Leadership

Ep 103: Netflix-Style Education & the Innovation Revolution

By association40 | January 16, 2025

In this episode, we sat down with Eric O’Connor, the Chief Innovation Officer at the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). Eric is a visionary leader whose transformative work in corporate ventures and technology modernization has reshaped the way AANA operates and engages with its members. Under his leadership, the association has seen impressive growth in membership, revenue, and member value.

With a background in marketing and photography, Eric’s journey from owning a photography studio to pioneering innovation in the nonprofit and association sectors is a testament to his commitment to serving others. In fact, he’s been volunteering and serving on boards since the age of 17 and has a unique perspective on leadership, collaboration, and creating value.

One of Eric’s most impactful moves at AANA was digging into five years of member surveys, uncovering a clear call for accessible, low-cost, on-demand education. This insight led to the idea of “Netflix-style” education for AANA’s members—an innovation that exemplifies how listening to your members can spark game-changing solutions.

Eric also shares his excitement about the future of AI in association management and encourages leaders to take action, even when conditions aren’t “perfect.” He challenges associations to think beyond traditional revenue streams, urging them to explore new ways to stay relevant and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

Whether you’re an association leader or just someone passionate about innovation, this episode is packed with actionable insights and a call to stay curious, lead with purpose, and shape the future of associations together.

Tune in for a conversation about leadership, innovation, and the power of listening to your members!

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Ep 95: Managers and Directors – Our Unsung Heroes

By association40 | June 25, 2024

Joining us on the podcast today is .orgSource Managing Director of Digital Strategy, Sharon Rice, and .orgSource Consultant, Jennifer Proctor. About a decade ago, Sharon used to be Jennifer’s supervisor, which sparked the conversation of the relationship between staff members and directors, and how associations can better support those in positions of power to work at their full potential. Sharon and Jennifer identified three major areas of consideration.

In order for managers and directors to be more successful, they must first analyze their capacity. If there is a feeling of dread before the work day starts, or the feeling of never having enough time to get tasks completed, this could be a sign of burnout. To overcome this feeling, Sharon and Jennifer recommend using some of those vacation days to reset or delegating accordingly.

The second area managers and directors can find success in is having their staff create weekly status reports. This doesn’t have to be a lengthy write-up. It can be as simple as a one-page document with bullet points. A weekly status report is an excellent way for association leaders to stay informed about projects and build stronger connections with their staff.

Last, but not least, managers and directors need to remember they are in a unique position to understand the strategy of an organization and where the waste is. Waste doesn’t necessarily equate to a monetary value either. Waste could be identified by finding a better use of everyone’s time. For example, if meetings are disrupting too much of the day, why not establish a boundary of “No Meeting Mondays” where staff and leaders can be free to focus on their tasks for at least one day of the week?

There is a plethora of “food for thought” knowledge in this episode that is perfect for any leader in an organization. Feel free to send us a message on social media @orgsource to let us know some of the ways we can help association’s “unsung heroes” find success. Happy listening!

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Ep 89: Leading is Not a Mission. Leading is a Result of Doing Something Excellent.

By association40 | March 30, 2024

It’s all too common for organizations to use the word “lead” in their mission statement. While this isn’t a negative quality to highlight, Garth Jordan, CEO of the American Animal Hospital Association, and Sharon Rice, Managing Director of Business Strategy at .orgSource, urges associations to think twice before using that word in their mission statements.

In their experience, organizations are more successful if they focus their energy on the value they provide to their members and consumers rather than using a catchy word to create a certain image. To members, value might mean how much “stuff” they get with their membership. However, with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, member-benefits like magazines or newsletters, may lose their luster over time.

This refreshing conversation redefines what true leadership means in associations and how they can go beyond the material value of a membership and create a lasting, positive impact on society and for the greater good. Listen in!

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Ep 83: Creating an Organism Instead of an Organization

By association40 | January 6, 2024

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Garth Jordan, CEO of the American Animal Hospital Association to discuss his thoughts on the current state of associations after the pandemic, how bosses can become more like mentors and guides, whether or not long-term strategies are worth planning, and much more.

This episode is jam-packed with advice for CEOs and association leaders to discover the path towards high collaboration within their board and how to build trust to minimize micromanagement. It’s time to eliminate the extraneous and unnecessary and create a more balanced and innovative organization. Tune into this powerful episode to learn how to simplify the journey towards excellence!

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Ep 82: Strategies and Advice for Future Success for Leaders and the Like

By association40 | December 16, 2023

Business, regardless of whether you’re in the profit or nonprofit sector, is fundamentally about people. An association’s employees and board members play a crucial role to the health of the organization and its future success. Finding and attracting the right people can prove to be a difficult challenge, especially in today’s fast-paced digital market.

Our guests, Don Dea, Co-Founder of Fusion Productions and digitalNow, and his son, Al Dea, Founder of Edge of Work, sat down with us to discuss how leaders can be better listeners, tips to attracting top talent, and the most effective ways to encourage a team to do their best work.

“If you did your job in terms of bringing the right people on the bus, you have to make sure they are in the right seats,” says Don.

Get ready to challenge assumptions, spark creativity, and invite exploration in this thought-provoking episode of the Association 4.0 Podcast. Listen in!

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Ep 81: The Blueprint for Success – A Proven Framework for Driving Certification Revenue

By association40 | December 1, 2023

Welcome to episode 81 with this week’s inspiring guest, Ashish Rangnekar, CEO/Co-Founder of BenchPrep. Sherry Budziak, Founder/CEO of .orgSource discovered the inside scoop into his wildly successful company. BenchPrep is proud to be the world’s first exam prep mobile app for iPhone. Since 2009, the app has transformed into a Learning Management System trusted by the world’s leading associations and credentialing organizations. In fact, Ashish and his team recently celebrated their app serving professionals in more than 50 countries with over 10 million learners!

This enlightening conversation dives into the history of BenchPrep, the importance and growing popularity of continuing education, and features a sneak peak of Ashish’s recent webinar with .orgCommunity. To watch the full webinar, visit https://videos.orgcommunity.com/mastering-revenue-growth-a-strategic-framework-for-your-certification-training-program. Don’t miss Ashish and Sherry’s ideas for growth and how to increase revenue using a strategic framework for educational programs. Listen in!

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Ep 80: Unlocking the Executive Mindset with Donna Gandt of Impexium

By association40 | November 13, 2023

Join us in this insightful episode as I sit down with Donna Gandt, Chief Revenue Officer at Impexium, a leading force in empowering associations through streamlined membership management solutions. In today’s conversation, Donna and I delve into a topic close to .orgSource’s heart—cultivating the executive mindset within your team. We explore the essence of “thinking like an executive” and the profound impact it can have on both individuals and organizations.

Don’t miss this chance to gain valuable insights from Donna’s wealth of experience and expertise. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or aspiring to develop your team, this episode provides actionable strategies for fostering a culture of executive thinking within your organization.

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Ep 79: The important role for AI functionality in the learning environment with Robb Rabito

By association40 | October 28, 2023

Join us in this enlightening episode as we sit down with Robb Rabito, the Senior Director of Program Development at the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST). Robb wears many hats, overseeing education, program creation, instructional design, accreditation, and online learning, all in the pursuit of advancing healthcare and professional development.

Discover how CHEST is at the forefront of empowering healthcare professionals with the knowledge and resources they need to excel in their fields. Robb Rabito shares insights into the organization’s work and the profound impact they have on the world of chest medicine. Whether you’re a healthcare practitioner or simply curious about the ever-evolving world of medical education, this episode is a must-listen.

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Ep 78: Adapting and Innovating in Healthcare: A Conversation with Terrence Sykes, Chief Growth Officer at ENA

By association40 | October 14, 2023

This week, we have the pleasure of hosting Terrence Sykes, Chief Growth Officer at the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). ENA stands as the leading professional nursing association, committed to shaping the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership.

In this episode, Terrence delves into the transformative impact of the pandemic on his perspectives, shedding light on how it has reshaped his approach to nurturing relationships and driving revenue in recent years. He also provides insights into his strategies for fostering innovation within his team, ensuring that imaginative concepts become actionable realities.

With ENA’s strong emphasis on nurturing a culture rooted in values, Terrence reveals the methods they employ to mitigate risk and seize opportunities in their pursuit of excellence. Join us for this insightful conversation!

Also check out the other podcasts from association leaders at the ENA:

EP 44: FOCUSING ON CULTURE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION

EP 27: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK FOR A HEALTHIER WORK ENVIRONMENT

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Ep 76: The Transformative Power of Technology

By association40 | September 9, 2023

In this episode, our host, Sherry Budziak, steps into the spotlight to discuss the transformative impact of technology on our interactions with association members. She explores the profound potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping how we engage with our members, enhance the value we provide, and streamline internal processes.

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Ep 74: Leadership in an Ever-Changing World: Pioneering the Path Forward

By association40 | July 29, 2023

This week’s guest is Matty Rubenstein, founder of Aspaklaria, an association executive advisory firm he started about 15 years ago. For most of that time, he has been an interim strategy partner to many senior executives across IEEE, the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers. For this episode, Matty talks to us about the challenges and opportunities he sees on the horizon for associations, as well as tactics and tools he thinks leaders should use to navigate disruption. He also chimes in on the role AI will play for consultants and how he sees the association industry changing both in the short and long term. Don’t forget to tune in!

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Ep 73: Advancing Association Pricing Models for Financial Sustainability

By association40 | June 23, 2023

Our guest this week is Dr. Michael Tatonetti, a Certified Association Executive and Certified Pricing Professional on a mission to advance associations in their pricing models for financial sustainability. As the Founder of Pricing for Associations, he and his team work with associations to harmonize pricing and value across membership, education, sponsorship, events, and marketing. Michael is also a proud Association Forum Forty Under 40 honoree for his dedication to the association field. For this episode, Michael talks about pricing strategies for boosting member engagement and some best practices that he thinks association professionals should be using.

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Ep 71: Embracing the Dynamic Fusion of Technology and Culture

By association40 | May 28, 2023

This week’s guest is Patrick Dorsey, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Impexium. Patrick is responsible for the positioning; demand generation; CRM and automated marketing initiatives; as well as the integrated marketing efforts for Impexium, Billhighway and Greekbill. With over 25 years of experience across all marketing disciplines, he has designed and executed dozens of marketing initiatives focused on helping associations establish market leadership and exceed business objectives. For this discussion, Patrick talks to us about the relationship between technology and culture, and the the biggest misconceptions that association professionals have about technology needs. Let us take a deep dive on how the most successful organizations use technology to leverage and maintain a healthy culture for their staff and members.

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Ep 70: Culture Counts: Building Workplace Culture That Attracts, Retains, and Inspires Part II

By association40 | May 13, 2023

This week we continue our conversation with Beth Taylor and Randy Wilson from the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) in Chicago, IL about the importance of culture in today’s business environment. Our guests continue the discussion on how to intentionally build trust with your team in a remote setting and adjusting their leadership approach to match today’s current culture.

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Ep 69: Culture Counts: Building Workplace Culture That Attracts, Retains, and Inspires Part I

By association40 | April 29, 2023

Our guests this week are Beth Taylor and Randy Wilson from the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) in Chicago, IL. Beth is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and Randy is the Director of Architectural Precast Systems for PCI. Over the past 3 years, .orgSource has been working with PCI and their leadership team on numerous projects but specifically helping the team and staff clearly identify and enhance the culture of the organization. Join us as we dive into a conversation with Beth and Randy on the impact they are making within their organization while creating a supportive work culture.

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