acp blog

Don’t Let the Scariest Risks Be the Ones You Didn’t See Coming

Building Business Resilience by Uncovering Hidden Vulnerabilities

As October comes to a close and Halloween approaches, it’s a fitting time to consider something that can be far more frightening than ghosts and goblins: the business risks hiding in plain sight.

For business continuity and resilience professionals, some of the greatest threats aren’t the dramatic events that make headlines. They’re the overlooked dependencies, outdated assumptions, untested recovery procedures, and small operational weaknesses that quietly grow until a disruption exposes them.

The most dangerous vulnerability may not be the one you know about. It may be the one you haven’t thought to look for.

What’s Hiding in Your Organization’s Resilience Plan?

Organizations invest significant time and resources developing business continuity plans, disaster recovery strategies, and emergency response procedures. But even the most comprehensive plans can develop blind spots as businesses evolve.

As we approach the final two months of 2026, now is an excellent opportunity to uncover those hidden risks before they become real-world disruptions.

Consider these five potential resilience blind spots:

1. The Ghost of Outdated Plans

When was the last time your business continuity plan was reviewed against actual operational changes? New technology, organizational restructuring, employee turnover, and evolving business processes can quickly make even well-developed plans less effective.

2. The Skeletons in Your Supply Chain

A critical supplier may appear reliable until an unexpected interruption reveals how dependent your organization has become. Understanding third-party vulnerabilities and identifying alternatives can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a prolonged operational disruption.

3. The Disappearing Workforce

Holiday schedules, seasonal illnesses, and unexpected absences can create staffing challenges. Are essential functions dependent on just one or two individuals? Cross-training and clearly defined backup responsibilities are critical components of operational resilience.

4. The Cyber Threats Lurking in the Shadows

Cybercriminals don’t take holidays. Increased online activity, seasonal phishing attempts, and reduced staffing can create additional exposure. Cyber resilience requires coordination among information technology, cybersecurity, business continuity, and organizational leadership.

5. The Frightening Reality of Untested Assumptions

Perhaps the greatest risk of all is believing an organization is prepared simply because a plan exists. Tabletop exercises, scenario testing, and lessons-learned reviews help transform written procedures into demonstrated capabilities.

Turn Awareness Into Action Before Year-End

Resilience is not measured by the number of plans an organization maintains. It is demonstrated by its ability to anticipate disruption, respond effectively, adapt under pressure, and recover critical operations.

Before October ends, challenge your organization to identify one overlooked vulnerability and take meaningful action to address it.

That action might be updating a critical contact list, validating a recovery time objective, reviewing a vendor dependency, or conducting a brief exercise with operational leaders.

Small improvements today can prevent significant consequences tomorrow.

There’s Nothing Scary About Having a Strong Professional Network

While business risks can be unpredictable, navigating them doesn’t have to be a solitary responsibility.

The Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) connects individuals who share a commitment to strengthening business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis management, emergency preparedness, and organizational resilience.

Through professional networking, educational opportunities, collaboration, and shared experiences, ACP members gain access to a community of professionals who understand the challenges of preparing organizations for the unexpected.

The ideas exchanged through a single professional connection may help uncover a risk, improve a strategy, or inspire a solution that strengthens an entire organization.

Resilience grows stronger when knowledge is shared, relationships are built, and professionals learn from one another.

ACP Members: Help Us Take the Fear Out of Growing Our Profession

Our greatest strength as an association is our membership. Every member brings valuable experiences, perspectives, and expertise that contribute to the success of our professional community.

As we approach the end of the year, let’s make membership growth a shared priority.

Here’s your challenge: Invite one professional to discover ACP this week.

Think about a colleague in risk management, information technology, emergency management, operations, security, or organizational leadership who could benefit from connecting with our community.

Share what ACP membership has meant to you. Invite someone to learn more about the association. Encourage an emerging professional to become involved.

Every new member strengthens our network, expands our collective knowledge, and helps advance the business resilience profession.

Don’t keep the benefits of ACP membership a secret. Share them!

Not an ACP Member? Don’t Miss Out on a Community Built for Resilience.

If you are responsible for helping your organization prepare for, respond to, or recover from disruption, you belong in a community that shares your professional interests and challenges.

ACP offers opportunities to connect with experienced professionals, exchange practical ideas, expand your knowledge, and build relationships that can support your career.

Whether you’re an experienced continuity leader or just beginning your journey in organizational resilience, there’s value in being part of a professional network dedicated to preparedness and continuous improvement.

The next challenge your organization faces may be unexpected. The professional relationships you build today can help you be better prepared for it.

This Week’s ACP Resilience Challenge

As Halloween approaches, take on two challenges:

• Unmask one hidden risk. Identify an overlooked vulnerability in your organization’s business continuity or resilience program and take one step toward addressing it.
• Introduce one new professional to ACP. Reach out to a colleague, share the value of membership, and invite them to join our growing community.

Because the future will always hold uncertainties, but preparation, collaboration, and professional connections can help us face them with confidence.

Don’t let hidden risks haunt your organization. Build resilience, strengthen connections, and prepare for whatever comes next.

Join the Association of Continuity Professionals

Your network is one of your greatest resilience resources. Make it stronger with ACP.

Become an ACP Member — Join Today

Together, we’re building stronger professionals, stronger organizations, and a more resilient future.

Business Resilience Doesn’t Take a Holiday: Is Your Organization Ready for Year-End Challenges?

As October moves toward November, many organizations are shifting their attention to year-end priorities, holiday schedules, budget planning, and preparing for the year ahead. But for business continuity and resilience professionals, this season brings another important responsibility: ensuring our organizations remain prepared when disruptions don’t follow the calendar.

From severe weather and cyber threats to supply chain interruptions, seasonal staffing shortages, and increased operational demands, the final months of the year can expose vulnerabilities that may have gone unnoticed during normal operations.

The question isn’t simply whether your organization has a business continuity plan. It’s whether that plan will work when your organization needs it most.

Fall Is the Perfect Time for a Resilience Checkup

Before the holiday season begins, consider taking a fresh look at your organization’s readiness.

• Revisit critical business processes. Have changes in staffing, technology, vendors, or operations created new dependencies or vulnerabilities?
• Review holiday staffing and succession plans. Are essential responsibilities covered when key employees are unavailable?
• Validate communication procedures. Are emergency contacts current, and can employees, customers, and stakeholders be reached quickly?
• Reassess third-party dependencies. Are your critical suppliers and service providers prepared for seasonal disruptions?
• Test your response capabilities. A brief tabletop exercise today may uncover gaps that prevent a major operational disruption tomorrow.

Resilience isn’t built through planning alone. It’s strengthened through preparation, collaboration, continuous improvement, and the willingness to challenge assumptions before a crisis occurs.

This Week’s Resilience Challenge

Before October ends, take two simple actions:

For your organization: Identify one potential year-end vulnerability and take a proactive step to address it.

For your profession: Reach out to one colleague, share the value of ACP, and invite them to become part of our community.

Because business resilience is not something we build alone. It’s something we strengthen together.

Stronger Connections Build Stronger Resilience

One of the most valuable resources available to business continuity professionals is the collective knowledge and experience of others who face similar challenges.

That’s where the Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) makes a difference.

ACP brings together professionals committed to business continuity, disaster recovery, emergency management, crisis management, and organizational resilience. Through networking, professional development, shared resources, and the exchange of real-world experiences, members gain valuable perspectives that help strengthen both their organizations and their careers.

In a profession where the unexpected is part of the job, having a trusted network of knowledgeable peers is an advantage that cannot be overstated.

ACP Members: Help Us Grow Our Community

Every ACP member has an opportunity to strengthen our profession by introducing someone new to the organization.

Think about the colleagues, business partners, or emerging professionals in your network who could benefit from ACP membership. Perhaps it’s someone new to business continuity, an experienced risk management leader, or a professional whose responsibilities increasingly involve organizational resilience.

This week, challenge yourself to invite just one colleague to explore ACP membership.

Imagine the impact if every current member introduced one new professional to ACP. Our collective network would grow, our exchange of ideas would expand, and our ability to advance the resilience profession would become even stronger.

Membership growth isn’t simply about increasing numbers. It’s about expanding the knowledge, relationships, and expertise that make our entire professional community more effective.

Not an ACP Member Yet? Your Professional Network Is Waiting.

If your work involves keeping people, operations, technology, or organizations prepared for disruption, ACP offers an opportunity to connect with professionals who understand your challenges and share your commitment to resilience.

Whether you’re beginning your career or have decades of experience, ACP provides opportunities to learn, contribute, build meaningful professional relationships, and stay engaged with an evolving profession. Join the Association of Continuity Professionals: Explore ACP Membership

Don’t wait until the next disruption to discover the value of a strong professional network. Prepare today. Connect with others. Build resilience for tomorrow.

Leadership Lessons from the Eye of the Storm

As organizations move through October, resilience professionals are once again reminded that leadership is tested long before a disruption occurs. Recent hurricane activity and severe weather events affecting coastal and inland communities have underscored the importance of preparation, communication, and adaptability when conditions change rapidly.

While hurricanes often dominate headlines, they also provide valuable lessons for organizations of every size. Successful response and recovery efforts depend on more than plans and technology. They require collaboration across teams, clear decision-making, and leaders who can maintain focus amid uncertainty.

The week of October 12 is an excellent time to reflect on the leadership qualities that strengthen resilience programs: adaptability, accountability, continuous learning, and the ability to bring people together around a common objective. These skills help organizations weather not only natural disasters, but also market shifts, operational disruptions, and emerging risks.

The Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) helps cultivate these capabilities by connecting business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis management, and resilience professionals through education, networking, mentorship, and the exchange of ideas. Every interaction strengthens our collective ability to support the organizations and communities that depend on us.

Build the Next Generation of Resilience Leaders

Strong leadership begins with a strong professional community. As resilience professionals, we all benefit from mentors, peers, and trusted networks. This month, consider sharing those benefits with someone else.

Do you know a colleague interested in business continuity? A student exploring resilience careers? A professional responsible for risk, security, emergency management, or recovery planning? Invite them to learn more about ACP.

A single introduction can lead to new professional connections, expanded knowledge, leadership opportunities, and a stronger resilience community for everyone.

October Membership Challenge

Current Members: Introduce one future resilience leader to ACP this month.

Prospective Members: Join ACP and become part of a growing network dedicated to helping organizations prepare, respond, recover, and thrive.

The best resilience leaders don't just weather the storm. They help others prepare for it.

Connect. Mentor. Lead. Join ACP.

Resilience Month: Turning Awareness into Action

October is recognized as a time to spotlight preparedness and resilience, making the week of October 5 an ideal opportunity to elevate conversations about organizational readiness. While awareness is important, the true value of resilience comes from turning knowledge into action.

Organizations today face a constant stream of challenges, from evolving technologies and workforce changes to emerging risks that can disrupt operations without warning. The most resilient organizations are those that regularly engage employees, build a culture of preparedness, and encourage every department to understand its role in maintaining continuity.

This month is an excellent time to ask a simple question: Does everyone in your organization know what to do when the unexpected happens? Resilience is most effective when preparedness extends beyond the continuity team and becomes part of the organizational culture.

The Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) helps advance that culture by bringing together professionals who are passionate about preparedness, continuity, and resilience. Through networking, professional development, mentorship, and knowledge sharing, ACP provides opportunities to learn from peers and strengthen resilience programs across all industries.

Grow the Community. Expand the Impact.

As we celebrate resilience and preparedness this October, consider who in your professional circle would benefit from ACP membership. Whether it's a colleague new to business continuity, a leader responsible for risk management, or a student exploring resilience careers, ACP can provide valuable connections and resources to support their growth.

A stronger profession starts with a stronger community. Every new member expands the network of expertise, ideas, and experience that makes ACP a trusted resource for resilience practitioners.

October Challenge: Invite One

Current members: Invite one colleague or peer to learn more about ACP this month.

Prospective members: Join ACP and connect with a community dedicated to helping organizations prepare, adapt, and succeed.

Awareness is the First Step. Community Makes It Last.

Connect. Share. Grow. Join ACP

Q4 Starts Now: Finish Strong, Stay Ready

As September draws to a close, resilience professionals know that the transition into the fourth quarter is more than a calendar milestone. It is an opportunity to ensure that plans, people, and processes are aligned for a successful finish to the year.

The final quarter often brings increased operational demands, budget decisions, strategic planning activities, peak business periods, and heightened expectations from leadership. Resilience programs that are proactive rather than reactive can help organizations navigate uncertainty while maintaining focus on key business objectives.

For continuity and resilience practitioners, this is an ideal time to assess accomplishments, validate critical assumptions, and identify gaps before year-end. Small actions taken now can make a meaningful difference when disruptions occur.

Q4 Readiness Checklist

Before October arrives, consider these key questions:

☐ Have critical business continuity and recovery plans been reviewed within the last 12 months?

☐ Have response team roles, responsibilities, and contact information been validated?

☐ Have critical suppliers, vendors, and third-party dependencies been reassessed?

☐ Have lessons learned from recent exercises, tests, audits, or incidents been incorporated into plans?

☐ Are crisis communications templates and stakeholder notification processes current?

☐ Have seasonal risks, operational surges, and year-end business priorities been incorporated into preparedness activities?

☐ Have resilience goals and investment priorities for 2027 been identified and communicated to leadership?

Organizations that regularly review these fundamentals are often better positioned to respond effectively and recover quickly when challenges arise.

The Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) continues to support resilience practitioners through professional development, networking, mentorship, and the exchange of ideas and best practices. As organizations prepare for the final quarter, so too should our profession continue to grow and strengthen.

Help ACP Finish the Year Strong

Every ACP member has benefited from a professional connection, a mentor, or a shared lesson learned. As we enter Q4, consider paying that forward by introducing a colleague, peer, student, or emerging professional to ACP.

A personal invitation can be the beginning of a valuable professional journey, connecting future resilience leaders to education, networking opportunities, and a community dedicated to advancing business continuity and organizational resilience.

If you're not yet a member, now is the perfect time to join. ACP provides access to experienced practitioners, leadership opportunities, industry insights, and a network committed to helping organizations prepare for tomorrow's challenges.

The strongest organizations invest in resilience. The strongest professions invest in people.

Current members: Invite one prospective member to explore ACP this quarter.

Future members: Join ACP today and become part of a community that's building resilience, advancing careers, and shaping the future of our profession.

Connect. Collaborate. Contribute. Join ACP.

Autumn Leaves, Resilience Achieves

As we welcome the first week of autumn, September 21 offers a natural opportunity to reflect on progress and prepare for what lies ahead. Just as organizations evaluate year-end goals and priorities, resilience professionals understand the importance of pausing to assess what has been learned, what can be improved, and where future opportunities exist.

There is something about the arrival of fall that naturally invites reflection. The season reminds us that change is constant, and that healthy organizations, like changing landscapes, are strengthened by their ability to adapt. For business resilience professionals, this is a meaningful time to look back on the challenges, lessons, and progress of the year while asking how we can carry what we have learned into the months ahead. Resilience grows through that deliberate practice of reflection, adjustment, and preparation.

Just as important is the strength we draw from one another. Business resilience can sometimes feel like a profession built around anticipating difficult moments, but it is also a remarkably generous community of practitioners who share experiences, practical lessons, and ideas across organizations and industries. The connections made through conferences, chapters, peer conversations, mentorship, and professional networks create a collective source of knowledge that no single practitioner could build alone. Those relationships make us better prepared, broaden our perspective, and remind us that resilience is strongest when it is built together.

That spirit of collaboration is at the heart of the Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP). By bringing together business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis management, and resilience professionals, ACP creates opportunities to exchange ideas, share experiences, and strengthen the profession.

Help Our Community Grow This Fall

Autumn is a season of growth and renewal, making it the perfect time to expand our professional community. We encourage every ACP member to introduce a colleague, business partner, student, or emerging professional to the benefits of membership. Your recommendation could help someone discover invaluable professional connections, educational resources, and opportunities for career advancement.

If you're considering membership, there has never been a better time to join. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to the field, ACP provides access to industry expertise, professional development, and a network of peers committed to advancing resilience excellence.

This Fall, Help Resilience Take Root

Current members: Plant a seed by referring a prospective member to ACP.

Prospective members: Join ACP and become part of a growing community dedicated to helping organizations adapt, recover, and succeed.

Connect. Learn. Share. Join ACP and help resilience flourish.

Resilience Isn't a Department. It's a Team Sport.

As organizations move deeper into September and focus on year-end priorities, resilience professionals are helping ensure that preparedness remains front and center. From cyber incidents and technology outages to extreme weather and supply chain disruptions, today's risk environment demands agility, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Recent industry research highlights several trends shaping resilience programs in 2026. Cyber events remain the top resilience concern among practitioners, followed by IT disruptions, financial uncertainty, and natural disasters.  At the same time, organizations are increasingly embracing flexible response strategies, with 95% moving toward "incident-agnostic" planning that focuses on managing impacts rather than specific threats. 

Investment in resilience continues to grow as well. More than 65% of organizations report increased financial or resource support for business continuity and resilience programs, while approximately 45% now have a dedicated resilience leader reporting directly to the board.  These trends reflect a growing recognition that resilience is not merely an operational function. It is a strategic capability that helps organizations navigate uncertainty and maintain stakeholder confidence.

Yet resilience is not built by one person, one team, or one department. It is strengthened through collaboration across the organization and throughout the resilience community. The strongest programs are powered by professionals who share ideas, lessons learned, and best practices with one another.

That is where the Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) makes a difference. Through networking, education, mentorship, and professional development, ACP brings together the continuity and resilience professionals who help organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruption.

Help Grow ACP and Strengthen the Profession

This month, we challenge every ACP member to be a recruiter for resilience. Think about a colleague, peer, student, vendor partner, or emerging professional who would benefit from joining our community. A simple invitation can help someone expand their network, enhance their skills, and discover new opportunities for professional growth.

Every new member brings fresh perspectives, new experiences, and valuable expertise that strengthen ACP and the profession as a whole.

Current members: Invite one prospective member to join ACP this month.

Future members: There's never been a better time to become part of a community dedicated to advancing business continuity and organizational resilience.

The best resilience teams grow stronger together. So does ACP.

Connect. Learn. Lead. Join ACP and help build a more resilient future.

Fall Into Resilience: Building Momentum for the Months Ahead

As we move into the second week of September, organizations are shifting focus from summer schedules to year-end priorities. It's an ideal time for resilience professionals to assess preparedness, review response capabilities, and ensure business continuity programs are ready to support organizational objectives through the remainder of 2026 and beyond.

The risks facing organizations continue to evolve, from cyber incidents and technology disruptions to supply chain challenges and severe weather events. In this environment, resilience is more than a plan on a shelf. It is a strategic capability that helps organizations adapt, recover, and thrive amid uncertainty.

For business continuity and resilience practitioners, this season presents an opportunity to strengthen partnerships, refresh plans, conduct exercises, and share lessons learned. Small improvements today can make a significant difference when the unexpected occurs tomorrow.

The Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) remains committed to supporting this important work by connecting professionals through education, networking, mentorship, and industry leadership. Together, we are building a stronger and more resilient profession.

Help Grow Our Resilience Community

A strong professional network is one of the most valuable resilience resources we have. This month, we encourage every ACP member to invite a colleague, peer, student, or emerging professional to learn more about ACP. A personal recommendation can help someone discover new career opportunities, professional connections, and valuable industry knowledge.

If you're not yet an ACP member, now is the perfect time to join. Whether you're an experienced practitioner or just beginning your resilience journey, ACP provides access to the people, resources, and insights that can help you advance your career and strengthen your organization's resilience capabilities.

Ready to Build What's Next?

Current members: Share the value of ACP and help us welcome the next generation of resilience leaders.

Prospective members: Join ACP today and become part of a community dedicated to advancing business continuity and organizational resilience.

Connect. Learn. Lead. Grow with ACP.

Resilience Never Takes a Holiday

As we celebrate Labor Day this September, we recognize the people who make resilience possible every day. Behind every successful response to a cyber incident, severe weather event, technology outage, or operational disruption are dedicated professionals working to protect their organizations, employees, customers, and communities.

Labor Day is a fitting reminder that resilience is ultimately about people. While plans, technology, and processes are essential, it is the expertise, commitment, and adaptability of business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis management, and emergency management professionals that help organizations navigate uncertainty and recover stronger from disruption.

As risks continue to evolve, organizations are recognizing resilience as a strategic business capability. Leaders are investing more resources in preparedness, strengthening response and recovery programs, and embedding resilience into everyday operations. The profession's growing influence reflects a simple truth: organizations that prepare for disruption are better positioned to succeed through it.

The Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) exists to support that mission by connecting practitioners, sharing best practices, providing professional development opportunities, and fostering a strong network of resilience leaders. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning your journey, ACP offers valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and grow.

Help Build the Future of Resilience

This Labor Day, we challenge every ACP member to help grow our community. Think about the colleagues, peers, students, vendors, and emerging professionals in your network who could benefit from ACP membership. A personal invitation from a current member is often the strongest endorsement and can open the door to valuable professional relationships, learning opportunities, and career growth.

Every new member strengthens our association, broadens our collective expertise, and helps elevate the resilience profession. By introducing just one prospective member to ACP, you can make a meaningful contribution to the future of our community.

If you're not already a member, now is the perfect time to join the premier network of continuity and resilience professionals. Invest in your career, expand your professional network, stay current on industry trends, and connect with leaders who are shaping the future of resilience.

Resilience Never Takes a Holiday. Neither Should Your Professional Growth.

Current members: invite a colleague to join ACP. Prospective members: take the next step and become part of the community that's helping organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruption.

Connect. Learn. Lead. Join ACP and help build a more resilient future.

When the Same People Keep Saying Yes

By Gail Moraton, Greater Tampa Bay ACP Chapter

If you have been involved with an ACP chapter for any length of time, you have probably seen it. The same names appear on the board year after year. The same people plan the meetings, find the speakers, send the communications, organize the events and raise their hands when something needs to get done.

There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, many of our chapters continue to be successful because of people who have been willing to give their time to ACP for many years.

But at some point, I think we need to ask ourselves a question: What happens when the same people keep saying yes because no one else does?

The Problem Isn't Longtime Leaders

Long-serving chapter leaders bring tremendous value. They know the history of the chapter. They have relationships with members and community partners. They know what has worked, what hasn't worked and, probably most importantly, how to get things done.

We need that experience.

But we also need to make sure our chapters aren't dependent on the same few people to keep everything going.

If someone has been doing the same chapter responsibility for five, ten or even fifteen years, who else knows how to do it? Who are they teaching? Who could step in tomorrow if that person decided it was finally time to take a break?

Those aren't questions about whether someone has served too long. They are questions about whether we are preparing our chapters for what comes next.

We All Have a Lot Going On

Before we start asking why more members aren't volunteering, we also need to recognize reality.

We all have jobs. We have families. Some of us are caring for children, parents or both. We have hobbies, vacations, other professional organizations and commitments that have absolutely nothing to do with work.

The last thing most people are looking for is another job.

So maybe instead of asking, "Why aren't more people volunteering?" we should be asking, "Have we made it easy enough for people to say yes?"

Volunteering Doesn't Have to Mean Joining the Board

Sometimes when we talk about getting involved with a chapter, we jump immediately to serving on the board or joining a committee.

That's a big ask, especially for someone who has never volunteered with ACP before.

What if we started smaller?

Could someone introduce the speaker at the next meeting? Help welcome first-time attendees? Suggest a future program topic? Find a speaker? Take photos at an event? Help with one program? Reach out to students or young professionals? Mentor someone who is new to our profession?

Not every volunteer opportunity needs to come with a title, a monthly meeting and a long-term commitment.

Sometimes we just need to give someone an opportunity to say a small yes.

And maybe that first small yes eventually becomes another one.

Sometimes Leaders Need to Let Go, Too

This part may be just as important.

Those of us who have been doing something for a long time tend to know exactly how we want it done. Sometimes it is simply easier and faster to do it ourselves.

But if we ask someone to help and then don't really let them help, we haven't accomplished much.

New volunteers need an opportunity to contribute their own ideas, try something different and feel like what they are doing matters.

That may mean those of us who have "always done it" need to become a little more comfortable letting someone else do it.

They may even do it differently.

And that's okay.

Where Will the Next Generation Come From?

Our profession needs people who are excited about business continuity, resilience, emergency management, cybersecurity, risk and all the other areas represented within ACP.

We need young professionals entering these fields, but we also need new voices from people at every stage of their careers.

Someone may have worked in our profession for 20 years and never volunteered with ACP. Someone else may be attending their very first chapter meeting.

Both could be future chapter leaders.

But before someone becomes a chapter president, board member or committee chair, we have to give them a reason to become connected to the chapter in the first place.

That starts with an invitation.

What's Your One Small Yes?

Strong chapters don't happen because a handful of people keep saying yes year after year. They happen when more people feel connected enough to contribute.

For those of us currently serving in chapter leadership, maybe our challenge is to identify one thing we are doing today that we could invite someone else to help with.

And for our members, maybe the challenge is even simpler.

What is one small thing you could say yes to this year?

You don't have to join the board. You don't have to chair a committee. You don't have to take on another job.

Just say yes to one thing.

Because that one small yes may be exactly what keeps your chapter strong and helps build the next generation of ACP leaders.