Association Transformation

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Mike Burns, Co-Founder and CEO of StratSimple, and I went through almost 200 strategic planning RFPs for a white paper we wrote together. As a fellow strategic planning nerd, he joins me to talk about what we found: RFPs that prescribe a five-year plan before anyone has done the listening, no budget or range, and very little about what happens once the plan is approved.

We get into why so many plans end up on a shelf, how many survey responses you really need, and how long a planning cycle should take now. I also asked Mike what StratSimple does that Asana or Monday doesn't, and what advice he'd give an association CEO or board chair who's drafting an RFP right now.

In this episode:

• Why Mike started StratSimple after a plan he helped build went nowhere
• Why software can't replace a facilitator, and where it can help before and after the retreat
• What surprised us most across almost 200 strategic planning RFPs
• The "implementation cliff" and why staff shouldn't be left holding the bag
• The CFO who admitted, "We don't hold anyone accountable for anything, ever"
• How much lead time an RFP needs, and why 100 thirty-page proposals helps no one
• Why 250 to 300 survey responses can be enough for a 5,000-member organization
• Our wish list for your next strategic planning RFP

About Mike
Mike Burns is Co-Founder and CEO of StratSimple, a software company that helps nonprofits and associations with the listening at the front of strategic planning and the implementation at the back.

Read the white paper
https://associationtransformation.org/strategic-planning-rfps

Connect with Mike
Email: mike@stratsimple.com
Web: https://www.stratsimple.com

Association Transformation is hosted by Elisa Pratt, CEO and Chief Strategist of Brewer Pratt Solutions. Find every episode at https://associationtransformation.org.

Until next time, put your members and your mission first!

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Attendees are registering later, booking hotels last minute and still expecting to be wowed. John Bailey, CEM, Director, Shows & Exhibits at the National Rifle Association, joins me to talk about planning events at a scale most of us never see. His team runs the Great American Outdoor Show, a nine-day consumer hunting and fishing show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, that draws more than 200,000 people, plus an annual meeting and exhibits that moves to a new city every spring.

We get into why people are deciding later, what exhibitors expect in return for their dollar, and why and how John knows it all comes down to content attendees can't get anywhere else. I also asked him about the less glamorous side of the job: hotel contracts, attrition and how far out you really need to book.

In this episode:

• Why a nine-day show keeps its nine days, and what would make them scale back
• How the team picks host cities for an annual meeting that moves every year
• What canceling an event 30 days out in April 2020 taught them
• Why attendees are booking later, and what that does to room blocks and F&B counts
• The $300 hotel mark and keeping costs in reach for families and exhibitors
• What exhibitors expect when they aren't taking orders on site
• Why John recommends a housing bureau, and why they book five to seven years out
• Tightening the aisles, traffic flow and planning for tens of thousands of people in one building

About John
John Bailey, CEM, is Director, Shows & Exhibits at the National Rifle Association, where he leads the Great American and the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits.

Connect with John
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-bailey-cem-9281158/

Association Transformation is hosted by Elisa Pratt, CEO and Chief Strategist of Brewer Pratt Solutions, and Andrew Chamberlain, Founder and Managing Director of Elevated. Find every episode at https://associationtransformation.org.

This episode is general information, not legal advice for your organization.

Until next time, put your members and your mission first!

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Did you know Olympic sports are run by associations? When you watch Olympic fencing, you're seeing an association at work. National governing bodies like USA Fencing are 501(c)(3) membership organizations, and they deal with a lot of the same things your association does: limited staff, member dues, pricey events, board composition and finding new members.

Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Fencing, joins me to talk about how fencing became the fastest-growing sport in the Olympic and Paralympic world since Paris '24. Phil explains how 23 staff serve more than 50,000 members, why a third of his board seats go to elite athletes, and why your best recruiters are the members you already have. I asked him whether that growth was just a feel factor that came with a new CEO. It wasn't, and he gives the credit to his team and his community. I also pushed on whether working with content creators cost real money, and he walked me through his "hack and slash" approach to earned media, sword fight at New York Comic-Con included.

In this episode:

• What a national governing body does, and its two missions
• Why your existing members are your best marketing
• Listening to every corner of your membership without agreeing with everyone
• Running a 50,000-member organization with 23 staff over the 230 weeks between Games
• Where the money comes from: membership, events, merchandise, sponsorship and a foundation
• A governance-led board where a third of the seats go to elite athletes, by law
• Comic-Con, Gen Z creators and other low-cost ways to earn media
• How to find a fencing club near you

About Phil
Phil Andrews is CEO of USA Fencing, the national governing body for fencing in the United States.

Connect with Phil
Email: p.andrews@usafencing.org
Web: https://www.usafencing.org
Try fencing: https://tryfencing.org

Association Transformation is hosted by Elisa Pratt, CEO and Chief Strategist of Brewer Pratt Solutions, and Andrew Chamberlain, Founder and Managing Director of Elevated. Find every episode at https://associationtransformation.org.

Until next time, put your members and your mission first!

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Renewal letters are landing, and the numbers aren't pretty. Brian Haney, CAE, SVP and Association & Non-Profit Specialist at Relation Insurance Services, joins me to talk through health insurance for associations, especially small-staff shops trying to build a 2027 budget.

Brian's first message: you probably have more options than you think. They won't all be cheap, but they're there. We get into what those options are, why the state where you're headquartered decides your market (even if your whole team is remote), the renewal increases he's seeing so far, and how to bring your board and your staff along.

In this episode:
- Why the fourth quarter is the benefits world's April 15
- Small group plans, PEOs and level funding, and when each might fit
- Why every plan in your lineup renews at its own rate
- How much your board actually needs to see
- Why covering employees at 100% while dependents pay their own way creates two classes of employees
- Whether you can skip the broker and ask ChatGPT, and how brokers get paid
- Benchmarking dental, vision, life and disability to offset a tough medical renewal
- Brian's 90-60-45-30 timeline for a calmer open enrollment

About Brian
Brian Haney, CLTC, CFBS, CFS, CIS, CAE, LACP, LUTCF, RFC, is SVP and Association & Non-Profit Specialist at Relation Insurance Services, where he works with associations and nonprofits on their employee benefits.

Connect with Brian
Email: brian.haney@relationinsurance.com
Book a meeting: https://meetings-na2.hubspot.com/brian-haney
Web: https://relationinsurance.com

Association Transformation is hosted by Elisa Pratt, CEO and Chief Strategist of Brewer Pratt Solutions, and Andrew Chamberlain, Founder and Managing Director of Elevated. Find every episode at https://associationtransformation.org.

This episode is general information, not legal or insurance advice for your organization.

Until next time, put your members and your mission first!

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In Episode 178 of Association Transformation, Elisa sits down with Brian Weiss (SVP of Society Programs at the American Chemical Society, with PMI, RMA, AMA, and NCMA behind him) for the globalization conversation most associations skip straight past. A few of the highlights:

🌍 Do the non-business case before the business case. Why is the board really asking? You can't meet an expectation nobody's named.

🌍 Your readiness assessment isn't a go/no-go. It's the calibration tool you'll keep coming back to for the next five years as the board turns over.

🌍 You don't need a big balance sheet. Partners, AMCs, and sister associations are all doors in.

🌍 The single biggest thing Brian's seen trip expansions up: HQ won't let go. Centralized brand, localized delivery, that tension makes or breaks it.

If globalization is on your board agenda (or about to be) watch or listen before anyone spends a dollar. 🎧

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Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT problem. It’s a leadership, governance, and organizational resilience issue! In Episode 178 of Association Transformation, Elisa and Andrew sit down with Mike Baker, VP, Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for DXC Technologies, to bring cybersecurity out of the server room and into the association boardroom. They explore what association leaders really need to understand about today’s cyber risks, where organizations may be more vulnerable than they realize, and how leaders can create a culture of security without becoming cybersecurity experts themselves. From protecting member and organizational data to managing human, technology, and third-party risk, this conversation offers a practical perspective on why cybersecurity belongs on every association leader’s agenda.

CISA Free Cybersecurity Services & Tools — the US government's curated catalog of no-cost services, including vulnerability scanning for your organization.

Global Cyber Alliance Cybersecurity Toolkit for Mission-Based Organizations — free tools and step-by-step guidance built specifically for nonprofits and associations.

CIS Critical Security Controls — Implementation Group 1 — the 56 "essential cyber hygiene" safeguards for any small-staff organization.

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The Association Transformation summer hiatus is over early, and for good reason. Three-time guest Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed., joins Andrew and Elisa for a timely preview of the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition. Jay just released his annual "What I'm Looking Forward to at ASAE Annual 2026" guide, built with input from voices across the association community, and he shares the highlights: The Classic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the closing celebration at Lucas Oil Stadium, how to navigate a packed schedule, getting real value from the trade show floor, cracking the evening party circuit, and energy management tips for introverts.

Elisa will be at #ASAE26 in Indianapolis, so say hello if you see her! Check out the podcast here:https://associationtransformation.org/latest-episodes and you can grab Jay's guide here:https://go.associationplatforms.com/asae26highlights/

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Most associations are not short on ideas. The real struggle is moving from plan to progress.

In episode 175 of Association Transformation, we dig into Project Management Paralysis - why association projects stall, how communication and culture get in the way, and what it takes to turn good intentions into real execution. Because plans do not execute themselves.

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This week on Association Transformation, we’re unpacking another UK controversy: members can ask hard questions about outcomes and value, but they don’t get to design the org chart. Instead of letting leadership lead, parts of the charity sector has jumped straight to a public “bun fight" with one of its membership organisations (the NCVO), including open letters, outside pressure, and a not-so-subtle attempt to dictate how the organization should staff itself. Elisa and Andrew get blunt about what’s really going on: member overreach. Accountability is fair game. Operational control is not. The CEO’s job is to design the structure, deploy talent, and run the business, without members trying to manage the org by petition. Listen in and weigh in: where does legitimate scrutiny end and governance-wrecking interference begin?

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Inspired by recent industry research, including member experience and membership marketing benchmark reports, this episode explores what “engagement” really means for associations, where organizations may be confusing communication with connection, and why success should be measured by more than clicks, attendance, and activity. Tune in for a thoughtful, practical conversation on member value, belonging, and retention.

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What if the goal isn’t to bounce back… but to move forward stronger?

In this latest episode of Association Transformation, co-hosts Elisa Pratt (Brewer Pratt Solutions) and Andrew Chamberlain (Elevated) unpack a bold idea:
👉 Stability isn’t success—and recovery may actually be holding associations back.

Recorded (literally) from the road as Elisa drives home from the Pennsylvania Society of Association Executives conference, this conversation challenges leaders to rethink resilience, question “best practices,” and embrace disruption as a catalyst for growth, not something to survive.

If your organization is:

• Trying to “get back” to where it was
• Playing it safe to avoid risk
• Or measuring success by stability…

…it might be time for a different approach.

🎧 Listen in and join the conversation. Are you building resilience… or becoming truly anti-fragile?

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March is National Ethics Awareness Month, which makes it the perfect time to talk about something every association faces, but few discuss honestly: ethics in leadership.

In the newest episode of Association Transformation, co-hosts Elisa Pratt of Brewer Pratt Solutions and Andrew Chamberlain of Elevated unpack what ethical governance really looks like inside associations.

Not just policies. Not just conflict-of-interest forms. And definitely not a once-a-year board training slide.

Instead, they explore the real issues that surface in boardrooms every day:

• When does poor behavior cross the line into unethical conduct?
• Why do so many governance problems come down to structure and communication gaps?
• Who is actually responsible for enforcing ethical standards in an association
• And how do organizations build cultures where integrity is lived and not just written into policy?

From volunteer pathways and board recruitment to risk management, accountability, and leadership culture, this conversation digs into the practical realities of ethics in association governance.

🎧 Listen to the latest episode and join the discussion:
Where have you seen ethical leadership done well (or poorly) in associations?

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🚨 Breaking news in the membership world.

A new professional certification for membership leaders has just launched and we got the inside scoop first.

In the newest episode of Association Transformation, co-hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain sit down with Sarah Sladek to discuss the launch of the Membership Excellence Certification (MXC).

This conversation goes beyond the announcement. We dig into:

🔹 Why membership leadership deserves its own professional credential
🔹 What associations should be learning from this launch
🔹 The difference between certificate programs vs. true certifications
🔹 Why community and relationships are central to professional learning
🔹 What the future of membership strategy and engagement really looks like

If membership drives your organization’s mission, revenue, and community — this conversation will challenge how you think about the profession.

This is the first deep dive into MXC and what it could mean for the future of membership leadership.

🎧 Listen to the episode and join the conversation.

What do you think, should membership leadership have its own certification?

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Membership dues feel maxed out. But the financial pressure on associations keeps rising.

In the latest episode of Association Transformation, co-hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain sit down with Dr. Michael Carr-Tatonetti, CPP, CAE, Certified Pricing Professional and CEO of Pricing for Associations, to unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface.

This conversation explores:
▪️ Why dues increases are hitting resistance
▪️ How perception — not math — drives pricing success
▪️ When CPI helps (and when it hurts)
▪️ Why pricing needs to be treated as a governance discipline, not a reaction

🎧 Listen now, then weigh in:

Where is the biggest gap between price and perceived value in your organization?

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In the latest episode of the Association Transformation Podcast, Elisa Pratt of Brewer Pratt Solutions and Andrew Chamberlain of Elevated tackle a tough question for association and nonprofit leaders:

👉 Are foundations advancing mission and impact, or quietly draining time, money, and focus?

They dig into why foundations get created, why they’re so hard to unwind, and how leaders can honestly assess whether a foundation is truly adding value—or becoming a distraction.

This episode isn’t about easy answers. It’s a call to the sector.

💬 Have you seen a foundation work really well?
💬 Have you inherited one that wasn’t worth the squeeze?
💬 What lessons (good or painful) would you share?

🎧 Listen in, then chime in with your own stories.

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What happens when associations aggressively advocate for their members, while quietly shortchanging the professionals who make that advocacy possible?

In Episode 167, Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain unpack a timely and uncomfortable case from the UK that exposes a deeper, sector-wide challenge: how perceived value, power, and authority shape decisions about association staff compensation, governance, and respect. Using the current British Medical Association staff dispute as a lens, this conversation goes far beyond one organization, exploring reserves, volunteer decision-making, executive authority, cultural hierarchy, and the real consequences of undervaluing professional expertise.

This episode is a must-listen for CEOs, board chairs, finance committee members, and volunteer leaders who care about credibility, sustainability, and the future of association leadership.

Because advocacy starts at home, and how we treat our staff says everything about the values we claim to represent.

🎧 Listen now.

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Tired of expensive conferences with ten competing tracks, swag bags that collect dust, and exhibitors standing awkwardly behind tables? So is Gordon Glenister.

In this episode, the CEO of Membership World joins Andrew and Elisa to share his upcoming UK road show—a bold experiment in intimate, regional events designed around one question: How do we actually engage members in an increasingly noisy world?

Gordon breaks down what he's doing differently: → Four locations bringing content to members instead of making everyone trek to London → A pricing model that rewards participation (£60 if you commit to meeting with partners) → Repositioning suppliers as "experts" and embedding them in roundtables—not relegating them to the hallway → Capturing and sharing insights from every session so the learning doesn't die in your notebook

Whether you're rethinking your own conference model or just fed up with the status quo, this conversation is packed with ideas worth stealing.

P.S. 📣 Association Transformation is proud to be the official media partner for the Membership World Road Show. Dates run January 29 through February 10 across Birmingham, Manchester, London, and Glasgow. Details and registration at https://www.membershipworld.com/roadshow/

🎧 Listen now and join the transformation.

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As associations head into 2026, the pressure to prove relevance, sharpen focus, and deliver measurable member value has never been greater. In Episode 165 of Association Transformation, Andrew Chamberlain and Elisa Pratt are joined by Grant Carpenter of Raybourn Group International for a candid conversation about what association leaders must stop doing, start doing, and seriously rethink. From moving beyond pre-COVID benchmarks and sunsetting “sacred cow” programs, to redefining membership value, strengthening volunteer leadership, navigating increased competition, and confronting the growing impact of AI on member industries, this episode challenges boards and executives to get lean, lead with courage, and stay relentlessly member-focused as they position their associations for the next decade, not the last one.

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In this special holiday episode of Association Transformation, host Elisa Pratt is joined by Brewer Pratt Solutions' Client Solutions Coordinator Jess Bellamy for a candid conversation about the current job market in the association space. Fresh from completing an employee search that received over 400 applications, they pull back the curtain on the hiring process and share practical, no-nonsense tips for job seekers.

From crafting effective cover letters to perfecting your resume, preparing for interviews, and knowing when (and how) to follow up, Elisa and Jess offer insider insights that can help candidates stand out in a competitive market. They discuss common mistakes that trip up otherwise qualified candidates, share what really catches a hiring manager's attention, and provide actionable advice for anyone looking to launch or advance their career in the nonprofit and association sector.

Whether you're actively job searching, considering a career transition into associations, or simply want to keep your application materials fresh, this episode delivers honest, practical guidance from two professionals who've just reviewed hundreds of applications and know exactly what works, and what doesn't.

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Susan Avery, CAE, CEO of the Performance Plastics Association, joins us to expose why trade associations have become the "forgotten format" in association management. With 28 years spanning both sides of the association world, Susan reveals critical differences between serving companies versus individuals that most "best practices" completely miss.

We discuss how the trade association CEO role has shifted from mission-driven to entrepreneurial, why governance models that work for professional societies fail for trade associations, and the unique challenges of industry consolidation and private equity. Susan challenges conventional wisdom, arguing we need to stop looking backward and start building governance and membership models for the future.

Big announcement: We're making 2026 "The Year of the Trade Association" with targeted research addressing the gaps ASAE and others have overlooked.

Essential listening for association executives ready to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions.

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