By Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE and Rob Kalwarowsky There’s a moment many founders and mission-driven leaders know too well. You ’re confident through the entire conversation. You can talk about your mission for hours. You know your impact. You’re clear on the problem you’re solving. And then you approach the ask. Your voice drops. Your cadence changes. You suddenly feel smaller in your own body. You rush your words, or you soften them so much they barely land. You feel a flush of heat....

Written by: Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE You have a good meeting with a potential sponsor. The conversation is thoughtful. The sponsor asks smart questions. There is clear alignment between their interests and the work your organization is doing. Or perhaps you have already sent a proposal and walked them through it together. Their response sounds encouraging. They thank you for the conversation. They acknowledge the value of the opportunity. Then, sometime after the meeting or proposal...

Written by: Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE Back in August 2025, I had the opportunity to speak at the Content Entrepreneur Expo (CEX) and engage with content marketing thought leaders like Mark Schaefer, Ann Handley, Jay Clouse, and others. Although each had their own focus, two themes surfaced repeatedly: 1. Cultivate and engage your email list. 2 . Do not build your strategy on rented land. It made me think that the best content marketers understood something many sponsorship teams...