Mindset Shift for Research Funding Success: Reframing Outreach & Requests
In this thought-provoking video, Julia Barzyk, founder of Wise Investigator, dives into a powerful mindset shift that every academic researcher needs to consider: rethinking how we approach outreach and the psychology of making requests. If you're an assistant professor—or anyone pursuing research funding—this video will help you examine the emotional barriers that may be holding you back from effective communication with funders, collaborators, or mentors.
💡 What This Video Covers:
Julia shares lessons learned not only from her decade at the U.S. Army Research Office, but also from running her business, Wise Investigator, over the past two years. She reflects on:
Why some people feel uncomfortable when approached with a request
How that discomfort mirrors the way we hesitate to ask for help or funding
The hidden emotional baggage that can sabotage your outreach efforts
How generosity and openness can shift your mindset—and improve your success
This isn’t a tactics or proposal strategy video (though you can find plenty of those on the channel). Instead, this one is all about how your mindset directly impacts your ability to secure funding and build meaningful professional relationships.
🔄 Key Mindset Shifts You’ll Learn:
✅ Outreach is a two-way mirror – If you feel irritated or defensive when others ask for something, you may carry that discomfort into your own outreach.
✅ Being open to requests helps you make your own – Practice patience and generosity to reduce shame and resistance around asking for help.
✅ You don’t need funding to start a conversation – Valuable connections can form without immediate transactions. Start building relationships without fear or judgment.
✅ Shift from scarcity to resourcefulness – Learning how to access small resources (even time and attention) builds the skills you need to secure large-scale research funding.
Whether you're reaching out to a funder, contacting a mentor, or building a collaboration, your mindset matters. Julia challenges you to reflect on the psychology behind your hesitation and offers a practical path toward more effective—and fulfilling—engagement.
📞 Julia also offers to connect with you directly—no sales pitch, no expectations. Just meaningful conversation.
🔗 Want more guidance on funding strategies and mindset for research success? Connect with Julia:
🌎 Website: https://www.wiseinvestigator.com/
📩 Newsletter: https://wiseinvestigator.beehiiv.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-barzyk/
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