Only Change is Constant
If there is anything I can take from the past year, it is that change is the only constant.
I began the year with a consolidation and rebranding in my firm. As the year went on, we added a satellite office and bought out another small company. We’ve reorganized some of internal structure and recomposed our leadership team. All the while changing over to new accounting and time keeping software. Now that it seems the dust is finally settling, I find myself leaving the firm to pursue an opportunity too good to pass up.
Life and business are ever changing and adjusting. One of the best things about being a part of a group like SMPS is that it is changing and adjusting right along with you.
We have a national staff that is committed to being at the forefront of industry trends and best practices. Their goal is to make that information available and useful to their membership. The release this year of the Markendium was just such a move. It is a compilation of research put together in a way that make it easy to use — both to take the certification exam or on the job.
I have seen the same type of adaptation on the regional level. I serve on the planning committee and program selection committee for next year’s MVRC. There has been a real commitment to continue to provide two separate tracks for the conference: marketing and business development. We strived to pick programs that fit clearly into one track or the other. Marketing and business development are still very intertwined, but more and more we are asked to take on one role or the other within our firms. The MVRC is committed to helping our members get programs that will help them in whichever discipline they need or allow them to choose programs from both sides if that is the best fit for their role.
On the local level, we continue to change and evolve as well. We strive to put on programs and events that our members will benefit from and enjoy. I encourage you to help us with that. Unlike national, we are all volunteers, so as amazing as your board is, none of us can devote a fulltime effort to this organization. So if we are missing something, please let us know. Help us continue to adjust and change in the ways that can benefit us all!
Brandy Willett
SMPS Wichita Chapter President