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September 1, 2025 37 mins

The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

If Sunday nights feel like the slow countdown to another heavy Monday, you’re not alone. I know that tightening in your chest — the mental list of donor follow-ups, board reports, events that need funding, and the quiet weight of a mission too big for one person to carry.

For years, I fought through it with a brave face and a tired heart. I thought if I just worked harder, smiled brighter, or slept less, maybe we’d finally turn a corner. But the load didn’t get lighter — it grew heavier.

That’s why in this episode, I share the truth about how I found a different rhythm. Not hustle. Not hype. A steadier way to begin the week — with AI as a supportive assistant, not a replacement for your voice.

I’ll tell you about the false starts (like the first time I asked for a “persuasive” appeal and got a manipulative draft I’d never send), and what shifted when I realized AI is not a test with one right answer. It’s a conversation you can shape. Warmer. Shorter. One true detail. Suddenly, the pressure dropped, and the drafts started sounding like me.

Along the way, we’ll sit with the real hesitations:
– “I don’t have time.”
– “Will it sound robotic?”
– “Is donor data safe?”
– “Am I already behind?”

And I’ll show you how small, safe steps can pay you back by Friday.

By the end, you’ll see what a first week can look like when you set clear guardrails, send thank-yous that sound like you, and outline a board report without losing your morning. Not a grand reinvention — just a quieter confidence you can feel in your calendar and in your body.

If you’ve been carrying the weight alone, this episode is for you.

💡 Want to take the next small step?

→ Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use

→ Course: The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Keith Greer, CFRE (00:00):
Weekends used to feel like borrowed time.
Friday at 5 was an exhale, alittle pocket of sunshine I
guarded with both hands.
Saturday morning held, sundaymorning held.
But by late morning, around10am almost to the minute, I
could feel it that slow,tightening in my chest as Monday
crept closer.

(00:20):
It didn't matter what chair Isat in, whether I was supporting
a development officer, onevoice on a team trying to do the
work of 10, or a solo shopwearing every hat at once.
The feeling was the same.
I'd glance at the week aheadand see it all layered on top of
itself Donor follow-ups thatdeserved warmth, a gala that

(00:42):
wasn't fully funded, volunteerswho needed direction, an annual
fund letter that had to leave myhands even if it wasn't perfect
yet, a board packet begging forclarity.
And then the endless admin thatnibbled at the edge of my every
day.
Here's the honest part I didn'tsay out loud for a really long
time.
Our missions are so big.

(01:03):
Most days it felt like I wastrying to lift something that
was never meant for one personto carry, and yet I kept lifting
.
I fought like someone whobelieved that if I just worked
harder, smiled brighter, sleptless, maybe this would be the
week we would turn the corner.
By Sunday evening I'd be angstyin that quiet way that only

(01:25):
fundraisers really understand.
The internal pep talk wouldstart even as my stomach knotted
up.
You've got this Be gracious, befast, be everywhere.
I loved the causes that Iworked for, I loved the people
that I worked with and I lovedthe possibility.
But the expectations were heavyand after more than a decade of

(01:47):
showing up with a brave faceand a tired heart, the edges of
burnout weren't edges anymore,it was the whole shape.
If you felt that too, thecountdown from Sunday morning,
the inbox that feels likeweather you have to stand in,
the smile you wear while youcarry more than anyone can see,

(02:08):
then you and I we already knoweach other.
And that's the bridge intotoday, because this episode
isn't about hustling harder orpretending that our loads are
light.
It's about offering you asimple and human rhythm for
Monday that gives you back yourbreath and gives your donors the
best of you, not what's left ofyou.

(02:28):
So let's talk fundraising.
Here's my promise, plain andslow.
You can use AI to save hoursand warm donors without being
overwhelmed by the technology.
I felt the ground shift theWeChat GPT launched in late 2022

(02:52):
.
I was working at an R1 researchuniversity and the campus buzzed
in that particular way thatonly universities do.
Half wonder, half wary, and Iwas thrilled to be there for it.
I started simple Poems, quickproofreading, and then I tried a
fundraising appeal.
My prompt was basic Write afundraising letter for a

(03:13):
community hospice.
The result Flat Mad Libs energy.
If I'd sent it to a thousanddonors, maybe a handful would
have given more out of habitthan out of heart.
So I went the other directionand I told it to be as
persuasive as possible A deanwriting to alumni for their most

(03:34):
important annual gift.
What came back stopped me cold,alarmist, manipulative,
implying that the universitywould collapse and degrees would
be worthless if people didn'tgive.
Now that was my line in thesand.
Of course, I never sent thatdraft.
I closed the tab and I made adecision If I was going to use

(03:55):
AI, it would be ethical,responsible and human, or not at
all.
And I dove in Lectures withcomputer scientists and the
folks engineering the chipsunder the hood, conversations
with lawyers on data privacy andcopyright, sessions with
philosophers and ethicistschewing on what this would mean

(04:16):
for our work and our humanity.
I applied to speak about AIethics and readiness at AFP Icon
and was selected for 2024.
The early reviews were generousand I found myself on stages
around the country having thesame conversation what's wise,
what's safe, what's ours to do?

(04:38):
But by early 2025, the tone hadchanged.
The room no longer said thetone had changed.
The room no longer said what isAI?
It said I know it can help, Ijust don't know how to make it
help.
And that hit home because Iremember that feeling the
workflows that didn't quiteclick yet, the fear of getting
privacy wrong, the overwhelm oftoo many features and not enough

(05:01):
first steps.
Not everyone has a bench ofprofessors to call upon.
So I built what I wish I had atthe start a super friendly
privacy first path that startswith safety and clarity, then
moves into power Inside thefundraiser's AI starter suite.
We flip the privacy settings soyour donor trust stays intact.

(05:24):
We demystify prompting sooutputs actually sound like you,
and when you're ready, we buildthree custom GPTs together for
thank yous, board reports andprospect profiles.
Short lessons written in plainEnglish with real wins that you
can feel.
That very same week I knew wealso needed support beyond the

(05:47):
videos.
That's why the course includesa template prompt pack, every
prompt in one file, an AI safetychecklist and a shareable brief
for your IT lead or executivedirector so you can show in
black and white how to use AI ina data-safe, donor-respecting
way.
But why now?
Because if Mondays have beenheavy, a simple routine can give

(06:12):
you relief and a calmer start.
Not hustle, not hype, just ahuman rhythm that gives you back
your breath and gives donorsthe warmth, specific touch they
deserve.
If that's you, the door is open.
Enroll atletstalkfundraisingcom.
Forward slash starter suite.

(06:33):
I'll drop the link in the shownotes too.
Watch one 10-minute lessontonight and feel the difference.
By the end of the week You'restill with me, which tells me
you don't need a pep talk.
You need your Monday to feeldifferent.
So let me tell you how minechanged for real.
When I first opened ChatGPT, Itreated it like a test.

(06:55):
I had to ace on the first try.
I'd spend way too long craftingthe perfect prompt Hit, enter,
read the output and feel thatlittle drop in my stomach.
It wasn't me, it was fine, butit wasn't warm.
I delete the whole thread,start a new one and try again.
Same dance, new chat, newprompt, same mismatch.

(07:17):
Then one night late, a littlefried, a little stubborn, I
stopped being polite and justsaid exactly what I meant.
I typed no, I want it done thisother way.
And I explained the other way,like I would to a colleague Keep
it shorter, make the first linesound like I'm talking to one
person, include one true detail,impact, hit, send and the next

(07:41):
draft landed closer, not perfect, but closer, warmer, clearer,
more like how I actually talk.
And that's when it clicked.
This is not a test with oneright answer.
It's a conversation.
You don't have to nail it onthe first try.
You can mold the output as yougo.
You can say yes and keep itunder 180 words, or try again,

(08:06):
gentler, and include onespecific impact line.
It learns from the nudges andsuddenly you're not staring at a
blank page.
You're coaching a draft intosomething you're proud to send
without being overwhelmed by thetechnology.
Once that landed, my weekstarted to feel different, not
because I magically had fewerresponsibilities, but because

(08:28):
there was a rhythm I could trustSmall steps I could take, even
on a crowded day Five minuteshere for a lesson, 10 minutes
there to try a prompt withvariables like donor name or
gift amount or impact detail.
So the message stayed personal,without revealing anything
private.
And then, when I wanted torefine, I asked for what I

(08:51):
actually needed Warmer, shorter,clearer.
One true fact the edits gotsmaller, my confidence got
bigger, and I want to namesomething practical that changed
the feel for me.
I started by flipping theprivacy settings, the simple,
unglamorous switches that meanyour work stays your work.
Turning off model training,setting memory with intention,

(09:15):
keeping names and sensitivedetails out of prompts unless
the right safeguards were inplace.
That one choice quieted thesecond guessing in my head.
I wasn't worrying.
Should I even be typing this?
I knew where the lines were.
I could just do the work.
Then came the moment that usedto intimidate me every single

(09:36):
month the board report.
I used to lose half a morninggetting the structure right.
I'd open a document, stare atthe cursor and think of the
three other tasks I waspostponing by trying to make
perfect headings.
One day I dropped a short,plain instruction into ChatGPT,
outlined a clear, readable boardupdate with three sections what

(09:58):
we accomplished, what's aheadand what we need support on.
Keep sentences short andspecific.
I returned a scaffold that madesense.
I tweaked a header, added twofacts that only I would know,
and there it was Not done, butnot a mountain either.
And that feeling going fromstuck to.
I can work with this.

(10:19):
That's what I want you to havein your week.
Here's a smaller everyday momentthat changed too.
Thank you, notes stoppedfeeling like a tug of war
between tone and time.
I'd paste a short template withthose little placeholders.
Name gift program one trueimpact and let ChatGPT give me a
human-sounding draft.

(10:40):
Then I'd nudge, tighten theopening line, mention the
program's outcome in onesentence.
Two tiny refinements, and Icould hear my own voice in the
paragraph.
It didn't take an afternoon, itdidn't take a committee.
It took a few sentences and thedecision to shape instead of
starting over.
If you've ever thought I don'thave time to learn something new

(11:03):
, I want you to hear this withkindness.
You don't need a spare day.
You need one small step thatpays you back by Friday.
One short lesson, one safesetting turned on, one prompt
saved in a little prompt bankfile, so you're not reinventing
the wheel next time.
These are small moves thatchange the feel of your week and

(11:25):
because I know it helps to haveproof you can hold the course.
Comes with the things I wishsomeone had handed me at the
beginning A template prompt pack, so you're never starting from
zero.
A template prompt pack soyou're never starting from zero.
An AI safety checklist so youstop hesitating and start
creating, within clearguardrails, a brief you can

(11:48):
share with your IT lead orexecutive director that explains
in plain English how to use AIin a way that protects donor
trust.
All of it is designed so youcan move forward without being
overwhelmed by the technology.
And let me tell you what thisdid to my Mondays, because
that's the day that used toswallow me.
I'd sit down, open my laptopand, instead of chasing the
loudest task, I'd run a tinyreset privacy check.

(12:11):
One prompt for the first, thankyou.
A quick outline for the boardupdate and a note to myself
about which donor conversationsI was excited to have this week
10, 15, maybe 20 minutes total.
And the tone of the day wasdifferent Not frantic, not
defensive, just clear.
I wasn't trying to beeverywhere at once, I was

(12:35):
choosing what mattered andletting an assistant handle the
first draft.
And because this is real life,some days still get messy.
A meeting runs long, a reportcomes back with new numbers, a
donor needs more context.
On those days, the win is notperfection.
It's having a place to returnto a saved prompt that still

(12:56):
works, a structure that stillorganizes the mess, a reminder
that I don't have to musclethrough every sentence alone.
That steadiness matters morethan any single trick.
I also want to say this outloud You're not behind If you're
listening and thinking.
I've barely touched this stuff.
You're exactly who I built thisfor.

(13:17):
The lessons are short.
On purpose, the language isplain.
On purpose, the first things wedo are about safety.
On purpose, and when you getstuck, you can message me during
the course.
You don't have to post in aforum or wait for office hours.
If that's not your rhythm, youcan just say this part isn't
clicking and I'll help you move.

(13:39):
If you're already someone who'stinkered a bit with AI, this
will still sharpen you, becausethe skill isn't memorizing fancy
prompt syntax.
It's learning how to steer, howto say warmer, shorter, name
the impact, how to hold yourvoice steady while the tool does
the heavy lifting.
That's what makes your notesfeel like you.

(14:00):
That's what makes donorsactually feel seen.
And if you're the person whocares deeply about ethics and I
know many of you are this iswhere we live.
We keep the human at the center.
We avoid sensitive data prompts, we check anything that looks
like a statistic and we rememberthat AI is an assistant, not a
signature.

(14:21):
The tool drafts and you decide,the tool suggests and you stand
behind what goes out.
That's not just good practice,that's leadership.
So picture the smallest real winyou'd want this week Not a
grand reinvention, somethingordinary that would feel like
relief.
Maybe it's three warmer thankyous that go out without eating

(14:44):
your entire morning.
Maybe it's a board outline thatlets you leave on time for once
.
Maybe it's one prospect summarythat doesn't require 12 open
tabs of research.
That's the level we work atPractical, human and repeatable.
And I'll repeat the mostfreeing lesson I learned the
hard way you don't have to beperfect on the first try.

(15:07):
You can say no, do it thisother way.
You can ask for yes and can youmake it kinder?
You can treat ChatG GPT like acapable teammate who wants
feedback.
When you do that, the pressuredrops, the drafts improve and
your time comes back to you, notin theory in your actual week.

(15:28):
If a part of you is nodding butanother part is whispering,
what if it still sounds robotic?
Stay with me, because rightafter this.
We're going to sit with thoseobjections, the time crunch, the
tone, the privacy, and I'llshow you how we keep this safe,
simple and in your voice, so itsupports your relationships

(15:49):
instead of replacing them.
For now, take a breath, youdon't need to become someone
else, you just need a rhythmthat you can rely on and an
assistant you can shape as yougo.
Let's sit with the hesitationsthat pop up for almost everyone,
not to swat them away, but tolisten, answer them with care

(16:11):
and make space for the kind ofhelp that actually lightens your
week.
The first one I don't have time.
I hear this most and, it'shonest, your plate is already
full.
So let's be clear, this isn'tone more thing to carry.
It's the thing that helps youset a few things down.
We work in tiny moves, notheroic leaps.

(16:34):
A short lesson you can dobetween meetings.
A single prompt you save, soyou never start from zero again.
One more refinement like yesand make it warmer, keep it
under 180 words.
You don't need a free day, youneed one step that pays you back
by the end of the week.
If you need a proof point, trya quick thought experiment with

(16:55):
me.
Take 10 seconds right nowactually 10, and answer this
what would you do with two hoursback this week?
Close your eyes, if you can.
If you're driving, keep themopen, but picture something
ordinary and meaningful.
Three donor notes that feel likeyou, or a board outline that
doesn't eat your morning, orleaving on time one day without

(17:19):
carrying guilt home.
Hold that for a breath.
Second, will it sound robotic?
It will if we let it, butthat's not how we work here.
You teach the tool your voice,in plain English, the way you'd
coach a teammate.
You say write this like a noteto one person, not a crowd.
Or try again shorter, warmerand include one true line about

(17:44):
impact.
Then you listen, read it outloud and if a sentence jars, you
change it, ask for another pass.
You're the editor.
The tool is the draft hand.
Ai is your assistant.
It's not your signature.
The litmus test is simple.
Would you be proud to send thiswith your name on it?

(18:04):
If not, we keep shaping ituntil you are.
The third fear is the big one Isdonor data safe?
And this is where we start, notwhere we end.
The very first moves in thecourse are about protecting
trust.
We choose the right plans forChatGPT.
We flip the training settingoff.

(18:24):
We make memory choices onpurpose.
We use placeholders like donorname or gift amount and impact
detail instead of pastingsensitive specifics, and we
follow a simple sanity checkBefore anything leaves your
screen.
If you wouldn't say it on amicrophone at a public event,
don't paste it into a prompt.

(18:45):
If a draft includes a statisticor a claim, give it a quick
verification pass.
If the task requires real namesor confidential details, slow
down and make sure you have theright safeguards in place or
keep it anonymized.
When those guardrails are up,you stop asking, should I even

(19:06):
be typing this?
And you start doing the workconfidently without being
overwhelmed by the technology.
The fourth one comes with awhisper.
What if I'm brand new?
Then you're in exactly theright place.
This is beginner-friendly bydesign Short, clear lessons,
plain language, no jargon forthe sake of jargon.

(19:28):
And if you've already tinkered,you'll still sharpen your craft
, because the real skill isn'tmemorizing fancy prompts.
It's a learning how to steerwarmer, shorter, more specific
in your voice.
You'll have lifetime access soyou can go slow, repeat anything
, skip ahead, come back laterand when you get stuck you can

(19:51):
message me during the course.
You don't have to figure thisout alone.
Let me tie these togetherbecause they're connected Time,
tone, safety and confidence.
They move as a set.
When safety comes first, yourshoulders drop.
When tone matches you draftsmove faster.

(20:13):
When steps are small, timecomes back.
And when time comes back, youshow up with your best self, not
whatever's left after thescramble.
That's why this isn't aboutbecoming an AI person.
It's about becoming afundraiser with an assistant and
staying a human who leads withcare.

(20:35):
If you want a simple way to trythis, here's a tiny practice I
love.
Take one message you alreadyneed to write this week a thank
you, a quick update, a note to aboard member.
Open a new chat and start withone human instruction.
Write this like I'm talking toone person who matters to me.
Paste in an anonymized line ortwo about the gift or the

(20:57):
outcome, send it off to ChatGPTand then steer the results.
Try again, but lighter at thestart, or keep it under 180
words and include one sentencethat names the impact.
Read it out loud If it soundslike you keep it.
If it doesn't nudge it again,two or three passes, not 20.

(21:19):
You'll feel the differencebetween wrestling a blank page
and coaching a draft.
And because trust really doessit at the center of our work.
I'll say this plainly the toolnever replaces the human.
It doesn't know your donor'sheart, their hesitations or
their history.
It can't carry your ethics youdo.

(21:40):
That's why every workflow wepractice keeps you in the
driver's seat.
You choose what goes in, youreview what comes out and you
own the message that leaves yourdesk.
That's what your donors deserveand it's what will make you
proud of the work with your nameon it.
If relief and donor warmth arethe goal, the Fundraiser's AI

(22:02):
Starter Suite is the path Ibuilt for you.
It's a privacy-first,super-friendly way to reclaim
time and keep your voice withoutbeing overwhelmed by the
technology.
Join me now atletstalkfundraisingcom.
Forward slash starter suite.
You can watch one 10-minutelesson tonight and feel the

(22:22):
difference by the end of theweek.
Let me pull back the curtain onmy own launch, because the same
truths found me the night beforeI opened enrollment.
Everything was lined up.
Last week's episode had goneout about refreshing custom GPTs
.
Monday morning's newsletter wasqueued the emails, the page,
the prompts, all done.

(22:42):
I took the whole thing copystructure, call to actions and
asked ChatGPT for acomprehensive review.
It came back with something Ididn't expect to sting as much
as it did.
It told me it was strong, clearand comprehensive.
But it was feature heavy andlight on the heart.
And I had this little argumentwith myself because I built it

(23:04):
that way on purpose.
I've bought things that lookedshiny and then fell apart when
you needed them.
I didn't want that for you.
I wanted substance.
I wanted you to feel fromlesson one that this would
actually help.
So, yes, I leaned hard onwhat's inside the checklist, the
safety steps, the helpersyou'll use every week.

(23:26):
But Monday morning arrived andthe first few hours were quiet,
not crickets, just quieter thanmy gut hoped for.
That was my wobble, not acatastrophe, just that uneasy.
Hmm.
And in that moment I rememberedwhat I tell you when the
signals say adjust, adjust.
I didn't scrap the plan, Istabilized the message.

(23:50):
The first move was small andhuman.
I wrote a real talk note andsent it to my subscribers.
No funnel speak.
Just here's why I built this,what I hope it gives back to you
and why I believe you'll feelthe difference.
This week I moved the hearthigher.
I changed the opening line onthe page to speak to relief and
donor warmth, not just tools.

(24:12):
I pulled a few bullets out ofthe weeds and added a simple who
is this for and who is it notfor, and I expanded the
questions everyone carries aboutAI Tone privacy time Right
there in the FAQ, in plainspeech.
One clear promise, one clearbutton.
And then I did something thatnever fails to help me breathe.

(24:33):
I showed up where humans couldfind me, I answered replies, I
invited questions, I made iteasy to raise a hand.
The plan didn't need more noise, it needed more presence.
Sometimes the bravest pivotisn't a new tactic, it's being
visible enough to say ask meanything.
And here's what surprised methat tiny shift from here's

(24:57):
everything this includes tohere's how this will feel in
your week changed the energy ofthe responses.
People didn't write back withwhat's the file format of this
course.
They wrote back with I want myMondays to feel like that Same
course, same lessons, samesafety guardrails, but the words
met the moment.
But the words met the momentOverstretched fundraisers who

(25:19):
don't need more to do.
They need the thing that helpsthem set a few things down
without being overwhelmed by thetechnology.
I also had to talk to that partof me that wanted to keep
adding to the course.
And if you're anything like me,you know that voice.
Make it richer, add more, godeeper.
And I do keep improving thework because that's who I am.

(25:41):
But when I slowed down andwalked through the course again
as a student, not a builder Ifelt something I rarely give
myself permission to feel Pride,not puffed up pride, the
grounded kind, the kind thatsays this is clear, this is kind
, this is going to help peopleand that mattered it.

(26:03):
Let me stop tinkering for egoand start serving for impact.
If you're listening andwondering what the pivot looked
like on the page, it was simpleFewer paragraphs about features,
more about outcomes.
You can feel Hours back, warmernotes, a calmer start to Monday
, the promise moved up, thesafety step stayed, but in plain

(26:26):
English, the helper stayedframed as momentum Thank yous,
board outline, prospect notes,so you could imagine using them
this week, not someday.
And I kept one success path inview.
Instead of juggling five atonce, I want to name the part
that matters most to me.
I built this because I wantfundraisers to love their work

(26:48):
again, not just their missions.
I know you care we wouldn't behere if we didn't but caring
inside a sector that runs hot,tight budgets, big goals, real
pressure.
A sector that runs hot, tightbudgets, big goals, real
pressure.
It can grind the joy out ofgood people, and I don't want
that for you.
I want you to have a simple,beginner-friendly start that

(27:09):
makes week one feel lighter.
I want you to feel the firstwin soon.
A thank you that sounds likeyou, an outline that takes
minutes instead of a morning, amoment where you catch yourself
thinking, oh, this is different.
So that's my launch truth.
There was a wobble and Ilistened, I shifted the words

(27:30):
towards the heart, I chose to bepresent and I kept the whole
thing simple enough to be usefulright away.
No dramatics, just small,steady changes that honored what
you've been telling me all yearHelp me use AI in a way that's
safe, human and doable in a realweek.
If that lands for you, I'm soglad you're here, but I wanted

(27:53):
you to hear the inside storyfirst.
Not a perfect plan, just ahuman one, because that's all we
really need to begin.
You've heard my launch truth,so let me get specific about who
this is for and what your firstweek can actually look like.
If you're mission-driven, if youcare about donors as people and
not just names in a CRM.

(28:15):
If you want your time backwithout being overwhelmed by the
technology, this is for you.
Maybe you're the major giftspro polishing board decks at
night.
Maybe you're the small shop EDwearing five hats.
Maybe you're a consultant whowants to bring stronger drafts
and clear thinking to clientswithout living in 50 open tabs.

(28:35):
You don't need bells andwhistles.
You need a calm, trustworthyassistant that helps you send
warmer notes, write cleanerupdates and think straighter
fast.
Who is this not for?
If you're looking for a magicbutton that writes perfect copy
while you sleep, it won't fit.
If you plan to paste donornames, giving histories or

(28:59):
anything sensitive into prompts,it definitely won't fit.
We keep trust at the centerGuardrails first placeholders
instead of personal details andthe human stays in the loop
always.
Now the part I love what weekone can feel like in real life.
Day one is foundation.
Two simple privacy choices.

(29:20):
You know what's remembered andwhat isn't.
A quick, plain English.
Look at what AI can and can'tdo in your role.
It sounds small, but when youstop wondering should I even be
typing this, your focus comesback.
Day two you write one messageyou already owe, safely and
simply A thank you, a donorupdate a note to a board member.

(29:44):
Start with a human instructionlike write this as if I'm
talking to one person in a warmtone.
Use anonymized details likedonor name, gift amount and
impact detail and send that toChatGPT.
Then steer what it gives.
You Try again lighter at thestart or keep it under 180 words
and include one true sentenceabout impact Two nudges, not 20.

(30:09):
You ship the note and you stillhave your morning.
Day three you stop reinventingthe wheel.
Open a simple document, yourprompt bank and save that thank
you template Variables at thetop and add a second template
you'll reuse monthly.
Outline a board update withthree sections what we
accomplished, what's ahead andwhere we need support.

(30:32):
Keep sentences short andspecific.
Next time you're not startingfrom zero, you're starting from
steady.
Day four you try one smallstretch that gives leverage.
Maybe you ask for a boardreport outline that mirrors your
organization style.
Maybe you take a stiffparagraph and say rewrite this

(30:52):
in my voice, warm, plainlanguage.
One person, one paragraph.
You hear the difference and youkeep the parts that feel true.
Day five if you're ready, yousketch your first little helper,
a simple assistant that expectsvariables and returns a draft
in your tone, if that feels liketoo much this week, skip it.

(31:13):
Lifetime access means youdecide when to build.
The point is momentum, notpressure.
So your week one deliverable isclear, a privacy, safe setup,
two reusable prompts, thank yousand a board outline and one
message sent that actuallysounds like you.
Optional is a first helpermarked out for later.

(31:34):
You finish the week with lessfriction and more clarity.
And because you asked for areal moment from my life, here's
the truth.
I didn't feel the shift as onebig brand new kind of Monday.
It arrived like a string ofsmall and honest tweaks.
I noticed I was leaving on timeenough that, sitting in rush

(31:55):
hour traffic, I caught myselfthinking why am I annoyed?
Oh, it's because I left on timetoday.
The weekend came and for once Ilooked back at everything I'd
finished and I wasn't wrung out.
I felt something I used as myNorth Star Fun, not vacation fun
or game night fun, the kind offun that feels like satisfaction

(32:16):
, like a job well done, energyin the and optimism about what's
next.
That was new.
And the next week it didn'tvanish.
The load didn't get heavieragain.
It got lighter a little at atime because I was moving
steadily, I wasn't standing atthe bottom of a mountain feeling
paralyzed.

(32:36):
I was taking steps I could keeptaking.
Each week I finished more thanwas being added to my plate, and
that felt great.
Not flashy, just real.
That's the outcome I want foryou, not a grand reinvention a
quieter confidence you can feelin your calendar and in your
body Fewer stalls, warmer notes,a bored outline that doesn't

(33:00):
eat your morning and a pace thatlets you show up as yourself,
with donors present, human andsteady.
If you're hearing this and youcan already picture what your
version of fun might feel like aweek that ends with pride
instead of depletion, stay withme.
This is the simplest way tobegin, so the next few weeks

(33:21):
start adding up for you too.
What I've offered you today issimple, on purpose.
It's relief, not hustle, warmth, not robots.
Structure that quietly freesyou to do the part that only you
can do.
Build real relationships withreal people.
We start with safety, so donortrust stays intact.

(33:43):
We write in your voice sodonors feel seen.
We keep the steps small so yourtime comes back without being
overwhelmed by the technology.
If that's what you want, here'syour next step Enroll in the
Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite atletstalkfundraisingcom.
Forward slash starter suite.

(34:04):
Watch one short lesson tonight,send one message this week that
actually sounds like you andfeel the lift in real time.
You'll also have the templateprompt pack, the AI safety
checklist and a plain Englishbrief you can share with your IT
lead or executive director.
So you're not pushing thisuphill alone.
You don't need a new persona.

(34:25):
You don't need a free day.
You need a rhythm that you cantrust and an assistant you can
shape as you go.
If you're ready for a calmerstart, warmer notes and space
for the conversation thatactually moves your mission, I
would be honored to walk withyou inside the course.
Join me now atletstalkfundraisingcom.

(34:46):
Forward slash starter suite.
And, whether you enroll todayor next month, hear this you are
not behind, you are not late toanything.
You are learning in public,inside a sector that runs hot,
and you're still here, and I'mgrateful for your work, your
care and the way you keepshowing up for your community.

(35:07):
Take the next right step, keepyour voice, protect your trust
and let this simple structure doits quiet work.
I'll be right there with you.
Take care, my friend.
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