Resources

What we're learning, making, and thinking about.

We spend our days inside the stories of mission-driven organizations. Along the way, we pick up a few things worth sharing. This is where we put it all down: practical

frameworks, honest conversations, and the kind of thinking that makes stories work harder for the organizations doing the critical work.

Latest Blog Posts + Podcast Episodes

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Podcast

Jenny Olson on Following Good Leaders and Saying Yes Before You’re Ready

Jenny Olson left Microsoft twice and now leads advancement at Concordia College. Every leap followed a leader she trusted. Here’s how she decides, how she preps hard conversations, and how she refills an empty tank.

Blog, Resources

5-Page Nonprofit Website That Actually Converts

Podcast

99% of Nonprofits Are Fighting Over 1% of the Pot with Eric Wilke

Podcast

What If You Killed the Grant Application? Rural Philanthropy That Actually Works with Megan Langley

Tellwell the Podcast

Real people. Real stories. The kind that make you laugh, sit with something, or rethink the way you’ve been doing it.

Every episode, we sit down with nonprofit leaders, creatives, and community builders who are figuring it out in real time. No scripts. No polish for the sake of polish. Just honest conversations about storytelling, leadership, fundraising, and the work behind the work.

The Seasons of Story

Great stories follow the rhythm of a relationship: curiosity, trust, action, and gratitude. We call this the Seasons of Story — our strategic heartbeat that ensures you reach your audience exactly where they are.

The Seasons:

  • Spring: Introduce
  • Summer: Educate
  • Fall: Engage
  • Winter: Remind

The Process:

  • Start: Clarity
  • Create: Craft
  • Activate: Launch

Let’s find your rhythm together and turn your mission into a story that sticks.

Start with Story

Get Max’s Weekly Email

A weekly field note, delivered every Sunday.

One idea. One thing you can actually use this week to make your storytelling sharper, your campaigns clearer, and your message stick. No fluff. No 47-step processes. Just what works, from someone who’s been in the nonprofit storytelling world for over a decade.

And please, hit “reply” if something resonates with you.

Got a story worth telling?

These resources are a good start. But if you’re ready to stop reading about storytelling and start investing in yours, let’s talk.

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