In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Colleen Gallagher kicks off our Big Ideas & Trends Series with a candid conversation about what it really takes for associations to innovate.

Colleen is joined by Elizabeth Weaver Engel, M.A., CAE, Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting; Jamie Notter, Culture Scientist; and Chrissy Bagby, CAE, PMP, Chief Strategy Officer, American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

They unpack the new white paper and share how Lean Startup thinking, paired with culture change, can help associations test ideas, reduce risk, and stop “we’ve always done it this way” from running the show.

Key Highlights

It’s Not the Method, It’s the Culture: Why associations don’t have an idea problem—they have a culture and psychological safety problem.

AAVSB’s Story: How Chrissy’s team moved from big, risky builds to structured experiments, shared understanding, and the role of the “cooperative skeptic.”

Build–Measure–Learn in Real Life: What to measure early on, why behavior beats opinions, and how to use data without getting paralyzed by it.

Boards, Staff, and Decision Clarity: Practical ways to define roles, set guardrails, and bring volunteer leaders along without slowing everything down.

🎧 Tune in for honest, practical insight on how to bring Lean thinking into your association—whether you’re in the C-suite or leading from the middle.

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Coming Soon: December’s Big Ideas & Trends Series continues with more conversations on the shifts, experiments, and bold moves shaping associations heading into 2026.