People in Fundraising, ep. 129: Tim Lockie, CEO and Founder, The Human Stack

Tim Lockie, my first "People in Fundraising" guest from Montana, shares deeply thought-provoking and very interesting commentaries on a host of topics in today's interview. How he entered the nonprofit world is fascinating, studying economics in order to contribute to the social good economy. Tim first became concerned about nonprofit work while living in San Francisco and seeing the drastic challenges facing homeless people. Later lived in a commune for 13 years, working for an order that launched teams in low-income neighborhoods around the world. He quickly saw "the challenges that face orgs. solving the world's biggest problems with the world's worst technology over and over! Most data challenges are rooted in behavior issues created by human end-users."

In our conversation, Tim also discusses:

* How behavior does not come from utilitarian forces around getting my job done well. It comes from forces of 'am I appreciated for my work and my contribution?'"

* His deep interest in the intersection between faith and technology. "Thank you for asking the thing that people just don't ask!" Tim says to me at one point. He also mentions technologist Rev. Tracy Kronzak, and asks "How does our faith inform what we do?" "There is something that aligns around humans that is mysterious and beautiful and amazing, and so fragile and easy to destroy, and so resilient. If I understood it, it wouldn't be faith any more."

* Mental health, imposter syndrome, and the benefits of therapy.

* How much of what Tim does now is empowerment for individuals working with AI. He has launched a course called "AI for Anyone" and is writing a playbook that will help enable teams to use AI. It aims, for example, to help teams struggling with AI to save six months of work within just the first two steps of his playbook, allocating just four hours! More at the 18-minute mark.

* Two influential nonprofit leaders, Mallory Erickson - who has spoken about the nervous system re-sets and aligned fundraising - and Tasha Van Vlack - who launched "The Nonprofit Hive" two years ago.

Thank you very much, Tim, for an such a wonderful and expansive conversation touching on technology, spirituality, community, curiosity, mental health, and social good - all of the key themes that are of interest to many in the social impact world!