In this episode of The What It Takes Podcast, host Tuli Kraus sits down with Moshe Hecht, entrepreneur, startup operator, and Founder of Hatch AI, who previously helped build Charidy into one of the world's leading fundraising platforms that has facilitated nearly $5 billion in charitable giving.

This isn't just a conversation about AI or fundraising. It's about what it actually takes to build meaningful companies, lead high-performing teams, create products people genuinely need, and navigate the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, and purpose.

Moshe shares his journey from helping scale one of the largest nonprofit fundraising platforms to leaving a successful company and starting over with Hatch AI, a platform using artificial intelligence to help nonprofits identify better donors, build smarter fundraising campaigns, and make data-driven decisions.

Whether you're a startup founder, nonprofit leader, fundraiser, entrepreneur, or simply curious about how AI is reshaping entire industries, this episode is packed with practical insights on leadership, innovation, fundraising strategy, hiring, and building companies that create real impact.

• How Moshe Hecht helped scale Charidy into one of the world's largest fundraising platforms

• Why he left a successful company to build Hatch AI from the ground up

• How AI is transforming nonprofit fundraising and donor engagement

• The future of fundraising campaigns powered by artificial intelligence

• How nonprofits can use donor intelligence instead of relying on guesswork

• Building startup products that solve real customer problems

• Leadership lessons from growing fast-moving technology companies

• Hiring, culture, and building high-performing teams

• The importance of purpose when building a business

• Why founders should embrace uncertainty instead of chasing certainty

• Lessons learned from scaling startups and launching new ventures

• How AI will reshape the future of nonprofits and philanthropy

Moshe shares years of startup and fundraising experience, including:

• Great fundraising starts with understanding people, not just asking for donations

• AI should enhance human relationships, not replace them

• The best startups solve painful, real-world problems

• Hiring the right people is one of a founder's biggest competitive advantages

• Building systems creates long-term growth instead of chasing short-term wins

• Purpose-driven companies attract stronger teams and customers

• Innovation happens when you're willing to leave comfort behind

• Technology is changing fundraising faster than most organizations realize

00:00 Welcome & What Is a Fabrengen

11:11 Singer to Shliach — Moishe's Path Through Yeshiva, Ukraine & Smicha

17:32 Selling Ads, Joining Charity & the Early Bootstrap Years

21:25 Scaling Charity: Competitors, Challenges & Finding Your ICP

34:05 Growing the Team: Initiative, Listening to Customers & When to Fire

47:59 Leaving Charity & LaunchingHatch.ai

1:09:10 What Makes Hatch Different, Daily Giving & the Hecht Family Legacy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moshe-hecht-109a4514/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moshehecht/?hl=en

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/blackbird.recruiting/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuli-kraus/

Hiring the wrong person is expensive—not just financially, but culturally.

Blackbird Recruiting helps growing companies hire exceptional talent so founders can spend less time recruiting and more time building world-class businesses.

💡 In This Episode, We Cover:🧠 Key Business & Fundraising Lessons from Moshe Hecht:⏱️ Chapters
🔗 Connect with Moshe Hecht🔗 Connect with the Host — Tuli Kraus About Blackbird Recruiting