Through the Noise

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#239 Association Management & Consulting - Erin Fuller Jan 26, 2017

Show notes

Today's episode with Erin Fuller is an excellent way to start the New Year and consider new strategies and perspectives from a professional who has over 20 years experience managing associations. As President of the Association Management & Consulting Branch of MCI USA Group, she has driven the growth of her own firm as well as that of dozens of other associations across the United States. One problem she sees again and again is the conviction of some nonprofit staff that nonprofits don't need to make money and somehow need to avoid it. As she astutely observes, "Nonprofit is a tax status, it's not a business model." Join us for this conversation as we explore the benefits and challenges of association management.

Erin Fuller serves as the president of association management and consulting at MCI USA, and leads more than 100 professionals in working with nonprofit organizations. She has worked at MCI since 2002, and has spent more than 20 years working for and leading associations. MCI USA is a division of the MCI Group, an event and association management global firm of more than 2000 talents in 62 offices in 31 countries serving more than 1500 organizations each year.

Ernesto and Blake visit the ASAE Technology Expo and Chat Up Vendors Jan 24, 2017

Show notes

Most people working for nonprofits are probably familiar with ASAE -- the American Society for Association Executives and regular listeners to Through the Noise are certainly aware of their contributions to the association world. We've had several ASAE staff on the show and have talked about their many conferences bringing together diverse organizations with the vendors that work to make them run more effectively and efficiently. We took the opportunity to leave the studio and visit their 2016 Technology Conference and Expo to get a sense of the people, businesses, and innovations that are transforming the association world. Join us as we talk to companies from around the world that offer services from mobile learning apps to payment vendors to companies that help organizations decide what other products to buy. Don't miss this special conference expo episode for a glimpse into some of the new products and services available.

#238 American Farm Bureau - RJ Karney Jan 23, 2017

Show notes

Join us for our conversation with RJ Karney who represents the 5.9 million member American Farm Bureau Federation. They are the "voice of agriculture" and are a true grassroots organization starting at the county level with 2500 county bureaus that compromise the 50 state farm bureaus. A major focus of the American Farm Bureau Federation is to let people know that their food doesn't just "come from the grocery store" and that 2 million Americans start their day long before sunrise to plant, grow, and harvest the food that sustains us all. The AFBF has an impressive grassroots lobbying strategy and throughout the year sends 4-5000 members from different state bureaus to meet directly with their representatives about the issues that concern them -- an approach that is very well received by members of Congress who would rather meet with their constituents then professional lobbyists.

#237 Verified Strategy - Tammy Gordon Jan 16, 2017

Show notes

Most of the savvy listeners of Through the Noise are fully aware of the efficacy and necessity of social media but if you're still on the fence, our guest today, Tammy Gordon of Verified Strategy could be the one to make the case that works for you. As an early social media pioneer, she created and ran the social media program and department for a 37 million member organization, AARP, and oversaw tremendous growth and engagement. After a decade with AARP, she founded Verified Strategy to support C-level executives with social media consultations and strategy. We also tackle the subject of screen-time burnout and the importance of taking time away to stay effective and provide time and space for inspiration, education, and growth.

#236 National Alliance on Mental Illness - Mary Giliberti Jan 09, 2017

Show notes

Join us for a conversation on mental illness with Mary Giliberti, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Representing 50,000 members with 900 affiliates and 48 state organizations, NAMI advocates for all sufferers of mental illnesses while working to eradicate the stigmas surrounding it. Their approach includes emphasizing the person not the illness, adopting language such as "a person suffering from schizophrenia" rather than "a schizophrenic." Collaborating with different associations focusing on specific illnesses, they work to provide education and help finding adequate and timely support for their members and others.

Mary Giliberti, J.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Prior to becoming CEO, Ms. Giliberti served as a section chief in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

#235 Chamber of Commerce Executives - Chris Mead Jan 02, 2017

Show notes

We really enjoyed our conversation with Chris Mead of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives when he was a guest on Through the Noise last year so we decided to invite him back on the show. We wanted to find out more about his work with the Association as well as his passion -- a historian of the Chamber of Commerce. Last time he was in the studio, we talked about the history of the various Chambers of Commerce around the country and his book "Magicians of Main Street." With over 7000 Chambers around the country, their work and membership varies widely and the Association of Chamber Executives helps unite the people working in offices large and small while envisioning and planning for what the future will bring -- as in their strategic plan - Horizon 2025.

Chris Mead has nearly 20 years' experience working with associations. He handles mostly sponsorships and memberships. And he's also fascinated by chambers of commerce and their role in the building of the United States. The surprising influence of chambers on American history is something he uncovered in his recently published book, The Magicians of Main Street: America and its Chambers of Commerce, 1768-1945. ACCE, founded in 1914, is an association of 1,200 local, regional, and state chambers of commerce, mostly in North America.

#234 Amplified Growth - Kiki L'Italien Dec 26, 2016

Show notes

Kiki L'Italien is the CEO & Founder of Amplified Growth, a digital marketing firm specializing in SEO and SEM -- search engine optimization and search engine marketing. These types of online outreach are crucial for nonprofits to stay relevant but they are often misunderstood or overlooked. We talk about nonprofit growth, and reaching and engaging current and potential members. As many of our guests have noted on Through the Noise, it is essential to know who you are trying to reach, find out where they spend their time, and meet them where they are. Don't miss this episode if you're struggling with this part of running your nonprofit. Ms. L'Italien also founded and is the host of Association Chat on Twitter every Tuesday at 2pm since 2009. Find it under #assnchat.

#233 National Club Association - Henry Wallmeyer Dec 19, 2016

Show notes

Today's guest is Henry Wallmeyer, President & CEO of the National Club Association. The National Club Association is the nonprofit that represents and advocates on behalf of all private clubs. Their membership base is the club itself, rather than the staff of the clubs, and they currently have 400 members and are striving to reach 1000. Private clubs took a major hit after the recession as individuals from all walks of life strove to tighten up their budgets and eliminate extraneous expenses. For many, membership in a private club was one of the first things to go and with dwindling individual members, clubs have had to adjust and become more flexible in order to survive. Mr. Wallmeyer would like the members (or the staff of the club) to know that they can easily play an important role in helping the NCA become more effective in helping them -- just get in touch.

Henry Wallmeyer has more than 15 years of experience in association management, focusing on organizational development, marketing, membership and advocacy. Prior to joining NCA as president & CEO in September 2015, he served in executive management positions with several large trade and professional associations, including the National Association of Manufacturers, the International Parking Institute, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology. The National Club Association, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association, serves as the advocate for private clubs, representing their interests on Capitol Hill, in the regulatory agencies, in the statehouses and in the courthouses as well as providing resources on industry trends and governance best practices.

#232 Spark Strategy - Lisa Karlisch Dec 12, 2016

Show notes

If you've recovered from your eating, drinking, and shopping hangovers, join us for a conversation with Lisa Karlisch, a Management Consultant with Sparkfire Strategy. Whether you are with a new organization, thinking of starting one, trying to manage and scale growth, or decide if you've achieved what you set out to do -- Ms. Karlisch can help you figure out where you need to go next. Though many people hope to hire a management consultant to tell them exactly what they need to do, the Sparkfire Strategy approach involves getting people on the same path and making sure that they are walking in the same direction -- and empowering the staff to know how to lead. As Ms. Karlisch notes, in many cases, the process is often as important as the result. Join us today for some great tips to take back to your own organization. And don't forget to review us on iTunes!

Lisa Karlisch is a Principal at Sparkfire Strategy. Prior to working at Sparkfire, she was the COO at a non-profit organization and a consultant at McKinsey & Company. She has her Ph.D. In clinical psychology from Duke University. Sparkfire Strategy is a strategy consulting firm that focuses on foundations and non-profits primarily in the health care, education, and social services sectors.

#231 Fairtrade America - Mary Linnell-Simmons Dec 05, 2016

Show notes

Grab a cup of coffee for this conversation with Mary Linnell-Simmons of Fairtrade America as we explore the ideas behind "fair trade" and consider the implications of our choices. Do you know anything about that coffee? Who grew the beans? Who harvested them? The fair trade movement is involved in making the entire supply chain fair so producers of food and other goods we depend on are able to live sustainable, healthy lives. Fairtrade America provides a voluntary certification that a product is fair trade and you can find that designation on over 30,000 goods. Awareness of fair trade grows after a catastrophe, like the clothing factory fire in Bangladesh that killed hundreds of workers, prompting people to question the working conditions used to keep clothing so cheap.

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