The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, Rogue Speak.

This week's topic: Stop Thinking Lika a . . .

Episode 252: USAE News is the longest continuously publishing newspaper in the association management profession. Founded over 40 years ago, it has covered changes in our community, national news, and broken its share of hard-hitting stories. This week, we hear from the man who started it all: Ross Heller, Founder & Publisher Emeritus. He shares his inspiration for starting USAE News, how publishing has changed over the years, and many stories about people and events that only someone with a long career can collect. This history of our profession is just as important as its future; join me and Ross for a look at how we got where we are and how we will continue moving forward. What's your favorite part of the conversation? Share a comment!

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter Rogue Speak.

This week's topic: The Problem with DEI

Cheryl Ronk talks about the work Rogue Tulips Consulting does through its education program The 501c League.

This episode: Sustainability is society's ability to exist and develop without depleting all natural resources needed to live. The way we are currently living, that is a goal that seems unreachable. However, nonprofits are looking more deeply into sustainability and how our profession and community can support it. I talk with my guest Joost Hasperhoven, Secretary General of Airline Representatives in The Netherlands (BARIN) about this important topic and his work to achieve this goal. When it comes to airlines, it is challenging due to the reliance on fossil fuels for airplane engines -- Joost shares what is happening in Europe to reach the 2050 goal of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other campaigns underway like alternate travel options and asking yourself: Do I really need to travel to this meeting, or can it be done via webcam? Watch this episode as we dive into this topic and how we all can contribute to reaching the goal of sustainability. Our lives and the future depend on it. Is your nonprofit working on sustainability? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 22 | Series Episode 199

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is "Musings on Milestones."

We like to ask the big questions on our podcast, so this week we ask a REALLY big one: Can DEI Save the World? Check out this deep and wide-ranging conversation with my guest Francesco Leboffe, Associate Director - Partnerships with Concordia. We discuss the evolution of DEI, how it can help reduce hate, the need to work hard so everyone knows and understands DEI, and how we can all participate in making the world a better place. I even stick up for the Neanderthals! What?? Check it out and find out why we think everyone deserves understanding and how learning about each other makes us all better people -- and better people make a better world. Do you think DEI Can Save the World? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 21 | Series Episode 198

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is Harassment, Brick Walls, & Apathy: How NOT to treat Members, Clients, or Customers

This episode: Decisions, decisions -- we make them all day long but what fuels our decision making? Research! Many of us in the nonprofit profession need and use research, and sometimes we conduct it ourselves. How can we get the best research possible that will support strong decisions and good outcomes? This is the question that drove my conversation with Elizabeth Engel, CAE, Founder of Spark Consulting, and Polly Karpowicz, CAE, a Nonprofit Management Executive, as we discussed their recently published white paper, "Caveat Emptor: Becoming a Responsible Consumer of Research," which is the latest in the white paper series developed by Spark Consulting. We discuss what everyone should know about research, how we can educate ourselves to make the best choices, and how most of us learn it on the job. We also talk about our gardens! Listen to this fun and wide ranging episode and you'll realize that research is not at all boring. What is your biggest research challenge? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 20 | Series Episode 197

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is: Has Our Profession (Nonprofit Management) Lost is Way?

This episode: All nonprofit organizations depend on program funding, but 501c3 organizations (charities and foundations) are keenly aware of its importance when dues are not a revenue source. It's a never-ending search that requires balancing grants, donations, and sponsors -- and after the funding is received it's up to staff to implement steps to bring the programs to life! My guest, Gail Kulp, CAE, is the Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation, a group that educates the public about boating safety. We discuss their 4 major programs, how Gail works with Sea Tow's supporters, and the unique challenges that a small staff nonprofit faces (Sea Tow has 2 full-time staff). We discuss life jackets, e-flares, sober boat driving, and their awards program. I learned that the Susquehanna River is the longest non-navigable river in the United States. Why is that? Gail explains. She also shares an inspiration from McDonald's Corporation that helped increase donations. We have a great time discussing our love of boating and being on the water and how a strong funding program helps make the goals a reality. How do you balance your program funding? Share a comment! https://bit.ly/RadioFree501cProgramFunding

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is "Standards of Conduct and Their Importance."

This episode: Have you wondered about rebranding your nonprofit? Many reasons can get you thinking about a rebrand including organizational evolution, new audiences, or a stronger presentation of your organization's mission statement. You may think it's too expensive or it will take years to do. Think again! My guest Gwyn Donohue, CAE, Vice President of Communications and Membership at the Pet Advocacy Network shares her successful experience working with both internal and external stakeholders and partners to successfully rebrand the association of the pet care industry! In 15 months, PIJAC became the Pet Advocacy Network. Gwyn shares the 5 Steps they used (the 5 Ps of Successful Rebranding) which include Plenty of time, Perfect Partner, Plethora of Research, Participation of Stakeholders, and Promote with a Hook or a Story. She walks us through their experience and gives details on how they did it so you don't want to miss this episode! What questions do you have about rebranding? Share a comment! Season 5 Episode 18 | Series Episode 195

Episode 247: This week, I spoke with my guest Matty Rubenstein, Principal, Now What Consulting, about Legacy Conferencing. Within this engaging conversation, we discuss what it is, how conferences can make an impact before, during, and after the event, and moving away from indirect impact to focus on smaller scale opportunities. This conversation is filled with examples to help your organization increase your impact. Don't just hold a conference -- make a difference. Does your organization focus on leaving the places they visit better than when they arrived? Share a comment! 

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is: Don't Even Get Me Started . . . Things On My Mind

1. Harassment Marketing

2. Women Not Speaking Up

3. Anti-Consultant Bias

The Nonprofit Alliance (TNPA) is an organization for nonprofits promoting the great work our profession and community do to help make the world a better place. Like many of us, they realize most people don't say "When I grow up, I want to work at a nonprofit." As we discuss in this episode, most of us don't even realize nonprofit management is an option for a professional path. To address this, TNPA established a Nonprofit Internship program that introduces college students to nonprofit management as a career path. The program is called Leading Edge and connects organizations with students while providing interns with mentoring, education, and information about our profession. My guests, Shannon McCracken, CAE, CEO of TNPA, and Shelby Truxon, TNPA's Director of Internship Experience, talk about the program's development, its commitment to DEI, and how it engages with people and organizations across the nonprofit community. It's an exciting example of why nonprofits exist: for purpose, not for profit. How do you promote the opportunities of our profession? Share a comment!

Season 5 episode 17 | Series Episode 194

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is Thoughts on Servant Leadership.

This episode: It's our quarterly wellness feature with Wellness Advocate Fern Carbonell! We talk about stress, how to manage it, and why it's okay to say no. Fern shares her 3-Step Approach to stress management: identify the source, prioritize self-care, and set boundaries. All good ideas and Fern tells us her view on how to take those steps and improve your overall health. In an environment that seems increasingly stressful, you won't want to miss this one. How do you manage stress and its impact? Share a comment! Season 5 Episode 16 | Series Episode 193

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is Artificial Intelligence is Blinding Us.

This episode: If you are on staff at a nonprofit, you may have been in the role of a solo staff department (I have!). My guest this week, Jen Swanson, is a Solo Staff Marketing Department. And PR. And Crisis Communications. And contributes content oversight to the Website . . . AND -- You get the drift! She shares her wisdom, experiences, and her love for the role because while it can be challenging it's also a lot of fun! Jen knows that there are many resources available to the solo staff person, and she has learned the biggest secret: It's okay to try things that don't work. Jen has a great sense of humor and a love for all things Disney so we talk about that too! No matter your role, Jen has great advice that is applicable and actionable for departments of all sizes. What's a challenge you face with managing your workload? Share a comment! Season 5 episode 15 | Series Episode 192

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak.

This week's topic is "The Day after Trinity & Artificial Intelligence."

This episode: Career Management applies to any profession but in the Nonprofit Sector, we may need to take a different view -- there is much more to it than the search for a position. My guest Jennifer Baker, MSW, CAE, shares her insights and advice on Nonprofit Career Management and we cover many topics including 6 Key Areas to Know, tending your network (nonprofit communities are part of a small world), and whether or not your career is a ladder or a lattice. Watch this episode for a deep dive into planning YOUR career "next." What is on your mind when it comes to career management? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 14 | Series Episode 191

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is: Equity and the CAE Exam - One Size Does Not Fit All.

This episode: We always talk about data but do we REALLY talk about data and its importance as one of our most valuable assets? Our databases are full of intelligence that can inform how we serve our stakeholders and help us make better decisions. But many times the data is not clean, maintained consistently, or includes JUNK data. (Yes, I said it. JUNK.) My guests Daniel Elacqua of Strategico Consulting and Gwen Garrison of High Sierra Insights shared their insights to thoughtfully collect and update your data so that your organization shines. We discussed creating a culture of operational stewardship and how to tell the stories that are hidden gems within our databases. From creating member personas to whether or not to keep the records of deceased members, we cover the high points of data governance and how you can implement a process to collect and curate data that informs and supports your organization's mission. What is your biggest challenge when it comes to data governance? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 13 | Series Episode 190

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, "Rogue Speak".

This week's topic: Boards and Man to Man Defense

This episode: In March, we are celebrating Women Podcasters in the Association Community! While any organization is mission driven, for nonprofits staying focused on Mission fulfillment is CRITICAL to success. My guest Carol Hamilton, Principal, Grace Social Sector, and host of the podcast "Mission: Impact" focuses exclusively on nonprofit strategic planning. Her insights into staying focused on mission, avoiding mission drift, and managing relationships can help an organization not just succeed but create impact in the community. We talk about mapping impact, using a "strategy screen" tool, and asking the key question: Do we need to exist? We talk about the future of nonprofits - is there one?? We also have fun talking about Sacred Zombie Cows and why sometimes we just have to let them go. ;) How do you stay focused on your organization's mission? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 12 | Series Episode 189

This episode: We continue our March celebration of Women Podcasters with Joanna Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker at Matrix Group International, AND host of Associations Thrive, a series that focuses on senior leaders and top association executives in the association community. Joanna has a unique view into what is on the minds of Chief Staff Executives and other top leaders so we discussed "What are Nonprofit CEOs Thinking About??" While the broad topics are not surprising -- Governance, Decision Making and The Member Experience -- the examples that Joanna shares are exciting and inspiring! We had a great time in this fun and wide ranging discussion. What is on your mind when it comes to associations? Share a comment! Season 5 Episode 11 | Series Episode 188

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

This week's topic is: What I learned from the CNP Program. 

This episode: We keep talking about how things have changed, especially since the pandemic lockdown of 2020, but have we absorbed those hard-learned lessons? My guest Joy Duling of The Joy of Membership, host of The Joy of Membership podcast, and creator of JourneyCare software, shares her concerns that maybe organizations are not remembering how agile and nimble they can be. This is crucial to membership because nonprofits need to act quickly and decisively to maintain momentum and capture the energy to pursue new opportunities. Joy also shares what she learned when she launched the "Fastest Path to Growth" Challenge in 2020. Want to find out what happened? Watch! What does 21st Century Membership look like to you? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 10 | Series Episode 187

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak." 

This week's topic is Email management: how many emails is too many? 

This episode: Rogue Tulips Consulting celebrates Women's History Month with "Women Podcasters in the Association Community" for the entire month of March! I kick off our celebration with my long-time friend and colleague KiKi L'Italien of Amplified Impact, who is also the host and content curator of Association Chat. KiKi is one of the first podcasters in our profession and has always demonstrated creating community and connection via sharing content. We discuss the origins of Association Chat (yes, like a superhero there is an origin story!) and how this former Twitter Chat became a leading forum for sharing, thought leadership, and curating relationships. How do you use content to create community? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 9 | Series Episode 186

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak." This week's topic is high-performing boards v. "bad" boards. 

Now in its 12th year, the Association Laboratory Looking Forward Impact Report is the touchstone study of environmental factors impacting associations and their members. My guest, Dean West, FASAE, President & Founder of the company and the creator of the report, shares insights into what has changed, why the Top 5 issues haven't shifted that much over the years, and how associations can use this data to support their strategies. Listen to this fun conversation about data, strategy, and what's next for associations. How do you use data to support strategy development and implementation? Share a comment!

Season 5 episode 8 | Series episode 185

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting newsletter, "Rogue Speak." 

This week's topic is artificial intelligence. 

This episode: Raising member dues is a reality that every membership association faces. While you may not do it often, how you handle the messaging and implementation are key to the future success of the organization. Kevin Korenthal, Executive Director of the National Association of Park Foundations (NAPF) shares his success story of not just raising dues, but how he demonstrated increased value as part of the messaging. We also talked about different aspects of membership service and the profession of nonprofit management. We get real with the need for elevating the profession -- take a listen and see if you agree. Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 7 | Series Episode 184

Episode 246: "Will AI take my job?" is a hot topic as this digital tool becomes bigger, better, and faster. My guests Mike Jacka and Bryant Richards, experts in the application of emerging technology, walk us through this question and its follow up: "Is AI Going to Eat my Lunch?" If AI takes your job it very well might eat your lunch if you aren't aware of all aspects of its potential. We discuss the difference between AI and algorithms, why are chatbots so stupid, how to make AI a part of your team rather than considering it a threat, potential lower quality information with free v paid AI tools, and the 5 Paths of the Kirby and Davenport Framework. Are you afraid AI will take your job? Share a comment! https://bit.ly/RadioFree501cAIgoingToEatMyLunch

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, reads her weekly "Rogue Speak" message. 

This episode: In the nonprofit world, we often talk about working across organizations to accomplish more. But what goes into creating and managing coalitions? And what can we do to support success? I talked with Angie Lucas of The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), an experienced leader of (and participant in!) Coalitions. She currently supports two successful coalitions: The National Alliance for Communications Technology Education and Learning (NACTEL) and The Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE). She shares her insights and explains why you need to "control the ask" as well as why you need to "control the yes." Her experience has taught her much about understanding cultures, motivations, and inspired her to create "pre-orientation" programs. This fun and insightful episode will inspire you to build stronger relationships! What excites you about Coalition building? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 6 | Series Episode 183

This is the weekly Rogue Speak Message read by the author, Cecilia Sepp, CAE. 

This episode: One of the most important things we can do for our members is create an exciting, fulfilling member experience. But how do we do that?? Cue Amanda Kaiser, author of "Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community"! Amanda shares the findings from her in-depth research with over 400 association members, and breaks down her Six Stages of Member Engagement. This wide ranging and fun conversation is chock full of great advice and examples on helping members create a personalized and memorable experience. Don't have your copy yet? It publishes on February 14 (just in time for Valentine's Day!). Get your preview here, and then order your copy -- you won't regret it. What do you find challenging about supporting member engagement? Share a comment!  

Season 5 Episode 5 | Series Episode 182

Radio Free 501c formerly Nonprofit Conversations

Radio Free 501c is the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting. This episode is the weekly Rogue Speak article as read by the author. 

This episode: It happens every January . . . we make resolutions about being healthier. But by the end of the month many of us slip back into our old habits. But wait! It doesn't need to be this way -- our regular guest, Wellness Expert Fern Carbonell, returns with tips and advice on setting wellness goals for YOU. She talks about customizing your goals and picking one thing at a time to focus on, whether it's what you eat, movement, or exploring other ways to feel better and care for yourself. As always, Fern shares insights and brings the message that we should care for ourselves and give ourselves grace. What is a wellness goal you would like to achieve? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 4 | Series Episode 187

Radio Free 501c is the voice of Rogue Tulips Consulting; this episode is this week's Rogue Speak message. 

This episode: Networking is the one of the top reasons we join associations or other types of clubs, but like me, you may feel that you could be getting more out of your networking activities. Cue Barbara Armentrout, CAE, of the Mesa Group, a Consummate Networker who considers herself a connector of people. Barbara has a reputation as an outstanding networker and she is "the go to" person when you are looking for a service, product, or person. She shares her philosophy of networking -- "It's not how many connections you have; it's how many quality connections you have!" -- and her tips on meeting new people and managing the networking database we all create. Listen in for a wide-ranging conversation of networking and how it supports everything else we do. What is your favorite networking tip? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 3 | Series Episode 180

Radio Free 501c is the audio version of the Rogue Speak message published weekly by Rogue Tulips Consulting. 

The January 12, 2023 audio version of the weekly Rogue Speak message

The author reads her weekly message from the Rogue Tulips Consulting e-newsletter, "Rogue Speak."

The topic: The REAL Job of Boards of Directors

This episode: He's got a secret! And not just one but THREE to share with nonprofits about the secret to financial success and stability. I talked with Brian Haney of The Haney Company about the secrets to success that are hiding in plain sight. The theme of the conversation is: Ignorance is NOT bliss. We also discuss whether Brian is the World's Most Embarrassing Dad! Do you have a secret to share about financial success? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 2 | Series episode 179

This episode: We kick off Season 5 with a discussion about a goal that is on many people's career list -- Nonprofit CEO! But is it right for everyone? Most importantly is it right for YOU?? I talk with my guest Pamela Kaul of Association Strategies about environmental scanning, the different skills Boards are seeking post-COVID lockdown, navigating the interview process, and working with Executive Recruiters. What questions do you have about the top Nonprofit job? Share a comment!

Season 5 Episode 1 | Series episode 178

This episode: The practice of Preferred Futures is an opportunity to create the vision of what things will ideally look like in the future. It's an opportunity for the group to dream big and identify ambitious things! More importantly, this exercise empowers the group and shows how these ambitious ideas can become realistic. Groups to identify more than one path forward which creates alternatives, options, and encourages flexibility in a changing environment. I talked with guest, friend and collaborator Cheryl Ronk, CAE, CMP, FASAE about what this exercise does for organizations, how it creates energy and excitement, and who should be in the room when these discussions happen. How do you create the future? Share a comment!

Season 4 Episode 45 | Series Episode 177