Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Data management is improvisation

By Wes Trochlil | September 16, 2026

Data management is improvisation I was listening to a podcast recently featuring TV writer Rob Long. During the podcast he said (I’m paraphrasing) that, in order to be successful, one needs to learn to improvise, because nothing in life ever goes as planned. One of my favorite sayings is, “If you want to make God […]

Who own the AMS company is like the weather…

By Wes Trochlil | September 9, 2026

Who own the AMS company is like the weather… When I work with clients to find a new AMS, one of the most common questions I get is: “Is the software company owned by private equity or is it privately owned?” While I think this is a legitimate question to ask and have answered, it […]

“As good or better than me.”

By Wes Trochlil | September 2, 2026

“As good or better than me.” I was recently speaking with a software developer working on AI and we were discussing using natural language querying in an AMS. I told him, “The biggest challenge you face is that the first time the AI is wrong, staff will never use it again.” He agreed but then added: “The […]

Documentation is insurance

By Wes Trochlil | August 26, 2026

Documentation is insurance In a conversation with a client about their data management needs, the client pointed out that if they lost one or two key staff members, so much institutional knowledge would go with them that the association would have real difficulty managing their AMS. I recommended that they should document all of their key processes so […]

It all comes down to fundamentals

By Wes Trochlil | August 12, 2026

It all comes down to fundamentals I’m preparing for a webinar that I’m presenting in a couple of weeks, on using data to improve marketing and communications. This is a presentation (in one form or another) that I’ve made for nearly 20 years, and it includes an excellent case study of one association that dramatically improved their […]

Older Posts

It's all in the cloud now

November 7, 2013

I recently had a client ask me to help them find a new association management software system. They were very […]

Why Financial Controls are SO Important at Non-profits

October 28, 2013

If you’re a manager at a non-profit, this story in The Washington Post is a must-read. As I wrote here, […]

New Article Posted – Fast Tracking Implementation

October 22, 2013

I’ve posted a new article on my website. When an association recently approached me to help them select and implement a […]

In case you missed it

September 27, 2013

You can still listen to the non-dues revenue webinar I participated in with ACGI Software earlier this week. Here’s a […]

Don't Generalize from a Specific

September 25, 2013

I first heard this advice from Alan Weiss, consulting guru. The idea is that extrapolating a rule from a single […]

New Article Posted – What's Plaguing Associations – 2013

September 24, 2013

I’ve posted a new article on my website. For seven years I have conducted a one-question, non-scientific survey of association executives, […]

Obamacare and Your New Website

September 23, 2013

The launch of the Obamacare state exchanges are scheduled for October 1, and the experts expect the launch to be […]

Hear the man – Free webinar on growing non-dues revenue with Wes Trochlil

September 16, 2013

On Tuesday, September 24, I’ll be having a conversation with Dan Kasprow, CTO of ACGI Software, on growing non-dues revenue. […]

Job Listing in DC Area (Arlington, VA)

September 12, 2013

My colleague Mary Pat Paris at the the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is seeking to fill a database position […]

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