612. 5 Steps to Better Meetings + Events - Tes Cohen

We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

Meet Tes 🤝— The Founder + Chief Gathering Office at Gather Better.

Join us for this episode where we dive into the art of intentional gathering with Tes. She’s passionate about creating meaningful spaces that spark impact and support well-being—and she’s sharing her roadmap to help us do it better. 🙌

Tes shares her go-to approach for hosting gatherings with heart—from defining your “why” and setting a thoughtful agenda to adding special touches, guiding with care, and closing with intention. She reminds us that the world needs more reflective leadership and offers easy, meaningful ways to make people feel seen and connected. 💛

Tune in and get ready to rethink how you gather people together. 🎧

💡Learn:

• Why traditional meetings often lack purpose—and the importance of intentional gathering
• The 5-step Gathering Framework and how to continuously improve your approach to bringing people together
• How to embrace practices that foster reflective leadership
• How to explore practical innovations to create moments of real connection and insight

Episode Highlights

• Tes Cohen’s Journey and Philosophy (02:32)
• The Five Steps to Impactful Gatherings (06:01)
• The Power of Intentional Gathering (12:05)
• Transforming Nonprofit Events (19:55)
• The Essence of Authentic Team Building (24:37)
• Creating Meaningful Gatherings (30:05)
• Measuring Success in Gatherings (35:01)
• The Power of Storytelling (40:32)
• Have a weekly meeting with yourself where you can reflect (31:54) Tes’s One Good Thing

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/612

Thank You to our Partners 🩵

Big gratitude to our ecosystem partners at DonorDock, Feathr, RKD Group, and Whiteboard. They’re not just partners—they’re walking alongside us to build something better + more inclusive.

Head to weareforgood.com/recs to explore our go-to tools and humans doing good work. We’ve curated a direct line for your VIP access to these groups just by saying you’re with We Are For Good.

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Chapters

1. Introducing Tess Cohen (00:00:00)

2. Five Steps to Gather Better (00:02:26)

3. Reimagining Traditional Events (00:09:30)

4. Creating Peak Moments (00:14:48)

5. Measuring Gathering Success (00:25:30)

6. The Power of Reflection (00:32:09)