Posts by Sherry Budziak
In the Midst of Uncertainty, Expect These Trends to Rise
Dust off the crystal ball, slosh the tea leaves, and toss the I Ching. It’s that time of year when the pundits make predictions about what’s in store for the next 12 months. Based on our last two turns around the sun, these more intuitive schemes might be as reliable as a carefully considered hypothesis.…
Read MoreSharing Knowledge Keeps Associations Strong—Review Newest Survey Results and C-Suite Discussion
Early in my career, I was drawn to the nonprofit world. My attraction centered around the idea of sharing. Competition defines even the friendliest corporate relationships. Associations have a happier orientation to their community. We can learn and grow from each other’s experiences. .orgCommunity exists to promote those opportunities. Our C-Suite Circles bring leaders together…
Read MoreGet Teams Back to their Happy Place
If your staff was singing kumbaya around the metaphorical campfire before the pandemic; Don’t assume they are still in that happy place. The abrupt switch from in-person to home office took a toll. Associations thrive on plans, procedures, and processes. Our culture is the opposite of spontaneous. The careful preparation that usually accompanies a significant…
Read MoreThanksgiving Greetings
A friend of mine ordered her turkey from a farm. She wanted to be sure she would have the perfect centerpiece for Thanksgiving. Her request was for a 20 pounder. Unfortunately, all the daintier birds were spoken for. So, she’s getting a 30-pound behemoth. Will it fit in the roaster and the oven? Who knows?…
Read MoreLessons Learned from a Black Swan—Solutions Day Presenters Explore Pandemic Insights
Celebration isn’t a word I would typically use to describe a conference, but there was a festive feeling at .orgCommunity’s Solutions Day. Gathering with colleagues again was inspirational. Even online, the participants could sense the excitement. Presenter, Dean West, called the pandemic a black swan. The term comes from finance and is used to describe…
Read MoreEp 33: Accelerating Initiatives in an Era of Disruption
Join us this week as our guest, Dean West, President of Association Laboratory, talks to us about how the pandemic accelerated initiatives in the association industry—what could have taken five years is now only taking a couple of months to execute. With lots of pros and cons, Sherry and Dean discuss that while face to…
Read MoreGo Beyond the Challenge!
When I have a tough problem, my go-to for advice is often one of our corporate partners. For years, association leaders viewed their industry counterparts as more like distant cousins than family. Today we are beginning to understand that the companies we look to for sponsorship or service have another significant offering—They are an invaluable…
Read MoreEp 32: Overcoming Challenges Beyond Borders
Change . . . love it or hate it — it’s here to stay. This week’s guest, Teri Carden, President of the Review Society and Founder of 100Reviews, talks to us how the recent agents of change have been breaking barriers to improve how things are running in the association industry.
Read MoreMember Value Equals Sponsor Value
Digital Strategies Deliver the Goods If an abrupt pivot wasn’t part of your previous business experience, it’s on your radar now. One of my personal pandemic resets taught me that sometimes a sudden challenge is also an “aha moment”. Of the many shifts in strategy .orgCompanies made over the last year, .orgCommunity’s approach to sponsorship…
Read MoreEp 31: Using the Power of Data in Growing Your Association
How are you using your data? Are you using it correctly in your association to make a difference? This week, John Challice, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Hum, talks to us about the value of data and its strategic components. Join the conversation as Sherry and John discuss the reasons why first party…
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