EPISODE 122
Episode 122 of Tales From the Trenches Tuesdays again features James Misner, the founder of the Kipos Group. James brings over 20 years of fundraising leadership to his work, helping organizations — particularly small and mid-sized ones — sustainably grow their revenue. He launched The Kipos Group in 2022. This was in direct response to what the pandemic did to fundraising programs across the country. James is the kind of person who will pick up a call from a stranger just to help them solve a problem. You’ll see why that matters in a moment.
When asked what advice he’d give his younger self, James’s answer was quick and clear: slow down. Become a world-class storyteller. He believes that in a market being reshaped by technology, the people who tell great stories are the ones who cut through the noise. It’s deceptively simple advice that carries real weight.
The conversation got into what James actually looks for when hiring fundraising staff, and this is where things got good. He pushed back hard on the idea that great fundraisers have to be extroverted. Personality type isn’t the filter — numbers are. If a resume lands on his desk without measurable results, year-over-year growth, or retention rates, it doesn’t get a second look. You can have all the relational warmth in the world and still not be able to raise a dollar.
Everybody who spends 30 seconds thinking about it can say fundraising is about relationships. But there are a lot of very relational people who can’t raise a dollar to save their life.
Ideal Fundraiser Qualities
Beyond the numbers, James looks for three things in every candidate: hungry, humble, and smart. Hungry means intrinsically motivated. A manager shouldn’t have to wonder every morning what it’s going to take to get someone going. Humble means owning mistakes, learning from others, and being willing to apologize. And smart, in this context, isn’t about intellect — it’s emotional intelligence. Can they read the room? Can they adapt without losing themselves? James has seen again and again that when those three things are present, people rise to meet the team around them.
We also talked about something that has always baffled me: fundraisers who are afraid to ask for money. James had a great line about a certain type of person who walks into a new client meeting and proudly announces they never ask — as if that’s something to brag about. His response? “Oh, what a shame. How much more money could you have raised if you actually had asked?” That one landed.
Just click on the picture of James below to hear our conversation.
L’chaim,
jack
