RKD Group: Thinkers – Episode Summary

Podcast: RKD Group: Thinkers
Episode: From Rome to Fundraise Up: Salvatore Salpietro’s Journey from Tech to Impact
Date: July 10, 2025
Host(s): Justin McCord, Ronnie Richard
Guest: Salvatore “Sal” Salpietro, Chief Community Officer at Fundraise Up

Episode Overview

This episode of RKD Group: Thinkers delves into the dynamic and unconventional career journey of Salvatore “Sal” Salpietro, tracing his evolution from a tech-obsessed youth and IT specialist in Rome to his present leadership position at Fundraise Up, a cutting-edge nonprofit fundraising platform. Sal’s story is more than just a professional timeline—it’s a narrative of transformative personal choices, relentless curiosity, and ever-present passion for blending technology with human connection to drive impact in the nonprofit sector.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Roots & Rome: Escaping and Reinventing (03:13–07:07)

• Origin Story: Sal discusses being raised as a Jehovah’s Witness and how leaving that community sparked his desire for a radically new path—ultimately leading him to Italy.
  • “My only way to really get away from that and change that trajectory was to take myself out of that completely. And I did that through a study abroad that led to full time employment at the American University of Rome.” (04:25–04:50, Sal)
• First Nonprofit-Flavored Experience: Working in IT at the American University of Rome and UC’s campuses in Italy introduced him to the nonprofit and higher ed space.
• Pivot Point: Tech was his entry point, but living abroad spurred an interest in people, psychology, and anthropology, leading to a shift in academic focus.
  • “I really realized I loved humans and psychology and anthropology, and that led me to stop pursuing my undergrad in computer sciences…” (06:23–06:39, Sal)

2. From IT to Project Management & Entrepreneurship (07:51–10:54)

• Transition to London: Moved pursuit from pure IT to project management and leadership roles, fostering people-focused skills.
• Startup Experience: After his boss was ousted in a hostile takeover, Sal co-founded the digital agency Icebox.
  • "We did big, big projects for Procter and Gamble, Nike, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, but ultimately the direction he wanted to take that went somewhere different than where my life needed to go." (09:48–10:13, Sal)

3. A Search for Meaning: The “Calling” to Nonprofit Impact (10:16–12:58)

• Why Nonprofits? Fatherhood and a craving for fulfillment drove Sal to seek out a mission-driven role, landing at Child Mind Institute as Director of Digital.
  • "I wanted to do something that gives back, that makes a difference…When you become a father, some of your perspectives of life and your objectives change." (10:56–11:10, Sal)
• Tech Shock: Sal’s for-profit background led to a “holy shit moment” upon seeing nonprofit tech’s limitations.
  • "I did have a very stark, I'm gonna say it, guys, holy shit moment when I got there and saw the tech and what they were working with." (11:39–11:47, Sal)

4. The Fundraise Up Origin Story (12:58–16:57)

• Sliding Doors Moment: Sal responds to a cold email from the new startup Fundraise Up and pilots their platform at Child Mind Institute—leading to a fivefold increase in donation revenue overnight.
  • "We 5x our donation revenue one day to the next." (14:35–14:37, Sal)
  • "It's not disruptive of the donor experience. And that just led to an explosion of revenue for the organization." (15:16–15:29, Sal)
• From Power User to Partner: Impressed with the product, Sal invested in Fundraise Up’s WeFunder campaign, caught the founders’ attention, and ultimately joined the team after a pivotal dinner—eschewing another opportunity in London.
  • "They basically said, what do we have to do to make you not do, to have you not take that and start this with us? And that's it." (18:53–19:02, Sal)
  • Startup realities were real: “We got a third floor walk up in Brooklyn on top of an old firehouse, working next to a kitchen sink and a toilet. And it was like the classic startup kind of story…” (18:40–18:56, Sal)

5. Integrating Passion with Leadership (19:03–22:52)

• Passion as a Compass: Sal’s blend of tech and compassion is central to his leadership.
  • “...the mission behind the metrics and the numbers... if you're able to keep that foremost and at center, the passion is inevitable.” (20:26–20:40, Sal)
  • “The passion is masked frustration and anger sometimes, right? Because I know that it's way easier to buy pizza or sneakers than it is to give.” (20:44–20:54, Sal)
• Impact Mindset: Advocates for transparency in nonprofit outcomes—impact, not just metrics:
  • “I never see on dashboards when nonprofits are working a column that says impact—how many trees, how many kids are we getting mental health treatment for? ...If that were there, we'd have a lot easier of a time building passion.” (21:47–22:46, Sal)

6. Restlessness, Recharge, and What’s Next (22:52–25:39)

• Restlessness as Driver: Sal recognizes his tendency towards restlessness as a fuel for change—but also acknowledges the risk of burnout after six and a half years of relentless energy.
• Taking a Break: Announces a five-week break in Italy to recharge, reflect, and shape his next move.
  • “That five week break, really, is for me to figure out where to take it from here and see where that goes. So I don't know. I don't know. But I do know when I see it, it'll be very evident...” (23:24–23:39, Sal)

7. Perspectives on Anxiety, Restlessness, and Action (25:03–26:27)

• Reflection on Mental Energy: The hosts and Sal discuss how realizing one’s own anxiety or restlessness can fuel more of the same, underscoring the importance of mindful breaks.
  • “The antidote to anxiety is action. So you got to do something, right? And for me, that is this break.” (25:43–25:55, Sal)
  • “The action is almost inaction, right?... I'm going to sit in Sicily in a little low key villa in the mountains and chill…” (25:55–26:14, Sal)

8. Leadership Lessons & Influences (27:10–28:34)

• Key Influences: Shout-outs to mentors, especially Mark Delou, for teaching a servant-leadership approach:
  • “His approach was always, I'm here alongside you, I'm not here above you. And I'm here to support you and help you be successful, not tell you what I need for me to be successful.” (27:24–27:37, Sal)
• Sal’s Leadership Philosophy: Prioritizes empowerment and support over top-down management.

9. The “Yellow Mandolin” Story (28:44–30:51)

• LinkedIn Identity: Sal’s well-known LinkedIn photo with a yellow mandolin is a conference booth prop—he doesn’t actually play mandolin, but the image took on a life of its own.
  • “I'm like so afraid to change the photo...because I'm like, nobody will know who I am if I change that photo.” (29:24–29:33, Sal)
  • The photo is now widely memed and re-imagined with the help of AI.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On non-traditional career paths:
  “You can see how [restlessness] leads from the one thing to the next...” (00:56, Ronnie)
• On the first job overseas:
  “Told my parents I was going to go for six months. Ended up staying for almost six years.” (05:00–05:19, Sal)
• On technology and impact:
  “I can talk to both sides of this and I can kind of bridge some of that sometimes.” (07:41–07:48, Sal)
• On nonprofit tech’s shortcomings:
  “I was kind of like, wait, wait a second, this can’t be right. Where’s the actual one?” (11:46–11:50, Sal)
• On immediate success with Fundraise Up:
  “We 5x our donation revenue one day to the next. Like literally one day.” (14:35–14:38, Sal)
• On servant leadership:
  “What do you need from me? Not here's the metric I need you to hit. And I learned that from him.” (27:41–27:45, Sal)
• On life and memes:
  “I have, like, me with that [mandolin] as Indiana Jones. I've got me as, like a rebel pilot in Star Wars...” (30:34–30:38, Sal)

Important Timestamps

• 00:56: Framing the theme of career restlessness and passion (Ronnie)
• 03:13: Sal’s Rome backstory and cultural/faith departure
• 05:26: Early techie days, love for technology, first jobs
• 07:51: Moving to London, project management, and entrepreneurship
• 10:16: The “calling” from commerce to nonprofit Child Mind Institute
• 12:58: Discovering Fundraise Up, the email that changed everything
• 14:35: Overnight donation revenue 5X growth
• 16:00: Investing in Fundraise Up and becoming a key team member
• 19:54: On passion as a nonprofit leader’s essential element
• 22:52: Restlessness, taking a break, and pondering what comes next
• 25:39: Insights on burnout/anxiety and the power of stepping back
• 27:10: Shout-outs to impactful mentors and leadership lessons
• 28:44: The true story of the yellow mandolin photo

Conclusion

Salvatore Salpietro’s story is a testament to curiosity-driven reinvention, tech-enabled impact, and the centrality of passion in nonprofit leadership. His journey offers inspiration and practical lessons for nonprofit professionals on harnessing both innovation and empathy to make lasting change—while also reminding us of the importance of rest, reflection, and a little bit of humor along the way.