Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

[ai_chat_window]

My most recent posts

AI is a journey, not a destination

By Wes Trochlil | April 15, 2026

AI is a journey, not a destination Lately I’ve noticed a lot of associations talking about AI like it’s a moon shot. “We need an AI project.” “We’re rolling out AI in Q4.” That language suggests AI is something you implement once and then check off the list. It isn’t. AI is a journey, and […]

Action produces information

By Wes Trochlil | April 8, 2026

Action produces information “Action produces information. If you’re unsure of what to do, just do anything, even if it’s the wrong thing. This will give you information about what you should actually be doing.” – Brian Armstrong, co-founder of Coinbase This is the great thing about data and why I’ve been in this business so long. […]

Why a single source of truth is so beneficial…

By Wes Trochlil | March 25, 2026

Why a single source of truth is so beneficial… The holy grail of data management is the “single source of truth.” As I like to characterize it, when someone asks “Where is the data about X?” everyone knows the answer and everyone gives the SAME answer. One of the most common challenges I hear from my […]

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should

By Wes Trochlil | March 18, 2026

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should I’ve worked in and with associations for well over 37 years now. And one of the things I’ve always loved and appreciated about association staffers is their willingness to do whatever is needed to get the job done. But the problem is this “Yes, we can!” attitude can also […]

Data doesn’t need to be perfect to be useful

By Wes Trochlil | March 4, 2026

Data doesn’t need to be perfect to be useful “Your data doesn’t have to be perfect to be useful.” – (Borrowed with permission from Intellidata’s Slice newsletter.) In my experience, many associations hold themselves back from cleaning up their data, because they are overwhelmed with where to start, and they also think success can only be achieved […]

Older Posts

More demos is not better

November 8, 2023

More demos is not better When I work with clients on selecting a new system, I try very hard to […]

The database owner should be “passionate”

November 1, 2023

The database owner should be “passionate” I’m frequently asked by my clients: “Who should we put in charge of the database?” […]

Discipline is required

October 25, 2023

Discipline is required Last week I discussed the importance of taking action. To manage data effectively, it takes more than […]

Action is required

October 18, 2023

Action is required Over my many years of consulting, one thing I’ve noticed about many associations is their desire to do […]

Some data analytics tips from the DAN “Science Fair”

October 11, 2023

Some data analytics tips from the DAN “Science Fair” Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Data Science Fair, […]

Are all your processes frictionless?

October 4, 2023

Are all your processes frictionless? I’m not a huge fan of buzzwords, but I love the word “frictionless” as it […]

Trends don’t need perfect data

September 27, 2023

Trends don’t need perfect data When it comes to analyzing data trends (changes in data over time), it’s important to […]

Start with “Why” before you move to “How”

September 20, 2023

Start with “Why” before you move to “How” Something I’ve noticed over my years in consulting is that when there […]

The power of users groups!

September 13, 2023

The power of users groups! Last week I had the honor and pleasure of speaking at the NetForum Users Group Conference. […]

Scroll to Top