The Shortlist Episode 74: SMPS Life: Making the Most of Your Membership

In this episode of The Shortlist, we’re spotlighting the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and all the value it brings to AEC marketers. Host Wendy Simmons is joined by Senior Marketing Strategists Grace Takehara and Katy Byers for a fun and reflective conversation about how to get the most out of SMPS, regardless if you’re a long-time member or just SMPS-curious.

Grace and Katy swap stories about how they found SMPS, the connections they’ve made, and the professional growth that’s come along the way. From practical tips on easing into your first event, to favorite memories from SMPS conferences, they share their suggestions for getting involved.

SMPS offers countless ways to build your network, gain leadership experience, and grow your career—from roundtables and education sessions to national conferences and casual socials. This episode is full of ideas and inspiration to help you make the most of your membership and feel confident stepping into new opportunities.

Podcast Transcript

Welcome to The Shortlist.

We're exploring all things AEC marketing to help your firm win The Shortlist.

I'm Wendy Simmons, and today we're talking with two Middle of Six senior marketing strategists.

We've got Grace Takehara and Katy Byers.

Hi, Grace.

Hello.

Hi, Katy.

Hi, Wendy.

Thank you both for being here.

Katy, you are new to the podcast.

This is your first Shortlist podcast.

Have you been on any other podcasts?

I have not.

This is my first podcast ever.

Exciting.

Well, like we've chatted about previously, this is a super casual conversation.

We like to think of it as letting our listeners come in and just sit in a meeting or any one of our huddles and that kind of thing at Middle of Six, just get to digest a topic and dig in and hear from the team.

So thanks for being here.

Thanks for being brave.

And today, our topic is getting the most out of your SMPS membership.

Or maybe we would like to call this SMPS life because man, we are huge fans of SMPS at Middle of Six.

And I'm pretty excited to talk to you both about this.

You've been really active.

I've been a volunteer for SMPS for years.

For those who aren't familiar with that acronym, this association's acronym is the Society for Marketing Professional Services.

But we just call it SMPS.

That's what everybody calls it, in case you were wondering what that formal longer name is, Society for Marketing Professional Services.

And that's our industry association that is really across all professional services, but has a strong emphasis on AEC.

So you see a lot of marketers and business development professionals who work in AEC and kind of those adjacent areas started on their own.

It was started by an AEC marketer and now has grown across the nation.

There's a national organization and we have local chapters all across the country.

And Middle of Six is a member in many chapters and then sponsors of like kind of up and down the West Coast.

So pretty heavily involved and we'll dig into that.

So that's what SMPS is.

And we are going to talk today about how to get the most of your membership and maybe a little bit about why you might want to be part of this community and what our experiences were being part of SMPS.

Before we start with like some deep questions, I'm curious for both of you, how long have you been members of SMPS?

And maybe a little bit on like why you joined?

Yeah, I can go.

So I have been a member of SMPS since early on in my career, which I'm so thankful for.

So that was back in 2018 that I officially became a member.

My introduction was, you know, being a college graduate, going fresh into an AEC career that I wasn't aware of this huge industry, being thrown into RFQs, SOQs, RFPs, all the acronyms and just what this industry is all about.

You know, there isn't a handbook or a guide for what that looks like.

You have mentors, but you know, you're learning a lot on the job.

And so hearing about our local chapter up in Washington State, which is SMPS Seattle, they were having a fellows forum at the time, which was really a panel of senior AEC marketers talking about the experience of pursuing proposals or pursuits.

And it was just so eye opening.

And it was like, I was nodding my head so much during that initial fellows forum.

And I was like, this is so relevant.

This is what I've been missing, like the missing piece.

So that was my introduction into SMPS was learning through senior leaders.

Grace, did your firm encourage you to get involved when you joined?

So actually, it was my wonderful coworker, who was also a more recent grad, that was doing research and looking into what are some resources that we can tap into, you know, out on the internet.

But if there's anything more local, that'd be great.

And so it was actually my coworker that brought it to attention, which I so appreciate her doing that because it changed the trajectory of both of our careers.

But I would say there was definitely support by the firm that I was at for us to get that education because at the time, it was the two of us.

We didn't have a marketing director.

So this was really trying to help fill the gap of that mentorship, that really specific AEC marketing knowledge.

Katie, tell us a little bit about your, you know, how long you've been a member of SMPS and your story about why you joined.

Well, funny enough, Grace and I joined the same year.

So I have also been an SMPS Oregon member since 2018.

I did not join right out of college, but I did join as soon as I joined the AEC industry.

So my foray into the AEC industry was at a structural engineering firm, and I was lucky enough to be hired by a marketing director who immediately encouraged me to participate in our local chapter of SMPS.

And I just kind of dove in head first.

And those who know me know I'm a very social person.

And so to be able to meet people and hang out and learn from people and have a mentor was something I was very excited about and still to this day, I'm always taking advantage of.

Oh, that's great.

Well, I feel like it's worth then jumping, fast-forwarding ahead to today to hear about a little bit about your current role.

And Grace, we'll go back to you too, to kind of understand what you've been doing more recently.

But Katy, tell us about your role with SMPS Oregon.

Yeah, I am in it right now.

I am SMPS Oregon's president-elect.

I start my presidency for our chapter board in September of this year.

Right now, I am in the middle of planning a board retreat for our board of 12 people.

So that responsibility has been exciting.

I've learned a lot.

There's been a lot of leadership skills that have developed over that time as well.

Yeah, it's a three-year commitment to be the president, president-elect.

And then is it immediate past president?

Is that kind of how they say that third year?

Yeah, each chapter is different, I think, in how they say it.

We call it a past president in the Oregon chapter.

Right, so you really are signing up for a big commitment, and you're one-third of the way through.

We won't make you kind of give us some analysis on how it's been, but it's exciting, I'm sure, to have that role.

And you probably have some big plans that we'll get to hear about through in the future, you know, as we podcast a bit.

What was the, I don't know, was there a catalyst, or what was the thing or a person who maybe encouraged you to be on the board and take that level of leadership?

Well, it's, it's very full circle because my first SMPS Oregon event that I ever went to is called our GROW event.

And it is an event that is held at the beginning of the year, every year, and it is all about membership and how to get involved and what are the benefits of being a member of SMPS Oregon.

And at that first event that I ever went to, I came in, I was a little nervous, I was a little shy, if you can believe it.

And Kelly Johnson, who was the Professional Development Director at the time, invited me to participate in the Professional Development Committee.

She was very excited about my participation, very welcoming, and it made me feel excited.

And that immediately had me ready to be involved in SMPS.

Now, she is actually the incoming president-elect.

So, I have recruited her to be the president-elect this year.

So her and I have definitely kind of orbited around each other during my SMPS tenure.

And I'm very, very grateful for that.

Yeah.

That is a full circle moment.

You know, that's great.

And it'll be fun to see also how far you go, you know, what other kind of like leadership roles and mentorship you can have because seven years into SMPS, you know, that's a good start for both of you.

But, you know, we were just at an event last night where they were celebrating people who had been members for 30 years.

And, you know, that's pretty cool.

So there's there's a lot of room to grow with SMPS throughout your career.

Grace, what about you?

Like, what is your current level of involvement with SMPS?

Yeah.

So with SMPS Seattle, I am involved with the Special Events Committee, which we help support the annual kickoff for the chapter, for example, our annual award ceremony, which we just mentioned happened last night, and a couple of other programming events that are really meant to foster connection and networking and celebrating just the connections that we make within the chapter and also encouraging folks to bring in other peers to introduce them to the chapter.

I'm also involved with helping with the sponsorships for the chapter annually.

So that is working with the president of the chapter, the president-elect, other leaders to really drive engagement with firms throughout the region to foster that healthy budget for us.

So it's been a really great way for me to connect with firms that I've heard of or know of.

And just having that reason to reach out has been really great for just making introductions and building that network.

Well, thank you both for the volunteers and that you show through your involvement in SMPS.

I know, Grace, I know you so well.

And I know your organization and communication is awesome and very much valued.

And it's cool that you get to serve in two different committees, right?

See two different sides of it.

Yeah.

I've heard little tidbits of this as you've just been introducing, like why you joined and the value you saw.

But I am curious if you have a thought on what is the greatest benefit that you've received from SMPS over these last seven years.

It's the people.

Last night at the event for that, that was just so celebratory.

And it didn't start out this way.

You know, you build those connections over the course of the years that you're involved.

And it's just so nice to come into a room and see both familiar faces, but the new faces because it shows that there's the chapters either growing or new people are just coming back or getting reconnected with the chapter.

So it's really the people for me and the connections that you make.

And, you know, pursuing a project and building those relationships with other marketers at firms, that is valuable.

But it's also valuable just to have a space where you can connect with marketers, talk about things that are either going really well and that you're really excited about, or working through some challenges that you may be having, because more likely than not, other people are experiencing those.

So it's just the people and the connections.

And I just am really thankful for the amazing people that are involved with SMPS and just feeling like you're not alone.

Katy, what about you?

Yeah, I mean, I think people is definitely the answer to that.

It goes beyond just relationship building, but also resource connecting, like being able to ask a group of people, what photographer do you prefer for your headshots?

Or do you have a recommendation on a writing class or a writing director?

Like those kinds of things have been really helpful throughout my career.

As somebody who has been a sole marketer for a firm multiple times, I have leaned on my SMPS support group.

Some call it a network.

I call it a support group a lot.

And asking for advice or even getting feedback on content, things like that.

So I think that those relationships have been invaluable.

I think that SMPS has definitely sling-shotted my career trajectory, but it has also developed some relationships that I plan on maintaining for the rest of my life.

Yeah.

When I think back to all the people I've met over the years, I've been part of SMPS since 2008.

So that's 17 years, about a decade more than you two.

And I think I've collaborated with, connected with, met casually, developed deep relationships, all of the variety of things with so many people.

And I wonder if there weren't SMPS, how would I have made that community?

I mean, it would definitely be different, for sure.

And I don't think it would be as rich with all of those people with different experiences and that are at different points in their career and they are eager to help or needing help.

And it allows us to stretch and practice our business development and networking skills and all of that.

It's just actually kind of hard to imagine what these last 17 years would have been like in my AEC career without that.

So yeah, that's a great answer.

It's all about the people and those relationships, which is pretty much what our business is all about as well.

Yes.

For those who might be listening and aren't members of SMPS, wondering if they should join, what would you recommend?

What are some good ways to try out SMPS or anything that you've seen or you would recommend to get a taste or flavor decide if it's worth it?

I think going to events is the best way to test it out.

Most of the chapters, every chapter is different in their programming.

Most of the chapters hold regular happy hours, things that you should be able to pop into and get to know people.

I think that's a really good way to test it out.

Yeah.

I would recommend echoing the attending a workshop or educational event that resonates, I think is definitely a great way to see if the content is resonating and the subject matter.

That was kind of my gateway into SMPS.

I also would say that reaching out to the president or some form of leadership at the chapter would be worthwhile because they're always looking for people, new members, interests, and I'm sure that there's opportunity for them to help you get looped into an event, have them already have that introduction.

And so I think that it's worthwhile to reaching out and seeing how you can get into the folder, learn more too.

Yeah, that's a great point, Grace.

Just a couple of weeks ago, somebody had emailed me asking how they could get involved in the SMPS Oregon chapter.

And I, of course, have many opportunities to get involved.

That's a shameless plug there for anybody who's listening from the Oregon chapter.

Email Katy.

And I was eager to meet up with her, and we actually ended up meeting up on a Saturday.

Like my daughter went and played at the park, and we drank coffee together and just talked about the industry and how she can get involved and what her passions are and what her plans are with her career.

And it was really fulfilling.

And I'm excited to see how she can be involved in the chapter and how we can develop that.

The events in every chapter is a little bit different on the frequency and how many are in-person versus virtual, but they always offer a non-member or what they, I like the better version of that, which they say on a lot of the websites is future member, because they're expecting people to enjoy it.

So they're definitely welcoming to people who want to go to an event and start, maybe you don't realize how many people you might know from the industry, who are there.

So getting out from behind your desk and into an educational event or a networking event of some sort is a good way.

And then maybe connecting with another member through that to just pick their brain a little bit more, see what they're doing, see how they've gotten the best value and find something that works for your schedule and your team and dynamics you might be considering when joining an association.

What about round tables?

Are either of you members of round tables?

That's a pretty popular SMPS feature.

Oh, I am a member.

Well, I'm not actively a member right now.

I had to say no to some things when I accepted my role as the board president.

However, I have been a member of a round table really since I joined SMPS.

I started with the coordinators corner round table when I first joined the industry, which was really fun and more like a group therapy session sometimes, but very important and necessary.

And then I went into marketing and communications and that was really valuable.

And then I had a role as the director of education for the Oregon Board for many years.

And in that role, I oversaw our round tables.

So I really got a peek behind the scenes on how facilitating them works and really how valuable they are and how much participation there is.

I always tell people that's the number one member benefit of joining SMPS Oregon is participating in that round table.

And it does not cost anything in addition to your membership.

That's what we say too in Seattle.

Well, yeah, the round tables are the most popular member benefit, and they have to limit them in the Seattle chapter to, you know, you can be part of one.

If you're a facilitator, you can facilitate your round table and then also be a member in another round table just to allow you to sit not in the facilitator seat and gather something.

But they're so popular, they've added many, many.

I don't know what the current count is, but I'm the facilitator of the South Sound Round Table, which is fun.

It kind of captures anyone who doesn't want to drive to Seattle.

So if you're in that category, you can join our group and it's very casual, but we always have a topic and people kind of bring what's kind of top of mind related to that and have a nice conversation.

It just happens that ours isn't an overly structured round table, but great turnout and people just are happy to have that time, you know, once a month to, like Grace was mentioning, like, you know, see what challenges others are facing and say, can I pick your brain on swag or this, whatever it might be, any number of topics, really, it's all available.

But that can be a good way if it's allowed in your chapter to try on SMPS too.

It's a member benefit, but at least in Seattle, where, you know, we can allow someone to just pop into one and get a flavor for that since it is such a popular thing.

It has been great to see the round tables evolve and the topics evolve from when I first started being more engaged with SMPS.

The topics that they're starting to weave into the round tables, some of them are more subject matter round tables.

I see the data underground, for example, at SMPS Seattle for a round table.

But then there's more regionally based round tables.

So that's been really cool to see the round tables evolve and adapt to some of the bigger ideas that are constant top of minds for marketers.

So I would encourage folks to just kind of scope out what the round table subjects are for your chapter and see, you know, is it more, I'm more interested in the regionality of the discussion or is there a specific subject matter?

And I don't know if that's the same down in SMPS Oregon, Katy.

Ours are very subject matter focused in Oregon.

I will say, as far as round tables go, I think that in addition to scoping it out, if there is a round table that you want that you don't see, reach out to chapter leadership.

That's an opportunity for you to start a round table.

Maybe there's a history, there was that round table, and then they didn't have anybody to facilitate it.

You could step in and be the facilitator and you could start that venture again.

I love it, you just like take the bull by the horns, right?

If you don't see what you want, make it happen.

Start that group.

I think you'd find there's a lot of willingness, openness, energy around that with an SMPS.

Like Katy said earlier, like, oh, if you're looking to be involved, just email me and we'll find that spot.

Okay, well, the roundtables are very intimate, safe because it's this like smaller group where you can have these focused conversations.

Very nice environment.

And another awesome environment are the conferences.

SMPS has the big National Amplify AEC once a year, you know, somewhere across the country.

And then there are regional conferences and there are a whole bunch of them.

Everyone on this podcast has attended the Pacific Regional Conference, which is up and down the West Coast and Alaska and Hawaii.

And I'm sure other people who are close by states might pop over if it's in a location that's near them or the chance to see some of their West Coast friends.

So how, you know, what's your experience been with PRC?

I think you both have had pretty involved roles over the years.

And I'd just be curious, like, you know, what you value about that part of SMPS, the conference piece.

It's an opportunity to connect with marketers, people within our industry throughout the region.

And it's great to see them come together.

And just the opportunity to network and connect beyond just your local chapter, I think, is a huge benefit of the conferences.

Yeah, I think the expanded networking opportunities, but also the programming.

I really like the programming.

This last PRC that was earlier this year, I did a workshop for the first time, four-hour workshop, and it was amazing.

I really liked starting out the conference that way.

It made me feel very eager and excited and ready to learn for the rest of the conference.

Right, there's all that early programming you can choose to do, you know, if your schedule allows or if there's a topic that you really want to dig into and more than just the 50 or 90 minute, you know, it kind of varies how long the other sessions are, but to take a deep dive into a topic.

Let's see, any favorite memories from conferences over the year or any stories either of you want to share from being involved?

Dress-up days versus not dress-up days.

Evening events, gosh, there's so much, you know, that goes into a conference.

The first PRC I went to, I didn't attend the evening events.

I don't know why, I just not feel inclined to do so.

And then I found myself deeply regretting that afterwards, because I felt like I wasn't part of the group when everybody was talking about how fun it was.

So this last PRC, I went to all the social events and it was so much fun.

And I was so happy.

There was so much value in that, from not only a networking perspective, but also just relationship and trust building.

You get to know a different part of people, a different side of people when you guys have lays on and martinis in your hand.

So yeah, it's fun.

I'll say favorite memories for me have been in touching on the programming aspect that Katy had mentioned earlier is I know that there's a lot of thoughtful vetting of who is the programming, the topics, and it's just top tier.

And I remember the PRC that I went to, there was a session on psychological safety that really stuck with me, especially within AEC firms and fostering that.

And I took a lot away from that session.

And then also it was just so wonderful.

Middle of Six happened to be one of the presenters that year, and being able to see one of my team members give the presentation about the selection panel and kind of like the psychology behind it, and just seeing how it resonated with people, like we had been talking among the team, and I knew that this presentation was definitely being developed and produced, but just seeing it come to life was definitely a highlight and seeing how much that resonated.

So that's just kind of like a Middle of Six specific memory, but it was just really special to see a room full of marketers, again, just like really resonating with the content and feeling seen.

And it was just really a highlight for me to see that come to life.

Grace, are you referencing the Portland PRC with those two?

Yes.

I think that we were in the same sessions those two times, which is funny because that really shows how SMPS works, right?

We have crossed paths many times, you and I especially, but we're just now really getting to know each other.

Yeah, shared experiences.

And if you think, well, I don't know anyone at these other chapters, I wouldn't know them.

The nice thing is that the people in your chapter do know them.

So you're standing around, grabbing another cup of coffee, sitting with random people at breakfast or going to the elevator lobby.

There's just so many times to have quick, short conversations.

And then in time, you're like, oh, yeah, I did see you last year at PRC.

You start to grow your network beyond just the city that you live in.

And that's really satisfying.

Have either of you been to Amplify AEC?

No, no.

OK, well, we'll get that on your list.

I've been a few times.

Actually, let me think back here.

Maybe my first SMPS conference was when it was called Build Business, which is now Amplify AEC.

So I had the national conference experience before I had the regional conference.

And I often get asked, which one is better?

Which one should I go to?

And it's kind of sort of an impossible question or, you know, impossible answer to give in that way because it just really depends.

But since we're talking about SMPS, maybe I'll just share what I normally say to folks out there is that, you know, the regional conferences are pretty valuable in that you're going to meet people that you're going to more often interact with, even if it's just your own chapter.

I know all the chapters get together usually for a dinner or have some kind of like group photo or just some time to be together as a chapter at regional conferences and national too.

But when you go to national, it feels very well suited if you have a national network or maybe you're part of a company that has team members across the country and this is your chance to come together for that sort of event.

I mean, they're both really good.

I think the programming is really good in both cases, but maybe it's more about which groups of people are you looking to connect with, that national audience.

I'm excited to go to the conference in August and see some people like, oh, I haven't seen them for a whole year because we're not in the same spot all the time.

So both are really good and it maybe just kind of depends on like what your network looks like and where you're trying to grow.

And I don't think you're going to get better programming at one or the other.

They just do such a good job in general with all of that stuff.

So get that on your list.

We'll get that on your list too, ladies, so that you can experience that.

Grace and Katy take Amplify 2026.

That's right.

Oh, it's in Las Vegas in August.

So get your sunscreen.

Never mind.

Grace and Katy do not take Amplify 2026.

Oh, no.

They'll be great.

You know, they've got lots of AC inside.

True.

They're meant for that.

Well, let's see.

What else would you, do you have any things that you want to share?

Just kind of other examples of how to get the most out of your membership.

I feel like given lots of examples of how valuable it is, the other tips you might want to share with our listeners.

I will say that if something seems inaccessible to you, like attending a conference or attending an event or becoming a member, reach out to the local chapter because there are resources, there are student memberships, there are scholarships.

We want people to be involved and we know that it is not the same for everybody.

Everybody does not have the same resources.

That is taken into account when we do our board retreat every year and we look at our programming and we look at our budgets.

Don't be afraid to reach out.

That's a really good reminder.

There are scholarships, there are lots of things, lots of resources available and the local chapters are just incredible about supporting members and future members and helping them stay involved.

Grace, what would you add to that?

Yeah, I was going to say that beyond reaching out to the chapter and seeing what's available resource-wise, a great way to see if a committee, for example, or more of a deeper dive into volunteering is a good fit for you is the SMPS Seattle chapter.

There's an annual kickoff event where each of the chairs of the committees or even board members are there, willing to talk about what the committee is planning to do this year.

What are some of the responsibilities?

So you could either fit into somewhere where you're like, I have a great skill set in that, or you're like, I want to build that skill set.

And so I think that attending events that have that kickoff type of flavor is a great opportunity to just see and connect with people that are doing the work or have been doing the work and seeing what fits with your skill set or what you want to develop.

Because SMPS is a great sandbox for trying out new skills, whether that be leadership or working on an e-blast or the communication side of things or the sponsorship side of things.

And so I just would encourage folks to connect with even like more specifically the committee chair, for example, or a board member on a topic that your interest is peaked on.

Thank you for both sides of those tips about how to be involved and find the things that are going to be like the most valuable to you and the most interest.

I can just say, and I've probably mentioned this before on PAC podcasts or definitely when I'm talking to newer marketers to the industry, I'm like, SMPS is great.

You should join it.

But going beyond just attending the webinars or lunch and learn type of thing, just the single events and being able to find some time to volunteer and get engaged at that level.

It changes the membership completely.

And I am guilty of spending the first bit of my career just head in the computer, work, work, work, work on proposals, hardly had time, didn't feel like I could pull myself away to go to things or couldn't find the extra time.

And that was a mistake.

But that was just kind of like a hardworking person, and not realizing how to add another dimension to their career and to their education.

And then once I started volunteering, the amount of value I get out of the membership has changed a lot.

So you probably hear that from other people out there in the world.

Being more involved is better, but you actually just, you end up getting more than the time that you're giving in that way.

It's one of those things that works out.

So this was basically a commercial for SMPS, but we are massive fans.

It's helped our careers.

It's helped our heads and our hearts get through this sometimes very tough job that we have, and we're really grateful for it.

So thank you both for sharing your thoughts, and hopefully that encourages some people to volunteer or sign up or whatever it is that works for them and their lives.

Thank you both.

Thanks, Wendy.

Yeah, thank you.

Come back, we'll talk about something else next time.

Great to have you both here.

The Shortlist is presented by Middle of Six.

Our producer is Kyle Davis, with digital marketing support by the team at Middle of Six.

If you're looking for past episodes or more info, check out our podcast page at middleofsix.com/theshortlist.

You can follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram at Middle of Six.

Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

Until next time, keep on hustling.

Bye, see you later.

Bye bye.

I did want to mention at the beginning and I forgot that I'm a long time listener of The Shortlist, but I forgot to say it.

Long time listener, first time podcaster.

The Shortlist is a podcast that explores all things AEC marketing. Hosted by Middle of Six Principal, Wendy Simmons, each episode features members of the MOS team, where we take a deep dive on a wide range of topics related to AEC marketing including: proposal development, strategy, team building, business development, branding, digital marketing, and more. You can listen to our full archive of episodes here.