Connector Newsletter October 2021

Message from the Chair/CEO, Julia Demkowski CMC®

THANK YOU

The most important thing to say this month is, Thank You! Thank you to all the Chapter, Committee, and SIG Volunteers who continue to support IMC USA and our members. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of IMC USA and your willingness to give so freely of your time is greatly appreciated. Your commitment makes a difference.

We have had a few sprints launch this past month, so I want to send an additional thank you to the following for agreeing to join fellow consultants to dig in on a few short-term projects! 

• Danny Brewer
• Richard Cruz
• Felix Natar
• Loraine Huchler
• Nicandro Juarez
• Jennifer Leake
• Clint Burdett
• Angela Dingle
• Tom O’Shea
• Jo Smith
• Lisa Apolinski
• Bob Moore
• Don Matheson
• David Norman

Your National Board of Directors is diligently working on several projects to move IMC USA forward with continued focus on membership value, growth, and retention. We ask for your continued support and patience as we prepare to roll out several new and many improved features, benefits, and programs for our members!

Our goal is to create Easy to Volunteer (ETV) opportunities for members who want to help but don’t want to take on a leadership or committee role just yet. As we move toward our overall goal of making it easy and fun to work on committees, chapters, or SIGs, we continue to look for volunteers to help on a few new sprints. These short-term projects are essential to implement the following:

• Update to Membership Category Benefits
• Membership Renewal Campaign 
• Launch of Academy Courses on our new Learning Management System (LMS) 
• Press Releases
• Ambassador Program  
• New Consultant Resources
• Redesign Membership Perks Program
• Update Policy and Procedures in support of the new IMC USA By-Laws
• Update to Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities
• Update To Affiliate Membership Program
• New Strategic Partnership Program
• Marketing to Promote IMC USA, Academy Programs, and CMC
• Creating a process for posting ETV opportunities! 

Our immediate focus is on our 2021 National Conference and the 2022 Membership Campaign. Please help us get the word out by liking and sharing on your social media platforms. Consider reaching out to fellow consultants to invite them to attend the conference and learn more about IMC. We have the best community of management consultants! We need to share that message with others! 

WE ARE gaining traction and with your continued help and support we will reach our first goal of 1K members! 

I look forward to seeing you at Consult-Con in November!

Welcome August - September New Members!

Member Stories: What IMC USA Means To Me

Jennifer Leake CMC®
Hire - Engage - Lead to Retain Key Talent
Assessment Pros LLC

Membership Matters Town Hall 

Wednesday, October 6th at 2:00 pm EDT/ 11:00 am PDT

Join us Wednesday October 6th at 2:00 PM ET for our quarterly Membership Matters Town Hall Virtual Meeting - a facilitated discussion for conversation and to connect with fellow members of IMC USA.

Membership Matters is designed with you in mind! Things to learn and discuss in this month's Membership Matters Town Hall:

• Why attending our Virtual Annual Conference on November 5 - 6, 2021 is important to your consulting success
• Membership Renewal incentives you won't want to miss!
• Your feedback and ideas to build on membership value in IMC USA 

Meeting Information

Location: Virtual/Zoom

Date and Time: Wednesday October 6, 2021, 2:00 PM EDT / 11:00 AM PDT

Cost: Free for Members

Who Should Attend: All Members

Registration Link: https://imcusa.org/membershiptownhalloctober

Contact: Julia Demkowski, [email protected]

Membership

We exist to provide a community for
ethically grounded management consultants who
deliver transformative value to clients.
Thank You for Being a Valued Member of IMC USA!

Now more than ever, here are 5 key reasons to renew your membership for 2022.

• A Community of Consultants: both virtually and in-person. You have a variety of ways to network and learn from fellow members who understand and daily face the same things you do. IMC USA offers support and feedback to help you better understand management consulting and how to best serve clients.
• Learning and Education: It’s impossible to stay on top of everything on your own. Our Annual Conference, C2M Live, IMC USA Academy offerings, Consultants Chat Room, Special Interest Groups (such as Women in Consulting or Non-Profit consultants) are examples of how we bring members together to learn and share. IMC USA and Chapter meetings, both live and virtual, offer learning and networking opportunities around the country to build successful, lasting relationships.
• Resources: We are actively seeking and adding materials, templates and other consulting support tools to the website to help you build and market your business in 2022. 
• Standards and Excellence: The consulting industry is booming with new entrants. Now more than ever, the IMC USA Code of Ethics sets our members apart from "consultants between jobs." In addition, the CMC® mark raises the bar for consulting and distinguishes members who are vetted based on experience and consulting competencies.
• Return on Investment of Dues: In addition to the intangible benefits above, we are developing Members Benefits and Member Savings to increase the Return on Investment on the cost of your annual dues.
   

Reasons to Renew Before October 31st

Lock in your future 2022 Annual dues at the current rate

• Entry in the October AND November drawing to win a free IMC USA Membership
• Reduced Annual Conference pricing – Save $200 off the current Professional or CMC Member $399 rate
• Access to a Management Consultant Personal Assessment and Development Class

Savings if you are considering ( or have been putting off) your CMC: 

- Savings #1: I can do it on my own - Save $100 on the CMC® application fee (if submitted by 10/31).

- Savings #2: I’ve been thinking about it and want to learn more - Purchase the Management Consultant CMC® Study Course - $215 ($50 savings) and be part of a study group for networking and learning.

- Savings #3: I want to do this – but with support and accountability

• CMC® Boot Camp: $500 ($2500 value)
• $100 discount on CMC® application fee
• 4 Sessions with all you need to get through the CMC® process:
• study materials, support, application review and mock panel interview

IMC USA exists for you and because of your commitment and participation.

RENEW TODAY to continue to belong to a group of talented colleagues who care about you and your growth as a consultant.

Consult-Con Virtual Conference 

 We've got a jam-packed annual conference coming up November 5 and 6, with Dr. Philip Kotler, the "father of modern marketing," - José Salibi Neto sharing his 14 Years working with Peter Drucker, the "greatest management thinker of all time" - Dr. Erin Kelly, Sloan Distinguished Professor of Work & Organizational Studies - PLUS self-care and wine-tasting and awards & recognition and lots of special networking segments!

And don't forget the panels! "The Future of Consulting: Repositioning Your Practice in a Post Covid World" will help us reset for the next uncertain "normal" of our lives and careers, and "Consulting Opportunities in a Favorable Global Marketplace: The World Has Gotten Smaller!" will show us how to expand beyond our respective countries' borders. Plus - an additional session has been added for further learning to be led by the Drucker Institute.

Register TODAY!

Special Thanks to this Year's Conference Sponsors 

Diamond Sponsors 

* COVID-19 NOTICE: Some chapter meetings are virtual and some are in-person or hybrid. Please check with each chapter accordingly. Thank you.

• Friday, October 1, 2021 - Southern California: Start the Storm! How Smart Consultants Grow Their Business (Virtual)
  
  
• Friday, October 1, 2021 – Chicagoland: Insights - Creating an Effective Website (Virtual)
  
  
• Monday, October 4, 2021 - Georgia: Ethical Challenges for Consultants and Coaches in a Post-Pandemic World (Hybrid)
  
  
• Tuesday, October 5, 2021 – Northern California: Solving the Paradox of Trust in the New Normal: The Secret of Going From Credibility to Cash (Virtual)
  
  
• Tuesday, October 5, 2021 - National Capital Region: Are You Practicing Good Cyber Hygiene? (Virtual)
  
  
• Thursday, October 21, 2021 - National Capital Region: Happy Hour Discussion Cyber and Data Security (Virtual)
  
  
• Thursday, October 28, 2021 – Georgia: Boosting Your Productivity (Virtual)

There are 10 chapters throughout the United States that serve members on a local basis – including programming and networking. Please click here to determine the closest chapter to your vicinity.

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Nonprofit Consultant Network event:

October 21, 2021
8:00 – 9:30 am PT, 9:00 – 10:30 am MT, 10:00 – 11:30 am CT; 11:00 – 12:30 am ET 

Nonprofit Consultants Network Roundtable 
Leadership for Nonprofit Organization Sustainability  

What is nonprofit sustainability, and how can it be achieved? Bill Taylor, CMC, will discuss his experience helping leaders from over 40 nonprofit organizations create more sustainable futures in Southeast Asia. We’ll learn about the three pillars of sustainability (Financial, Leadership, and Talent) and how to integrate them into a strategic planning process. We’ll also explore the implications of scale on sustainability and how to build internal and external support for the organization’s mission.  Finally, Bill will discuss how pro-bono consulting with nonprofits can enhance career opportunities and personal fulfillment.