Stepping into an Executive Director role can be scary, stressful, and really hard. There's no instruction manual. You might worry, "What If I fail?" or “What if I’m not prepared?” or worse, “What if I mess things up?”
In my 20s, I was a full-time civil rights activist working for a brilliant guy. He was my boss, best friend, and mentor. But, he was not the best at being an Executive Director. Meetings were a mess. No one had job descriptions. Accountability was lacking. It was frustrating. It turns out, I learned a lot about how to run an organization by watching it be done wrong.
So, when I got my first Executive Director job, I didn’t want to make the same mistakes. I wanted to excel at management and leadership, not just activism. I was terrified that I wasn’t ready or that I would mess things up. Worse than that, I had terrible imposter syndrome.
Did I have the skills? The temperament? The right training? I wish there had been a quick primer or course for me back then. That’s why I am committed to making sure other emerging leaders have what I didn’t: a carefully crafted and framed body of wisdom and skills to prepare people for a really important job. There is no manual or training when you arrive as an ED. This course fixes that.
After my class, I promise you it won’t be sink or swim. Instead, you’ll soar. You’ll impress your board, your staff, your stakeholders, and even yourself. And, you can put this course on your resume. It may get you better jobs or better pay.
You won’t need to read any books. You won’t need to get an advanced degree. I’m giving you a shortcut to start with a solid foundation from day one. I’ve been in nonprofits for 25 years and served as Executive Director for four organizations. I’m ready to share what I’ve learned with you.
If you are ready to:
-Take charge of your career and make more money
-Grow your skills and confidence
-Say goodbye to nagging doubts and imposter syndrome
-Change the world – by running the place!
-Become an expert (or Rockstar), not just another non-profit leader
You’ll learn about board development, governance, finance, fundraising, compliance, operations, HR, leadership challenges unique to nonprofits.
No theory. No icebreakers or wasted time on fluff. Transform your career.
Enroll today.
Just to give you a taste of just a few of the 20+ Tools you'll get in the course:
Grab my Executive Director Tool Kit
*This course is just shy of 6 hours long
Your Instructor
Hi, I’m Sean, and I'm the Nonprofit Fixer!
I’ve worked in nonprofit organizations since I was 16 (over 27 years).
I love nonprofits. I study nonprofits. I also lead and fix nonprofits. Whether its local, state or national - or charitable or political – I have helped grow and develop organizations of all kinds. I've served as an Executive Director for 5 organizations. I am a coach and consultant for boards, executive directors and activists of all stripes. I’ve worked in communications, victim-services, civil rights, environment, policy, bullying prevention, lobbying, management and much more.
I learned how to run a nonprofit the hard way – by watching someone do it poorly. I’ve also been thrown into the deep end and told to sink or swim. I don’t want that to happen to anyone else, so I have made it a commitment to my business to train people how to effectively fundraise and manage organizations for maximum impact. I’m nationally known and respected, and I’m a really swell guy (just wait, you’ll see!).
Best of all, I cut through the BS. My tools and trainings are straight-to-the-point, immediately useful, and chock-full of tips and tactics you can start using today.
Sean Kosofsky has been raising money for a wide variety of causes, community projects, political campaigns, and much more. He is a published author of "Fundraising Power Pack"
I live in San Francisco with my husband Travis and my adorable dog Harry!
Course Curriculum
-
StartLesson 5: Be The Leader Your Org Needs (Mission, Alignment...) (9:20)
-
StartLesson 6: You Can Overcome Groupthink, Mission Creep, and Burnout (7:38)
-
StartLesson 7: Your Leadership Prevents Disaster, Avoids Martyr Complex, and Prepares for Your Exit (5:29)
-
StartLesson 8: Be a Rockstar Ambassador, Protect Your Income with a Contract, and more (6:19)
-
StartLesson 9: Protect the Organization with an Operations Manual, Learn to Delegate, & Be OK with Being Small! (6:51)
-
StartLesson 10: You are the Leader your Organization Needs - Own It (2:57)
ED Boot Camp has provided greatly needed clarity to the rarely clear-cut and oftentimes ambiguous ever-changing responsibilities of an ED of a nonprofit. Sean is able to lay out these responsibilities in a manner that is honest, straightforward, and engaging. Sean invites you into the conversation and leaves you feeling competent and ready
-Taryn Gal - Managing Director,
Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health
I just completed the Executive Director Boot Camp. My business is growing and moving into managing larger organizations. This course gave me the confidence and tools I needed to know so I can make that leap from small organization management to larger state wide or national organizations with confidence. It also gave me a lot of tools and ideas that I can improve on. Thank you so much for your assistance!
Monique Ochoa, President,
Plan-it Satisfaction
Sue Samaniego - Director of Foundation,
Colorado Northwestern Community College
Being a nonprofit executive director can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of one's career. On the other hand, the tremendous scope and enormity of the job can be isolating and overwhelming. Sean's extensive knowledge and experience helps me better understand what I should be responsible for as a leader and more importantly, what needs to be delegated to others. His "Executive Director Bootcamp" is easy to understand and is serving as an essential coaching tool in my professional development.
-Brandon Fried, Executive Director,
The Airforwarders Association