Kill your set-up verbs.
Nonprofit leaders: boldly claim your wins.
Because set-up verbs add extra words.
They water down your impact.
And make writing weak.
❌ You don’t work to improve learning outcomes ⤵
✅ You improve learning outcomes
❌ You don’t provide clean water solutions ⤵
✅ You clean water
❌ You don’t lobby to change policy ⤵
✅ You change policy
❌ And you don’t help save lives ⤵
✅ You save lives
So own your impact and own your messaging.
One word less at a time.
💪🏽💛
The Daily Bonus
Yesterday’s book announcement was a big, humbling success. Thanks to the 200+ beta readers already! Wow.
Today, I started compiling the first draft.
And what’s the most crucial sentence in the entire book? The first. So, I spent the morning studying how other authors open their books.
(The condo tower where we’re renting in Malaysia has a reading room in the lobby — full of old, dusty books for inspiration. Perfect.)
The Double Daily Bonus ♀️
In honor of International Women’s Day, read this new piece in SSIR from the incredible social enterprise brand builder, Anne Miltenburg:
Removing Barriers for Women Entrepreneurs Online
Six research and design tips for social networks, community builders, and educational organizations that want to support gender-inclusive entrepreneurship.