Is Workshop Tactics worth it?
Aretha Simons discovered that Workshop Tactics could help her take her non-profit workshops to another level. As a retired U.S. Navy veteran and non-profit consultant, she needed reliable tools to engage participants and create meaningful learning experiences. The cards became her secret weapon for delivering impactful grant-writing workshops nationwide.
"It really took it up to another level"
Why Aretha needed better workshop tools
Aretha Simons is a retired U.S. Navy veteran who served in Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. A former Orlando mayoral candidate and author of books like The Power of the 501(c)(3), she now leads Multiplying Talents, a consultancy that helps new non-profits incorporate, prepare 501(c)(3) applications and develop grant-writing strategies. Her mission is to empower visionary founders and businesses to turn big ideas into reality. Visit Aretha's website.
"I used the workshop tactics right away and it took my workshop to another level because inside there was an acronym for goals, G O A L goal. And I used that and it really made my participant think. It took another extra 30 minutes to add onto my workshops, and we could have went longer. But being able to use this, it really took it up to another level."
Watch Aretha's testimonial about Workshop Tactics
Full testimonial transcript
Hi, my name is Aretha Simons. I'm a non-profit consultant.
I help people start their non-profit. I do grant writing workshops, teach people how to go get that money. Well, I do workshops nationwide, and I saw this on Instagram, the Pip Decks, and I thought, hmm, without hesitation I ordered them.
Because you always need something to add to your workshops, to change your workshops, and if you're doing conferences and workshops, you need something to kind of spice it up. So I didn't hesitate. I went to the website and I saw the bundle. It was a great price, which made me like, this is a no brainer.
I was getting ready to travel in a couple of days to do a workshop, so that's why I wanted to be able to have that downloaded. But I wanted the cards too. I ordered the Workshop Tactics and the Storyteller Tactics.
I haven't used these yet. I'm looking forward to using it. But I used the Workshop Tactics right away and it took my workshop to another level because inside there was an acronym for goals, GOAL.
And I used that and it really made my participant think. It took another extra 30 minutes to add onto my workshops, and we could have gone longer. But being able to use this, it really took it up to another level. I mean, really, that's what I can honestly say.
So I'm looking forward to diving deeper into these. I have a conference coming up. I'm looking forward to it. It's worth the value. I would not endorse the product if it wasn't. So thank you so much for all the work that you put into this. I can tell you guys really put a lot of work in this. Thank you.
From hesitation to immediate impact
Aretha ordered Workshop Tactics without hesitation when she saw it on Instagram. As someone who runs workshops nationwide teaching grant writing and non-profit development, she recognised the value of having tools that could spice up her sessions and engage participants more effectively.
She immediately put the cards to work in her next workshop. The GOAL card became her secret weapon, extending her workshop by 30 minutes because participants were so engaged. The structured approach helped her participants think more deeply about their objectives and outcomes.
The non-profit workshop challenge
Teaching grant writing and non-profit development requires more than just information—it needs engagement and practical application. Aretha found that Workshop Tactics provided the structure and activities she needed to transform her sessions from lectures into interactive learning experiences.
The cards helped her create workshops that participants didn't want to end, extending sessions naturally as people became more engaged with the material and each other.
What made the difference
Aretha's experience shows how Workshop Tactics solves real problems for educators and facilitators. The cards provide instant access to proven facilitation techniques, reducing planning time whilst maintaining quality. The GOAL card, in particular, helped her structure discussions that kept participants engaged and thinking.
How Aretha uses Workshop Tactics in practice
For grant‑writing sessions, Aretha opens with an energiser, then moves straight into a goal‑setting activity using the GOAL card so participants can articulate outcomes in plain language. She follows with a prioritisation tactic to convert big ideas into do‑able steps, and closes with a simple reflection round so attendees commit to next actions. This layering of tactics created an extra 30 minutes of high‑value participation without adding slides or lecture time.
When she runs conferences, she uses the same cards to adapt on the fly—swapping an activity if the room needs more energy or more focus.
Who this helps
- Non‑profit trainers delivering skills workshops across different cities and audiences
- Community programme leads who need to keep sessions practical and inclusive
- Educators and facilitators seeking ready‑to‑run activities that scale from 15 to 120 minutes
Transform your workshop facilitation
If you're tired of workshops that fall flat, the Workshop Tactics Deck might be exactly what you need. You'll join over 200,000 professionals who've found their confidence through these cards.
Aretha's success story represents one example of how Pip Decks' community of over 200,000 professionals across 100+ countries is transforming their work. These are real experiences from trusted experts who've field‑tested these tools in demanding professional environments.
For the complete facilitation system, consider pairing Workshop Tactics with Storyteller Tactics to create workshops that both educate and inspire.
Explore more success stories on our Pip Decks Testimonials Hub.
One of the few newsletters I look forward to.
— Dave Cunningham, Head of DesignOps @ NHS
