📋 Episode Summary
In this episode, Emily and Marc sit down with fundraising consultant and bow tie enthusiast Chris Baiocchi to explore how a career rooted in journalism led to a calling in philanthropy. Chris shares candidly about the leap from nonprofit staff to self-employed consultant, and what it's taken to redefine success, stability, and service in his work.

They unpack the nuances of donor relationships, alignment, and the importance of momentum—and toss in a few great sci-fi references for good measure.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Fundraising is about alignment—doing the right things in the right direction.
• Donor relationships take time, just like all meaningful relationships.
• There's no such thing as true job stability in nonprofits—only consistency.
• Consultants need to shift from "here's what I do" to "here's what we'll achieve together."
• Invite people into your mission like you're inviting them to a party they'll love.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"What I thought was stability was really just consistency." – Chris
"You can study swimming all you want, but at some point, you have to get in the water." – Chris
"Fundraising is the fuel that drives your mission." – Chris
"There's a threshold moment when organizations stop scraping by and start growing on purpose." – Emily
"Let's stop talking about deliverables. Let's talk about transformation." – Marc

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• ResolutePhilanthropy.com
• The Compass Within by Robert Glazer
• Bartender Between Worlds (light fantasy novel)
• Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly
• Scrappy fundraising mindsets: "Golf, Grant, and Gala"
• "Threshold moments" in mythology and leadership
• LinkedIn: Chris Baiocchi (look for the bow tie!)

👥 Who Should Listen

• Nonprofit leaders considering the leap to consulting
• Fundraisers tired of the "spray and pray" approach
• Consultants learning to talk about outcomes
• Board members who want to help—but don't know how
• Anyone figuring out how to build a business with heart

🎺 That Music!
Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music.
Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar
Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet
Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode Summary
Marc and Emily take on their favorite recurring theme: goal setting. But this time, they dive deeper into their wildly different upbringings, internal narratives, and current practices around goals—from poker chips and chore lists to Scrum boards and morning routines.

They explore why goals can feel like punishment for some and purpose for others, and how they've each shifted their relationship to goals in ways that feel more personal, flexible, and free. This episode offers an honest, layered conversation that blends coaching insight with lived experience—and a few laughs about spilled coffee and Sam Adams.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Not everyone relates to goals the same way—and that's okay.
• The language around goals (e.g. pressure vs. permission) deeply shapes how we engage with them.
• Habit tracking, data reflection, and redefining "done" can shift goals from punishment to process.
• Personal history plays a huge role in how we perceive achievement, success, and failure.
• Coaching is often about reframing—what looks like failure may actually be success in disguise.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"I am a recovering goal skeptic." – Emily
"Goal setting is the air I breathe." – Marc
"All I could see was that a goal was going to tell me when I wasn't doing it." – Emily
"So often, they actually did the thing… they just didn't see it." – Marc
"Now I hate goals… with curiosity." – Emily

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• Centering Prayer by M. Basil Pennington
• Can I Walk With You? podcast
• Franklin Planner and Covey Weekly Planner
• Scrum language: "What does done look like?"
• Magnetize 2026 (Marc's goal-setting workbook)
• Data tools: Apple Watch, habit trackers, food logs
• Chore rewards, sticker charts, and Thomas the Tank Engine sets
• Diane Leonard – Scrum Master training
• The Concord Leadership Group's mission: helping leaders know they're not alone and be equipped

👥 Who Should Listen

• Leaders wrestling with "shoulds" around goals
• Coaches exploring how to help clients reframe success
• Anyone triggered by the word "goal" but still seeking growth
• Parents trying to teach motivation without shame
• People who love systems—and people who resist them

🎺 That Music!
Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music.
Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar
Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet
Zoe Czarnecki: bass