65. Purposeful Repositioning with Patrick Kirby of Do Good Better Consulting

On today’s show, we’re joined by Rebecca’s good friend, Patrick Kirby, to talk about how to move forward with purpose during this difficult time. When all our events are being canceled and the “way we’ve always done it” won’t work anymore, we need to get creative and Patrick’s a great guy to spitball with. He recently moved up his in-person conference 3 whole months to offer it virtually because he knew his audience needed it. He shares the best of what he learned to help us make a similar positioning.  Purposeful Repositioning Episode Summary: Patrick Kirby, non-profit organization champion and virtual event pioneer, offers some great ideas for all of us who host events for our businesses or communities to purposefully reposition so we can still serve our people well. About Patrick Kirby: Patrick Kirby is the Founder of Do Good Better Consulting and a believer that “we’ve always done it this way” is the most dangerous phrase in the English language. ​​​​ Patrick has spent over a decade working in nearly every capacity in the nonprofit industry, for organizations of all shapes and sizes, and strives to ‘Do Good Better’ every day. From organizing $10,000 cure walks to $1 million galas, Patrick’s passion lies in creating creative solutions to make fundraising less boring. He cut his donor relations/fundraising teeth as the Alumni Coordinator at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, MN, before trying his hand as a manufacturing sales rep to companies such as Target and Best Buy. Tired of being yelled at for uncontrollable international shipping issues in both English and Chinese, Patrick re-joined the world of nonprofit work as the Sr. Development Director at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation MN/Dakotas Chapter before taking the Chief Development Officer position at the Anne Carlsen Center. He earned his B.A. in “B.S.” (politics) at Loras College in Dubuque, IA, and is hopelessly addicted to super nerdy Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels and old school SquareSoft ® RPG Nintendo games. Patrick married out of his league to his wife Shannon, has three ridiculously adorable children named Spencer, Preston and Willow, a chunky dog named Grover, and lives in West Fargo, ND.   In this episode, we tackle… What’s a question we should all be asking ourselves right now? Pulling out the standard “leadership seminar” concept of brainstorming your BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) Patrick suggests that this challenging time when everything has slowed way down is a great time to actually do this.  What is it that you really want to accomplish? Define it and then figure out what easy, simple things you can do to get there.  What’s the most important thing we can do for the people we serve? Pick up the phone, reach out, and simply ask, “What can I do to help you?” More important than whether they actually need you or you end up serving them specifically, the fact that you offer is what keeps you and your business top-of-mind.    Listen to this episode to hear more about: How to overcome the mental hurdle of accepting this challenging time as reality What grace as to do with repositioning your offers How to create meaning when the events you always hosted can’t happen Why purpose matters and how it can open up new ideas for offers/services Why now is the best time to pursue partnerships/collaborations In what ways virtual events can be even better than in-person events, even though every part of you wants to resist this! Why inaction is the only way to fail right now   Links Mentioned The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker Priya’s podcast: Together Apart   Connect with Patrick Website: www.dogoodbetterconsulting.com Book: Fundraise Awesomer: A Practical Guide to Staying Sane While Doing Good Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DGBConsulting/ Instagram: @fundraisingdad Podcast: The Official Do Good Better Podcast