Be a Resource, Not a Sales Pitch

If I had to sum up what makes JAC different in one sentence, it’s this: we’re here to help, not to hustle.

Every week, I meet with nonprofit leaders who show up to our calls a little guarded, and I get it. You’ve probably sat through one too many “free consultations” that were really just long, awkward sales pitches wrapped in buzzwords.

But here’s the thing. The moment we start talking, that guard usually drops because before I ever try to sell you anything, I want to help you understand what you actually need. Sometimes that means confirming you’re ready to bring in a consultant. Other times, it means I gently tell you you’re not there yet, and I give you clear next steps anyway.

And nine times out of ten, people tell me the same thing after our call: “You’re genuinely helpful. I feel like you actually care about our success.”

That feedback means the world to me because it’s not accidental. It’s intentional.

At JAC, we lead with value, not a pitch. We teach, share tools, and always tell you the truth, even when it’s not what you hoped to hear, because that’s what it means to be a resource.

In all honesty, the nonprofit world is full of noise and nonsense. Everywhere you look, someone is promising quick wins, “guaranteed free funding,” or some secret formula that will earn your nonprofit millions of dollars overnight. Frankly, it’s all bullshit and exhausting. 

Here’s the truth: real, sustainable funding isn’t built through pressure tactics. It’s built through clarity, strategy, and relationships that are built with trust. However, that doesn’t mean giving everything away for free or burning yourself out trying to please everyone.

It means showing up with generosity and boundaries, and offering knowledge that actually helps someone move forward, even if they don’t hire you today or ever. 

For us, that looks like:

• Free strategy calls where we actually strategize.

• Blogs and newsletters that tell you what’s real, not just what sells.

• Honest recommendations, even if that means saying, “You don’t need us yet.”

• Tools and templates that help you write better grants, even if you never touch them.

We know this approach works, too. The people who come to us after months or even years of following our content or visiting with us over a discovery call often become our best clients, but they didn’t come because of a hard sell. They came because we earned their trust — one honest post, one helpful email, one real conversation at a time.

So if you take nothing else from this post, take this: Be a resource, not a sales pitch.

Help first. Teach freely. Lead with generosity and clarity. The more you give with intention, the more your impact grows, and trust me, the right people will always come back when they’re ready.

At JAC, we’re your resource, whether you hire us today, next year, or never at all.