fassforward

Chief Executive Officer

Head of Executive Coaching

Charpack LLC

Founder & CEO

Balance Yoga & Wellness LLC

Founder and Owner

New Mountain Capital

Head of Risk Management and Trading 2008-2010
Co-Portfolio Manager 2010-2014
Senior Advisor 2015-2017

Portfolio Management

Morgan Stanley

Executive Director

Marketing Business Analyst

I create Thinking Partnerships with leaders to improve performance

David is Co-CEO of fassforward Consulting Group. He partners with clients to improve their leadership, culture, productivity, and life/work balance. He leads fassforward's Executive Coaching practice, oversees finance and is focused on developing FCG’s biggest asset, its people and culture.

Prior to joining the fassforward, David spent 20 years on Wall Street. He worked at Morgan Stanley for 9 years in Institutional Equity Derivatives where he managed Hedge Fund Sales Trading. David was also a leader in the firm’s recruiting program, taught in the training program, and was a significant contributor in the growth of the firm’s derivative platform for hedge fund clients. In 2008, David joined New Mountain Capital to launch a risk management strategy and start a trading desk for the firm’s hedge fund with assets of approximately $1 billion. In 2010, he was promoted to Portfolio Manager, co-managing the hedge fund, which had grown to over $2 billion in assets. 
Through his work at fassforward, his yoga studio and his charity, David has enjoyed being focused on "doing good things for good people". David received his A.B., magna cum laude from Princeton University.

David Frost

Leadership Lessons from Amazon's #1 New Release "Story Business."

Gavin McMahon has distilled nearly 25 years of teaching leaders how to be better storytellers into a book.

When I joined fassforward after 20 years on Wall St, I thought storytelling was what we did with our children at bedtime. I questioned why we were focused on it.

Gavin helped me realize that leadership and storytelling are 2 sides of the same coin, and that you cannot be a effective leader without effective storytelling.

Here are 3 of the many leadership lessons from "Story Business": 
 
1️⃣ Tell the Truth (Beautifully)

Leadership storytelling starts with “truthtelling, not fabletelling.”

People don’t need a fairy tale (as per my old misconception), they need clarity they can act on. A leader’s job is to frame reality in a way people can understand, believe, and rally behind. "Speak to their listening."

2️⃣  Question the Future

Leaders don’t predict, they provoke. A good question pulls your colleagues forward, makes them imagine what could be, and creates permission for change.

And when you question the future, you’re not forecasting, you’re widening the path ahead so people can see new possibilities and choose to step into them.

3️⃣ Connect People and Dots

Connecting people and dots is the quiet superpower of successful leaders.

Your team carries fragments of the story; you weave them into shared context. When people see where they fit, they move with purpose.

🛒 Order Story Business: https://lnkd.in/ex5qeTFC 

#fassforward #thehowcompany #businessstorytelling #leadershipdevelopment

Mario Hernandez

Turning LinkedIn into a Fundraising Engine for Nonprofits | Keynote Speaker | Investor | Husband & Father | 2 Exits |

I spent years building and scaling companies, raising investment, and developing partnerships across different industries. What I learned is that growth always comes down to one thing: relationships.

When I started working with nonprofits, I noticed something that changed my direction. Many organizations were approaching corporate partnerships as sponsorship requests rather than co-created impact. The conversation was transactional, so the funding was short term.

So now I help nonprofits secure meaningful corporate partnerships and long term funding through a relationship first strategy. I also train nonprofit consultants who want to deliver this framework with their clients.

My work at Impact Circle focuses on:
• Building partnership pipelines that are based on alignment, not pitching
• Training nonprofit teams to lead high trust conversations with corporate partners
• Helping consultants grow their visibility and revenue using a value first approach

I still build companies that create impact. I am developing Givly, an AI powered platform designed to help nonprofits increase grant success by giving teams a research and writing co pilot that understands their goals.

A few parts of my journey:
• Built and exited multiple companies
• Raised millions in investment
• Recognized by JA Worldwide for creating meaningful impact
• Reduced over one million single use plastic bottles through sustainable water systems
• International keynote speaker on social impact, partnerships, and purpose driven growth

If you believe relationships are the real engine of funding and partnership success, we are aligned.

Send me a message with the word Impact, and I will share resources we use to help teams grow sustainably.

Let’s build something meaningful.


Co-Founder & CEO

- Rethink Philanthropy. Join the first social media network dedicated to philanthropy, connecting individuals, businesses and non profits with the mission of maximizing impact for our planet. 

- Knobl's innovative campaign event manager turns your favorite everyday activities into tools for recollecting donations. Play Fortnite, listen to music on Spotify, drive your Tesla, or workout with Apple Health and turn all of these activities into philanthropic campaigns. 

- Sign up to start making a difference at http://knobl.one

- Reached $3.5M valuation in 1 year, currently fundraising in SEED round.

Here’s $7,500 worth of LinkedIn training for nonprofits.
For free.
No catch, no upsell:

Just 8 courses that show you exactly how to attract donors, sponsors, and partners on LinkedIn. 

The same system our clients use to raise thousands without cold calling.

All I ask? Tag a nonprofit leader or fundraiser in the comments so they can grow too.

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟭: How to Pitch Your Nonprofit

👉 https://lnkd.in/gDJvE8Dg
• Craft a pitch that moves hearts and opens checkbooks
• Use storytelling to make your mission unforgettable
• Borrow my exact pitch templates used by top fundraisers

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟮: How to Use LinkedIn to Attract Corporate Donors

👉 https://lnkd.in/gdUKhsXT
• Build a corporate partnership pipeline from scratch
• Turn connections into recurring sponsors
• Learn the message frameworks that win attention and funding

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟯: Optimize Your Profile to Become Fundable

👉 https://lnkd.in/gjU8NPKF
• Transform your profile into a magnet for donors and partners
• Use credibility cues that trigger trust
• Get found by decision-makers looking to fund causes like yours

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟰: 16-Minute Breakdown of a Nonprofit’s Personal Brand

👉 https://lnkd.in/gcW7rk_h
• Watch a live teardown of a nonprofit leader’s profile
• Learn the quick wins that boost visibility overnight
• Discover how branding drives donations

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟱: How to Use LinkedIn’s Search Function

👉 https://lnkd.in/gwUK-bem
• Find hidden corporate donors and aligned partners
• Use advanced filters to locate decision-makers
• Build a warm lead list in minutes

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟲: From Zero to 100 Direct Messages

👉 https://lnkd.in/gKepVRau
• Go from invisible to in-demand
• Use my exact outreach scripts that drive replies
• Turn conversations into funding opportunities

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟳: Brainstorm Nonprofit Content with AI

👉 https://lnkd.in/gK5297Jw
• Never run out of post ideas again
• Use AI prompts built for nonprofit storytelling
• Spark engagement from donors and sponsors daily

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝟴: Your Own Nonprofit LinkedIn Content GPT

👉 https://lnkd.in/gpwPJivT
• Generate scroll-stopping posts instantly
• Customize your voice and mission tone
• Create consistent, high-impact content in minutes

Total value: $7,500+
Your investment: $0

Why am I giving this away?

Because too many nonprofits are doing incredible work… but staying invisible.

These are full trainings and the same strategies that helped leaders raise $30,000+ in weeks.

When your mission wins, the world wins.

P.S. Yes, this is real. Yes, it’s free. No, there’s no catch.

I work with nonprofits in high-touch programs, this is how I give back to the sector that gives so much.

With purpose and impact, Mario

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Many nonprofits lose 6-figure deals because they say 1 sentence the wrong way (here are 5 shifts that fix it fast): 

You did everything right. Built trust. Earned the meeting.
And now… you’re at the ask.

This is where most nonprofits lose the deal 
Not because of the budget.
But because of a sentence.

The wrong words at the wrong time can quietly kill what could’ve been a 6-figure, multi-year collaboration.

Here are 5 sentence-level shifts that make the difference:

1. “We’d be honored by your support.”
❌ Sounds like charity.
✅ Say instead: “We built this with leaders like you in mind.”


2. “We’re hoping you’ll consider a gift.”
❌ Hope = hesitation.
✅ Say: “We’re aligning with partners driving systemic change.”


3. “This donation will help us continue our work.”
❌ Vague. No stakes.
✅ Try: “Here’s what your partnership will create in 12 months and who it’ll impact.”


4. “Can we count on your generosity?”
❌ Passive.
✅ Use: “We’d like to co-design a high-impact initiative you’re proud to champion.”


5. “Any amount helps.”
❌ Minimizes the value of the opportunity.
✅ Flip it: “We only partner when the impact matches the investment.”


The ask isn’t the problem.
The framing is.

You don’t close major funding by sounding grateful.

You close it by sounding aligned.

If you’re ready to start landing major, multi-year partnerships, drop “partnerships” in the comments and connect with me.

I’ll send you a free resource our clients are using to build a pipeline of ideal partners on LinkedIn. 

With purpose and impact, Mario

taplio

The Battle

David Frost

Mario Hernandez

Followers

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Performance ScoreDavid Frost's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMario Hernandez's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

David Frost

Mario Hernandez

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}David Frost's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMario Hernandez's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDavid Frost's LinkedIn Performance