Finding Community Through Play: A Hive Interview with Lou Adducci

Nicole: [00:00:00] Hi. Thank you so much, and I’m so thrilled to have you joining. Could you please, introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your nonprofit journey? What led you into this work and what keeps you inspired today?

Lou: Absolutely. Hello, I am Lou Adducci. I am a fundraising consultant specializing in peer-to-peer fundraising.
Also have an incredible experience working in the livestream creator and gaming space, which is where my nonprofit fundraising world started or journey started. Before that, though, I had almost 15 years in nonprofit arts. I thought I was going to be an actor on the stage, but I became an actor of another sort.
And I just got to a certain point where I found I wanted to do good. I wanted to help people. I was really drawn to this idea of, being a good role model for, at the time my [00:01:00] 2-year-old son. I wanted to be able to look back and say, you can do good. And you can take things that you love and turn them into something really exciting.
And at the time I was like, how do I take, you know, I was a new parent. I want to still want to leverage my favorite hobby, which was gaming. And I wanted to help people with that. So I, quickly found out about this program through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals called Extra Life, and I became a fundraiser.
So I created a campaign. I was like, I get to play games and raise money and help my local children’s hospital. And I got very involved in this program. So much so that eventually they, were like, do you want to work? For us. And, it was absolutely a dream come true. And that was, close to like
eight or nine years ago. And that’s really when the journey for nonprofit fundraising started. What I found was I fell in love with building communities that cared about causes, that matter to me [00:02:00] and matter to the communities that, want to fundraise for them.
So that’s the whirlwind tour. I usually get really long winded about that. So I’m really impressed with myself right now, like how I truncated that journey into like less than five minutes. So everyone is listening. You’re welcome.

Nicole: For that. I love that.
The peer-to-peer is near and dear to my heart as well. That’s where I came in my fundraising background as well. And I think that gamification component that you’re sharing is really interesting and I think there’s such a untapped but, or like potential there. I know that it’s been growing over the last few years, but there’s still so much opportunity in that space, especially with the younger generation.
So I think that’s really cool and I could see why that would let you up, especially like supporting a children’s hospital and with a young child at home. That’s amazing. That’s exciting.

Lou: Yeah, absolutely. And I think something you touched on was interesting is, and something we talk about as fundraising professionals, it’s been a big [00:03:00] topic and I even, had opportunity to speak about it.
Earlier this year, it’s like, well, how am I tapping into Gen Z? What are millennials doing? Right? And one of the ways that you know, that you engage with them is not through what we’re used to in nonprofits is, gen X and boomers, they, tend to like more traditional fundraising.
A lot of us are very familiar with the gala, with the golf tournament, with the walk run. Right? Those sorts of things are very, we’re very familiar with that, but it doesn’t necessarily speak to a generation that has really adopted the screen as a way to share their ideas, to share their voice
and to engage. And so whether it’s playing a game, live stream, creating content on YouTube, TikTok, that is where you have the potential. Exactly. Kind of at this point, probably just scratching the surface of what engaging con content to look like. And many of us have probably heard this phrase like, [00:04:00] influencer marketing or, you need to have an influencer manager.
Because the concept of celebrity has gone down to almost a micro level, with a lot of these younger generation. So I think that there’s a lot of potential there. And that’s where I get excited. I get excited working with folks who, definitely talk about the world in a different way than maybe I would or my parents would.
So

Nicole: yeah. I love that. And I agree. I think the younger generation has like, some really, they’re gonna bring a different perspective that is needed into this, current reality. And I’m really excited to see what they bring. You touched on this, and I think this is what’s gonna feed into your next question, but I’d love to hear it.
What part of the work lights you up the most? So like a story, a project, an impact moment that reminds you when you do what you do?

Lou: A word that’s going around a lot, is in the work that I do is connector, like I’m a connector, I’m a community person first. I [00:05:00] love, learning about people who are in a community, whether it’s a fundraising community or a gaming community or whatever.
And I love taking those people and connecting them with other people within the community and creating even more amazing connections and growth and seeing people get excited. But I think that connection point is, how helping people find a way to express themselves through doing good.
And so that’s always my favorite part whether I’m connecting someone who then goes on to raise a hundred dollars or I connect them to another brand that all of a sudden they have a brand sponsor and then they’re raising, thousands of dollars. Those are the moments that, like you said, light me up, they keep me going.
They allow me to see the potential, in the work, of connecting and creating community. Like a specific example, is, through years of doing this, there’s a group that, has followed me through my different career paths is, and it feels good because, you create connections.
But they do [00:06:00] this, event, it’s called stumped. They’re stumped gamers. Every Christmas they do this thing called Stump Miss, stumped, miss. And it’s like 12 days of this group of creators who they just celebrate and they fundraise for cause. They’ve raised funds for World Central Kitchen and with Doctors Without Borders, hundreds of thousands of dollars.
That connection and these people being like my fundraising besties has been that kind of connection with people who want to spend so much of their time doing good, doing something that’s actually a lot of fun and kind of strange and funny. Is probably one of the things that motivates me is you’re always looking for that next amazing group of friends who want to go on this journey to.
Create really cool stuff, together and process like significantly help people. So I think that probably answers the question.

Nicole: It does, totally does. I love it too. It’s one of those things where you [00:07:00] get to find cool ways that you enjoy like value alignment, but also bringing joy and leaving the world off a little bit better of a place, doing fun things that you enjoy doing while getting to connect with people.
That sounds like the dream to me. So kudos to you for finding that in your work life. So what’s one challenge or shift you’re currently navigating in your organization or within the sector? How are you approaching it and what kind of support would help?

Lou: No, that’s a good question. I think that, economic downturn is it’s real, and I think that
the peer-to-peer, sector, and I’m sure in other sectors and, in major gifts and what have you. It’s a real thing. But, I think the hard part is continuing the story that we tell as an organization, to allow your contributors, your supporters, to keep going, to keep pushing forward that this too will pass that kind of mentality.
And it’s hard because when you’re feeling the things that [00:08:00] your community is feeling on a very personal level, whether it’s funding being, restricted or funding being taken away, or just the general state of the world, it’s tough. And the thing that helps is. I think I love to do the most is creating those connection points and creating moments of community to have these conversations candidly and to find that spirit of perseverance to move forward.
So I feel like that has been over the last five years. It’s been a wave, it’s been tumultuous, to be honest of, having folks who you ask to spend their time to raise funds, oftentimes they are full-time creators. They live stream or create content for a living. And when you ask them to take a break from their revenue, their personal revenue stream to give money to your organization, it’s a big ask.
So you have to really be thoughtful and, be grateful for that relationship and find ways to connect them back to [00:09:00] your cause that makes a difference. And so that can look like a couple of things. I think that if you have an opportunity to bring them into your organization and show them what you actually do, a lot of organizations have that, that capability.
If you work at a children’s hospital. Often there’s opportunity to bring those folks in to show them the work that’s done right. If you’re an international organization, it’s more difficult. But if you can bring the people who work for your organization in for a livestream interview or recorded interview, to have that connection point to really drive home
the importance of the work. And so, I think that’s how you meet a lot of these challenges is through, community and connection. I think that makes it a huge difference.

Nicole: Yeah, I would agree. I think there’s something really important and you said so many great things there, but really about connecting with.
Your relationships and building those authentic relationships and trying to find ways that really align with what they are excited about or what [00:10:00] their values or passions are, and like understanding what gets them excited, but also understanding that we all need community, and even if you are a micro or macro influencer, they also need community and building on those opportunities to really bring them closer to your nonprofit or help tell that story, I think is really crucial.
So I love the suggestions and the examples that you shared there. I think those are really meaningful and a great way to really tie it back to the organization. So how have conversations or connections through the nonprofit Hive helped shape your work or your perspective?

Lou: I’ve been enjoying the Hive for a while now, and it’s been a fantastic network of people that, I can go back and reach and pick people’s brains about and also say, Hey, is this something you would be interested in?
There’s like a job opportunity pipeline as well as, finding those peers in the space who are probably more knowledgeable about the thing that [00:11:00] you know, that you may not have that knowledge. So really it’s been educational and the side conversations that have come from.
The, I like to call it the speed dating sessions that you have with the hive, where you really get to know somebody really quickly, have been really beneficial. And every person I’ve met in my space, I tell them that you will learn more about how charitable organizations work outside.
I’m US based so outside of the states. It will give you an insight into your work on a level that, may be frustrating at some point as to why you need to do the work. But also knowing that people like us exist everywhere. There are people who want to, who see that there’s something that could be better and they’re making, they’re spending their life and their time and their effort, doing it.
It’s one of the best communities that I’ve been a part of, and I’ve been a part of a lot of communities over the years and, highly would recommend it and definitely don’t [00:12:00] hesitate to tap into those people that you’ve met. There’s people who are now, I’ve talked to so many people through the Hive that, but I’ve had enough interaction with them.
I’m like, I don’t remember where we met. And then I go back, I’m like, oh. We had a hive interview, you know, sometime last year. And I’m like, and we’ve connected and we’ve supported each other, throughout. And so that’s the power, that’s a cool power of community. And I think that the work that’s been done with the hive is kinda speaks volumes too, to that power.

Nicole: That’s awesome. I think there’s something really beautiful about being able to connect with individuals. Like you meet them for 30 minutes and I agree. I’ve been able to circle back and be like. Oh, we had this great conversation about X, and I didn’t know about it and they just opened this whole new world of the fundraising sector to me that I had no experience in.
And then I’ve been able to like circle back to those individuals when something’s come up and then like, Hey, do you remember? Then we dive into further conversations and I think it’s just such a lovely way to build your network. I also find that in [00:13:00] smaller locations, oftentimes fundraisers feel like they’re in competition with one another or with organizations.
So this also creates an opportunity to meet people. You are very passionate about the work, but you don’t feel like you’re necessarily like stepping on toes, or you can be a little more candid because you are just talking about your personal experience and, I’ve also, met some really great people that I have been able to work with after, or just build friendships, so I appreciate those thoughts.
So what’s one insight, resource or mindset that’s helped you recently and might help others in the community too? So something you could learn from or be inspired by?

Lou: Man, I think that’s related to what we were just talking about, about community is find a place where you can. Speak candidly about your frustrations, your fears, and find a place where [00:14:00] you can ask for help.
And you can do that through community whether it’s a one-off conversation or it’s in a Slack or discord chat, whatever that looks like for you, finding like-minded people who are probably within your same sector, within our sector, find those people and commiserate because it does get hard and you can’t get lonely to do this work.
Having those voices close to you, and connecting with those people allows you to see that, you can also be that for other people, right? You show up for other people and people show up for you. I think that, I guess knowing that you’re not alone and that there are, networks of creative, professionals who are willing to help and they’re willing to support the work , that you need to.
Get done or just willing to delay, you know what, yeah, my CEO is also driving me crazy this week. Or, my donors are not listening. They don’t read the emails. Right. we need to talk about those things. Yeah. We need to be able to fend about it. As well as celebrate the [00:15:00] wins is, like those are just as important to have a space to connect with people.
So find a community. Whether it’s the hive or local community or whatever that looks like. Find a place to connect with people, and that will make a difference.

Nicole: Yeah, that’s huge. I think like within the nonprofit sector too, there’s so many people that don’t really like, who aren’t in the sector, who don’t really understand the nuances of working in the sector like this.
So I agree. I think it’s really being able to have honest conversations or if you’re in a small shop and you’re this sole fundraiser, like being able to bounce ideas off other people and just brainstorming. I think sometimes we get so stuck in the work that like we take, we forget to step back and actually breathe and communicate.

Lou: Yeah. I think that, and I think that’s what I found a lot of value in is like having the experience of working in, with larger organizations over the span of my career, is being able to meet that person who is that [00:16:00] one shop person, right? That they have this nonprofit because
it truly affects them or has affected, someone in their community, to take the time to be like, here’s how I can help you, and be that connection point. That’s something that, I’ve done, through the hive, is being able to say, yeah, absolutely.
I’ll write that blog and that in your newsletter or, absolutely i’ll go on a live stream and we’ll talk about, what it means be a fundraiser or nonprofit professional in the space. Making space for others in your space is crucial to growing and being, creating sustainable spaces for community is important.
So, yeah, absolutely.

Nicole: That’s awesome. This isn’t really part of the normal questions, but I’m,
there anybody who’s trying to get into that sphere. I know it can be a daunting task. I’ve worked at hospital Foundations and we had someone start gamification events and I’m like, that is such, you don’t know the community. You don’t know how to enter in, it’s such a big undertaking.[00:17:00]
So I’d love like if you had any suggestions or tips on like. How to get started in that space or resources that you would recommend on for folks who are looking to dive in there?

Lou: Yeah, yeah. So you’re saying specifically like how do you get into livestream gaming or any space really.
Right. That’s, comfortable because I think

Nicole: There’s a lot of organizations looking to diversify funding and just looking at different opportunities and angles. So I think this could be one of those. Yeah,

Lou: It’s one of my favorite things to, ’cause you get surprised about who’s the person in your organization, so we’ll just use gaming.
And gaming is, what I know. So I can speak to that very thoughtfully. But I think it’s true with almost any sort of like passion focused group like gamers. So recently I was just at TwitchCon, with the organization I’m working with and, I came across a colleague on LinkedIn who I didn’t, they weren’t a colleague yet, but they be quickly became a colleague who said, Hey, I’m with this organization.
We’re just creating this space and we’re showing up to TwitchCon. [00:18:00] And she was fearless. She was also a gamer. And so we stood and we talked about games forever, but she went into the space and had that level of. Authenticity because she was in the space.
And also she’s very familiar with the industry. So I would challenge any organization who has people who work for them, which is most organizations ask them about who has interest in cycling, who has interest in gaming, who has interest in, tabletop games.
Like whatever those passion groups, whatever you’ve identified as the next big thing. Then talk to your staff first and say, how would you like to go explore this for a minute? And so being willing to open up the pocketbook a little bit to explore and to see if it’s something that makes sense.
That’s good. The other thing is, I’ll say about any sort of community fundraising or community building is it takes time. You’re going to quickly [00:19:00] have, someone say, what was the return on investment for that? How much time was involved in that? How much did you spend?
And of course, those things are all very important, but to know that this is a very long, it’s a long game. It’s a long time investment, that has real, that you can reap true benefits from. Because when you create, a group of people who are passionate about your organization because they’ve had face time with you in the organization.
They show up in your spaces authentically. It becomes something really special. We always like to dream of that movement that raises a bunch of money and really advocates for us. That’s what you’re creating. You’re creating, you’re investing.
In the future, and I’ve used this analogy before, I don’t know if I’ve used it on the hive chat or anything, but the idea of community building and peer-to-peer fundraising often is like planting, trees in an orchard. Like first of all, that tree at the onset needs a lot of attention. And if you have more than [00:20:00] one, you gotta pay attention to a lot of them.
But eventually after you water grow. And you get the trees in a healthy space. They often, network themselves, they take care of themselves, they support themselves. It becomes an orchard or a forest or whatever analogy makes no sense to you is, we’re there at the onset. But they quickly become, the foundation of the work that we need to get done.

Nicole: That’s awesome. I think there’s something really beautiful too about leaning in or asking your staff the questions. Yeah. Because you get to know them a little more. Yes. You get to understand like it’s just building a nice culture and like being able to really celebrate your staff outside of their work and bring their joys to work, and I think you just have people who would be authentically showing up in the space and genuinely being excited about that.
I love those suggestions.

Lou: Yeah. Don’t be afraid to, you said grow your internal culture through, that kind of engagement. That’s again, another kind of [00:21:00] community building. There it is. You don’t even know that you’re doing, but you’re creating, positive environments for people to grow.

Nicole: I love it. Thank you for those suggestions and insights. It’s been such a pleasure, Lou.