“Success doesn’t come from one big breakthrough. It comes from many small, consistent pushes in the same direction.”
Fundraising can feel safer when we stick to what’s tried and tested, but is that quietly holding us back?
In this episode, Chris Murphy, Director of Fundraising at Maggie’s, shares five principles that have helped him grow results, including being willing to take risks. Chris and Rob discuss ways to make this easier to do, for yourself and others. And Chris gives examples of how this approach makes work more interesting and rewarding. If you’ve ever wondered whether playing it safe is costing you more than it’s saving you, this one’s worth a listen.
Timestamps
Introduction (00:00:01)
Rob sets up the episode: Chris Murphy, Director of Fundraising at Maggie’s, shares his mindset for growing fundraising income through risk, creativity, and high standards.
Chris’s Career Journey (00:02:23)
From recruiting fundraisers to the National Theatre, Birkbeck University, and now Maggie’s — a brief tour of a career built across arts, education, and health charities.
The Results: Real Income Growth (00:04:13)
The National Theatre grew from £13m to the final stages of a £125m campaign. Chris reflects honestly on what drove that change.
The REACH Framework Introduced (00:05:20)
Chris reveals the five core pillars — Risk, Expertise, Accountability, Challenge, and High Standards — that have shaped his leadership across every organisation he’s worked in.
R is for Risk: The £50k Ask (00:06:18)
A donor emails out of the blue saying “just tell me what you need.” Chris goes bold, asks big, and lands a £50,000 gift that transforms the team’s ambition — and begins a 15-year relationship.
E is for Expertise: Preparation as the Foundation of Flair (00:11:09)
Chris arrives at the National Theatre barely having seen a show. His solution? Learn three things about every production. The discipline behind the art.
A is for Accountability: Ask Forgiveness, Not Permission (00:17:10)
Accountability isn’t about control — it’s an open invitation for everyone, at every level, to have a view and run with ideas. Creative freedom as a management philosophy.
C is for Challenge: Building a Culture Where People Speak Up (00:18:04)
Why naming “challenge” as an explicit team value gives people permission to push back — and how it reduces the backstabbing that festers when they can’t.
H is for High Standards: Be Serious About the Work (00:21:56)
From reprinting documents late at night over a typo, to the way you dress for a donor meeting — Chris makes the case that the flywheel of success is built on small, consistent acts of professionalism.
The Flywheel in Action: World Class at Things That Don’t Require Talent (00:24:19)
Wrapping up with Jim Collins’ flywheel concept — success isn’t one big breakthrough, it’s many small pushes. Rob’s rugby coach analogy translates well to fundraising: strive to be world class at things that don’t require talent.
Further Resources
Fundraising Bright Spot: Fortune Favours the Bold Fundraiser with Ben Swart
Blog: How to raise more with less
The Fundraising Leaders Playlist
Stay in touch
To join our mailing list / get access to our newsletter, including to hear about our popular Breakfast Club for Fundraising Leaders, which happens every 3 months, follow this link.
Inspire your team with Bright Spot Training.
If you find these podcasts, Rob’s Breakfast Clubs or blogs helpful, imagine the difference it would make if your whole team spent a day learning Bright Spot fundraising techniques. We’re immensely proud of the way these bespoke team training days boost your team’s skill, mojo and results. To find out more, or request a chat to think it through, here’s the link: Team Training.
Want to transform your Corporate Partnerships or Major Donor fundraising?
To learn tried and tested techniques for growing corporate partnerships income, and get help in implementing them, check out our ever popular Corporate Partnerships Mastery Programme.
Or to grow your skills, confidence and results in Major Donor or Trusts fundraising, check out our flagship Major Gifts Mastery Programme, now in its eleventh year.
