Ten Years in the Small Business Trenches
No class taught this. Kirsten and I just wrapped up another U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council Spring Meeting in Chicago at the Google HQ with over 40 business owners from all over the country - Washington to Florida and a bunch of states in between. Two...
A 2026 Check-In: Are Your Systems Actually Working?
The organizations that win aren’t the ones with the best ideas. They’re the ones with the best systems to execute them. At K2, we’re in the trenches every day. Campaign communications means managing hundreds of media lists across print, radio, and digital. It’s social...
Why Strong Association Management Systems Make Audit Season Easy
When you do things right on the front end, an audit isn’t something to fear—it’s something to be proud of. As tax season approaches, many nonprofits and associations feel a familiar sense of stress when they hear the word audit. At K2, it’s the opposite. Because we...
Don’t Let the Small Stuff Get in the Way of the Big Stuff: A Guide to Executing Record-Breaking Fundraising Revenue
As we head into peak gala and fundraising season, calendars are filling quickly with planning meetings, sponsorship outreach, and event logistics. For many organizations, this time of year can feel overwhelming — endless decisions, tight timelines, and pressure to...
From Galas to Game Night: How Mahjong Gets the VIP Treatment
At K2, we live and breathe details, community, and creative execution. Whether we’re producing a 400-person fundraising gala or coordinating a corporate retreat, we know one thing for sure: It’s the little things that take an event from simply “done” to truly...
Most Nonprofits Don’t Struggle with Throwing a Beautiful Gala
They struggle with raising real money from it. Here are the biggest pitfalls I see over and over. Obsessing over décor instead of donors.I’ll be the first to say that ambiance, thoughtful program design, and those subtle touches that elevate a room absolutely matter....
Spring Clean like an Event Planner
Working in events means I spend a lot of time thinking about inventory - Vases, Candles, Florals, Shelving, Storage Systems... Somewhere along the way, I realized the way we manage inventory at work is exactly how I should be managing my seasonal decor at home. I’m...
Who’s in Your Lifeboat?
Lessons on trust, teamwork, and choosing the right people when the pressure is on. I’ll admit it—I regularly binge-watch reality TV as a way to shut my brain off from the day-to-day. Of all the shows, Below Deck is my favorite. Captain Sandy, the rotating crews, the...
How Nonprofits Can Outsource Back-Office Operations
Nonprofits are built on mission, not mechanics. Yet so much of what keeps a nonprofit running — financial tracking, board logistics, donor databases, and administrative systems — happens quietly behind the scenes. These “back-office” functions are vital, but they can...