You Are What You Give
Claim This Podcastby Avi Zimmerman
Podcast Overview
<p><b>You Are What You Give</b> is a weekly conversation about generosity and the transformational ways it shapes who we become. Host <b>Avi Zimmerman</b> sits down with people whose giving changed lives — public figures, community leaders, philanthropists, and everyday heroes — to explore the moments that formed their purpose.</p><p></p><p>Each episode goes beyond biography. These are honest, human conversations about choices, values, faith, leadership, and what it really means to lead a life worth living.</p><p></p><p>Whether you’re looking to deepen your purpose, sharpen your giving approach, or simply connect with stories that matter, this show brings you into the rooms where those conversations happen.</p><p></p><p><b>New episodes every week.</b><br /></p><p>Join a community learning to give more meaningfully, mindfully and measurably.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
11/24/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 8, 2026
Mission Drift Explained: How Good Organizations Lose Their Way
<p>Most organizations don't fail overnight.</p><p></p><p>They drift. Not because they stop caring. Not because they lose passion. But because they slowly move away from the very mission they were created to serve.</p><p></p><p>In this episode of <i>You Are What You Give </i><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://givewithus.com/" target="_blank"><i>https://givewithus.com/</i></a>, Avi sits down with <b>Becca Spradlin</b>, founder of On Mission Advisors, to explore one of the most overlooked risks facing nonprofits, ministries, foundations, and purpose-driven organizations: <b>mission drift</b>.<br /></p><p>Together they discuss:</p><ul><li>What mission drift actually is</li><li>Why good organizations are vulnerable to it</li><li>How funding can unintentionally pull organizations off course</li><li>The role boards play in protecting mission</li><li>Why hiring for alignment matters</li><li>How leaders can distinguish healthy change from unhealthy drift</li><li>Why defining failure may be just as important as defining success</li></ul><p></p><p>One of Becca's most practical insights is deceptively simple:</p><p><b>Don't just define your mission. Define your drift.</b></p><p></p><p>Because organizations rarely wake up one morning and decide to abandon their purpose. They simply make a series of small decisions that slowly move them away from it.</p><p></p><p>If you're a nonprofit leader, donor, board member, founder, or anyone responsible for stewarding a mission, this conversation offers practical tools for staying aligned over the long term.</p><p></p><p>To learn more about Becca's work, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://OnMissionAdvisors.com" target="_blank"><b>OnMissionAdvisors.com</b></a>, where you'll find resources, her book <i>Lead on Mission</i>, and a free Mission Drift assessment.</p><p></p><p>And as always, thank you to <b>Victoria Hearst</b>, whose generosity helps make these conversations possible.</p>
May 25, 2026
A Culminating Conversation With Dr. Bob Woodson: Poverty, Charity & What Actually Changes Lives
<p><br />Dr. Bob Woodson spent decades challenging assumptions about poverty, charity, and what creates real change. In light of his recent passing, this conversation - recorded two months to the day before his passing - carries even greater weight — not simply as a discussion about giving, but as a reflection on the ideas and principles that shaped his life’s work. </p><p></p><p>In this episode of <i>You Are What You Give</i>, Avi sits down with Dr. Bob Woodson — civil rights leader, founder of the Woodson Center <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://woodsoncenter.org/" target="_blank">https://woodsoncenter.org/</a>, and longtime advocate for community-led solutions — for a conversation that asks a difficult question:</p><p><b>Can helping people sometimes make things worse?</b></p><p></p><p>Dr. Woodson challenges the assumption that money alone solves poverty and explains why understanding the nature of the problem matters just as much as the resources we bring to it.</p><p></p><p>In this conversation we discuss:</p><ul><li>the <b>four types of poverty</b></li><li>why some forms of charity unintentionally create dependency</li><li>the difference between relief and transformation</li><li>what Dr. Woodson called “toxic support”</li><li>why local relationships matter more than distant solutions</li><li>and what lasting change actually requires<p></p></li></ul><p>This isn't a conversation about giving less.</p><p>It's a conversation about helping better.</p><p></p><p>And as always, thank you to <b>Victoria Hearst</b>, whose generosity helps make these conversations possible.</p><p></p><p>For additional conversations and insights, visit us at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://givewithus.com/" target="_blank">https://givewithus.com/</a></p>
May 12, 2026
When Charity Fails: What Happens When Trust Is Broken in Nonprofit Organization Giving
<p>What happens when a charity you believe in collapses almost overnight? Not just financially — but in trust.</p><p></p><p>In this episode of <i>You Are What You Give</i>, Avi sits down with Yael Simon to explore what happens when philanthropy goes wrong — and what responsible giving actually requires from both donors and nonprofit leaders.</p><p></p><p>Within weeks of stepping into a nonprofit leadership role, Yael found herself at the center of a global fraud crisis involving investigations, broken trust, and enormous institutional fallout. That experience reshaped how she thinks about stewardship, donor responsibility, fundraising, and what it takes to rebuild credibility after failure.</p><p></p><p>This conversation goes far beyond one organization’s collapse. It’s about:</p><ul><li>how trust is built in philanthropy</li><li>why good intentions are not enough</li><li>what sophisticated donors look for</li><li>and why thoughtful giving requires ongoing responsibility — not just generosity</li></ul><p></p><p>We also explore:</p><ul><li>fundraising misconceptions nonprofits still struggle with</li><li>the role of young professionals in philanthropy</li><li>philanthropy as a catalyst rather than a solution</li><li>and how organizations can maintain trust over the long term</li></ul><p></p><p>This is not a cynical conversation about giving. It’s a practical and deeply human conversation about how to give more responsibly — especially when trust is at stake.</p><p></p><p>To contact Yael Simon, reach out to her at her webiste: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://arakura.co" target="_blank">https://arakura.co</a>. </p><p></p><p>And as always, thank you to <b>Victoria Hearst</b>, whose generosity helps make these conversations possible.</p>
24 total episodes available with 1 transcripts
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- What is You Are What You Give?
<p><b>You Are What You Give</b> is a weekly conversation about generosity and the transformational ways it shapes who we become. Host <b>Avi Zimmerman</b> sits down with people whose giving changed lives — public figures, community leaders, philanthropists, and everyday heroes — to explore the moments that formed their purpose.</p><p></p><p>Each episode goes beyond biography. These are honest, human conversations about choices, values, faith, leadership, and what it really means to lead a life worth living.</p><p></p><p>Whether you’re looking to deepen your purpose, sharpen your giving approach, or simply connect with stories that matter, this show brings you into the rooms where those conversations happen.</p><p></p><p><b>New episodes every week.</b><br /></p><p>Join a community learning to give more meaningfully, mindfully and measurably.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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