Building a nest of fundraisers and for purpose leaders
15 March 2024 at 9:00 am
Michelle Berriman has previously worked as the CEO of Fundraising Institute of NZ, Development Manager for Save the Children, (YES Project) Scotland and has also worked with the Child Cancer Foundation. Michelle’s natural ability to forge long-lasting and meaningful relationships has delivered positive results for the many organisations for which she has worked. Michelle has a passion for events, conceptualising ideas, and bringing a new flavour to existing programs within organisations. Michelle is currently CEO of Fundraising Nest, and she is this weeks Pro Bono Australia change maker!
Describe your career trajectory and how you got to your current position.
The journey from a grassroots youth worker to the CEO of a National Fundraising Peak body, and now, Co-Founder of the Fundraising Nest, exemplifies my determination and commitment to making a difference.
Reflecting on my early challenges and personal hardships, I was always told I would never achieve anything. That I would end up a waste of space like my father. I left school at 15, with just a basic qualification but with the determination to make my life count for something; to make it matter and, more importantly, to make a difference to the lives of others facing adversity.
This determination kick started my career initially working with disadvantaged youth, moving on to fundraising positions within a variety of Charites. From here I was the CEO of a National Peak Body for Fundraising and when that role came to an end all the stars aligned for a new partnership to be created. I had an idea. Cory Hall had an idea. Our ideas shared one strong vision: to love fundraisers the way we know we should love donors.
What does this role mean to you?
As fundraisers, we are exposed to all the wonderful, inspiring, generous, and kind faces of the world. We help create and bring smiles to a world that really needs more smiles (Ken Burnett). But we are also exposed to the harsh reality and adversity that people, animals, communities, and the environment are facing. This leaves a mark: it makes us determined to go that extra mile, but it can often leave us feeling vulnerable, jaded, and unappreciated.
This is WHY this venture is so special. Putting Fundraisers at the heart of what we do is the way to a stronger, healthier, happier, and more fruitful sector.
Take us through a typical day of work for you.
The Fundraising Nest is still in its first year of development, so we are still in lots of thinking, planning, and building stages. Thinking of new ideas, planning the activities we want to offer and building relationship – always building relationship.
The first stop is always the brainstorm dump! I never stop thinking and most mornings I am eager to share, write, and get down on paper the new ideas I had overnight. This is then followed by a quick catch up of emails, then social media. From here, it is about planning my day, blocking out time in my diary for focussed work. While we are developing new projects it is critical that I set time to do the strategic planning so that I can hand over what my vision is to the to the team to implement. I really enjoy the days where I am interviewing, I set aside two days each week for online interviews, meetings, and connecting with our supporters and community.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your career, and how did you overcome it?
I inherited an organisation at a time of great instability and upheaval. There had been four changes at leadership level in a very short space of time and trust and financial viability was at an all-time low. I set about to enliven the organisation with a new level of energy and activity, but I had no idea what was about to come! Initially I made small changes that made a big impact and leaned into a strong advocacy position by developing relationships at government level and submitting responses to changes where possible. Then overnight banks announced the imminent demise of cheques and then Covid Struck!
2020 was a near crippling year, like everyone across the word we had to find ways to be creative, fast, responsive and survive. I moved quickly to provide support to small and struggling charities. I had to be innovative with international speakers that could not fly to New Zealand – by using hologram technology for them to deliver presentations, there was nothing I would not find a work around for, but the impact almost saw the end of our organisation. With few options remaining, I launched the first of its kind peer to peer Emergency Appeal to keep the organisation alive. Finally, after four years of unsustainable pressure, it was time to step down. It was the hardest four years of any leadership role, but the achievements under the circumstances have been described as outstanding.
If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself as you first embarked on your career?
- Maintain your integrity.
- Trust your instinct.
- Focus on YOUR core purpose.
- Stay true to yourself.
- Take risks.
- Learn from your mistakes.
- Try to understand why people feel the way they do.
- Remember what you think is not reality – the 10% of people taking up 90%of your head space are NOT YOUR intended audience. The other 90% ARE!
- Celebrate each milestone, every win.
- Reflect, review, refine – then repeat over and over.
How do you stay motivated to work in this field?
The idea that we can change the world. Several years ago, I was interviewed for the SOFII WOW (World Changers at Work) and the final question I was asked was:
What advice would you give to fundraisers who want to change the world?
I’d tell them that they can. We’re doing it. It happens one person at a time. If you can change even one person’s life, that has a knock-on effect. I’ve been so inspired by so many people along the way, and I think it’s really nice to want to aspire to be like someone you admire. Look to the people who are changing the world and try to emulate them.
How do you unwind after work?
I am an extroverted introvert. I work hard and I love nothing more than spending time out on my deck amongst the trees with the King Parrots (and a wide variety of other beautiful birds). I enjoy reading and watching documentaries. I have an odd fixation and interest in sports documentaries! Not only do I enjoy sport but many of these kinds of documentaries offer relatable insights into leadership, teamwork and pressure that resonated with me!
What was the last thing you read?
I always have two or three books in rotation at the same time – one every day, easy thinking novel or crime story and I am also currently reading Woman and Leadership by Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. I just finished reading Poverty Safari by Darren McGarvey. But if I can recommend one book to anyone it is Thinking fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman – It will change the way you think forever!
