Five Apps That Changed Everything:
How I Lead with Clarity, Connection, and Prayer
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit." (Proverbs 21:5, NIV)
Let's be honest—being an executive director feels like running a marathon while juggling flaming torches.
You're the visionary, fundraiser, team manager, and board whisperer—all while trying to get a moment to think straight. If you're anything like me, your to-do list never sleeps. After 20 years in nonprofit leadership, I've gathered a few tools that help me work smarter, stay organized, and connect with donors without losing my mind.
Having clarity and focus isn't just about crossing tasks off—it's about having capacity and time to lead with heart.
A Quick Story: Where I Started
As a first-time executive director, our team managed data for a homeless shelter with index cards and pencils. That was my crash course in resource management. Since then, I have invested thousands of dollars in software to stay ahead and make life easier and more effective for my team.
Today, the technology available to nonprofit leaders is incredible—and generally affordable. The right tools can save you hours each week and open the door to more meaningful, strategic leadership.
My Top 5 Tools for Leading with Clarity and Margin:
Reflect App – My Second Brain
I use Reflect to take notes during one-on-one meetings with staff, record important items during donor conversations, and capture quick ideas. The best part? I can tag people, so when I prep for a meeting, I can see all past notes for that person; no more lost notebooks or forgotten conversations. I also use Reflect to create audio memos. The app transcribes my notes, which I send them to my next tool, Chat GPT, to convert into emails and tasks.
ChatGPT – My Thought Partner
A paid ChatGPT subscription helps me draft documents, summarize key information, brainstorm messaging, and prepare donor communications. It's like having a co-pilot who never gets tired of editing and always has ideas. The benefit of a paid subscription is that ChatGPT learns your organization's style and commonly used words, and offers content tailored accordingly.
Superlist – Task Management That Works
I've tried Trello, Asana, and sticky notes, but Superlist has settled in as my task manager of choice. I use Superlist to capture daily tasks, assign follow-ups, and keep campaigns and projects moving forward. It's simple, clean, and built for focus.
Monday.com – To Build the Processes You Wish You Had
When I need to collaborate with internal and external partners, or create flexible workflows, Monday.com delivers. I use Monday.com to manage events, onboard staff, create volunteer processes, etc. It helps my team stay aligned and adaptable.
Grammarly – For Clear, Kind, Professional Writing
After writing, I use Grammarly to refine tone, fix grammar, and ensure my words are personal and professional—especially when writing to donors, board members, and the press. Similar to ChatGPT, I use a subscription-based version of Grammarly for access to additional features.
Bonus App: Beautiful.AI
Beautiful.ai changes the game for creating slide decks and presentations. It’s super fast, has great design, and makes a big impact.
The images above are just the beginning—the title pages—of a few slide decks I created. Each deck shown contains data, charts, images, icons, and lists that are well branded and were made in minutes.
Beautiful.ai can save you hours of prep time in creating polished, on-brand slides for staff and board meetings.
The Real Outcome: Space to Lead, Think, and Pray
These tools don't just make my job easier—they give me breathing room. They help me:
See the big picture instead of living in the weeds.
Stay relational instead of robotic.
Free more time to pray for my staff, our work, and the people we serve.
Having clarity and focus isn't just about crossing tasks off—it's about having capacity and time to lead with heart.
Your Turn
What's one tool you can't live without?
Let's learn from each other. What apps or systems help you lead with peace, clarity, and purpose?
P.S. If you get a chance, check out my number one: Reflect APP.
