How does your organization get started with AI? How does an organization develop deep AI expertise in AI, which arguably is the most transformative technology we will see in our lifetimes?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Amith Nagarajan, Chairman of Blue Cypress. Amith discusses:

• His ecosystem of companies that is focused on helping associations transform digitally through positive disruption.
• How he stumbled across associations 30 years ago and never looked back.
• How the people in the association market care deeply about their mission and members.
• How there are two types of innovation: customer-led innovation and inspiration that comes from other sources, including outside the industry.
• How, as a leader, he allocates a couple of days a week to experimentation.
• When to kill ideas that don’t make sense, even if those products are in flight.
• What leaders need to do is create more free time for themselves to think.
• How most of his time is spent being a cheerleader for AI to associations. In his opinion, AI is the most transformative technology that any of us will experience in our lifetimes.
• When it comes to AI, doing something is better than nothing. Start by allocating 15 minutes a week. By the end of the year, you will have developed deep AI expertise, especially when you dedicate time company-wide.
• How AI is here, and whether we ride the wave or are crushed by it, it will continue to accelerate and evolve for decades to come.
• Blue Cypress has several events coming up about associations and AI (see links in the show notes).

References:

• Blue Cypress
• Sidecar Global
• Blue Cypress Events

Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and immigrants want to transfer their businesses to their children. Trust and estate attorneys make those transitions happen.

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Deborah McKinnon, Executive Director of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Deborah discusses:

• Her career journey to becoming Executive Director of ACTEC and her experience working with boards of large and small non-profit organizations.
• How ACTEC fosters engagement among its members through its Institutes, activities such as involving ACTEC fellows in the website redesign, and through educational content, including their podcast series.
• How ACTEC Institutes act as a training ground for young attorneys, instilling ACTEC's values and preparing them for Fellowship.
• How trust and estate law is important to small business owners who want to pass their assets to their heirs.
• The importance of attracting and involving young attorneys in trust and estate practice.
• How ACTEC can put on events, webinars, podcasts, and educational content through the involvement of their members and ACTEC’s amazing staff.
• ACTEC’s criteria for becoming a member includes at least 10 years of experience, community involvement, and nomination by a current ACTEC Fellow.
• How ACTEC has fosters continued learning, sharing information about the profession, and staying current on legislation affecting trust and estate law in different states.
• At meetings, ACTEC fellows who have been members for less than 5 years get a blue dot on their name tags. ACTEC fosters a culture wherein leaders are trained to seek out blue-dot members to make the new Fellows feel welcome and involved.

References:

• ACTEC
• ACTEC Institutes

If your association went away tomorrow, what would be lost and who would miss it?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Michael DiFrisco, ED, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Michael discusses:

• How cosmetic dentistry is on the rise; brands like Invisalign have become household names.
• How cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty, but cosmetic dentists need specialized training.
• How membership numbers resurged after the pandemic. AACD Identified and catered towards best-fit members: the members who support the organization and are supported by the organization.
• How accredited members are the most engaged, and most likely to renew their memberships.
• How a recent membership survey allowed AACD to learn that 52% of their members are retiring within the next 5 years.
• For this year’s annual conference, AACD reached out to practice transition companies to become exhibitors; they sold out these spots!
• How AACD is reaching out to younger professionals to make up for the upcoming membership cliff.
• How AACD created the Dental Dojo to create a community for members.
• How ACCD created the Esthetic Skill Studio to compete against for-profit organizations.
• While updating their strategic plan, AACD asked their leadership and members, “If AACD went away tomorrow, what would be lost and who would miss it?” The answer was very clearly ACCREDITATION and it would be missed by accredited members and their patients.
• AACD has research that shows accredited members are more successful than regular members and regular members are more successful than non-members.
• Michael’s amazing formula for helping organizations articulate their brand promise: We are the only (blank) organization that does (blank) for (blank).

References:

• AACD website
• Dental Dojo
• Esthetic Skill Studio
• Annual Conference