Andrew’s statement is very carefully worded. I think saying he was “stripped”of the titles is not exactly true. I think he isn’t going to use the Duke of York…leaving the door open to using them in the future. Optimistic perhaps and definitely a PR stunt in the hopes is takes the heat off him.

Would like to see you do a body language breakdown of the generals and admirals during Trump’s and Hegeth’s speech.

That’s how you convert hearts into donors. That’s how you turn “aw, that’s nice” into “take my money.”

Bottom line: Stories make the cash register sing. Stats just put people to sleep.

Here’s the kicker: when you make donors feel something, they don’t just give once. They remember you. They come back.

So skip the corporate tone. Write like a person. Tell the story like you’d tell it to a friend in a smoky bar at 2am.

Cut the fluff. No donor ever said, “Wow, I love how many buzzwords were in that appeal letter.” Keep it raw. Keep it real.

If the story doesn’t punch someone in the gut—or warm their heart—you’re not doing it right.

The science is simple: brains light up when they hear stories, not statistics. A number is cold. A face with a name? That’s heat.

Instead of saying “we helped 10,000 families”… try “Maria finally slept through the night because her kid had a full meal for the first time.” Boom. Connection.

Donors don’t want jargon. They don’t care about your “strategic initiatives.” They want a human story. Something that makes them laugh, cry, or at least spill their wine.

Forget the swan. Make it easy, make it real, make it matter. That’s how you raise money.

Fancy décor doesn’t open wallets. Impact does. Show it, don’t bedazzle it.

Pro tip: Donors don’t remember the flowers. They remember the story that made them tear up over dessert.

If your board is fighting over centerpieces instead of your call-to-action, you’re doing fundraising wrong

You can smoke a cigarette in the rain and look cinematic… or like you’re one soggy drag from pneumonia.

The difference? Confidence. Swagger. Timing.

Personal branding is the art of committing so hard, nobody questions you.

Even when you’re soaking wet, you own it.

Tell your own story. Or get edited out of it.