Darwin’s Christian broadcaster, 97 Seven FM, has been operating for over 30 years. I’ve been the CEO for more than 15 years of those years.
For some time, the Station has relied on the dedicated efforts of a small volunteer team. I’m the only paid employee. Despite attempts to employ the right people, each has eventually left the Station. Some of those employees were great, while others were manipulative disasters. Still, each departure made it challenging to replace them as the Station’s income dropped. Subsequently, I’m carrying the load mostly alone, with only some support from volunteers and the board.
As I’ve expressed, “I was drowning and could not find the support I needed either from the board or volunteers.”
This situation led to a slow decline for the Station. We faced a significant drop in income, compounded by rising costs. We lost volunteer support and needed knowledge I did not have.
The Solution
That’s when we reached out to Ivan. I knew him from his previous involvement in the sector. I trusted him because of his relationship with God. I also trusted his wisdom and reliability and that he would tell me what I needed to know!
We initially sought fundraising support from Ivan. Today, we see him as a consulting partner of the Station. Ivan tailors his services to meet our needs. The relationship has always been collaborative and continues to be. Ivan identifies our weaknesses without making me feel incompetent. He collaboratively approaches every area of service, teaching me as I work through the process.
And the results have been outstanding.
During the latter part of 2023, Ivan helped us with a crucial fundraising campaign. The Station raised over $90,000 to fund the relocation and setup of our broadcasting equipment at a new site. Of that amount, we raised over $64,000 from the campaign Ivan developed and helped implement. It was the Station’s best outcome for a fundraising appeal to date.
We have also met all annual financial obligations with Ivan’s support and assistance. We are starting to deliver targeted, high-quality programming to our listeners. We’re taking significant steps toward long-term financial security and sustainability. Plus, we now have a growing team of skilled volunteers and a more skilled and supportive board.
