What if the association business model is fundamentally broken — and has been for decades? In this episode of Built to Connect, Jackson sits down with Dr. James Young, founder of Product Community and two-time chief learning officer, to challenge the way associations think about revenue, member engagement, and the value they deliver to their communities.

James introduces concepts like the "forever member journey," compound value, and micro-community design as a path toward a more engaged, financially resilient model — one where members don't just consume value, but actively create it.

James's one piece of advice for every association leader: stop putting all your eggs in one basket, and start co-creating longitudinal journeys with your members instead of just serving them.

Topics covered:

• Why the association business model is broken
• Community as a differentiated value proposition
• The "forever member journey" & serving the next generation of members
• Good revenue vs. bad revenue
• Small experiments, cohorts & compound value
• Real-world models: New Century College & impact networks
• What associations should stop doing and what comes next