For over 25 years, Innovators Alliance (IA) has been a trusted neighborhood for entrepreneurs, bringing collectively Founders, CEOs, Presidents, and senior leaders from Ontario’s fastest-growing small and medium-sized companies. Our community allows them to refine enterprise practices, achieve new views, and search steerage by significant peer connections.
Annually, IA’s member survey affords us worthwhile insights into members’ experiences and priorities, serving to us refine our providers to finest meet their wants. This 12 months’s survey highlighted key tendencies and targets for the 12 months forward, offering a deeper have a look at the priorities driving IA members in 2024 and past.
A Snapshot of IA Membership
IA’s numerous membership spans manufacturing, expertise, and repair sectors, with members producing common annual revenues of $30 million. Right here’s a snapshot:
- Business Illustration: 49% of members work in manufacturing, whereas the remaining are in expertise, providers, and different sectors.
- International Attain: 45% of members function companies internationally.
- Generational Demographics: 50% are Gen X, 34% are Child Boomers, and 16% are Millennials.
Key Advantages and Priorities for Members
When requested what they worth most about IA, members recognized the next prime advantages:
- Structured, Month-to-month Chapter Conferences
These professionally facilitated, 3-hour conferences embrace member check-ins, roundtable discussions, and a deep dive into enterprise plans (generally known as the Innovation Journey). This constant format permits for wealthy, constructive suggestions and enter from friends. - Supportive Chapter Group
Members worth the deep relationships constructed inside every chapter, the place suggestions is constructive, sincere, and supportive. The confidential setting permits for candid discussions and accountability amongst friends. - Entry to Topic Matter Specialists
By way of webinars, workshops, and conferences, members entry professional insights. Highlights embrace two “energy conferences” every year, providing extra studying alternatives and alternatives for engagement throughout the membership.
Targets for the 12 months Forward
When requested about their focus areas for the following 12 months, members recognized the next priorities:
- Confidential Studying and Enchancment
Leveraging the IA neighborhood to achieve insights and discover new concepts inside a supportive atmosphere. - Time to Work ‘On’ the Enterprise vs. ‘In’ the Enterprise
Creating an ongoing alternative to step again, strategize, and think about enterprise challenges from the next perspective. - Publicity to New Improvements
Discovering recent approaches and embracing new strategies to enhance enterprise, by member enter, and new concepts generated from inside the membership. - Accountability and Motion
Harnessing peer assist and accountability to show concepts into actionable steps.
High Enterprise Challenges
In discussing their present challenges, members highlighted these areas of precedence:
- Development and Gross sales
- Folks and HR
- Course of Enhancements
- Leveraging Expertise
New Assets and Alternatives
Members additionally offered suggestions on extra assets by the Alliance, together with these prime requests:
- Sector-Particular and Matter-Targeted Conferences
Extra industry-focused teams (like Manufacturing Sector conferences) or topic-specific classes (e.g., gross sales, social media). - Expanded Networking Alternatives
Higher formal and casual networking choices, equivalent to a brand new IA Member Listing and extra social occasions. - Partnerships with Skilled Sponsors
Connections to new companions providing steerage in key curiosity areas. - Regional Conferences
Occasions that allow members from totally different areas to satisfy and be taught from one another all through the membership.
Key Beneficial properties from IA Membership
When requested in regards to the best advantages they’ve skilled by the community, members recognized these prime outcomes:
- Elevated Readability and Confidence
Members reported larger readability of their roles and an elevated skill to influence their companies meaningfully. - Enhanced Management Confidence
Many reported feeling extra empowered and guaranteed of their management skills. - Expanded Community and Assets
Entry to a broader community and worthwhile assets has confirmed invaluable for a lot of members.
Wanting Forward
We thank all members who contributed to this 12 months’s survey; your enter is invaluable to our strategic planning. In 2025, Innovators Alliance is devoted to increasing programming to satisfy member wants. This consists of the rollout of the brand new interactive IA Member Listing and the extremely anticipated Innovation Alternate Retreat. We’re additionally excited to supply extra regional conferences, business-focused gatherings, and partnerships in areas that matter most to you.
Keep tuned for updates on these new choices as we proceed to assist and empower Innovators alliance members of their ongoing skilled growth and development.
Stefanie is a pacesetter, collaborator, and guide with 20+ years of expertise in fundraising, company growth, and govt management for a number of organizations.Her skilled expertise spans healthcare, training, worldwide growth, and monetary providers.Stefanie is an authorized Skilled Coach, having obtained her CPCC from the Coactive Coaching Institute and is licensed with the Worldwide Teaching Federation, the worldwide credentialing physique for each coaching packages and coaches. She pushed to assist leaders and companies by innovation, curiosity and connection.
