donor meetings, or traditional marketing.Trevor and Jared discuss:Why consistency matters more than perfection in podcastingHow to secure high-level guests for your showWhy evergreen content compounds over timeHow podcasts create familiarity before donor meetingsThe role storytelling plays in nonprofit fundraisingHow appearing on other podcasts can directly lead to donationsLearn more about BYX:BYX.orgMan to Men PodcastTo see all the show notes visit: https://www.7figurefundraising.com/podcast/To learn more about fundraising and our training visit: 7FigureFundraising.com