Answers for Associations began with a question we heard again and again from association professionals:
"Who should we talk to for this?". "Who’s doing it well?"
Behind those questions was something deeper — leaders trying to make a difference but often doing it alone. There was no single place to find trusted peers, partners, or practical advice that truly understood the association world. We saw passionate professionals with brilliant ideas and bold ambitions but without the network or knowledge-sharing platform to help them turn those ideas into action. Every conversation pointed to the same gap: a need for connection, collaboration, and clarity.
In December 2017, Angela and Belinda realised something big was happening. What started as a few casual conversations lit up into a pattern they couldn’t ignore. Association and not for profit professionals everywhere were dealing with the same challenges, searching for clarity, and craving a place where people truly understood their world. So they built it a space where you can share what you have learnt, ask the real questions, and actually get somewhere faster because you are not doing it alone.
When it came time to choose a name, it was obvious. This community existed to connect people to what they needed most the answers, the clarity, and the support that helps you move forward with confidence. Answers for Associations was born from that spark, and that drive has powered everything we have done since.
Where Connection Came Alive
That belief came to life when we hosted our first Association Leaders Retreat in Alice Springs in 2018, in partnership with Northern Territory Business Events and the incredible Adrian Segar — the pioneer of participation-rich “unconferences.” It was nothing like a typical industry event. No slides. No stages. No one talking at you. Instead, it was built around the people in the room — their challenges, their questions, and their goals.
Much like what the corporate world now calls customer-centricity, this was leader-centricity in action. Participants shaped the conversations themselves, creating the agenda on day one and steering it based on what mattered most to them. When designed this way, events stop being presentations and start becoming living, breathing experiences — tailored, relevant, and deeply human. That retreat in the heart of the red centre became a turning point. It proved that when you give people space to connect, listen, and lead together, you unlock something extraordinary.
Then came 2019, and with it, Association Annie. Born from the real stories of association life — the chaos, the quirks, and the quiet triumphs — Annie reminded us that even serious work deserves laughter. Her stories gave our community permission to smile at the shared madness of leadership and to keep perspective through humour.
Connection When It Mattered Most
In 2020, when the world shut down, our online community came alive. Conferences stopped, borders closed, but the need to connect exploded. So, we built a space where association professionals could keep learning, sharing, and supporting each other from wherever they were. What started as a lifeline became a powerhouse a place fuelled by generosity, collaboration, and the simple truth that no one should have to do this work alone. Today, it is one of our strongest assets, anchored by a Q&A forum where members swap ideas, solve problems, and push each other forward every day. Because when we pool what we know, we all move faster.
By 2021, our evolution had reached a new level. Leaders were craving support between annual conferences, something smaller, more personal, and built around their real challenges. That’s when the Association Leaders eXchanges were born. Intimate gatherings of senior professionals, guided by expert facilitators, where questions turned into solutions and insights were shared freely. The eXchanges quickly became a cornerstone of our year, taking the conversation to the people and proving that sometimes the most powerful ideas come from the smallest rooms.
Stories That Stick
 | We were ready to give the association sector its own voice so 2022, The Associations Evolve Journal was born — a publication for the thinkers, doers, and changemakers reshaping what it means to lead. It became a space where real stories could inspire real action — where ideas travelled far beyond the event room. The Associations Evolve Journal is now an annual publication featuring bold ideas and practical insights from association experts around the world. It’s designed to inspire, guide, and motivate professionals across the sector. Downloaded thousands of times, the journal has helped guide many in shaping strategy, sparking innovation, and rethinking what’s possible for their members and organisations. |
 | The stories within our community had become too powerful to stay behind closed doors. In 2023, in collaboration with our CEO Angela Shelton and Olena Lima, the Association Hub Podcast was born — a place to capture the energy, honesty, and brilliance emerging from real association leaders. It began as a simple idea: what if the conversations we were having — the raw, thought-provoking, funny, and fearless ones — could reach more people? Angela knew that by sharing those moments, others could lean in too: hearing the innovation, the courage, and the humanity driving this sector forward. What started as a spark has become an ongoing dialogue — stories that remind us that connection is the true currency of leadership. |
The Digital Frontier
In 2024, we stepped boldly into the future with Associations Reimagined: AI & the Digital Frontier. Australia's first AI conference for Associations. It brought association leaders from across the country together to explore one of the biggest shifts our sector has ever seen. We knew this was the beginning of something extraordinary, a moment where technology, creativity, and purpose intersected. Partnering with innovators at the forefront of AI, we offered a glimpse of what’s possible when human connection meets digital transformation.
In 2025, we launched the Global Association Research Initiative (GARI) to capture what leaders were learning on the ground and turn it into a clear snapshot of where the sector is heading. GARI brings together association leaders worldwide to share what they are trying, what is actually moving the needle, and how collaboration can push us further. It is a two year global check in on what works, pulling together data, stories, and real experience to show how the sector is shifting and where the real opportunities are. And instead of letting the findings gather dust, GARI turns insight into action with practical briefings that help leaders make smarter decisions, move faster, and strengthen their communities.
