Black Tie and Tales takes you behind the scenes of the wonderful world of fundraising auctions to tell tales of triumph and tragedy. Your hosts Greg "Q" Quiroga and Devon "Devo" Bell have been friends for more than 43 years, and have been conducting charity auctions for over 30 years between them.
They've seen some stuff, and they want to share it with you.
Black Tie and Tales takes a storytelling approach to discussing fundraising auctions, and focuses primarily on reliving the moments that make benefit auctions so memorable - the good, bad, and downright terrifying.
What are the six most terrifying words in fundraising?
How does a crowd react when someone in the audience dies?
Which celebrities are the biggest pains in the butt to work with?
Ok, we probably won't address that last one head-on because we don't want to get sued, but we'll spill as much tea as we can.
Brought to you by Sojourn Ventures (https://www.sojournventurestravel.com) and Greater Giving (https://www.greatergiving.com), take a peek behind the curtain of the wonderful world of fundraising auctions with two auctioneers who have seen it all.
https://www.BlackTieandTales.com
What does a crowd sound like when being pranked by their auctioneer? How late in an auction is too late to do the fund-a-need? In spite of everything we said two episodes ago, can a murder mystery dinner really be a good fundraiser?
In this episode of Black Tie and Tales, Stellar Fundraising auctioneers Devon Bell and Greg Quiroga discuss some of the crazier ideas that have worked, and why. As an added bonus, you get to see a crowd react in real-time to Greg "dropping" and smashing what they believe to be a one-of-a-kind work of art as a live auction prank.
Presented by Stellar Fundraising Auctions (http://www.stellarsf.com) and brought to you by Sojourn Ventures: boutique travel experiences designed to elevate fundraising: https://www.sojournventurestravel.com/
And by Gala Toolbox: https://www.galatoolbox.com - a practical resource hub for nonprofit staff and board members who plan fundraising events: use code "STELLAR" for 25% off!
Take a peek behind the curtain of the wonderful world of fundraising auctions with two auctioneers who have seen it all. https://feeds.captivate.fm/black-tie-and-tales/
16 Sept 2026
The Care and Feeding of a Golden Goose
Which is more important: making more money at your event or making sure your crowd is happy? Every decision you make, from the revenue enhancing games you choose to doubling auction lots, has the potential to alienate your most important supporters.
In this episode of Black Tie and Tales, Stellar Fundraising auctioneers Devon Bell and Greg Quiroga discuss the intention that goes into making sure your largest donors feel the love...and want to come back and support you again.
Presented by Stellar Fundraising Auctions (http://www.stellarsf.com) and brought to you by Sojourn Ventures: boutique travel experiences designed to elevate fundraising: https://www.sojournventurestravel.com/
And by Gala Toolbox: https://www.galatoolbox.com - a practical resource hub for nonprofit staff and board members who plan fundraising events: use code "STELLAR" for 25% off! Take a peek behind the curtain of the wonderful world of fundraising auctions with two auctioneers who have seen it all. https://feeds.captivate.fm/black-tie-and-tales/
6 Aug 2026
Sweet Dreams are Made of This
Food - especially sugar - plays an important role in fundraising auctions. Whether it's the instant gratification of an immediate sugar rush, or the mayhem of the dessert dash, sugar could be the icing on your fundraising cake.In this episode of Black Tie and Tales, Stellar Fundraising auctioneers Devon Bell and Greg Quiroga discuss the positive impact that dessert (and sometimes food) has on an auction. Because, after all, everybody is looking for something...Presented by Stellar Fundraising Auctions (http://www.stellarsf.com) and brought to you by Sojourn Ventures: boutique travel experiences designed to elevate fundraising: https://www.sojournventurestravel.com/And by Gala Toolbox: https://www.galatoolbox.com - a practical resource hub for nonprofit staff and board members who plan fundraising events: use code "STELLAR" for 25% off!Take a peek behind the curtain of the wonderful world of fundraising auctions with two auctioneers who have seen it all. https://feeds.captivate.fm/black-tie-and-tales/
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
14,710
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 22 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
15
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
0
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Guest appearances
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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Black Tie and Tales
Who hosts Black Tie and Tales?
Devon Bell and Greg Quiroga host the show. Published by Stellar Fundraising Auctions.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Black Tie and Tales take guests?
The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
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