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

Magazine Subscriptions and the Accumulation of Data

October 13, 2009

I read a lot of different magazines. Business magazines, political magazines, so-called “lifestyle” magazines (e.g., Car and Driver). Each was […]

Reflections on NiUG/Improvements in iMIS

October 8, 2009

I had the honor of speaking at the opening general session for NiUG International’s Discovery Conference last week in Baltimore, […]

Mindless Rules Make Me Mental

October 6, 2009

Last weekend I was sitting on the sidelines as I watched my six-year old daughter play soccer. This is the […]

AMS Learning and Demo Days

September 30, 2009

ASAE is hosting AMS Learning and Demo Day son Monday and Tuesday, October 12 and 13, 2009, at the Rockville […]

I've Answered the Survey; Now What?

September 24, 2009

I hate surveys. I’ve made it clear to anyone who will listen that I only answer one-question surveys. If your […]

My Theory on Why Associations Won't Invest in Technology

September 10, 2009

In a blog post last week I discussed a handful of AMS packages available at very low cost to associations. […]

I'll be the General Session Speaker at NiUG Annual Discovery Conference

September 3, 2009

I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be the general session speaker for the NiUG International 2009 Annual Discovery Conference, September […]

There ARE "Affordable" AMS Systems

September 1, 2009

I often hear from association executives (particularly from very small associations, e.g., under five staff) that they can’t afford to […]

Don't Let Your New Process Become a "Cash for Clunkers" Panic

August 27, 2009

By some accounts, the federal government’s “Cash for Clunkers” program has been a spectacular success. Hundreds of thousands of buyers […]

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