Announcing the Advisory Team We've Always Had
By Greg Kohn, CEO
Since our founding in 2000, Virtual, Inc. has been guided by a simple belief: organizations achieve better outcomes when strong strategy and excellent execution work hand in hand.
Today, we're making visible something that has always been part of our DNA: a dedicated Advisory Team focused on helping membership-based organizations navigate their most important "Now to Next" moments.
The truth is, this isn't a new capability for us. It's one we've been building, refining, and delivering for more than two decades.
Over the years, our advisors have helped launch industry consortia; guided growth strategies; redesigned governance models; strengthened member value propositions; facilitated strategic planning efforts; and helped organizations align around ambitious new futures. We've worked alongside leading technology consortia, standards groups, trade associations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations – including organizations such as The Gates Foundation, The World Bank, and Habitat for Humanity Canada – to solve complex challenges and create lasting impact.
As I look across the landscape today, it's difficult to find a membership-based organization that isn't confronting some form of transformation. For some, it's a changing business model. For others, it's evolving member expectations, competitive pressures, governance challenges, or the need to establish clearer strategic priorities.
At Virtual, we call these inflection points "Now to Next" moments.
They're the moments when organizations must decide not only where they want to go, but how they'll get there. And they require more than good ideas. They require practical insight, clear alignment, and a path to execution.
That's what makes Virtual different.
Many firms provide advice. Even more firms provide execution. Few bring both together in a meaningful, integrated way.
Our advisory work is also informed by something unique: decades of experience helping membership organizations operate, grow, govern, engage stakeholders, launch initiatives, and deliver results. We don't just help organizations envision what's next – we help them make it real.
That's why, as of July 1, we've formally established the Virtual Advisory Team as a dedicated practice within our company. By organizing and investing more intentionally in this area, we're creating additional focus, flexibility, and capacity to help more organizations address their most significant strategic opportunities and challenges.
The Advisory Team isn't new.
What's new is our decision to put this capability front and center.
The challenges facing associations, consortia, standards organizations, foundations, and other membership-based entities have never been more complex – or more urgent. We're excited to help more leaders navigate those moments of transformation with confidence, clarity, and lasting impact.
I encourage you to meet our Advisory Team here. Even more importantly, I invite you to bring them your challenges and opportunities.