Episode notes
What if the opportunity you’re waiting for isn’t about who you know—but who actually knows, trusts, and remembers you?
In this episode of Lena Speaks: The Podcast, I sit down with Amy Curtis, Co-Founder and Senior Principal of Curtis Concepts, for a conversation about relationship building, networking, visibility, entrepreneurship, fundraising, storytelling, and business growth.
Amy makes an important distinction:
Networking gives you an access point. Relationships go deeper.
We talk about why authentic relationships matter, why organizations should build donor and investor relationships before they need funding, and how strategic storytelling can strengthen nonprofits, businesses, and communities.
We also unpack something every entrepreneur and leader needs to understand:
If people don’t see you, they cannot choose you.
Visibility creates another access point to tell your story, build trust, and create relationships that can lead to clients, collaborations, partnerships, donors, and new opportunities.
### TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Meet Amy Curtis
04:12 Why Relationships Matter at Work
06:00 Why Amy Started Curtis Concepts
09:30 Strategic Relationships + Career Growth
11:30 Networking vs. Real Relationships
13:00 Your Network Is Not Your Relationship Network
15:00 Why Relationships Shouldn’t Be Transactional
17:00 Build Relationships Before You Need Them
19:00 Who Curtis Concepts Helps
21:30 Fundraising + Investor Relationships
24:00 Why Fundraising Shouldn’t Feel Transactional
26:00 Nonprofits + Today’s Funding Challenges
28:00 Collaboration as a Growth Strategy
30:00 Grant Sustainability + Funding Strategy
32:00 Making Donations Tangible
34:00 Why Storytelling Matters
36:00 The Ripple Effect of Economic Development
40:00 Entrepreneurship + Creating Your Own Path
43:00 Why Entrepreneurs Cannot Stay Stagnant
45:00 Opportunities Through Relationships
47:00 If They Don’t See You, They Can’t Choose You
49:00 How Visibility Creates Clients
51:00 Stay Open to Your Next Chapter
53:00 Connections, People + Partnerships Matter
### ABOUT AMY CURTIS
Amy Curtis is the Co-Founder and Senior Principal of Curtis Concepts, where she works with economic development organizations, nonprofits, chambers of commerce, and mission-driven organizations on fundraising strategy, funder diversification, investor relations, relationship building, and organizational growth.
Connect with Amy:
Website: thinkcurtis.com
### ABOUT LENA MORRIS
I’m Lena Morris, Founder & CEO of Authentic Encounters.
I work with executives, leadership teams, and organizations to uncover the leadership, culture, trust, communication, and people issues quietly costing them performance and results.
At Authentic Encounters, we don’t just train leaders.
We help change how leadership actually happens.
If your organization is dealing with leadership, culture, trust, accountability, communication, executive alignment, or team challenges, book a complimentary Leadership Clarity Call.
Learn more: authenticencountersllc.com
Subscribe to Lena Speaks: The Podcast for conversations about leadership, culture, relationships, entrepreneurship, identity, people, and the encounters that shape how we lead.
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#Leadership #RelationshipBuilding #Networking #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth