When I decided to attend Amplify A|E|C in Las Vegas this year, one of my biggest goals was simple: I wanted to get to know my fellow SMPS Colorado members better.

Technical expertise and IQ matter. Obviously. We want our architects, engineers, and contractors to know exactly what they’re doing.

But there’s another kind of intelligence that becomes increasingly important as you move into leadership: the ability to understand yourself, manage your emotions, and navigate everyone else’s.

My SMPS journey began with the Washington, D.C. chapter, where I participated in the mentor program early in my career. The experience helped me grow professionally, find my voice, and gain the confidence to advocate for myself.

When I moved to Los Angeles, joining the local SMPS chapter gave me an immediate connection to the A/E/C community. I once again participated in the mentor program, where I met professionals who would later become my coworkers at my next employer. I also joined the SMPS Los Angeles Social Media Committee to gain insights into committee work. SMPS provided more than professional development; it created relationships that directly shaped the next chapter of my career.

Thursday, September 10. Larimer Square. Mark it down.

My cat, Yeti Monster, has never attended an SMPS conference. She has never written a proposal, developed a marketing plan, sat through a networking event, or given a presentation in front of a room full of people.

And yet, she taught me one of the most important lessons I've learned about being brave: sometimes, you have to decide that you aren't going to be helpless anymore.

When I graduated from Clemson University in December 2020, I spent the next six months serving food at a local restaurant and applying for every job with the word marketing in the title. A classmate wasn't interested in the position, but they passed my résumé along to a family friend instead. That's how I found my way into the AEC industry as a Marketing Coordinator at a small architecture firm in Gastonia, North Carolina. 

At the time, I assumed career growth would come from working hard, keeping my head down, and gaining experience over time. I didn't realize that one decision, to volunteer for an SMPS committee, would completely change the trajectory of my career. I certainly had no idea that five years later, I would be leading the marketing department at my dream firm here in Colorado. 

Have you ever paid for a gym membership and realized it felt like throwing cash into a woodchipper because you rarely used it? Participating in a professional organization as a passive member can feel the same way. The greatest value of membership comes not just from belonging, but from actively participating.

Active membership can help you build relationships, shape chapter programs, develop leadership experience that may not be available at your firm, and become part of a larger professional community. Passive membership may feel easier, but it limits what you and your firm can gain from the organization. When firms see employees actively involved, they have more reason to cover dues, support event attendance, and recognize the value of credentials that can further your career.

When most conversations about AI and marketing start, they usually jump straight to content creation: "Write this proposal section", "Draft this email", "Create this social post." And yes, AI can help with all of that.

But in AEC marketing and business development, one of its biggest advantages is its ability to cut through the noise so there is more room to think strategically.