Association Chat Drops the Mic After 16 Years
Earlier this week, those of us in the association community were taken by surprise when KiKi L’Italien announced she was turning off her mic. After 16 years of evolving and leading Association Chat, her studio is now dark. I have to say I was surprised but . . . not surprised.
If you know KiKi even a little bit, you know that she is a person who is always looking at the next horizon. What’s over there? Can I get there? What will I find? As I mentioned in my LinkedIn reply to her announcement, she is a restless spirit in a good way.
Many of the people who look up to KiKi and admire the work she has done with Association Chat only know part of the story. Those of us who have been around for a while remember when Jeff De Cagna started Association Chat as a live Twitter chat. Anyone remember those? That’s right: we’d all sign into Twitter (now X) and follow our hilarious hashtag #assnchat.
Hilarious because many people thought it was a porn hashtag like “ass and chat.” One time I messaged someone that it was a conversation for professional assassins and they should leave the chat immediately. They did.
What is admirable about Association Chat is that when Jeff decided not to do it any longer, KiKi thought it was important so she decided to lead it. Some of us helped out from time to time with managing the conversations but she was always the energy driving the conversation.
KiKi always made sure the conversation happened which is why she would ask some of us to fill in for her if she had a conflict. That’s how important it was to her because she knew we needed places to connect.
As social media tools evolved, so did Association Chat. KiKi established an active online community and the podcast came along as the tools became more easily accessible. She grew her following over the years and the Association Chat brand gained in stature. She created a space for the association community to convene in lively discussions. I participated a few times in her live broadcasts on LinkedIn and the conversations were always worthwhile.
I know many people are sad and disappointed by KiKi’s decision to end Association Chat but doing anything for 16 years and maintaining the quality is a feat that requires a lot of blood, sweat and tears. When you have explored every option and every iteration in a project, you realize it’s time to sunset it and move on to the next thing.
Whatever the next thing KiKi does, it will be memorable and creative. She’ll bring her heart and soul to her next chapter. Keep watching. I know I will be. Thanks for 16 years of public evolution KiKi. You’ve demonstrated that with a keyboard, dedication, heart, and a vision you can create something of value.
