In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Bill Woolf, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and the Founder, President, and CEO of the Space Force Association, to discuss what it takes to build and scale a mission-driven organization in a highly specialized space. Their conversation explores how SFA is shaping the spacepower community through advocacy, education, and convening leaders across government, industry, and academia.unities.

What You’ll Learn

• How to build a clear “why” and mission narrative that helps people immediately understand how they can contribute and get involved.
• Why professional communities matter most in emerging fields, especially when career paths and shared language are still forming.
• How events and “rally points” can become the engine for growth, credibility, and partnership development in a nonprofit.
• Practical lessons on scaling a resource-constrained organization: prioritizing, sequencing, and building capacity as funding and talent expand.
• How to bring industry, policy, and talent into the same conversation to strengthen mission outcomes and long-term readiness.
• Why education and workforce development are essential to maturing the space ecosystem, including defining new roles and skill sets.
• Ways to use AI thoughtfully inside an organization starting with targeted, high-leverage applications rather than chasing trends.
• How to protect and grow a brand as momentum increases, including setting standards for partnerships and measuring what matters.

Bill makes the case that meaningful progress in a new domain like spacepower depends on building strong connective tissue community, shared understanding, and credible forums where mission needs and solutions can meet. His perspective highlights that leadership isn’t just about vision; it’s about designing the structures, partnerships, and discipline required to sustain momentum and serve a mission bigger than the organization itself.

To learn more about Bill Woolf and their work, visit ussfa.org