WOMMA CEO steps down
December 11th, 2006
Readers of the P.I. Blog know that I am a big fan of Andy Sernovitz and the brilliant job he has done in leading the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) for the last couple of years. Andy has helped this startup association with the funny name make an important mark on its field, and his approach to leadership has shown tradition-overdosed associations how to make a membership organization succeed beautifully in a Web-enabled world.
This morning, the WOMMA Board of Directors announced that Andy will be leaving WOMMA at the end of his contract in March to pursue consulting and speaking opportunities. Below is the remarkable letter that Andy sent out to members, staff and other WOMMA supporters:
To: WOMMA Members, Staff, Supporters, and Friends
From: Andy Sernovitz, CEO
Date: December 11, 2006
RE: Moving on…
With mixed emotions, it’s time to share with everyone that I plan on leaving my leadership role with the Word of Mouth Marketing Association when my contract expires in a few months. It has been an intense and rewarding experience, but it is time to return to civilian life.
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve such a wonderful organization and such incredible people. I am deeply grateful for the dedication and support from so many WOMMA members and friends, and I thank you for letting me share this experience with you.
Come April 1, I’ll be consulting, writing, speaking, teaching, and helping a few startups — sharing the wonders that I have learned working with the amazing innovators in the WOMMA family. I will also be looking for new ways to teach WOMMA’s philosophy of ethical marketing to new communities. And, of course, I will remain passionately involved with WOMMA as an active member and will continue to support and promote our amazing organization.
Experience confirms a lesson that my dad taught me about starting a business: The most important service a true entrepreneur can provide to his company is to get the hell out of the way when the startup days are over.
WOMMA is no longer a startup, just as word of mouth marketing is no longer an experiment. We have built the most exciting marketing organization anyone has ever seen, and done it faster and with more impact than anyone has ever done before. We’re a classic startup story: In only two years we went from 10 members and a guy working from his kitchen table to a 330-member powerhouse that is changing the marketing landscape.
We have built what we need to keep WOMMA thriving for the long term: True leadership by dedicated elected members; an active, growing membership; a talented professional staff; and a rich set of programs. We have made our topic top of mind with consumers, media, government, and business — and established ourselves as the organization of record.
Our leadership on marketing ethics has raised the bar for all business. Little ol’ WOMMA has changed the game, and made ethics topic No. 1 in marketing innovation. I hope we will continue to lead and drive the conversation. We must do it because it is the right thing to do … and because honest marketing is better for business. Our movement is the first business organization to put consumers and business on the same side of the table, for the greater good of our companies, our societies, and our families.
I can assure you that I leave you and WOMMA in very good hands. I knew that I could step out when two special milestones were achieved: True member leadership and a talented professional staff.
We have an elected Board of Directors that is truly representative of the membership, with big vision and boundless talent. They are excellent stewards of our organization and vision. I have faith in them to secure our legacy and take it to new heights.
I have complete confidence in our professional staff to run this organization effectively, efficiently — and with the same spirit of innovation that has made us so successful. WOMMA’s team is exactly what we need. Their skill and dedication will surpass your expectations and make your vision a reality.
Most important, however, are each of you. Ultimately, an association is not about its leaders or its staff. It is about the members — your active participation, your smart ideas, your willingness to work together to build an industry. You have a rare gift in WOMMA, one that few industries ever have: a platform to help you and your company realize your most ambitious visions. Make the most of the opportunity.
Stick with WOMMA. It is the only way to promote and protect your business and our collective interests. WOMMA members are the good guys.
In the months remaining, I’m looking forward to continuing the smooth transition already well underway. But now is a good time to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this organization possible. The depth of my appreciation for the staff and hundreds of volunteers can never be truly expressed. The same goes to the friends and supporters who sent in a membership check back in the hardscrabble days, just because we looked like we were working hard and it sounded like a good idea. Your faith in me and the idea that this industry must be pulled together have created a legacy that will last long beyond our own involvement. Please accept my genuine gratitude for your trust and this opportunity.
Let’s raise a toast to the greatest business there ever has been. Here’s to the next 20 years!
At your service,
Andy Sernovitz
What makes this letter remarkable to me is the language Andy to share the richness of his experience. I encourage you to read it carefully a second time and ask yourself how many of Andy’s words and phrases would accurately describe your association.
+Does your organization have “a spirit of innovation” that allows its members to realize their “most ambitious visions?”
+Does your association have staff and leaders who are “amazing innovators” with “big vision” and “boundless talent?”
+Are you “a true entrepreneur” with the courage to move on when its time to “get the hell out of the way?”
Andy, congratulations on making a real difference in a very short time. You’ve given our community a powerful illustration of what an association can be, and your leadership will be missed!
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