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.
💡 In This Episode, We Cover:
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
🧠 Key Business & Fundraising Lessons from Moshe Hecht:
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
⏱️ Chapters
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 & Launching Hatch.ai
1:09:10 What Makes Hatch Different, Daily Giving & the Hecht Family Legacy
🔗 Connect with Moshe Hecht
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moshe-hecht-109a4514/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moshehecht/?hl=en
🔗 Connect with the Host — Tuli Kraus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbird.recruiting/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuli-kraus/
About Blackbird Recruiting
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.
