The Open Garden Organization: A Blueprint for Associations in the Digital Age

Is Your Association Equipped for the Digital Age?
The future of the association industry is unclear. Within today’s cultural shift in the economic, political, and social climates, associations need to be flexible and ready to evolve to meet the needs of both their audiences and world at large. Today, the threat to associations is the possibility of becoming antiquated due to their lack of willingness or ability to change and modernize with the culture around them. However, this situation also presents an amazing opportunity to experiment, innovate, and ultimately achieve sustainable growth and new levels of mission attainment.
In Amith Nagarajan’s The Open Garden Organization: A Blueprint for Associations in the Digital Age, readers will learn how to experiment in new ways and drive progress forward within their organizations. The backbone of Amith’s method lies in the “Open Garden Model,” which focuses on three main principles: purpose, culture, and inclusivity. The Open Garden Model encourages associations to: • clarify and deepen purpose; • discover and live their values; • embrace a future of uncertainty by taking on many small risks to experiment and learn; • shift their business model to one that embraces an inclusive and expansive audience, reaching far beyond the scope of traditional membership.
The Open Garden Model will help associations grow their new market far beyond their traditional base, create new and sustainable revenue streams, and elevate their brand’s credibility and member loyalty. Ensure your association has the ability to sustain and thrive in today’s changing world.

AMITH NAGARAJAN’s association career began shortly after he founded Aptify in 1993. Aptify initially provided technology to Fortune 1000 companies and had no involvement with associations. A few years later, Amith was fortunate to unexpectedly run into his first association client. Shortly thereafter, recognizing the immense need and opportunity in the association software market, Amith decided to focus exclusively on associations. Aptify grew rapidly and was placed on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States twice. Since then, Amith has been involved with a number of high-growth startups in and out of the technology industry. Additionally, he has served as an advisor and a board member for many not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Today, Amith is focused on rasa.io, an artificial intelligence company for associations, and AssociationSuccess.org, a digital platform that enables associations to share their ideas, strategies, and knowledge with their peers. Amith earned his bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo and also completed the Entrepreneurial Master’s Program run by Entrepreneurs’ Organization and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.