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The Membership IQ with Sarah Sladek
Membership strategy. How much do we really know about it? Membership is not a recognized subject of expertise. There are no degrees, defined requirements, career paths, educational tracks, or training programs. Membership organizations employ millions of people and generate billions in revenue, yet the strategies essential to membership engagement and growth have remained largely unknown, overlooked, guessed, or left to chance. Until now. The Membership IQ is a podcast dedicated to helping association executives and membership professionals adapt to change, create cultures of belonging, engage younger generations, and realize growth. Now you can get smart about what's actually causing membership disengagement and decline and learn the strategies key to success. Tune in to hear Sarah Sladek share research-based quick tips and join the global community of listeners dedicated to raising their Membership IQ! New podcasts added twice a month.
Episodes
56 episodes
Beyond Stereotypes: Rethinking Generational Trends at Work
In this thoughtful and engaging episode, Sarah Sladek sits down with Erin Mantz, founder of Gen X Girls Grow Up and VP of Marketing at Zeno Group, to explore the evolving dynamics of generational communication and workplace engagement....
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Transparency, Trust, and Trying Again
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek is joined by Susan Swart, a longtime leader in the nursing association world and founder of a niche association management company in Illinois. Together, they explore the unique chall...
Simplify, Communicate, Act: A New Leadership Formula
In this episode of Membership IQ, Sarah Sladek sits down with Tom Gehring—retired Navy officer, former CEO, and founder of a health leadership academy—to unpack the essentials of strategic leadership in chaotic times. With wit and wisd...
Modernizing Member Models
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek talks with Curtis Nunley, a leader at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), about navigating and leading through transformational change. Curtis shares insights into ASCE’s ...
The Construction of Culture & Change
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek sits down with Christy Beatty, Vice President of Chapter Services and Member Engagement at the Associated General Contractors (AGC). Christy discusses the pressing challenges facing t...
Modernizing Member Strategy
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek welcomes Kate Solomon, MPS, Senior Manager, B2C Customer Segment, and ASME. Kate shares her journey from being new to the association world to now leading innovative membe...
Chambers Reimagined
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek welcomes Todd Letts, CCE, President of Todd Letts Consulting. Together, they explore the evolving role of chambers of commerce and how Todd has led his organization to become a leadin...
Building Better Teams
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek welcomes Cassandra Price, a leader in generational collaboration and an advocate for workplace transformation. Cassandra shares her experience founding the Canadian chapter of the Mul...
Future Forward Leadership
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek welcomes April Ellison, founder of the Lights On Collective. April shares her journey from a long-standing career in membership at the American Dental Association to launching her con...
Leading Through Change: Adapting in Uncertain Times
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek interviews Heather Whyte, MBA, CDMP, APR founder and CEO of Why Communica...
The Blueprint for Thriving Communities
Join Sarah Sladek on Membership IQ as she dives into the skill of cultivating and sustaining dynamic membership communities. In this episode, Sarah chats with
Thriving Together: Building Membership Communities
In this episode of Membership IQ, host Sarah Sladek is joined by Abby Perdue, Membership Director at the National Farmers Uni...
AI Won’t Save Your Association! | The REAL Fix for Membership Growth
In this episode of Membership IQ, tune in to learn why Sarah Sladek thinks “band-aids” like Artificial Intelligence aren't the key to membership growth.
Cheers to Commitment! | Avoiding 'Hold My Beer' Leadership
In this episode of the Membership IQ, tune in to hear Sarah Sladek explain how cultivating a lackadaisical "Hold my beer" attitude within organizational leadership is dangerous. And why organizations should hold different expectations of their ...
Crisis Happens! | How to be an Umbrella for your Members
This episode of the Membership IQ, Sarah details her own personal and professional experience with “crisis mode”. She also shares how leveraging stakeholders can be the key to making it through the storm.
I Was Invited To The White House! | Why Invitations Work
Welcome back! In this episode, Sarah shares her story of receiving an exclusive invitation to attend the Inaugural White House Business Leaders Summit! She had the opportunity to meet with senior Presidential advisors to discuss current issues ...
The Greater Good in Membership
Join Sarah Sladek on this lively episode of The Membership IQ! Discover the emotional side of member engagement as Sarah shares her story of splurging on fabulous tortoise earrings and the buyer’s remorse that turned into a feel-good moment sup...
Why Membership Declines and How to Bring Them Back
Welcome back to The Membership IQ Podcast! Get ready for an eye-opening episode where Sarah Sladek dives into the world of membership. Today, things look a bit different—Sarah’s got her shirt and earrings on backwards, all to emphasize a cri...
Unlocking Membership Engagement - It’s NOT a Product (Season 2 Episode 11)
Join host Sarah Sladek on a journey to unlock membership engagement and understand the profound difference between treating memberships like mere products and recognizing them as emotional commitments. Through candid discussions and expert insi...
Recession-Proof Membership: The 80% Difference (Season 2 Episode 10)
In this episode of Membership IQ, join host Sarah Sladek as she delves into the crucial topic of thriving through recessions within membership organizations. With her wealth of experience in working with associations, Sarah sheds light on the o...
Failure... *Soooo* Delicious!: Embracing Innovation in Associations (Season 2 Episode 9)
Welcome to "Failure... *Soooo* Delicious!: Embracing Innovation in Associations," the Membership IQ podcast hosted by Sarah Sladek. In this unscripted and authentic show, Sarah explores the power of failure and how it can drive innovation and g...
Breaking Barriers: The Path to Inclusive Associations (Season 2 Episode 8)
Join Sarah Sladek, recently recognized as a Woman Who Advances Associations, as she delves deep into the challenges of discrimination, from gender to age, and explores the progress made so far. From outdated bylaws to personal experiences, she ...
Global Challenges, Shared Solutions (Season 2 Episode 7)
Join host Sarah Sladek on an insightful journey as she explores the impact of globalization and technology on membership associations on this episode of the Membership IQ podcast. Discover how associations worldwide are facing similar challenge...
Ghosts and Legends (Season 2 Episode 6)
Join Sarah Sladek on the Membership IQ podcast, where you'll learn how to improve your membership game. From overcoming fears and obstacles (such as Sarah's first time snorkeling) to achieving success, she shares her expertise and insights to h...
Pins and Ribbons and Certificates, Oh My!: Creating a Culture of Recognition (Season 2 Episode 5)
In this episode, Sarah talks about how membership has evolved over the years and how recognition plays a crucial role in it. She shares her own experience of receiving a pin for her 10th anniversary of membership, which made her think about the...