To the leaders with something worth saying and the nagging sense it isn’t landing... I’m glad you're here.

That feeling is usually right, and rarely a problem of skill.

Most of my career has been spent serving nonprofits, from the inside and the outside, including some of the nation’s largest and most enduring. I’ve sat in a lot of rooms where people with extraordinary missions flat-out fail to move hearts and minds.

Here’s what I’ve come to believe: Most nonprofit stories fail because they’ve been sanded down by committees, by caution, and by the instinct to sound professional.

AI has made it effortless to produce more words than anyone can read. Which means knowing how to move hearts and minds more vital than ever. I send a semi-regular newsletter where I take story apart to understand what makes the great ones resonate and what makes the weak ones fall apart.

I write from beautiful West Michigan and appreciate you reading along. If you want to send a note, email me at hello@joelcarter.me.