690. A Case Study in Building Trust and Authentic Partnerships - jacob adams, Inner Spark
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In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with jacob adams, founder of Inner Spark Learning Lab, to talk about what it looks like to challenge the nonprofit status quo. Instead of chasing scale and perfect metrics, Jacob is focused on something different: authentic partnerships, radical transparency, and building trust.
Together, they explore why nonprofits can’t always control outcomes—but we can own the learning, tell the truth about what’s working (and what isn’t), and how to build stronger relationships with funders and partners along the way.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why going deep instead of wide can lead to more meaningful impact
How jacob builds trust with funders
What authentic partnerships really look like in practice at Inner Spark
And why focusing on learning, not just outcomes, can transform the way we lead
If you’re a nonprofit leader navigating pressure to scale, prove impact, and get everything “right,” this conversation will feel both grounding and energizing. 🩵
“Depth allows you to actually understand what change looks like.”
Episode Transcript
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Episode Highlights:
jacob’s Origin Story + Questioning the System (02:49)
Why Kids Don’t Want to Be in School (04:35)
Why Depth Beats Scale in Nonprofit Impact (06:24)
How Inner Spark’s Learning Labs Center Student Voice (07:08)
Why Radical Transparency Builds Trust in Fundraising (12:08)
How Feedback Loops Replace Rigid Outcomes (17:33)
jacob’s One Good Thing: Own the Learnings (26:45)
Powerful Quotes
“Focus on learning, focus on sharing the learning, and make sure your work is responsive to the people you serve.” — jacob adams
“If kids don’t enjoy the place where learning happens, how can we expect them to succeed there?” — jacob adams
“We want schools to become places kids actually want to be.” — jacob adams
“The goal isn’t to have all the answers. The goal is to learn what works.” — jacob adams
“The world wouldn’t look the way it does if every annual report were true.” — jacob adams
“Too many nonprofits feel pressure to perform instead of telling the truth.” — jacob adams
“It made me want to create something that could recognize the brilliance of the kids, but respect them enough to build the world they want to live in.” -jacob adams
“I’ve always been curious and always had a lot to say.” -jacob adams
“Depth allows you to actually understand what change looks like.” — jacob adams
“There’s so much pressure to scale—but sometimes scale just means spreading yourself thin.” — jacob adams
jacob’s One Good Thing: “You own the learnings. The outcomes are often far beyond your control.”
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