Peekaboo! I See You!
It’s my third week sending this newsletter.
To you, it’s no big deal. You can read it, delete it, and move on with your day.
But for me, it’s a very big deal.
Writing this and hitting “send” each week means putting myself out there. And the truth is… over the past two years, since leaving a nearly 20-year career in higher ed, I’ve become really good at hiding.
Hiding what, exactly?
This business.
My skillset.
My successes.
My failures.
All of it.
I only launched my website a month ago. You won’t find my social media feed filled with client wins or case studies. Everything I’ve done under Jenni Craig & Co. (and believe me, there’s been a lot) has come from word of mouth - not because I marketed myself, but because I didn’t.
That’s not a humblebrag.
It’s evidence of a pretty gruesome case of imposter syndrome. And it’s starting to feel debilitating.
The truth is, I am wildly capable. I’ve helped nonprofits raise hundreds of thousands (and in some cases, millions). I’ve built campaigns from scratch. I’ve navigated messy org charts, overhauled underperforming strategies, and coached some incredible humans doing meaningful work.
But talking about my work? Hide me, please.
My brain tells me everyone already knows what I know. That I’ll forget the “right” jargon. That I’ll sound like I’m trying too hard, or maybe not enough.
So this newsletter… this weekly practice of showing up… is my way of getting comfortable being seen.
From the Field:
What’s interesting about this urge to hide is that I see it all the time in the leaders I work with too, especially CEOs.
They’ll hire emcees to run their events instead of speaking themselves.
They’ll let their gift officers take the spotlight.
They’ll quietly defer to staff with less experience to shape the message.
And honestly? I get it.
Visibility can feel uncomfortable, even for the most accomplished among us. But when the person with the clearest vision steps back, the mission can lose its power and direction.
It’s easier to hide than to put yourself out there.
Trust me. I know.
But here’s the hard truth: staying in the background is slowing your organization’s growth. If you want to scale, your nonprofit needs everything you have to give. It needs YOU to be seen and YOUR VOICE to be heard.
Quick Tip:
Your voice carries weight, so use it.
At your next event, donor meeting, or team gathering, challenge yourself to say one thing from your perspective as a leader. A personal story, a bold belief, a vision for the future - it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to come from you.
Quote to Lead By:
“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” - Nelson Mandela
Your organization can’t grow if you stay small. Let them see you. Own your voice. Speak with clarity and conviction because when you show up fully, your mission does too.
And if another newsletter from me shows up in your inbox next week, that means I’m taking my own advice.
One Last Thought:
If you want help shaping your donor strategy, planning your next big event, or simply figuring out how to share your story in a way that feels authentic, I can help. Jenni Craig & Co. makes the behind-the-scenes feel a little less overwhelming, and the spotlight a little less intimidating.
You’ve got this,
Jenni
