Your Annual Family Reunion
By Causby Challacombe, Director of Membership
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” —Coretta Scott King
As Director of Membership, I have the honor of meeting members from across the world, hearing their unique stories and learning how we can support their success.
At each NAMM Show and Summer NAMM, the Member Center serves as a central location where association members can stop by, connect with our team and learn more about how to maximize their membership. All members that visit are also given the chance to win a free renewal for the coming year. When we contacted Tristann Rieck of Brass Bell Music Store in Glendale, Wisconsin, to tell her she had won, her immediate response was, “Can I donate it to a music store that is not a member but needs to be?” And just like that we welcomed a brand-new member to the NAMM community: Pacetti’s Music in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Thank you, Tristann, for your commitment to this industry and paying it forward.
I am frequently asked, “What is the biggest benefit of belonging to NAMM?” Members receive a substantial financial return, with access to two world-class trade shows, advanced professional education opportunities, business service discounts and music education advocacy resources.
But in my opinion, hands down, without a doubt, the biggest benefit of being a NAMM member is the sense of community. Membership bridges and connects communities within the music products industry. Some even say the NAMM shows are like coming home. There’s a reason why members refer to it as an annual family reunion.
There are many close-knit communities within NAMM. In fact, if you haven’t attended the D.C. Fly-In, then put it on your calendar now! This is truly a “paying-it-forward opportunity” to advocate for the right of every child to learn and grow with music. It’s also a great bonding experience for staff and members alike and epitomizes the saying, “doing well by doing good.”
In addition, the NAMM Young Professionals recently launched a mentoring program that is a rich development opportunity for both mentees and mentors. Are you under 40? The Young Professionals program is a great way to gain advice on a goal that you want to achieve but aren’t sure how to get there. If you’re an experienced retailer, how did you get to where you are today? Sign up today to be a mentee or pay it forward and volunteer to be a YP mentor.
Another community within NAMM that’s just getting started, but is already making a big splash is SWIM (Smart Women in Music). The SWIM fund aims to support women in the industry in three key areas: mentoring, learning and professional development.
Other very active communities are the Top 100 Dealers, NAMM U, our NAMM Show exhibitors and the SupportMusic Coalition on Coalitions.
If you would like to become more active in any of the communities mentioned above please email us at membership@namm.org. And, if you aren’t a member of NAMM, let’s talk! We want to hear from you as well.
Planning to attend The 2019 NAMM Show? Be sure to stop by the Member Center. This is your home during The NAMM Show, and a comfortable place to meet with other members, grab some water or just take a break. The Membership team and I will be there to answer any questions you may have—not to mention, you may just win a free membership renewal!
NAMM Membership: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” —Helen Keller