Building Meaningful Relationships: Accelerating an Organization’s Mission with Joshua Steinberger

Aug 31

Featuring Joshua steinberger

Joshua Steinberger has spent the past two decades working in the Bay Area at the intersection of strategy and communications. At Tipping Point Community, he led the communication and events efforts to leverage the power of storytelling and gatherings to articulate the complexity of poverty. Prior to that, Joshua served as a member of the executive team at the Presidio Trust where he helped transform a military post into a cherished national park.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

The importance of being adaptable and wearing different hats in the field of communications and events. Joshua highlights his experience working with various organizations and taking on diverse tasks, demonstrating the value of versatility.
The demand for communications and events professionals in the nonprofit sector. Steinberger’s ability to fill in capacity for organizations looking for staff in these areas reflects a need for skilled individuals in this field.
The significant impact that individuals can have on preserving public spaces and achieving financial self-sufficiency as seen through the transformation of the Presidio and the efforts of various people, including Nancy Pelosi.
The nimbleness and adaptability required for nonprofit organizations to respond effectively to crises, such as Tipping Point’s response to the North Bay fires, homelessness, and COVID-19. Tipping Point's ability to balance their mission with flexibility demonstrates the importance of being able to adapt to changing circumstances.
The approach to identifying potential spokespersons for an organization involves relying on colleagues and close team members who have insight into suitable individuals. It is essential to tailor the process to the individual and provide the necessary support during the writing and creative process.
The significance of supporting others in telling their own stories. Joshua’s experience working with Kenneth at Goodwill highlights the power of empowering individuals and allowing them to share their experiences. Supporting others in telling their stories can be immensely rewarding for both the individuals and the organization.
The consideration of event size and authenticity in relation to an organization's brand and audience. Starting small and focusing on quality, regardless of available resources, can lead to more meaningful connections.
The importance of moving from transactional relationships to authentic, meaningful connections. Building relationships and understanding people's interests are crucial in advancing an organization's mission.
The challenges faced by small organizations in allocating resources for relationship-building due to limited funds. This highlights the need for creative solutions and innovative approaches to cultivating connections.
The significance of storytelling in connecting with others quickly and effectively. Streamlining complex topics to resonate with people's limited attention spans is vital, but there are still opportunities to learn more about the distinctions and nuances of storytelling.

In this episode…

In this episode of the “Solution Seekers” podcast, host Paige Buck speaks with Joshua Steinberger, a seasoned professional in the realm of strategy and communications. With an impressive portfolio highlighting his work with organizations such as Tipping Point and the Presidio Trust, Joshua shares his experiences and provides valuable insights into the world of communications, events, and driving impact.

Throughout the episode, Joshua emphasizes the importance of building authentic relationships and connecting with people on a meaningful level. From his work with Tipping Point, where he witnessed the organization's nimble response to crises like the North Bay fires and the COVID-19 pandemic, to his involvement in the transformation of the Presidio into a public space, Joshua's expertise shines through as he shares valuable tips on storytelling, spokesperson selection, and event planning. His ability to simplify complex topics and connect with others quickly is a testament to his mastery of the field. Overall, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for professionals looking to make a significant impact within their organizations and communities.

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Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by Kennedy Events.

Kennedy Events creates stress-free conferences and events, providing expert management and design for all your corporate event needs—from in-person to hybrid and virtual events.

To learn more about our services, visit our website at www.kennedyevents.com and schedule a consultation today to find out how we can guide you in making your event successful.

Transcript

Paige Buck [00:00:02]:

Welcome to the Kennedy Events Podcast. I'm your host, Paige Buck. Past guests include Cara DeFabio of Economic Security Sroject, Sophia Piliouras of MCCA, and Susan Jacobson of Glavin Jacobson.

And today I'm delighted to have Joshua Steinberger. Joshua has spent the past two decades working in the Bay Area at the intersection of strategy and communications. A Tipping Point Community, he led the communication and events efforts to leverage the power of storytelling and gatherings to articulate the complexity of poverty. No small feat. Prior to that, Joshua served as a member of the executive team at the Presidio Trust, where he helped transform a military post into a cherished national park.

Before we dive in, today's episode is brought to you by Kennedy Events. Kennedy Events creates stress-free conferences and events, providing expert management and design for all your corporate event needs, from in-person to hybrid and virtual. You can find out more about us at kennedyevents.com.

Joshua, thanks for sitting through that, and thanks for being with me today.

Joshua Steinberger [00:01:08]:
Yeah, thank you for having me. It's good to see you again.

Paige Buck [00:01:11]:

Good to see you. Always good to spend time with you. And I would love to hear what you've been up to more recently since you've just left Tipping Point.

Joshua Steinberger [00:01:19]:

Yeah, well, as you mentioned at Tipping Point for five years, at The Presidio Trust before that, left in September. Huge fans of both of those organizations, but ready for a change and to get a little closer to the work. I, for a while, had been thinking about what it would be like to be an independent consultant supporting nonprofits in their communications and marketing and events work, and so went out to give that a shot and have really been loving it. Miss my colleagues, but it's nice to have some variety and to be, again, just kind of getting my hands dirty again and writing and pitching these stories.

Paige Buck [00:01:58]:

Wow. Yeah. And anybody who is familiar with those two organizations knows that they have had some significant and impressive milestones in their time and your time with them. What are some of the moments in those organizations you're most proud of?

Joshua Steinberger [00:02:15]:

Yeah, that's a great question. Thinking about the Presidio. It's a fun time to think back to it, and it's an amazing place for anyone that hasn't been to the Presidio, it’s managed by this independent federal agency called The Presidio Trust. And I think a couple things. You know one, the Presidio Trust was created in this, what feels like now, rare bipartisan move to create a really unique solution to a tricky challenge. As the military left in the nineties. I think applying just kind of a blanket fix probably wouldn't have worked. And so the creativity that went into creating this agency was really special, and I think could be a model for how we kind of do things today. But one of the stipulations was that it reached financial self-sufficiency in 15 years, and so I got to be part of that as they really were able to transform this cherished public space into something that could be held in perpetuity for the public. And so reaching that milestone and then knowing that it was saved, which was massive efforts going from Nancy Pelosi and the elect officials to all the folks that are on the ground doing that work. It was special to be part of that.

Paige Buck [00:03:29]:

It is impressive. And I think I moved to the city well after that had been incepted. But then when I was working at the Chamber of Commerce, hearing a lot about the sort of things they were rolling out and the clever solutions to such a complex problem of, oh, we've dumped this massive piece of land on you. It's a really sweet space to hang out in. What are you going to do with it? How are you going to make it work and not just have it fall into disrepair?

Joshua Steinberger [00:03:58]:

Yeah, no, I know it was daunting. I was not there in the very beginning. But Craig Middleton, who was the first employee and then longtime executive director, wonderful leader, I think had to balance the sort of economic realities with the public vision and the history of the place, and did so in a way that allowed sort of revenue to come in through rehabilitating the real estate and then really reinvesting that in a way that slowly but surely honored the history and brought people in through trails and preserved landscapes and bike paths and whatever you can imagine. And so, again, I think the Presidio, just like we talk about Tipping Point, these are unique organizations. It's not a one size fits all. But the Presidio was given this incredible asset, and, I think they've done a wonderful job of preserving it. They were dealt a good hand.

Paige Buck [00:04:55]:

They were dealt a good hand. Yes, that's true. They were dealt it, and you could say the same for Tipping Point. And a lot of people look to Tipping Point as this pinnacle in our community. The same way, I think– Was it Robin Hood Foundation in New York that inspired the founding of Tipping Point? What are some I mean, again, locals will hold up the events that you produce as the best of the best of the best, but maybe I don't know, maybe it's easy to get cocky if you're in that position. I'm wondering if there are some wins that folks wouldn't have as much insight into that you and your team helped make happen.

Joshua Steinberger [00:05:39]:

Yeah, well, again, a huge honor to work with Tipping Point, and they did start. Daniel Lurie, who founded Tipping Point, had worked at Robin Hood and tried to bring the things that he loved most and thought would be most effective in the Bay Area, from New York to the Bay Area. I think, thinking back now after close to a year of being gone, one of the things that I think is applicable to organizations, that Tipping point, we struggled with, but I think really ultimately did a good job of is balancing staying the course with our mission and our structure and our process and our metrics and our evaluation to find the best organizations that were fighting poverty throughout the Bay Area, and not getting so caught in that, though, that there wasn't also some room to be nimble. And so one of the things that Tipping Point was able to do that I was able to be part of was respond to different crises. And so, there was the crisis of the North Bay fires. There was a big initiative around homelessness. And the list goes on. COVID was another time where we're able to kind of keep enough diligence on the bread and butter work and the core promise of finding exceptional groups that have a real impact while also knowing that things change and the community is going to need the organization to step up in different ways at different times.

Paige Buck [00:07:02]:

It sounds like they were strategic about not leaving, not having all of their resources tied up in long-term or multi-year commitments, which is when– we're so lucky that they're able to respond.

Joshua Steinberger [00:07:18]:

I think that's right.

Paige Buck [00:07:20]:

Yeah. So now you've been an independent operator, consultant for close to, you're coming up on a year fighting. What are you discovering about yourself and what are you liking to tap into all these skills you've developed over the years?

Joshua Steinberger [00:07:37]:

Yeah, well, I definitely feel like I'm on a steep learning curve, really mastered none of it. But I think one of the things I'm really enjoying is just the variety of work. There are incredible organizations out there that I've had the real privilege of working with over this last year from First 5 Alameda to Goodwill San Francisco Bay, still doing some work with Tipping Point, the forestry and fire recruitment program. So really have been blessed with some great clients and being able to wear different hats. So sometimes it's speech writing and sometimes it's helping with a press strategy. Sometimes it might be more on the branding and messaging. And so there are a lot of groups, as you well know, as a board member and as someone that's deep in this sector as well, that there's a lot of need for communications and events professionals. And so it's been fantastic to be able to fill in some of that capacity that folks are looking for right now while staffing is tight.

Paige Buck [00:08:36]:

How do you either dust off all of those skills you're getting called on to use, and which of them are you enjoying the most?

Joshua Steinberger [00:08:48]:

That's a great question. I'll tell a short story from today. This is recency bias. So this happened today. So Goodwill opened up a new store in Hayward today. Plug for their Hayward store on Mission Boulevard. And I got to help them put together their program, the ribbon cutting program, and the part of all of this, and I think you and I probably share this feeling about the work, is you're trying to help people feel something, right? Sometimes that's sadness, sometimes it's joy, sometimes it's whatever, might be guilt or love or awe, but to feel inspired and from that to take action and to do something with it. And I got to work with, very briefly, with this guy named Kenneth who's in the donation center at Goodwill. And he offered to tell his story about how he found Goodwill and how much it meant to him. When you get to be in that position of supporting someone and telling their story or helping them tell their story in a way that they're looking for the opportunity to do it, it's empowering. And it's something that they feel like is opportunity for them to give back in that way, to give the shout-outs to the folks that helped make this possible for them, but also kind of own their own power in it. And so this guy Kenneth, who's in his sixties, was recently released from prison, really was having a hard time finding a job and told the story of how Goodwill gave him a second chance. And he stood up today in front of the cameras and in front of these VIPs and told it and was just, he crushed it. He was so proud. And that's my favorite part of the work. When you kind of get to support someone else in telling their own story in a way that you know, they feel really good and helps the organization forward

Paige Buck [00:10:44]:

Yes. And it's harder to do that than a lot of people think. But when you have that, oh my gosh, I love how you put that in trying to get people to feel something. Because we too often use the more business speak of like, well, what will make this press-worthy? Or how are we going to get people to raise their hand at that paddle race?

Joshua Steinberger [00:11:07]

That's right.

Paige Buck [00:11:09]:

Or even a more buzzy phrase is like, how are we going to tap into their emotions is different than how are we going to get them to feel something?

Joshua Steinberger [00:11:18]:

Yeah, anything. Just feel something

Paige Buck [00:11:20]:

Anything. Besides, chicken is a little dry. I love when you can find the right person, the right story, and then that you're also giving them something. It's not simply mission serving or serving the organization to find that person and get them to share, but you've lifted them up by giving them a chance to speak proudly and from their heart.

Joshua Steinberger [00:11:44]:

And I think there's a lot of– I think that's right. And I think just to be kind of honest about it, it's a delicate dance. And I think those of us in the field need to be very careful about it. Crossing over to that being exploitative of their experiences or somehow manipulating in a way someone's story for the benefit of people just raising their hand.

Paige Buck [00:12:09]:

Yeah, like we’re taking it on the road now, you did such a good job with that speech.

Joshua Steinberger [00:12:13]:

Exactly. And then you're left, it's vulnerable, right? You've now told your story. So I think it's really important to support people into that process, during the process, and then afterwards to make sure that people kind of help through that because I think it can bring up a lot and it's important to find the right people because it's not for everybody.

Paige Buck [00:12:29]:

How do you do that? I think that is a delicate line. I think smaller, less resourced organizations might do a really good job of identifying the person, but less, or like, here's a beautiful story we could tell if this person is willing and then aren't really sure how to take that person through the experience, prepare them. And then I love that sort of like, aftercare idea. What do you think success there looks like?

Joshua Steinberger [00:13:03]:

Well, I think the good news is the first part of that answer for me would be, I'm never going to be the right person to identify the people. And so if there's people that are close to them, they're the ones who know their teams best and their colleagues and are best positioned to say, you know what, going back to this, Kenneth has been telling his story to everybody, and he's been excited to share it just in his real life. And so, it was relatively easy to say, hey, Kenneth, there's an opportunity. Would you be interested? And so I think it's always got to be, first of all, very clear. And there's some power dynamics here, so I know it's easier said than done, but that this isn't a requirement. That this is something that if they're excited about it, it could be an opportunity, but that their job is to do whatever they're hired for. It's not to be a spokesperson for the organization. So I think that's kind of step one, is to really genuinely, authentically approach this as, you really can say no. This really is something, so very light touch there. And then I think you need to, it really depends on the person, right. Some people, the first time they tell you their story, you're like, that's it. I'm not even going to write it down. Just do that, and it's perfect. Other people really want to get into it and want support in interviews and then writing it up and being part of the creative process with you. And so I do encourage people that are doing this to carve out enough bandwidth so whoever you've asked to do this with you, that you can support them, whatever process is going to make the most sense for them. And to kind of over index toward it takes more time than you think once you start actually writing. And then afterward make sure that they have little things like, bring family or friends or someone that you really trust to the event. Take the rest of the day off if that's going to be important to you. If it's someone who has done therapy or social work or case management, line that up ahead of time. You may not need it, but in case some stuff comes up. And then following up with them to really check in and make sure that people are doing well. I found that almost always people walk out of these experiences feeling really proud of themselves. But from time to time, when we have tried to go too quickly, I think we have made some missteps and have some blind spots.

Paige Buck [00:15:35]:

Well, I just know, not even telling a personal story, let alone a complicated, hard story to share. There have been times when I've been up on stage, and I walk off and you've got that high, and you're feeling great, and everybody's patting back, and then you're in the Lyft on the way home and you start thinking, oh my gosh, I stumbled over that. Did I phrase that? And you start second-guessing yourself.

Joshua Steinberger [00:16:01]:

That's right.

Paige Buck [00:16:02]:

You can walk out feeling really uplifted personally, and then you have to level set yourself. And if you've never done it, that's not easy.

Joshua Steinberger [00:16:10]:

Yeah, I think that's really true. And I think there's so much discussion about the important, empowered, lived experience right now in the nonprofit sector. And I think that that's in some ways a new idea, and in some ways it's probably always been there. And I do think it's different if I'm here talking with you about sort of professional work and even that, I'm sure it could bring some anxiety, but it's not particularly vulnerable. But asking people with the nonprofits that we're working with to get up and talk about trauma and poverty and involvement with the criminal justice system, these are really and, regardless of how empowered, it also is very exposed. There's a lot of exposure there. I just think you're right. At least I've experienced when I'm like, oh man, I said that the wrong way.

Paige Buck [00:17:05]:

Not the same.

Joshua Steinberger [00:17:07]:

Times 1000, right? Yeah. But it is a touch of it. I think you're right.

Paige Buck [00:17:10]:

So we dived into that because as you said, you were recency bias on something you were proud of. If you could have any project land in your lap that would fuel you and fire you up or scratch an itch, anything come to mind?

Joshua Steinberger [00:17:30]:

You know, it doesn’t. I'm feeling just tremendously grateful at the moment for the variety of work that I've been able to tap into. Really exceptional leaders like William Rogers at the Goodwill. And so it's been a real joy. At some point there's a lot of interesting work happening around climate change and the environment that I'd love to touch somewhere down the road, but at this point really loving the variety.

Paige Buck [00:18:05]:

You've been really fortunate to work with now and for some really incredibly well resourced organizations. And then now I imagine in consulting you're working with ones who are trying to pull together whatever they can, however they can. What do you advise folks when it comes to the value of events versus the expense of events and the incredible time investment in building a successful event strategy?

Joshua Steinberger [00:18:39]:

Yeah, it's a great question, and I talk a lot about that because we were joking before the call, people see Tipping Point events or even the dream for these amazing galas and these wonderful big conferences and say how do we do that? And I think that there's times that that model, that benefit, bring people together, really knock their socks off, have the energy, can be exactly the right answer. I also think often it's not. And so really having that conversation of what's right for your organization, for your group, for the people you're trying to connect with and is really authentic to your brand. Not to get too marketing speak, but by that I really mean what's going to feel right? What are people going to say? Like, oh yeah, you say you're about this, and I just experienced that. There's no dissonance between how you talk about yourself and what I just walked into. And so, I'm a big fan of starting small. As I've been going into these organizations, I found myself far more often than I thought encouraging people to do less and to do it well. And to really, regardless if you're a Tipping Point, always want more resources but are well resourced, or a scrappy startup nonprofit, I think quality is really important. And having some of that, whatever that high touch is for you is important.

Paige Buck [00:20:13]:

The right formula for you, not a one size fits all.

Joshua Steinberger [00:20:16]:

That's right. I really believe in, whether or not it's a dinner party or a massive concert, the power of gathering. I think it does something different. I know I personally missed it dearly over COVID, and I think a lot of us did in the sector of being able to– there's something about being together with people that you share, you may be very different, but you share a calling to some mission of an organization that is really meaningful.

Paige Buck [00:20:48]:

Did you have this experience when you could go out again and go to events again of almost like tingling with the energy of being in three dimensions with people?

Joshua Steinberger [00:20:58]:

Totally, absolutely.

Paige Buck [00:21:00]:

Yeah.

Joshua Steinberger [00:21:01]:

I really felt that and you could see people, it's like we're all on first dates, we had no idea what to do. But it was great to be hosting those events and having people just like, oh my goodness!

Paige Buck [00:21:14]:

It was just people standing around together with a drink in their hand saying, “Am I awkward? I think I've become awkward.”

Joshua Steinberger [00:21:20]:

Exactly. We all were awkward.

Paige Buck [00:21:22]:

Yes. And our entire problem for the last twelve to 18 months has been designing events where you can hook people to stop talking to one another and participate in the content that you were trying to share with them, whether it's a conference– We produced a Convening for Economic Security Project around guaranteed basic income. National organizations, I mean, organizations spread across the country that are meeting their counterparts for the first time. And you could have just had zero content. You could have just been like, “And hang out together. Go!” And everybody would have had a fabulous experience because we couldn't get them to come back in to hear Bernice King! They were like, but I just met this person, and I'm so very excited.

Joshua Steinberger [00:22:15]:

Well, I think that that's a big piece of it too, which it's easy for, as the content people to not give enough attention to that. If you get the right people in the room, that's a big part of it, and you've set the stage for them to be comfortable. Whether or not that's food and drinks and bathrooms and lights and all of those things that go in behind the scenes. But often, I've had the same experience that if the right people are there, and often that's on the sort of fundraising side or the program side, that's a big part of the lift. The content, while still important, sometimes you just got to make sure that there's really time for people just to do their thing.

Paige Buck [00:22:52]:

And at a gala, even if it's a three or four course dinner, often that means way more preparation of the individuals. Your board, your volunteers, your special guests feel like you're going to be at a table with nine other people, and we need you to seed the conversation with why you care about the organization, what turns other people on, what are they hearing? So that that's the dialogue you're having. Not just like, where are you from? Oh, you're from Wells Fargo. What do you do there?

Joshua Steinberger [00:23:23]:

Yeah. Well, I do think going back to one of the observations of some of these smaller organizations that's real is on the fundraising side, I think Sam Cobbs, the CEO of Tipping Point, and I would talk about this a lot. The importance of moving from sort of a transactional relationship to really one that's that's meaningful and authentic and deep and sort of grounded in impact. And that takes time. We use the word cultivation all the time, but it takes, I think, to do it well, you have to get to know people and genuinely figure out what they're interested in and if that's the right match and how that can fit in and accelerate the mission of the organization. And so some of that is those conversations and really putting a premium on building relationships rather than only coming in for that hard ask. And I think that requires resources. And that, I think, is a real challenge, understandably for organizations that are out there.

Paige Buck [00:24:38]:

There is so much effort that just goes, I'm very quick to say, like you, maybe don't hold that event if you haven't really dialed in your why. It’s a mistake to think you're just building a container. This is not, “Field of Dreams.” They will not come just because you create this container for them. And if they do, if you do the work of getting them there, then that relationship building that's happening in the room is as or more important than how much they give in that moment, if at all.

Joshua Steinberger [00:25:11]:

Absolutely. Yeah.

Paige Buck [00:25:12]: It's a real hard trajectory for organizations to take on. I'm curious. Shoot, I just lost my train of thought because I was so into what we were just saying. But how you advise folks oh, I know, how you bring yourself up to speed. That's what I wanted to ask. When you're taking on a new project now, I bet you didn't know everything about Goodwill's landscape, the merging of the two geographic regions. Do you just go read everything on their website, or are you having a briefing? How do you get to know the challenges of your next project or client?

Joshua Steinberger [00:25:55]:

That's a great question. I mean, I certainly try to read whatever I can find and I try to be really– and I'm still learning for sure. And even Goodwill is a perfect example. A massive organization. There's so much about it that I still don't know. I spent some time in the warehouse the other day, and I was like this is in and of itself a whole world of how they're sorting these amazing goods and getting them back out there. But I try to be really honest from the beginning that I'm going to have significant onboarding gaps, and to create some kind of relationship and trust where I really encourage people to call me out if I've missed something, and ask for permission to still try to give my best recommendations, and know that some of them are going to be off base. And hopefully those are opportunities to learn more about what they're doing. And while I think the operation–

Paige Buck [00:26:43]:

Tell me when it's a miss, and tell me why.

Joshua Steinberger [00:26:47]:

Exactly, and then let's keep going. [We can] almost forecast that's going to happen for sure. In that sense, I do think there are sort of some universal truths to this work that kind of get to what it means to tell a story. How you talk about these complex topics in way that are going to resonate and connect with people. We were talking about earlier, how do you kind of simplify things to try? I think for all of us that have been doing this work for a long time, we have to get out of our own way and recognize that people have so much coming at them. And so how do you find a way to connect quickly with folks in a very limited space? I do think there's things that apply across this work as well. But certainly, that's not to say, there are important distinctions between them that I certainly have to get up to speed with and that's a long time of learning.

Paige Buck [00:27:44]:

Yeah, but that's still really good advice, and it leaves me thinking about how our project managers and teams come into new projects and how we could do better at naming. We are not going to understand everything about your fill-in-the-blank. Your crypto product, guarantee. I don't understand it or your organization's mission and the challenges you're facing in this moment. It's helpful, it's humbling, and it's honest, and it's really useful. So as we're coming to a close here, I'm curious to hear who in this broader work in this community, in your profession, you really admire.

Joshua Steinberger [00:28:28]:

Mean I think I've said this already over our time together, but I’ve really been really, really lucky to work with exceptional folks, different times. I'm going to come back to Sam Cobbs, though, for that answer. And there's lots of people, as I mentioned, that I've had a chance to work with some of whoever I talked about. But when you get to work, kind of the story that I was talking about with Kenneth at Goodwill, too. It's a very intimate relationship, working kind of in the sort of communication event space with the folks that are up on stage sharing their story and their guidance and their professions and telling people kind of their worldview. And it requires this sort of intimacy of people really opening up and trusting you. I think for having the opportunity that was Sam when he came into overseeing Tipping Point was just an extraordinary honor and continues to be someone that is a mentor and that I look up to and consider a friend and a partner as well in this work. But I think the thing that he taught me that I was never good at and still never will be good at, but he was very comfortable saying, listen, there's multiple ways to go about something. We're going to go this way, and that's for the sake of the organization, for the sake of moving a conversation forward, we're not going to revisit that. We're just going to go. I recognize there's people that are going to be unhappy with that. I recognize that there's legitimate reasons to go this way, but we're just going to make that happen, and was okay with the noise that that created. And I think in the sector, there’s not always the perfect solution, but we often get caught in these are really hard issues. There are no simple answers. The solutions what got us sort of into this mess took a long time. It's going to take us a long time to get out of it, but we need to keep moving and taking one step forward. And so I really appreciated the decisiveness, which I think can be missing often, and certainly something I struggle with where I'm like, oh, yeah, that's a great point. This is a great point. Let's look at it this way. Let's look at. It that way from a storytelling perspective. And so I really have admired his leading an organization. He really sees that there's a path, and you got to keep marching along it.

Paige Buck [00:30:55]:

You only do the one right next thing. You can't clone yourself or split yourself across all of these things..

Joshua Steinberger [00:31:04]:

Right. Yeah. And even if you get some of them wrong, let's get three out of four right. But let's make those decisions.

Paige Buck [00:31:12]:

Yeah. That's powerful. Yeah. I do wonder if in the social sector, there isn't more– It comes from like, I don't know, a desire to solve all the problems, but also please all of the people because everybody is sacrificing something to be a part of the solution. Oh, your idea has merit. We'll do that, too. Your idea has merit. You're wonderful. Keep at it. We're not doing that, we’re doing this.

Joshua Steinberger [00:31:42]:

We're not doing that because we have a mission. And so I think holding that this work is really bigger than any of us and that we owe it to just kind of do our best, but to keep trudging along.

Paige Buck [00:31:53]:

Yeah. That's fantastic. That's fantastic. Thank you for that. Well, Joshua Steinberger, it has been an absolute pleasure talking with you. Where can people find you and the work you're doing?

Joshua Steinberger [00:32:03]:

So I don't have a website, but LinkedIn. Someday I will do it. And my email address is JoshuaSteinberger@gmail.com.

Paige Buck [00:32:15]:

Old school.

Joshua Steinberger [00:32:16]:

Old school. Yeah. Would love to connect with folks.

Paige Buck [00:32:18]:

Love it. And don't build a website now because in six months, an AI tool will be able to write it for you.

Joshua Steinberger [00:32:24]:

That's going to be my excuse. I love it.

Paige Buck [00:32:26]:

Yeah. You're like I'm just waiting until I can click a button.

Joshua Steinberger [00:32:29]:

End of the game.

Paige Buck [00:32:32]:

All right, thanks for your time.

Ready to Learn More About What the Kennedy Events Team Can Bring to Your Event?

The KE team excels at incorporating opportunities to delight at every stage of the event planning process. With a clear roadmap to event success, we champion our knowledge, resources, and connections to ensure your event goes off without a hitch. Whether you’re planning a live, in-person event, something in the virtual realm, or a hybrid with virtual components, our event experts are here to guide you. Schedule a 30-minute consultation with us today.

PAIGE BUCK

Paige Buck is the co-owner of Kennedy Events, a large-scale event management company based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Our team creates stress-free conferences and events with a positive impact, which allows our clients to resonate with their audience. Kennedy Events specializes in producing flawless product launches, award ceremonies, fundraisers, and multi-day conferences while keeping our eye on retention and engagement goals.

About Kennedy Events

Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.