Episode 94: Building a More Confident Fundraising Sector with Mallory Erickson
Overview
In a world where change is happening faster than ever, the biggest challenge is not just finding new tools; it is helping people feel ready to use them.
In today’s episode, Nathan talks with Mallory Erickson, the creator of Practivated, the first fundraiser readiness platform. Mallory shares the story behind Practivated and explains that it was created to solve real problems in the fundraising sector, including fundraiser burnout, declining participation, and the need to better support professionals. She explains that her goal was not just to build a technology product, but to create a solution that helps people grow their skills and confidence.
Furthermore, Mallory discusses the challenges of AI adoption, including fear, resistance to change, and the difficulty leaders face when trying to introduce new ideas. She explains how Practivated helps people build AI confidence through role-play, coaching, and feedback. The conversation also explores why practice is important for turning knowledge into real action and why curiosity is more valuable than trying to have all the answers.
Episode highlights
- 04:05 Solving the Right Problem
- 09:18 Balancing Realism and Awareness
- 16:13 The Real Innovation Barrier
- 22:27 Trust Before Technology
- 29:04 Confidence Is Curiosity
- 38:18 Practice as a Path to Progress
Tips and tools to implement today
- Start with the problem, not the tool.
- Focus on solving real challenges.
- Build confidence through practice.
- Practice conversations before real moments.
- Turn feedback into improvement.
- Take small steps to overcome paralysis.
- Balance innovation with human awareness.
Favorite quotes
- "We're always seeing how we can get the best possible results from the least amount of energy consumption. So I've always played with lower models for our environmental footprint." - Mallory Erickson
- "For me, it's actually really important that there is cognitive awareness and dissonance between when we are talking to AI and when we are talking to humans. I intentionally use voices and visual representations in the product and the speed at which the results are provided to create that level of awareness." - Mallory Erickson
- "It's really the innovation barrier that I see often before the AI adoption challenges." - Mallory Erickson
- "I've realized that there's so much stagnation and there's so much friction in leadership and in change. I can solve the problem technologically in terms of a service, in terms of a product, but getting people to be willing to try something new to solve a pain point is pretty big for them." - Mallory Erickson
- "If we are going to let the rate of change and attack and funding loss outpace our agility to make decisions and take risks and put ourselves out there and try new things, then we are not headed to a great place." - Mallory Erickson
- "Practivated is what we call the first-ever fundraiser readiness platform, and we build readiness by supporting, by building skills, confidence, and muscle memory at the same time." - Mallory Erickson
- "Certainty that we look for, that we pretend to have, or maybe in some circumstances we actually have, that is not a sign of confidence. What is a sign of confidence is curiosity." - Mallory Erickson
Connect with us
This episode is sponsored by Microsoft.
