Rethink Association

What happens when you leave one of the biggest marketing and AI conferences of the year and actually have to put all those ideas to work? Fresh from HubSpot UNBOUND, Sharon Pare sits down with association marketers Kate Lancaster-Bounds and Laura Sparks to talk about what actually stuck. From AI agents and AEO to personalization, small-team realities, and the surprising value of putting the screens away, they unpack the ideas that challenged how they think about marketing - and what they’re ready to rethink back at the office.

Heading to HubSpot UNBOUND? Your agenda might need a rethink. Maneesha and Garra break down the sessions worth watching - from AI and email deliverability to conversion, CX and growth - and the ideas association marketers should bring back to their organizations. Whether you’re headed to Boston or following along from home, consider this your guide to what’s worth paying attention to at UNBOUND this year.

The World Cup is about more than soccer. It's a reminder that shared purpose can bring people together across cultures, countries, and perspectives. What can associations learn from that?

What if your members are telling you exactly what they want - and not with words?

Carlos Cardenas joins Sharon and Aimee to explore neuromarketing, behavioral economics, and AI through the lens of association strategy. Together, they challenge listeners to rethink the role of surveys, retention campaigns, and even data itself - and consider what member behavior may be saying all along.

With shrinking attention spans and overflowing inboxes, associations can’t rely on “spray and pray” marketing anymore. Ahead of ASAE’s MMC + Tech Conference, Sharon sits down with Morgan to talk personalization, omni-channel engagement, clean data, and why email marketing is still very much alive - if you’re doing it right!

What happens when associations stop guessing - and start predicting?

In this episode, Sharon and Aimee sit down with Dr. Michael Carr-Tatonetti to explore how AI is reshaping pricing, programming, and member engagement. With faster insights and richer data, organizations can design smarter offerings, personalize experiences, and unlock entirely new revenue streams.

AI isn’t just transforming tech - it’s entering the most human industries. In this episode, salon owner and master colorist Ruby Devine joins Sharon to explore what happens when artificial intelligence starts generating formulas, analyzing data, and leveling expertise in the service economy. If AI makes everyone “good enough,” what happens to mastery?

Sharon and Garra challenge the reflex to build marketing around birth years. From TikTok news habits to cultural trends that span four generations, they question whether age is truly the issue - or if outdated assumptions about behavior and motivation are the real problem.

What does brand awareness look like when you’re not being targeted by an ad? After a month in Japan and the Philippines, Sharon shares what she noticed just by living - train stations, billboards, vending machines, and theme parks - and what Asia gets right about top-of-funnel, real-world brand exposure.

2026 isn’t about doing more marketing - it’s about doing more of what matters. In this episode, we break down the six shifts redefining association marketing, from geotargeting and behavioral segmentation to smarter metrics, AI’s equalizing force, and the return of email as a powerful owned channel. Unpack why this 2026 will mark a true mindset shift and how associations can finally move from guesswork to meaningful, data-driven action.