BBB 25 Year Club

Dear Paulette and the 25 Year Club Scholarship Team,

Thanks so much for selecting me as a recipient of a 2025 Phoe-Mix Scholarship!

The meeting was truly amazing and I gained a lot of useful information to bring back to our bureau.

Here is a summary of how I feel I benefited from the meeting and what I believe will truly help me as a new BBB CEO:

1.    I learned a lot about new strategies, especially with Al.

Examples provided were tangible for our team, such as asking Al for 5 reasons a particular business would be a good candidate for BBB Accreditation, to assist with the sales pitch, or asking Al for who in a particular city would be a good candidate to approach.

Before, Al seemed kind of intimating, but after the Phoe-Mix event, based on some of the easy suggestions provided, I have personally used it for a task, sent suggestions to our staff, and have also asked an in-house employee to help check into ways we can use it for leads, based on ideas that were shared. She is also doing more research to provide some simple, consistent tips, to help our staff become acclimated and start using these tools more regularly.

An additional strategy shared that really caught my attention was the Connecticut Purple app, discussed by Jackie MacNight. I am hopeful there will be more exploration into providing this tool to the system, as it is truly amazing the leads they’ve able to procure.

Finally, I was excited by the news of a partnership with Google to train local BBBs and ABs. This appears to be a great opportunity to provide additional value for our ABs with some meaningful certifications.

I’m eager to hear more once the partnership is finalized.

2.    I enjoyed the leadership discussions.

I especially liked the discussion on the type of organizational leadership we want and need. It made me think about the type of leader I would like to be as a new CEO and the responsibility that goes along with being a leader in our BBB system. It was also nice to have an IABBB board member seated at my table who was actively engaged in our discussions and conversations.

3.    I learned of new business perspectives shared in focus groups on our ratings.

I felt this was also helpful to learn more about how individuals view BBB. Being knowledgeable of these viewpoints helps us better foster conversations with local businesses and seek meaningful feedback, as to our worth. It also can help us evolve and provide more meaningful benefits.

4.    It was valuable to hear how others are implementing strategies for branding, customer loyalty, and sustainable revenue.

I am thinking on several of the strategies that were shared now.

 

It stuck with me that “You can sell the most ABs but still not grow” and that our decisions must be thoughtful.

I have already reached out to one of the BBBs on resources to learn more and will see if there is a meaningful way we may use it in our market.

5.    The small group discussions were amazing!

I wish there were time for more.

My small discussion group formed an email group for connection and further discussion. I came away with several ideas I am eager to explore.

6.    Matt Fehling’s share on cybersecurity was eye-opening.

I have a list of items I want to discuss with our IT security providers – to ensure we have placed ourselves in the best possible position after hearing Matt Fehling’s story.

It was noted how much costs should typically run and how to find more on these requirements.

It also was alerting to hear how subtle issues can be – and the large-scale issues that can occur.

I felt this was a very important session.

7.    Brandrank.ai provided a lot of valuable information.

I enjoyed learning about the new tools being explored (Customer Compass, Al Search Visibility) and how they are seeing the seal have a positive impact. The content discussion was also interesting in terms of where customers “see” us.

The quiz was very educational, and it was enlightening to hear how SEO is changing, and the move to AEM.

It’s nice to feel I have some current knowledge in this realm now, relevant to current trends, for potential discussions with our businesses.

8.    I learned a lot about our API.

 I had heard Joe talk about this before, but this session truly helped me better understand the product, its use, and the benefit to us. Joe also provided meaningful examples to help those of us who are less tech oriented understand the goals.

9.    I appreciated the open discussion.

 It was nice to gain a good list of helpful BBB reports and hear some varying opinions on important BBB topics.

I heard the many perspectives on ratings and our business profiles -and it has made me more aware of the customer and business point of view.

 

10. I engaged with a lot of knowledgeable, encouraging people.

 

I was quickly invited into conversations several times by kind individuals who offered their support. I was asked if I had any needs, questions, and offered email addresses and phone numbers for reaching out. Dinner invitations were extended resulting in even more conversations and idea generation. I truly came home with a list of new ideas I am eager to explore! I felt truly supported and have reached out to at least 5 bureaus/CEOs since I left asking to take them up on whatever helpful resource they offered, and I look forward to a time in the future when I can be a resource as well.

 

As a final note, I have attended three Assemblies along with this meeting, and without a doubt found this event to provide the most value and idea generation for our bureau!

I am so excited to now explore ways these ideas might be able to help our bureau grow.

Thanks so much again for providing this small BBB/CEO the opportunity and support to participate in Phoe-Mix! If you have any further questions on my experience, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Susan Bolin

Tri-State BBB, Evansville, Indiana

Hello, my name is Ralph Tolbert, Senior Operations Manager at the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland and proud attendee of this year’s Operations Leadership Training Conference (OLTC) in Las Vegas. Of all the professional development events I have participated in since joining the BBB, the OLTC stands out as one of the most enriching experiences to date.

Connecting with fellow team leaders across the BBB network fostered a sense of belonging and collaboration I deeply value in my professional development. I left the conference feeling energized and more committed than ever to continuous learning. I look forward to attending future leadership events and further engaging with the expert speakers and interactive sessions that make OLTC so impactful.

One of the most compelling sessions this year was Audrea Butler’s presentation on “AI for Leaders.” Her talk helped ease many of the concerns I had about the growing role of artificial intelligence in the workplace. By showcasing the generative, analytical, and predictive applications of AI, Audrea demonstrated how these tools can boost productivity, streamline decision-making, and create more capacity for high-value work.

As the manager of a small operations team, I see real potential for AI to relieve us from time-consuming, repetitive tasks—like complaint publishing—allowing us to shift focus toward more strategic work such as AB application vetting, investigations, and dispute resolution. For smaller BBBs, this shift could significantly improve productivity while reducing team stress and the risk of burnout.

Another standout moment was the Action Plan Workshop, where we were invited to explore and apply AI tools to improve a real-world process in our workflow. I chose to use ChatGPT to revise our outgoing complaint letters, aiming to make them more engaging and increase our non-AB resolution rate. By using some of Audrea’s prompt strategies, I was able to create a clearer, more compelling draft within just 20 minutes—something I believe will have a direct impact on our communications. I highly encourage the committee to include similar hands-on workshops in future conferences, as they allow attendees to immediately put their learning into practice and build both creativity and confidence.

Lastly, what left the deepest impression on me was the opportunity to connect with BBB veterans—some with decades of service. Their insights were both humbling and inspiring. Their stories revealed a resilience and commitment to our mission that is truly rare in today’s professional landscape. These conversations offered valuable perspective on BBB’s evolution and reinforced how much potential still lies ahead for our organization.

I return from OLTC inspired, motivated, and deeply grateful to be part of the BBB community. I’m committed to continuing the legacy of excellence shared by so many before me and helping my team achieve both individual and collective success.

With gratitude,

Ralph Tolbert