Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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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

The Future of the AMS – A free e-book

May 13, 2013

I participated in a panel discussion of AMS experts on the future of the Association Management System (AMS) hosted by […]

A question for my association colleagues

May 7, 2013

My question: Why do associations frequently “hide” audience feedback from speakers? When I work with my clients, a common discussion […]

Put Your Data to Work! – 52 Tips and Techniques

May 6, 2013

If you don’t own it, you should! Buy it in e-book or printed form. Click here to learn more about […]

Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget

May 1, 2013

You’ve probably heard that phrase before. Essentially it means wanting much nicer things than we can actually afford. Or expecting […]

You Can't Measure Success without Clear Objectives

April 29, 2013

I was speaking with two contacts at a client of mine about their multiple membership programs. One of the programs […]

New Article Posted – The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

April 24, 2013

I’ve posted a new article on my website. From what I read and hear, it seems engagement, and particularly member engagement, […]

Big Data – which is good, which is not?

April 1, 2013

I saw this quote recently and think it’s dead on: “‘Big data’ is what happens when the cost of storing […]

New Article Posted – Getting it Done: Who, How, and with What

March 21, 2013

I’ve posted a new article on my website. The intersection of people, process, and technology  occurs throughout every organization. For any […]

Small things can make a BIG difference

March 11, 2013

I continually surprise myself when I make what are seemingly minor changes in how I do something and find that […]

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