Episode Details

Strategic planning is hard in any organization. In a nonprofit, where people's identities are tied to the mission, every priority feels personal, and every cut feels like a betrayal of values.

In this Season 4 premiere, Lucie and Chris talk with Elizabeth Schuster and Marissa Ferrari, co-leaders of Sustainable Economies, about what really happens in the room when passionate people have to decide together. They share how they design processes that expect conflict instead of fearing it, why "safe to disagree" still isn't enough to prevent false agreement, and the inner work facilitators and leaders need to do so they can stay steady when the room gets tense.

Meet our guests

Elizabeth Schuster, Environmental Economist and Partner, Sustainable Economies Elizabeth is an economic professional with 25 years of experience in sustainability and community development, in the U.S. and around the world. She was educated at Oberlin College and the University of Arizona. She has partnered with conservation nonprofits, park districts, museums and botanical gardens, coalitions, agricultural organizations, and municipalities. Her research covers regenerative agriculture economics, food production, and ecosystem service valuation. Her work has earned national recognition, including awards from the American Farm Bureau Federation and the NJ Association of Floodplain Management. She is passionate about bridging gaps and bringing data and strategy together to drive positive change.

Marissa Ferrari, Creative Director, Sustainable Economies Marissa is a researcher, brand strategist, and facilitator and a trusted advisor to local and national leaders in conservation, parks, land protection, and environmental education. She uses a research-driven approach to shape strategy, messaging, and organizational identity, helping mission-driven organizations unite purpose and potential to reach their most ambitious goals. Over 25 years, she has worked her way up from writer to senior director. She has led dozens of large-scale research, strategy, and branding projects for nonprofits, public agencies, and coalitions, including American Forests' Tree Equity initiative, the High Line Network's Grand River Network river corridor revitalization, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's land trust. She is certified by the International Association for Sustainable Economy (IASE) as an International Sustainable Business Advisor.

Sustainable Economies is a strategic planning, branding and communications, and applied research firm based in Wooster, Ohio. It helps mission-driven organizations turn their passion into strategic plans that make a difference, not a pretty binder that sits on a shelf.

🔗 https://sustainableeconomies.com

🔗 Elizabeth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethfschuster/

🔗 Marissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaferrari

What we cover

• Why treating planning as a learning experience makes people braver and their ideas bolder
• The expert who found out nobody understood his work, and why data from stakeholders landed where feedback from facilitators couldn't
• Naming the low point in advance: telling teams upfront that there will be a moment when it feels like everything is falling apart
• What facilitators do with their own nerves and the urge to please, even after decades of experience
• The over-explaining trap and the question-stacking habit
• When asking for more input is avoiding a deci