Founded in 2002, the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers® (NASMM) is a not-for-profit, professional association dedicated to helping older adults, families, other individuals and businesses with organizing, downsizing and relocating. NASMM members deliver professional Move Management services with compassion and integrity. All NASMM Members adhere to the NASMM Code of Ethics and are committed to maximizing the dignity and autonomy of their clients. NASMM is the only professional association in North America devoted to specialized populations with organization, rightsizing and relocation issues. NASMM members are committed to maximizing the dignity and autonomy of their clients.
Inspire Integrate Innovate is the theme for NASMM 2025! This event is an inclusive opportunity for all NASMM members to engage in exceptional learning experiences for professional development, individual productivity, and organizational success.
Do you have experience and/or expertise in any of the areas noted below, and are you willing to present a one-hour session at NASMM 2025 at the Fairmont Hotel, Dallas, TX? Do you know one (or two) other people within NASMM with whom you’d like to present? We’d love to hear from you!
What we’re looking for in 2025 While we welcome and encourage ALL education proposals for consideration, we want to share our “wish list” for NASMM 2025. An invited group of seven diverse NASMM members highlighted these topics as areas of ongoing interest. Our list is like the old Sears Christmas catalog (Remember The Wish Book?): We want everything…but know we can’t have it all. Here's hoping:
Team Leads & Staff
- Safety Training
- Quality Improvement
- Technical Skills Development
- Soft Skills Development
- Team Development/Communication
- Sales
Strategic Planning
- Leadership Development for Small Business Owners
- Strategies for Reaching Baby Boomers
- Trends in the Senior Living Industry
- Additional Sources of Revenue for Move Managers
- Managing Expectations for a New Generation of Consumer
- Core Business Training (What Do I Need to Do & How Do I Do It?)
Human Resources
- Resolving Conflict – Among Your Clients, Families & Employees
- How to Build a Great Team: Hiring Slow, Firing Fast & Other HR Wisdom
- Mental Health
- Team Development/Employee Engagement
- Work-Life Harmony for Us & Our Employees
Operations
- Profitability
- Analyzing Profitability
- What’s the ACTUAL number we need to determine our profitability?
- Estimating (& Exploring New Tech for Estimating)
- Aging In Place/Universal Design
- Packing Hacks
- Space Planning
- High End Specialty Moves
- Concierge Services
Marketing
- SEO Optimization for Our Websites
- How Do Consumers Find Us?
- Advanced Social Media Strategies & Success Stories
- Content Development Strategies
- Your Best Marketing Tools – Show & Tell
- Shifting Our Marketing Mindset to Boomers (vs. Greatest & Silent Generations of the Past)
- Overcoming Client Price Shock & Highlighting Our Value
- Negotiating contracts with Senior Living Communities
Client Services
- Dementia Training
- Aging Issues Expertise
- Customizing Our Client Experience
- Client/Family Dynamics & Communication
- Understanding Power of Attorney, Probate, Fiduciaries etc.
Technology
- Software Tools to Help Move Managers
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
About the Review Process All proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Ability to Inspire Action
- Originality
- Overall Quality
- Relevance Specific to NASMM's Membership
Key Points to Remember:
- This step is just the proposal! Your entire session does not need to be submitted in its entirety. Just give us a good snapshot! There’s plenty of time for all those pesky details later.
- Proposal must be received by Friday, January 24, 2025
- All selected faculty will be given a special code for a $400 discount on their conference registration.
- All selected faculty will receive 2.0 CE credits towards NASMM SMM~C certification & renewal (vs. 1.0 CE credit for attending the session).
- Presenters should be limited to two (2) individuals. If you feel strongly your presentation needs additional presenters, please contact Mary Kay Buysse - marykay@nasmm.org - before you submit your proposal.
Thank you in advance for your time and for sharing your ideas, expertise, and leadership. If you have questions, please reach out at any time.
Mary Kay Buysse
marykay@nasmm.org
NASMM Co-Executive Director
NASMM introduced NASMM Neighborhood program last summer. The purpose of NASMM Neighborhoods is to foster fellowship, and collegiality among NASMM members. Through informal networking events, we hope to build a sense of community among NASMM members in specific geographic areas. After successfully launching Neighborhoods across the country, we are excited to be able to extend this opportunity to you today.
NASMM is currently seeking new coordinators to organize virtual NASMM Neighborhood events in their own area. These virtual events will give NASMM members an opportunity to share how COVID-19 has affected them and their businesses. We realize this is a difficult time for all of you, and feel the opportunity to apply common solutions to common challenges will be greatly beneficial. Once to COVID situation has passed, we hope coordinators will continue to plan networking events - either in person or virtually.
Coordinators should be passionate about building new relationships within NASMM, and strengthening the Senior Move Management profession within their community at large. Apply to be a NASMM Neighborhood Coordinator today!
(Virtual) NASMM Neighborhood Coordinator Responsibilities:
- NASMM Neighborhood Coordinators are responsible for organizing casual networking events for NASMM members in their area.
- Due to COVID-19, all NASMM Neighborhood events will now be held virtually over video conferencing platforms like Zoom
- Coordinators are responsible for organizing the virtual meetings - NASMM will provide assistance with invitation lists, best practices, etc.
- The frequency at which these events take place is entirely up to the NASMM Neighborhood Coordinator, as is the duration and agenda for the event.
- NASMM does not provide a budget/stipend for these events, however, NASMM will work with the Neighborhood Coordinator to assist with registration, and event best practices.
iMentor: Share. Learn. Grow.
The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) offers a specialized program specifically designed for experienced NASMM members to offer paid, professional mentoring to less experienced NASMM members. It’s called iMentor.
Why iMentor? New or growing small business owners are in business by themselves, often acting as their own navigation system. Without a large organization’s resources, they long for a sounding board for their frustrations and fears or a discreet, impartial advisor with whom to discuss the tactical and strategic challenges of running their Senior Move Management business.
They’re frequently adjusting to changing circumstances, new business conditions, and unforeseeable challenges. Consulting with a Senior Move Manager mentor - someone who knows what they’re going through – can be invaluable. A mentor is someone who’s “been there, done that.” Mentors can provide tailored guidance, general best practices, and an example of a successful Senior Move Management business. Sure, they can ask family, friends, or consult the Internet, but what they really want is to connect with someone who has already experienced the same issues. Only another Senior Move Manager will do.
Enter iMentor. We’re making it easy for less experienced members to find one-on-one support while also providing successful Senior Move Managers with the opportunity to share their experience and expertise, all while being paid to do so.
Seasoned Senior Move Managers can tick off a list of predictable mistakes that new business owners are likely to make. But if you are new to running a business, it's not always easy to identify a successful business owner who is willing to mentor you, let alone one with whom you have natural rapport. We want to give NASMM members access to their most experienced colleagues, but in a different geography — so competition does not impair the iMentor relationship.
Why become a mentor through NASMM’s iMentor program?
- Gain visibility as a leader in the Senior Move Management community
- Demonstrate expertise and share knowledge for additional income
- Discover more responsibilities, participation, and impact as an SMM
- Develop transferable mentoring skills for any team/relationship
- Renew your own enthusiasm for Senior Move Management via the role of expert
- Enhance skills in coaching, counseling, and listening
- Contribute to the future of Senior Move Management
We hope you share our excitement for the NASMM iMentor program and the potential professional and personal relationships we can help effect.
The following are the desired characteristics and skills needed for success as an iMentor mentor.
iMentors must be:
- Hold A+ Accreditation or NASMM SMM~C Certification
- Confidential and trustworthy
- Dependable, reliable and flexible
- Positive, objective and non-judgmental
- Consistent with follow-up support and guidance
- A good listener and communicator
- An advocate for the colleague-client’s success
If you would like to become an iMentor, please consider the following:
- Does your schedule permit a mentoring relationship?
- Are you willing to share your knowledge, expertise, skills, and time?
- Can you use your personal experience to help your colleague-client avoid mistakes and learn from good decisions?
- Can you guide your colleague-client to determine his/her right course of action?
- Do you project a positive, upbeat image? Are you a positive role model?
- Can you offer your thoughts and constructive feedback honestly and openly?
- Can you help your colleague-client see a situation with fresh eyes?
- Can you offer advice – only if asked? Your colleague client may want a sounding board to help him/her work out issues and come to their own conclusion.
- Can you offer support and encouragement?
How iMentor works:
iMentor is not designed to serve as a fundamental training program for brand new Senior Move Managers. New Senior Move Managers should invest in comprehensive training, such as NASMM’s FrontDoor program, or other like-minded programs. The iMentor program is designed to provide enhanced support for those SMMs who know the basics, but now require your advanced wisdom and experience.
iMentor is an online platform to market/advertise your mentorship services within NASMM. To participate as an iMentor, you must purchase a directory listing within the iMentor section of “MyNASMM” section of www.nasmm.org. Each iMentor will have their own webpage within the iMentor section of "MyNASMM."
Participation: The initial participation fee fee for iMentors is $399.00 with an annual renewal fee of $179.00.
- Only NASMM A- or NASMM SMM~C members are eligible to participate.
- iMentor participation is limited to 20 iMentors.
- Upon receipt of your iMentor application and payment, your listing will be added to the iMentor Directory.
- NASMM colleague-clients will be directed to the iMentor Directory to research available mentors and will contact you directly to discuss your mentorship program and your associated fee structure.
- Colleague-clients are strongly encouraged to seek iMentors outside your identified service area. However, the decision of whom to mentor is strictly your decision.
- Together, you and your colleague-client will define all aspects of your iMentor/colleague-client relationship, including your fee structure.
- All conversations/interactions between mentor and colleague-clients are to be kept confidential unless both parties agree otherwise for a specific topic of discussion. NASMM requires you provide your iMentor colleague-client with a Confidentiality Agreement. (NASMM will offer a sample Confidentiality Agreement for your use and convenience.)
Important!
- NASMM does not accept responsibility for the success of individual iMentor relationships.
- NASMM is not responsible to help you collect iMentor fees.
- NASMM does not set individual iMentor fees.
- Colleague-clients will pay fees only to their iMentors, and not to NASMM.
Please complete this form and submit. Upon submission, you will be taken to the online payment form to complete your renewal.
Requirements for renewal:
- Complete the NASMM SMM-C Renewal Form & upload your CE coursework documents
- For Certification Renewals: Provide proof of 45 hours of continuing education credit over the past three (3) years. NASMM programs, education offered by NAPO, ICD, and other allied organizations, aging service providers, or staff inservice education is also acceptable. Please upload verification of attendance forms (certificates, etc.) or receipts from purchased courses or conferences to the renewal form.
- Submit the $299 three (3) year renewal fee
IMPORTANT NOTES:
*** Beginning January 1, 2024 and thereafter, 25 units of the 45 required CE units must be obtained directly from NASMM conferences or other NASMM courses.
*** There is a 3-year window for ALL courses (NASMM courses & education programs outside of NASMM) to be considered eligible for certification documentation.
That is, your submitted documentation (proof) to support your certification renewal must fall within the last 3-year period, e.g. you may not submit coursework from the NASMM 2020 conference in 2024. In 2024, all documentation must be from 2021 & forward. Thank you!