Most nonprofit teams don’t fail because they lack passion.

They struggle because their systems were never designed for sustainability.

In this first episode of Ops & Outcomes, I share the five principles that have shaped my 20-year journey working inside mission-driven organizations. From systems before tools to why data only matters if it changes behavior, this episode sets the foundation for how we’ll think about leadership, technology, operations, and impact on this show.

If you work in nonprofit leadership, development, operations, or technology, this episode will reframe how you think about the work behind the work.

Want to unlock capacity inside your nonprofit? Click here.

***

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 – Welcome to Ops & Outcomes: Why this show exists

00:01 – My background: Technology, nonprofit leadership, and bridging both worlds

00:02 – Principle #1: Systems before tools

00:03 – Why new tech won’t fix broken workflows

00:03 – Principle #2: Operations is leadership

00:04 – How operational culture shapes external impact

00:04 – Principle #3: Clarity beats optimization

00:05 – Why ambiguity burns out capable teams

00:05 – Principle #4: Data only matters if it changes behavior

00:06 – The “Because of this, we can do that” filter

00:06 – Principle #5: Sustainability is a design problem

00:07 – What to expect from future episodes (solo shows + practitioner conversations)

00:08 – Designing work intentionally so impact actually happens

***

CONNECT WITH NOELIA

💼 Connect on LinkedIn

📹 Subscribe on YouTube

***

WHEN YOU’RE READY

📫 Subscribe to our Newsletter

📆 Book a Strategy Call