Matrix Group International

Category: Matrix Group

  • Using AI to Power Smarter Membership and Marketing Strategies

    Using AI to Power Smarter Membership and Marketing Strategies

    Let me be blunt: if your AI strategy is focused on writing blog posts faster, generating social captions, or drafting catchier emails, you’re thinking too small.

    Yes, AI can absolutely help with those things. And yes, it can save your team time, but that’s not where the real value is. The real opportunity lies in using AI to rethink how your association operates: how you engage members, how you drive revenue, how you design experiences, and how you make decisions.

    That’s the shift from tactical AI to strategic AI. And for associations, it’s a big one!

    Tactical AI Improves Output. Strategic AI Is Transformational.

    Right now, most organizations are applying AI at the end of the process. They’re using it to write an email, draft a blog post, summarize a report, or clean up meeting notes. There’s nothing wrong with that; those are useful applications, and they can save time.

    But when you use AI at the beginning of the process, you start improving the strategy itself. Instead of asking AI to write a renewal email, you can ask it to help you rethink your renewal strategy. You can explore which members are most at risk, when outreach should happen, which messages are likely to connect, and which channels are most effective. You can look at the full member journey and ask where friction exists and where intervention could make a difference.

    That’s a very different use of AI. At that point, you’re not just improving the content, you’re improving the entire content strategy.

    From Reporting to Intelligence

    Most associations are rich in data, but poor in insight. They have no shortage of reports about renewal rates, meeting registrations, email performance, website traffic, and course attendance. The problem is that most of those reports tell you what already happened and stop there, when what you need to know is what’s likely to happen next. 

    That’s where AI can be especially useful. It can help associations move from reporting to intelligence by identifying patterns, surfacing risk, and helping teams act earlier. For example, AI can support:

    • Renewal risk scoring, so staff can prioritize the members who may need attention now, before it’s too late
    • Engagement trend analysis, so early signs of disengagement don’t go unnoticed
    • Event attendance prediction, so planning decisions are based on likely behavior rather than instinct
    • Signal detection, so staff can spot changes in member behavior before those changes show up in a year-end report

    That’s where the conversation gets more strategic. If you knew three months earlier that a member was at risk, what would you do differently?

    From One-Size-Fits-All to Personalized Experiences

    For years, many associations have delivered broad, generalized experiences because personalization felt too difficult or too expensive. Everyone got the same onboarding. Everyone saw the same website content. Everyone received roughly the same messaging. That’s not really a member experience; that’s just content distribution. 

    AI makes it easier to tailor the experience based on what members care about, how they behave, and where they are in their professional journey. That could mean:

    • Personalized content recommendations on your website
    • New member onboarding journeys based on job role, title, industry experience, and so much more
    • Tailored messaging, based on your generation cohort (i.e., talk to GenZ differently from GenX), interests, and engagement history

    Imagine a member logging in and seeing content that actually reflects what they care about. That’s not a future-state idea. That’s achievable now. 

    From Mass Messaging to Smarter Communication

    Mass emails are now remarkably easy to draft and send out. But just because content is easier to produce with AI, doesn’t mean that you should be messaging more. Quite the opposite, actually. The more messages we send, especially the ones that aren’t highly tailored or personalized, the more ineffective they become. 

    What AI can do, when used well, is help your team communicate more intentionally by improving segmentation, timing, and relevance. AI can help staff:

    • Identify disengaged members and trigger re-engagement
    • Surface topic interest and follow up with relevant content
    • Flag highly engaged members who may be ready for volunteer leadership, committee outreach, or a more personal touch from leadership.

    That’s a much better use of AI than simply flooding your members with more emails! 

    From Staff Tool to Member Value

    Most organizations are still thinking about AI as an internal productivity tool. That’s a good start, but what if AI became part of your member value proposition?

    Here are some of the things Matrix Group clients are working on in this area:

    • An AI-powered knowledge assistant
    • A compliance or standards guide
    • A career pathway tool
    • A skills gap analyzer

    For many organizations, this is the next step. Not just using AI behind the scenes, but building it into the member experience in a way that strengthens your association’s value proposition.

    If time and budget weren’t constraints, what would you build for your members?

    One More Shift: From Publishing Content to Owning Answers

    Associations also need to think about how AI is changing the way people discover information. People are no longer searching and clicking through pages of links to find the answer they’re looking for. They’re asking a question in Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, or even your site search and expecting a direct response in a succinct, complete narrative, not a list of links. 

    That shift has real implications. It means your content can’t just exist. It has to be structured in a way that makes your expertise easy to find, easy to interpret, and easy for answer engines to cite.

    So here’s the question: when someone asks an answer engine about your industry or profession, does your association show up in the answer?

    AI answer engines like Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT prioritize:

    • Clear questions and answers
    • Structured content
    • Plain language
    • Accessible expertise

    This is where AEO and GEO come into play. Is your content structured to provide the AI answer engines with the answers that people are looking for? What content should be public and what content should be members-only?

    So Where Do You Start?

    This can feel like a lot, because it is.

    Moving from tactical to strategic use of AI isn’t about adding one more tool to your stack. It’s about rethinking how your association works: across membership, marketing, education, research, volunteer management, and so much more.

    The good news? You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with one area:

    • Membership renewals
    • New member onboarding
    • Event engagement
    • Content strategy

    Pick an area where better intelligence, better personalization, or better decision-making could improve results for your organization, then ask a better question. Not “How can we use AI?” but “How could we redesign this process, this experience, or this strategy so it works better for members and for the organization?”

    At Matrix Group, this is exactly the work we’re doing with associations every day. Not just helping teams use AI to move faster—but helping them:

    • Rethink member journeys
    • Identify opportunities for personalization
    • Connect systems to enable smarter experiences
    • Uncover new ways to deliver value and drive revenue

    We know that for associations, the goal isn’t just efficiency. The goal is a stronger, more relevant, more valuable association. And AI, used strategically, can help you get there.

    So I’ll leave you with one final question: 

    Are you using AI to do what you’ve always done, just faster?
    Or are you using it to become something better?

  • Reflections and Predictions: What Associations Should Be Thinking About in 2026

    Reflections and Predictions: What Associations Should Be Thinking About in 2026

    Every January, I like to reflect on the previous year and consider what the coming year might hold for associations, nonprofits, and Matrix Group. This year, I did something different. I invited a few of my amazing team members at Matrix Group to join me on our podcast, Associations Thrive, to talk about the major trends they saw in 2025 and what they believe is coming in 2026.

    Joining me were Dave Hoernig (VP of Software Engineering), Jessica Parsley (Director of Project Management), and Alex Pineda (Creative Director). We had a wide-ranging conversation, and here are the key takeaways and predictions from our conversation:

    AI Is No Longer Optional

    AI was, unsurprisingly, the biggest theme of 2025. Jessica talked about how many of our clients are turbocharging their teams by:

    • Investing in AI skills and training
    • Creating internal policies for responsible AI use
    • Building custom GPTs to speed up content creation
    • Using AI to streamline editing, content repurposing, and task management

    Dave shared how AI is revolutionizing content migration, especially turning PDF documents into accessible, searchable HTML. He also brought up a big existential question facing associations:

    What content should be visible to AI, and what should remain members-only?

    He talked about how associations are starting to experiment with making abstracts public while keeping full articles gated; this is the same approach academic publishers have used for years.

    AI is also influencing how we format content to make it discoverable to AI engines. Schema markup, summaries, and multimedia versions (like read-alouds) are increasingly important.

    Telling the Story of the Industry

    Alex noticed a major shift in web design: associations are doing a better job of telling the story not just of the association, but of the profession or industry they represent. These “About the Industry” sections:

    • Help the public understand the value of the profession
    • Position the association as a thought leader
    • Offer lawmakers, potential members, and partners important context

    But it’s not easy. Crafting this content requires strategic thinking, consensus building, and often new storytelling skills.

    Doing More with Less

    Jessica saw that many associations felt more budget-constrained in 2025. But instead of just of delaying projects, they asked:

    • “What small changes can we make to our website and email campaigns NOW that will have a big impact?”
    • “What are the biggest pain points experienced by our members or staff?”
    • “Can analytics guide our next move?”

    Alex noted that we’re increasingly using analytics to make smart, incremental improvements, like optimizing navigation, restructuring key pages, or adjusting content strategy. Full redesigns are great, but if there isn’t time or budget, then light refreshes are the way to go.

    Associations Are Going Multimedia

    There is a growing shift away from long blocks of text and toward audio, video, and interactive content:

    • Podcasts and read-aloud tools are making content more accessible.
    • Members, especially younger members, increasingly prefer to watch or listen, rather than read.

    Alex and Jessica both emphasized that younger generations are mobile-first, visual-first, and audio-first. If associations want to attract the next generation, their content and design strategies need to reflect that.

    Personalization Is Finally Achievable

    We’ve talked about personalization for years, but 2025 was the year it became practical for more organizations.

    Dave shared that personalization is easier to implement now because:

    • You no longer need to manually tag every piece of content
    • AI can analyze member behavior and personalize on the fly
    • Tools can now offer Netflix-style, personalized recommendations based on user behavior and demographics

    Imagine offering a member a curated education journey based on their career stage. Duolingo is a great example of this! I’m an avid Duolingo-er and love that my practice lessons are customized just for me. That’s the future for associations and it’s already here.

    Mobile and Voice Are Becoming Even More Important

    Alex noted that mobile traffic is growing, even if analytics still show desktop in the lead for most of our clients and their websites. Younger members are doing everything on their phones and they’re the members of the future. All of this means:

    • Mobile design needs to be more comprehensive
    • Voice navigation and voice search are increasingly relevant

    If it’s not easy to find or access your content via mobile or voice, you’re invisible to a big part of your audience.

    Community Will Be the Differentiator in 2026

    Jessica made a critical point: it will be harder than ever for associations to be seen as the authority in their industry. AI answer engines like ChatGPT and Gemini are giving users quick answers without attribution. That means your content might not be recognized as coming from your organizations. So how do associations stay relevant?

    One important answer: Double down on community.

    Associations will need to:

    • Create spaces (in-person and virtual) for connection and expertise-sharing
    • Offer value that can’t be replicated by an AI bot
    • Make membership the gateway to the best insights, not just the publicly available ones
    • Create smaller events, cohorts, and niche groups to create intimacy within the membership

    A More Level Playing Field

    As we closed out the podcast, I shared a final hope: that the new wave of AI tools will level the playing field for smaller associations. These tools let even the smallest team:

    • Create great content
    • Design beautiful experiences
    • Offer personalized, member-driven services

    You don’t need a giant staff or massive budget to be effective in 2026. But you do need to be smart, strategic, and open to using AI tools to make your organization more high-performing and authoritative.

    So what do you think? What trends did YOUR organization see in 2025? What are you preparing for in 2026? Let’s keep the conversation going!

  • What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)? 

    What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)? 

    Summary: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the strategy of structuring your content so it becomes the direct answer to specific questions people ask through Google and voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. It builds on strong SEO practices and helps your content show up when there’s only room for one answer. For associations, AEO is a powerful way to get your expertise in front of the right people—especially as zero-click searches and AI-generated summaries become the norm. This post breaks down what AEO is, how it’s different from SEO, and how to start optimizing your content today.

    How we search, and how we get our answers, has fundamentally changed in the last few years. Heck, even in the last few months, thanks to Google’s AI Overviews. 

    We’ve all been trained to stop typing vague keyword combos and start asking real, specific questions into our favorite search engine. For example, instead of searching for “nursing license CE requirements,” you’re more likely to type (or say): “How many CE credits do you need to renew your nursing license in Virginia?” or “What are the continuing ed requirements for an RN in VA?”

    And what happens when you do that?

    Before late 2024, you’d see a list of links: sponsored ones first, followed by organic results. Now, more often than not, you’re served a single answer right at the top. Sometimes, the answer is just a snippet, sometimes it’s an AI-generated summary, sometimes it’s read out loud by a smart speaker while you’re elbow-deep in dinner prep.

    And most of us? We take the answer and move on. That’s why, by the end of 2024, nearly 60% of searches were zero-click, meaning people got what they needed without ever clicking through. And that’s after AI Overviews had only been fully rolled out for a few months!

    So what can you do to stay visible and relevant in this new, zero-click world? That’s where Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) comes in.

    What is AEO? 

    Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO, is the practice of structuring and optimizing your content so it becomes the answer when someone asks a question in a search engine like Google or to voice assistants like Siri or Alexa.

    Unlike traditional SEO, which aims to get you onto page one of search results, AEO helps you land the single, direct answer that shows up first, whether it’s a featured snippet, an AI Overview, or a voice assistant reading it aloud.

    In short, AEO is what helps you show up as THE answer, or the top answer to a user’s query.

    Does AEO Replace SEO?

    Not at all. Following SEO best practices is still incredibly important; search engines haven’t gone away, the results are just shifting. Search engines still rely on the same solid foundation you’ve (hopefully) been building all along: a fast, well-structured website, relevant backlinks, and high-quality content that’s written by people who know what they’re talking about. Google’s E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is still the gold standard for what “good” content looks like.

    AEO adds a new layer to SEO. It compliments and enhances the good work you’ve been doing for SEO, with an added focus of helping AI-powered tools pull the right answers from your content. This means writing clearly, anticipating questions, and structuring and organizing content in a way that makes sense to both humans and machines. 

    Think of it this way: SEO gets you invited to the party; AEO hands you the microphone.

    How Do You Optimize Content for Answer Engines?

    Good news: this doesn’t require starting from scratch or mastering some new technical magic. AEO is really about adjusting how you structure and present the content you already have, so it works for real people and the machines scanning for answers. 

    • Start with real questions. Your members aren’t typing in vague phrases. They’re asking complete, specific questions, so your content should reflect that. Use tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, or even the “People Also Ask” section in search results to find the actual queries people are using.
    • Match those queries in your headings. Use those natural-language queries as your H2s and H3s, just like the subheadings in this post. It helps search engines and AI tools understand what you’re answering, and it makes your content easier to scan.
    • Lead with the answer. Give the short, direct response first, ideally at the top of the page and within the first sentence or two under each question. Think of it as the takeaway upfront. Then, once you’ve answered it clearly, go ahead and expand with context and details.
    • Add FAQs to high-impact pages. Pages like membership, certification, and events are where your members have questions and are looking for answers. Adding a short FAQ section at the bottom is a great way to surface that info in an answer-friendly format.
    • Use schema markup. This step may require help from your web team, but it’s worth it. Schema helps search engines understand your content structure – especially FAQs, definitions, and how-to content – and makes it more likely you’ll show up in AI Overviews and voice results.
    • Think about how you write and structure your content. Use natural, conversational language, break up content into short paragraphs, bullet points, or numbered steps where appropriate, and always answer before you elaborate.
    • Surface your authority. Associations have deep, authoritative content that’s often buried in PDFs or behind logins, and AI can’t access that. Creating public-facing landing pages that summarize key insights and link to your gated resources is a great way to give search engines and AI models content they can index and cite without feeding your precious, protected content to the LLMs. 

    Why AEO Matters for Associations Right Now

    Answer Engine Optimization isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a response to how real people are searching today, and how AI is changing the way content gets found, surfaced, and quoted.

    For associations, it’s a huge opportunity. You already have the expertise, the credibility, and the authoritative content. AEO helps you make that knowledge more accessible – not just to search engines, but to the people asking specific, timely questions about your industry. 

    This is your chance to take what you already do well – education, advocacy, standards, guidance – and position your organization as THE authority in search and AI results. 

    Want to learn more about AEO and get your team up to speed? Matrix Group offers an AEO + GEO training tailored specifically for associations. You’ll walk away with a clear understanding of how this shift impacts your content strategy and exactly how to adapt your existing content to help you show up in voice and AI-driven search results.

    Get in touch to learn more and schedule a training! 

  • Why Every Association CEO Must Be a Tech CEO

    Why Every Association CEO Must Be a Tech CEO

    Every association CEO today needs to think like a Tech CEO. Technology is no longer just backend support — it’s central to strategy, growth, and member satisfaction. This blog post explains why tech leadership matters and what CEOs should do to lead with confidence.

    Over the past couple of years of hosting my Associations Thrive podcast, I’ve interviewed well over a hundred association and nonprofit CEOs about what they’re doing to help their organizations thrive. The conversations are inspiring, filled with examples of strategic initiatives, membership growth, innovative partnerships, and new revenue streams.

    And yet, there’s one topic that rarely comes up unless there’s a problem: technology.

    CEOs eagerly share how they’re redesigning governance, launching new education products, or revamping conferences. But when it comes to tech, I mostly hear about it when systems are broken, outdated, or failing. Too often, technology is an afterthought — something only discussed when a crisis forces the issue.

    I believe we can, and must, do better. Why? Because technology constrains or powers an organization. Associations with great tech have the data, processes and reports they need to make good decisions and offer members and customers great digital experiences. 

    In fact, I believe every association CEO today should be a Tech CEO.

    What Does It Mean to Be a Tech CEO?

    It doesn’t mean being a tech expert or a coder. It does mean understanding the systems your organization uses and how technology supports your strategy and operations. Here’s what that looks like:

    Know Your Tech Ecosystem

    • Understand what systems you have: AMS, CMS, LMS, community platform, event platforms, financial systems, marketing automation, etc.
    • Know what each system does, what functions it supports, and how it integrates with other systems.
    • Be aware of customizations, integrations, and where there are gaps or redundancies.

    Connect Technology to Mission and Strategy

    • Be able to explain how the AMS powers membership applications, renewals, and engagement tracking.
    • Understand how the LMS supports professional development and non-dues revenue.
    • Know how your CRM drives marketing efforts and personalized member experiences.

    Technology isn’t a separate line item; it’s core to your strategy.

    Demand Visibility and Accountability

    • Ask your team and your vendors for regular reports on system health, performance, and contributions to organizational goals.
    • Request ROI analyses: How much revenue does the AMS support? How many members are using the LMS? Are system investments paying off?
    • Monitor system adoption: Are staff using the systems as intended? If not, ask why. Where are the workarounds?

    Stay Curious About Pain Points

    • Make it safe for staff to share where systems aren’t working well.
    • Investigate the pain points: Are manual processes needed because a system isn’t configured properly? Are integrations broken? Are outdated systems creating unnecessary friction?
    • Insist that technology issues be identified before they become crises. 
    • Conduct a tech debt audit every year: ask every staff member what software they use, what version it’s on, and whether that version is the latest version. If you are not on the latest version, ask why, and then ask what security patches you haven’t been able to apply as a result.

    Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement

    • Integrate technology reviews into regular staff meetings and Board updates.
    • Treat tech improvements like program improvements — constant, iterative, and strategic.
    • Create a culture where technology is seen as a tool for innovation, not just overhead.
    • Insist on the mindset that tech empowers the organization, so how are staff using tech to save time, save money, generate revenue, delight members?

    Why This Mindset Matters

    When technology is neglected, it becomes a constraint — slowing down operations, frustrating members, and draining resources. The Momentive 2024 Association Trends Survey found that technology adoption drives membership and loyalty. “Members who view their organization as an early adopter are 81% more satisfied, 74% are promoters, and 53% feel more connected.”

    Wow, just wow! So, ask yourself, does your staff see your organization as an early adopter of technology, or do they complain that your tech is old and busted. If they think the latter, put on your tech CEO hat and take action. Because when technology is managed as a strategic asset, it has an amazing impact on membership, revenue, staff morale, and so much more.

    If you’re an association or nonprofit CEO, how are YOU serving as a tech leader? Let’s start a conversation. I’d love to hear how you’re making technology a core part of your leadership strategy.

  • AI Note-Taking Part 2: Lessons from Five Months of Testing and Refining

    AI Note-Taking Part 2: Lessons from Five Months of Testing and Refining

    After five months of testing AI note-taking tools, Matrix Group discovered that the right tool is only part of the solution. Fathom worked well but didn’t match our workflows, so we built a custom GPT that better fit our needs. Still, adoption lagged until we refined the process, simplified formatting, and gathered ongoing feedback. Real value came when AI was aligned with behavior, not just technology. This blog post explains what we learned and how others can avoid common pitfalls.

    A few months ago, we shared how Matrix Group chose Fathom as our AI-powered note-taking app after testing multiple options. It was an exciting step in our AI journey—one that promised to make note taking more accurate and efficient, ensuring that key takeaways didn’t get lost in the shuffle.

    But as we started using Fathom more regularly, we ran into some challenges. Not because the tool wasn’t working—it was!—but because it wasn’t working for us in the way we needed it to.

    Our AI Notetaker Was Helpful, But Not Quite the Right Fit for Us

    When we first implemented Fathom, we were excited about how well it captured and summarized our meetings. The AI did exactly what it was designed to do—generate summaries, highlight key points, and pull out action items. 

    But as we started using it regularly, we realized that Fathom wasn’t quite working for us. Here’s where things got tricky: 

    • The way Fathom labeled action items didn’t quite align with how our team structures follow-ups. The AI was tagging both “to-dos” and “next actions,” but in a way that didn’t match our workflow, which meant our project managers had to do additional editing to make the notes truly actionable.
    • The formatting of the notes wasn’t translating well into our client extranet. This meant extra steps to clean things up before sharing them out with our clients.
    • We weren’t experiencing the time savings we expected. Instead of eliminating work, we found ourselves reworking AI-generated notes to fit our processes.

    These issues didn’t mean Fathom was a bad tool—just that it wasn’t the perfect fit for how we work. So, we started exploring ways to tailor AI-generated meeting notes more precisely to our needs.

    Could a Custom AI Note-Taker Work Better?

    We asked the big question: What if we wrote a custom GPT for note taking?

    Since we already used custom GPTs for other tasks and workflows, we were confident that a custom GPT could help us process meeting transcripts and generate notes formatted exactly how we wanted. And, it did! 

    We created a custom GPT that would take transcripts from Zoom, Teams and Google Meet and generate meeting notes that:

    • Listed the meeting attendees, grouped by organization
    • Organized the notes by topic; the notes were appropriately detailed (Fathom sometimes summarized discussions too much)
    • Listed the To Do items at the top and bottom of the notes
    • Used limited formatting so the notes could be sent through our company intranet

    This new custom notetaker was amazing. We rolled it out to the project managers and cheered when they said this notetaker was better than Fathom.

    Removing Friction Still Didn’t Solve the Problem

    A few weeks later, we discovered a problem: No one was using our new custom notetaker

    Why? The process required extra steps—logging into Zoom, downloading the transcript, uploading it to our custom GPT, and retrieving the notes. It was an extra layer of work that most people weren’t willing to take on.

    To make adoption easier, we assigned a team member to handle the AI note-taking process for everyone. The idea was simple: instead of expecting project managers to run the process, we’d do it for them and distribute the notes.

    Yet when we followed up, we realized something surprising: PMs still weren’t using the notes.

    Why?

    • The formatting was still too complex for our extranet.
    • The AI was summarizing too aggressively, stripping out details that were important for context.
    • Even with automation, there was no real buy-in.

    How We Finally Got AI Note-Taking Right

    It took five months of testing, tweaking, and getting feedback before we finally got the process right. We adjusted our custom GPT to balance summaries with key details, stripped out unnecessary markup, and made sure the process was as seamless as possible.

    But the biggest lesson? Tools alone don’t change behavior.

    For AI adoption to stick, there needs to be:

    • Ongoing feedback: We had to regularly check in to see what was working and what wasn’t.
    • Follow-through: Just setting up a tool isn’t enough. We had to make sure people were actually using it.
    • Authority to drive change: Someone with authority over the process needs to champion the change.
    • Iteration: Refinement takes time. Expect to make several changes along the way.

    Where We Are Now

    After months of refining, our AI note-taking process finally works the way we need it to. We’re getting the right level of detail, in the right format, and without creating extra work.

    But if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s this: AI tools (or any technology for that matter!) are never “set it and forget it.” They require tuning, testing, and continuous feedback to actually deliver value.

    We’d love to hear from you. Have you experimented with AI for note-taking? What worked and what didn’t? Let’s compare notes!

  • How We Closed Our Office Sustainably — and Made a Lot of People Happy

    How We Closed Our Office Sustainably — and Made a Lot of People Happy

    How do you close an office without sending everything to the landfill? At Matrix Group, we turned our office closure into a win for our staff, our community, and the planet. Team members upgraded their home offices, local schools got much-needed supplies, and nearly nothing went to waste. It was a smarter, more sustainable way to say goodbye. This blog post shows how thoughtful offboarding can benefit everyone.

    In honor of Earth Day, I want to share a story about our recent office closing at Matrix Group, and how we tried to do it in the most sustainable, community-minded way possible.

    Closing our Arlington, VA office was a bittersweet milestone. After years of working fully remotely and knowing that remote work was here to stay for us, it didn’t make sense to renew our lease. But what about all the furniture, equipment, and supplies we had accumulated over the years?

    Rather than call a junk removal company or send everything to the landfill, we committed to reusing, repurposing, and giving back wherever we could.

    Outfitting Our Staff’s Home Offices


    The Matrix movie poster, couch, and Simpsons pinball machine in their new home!
    Everything in this photo – including the stapler – is from Matrix except the folding chair and the white bookcase.

    First, we invited our staff to come into the office and claim what they needed to upgrade their home offices. We offered:

    • Couches and comfy seating
    • Desks, including traditional and sit-stand models
    • Monitors and other tech gear
    • Filing cabinets and storage solutions

    It was wonderful to see staff outfitting their home offices with great-quality furniture. Many reported feeling more comfortable and productive at home almost immediately.

    Giving Back to the Community

    Furniture went to Alexandria City High School.
    This whiteboard has our old Game Of Thrones tracking and predictions. Frozen in time.

    But we didn’t stop there. We still had a lot of items left that deserved a second life.

    • We posted sit-stand desks, filing cabinets, and chairs on our local Buy Nothing groups.
    • We donated whiteboards, chairs, and a mountain of office supplies to a local high school.

    The response was overwhelming. Local families were thrilled to pick up a sit-stand desk or filing cabinet for their home offices. And the teachers at the high school were ecstatic to receive fresh supplies and furniture to support their students.

    The Results

    By making reuse and giving a priority, here’s what we accomplished:

    • Less waste: Almost nothing went to the landfill.
    • Staff home offices upgraded: Many staff have better setups than ever before.
    • Local families benefited: Items that still had a lot of life left found new homes.
    • Happy teachers and students: Classrooms now have new whiteboards, better chairs, and more resources.

    It was heartwarming to see how a little extra effort turned what could have been a sad goodbye, and a lot of waste, into a beautiful example of community spirit and sustainability.

    Bryan and Seil helped move furniture to the school.
    Joanna and an ACHS teacher.

    Reflecting on Our Commitment

    At Matrix Group, we talk a lot about our commitment to doing work that matters. This Earth Day, I’m proud that we extended that commitment to how we handled our office closing.

    How about you?

    • Has your organization faced a big move or closure recently?
    • What creative ways have you found to reuse or repurpose materials?
    • How are you honoring Earth Day this year?

    I’d love to hear your stories!

  • Work 5.0 and the Future of Work at Matrix Group

    Work 5.0 and the Future of Work at Matrix Group

    Matrix Group has entered Work 5.0: a new chapter of mostly remote work, supported by flexible coworking spaces and intentional in-person gatherings. After closing our Crystal City office, we’re embracing a model that reflects how our team truly works today: digital-first, collaborative, and location-flexible. This blog post explores why we made the change and how it’s shaping the future of work at Matrix Group.

    On Monday, March 31st, Matrix Group said goodbye to our office on the 3rd floor of 2611 South Clark Street in Crystal City. We moved into this space in July 2019, a mere nine months before the pandemic began. This new office was light-filled, full of collaborative spaces, decorated with purple splashes and Star Wars toys, and full of the latest tech. We got rid of our 15’ x 10 server room and moved everything to the cloud. The Zoom-enabled conference room made meetings a dream for remote staff because of the two cameras: one showed the room, while the other zoomed in on whoever was speaking.

    The Remote Work Shift That Stuck

    Then March 2020 came, the world changed forever, and so did Matrix Group. We went all remote and never looked back. Even as the pandemic waned, I joked that I would never see my COO again since she lives in Herndon and previously, her commute into Crystal City was a bear. I hired staff who live outside the DMV, and still other staff moved away for family or love, or both.

    For over five years, the office stayed largely unused. Sure, a handful of staff came to the office every day, and Matrix Group was able to host some amazing events on our floor. We hosted two events each for Association Women Technology Champions and Association Latinos, and we held some amazing Matrix Group parties.

    When our lease was up for renewal, I made the decision to not renew our lease. It was hard to say goodbye to such a gorgeous space, sad to part ways with a terrific landlord, and difficult to wrap my brain around the answer to the question, “where is your office located?” And, if I’m being honest with myself, it was hard to say goodbye to a physical representation of my company.

    But with turbulent times ahead for the US economy in general, and the association and nonprofit industry in particular, we decided to give up our space. We haven’t entirely gone remote. We now have two offices in a co-working space in the same building.

    Work 5.0 at Matrix Group

    So what does work life look like at Matrix Group these days? In many ways, it hasn’t changed since we gave up the office two weeks ago. BUT, I want us to think about when and how we gather in an intentional way. We’re calling this Work 5.0 because this is the fifth office configuration in the company’s history. Here’s a snapshot of our work history:

    Work 1.0 – shared office space in Georgetown, then sub-lease in Alexandria, VA

    Work 2.0 – full floor, took over existing space, in Alexandria, VA

    Work 3.0 – full floor, office space designed for us, in Arlington, VA

    Work 4.0 – was supposed to be the office at 2611 South Clark Street with some staff fully remote and some staff hybrid, but we moved to all remote work during the pandemic 

    Work 5.0 – intentional, mostly remote work, with opportunities to gather 

    It’s been interesting to see how our physical space defined the staffing of the company, as well as how we gathered. When we went all remote, meetings and staffing changed completely. 

    Today, with our new relationship with the Regus co-working company, my entire staff has the ability to work at any Regus office around the world. And while Maki and Dave like to go to the Crystal City office every day, Tanya and Janna really like the Regus office in Old Town. And during my next family trip to somewhere in the world, I could (if I needed to!) rent an office for an hour to take a meeting or record a podcast. And of course, we have a jillion ways to meet and gather online, via Zoom, Google Meet, and Slack. We even have a virtual meeting room named Hoth, in honor of a previous conference that was always too cold, that is open all day long for impromptu meetings.

    We’re still working on the details, but I think Work 5.0 is going to usher in a new period of creativity and collaboration for us! 

    In case anyone is wondering, as of April 1, 2025 Matrix Group’s address has changed to: 

    2611 South Clark Street (no change)
    Suite 600 (new suite number!)
    Arlington, VA 22202 (no change)

    I won’t invite you to drop by because chances are, I won’t be there, and neither will Maki or Dave, who are there only about half-time. BUT, I do invite you to hit me up for in person coffee, in person lunch, or a virtual coffee.

    How about you? How is your organization navigating RTO (return to office) mandates? What configuration of remote, hybrid or in person has your organization landed on? Please share! 

  • Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Reflections on Winning the AWTC Badass Award

    Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Reflections on Winning the AWTC Badass Award

    A couple of months ago, I received a late night phone call from my friend Gretchen Steenstra, who is also a Director at DelCor Technology Solutions and Board member of the Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC). Gretchen couldn’t contain herself. She said that the AWTC Board had decided to create a one-time Badass Awards and award it to four women founders and CEOS in the industry. And I was one of them.

    Me? A badass? I was honored, humbled, and, honestly, a little floored.

    The AWTC Badass Award is a special recognition for trailblazing leaders who have founded companies, shaped the industry, and shown resilience, adaptability, and perseverance in building and sustaining their companies. I found myself reflecting on my own journey, my incredible team at Matrix Group, and the countless women who have paved the way in technology, like my fellow Badass Award winners Lisa Rau, Founder of Fiota; Loretta Deluca, CEO of DelCor Technology Solutions; and Katie Atkinson, President & Cofounder of Results Direct.

    Building a Company, Breaking Barriers

    When I founded Matrix Group over 25 years ago, I wasn’t thinking about being a pioneer or making history. I simply saw a need. Associations and nonprofits were struggling to navigate the digital age, a lot of the available web tech was ugly and hard to use, and I believed a company that had deep tech capabilities AND a design sensibility could make a real impact. So, I started a company, built a team, and got to work.

    What I didn’t realize at the time was just how few women were running tech companies. And, as any woman in tech will tell you, there are moments when you feel like you have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. I remember attending meetings where all eyes would instinctively turn to my male colleagues when the technical questions started flying. I learned to hold my ground, get techie enough to to speak with authority, and, most importantly, surround myself with people who believed in my capabilities and vision. 

    Women in Tech: We’re Here, and We’re Leading

    Back in 1999, women made up only a fraction of the tech industry’s leadership and staff. The numbers have improved, but we still have work to do. And yet, when I look around, I see brilliant women serving in IT leadership roles and leading tech companies! I’m grateful to the now defunct DC Web Women for being one of the first communities to train and nurture women in tech. I hired many of my first staff through DCWW because while Matrix Group was small and new, the community embraced me and other women founders trying to break into the field.

    Today, AWTC is training and nurturing the next generation of tech leaders in the association space, and educating non-techies to be sophisticated and discerning users of technology. All while creating a welcoming and supporting community. When I found AWTC, I realized it was the community I didn’t even realize I craved and needed.

    Women in tech aren’t waiting for permission. We’re building, innovating, and making space for the voices that come after us. And let’s be clear: this isn’t just about gender equity. It’s about better business, smarter technology, and stronger organizations. Diversity drives innovation. When we have different perspectives at the table, we create better solutions.

    The Work Continues

    Winning the AWTC Badass Award is a deeply meaningful honor, but I don’t see it as an endpoint. It’s a reminder of why I do what I do. It’s a call to keep pushing boundaries, to continue mentoring and lifting up others, and to ensure that the tech world—especially in the association space—becomes more inclusive, innovative, and impactful.

    To every woman navigating this industry: keep going. Keep raising your hand, taking up space, and breaking barriers. And to the men who champion women in tech: keep showing up, advocating, and making room at the table.

    We’re all in this together. And we’re just getting started.