Potomac Core

09/23/2026

Strong trade associations bring people together around what matters most to their industry’s future. That starts with alignment: a shared understanding of the challenges, priorities, and outcomes members need.

Read “Alignment Is the Foundation of Relevance”:

09/17/2026

Writing a book can lead to relationships you never anticipated.

Vicki Johnson recently shared that Rethinking Economic Growth helped inspire her to build Small Business First, an initiative to make small business success a national priority.

That meant a great deal to me.

I joined Vicki’s early discussions over the summer, and it was a pleasure to spend time together this week. She is giving her time, asking questions, and bringing people together around the opportunities small businesses create.

We share a concern for the owners, employees, and families whose futures depend on these businesses.

Thank you, Vicki, for your friendship and for putting so much of yourself into this work.

Small Business First:
https://smallbusinessfirst.org/
Rethinking Economic Growth on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR9CZXFL
Amplify Publishing Group:
https://amplifypublishinggroup.com/
RealClearPolitics:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/

09/16/2026

What an energizing afternoon with the Strategic Guidance Lab yesterday!

There is tremendous value in bringing trade association leaders together to ask thoughtful questions, exchange perspectives, and learn from one another. Yesterday’s meeting was a wonderful reminder of that.

A heartfelt thank-you to Wendelyn Jones and the IAFNS team for their generous hospitality, and to Mark Halperin for making the trip and delivering a terrific discussion of the midterm elections and the emerging 2028 presidential field. Mark’s insights and thoughtful responses to the group’s questions made for an engaging afternoon.

We were also delighted to welcome our newest members, Catherine Gahres, Claire Sheahan, and Debbie Witchey!

My sincere thanks to everyone who made time to join us and contribute to this community:

Audrey Copeland, Brian Crawford, Celia Winslow, Chris Morton, Mike Copps, Claire Sheahan, Chris Swonger, Craig Purser, Darrell Smith, Don Allen, Francis Creighton, Jason Blake, Jason Lee, Jon Kulok, Kate Offringa, Maria Ghazal, Rob Underwood, Robb MacKie, Sara Stickler, Scott Breen, Scott Lynch, Stephen Sears, Vicki Johnson, Michele Stanley, and Juan Carlos Scott.

I am grateful for the candor, experience, and friendship you bring to the Strategic Guidance Lab. The opportunity to step back from our daily responsibilities and learn from leaders across industries is something I deeply value.

Already looking forward to our conversations in 2027!

09/09/2026

Fighting and Winning the Battle for Relevance and Industry Alignment. Fighting and Winning the Battle for Relevance and Industry Alignment.

How SFIA Is Mobilizing the Stakeholders Who Determine Whether Steel Framing Is Understood, Specified, Approved and Chosen A trade association’s greatest opportunity is not simply to serve the market…

08/27/2026

Can a Trade Association Stay Busy and Still Fall Behind?

Programs may be well attended and communications frequent, but those measures do not reveal whether a trade association’s strategy is keeping pace with the forces reshaping its members’ businesses. SC&RA’s experience shows how an outside-in strategy can connect workforce, permitting, infrastructure, and technology pressures to coordinated industry action.

SC&RA’s outside-in strategy links workforce, permitting, infrastructure, and technology pressures to coordinated industry action A trade association can be busy and still fall behind.

08/21/2026

Potomac Core helps trade association CEOs and boards anticipate change, align their organizations, and accelerate industry growth.

We bring executive-level market research, scenario planning, strategic roadmaps, governance alignment, Value Imperative refinement, and revenue and growth strategy together in one disciplined advisory process.

Our work is dedicated exclusively to trade associations and helping their leaders turn uncertainty into focused action.

Learn more:

Learn More Contact Us Founded in 2012 in Arlington, Virginia, Potomac Core is a strategic advisory firm dedicated exclusively to Trade Associations. Executive-level market research Strategic planning…

08/21/2026

By the time many trade associations approve their plans for 2027, their members will already have made the decisions that shape next year.

Companies are allocating capital, putting AI into operation, changing workforce plans and reconsidering markets and supply chains.

That means a board’s most important planning question is not simply, “What should we add next year?”

It is, “What are our members already changing, and what will they need from us because of it?”

Associations become more valuable when they identify those signals early, distinguish individual concerns from industry-wide constraints and align their strategy before the consequences arrive.

2027 is already underway inside members’ businesses. The association’s strategy should be there too.

Your members are making 2027 decisions now. Here are four actions trade association leaders can take to keep strategy aligned, actionable, and agile.