MEDIA
Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE is the founder and CEO of Growth Owl, a Corporate Sponsorship Authority, and Fractional Chief Sponsorship Officer (CSO) with more than 25 years of experience in corporate sponsorship, business development and nonprofit strategy.
She speaks and writes on corporate sponsorship, strategic partnerships, and how organizations can build sustainable, high value revenue systems through alignment and long term thinking.
Her insights have been featured in podcasts, interviews, and industry conversations focused on leadership, positioning, and the future of corporate partnerships.
Interested in featuring Lori for a podcast, publication, or event? We welcome thoughtful collaborations.
Please reach out via the Contact page to inquire about interviews, speaking engagements, or media opportunities.
FEATURED PODCASTS
Things Go Sideways with Kiki L'Italien: Grace Fatigue, Boundaries, and the Business That Survived Two Crises — with Lori Zoss Kraska
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What happens when you've already had your wake-up call — and life sends another one? Lori Zoss Kraska built Growth Owl into a thriving consultancy helping nonprofits and associations land Fortune 1000 sponsorships. Then in 2022, a doctor's hunch caught bilateral pulmonary embolisms that had no symptoms she could feel. She was answering client emails from the ER. The lesson stuck — until her mother walked into knee surgery in 2024 and walked out with the first signs of vascular dementia. In this episode of Things Go Sideways, Lori shares what it's actually like to run a business while becoming a primary caregiver. She talks about "grace fatigue" — the exhaustion of trying to make everyone else comfortable. She talks about boundaries that aren't slogans. She talks about why her client roster looks completely different now, why perfectionism didn't survive the second crisis, and the conversation with her mother on a patio that became an assignment for the rest of her life. This one is for anyone in the middle of caregiving, anyone whose body has tried to warn them, and anyone rebuilding a business around a life that won't sit still. Listen now. Things go sideways — and that's where the real story begins.
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Stop Asking for Pennies: How to Get Fortune 1000 Funding The Human First Executive with Rob Kalwarowsky
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The mistake most founders make is thinking they are begging for a handout. You are not. You are offering a Fortune 1000 company a solution to their CSR goals."
In this episode of Infinite and Beyond, Rob Kalwarowsky sits down with Lori Zoss Kraska, CEO of Growth Owl and author of The Boardroom Playbook.
Lori has spent decades helping non-profits and purpose-driven organizations secure massive funding from some of the largest corporations in the world. She breaks down the psychological shift required to stop "asking for pennies" and start building high-stakes partnerships that drive real ROI for both sides.​
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Work, Live, Care The Triple Shift with Denise Brown & Lauren Yankoff
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What happens when the hardest part of caregiving isn't the diagnosis — it's everything else around it? In this episode, Denise and Lauren sit down with Lori Zoss, entrepreneur and founder of Growth Owl, for an honest, grounded conversation about caring for her mother who has mixed dementia — while running her own business, setting harder boundaries than she ever has, and finding her way back to joy.
Lori shares what it felt like to watch her mother's diagnosis unfold during a routine knee surgery, why she believes corporate America is failing caregiving employees, and how this season of life has fundamentally changed the way she leads, sells, and protects her energy.
This one is for every professional who has ever thought: I don't know how people do this when they work for someone else.​
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The Building Doors VO Podcast with Christy Harst
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On this episode of the BD Podcast, Lori Zoss — founder of Growth Owl — shares fresh perspectives on outreach that put strategy first, not scripts. She explains why understanding the company, its priorities, and its decision-making structure matters more than crafting the “perfect” email. Lori breaks down how small business owners — especially women — can approach potential clients with clarity, confidence, and intention.​
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The Warrior Inside Podcast with Rex Enriquez
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Just like the Black Swan who looks elegant and glides effortlessly on the water; we have our next warrior Lori Zoss. She's an accomplished writer, entrepreneur, and leader but underneath the strength was a woman struggling inside to keep it together. Mentally, she could crush it but physically she almost sacrificed her life for the struggle.​
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It’s No Fluke Shorty Awards Podcast with Jeff Barrett
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Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE is the Founder and CEO of Growth Owl, LLC and author of The Boardroom Playbook: A Not So Ordinary Guide to Corporate Funding for Your Purpose Driven Organization. She's a recognized leading expert in generating corporate sponsorship support from Fortune 1000 companies on behalf of creators and purpose-driven organizations throughout the United States. Lori has earned a reputation for establishing pathways quickly to help clients exceed revenue/fundraising goals via corporate sponsorship.
She also specializes in facilitating high-impact corporate sponsorship training both in person and online. She's regularly called upon by leaders to work with them one-on-one in developing their mindset and message for successfully engaging with C-suite decision makers. She earned her MBA in Systems Management from Baldwin Wallace University and earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification by the American National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Lori speaks at national conferences and facilitates workshops on all aspects of generating corporate sponsorship and funding–from the mental to the message and to the motion. She's also been a featured guest on a variety of national podcasts to discuss her best-practice processes as well as her success.
Lori is also an Amazon best seller list author for her suspense fiction novel Under Caution.​
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Association’s NOW Podcast (Episode Hosted by Lori Zoss)
The Future is Watching: Engaging the Next Generation of Members
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In this episode of Associations NOW Presents, guest host Lori Zoss Kraska, founder and CEO of Growth Owl, sits down with Brian Miller, vice president of strategic partnership at Multiview, Kimberly Tuttle, executive director of the American Institute of Architecture Students, and Gilberto Lozada Baez, AIAS board vice president, to explore new research on how students perceive associations. The conversation highlights key opportunities for associations to build stronger connections with young professionals—through targeted social media, mentorship, and small-scale in-person events. They also discuss the importance of digital fluency, university partnerships, and creating meaningful volunteer roles to foster long-term engagement and a true sense of belonging.​
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Author Spotlight Podcast with MJ Wolfe
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Lori Zoss Kraska was featured in a dedicated Author Spotlight, celebrating the release of her suspense fiction novel, Under Caution, now available on Amazon. The segment shines a light on Lori's multifaceted career as both a nonprofit funding strategist and a bestselling author.​
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How to Build a Better Nonprofit Board with Lori Zoss Kraska at Growth Owl
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​Lori Zoss Kraska, CEO of Growth Owl and author of The Boardroom Playbook, shares practical strategies for transforming nonprofit boards from passive participants into purpose-driven partners. Learn how to align motivations, build trust, and activate real boardroom engagement.
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Association RevUP Podcast with Professionals for Association Revenue Corporate Connections
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“Maybe you don’t always think of yourself this way, but associations are authority.”
When associations operate with that mindset, corporate outreach becomes less of an "ask" and more of a business opportunity. In Episode 5, Lori Zoss Kraska (Growth Owl, LLC) shares how association business teams can effectively connect with Fortune 1000 companies to develop partnerships, including:
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Why corporate partners matter for your association
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Who the decision makers are and how to connect
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Tips for structuring your outreach
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3 types of partnerships that are increasingly intriguing to corporations
Then, Josh Slayton (Holmes Corporation) shares a real-world example of how associations and corporations are partnering alongside higher ed to impact the nation’s labor shortage, all while increasing non-dues revenue.
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The Nonprofit Exchange with Hugh Ballou
Leadership Tools & Strategies
Lori Zoss Kraska was featured on The Nonprofit Exchange podcast, where she broke down the fundamentals of corporate sponsorship for purpose-driven organizations. Covering everything from navigating corporate foundations and CSR departments to writing concise, compelling outreach emails, Lori gave nonprofit leaders a clear roadmap for securing sponsorship support — no matter their budget or staff size.​
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