This is a special episode of Associations Thrive. Director of Marketing, Leah Monica interviews Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group International, Inc. on the occasion of Matrix Group turning 25 this month. Joanna discusses:

• When and why she started Matrix Group.
• How Matrix Group’s mission has not changed. We help associations and non-profits increase membership, increase revenue, increase engagement, and thrive in the digital space.
• How there is a real fit between the mission of associations and the capabilities of the web.
• How during the early days, Matrix group had MMM (Making Matrix Marvelous) nights, during which the staff would devote themselves to developing the internal systems that the organization needed to thrive, including the website, intranet, and extranet.
• The fortune taped to her desk that says: Nothing stays sold. We need to make sure that we demonstrate to clients that are still the best choice for them because of our services, tech, innovation, people, and culture, even if they picked us 10, 15, or 25 years ago.
• How to scale your services so that you offer your clients appropriate products and services during lean times and times when they can afford to make investments.
• How leadership development is one of the most important investments a CEO can make in her organization.
• Why she’s called the “Chief Troublemaker.”
• The story behind why Joanna doesn’t like to take no for an answer.
• The company fundamentals that are so important to the Matrix Group culture. Her favorites are “Do or do not. There is no try.” and “Don’t let your boss make a mistake.”
• How AI is changing how we do the work, as well as influencing new product development at the company.
• The advice that she would give to herself or any young entrepreneur just starting out.

References:

• Matrix Group website
• One of Joanna’s many blog posts on company fundamentals
• 9th Anniversary blog post
• 10th Anniversary blog post

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