
The Focused Fundraiser The Right Story at the Right Time: How to match your message to your donor's journey
What if your nonprofit doesn't have a storytelling problem.. it has a timing problem? In this episode, Rob Burke sits down with Max Kringan, founder of Tellwell Story Co., who has spent nearly two decades helping mission-driven organizations use human stories to deepen donor engagement and drive real fundraising results.
Max breaks down his "storytelling rhythm" framework and explains why the most effective nonprofits aren't the ones collecting the most stories, they're the ones matching the right story to where each donor actually is in the relationship. He also shares how Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley consistently nails their gala storytelling by focusing on hope rather than trauma, and why your About page might be quietly pushing donors away.
You'll walk away with a concrete framework, a fresh perspective on donor relationships, and one action you can take today.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
01:00 - How Tellwell Story Co. Found Its Way Back to Nonprofits
03:27 - What Is the WellTold Conference and Why It's Different
08:04 - What Is a Storytelling Rhythm? The Trust Framework Explained
10:30 - Introduce, Educate, Engage, Remind: A Donor Relationship Model
13:18 - Democratizing Storytelling: Do More With Fewer Stories
16:32 - What Makes a Story Land at a Gala (vs. Falling Flat)
18:30 - Hope vs. Trauma: Why Donors Invest in Aspiration, Not Sadness
20:19 - Story Arcs and the Conflict-Resolution Principle
21:04 - Tactical Takeaway: Rewrite Your About Page With "You" Language
23:22 - Closing Thoughts and How to Connect with Max
