The joy of being an IMP is that YOU get to define - and redefine - what success looks like for you. How you structure your business can and should evolve as you grow and learn. Decisions that were right when you launched might not be ideal a year or two down the road. Which means it’s worth regularly evaluating your tools, offerings, and systems. Fortunately, the IMP community has a lot of knowledge that we can all tap as we consider our next steps.
This session is for IMPs at any point in their business journey. Three IMPs will briefly share our experiences and how we figured out the next step. We’ll share a Business Check-up resource - a list of questions and prompts to help you periodically evaluate what’s working and what should change. Then, in focused breakout room discussions, we’ll dive deeper on a particular part of the business journey.
Beth Housewert is the Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Inspired Impact, where she helps new museum professionals jumpstart their knowledge and grow their confidence as leaders. With more than 25 years of experience in education and museum leadership, she creates playful and practical opportunities that meet professionals at every stage — from the free Museum Minds Collaborative, to the low-cost Wonder Workshop Series, to personalized coaching, onsite visits, and leadership intensives.
Laura Shepard is the founder and principal historian of Time and Place Historical Research. She cares deeply about public history and collaborating with communities to uncover and share their stories. Previously, she worked as a curator at the High Desert Museum and taught as a visiting assistant professor at Whitman College. Laura serves on the Oregon Historical Quarterly board. Laura earned her doctorate from the University of Michigan. Laura lives in Bend, Oregon, where she enjoys trail running and time on the river.
Betsy Loring began her IMP journey in 2019 with the launch of expLoring exhibits & engagement, LLC. She works with museums and with exhibit design firms to develop interactive exhibitions for multi-generational audiences. Prior to going independent, she worked at the EcoTarium, Museum of Science Boston, and Massachusetts Audubon, and served as project director of the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative.