Shows
Backstory & StrategyHow to Lead With Humanity During LayoffsLayoffs are never just numbers on a spreadsheet—they’re stories, lives, and often, heartbreak. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum unpacks what it means to lead with humanity when you have to let people go—and why how you show upmatters just as much as what you say.Expect:• A candid look at the emotional weight of delivering layoffs• Why “staying in the room” changes how that moment lands• What leaders owe the people who stay behindIf you're navigating layoffs—or carrying the aftershocks—this one’s for you.🎧 Listen in, lead better, and hold...
2025-07-1805 min
Backstory & StrategyWhatever Happened to Thought Leadership?Remember blogrolls, comment threads, and collaborative prompts? They weren’t just internet relics—they were infrastructure. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum looks back at the early 2000s blogging era and asks what we lost when that scaffolding disappeared.Expect:A reflection on the rise (and quiet fade) of blogging cultureWhy the “mosaic” of modern thought leadership feels disconnectedWhat it means to build public thinking spaces in the age of AIIf you've ever wondered where the good ideas went—or why they don’t land the same way—this one...
2025-07-1708 min
Backstory & StrategyDo I Live in a News Desert?When road construction took over his neighborhood, Yoni Greenbaum realized he had no idea where to find reliable, up-to-date information. That question led to a deeper one: If the news doesn’t cover the basics of civic life, do we still have local news?In this episode, Yoni explores the difference between a news desert and a news drought—and why even “well-served” communities can fall through the cracks.Expect:Original data on how often Philly TV stations cover suburban communitiesA breakdown of why most coverage is driven by fires, crime, or...
2025-07-1606 min
Backstory & StrategyThe Metrics vs. The MissionWhat happens when the numbers are up, but your gut says something’s wrong? In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum unpacks a familiar tension: the moment when audience metrics start to overpower mission, trust, and editorial judgment.Expect:A behind-the-scenes look at the “traffic-first” era of digital publishingLessons from Philly.com’s runaway comment section and penny CPMsA case for redefining “audience-first” around trust, not clicksIf you've ever wrestled with whether growth is coming at the cost of your values—this one’s for you.If you found thi...
2025-07-1606 min
Backstory & StrategyWe Can Explain Your Money, But Not Our OwnShe could dissect a city budget like a crime scene—but couldn’t balance a checkbook. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum unpacks the longstanding divide between editorial excellence and business literacy in journalism.Expect:A deep dive into the legacy of the “Chinese Wall” between news and revenueLessons from Ben Bradlee, I.F. Stone, and Substack-era independenceWhy today's journalist-founders are mission-driven—but financially underpreparedA call to rethink how we train the next generation of media leadersIf you care about the future of sustainable, independen...
2025-07-1505 min
Backstory & StrategyChasing Revenue Without Losing the PlotWhat happens when your nonprofit has a mission, an $80 million endowment… and still has to shut down its flagship news program?In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum unpacks a tension that every mission-driven organization eventually confronts: the gap between intention and sustainability. Drawing on his time leading Lehigh Valley Public Media, he shares the hard lessons behind launching ambitious products, navigating staff expectations, and making the brutal—but necessary—call to walk away from something impactful when the economics no longer work.Expect:A candid breakdown of “the endowment trap”What P&Ls can tea...
2025-07-1506 min
Backstory & StrategyVendors Send Invoices. Partners Share Wins.What makes a great partnership? In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum shares two real-world stories—from digital sports content at Philly.com to programming strategy at a public media station—that reveal why some vendors become true collaborators… and others don’t.Expect:Lessons from building long-term, trust-based vendor relationshipsA framework for identifying real partners vs. transactional suppliersPractical tips for vetting vendors beyond the service agreementWhether you lead a newsroom, a nonprofit, a tech team, or a school district, this episode offers a timely reminder: the best results...
2025-07-1405 min
Backstory & StrategyMission Drift: When Smart Strategy Erodes IdentitySome of the biggest threats to your mission don’t look like threats at all. They look like smart strategy.In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum shares a cautionary tale from his time in public media—when a promising revenue idea brought in big money… and even bigger questions. What happens when your organization slowly shifts away from its core purpose in pursuit of financial growth?Expect:A behind-the-scenes look at a well-meaning idea that led to mission driftThree questions every leader should ask before saying yes to new revenueThe...
2025-07-1405 min
Backstory & StrategyThe Hidden Cost of “Let’s Wait and See”When big decisions stall out, momentum dies—and the silence isn’t neutral. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum unpacks why organizational indecision is so common, what it actually costs, and how leaders (and their teams) can break the stall before it breaks the mission.Expect:A real-world case study of a board that voted—but never actedTools for moving forward, even when clarity is scarceStrategies for both decision-makers and those stuck waitingA fresh lens on why “pausing” isn’t always the safest optionWhether you're runni...
2025-07-1305 min
Backstory & StrategyPublic Media: Why We Said No to Big Money & Kept Our TrustWhat happens when a six-figure gift comes with strings attached? In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum walks through a defining moment in public media leadership—when his team turned down big money to protect editorial integrity and audience trust.Expect:Behind-the-scenes stories of public media underwriting gone sidewaysA breakdown of the FCC rules that separate public from commercial broadcastingLessons on holding the line when pressure to “just make it work” gets intenseWhether you're in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, or content strategy, this episode is a real-world reminder that some m...
2025-07-1107 min
Backstory & StrategyA New Blueprint for Local NewsWhat if the future of local journalism didn’t depend on saving legacy newsrooms—but on reimagining the system entirely?In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum dives into a bold new model from California: a Civic Media Fund that brings together state government, philanthropy, and public libraries to strengthen community-centered journalism.Then he asks: what would it take to build something similar in Pennsylvania? The ingredients are there—libraries, nonprofit newsrooms, civic engagement. So why not here? And why not everywhere?If you care about the sustainability of local news, public trust, or civic infras...
2025-07-1103 min
Backstory & StrategyPaywall Problem: Why Americans Won't Pay for NewsA new Pew Research study confirms what many in journalism have feared: 99% of Americans hit a paywall... and walk away. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum digs into what this means for the future of news—and why the audience we thought we had may not be the one willing to pay for it.Expect:Fresh data on how Americans respond to digital paywallsSurprising insights into why most people still don’t pay for newsA candid look at the cracks in subscription models—and what might come nextWhether you lead a newsroom, manage a...
2025-07-1106 min
Backstory & StrategyNonprofit Funding: The Risk of Your Biggest DonorWhen a billionaire backs out, a school shutters. It’s not just bad luck—it’s a flawed strategy. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum breaks down why chasing a single “whale” donor can feel like salvation… until it’s not.Expect:A real-world cautionary tale from the Chan Zuckerberg school closureHow public media fell into the same trap—with government fundingClear, no-BS strategies for building revenue that actually lastsIf your funding plan hinges on one big yes, this episode is your wake-up call.🎧 Tune in for a tough-love look at the myths we tel...
2025-07-1007 min
Backstory & StrategyAudience-First Content Strategy ChecklistMost content plans start with what we want to say. But what if the secret to real impact was starting with who we’re speaking to?In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum shares a practical framework for flipping the script: defining your audience, prioritizing their needs, and building a content plan that earns trust and delivers long-term value.It’s based on my Backstory & Strategy Substack—but with clear takeaways and a free checklist to help you score your current strategy and sharpen your focus.If you create content for your community—whether as a solo writer, n...
2025-07-1002 min
Backstory & StrategyCulture Fit: The Interview Secret I Wish I'd Known SoonerEarly in his career, Yoni Greenbaum admits that he asked all the wrong interview questions—and got all the wrong answers. In this episode, he shares what changed, and why hiring for culture fit isn’t soft—it’s strategic. Done right, it builds stronger teams and protects your mission from costly mismatches.Expect:The questions that actually reveal whether a candidate fits your teamA smarter approach to reading what candidates say—and what they don’tReal talk on why filling a seat fast can backfire if you skip alignmentIf you're hiring (or job hunting), this...
2025-07-1006 min
Backstory & StrategyWhen the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Cut MarketingWhen budgets shrink, marketing and tools are often the first to go. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum explores why those cuts can backfire—and how smart organizations make strategic trade-offs without crippling their mission.Expect:Hard-won lessons on what happens when you cut too deepA breakdown of the hidden costs behind “free” tools and quick savingsSmarter ways to reduce spend without undermining momentumIf you’ve ever had to justify a software contract, defend your marketing budget, or untangle a tech stack mid-crisis, this one’s for you.🎧 Tune in for a sharp...
2025-07-0905 min
Backstory & StrategyThe Myth of Self-Sustaining Membership for Nonprofits“Set it and forget it” sounds great—until your budget falls off a cliff. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum unpacks why sustainer programs aren’t as self-sustaining as we’d like to believe—and what it really takes to build reliable, recurring revenue.Expect:A clear-eyed look at the cash flow risks hidden inside monthly giving modelsPractical strategies for bridging shortfalls and scaling smarterA framework for shifting from myth to sustainability—without losing your footingWhether you’re running a nonprofit, leading a newsroom, or chasing membership goals, this one’s for anyone rethinking the balance between au...
2025-07-0907 min
Backstory & StrategyThe Skill No One Teaches You: Managing Your Board of DirectorsEvery nonprofit leader learns fast: the board can be your biggest asset—or your biggest headache. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum unpacks how to turn board dynamics from chaos into clarity, and why managing “up” is a skill too few leaders are ever taught.Expect:A clear breakdown of governance vs. management—and where boards go wrongSmart scripts for handling board requests without derailing your dayProven strategies for building trust, setting boundaries, and staying alignedWhether you’re a CEO, senior staffer, or new to the nonprofit world, this episode is your crash course in leading th...
2025-07-0806 min
Backstory & StrategyA Teaching Hospital Model for NonprofitsWhat if nonprofit teams approached their work like a hospital team on rounds—collaborative, reflective, and built to learn in real time? In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum explores how adopting a teaching hospital mindset can help nonprofits move faster, grow smarter, and lead better.Expect:A fresh framework for structuring strategy, staffing, and innovationPractical habits that build a culture of shared learning and constant improvementInsight into how to get better at getting better—without burning people outIf you're running a mission-driven team, this episode offers a simp...
2025-07-0804 min
Backstory & StrategyWhat Newsrooms Can Learn from Hospitals and BattlefieldsWhen mistakes happen in medicine or the military, the review process isn’t optional—it’s embedded in the culture. In this episode, Yoni Greenbaum explores how three proven review models can help newsrooms get smarter, faster, and better at what matters most.Expect:A breakdown of M&M Conferences, After Action Reviews, and Grand RoundsReal newsroom applications—from election coverage to major correctionsTips for building a review culture that prioritizes learning, not blameIf you're leading a newsroom or managing high-stakes projects, this episode gives you a practi...
2025-07-0805 min