89. Joanna Pineda, CEO of Matrix Group, on 25 Years in Business, Being a Troublemaker, Reinvention, and AI

This is a special episode of Associations Thrive. Director of Marketing, Leah Monica interviews Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group International, Inc. on the occasion of Matrix Group turning 25 this month. Joanna discusses:When and why she started Matrix Group.How Matrix Group’s mission has not changed. We help associations and non-profits increase membership, increase revenue, increase engagement, and thrive in the digital space.How there is a real fit between the mission of associations and the capabilities of the web.How during the early days, Matrix group had MMM (Making Matrix Marvelous) nights, during which the staff would devote themselves to developing the internal systems that the organization needed to thrive, including the website, intranet, and extranet.The fortune taped to her desk that says: Nothing stays sold. We need to make sure that we demonstrate to clients that are still the best choice for them because of our services, tech, innovation, people, and culture, even if they picked us 10, 15, or 25 years ago.How to scale your services so that you offer your clients appropriate products and services during lean times and times when they can afford to make investments.How leadership development is one of the most important investments a CEO can make in her organization.Why she’s called the “Chief Troublemaker.”The story behind why Joanna doesn’t like to take no for an answer.The company fundamentals that are so important to the Matrix Group culture. Her favorites are “Do or do not. There is no try.” and “Don’t let your boss make a mistake.”How AI is changing how we do the work, as well as influencing new product development at the company.The advice that she would give to herself or any young entrepreneur just starting out.References:Matrix Group websiteOne of Joanna’s many blog posts on company fundamentals9th Anniversary blog post10th Anniversary blog post