Workhorse Collaborative

Jackie has supported several executive transitions, and she knows how complicated and delicate this process can be. There are so many factors to weigh when changing leadership, which is why it's important to have open conversations about it. The more we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly, the more we can set organizations up for success and avoid some nasty pitfalls.

Check out the link in the comments for some enlightening case studies from Howlround Theatre Commons.

[ID: The text reads "The Changeover: Leadership in Transition" against a black background with purple arrows around the text indicating change.]

Here's Part 2 of our Pittsburgh neighborhood color palette series! We put together additional mood boards for some iconic Pittsburgh communities. Did we capture your favorites? What colors would you have picked? 🎨

[ID: Slide 1: The text reads "The Strip. All roads in Pittsburgh lead to the Strip. - Visit Pittsburgh". There are photos of a mural, a brightly colored walkway, Wholey's Fish Market, the Heinz History Center, and a Heinz ketchup bottle, as well as color swatches featuring shades of blue, red, pink, and yellow. Slide 2: The text reads "Hazelwood. Known for its rich history and diverse community. - Nextdoor". There are photos of street art and a tree-lined street, as well as color swatches of yellow, orange, lavender, and green. Slide 3: The text reads "Carnegie. A vibrant community with a unique history make this up-and-comer worth visiting. - Visit Pittsburgh". There are photos of a bustling street, the exterior of a building, and a creek, as well as color swatches of teal, brown, tan, and dark blue.]

We’re trying something brand new this year! 📣

3–4 times a year, we’re handing over the mic to an industry expert for an exclusive interview in our monthly newsletter.

🎙️We’re kicking things off with local powerhouse Joanna Obuzor, Vice President of Venue Operations at the Cultural Trust! From pushing dumpsters in a ball gown to managing a multi-year launch for Arts Landing, Joanna has seen it all in her 20+ years in production. In our latest issue, she shares venue-rental intel, red flags to watch out for, and her favorite hidden gem locations in Pittsburgh.

👉Get all the juice (including Jackie and Emily’s reflections on the theater merger news) in our May issue (link below).

[Image ID: A red-orange textured background featuring a microphone. Bold text reads "industry expert" with a smaller subtitle below that says "Workhorse Newsletter Series."

When developing color palettes for a new brand, Emily often draws inspiration from the physical environment the audience experiences when they encounter the brand. So we thought it would be fun to put together color palette mood boards for neighborhoods and communities in and around the Burgh!

Stay tuned for our next batch of Pittsburgh palettes! 🎨

[ID: Slide 1: The text reads "Garfield-Bloomfield. Where Little Italy Tradition Meets Bold Creative Energy - Visit Pittsburgh". There are photos of a mural and buildings in the Garfield-Bloomfield area, as well as color swatches with shades of green and orange. Slide 2: The text reads "Mexican War Streets. Beautiful art, architecture, and community gardens are found seemingly everywhere you look. - Discover the Burgh". There are photos of brightly colored exteriors of buildings, and color swatches of light green, purple, yellow, and dark blue. Slide 3: The text reads "Brookline. Brookline boasts one of the most beautiful branches of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, complete with ample meeting space and plenty of kid-friendly features. - NEXTPittsburgh". There are photos of rows of houses, the library, and a restaurant called Red's Good News, as well as color swatches featuring shades of lavender, red, orange, blue, and green.]

Meet Daniel Fleegle, our communications and data strategist!

Daniel lives for data-informed storytelling that fosters authentic connections. Leveraging 12+ years of experience across the arts, higher education, and journalism, he translates complex information into strategic insight. As the Audience and Communications Manager at Attack Theatre, he nurtured a strong sense of community among performers and the public. At Pittsburgh's Public Source, he grew audiences with meaningful content rooted in journalistic integrity.

When he isn’t using his storytelling skills for organizations, he can be found using them to devise strange adventures for Pittsburgh-inspired D&D campaigns. 🎲🧙🏻‍♂🐉

[ID: A photo of a smiling white man with brown hair. The text reads, "Meet Daniel Fleegle, Communications & Data Strategist".]

You've crafted a banger of a social media post with killer design and witty copy. Your text includes just the right call to action (CTA) that points your followers to the link you need them to click on. You hit post, wait for the engagement to roll in, and...crickets. What happened here?

The algorithm happened. If you haven't heard by now, Facebook and LinkedIn are de-prioritizing social media posts that have a link in the body of the caption. Instead, move that link to the first comment.

While Meta allows you to schedule that first comment along with the post, you'll need a 3rd party scheduler for LinkedIn (we like Buffer). Want to see how it looks in practice? Example below👇

[ID: Two hands hold phones connected by a wire, with heart emojis floating above. The text reads, "link in Comment".]

Jackie is over the moon to be working with urban advocacy org Omaha by Design, helping analyze their financials and support their organizational strategy as part of the team over at Rebecca Thomas & Associates. Omaha By Design is an intermediary organization: an in-betweener, a convener, a connector, and an advocate for a thriving metro community in Omaha, Nebraska. They’ve also got a gorgeous, human-centric website that’s a breath of fresh air. Link in the comments 👇

[ID: The text reads "New Client Welcome! Omaha By Design" above a photo of a building with a colorful mural.]

Reminder to the nonprofit perfectionist:

Working at a nonprofit can be a real tough gig, and you're human. Be gentle with yourself when you make mistakes. We've all had those "oops" moments, from sending out an eblast with placeholder text to accidentally screensharing your Slack thread about how much you hate the meeting you're in. They don't reflect who you are as a professional or as a person. You're doing heroic work on behalf of something you believe in with limited resources and strained capacity. Don't let the latest mistake define you.

Take a deep breath and read these words: you’re doing great. Probably better than you think you are. And you won’t remember this in 5 years.

[ID: Two hands giving a thumbs up. The text reads, "Dear nonprofit works, You're doing great! xoxo, Workhorse".]

Need to expand your marketing palette with some new design resources? Emily's put together a sampling of her current faves. Dive on in!

🎨The Heritage Library

Offers curated, hand-edited vintage illustrations that are 100% free for both private and commercial projects.

⌨️Fontshare

A beautiful, clutter-free interface with 100 fonts free for both personal and commercial use, plus 59 expertly curated font pairings.

🏳️‍⚧️The Gender Spectrum Collection

A stock library featuring trans and non-binary models. This collection goes beyond the clichés to represent people as more than just their gender identities—showing them in careers and everyday life. Be sure to check out their usage guidelines—they offer insightful guidance on ethical and inclusive ways to use images of a diverse and vibrant community.

[ID: Slide 1: An illustration of insects, flowers, and fruit. The text reads "The Heritage Library". Slide 2: The text reads "Zodiak Bold + Plus Jakarta Sans Regular" above a heading that reads, "We Go Together Like Avocado & Toast." The image features placeholder text and the name "Fontshare" at the bottom. Slide 3: A photo of two people of color with curly hair. The text reads "The Gender Spectrum Collection".]

Do you know a Pittsburgh nonprofit leader on the verge of burnout? The 2027 Sabbatical Grant offers up to $50,000 for a 3-month sabbatical to help nonprofit executives rest and refocus.

📅 June 4: Information Session
📅 June 30: Application Deadline

Check out the application link in the comments.