Through the Noise

"If you've seen one Chamber, you've seen one Chamber." That's how today's guest, Chris Mead of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives describes the culture of the more than 7000 Chambers that exist around the United States. As independent and unregulated community organizations, any person is free to start and operate a Chamber of Commerce. Our conversation takes an unexpected turn as w...

Grab a cold one and settle down for our conversation with Lester Jones of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Are you ready? It's incredibly easy in the United States and much of the rest of the world to find beer with nearly unlimited varieties and Lester Jones breaks down the elements necessary to turn water into a delicious beer and get it from the brewer all the way to you for your podc...

Immigration is an issue frequently mentioned in the mainstream media but it's almost always covered in a superficial way, overlooking the fact that there are many different circumstances that would prompt a person to leave their home to move to the United States or anywhere else. The Council for Global Immigration helps companies of all varieties ensure they comply with immigration laws while hiri...

America's Charities is one of the preeminent organizations working to connect nonprofits with donors from the private and public sector to increase their reach and grow the funds available to achieve their mission. Today we talk with Jim Starr who is both "running the show and making the show keeps running."  He emphasizes out a well-known fact of development: that people give when they are asked...

With the advent of new technology, there is often a wave of fear which Rob Atkinson calls the "Privacy Panic Cycle." In the 1960s, some people were afraid of transistor radios, thinking that small radios could be slipped into their drinks so that others could listen to their conversations. While this may seem laughable, technology continues to evolve and there is a growing struggle between those w...

Tony Martignetti is a pioneer in the world of nonprofit podcasting and he joined us in the studio while in town from New York. Tony's passion is communicating with nonprofits and he has been the host of Nonprofit Radio for over five years -- broadcasting live every Friday at 1pm (EST). With more than 250 episodes under his belt, he's had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of nonprofit leaders...

BOMA International is like many trade associations in that community, networking, and the sharing of best practices some of the most valued aspects of membership. But BOMA is the only organization representing the interests of commercial building owners and managers, in the US and abroad, and must remain nimble in order to keep up with rapidly evolving building technology and standards. Today we'r...

On Through the Noise, we talk with a lot of brilliant people doing great things in their own niche. But no matter how great your idea, how noble your cause, how lofty your goals, your efforts are wasted if no one can hear what you're saying. Today's guest, Stephanie Cerulo, works to solve that problem and put your message in the hands of the people who need to hear it and are likely to support it....

Meredith Jacobs works to improve the lives of all women and girls. First as a blogger, then columnist, radio host, author, and now as the Communications VP for Jewish Women International, she has had the opportunity to touch a lot of lives. From building libraries around the U.S. for children at domestic violence shelters to working with Greek organizations on college campuses to prevent sexual as...

A few months ago we had John Graham, the president and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), in the studio and today we sat down with his Chief Marketing Officer, Robb Lee, to hear a different side of the story. ASAE is the association's association and, as Robb Lee succinctly puts it, works to "represent the right of everyone to represent what's important to them." Today's...

Today we sit down with Pamela Davis of the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group and she helps dispels the notion that nonprofits don't need insurance. The reasons for having insurance for nonprofits are extremely varied and she recognized a need and solved it by forming nonprofits that insure other nonprofits and have a greater understanding of their needs. NIAC member organizations provide insuran...

It may surprise some to learn that Land O'Lakes, a massive company widely known for producing butter, is not only a farmer-owned cooperative, but also has an international division that works in developing countries to help create sustainable farming practices among people who have extremely limited resources for making a living. We talk with Jennifer Hyman today who travels around the world meeti...

Organizations of every size, focus, and type need supporters, members, customers, or donors to advance their cause or grow their business. If you can't understand the level of commitment or engagement a particular individual has with your organization, how can you approach them in the future? Today we talk with Colleen McCarthy about the necessity of functional databases to accurately maintain rec...

Today Michael Barry schools us on the difference between preventive medicine and preventative. Representing one of the smallest specializations of the medical industry, the American College of Preventive Medicine boasts a membership making up about 50% of all physicians working in the field of preventive medicine. Unlike the traditional doctor you'd visit to treat an illness, the doctors working i...

Today we sit down with Edgar Jimenez to continue our conversation about empowering individuals from communities that are underepresented in academia and various professions. Edgar Jimenez is the president of ALPHA, an all-volunteer organization that helps mentor and provide educational guidance to middle and high school kids as well as veterans and women, all while helping young professionals deve...

Today's guest is Jacob Harold of GuideStar, the organization some consider to be the "Bloomberg of Nonprofits." The nonprofit sector makes up fully 6% of the U.S economy and GuideStar has information on two million different nonprofits. Potential donors want to know if they are giving to an effective organization, but for too long donors and nonprofits have focused on overhead costs to analyze an...

Today's Through the Noise is timely as we're joined by Alex Vidales of the Pilot Waves podcast to talk the benefits of podcasting, different techniques, and important upcoming events for the burgeoning podcasting community in the DC area. Hosting podcasts is an excellent way to grow and promote your business and meet people in your field. Similarly, networking with fellow podcasters is becoming mo...

Latino lawyers make up just 3% of the national average and the Hispanic Bar Association of DC is working to increase that number by providing mentoring and networking between law students, lawyers, and judges throughout Washington, DC. The HBADC is an entirely volunteer-powered organization and many of it's members were the first in their families to graduate high school, college, and to become la...

Should charities have the ultimate goal of putting themselves out of business? We broach this subject with many of our guests and as we sit down today with Michael Curtin of DC Central Kitchen, we get an unusual response. DC Central Kitchen does so much more than providing 11,000 meals a day to people and organizations around Washington, DC and it operates under the premise that any waste is bad -...

Soliciting donations from supporters is one of the main ways that charities and other nonprofits are able to accomplish their goals and today we speak with Ron Barrett who helps us navigate the complicated registration requirements so organizations can stay on the right side of the law. Keeping up with different registration laws across the U.S. can be a major barrier to entry for small orgnaizati...

Many nonprofit leaders and staff are adept in their cause and focused on their goals but lack the panache to make the essential "ask" of donors which will enable them to successfully continue their work. Derry Deringer has put background in tech sales to good use helping nonprofit leaders become more effective communicators and fundraisers. Learn some of secrets of the trade today and gain confide...

Most of us are familiar with the household names of Fortune 500 companies that represent billions of dollars in revenue but between the massive companies and the mom and pop shops are middle market companies that make it possible for many of these businesses to exist. Middle market companies are the major drivers of the U.S. economy, providing 26% of the jobs even though they only make up 1% of th...

We consistently explore the intersection of technology and communications on Through the Noise and today we had the chance to sit down with Marlene Wong who has been in the marketing business for 20 years. The past two decades have brought dramatic and unforeseen changes to the way we interact, find and share information, and conduct business. We discuss the changing landscape of Washington, DC, h...

Grab a beer and join us for this raucous conversation with Josh Anton, founder of the app DrunkMode. If you've ever had a little -- or a lot -- too mu ch to drink, you'll appreciate this innovation that can help you save face by locking your phone and preventing drunk dialing or calling. Built for almost nothing, the app now boasts 650,000 users, including 30% internationally and 12% in the United...

For decades, nonprofits had a finite number way to communicate with their supporters but direct mail and other slower, paper-based methods of interaction are slowly fading with t he consistent advent of new technologies. We talk with Lynn Labiniec, CEO of an Arlington, VA-based digital agency, Beaconfire RedEngine about past and emerging trends and creative ways that nonprofits can reach out and "...