Shows / Contagious Culture
Contagious Culture
The Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King is focuses on helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams and fund bold work, without losing the heart behind the mission. Each episode features real conversations with nonprofit founders, school leaders, and impact-minded partners, sharing the strategies, stories, and systems that drive culture, leadership, and sustainable growth. If you’re building in education, youth development, or community impact and want practical insights you can…
Episodes
- Contagious Culture
#161 | Events Done Well: How to Do Events at Scale
Events can be a fundraising powerhouse or an expensive stress fest. In this Power Session, Kyle and Dan break down what it looks like to run events done well…
- Contagious Culture
#160 | Beyond the Ask: How to Build Donor Relationships That Actually Last with Mark Dobosz
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King and Dan Freeman sit down with Mark Dobosz, a nonprofit and philanthropic leader with more than…
- Contagious Culture
#159 | Hot Take: Don’t Start a Nonprofit (Here’s Why)
This one is a necessary reality check. Kyle and Dan share a hot take that might save you years of frustration: don’t start a nonprofit, at least not until you…
- Contagious Culture
#158 | Beyond the Buzzwords: Reclaiming DEI That Works w/ Cierra Belher Johnson
DEI doesn’t fail because people don’t care, it fails when it becomes performative, vague, or disconnected from real systems and outcomes. In this episode, Kyle…
- Contagious Culture
#157 | Systems: The Silent Dealbreaker in Nonprofits
In this Power Session, Kyle and Dan unpack why systems are the difference between a nonprofit that scales and one that stays stuck. If your team is…
- Contagious Culture
#156 | 2026 Nonprofit Forecast: Build Reserves, Boost Efficiency, Prove Impact
Episode 156 is a Power Session built for nonprofit leaders heading into a volatile 2026. Kyle S. King and Dan sit down to unpack BDO’s 2026 nonprofit outlook…
- Contagious Culture
#155 | Ethical Marketing That Actually Works: How to Build Trust Without Manipulation
In a world where marketing is often built on pressure, fear, and “gotcha” tactics, this episode is a reset. I’m joined by Chelsea Burns, The Marketing…
- Contagious Culture
#154 | From Relationships to Revenue: Turning Donor Trust Into Commitments
In fundraising, most leaders are strong at building relationships… but far fewer know how to turn trust into a clear commitment without feeling pushy. In…
- Contagious Culture
#153 | From Compliance to Conviction: Leading SPED Systems That Actually Work W/ Diana Williams
In special education, it’s possible to have every box checked and still have students who aren’t getting what they need. That’s the gap Diana Williams is here…
- Contagious Culture
#152 | Readiness Before Results: The “Prepare” Step Explained
In Episode #152 (Power Session), Dr. Daniel Freeman and I kick off the first step of our nonprofit transformation framework: Prepare. Because most…
- Contagious Culture
#151 | Known > Best: The Real Reason Great Businesses Stay Invisible W/ Yanna Williams
Known > Best is a hard truth for leaders who pride themselves on excellence: you can be the best in the room and still lose, because the market doesn’t reward…
- Contagious Culture
# 150 | Growth Alliance, Nonprofit Leadership, and the Gaps No One Talks About
In this power session, Kyle King and Dr. Daniel Freeman dive into the real state of nonprofit leadership, where it’s falling short, why growth is stalling, and…
- Contagious Culture
# 149 | Why We’re Building the Contagious Culture Conference
In this power session, Kyle King and Dr. Daniel Freeman—co-founders of the Contagious Culture Conference, pull back the curtain on why this conference exists…
- Contagious Culture
#148 | How to Build Belonging That Lasts: Community Engagement in Schools W/ Sarah Sooklal
What if we stopped treating community as a “nice-to-have”… and started building it like the foundation it really is? In this episode, Kyle sits down with Sarah…
- Contagious Culture
#147 | From Mission to Money: How Nonprofits Build Predictable Revenue Without Chasing Donors
Most nonprofit leaders are exhausted from bouncing between events, grants, and last-minute appeals just to keep the lights on. If fundraising feels…
- Contagious Culture
#146 | How People-Driven Leadership Prevents Burnout and Builds Contagious Culture W/ Adam Timm
Burnout doesn’t start with workload, it starts with leadership blind spots. Under the Headset takes leaders behind the scenes of everyday decision-making…
- Contagious Culture
#145 | Train Your Energy or Go Negative: How Leaders Build Culture From the Inside Out W/ Sara Schaeffer
Culture doesn’t start in meetings, mission statements, or strategy decks. It starts in you. In this episode, we unpack a hard truth most leaders avoid: if you…
- Contagious Culture
#144 | Stop Calling It Burnout: The Systems Behind Disengagement w/ Dr. Michelle Singh
Burnout is often the symptom, not the root cause. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Michelle Singh for a powerful reframe that challenges how leaders talk…
- Contagious Culture
#143 | Nontoxic Nonprofits: Fixing Broken Systems Before They Break Your People w/ Kate Viana
Burnout isn’t a personal failure, it’s often a systems failure. In this episode, I’m joined by Kate Viana for an honest, much-needed conversation about toxic…
- Contagious Culture
#142 | Belonging Is Leadership Infrastructure (Not a Buzzword) w/ Amy E. Hull
Belonging isn’t a slogan. It’s not a DEI checkbox. And it’s definitely not optional. In this episode, I’m joined by Amy E. Hull for a powerful conversation…
- Contagious Culture
#141 | The Power of "Being Audacious" W/ Dethra Giles
What does it really mean to be audacious, not loud, not reckless, but boldly rooted in purpose? In this episode, I sit down with Dethra Giles for a powerful…
- Contagious Culture
#140 | How Leaders Can Build and Establish a Health Grief Culture W/ Dr. Darlene Williams
In Episode #140, Kyle sits down with Dr. Darlene Williams for a powerful, honest conversation about something leaders are often unprepared for—but inevitably…
- Contagious Culture
#139 | Stop Running on Vibes… Build a Weekly Operating System
Too many leaders are exhausted not because they lack passion, but because they’re leading without a system. In this episode, I break down why “running on…
- Contagious Culture
#138 | The Power of Purpose-Driven Partnerships w/ Stacy Baum
In this episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle is joined by Stacy Baum to explore what makes partnerships truly purpose-driven and why alignment…
- Contagious Culture
#137 | How Storytelling Shapes Culture and Who Gets to Belong W/ Ali Jackson-Jolley
Culture is built by the stories we tell, and just as powerfully, by the ones we ignore. In this episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle sits down with…
- Contagious Culture
#136 | Closing the Gap: Sales Secrets w/ Deborah Newton
Most leaders don’t struggle with ideas. They struggle with closing the gap between value and action. In this episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle…
- Contagious Culture
#135 | Grants Aren’t the Problem, Unprepared Organizations Are W/ Jessica Wright
Too many organizations say, “Grants don’t work for us.” But what if the real issue isn’t the funding, it’s the foundation? In this episode of The Contagious…
- Contagious Culture
#134 | Where Strategy Meets Heart: Transforming SPED & School Culture with Olavee Williams
What happens when strategy and heart finally stop competing and start working together? In this episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle sits down with…
- Contagious Culture
#133 | How Empathy and Power Can Heal American Organizations | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session explores how leaders can blend empathy with authority to cultivate organizational cultures grounded in trust…
- Contagious Culture
#132 | Smarter Fundraising: Leveraging AI to Maximize Your Impact | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session dives into how artificial intelligence can simplify, strengthen, and scale modern fundraising. Cynthia Respert explores…
- Contagious Culture
#131 | AI for Impact: Using Artificial Intelligence to Drive Social Good | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session explores how artificial intelligence can be harnessed to tackle real social challenges and accelerate mission-driven…
- Contagious Culture
#130 | How to Attract Your People Through Powerful Branding and Marketing | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session explores the transformative power of storytelling in shaping brand identity and attracting the right audience. Sharee…
- Contagious Culture
#129 | Why Your Leadership Isn't Working and How You Fix It W/ Dr. Daniel Freeman
Are you frustrated that your team isn’t responding the way you hoped, despite your hard work and good intentions? In this episode of The Contagious Culture…
- Contagious Culture
#128 | The Culture of AI: Building Organizations That Think, Not Just Implement | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session explores how organizations can leverage artificial intelligence not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for cultural…
- Contagious Culture
#127 | Identity and 12 Lessons for Unapologetically Owning Your Uniqueness W/ Dr. Stephanie Kirkland
What does it truly mean to show up as your authentic self, without apology or compromise? In this episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Dr. Stephanie…
- Contagious Culture
#126 | Developing Teams Through Emotional Intelligence | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session explores the powerful intersection of emotional intelligence and organizational performance. Marisa Ciesluk and Tracy…
- Contagious Culture
#125 | Turning Prospects into Partners Who Believe in Your Cause | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session takes a deep dive into relationship-based fundraising and the art of transforming early interest into long-term…
- Contagious Culture
#124 | The Art of the Ask: Turning Relationships into Major Gifts | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session dives into the art of confidently and authentically making major gift requests. Kari McCormick and Lakisha Rios break…
- Contagious Culture
#123 | Sustaining Meaningful Donor Relationships After the Gift | Podcastathon 2025
This Contagious Culture Podcast session centers on one of the most overlooked yet powerful stages of fundraising: stewardship. Ana Marte and Brooklyn Stanfill…
- Contagious Culture
#122 | How Perseverance is Your Superpower W/ Myreesha Frankllin
In Episode 122 of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Myreesha Franklin joins Kyle to unpack the mindset, grit, and inner strength required to rise above life’s…
- Contagious Culture
#121 | The Art and Power of Positive Thinking: Transform, Grow and Achieve W/ Dr. Dexter Shorter
In this inspiring episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Dr. Dexter Shorter breaks down the true art and power of positive thinking, far beyond clichés or…
- Contagious Culture
#120 | The Silent Partner in Your Success: Janice M. Coleman on Self-Awareness, Congruency & Building a Career That Loves You Back
Janice M. Coleman joins The Contagious Culture Podcast for a transformative conversation about alignment, authenticity, and building a career that truly…
- Contagious Culture
#119 | When 30,000 Kids Stay Home: The Fight for Safety, Schools, and Justice in Charlotte W/ Natalie Paramenter
In this powerful and timely episode, Kyle sits down with Natalie Paramenter, a fearless advocate for families and students in Charlotte, to unpack one of the…
- Contagious Culture
#118 | When Genius Meets Grace: The Redemption of Damon Watson
In this powerful episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Damon Watson, a Harvard-educated attorney whose journey defies every…
- Contagious Culture
#117 | The Climb, The Courage, The Exit: Building a Career That Serves You W/ Krista Bourne
What happens when you climb to the top of corporate America, only to realize you’re ready to redefine what success looks like? In this episode, I sit down with…
- Contagious Culture
#116 | How Great Fundraisers Build Trust and Transform Communities W/ Rachel Simon
What separates a good fundraiser from a truly transformative one? In this episode, Kyle sits down with Rachel Simon, MBA, MS, CFRE , a powerhouse in the world…
- Contagious Culture
#115 | Building Resilient Women: Leadership, Sisterhood, + Self-Belief
In this episode of Contagious Culture, we sit down with Shantell Jeter, founder of You Got It Girl and Manager of Special Projects at Boston Public Schools…
- Contagious Culture
#114 | The Power of One: Why You’re Not Making Progress (and How to Change that..)
In this live episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King dives deep into why you’re not making progress and how one decision, one risk, and one step…
- Contagious Culture
#113 | Turning Vision into Impact: Megan Schmitt King on Fundraising, Partnerships, and Nonprofit Success
In this episode, we sit down with Megan Schmitt King, Chief Development Officer at Camp Southern Ground and a seasoned expert in nonprofit growth and…
- Contagious Culture
#112 | First Impressions Matter: Behind the Scenes of a Client Intake Call
What does it really take to turn a first conversation into a million-dollar impact? In this episode, I take you inside a live client intake call with a…
- Contagious Culture
#111 | Making Strategy Stick: The Human Side of Change with Coretta Dixon
In this live episode of The Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Coretta Dixon, Director of Organizational Effectiveness and Change Leadership…
- Contagious Culture
#110 | The Art of Experience, How to Turn Events Into Emotional Journeys
What makes an event unforgettable? How do you turn a gathering into an experience that inspires, connects, and leaves a lasting impact? In this episode of…