Week Nine: Building Capacity, not Content

It’s another week of check-ins—and honestly, it’s been a good one.

There’s a lot of logistics in motion right now, and while that might not sound glamorous, it feels exciting. We’re connecting with the right people, having the right conversations, and getting things moving. That sense of forward momentum? It’s energizing. It’s driving me right now, and I’m leaning into it fully.

One of the most exciting developments this week: I’ve kicked off my work with the Microsoft Power Platform. It’s a learning course focused on Microsoft tools. I’m part of the first cohort using Copilot Studio. Initially, I thought I’d be tackling AI learning a bit later in the year, but the opportunity came up earlier than expected, and I jumped in.

It’s thrilling, but it also makes me reflect on the bigger picture. We often talk about AI in extremes—either as a magical solution or something that’s going to replace us. But what excites me is AI as an enhancer, not a replacement. It’s about making people smarter, systems smoother, and ideas stronger. AI should help us become better, more strategic, and more efficient—not just automate tasks for the sake of it.

One idea I’ve been noodling on is creating an AI-supported marketing support—almost like a virtual teammate. You could input your communications strategy, brand messaging, tone of voice, past campaign examples—and then ask it for new content ideas or recommendations. The AI wouldn’t replace your marketing brain; it would supercharge it. It would help you connect dots faster, draw on references, and suggest new paths forward. It’s all about making sure it’s referential compared to creative.

It’s especially valuable for small teams—like the National Conservation Trust Funds I’ve been speaking with. Many of them have one communications person, if any. So how do you empower non-marketers with the tools and confidence to share their work with the world? That’s the challenge, but also the opportunity. With the right setup, we could make their stories more visible, more impactful, and more aligned with the audiences they need to reach—especially donors.

And of course, there’s a tension here. Yes, I could just step in and run someone’s social media for them. I have the skills, and it would be faster in the short term. But that’s not sustainable. I’m here to build capacity, not dependency. That means investing the time upfront to equip people with tools, processes, and confidence—so when my time here is up, they’re still thriving.

It’s harder, and it takes longer. But it’s the work that matters.

The Good, The Challenge, and What’s Next

The Good:
People. It’s been a great week of talking to folks, learning from them, and just feeling that mutual energy and excitement. Whether it’s someone I’m working directly with, or someone I meet in passing, I’ve really been feeding off those interactions. It’s nice to feel like others are catching the vibe I’m putting out, and are excited to come along for the ride.

The Challenge:
Balancing busy and slow weekends. I have some full weekends coming up, which is great, but I’ve also had a few quieter ones. And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with rest (and honestly, I need to get better at embracing it), I sometimes catch myself thinking, “I should be doing more. I’m only here for a short time!” But rest is part of the rhythm too. I’m working on reminding myself of that.

What’s Next:
We’re headed south! Over Easter weekend, we’re taking a trip to the Rupununi and the Kanuku Mountains. It’s going to be a proper adventure—new landscapes, new experiences, and lots of photos. I’ll be taking you along for the journey, so stay tuned.