Serving Canadian associations since 2001
Serving Canadian associations since 2001
Consulting and Association Management Agency
Zzeem is Canada’s not-for-profit consulting and association management agency, a full-service partner for trade associations, professional membership groups, and not-for-profit organizations across the country.
Since 2001, we’ve replaced the cost and complexity of a full in-house team with access to expert consultants, chartered accountants, and client services professionals.
Call Us
1.866.596.2229
About Zzeem
Our approach is grounded in the High Performance Organization TM (HPOTM) framework — an 8-element model for organizational excellence covering governance, planning, member value, revenue diversification, and more. Whether you need targeted not-for-profit consulting support, or complete association management, we build a custom solution around your size and budget.
We serve not-for-profit organizations — helping
Canadian associations focus on what matters most: serving their members.
Our webinars and podcasts are a great source for continuous learning recognized by the CSAE as an essential practice for expanding your skills and knowledge as part of ongoing professional development.
Join Our Next Podcast
August 28th
Discover proven strategies for attracting passionate volunteers and keeping them engaged long-term — the lifeblood of every thriving membership organization.
Pillars of Management
Zzeem helps you drive down costs, improve service delivery, and drive revenue through the 8-element HPO framework.
Zzeem offers complete operational management and back-office support for industry and professional associations like yours.
Whether you’re starting a sponsorship program for the first time, or have a long history of sponsor partnerships, we will help you to create a unique package of strategies to suit your goals and achieve your revenue targets.
Podcasts and educational content designed to equip your board and members with practical tools.
The Leadership Support Program builds confidence and accelerates leadership growth in a confidential, supportive environment.
Learn how to clearly articulate your association’s Member Value Proposition (MVP) and use it strategically to attract new members, strengthen loyalty, and demonstrate the value of belonging.
Your deliverables from this engagement include a full review of your current member engagement practices and opportunities and a toolbox of simple, effective recommendations that you can put to work right away.
Your documented Strategic Plan includes milestones, delivery dates, key performance indicators (KPIs), accountability and resource requirements for each strategic goal. It also includes an implementation plan. This ensures that you can effectively operationalize your strategic plan and track progress against it.
The deliverable for the training is a highly interactive workshop that provides both basic governance training for new directors and more advanced content for seasoned directors. We use a combination of knowledge sharing, breakout groups, and real life case studies focused on the areas that matter most to you right now.
Leaders rarely receive training on how to manage and facilitate a meeting. Those that do, stand out. Learn the role of the facilitator, best practices and tips for effective facilitation, how to develop top-notch facilitation skills, and how to manage difficult people and difficult situations.
What Our Clients Say
“It has been a very positive experience working with Zzeem both for myself and my board. I have noticed a real difference in terms of the board’s professionalism and understanding of their roles. I highly recommend Zzeem’s Leadership Support program to everyone. We got our ROI. It’s absolutely worth spending the money. It was very helpful to have Erin as a resource to speak to on a 1:1 basis. She was always there as a trusted advisor.”
Independent Financial Brokers of Canada
Leadership Support Program
“The governance training offered by Zzeem provided our directors with a solid foundation to take with them, not only into their work with us, but also into other boards they may be part of. Erin’s ability to manage tough discussions helped us destigmatize some of the more sensitive topics, like conflict and confidentiality. We also learned more about our bylaws and how to best serve them with new policies. I would highly recommend this training.”
Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Governance Training
“We hired Zzeem, especially Erin the founder, to conduct a Board of Directors training on governance. It was wonderfully insightful, clear to grasp and exactly what the Board needed! Highly recommend Erin and her team!”
Canadian Orthopaedic Association
Governance Training
“My not-for-profit association has worked with Erin over the last five years – helping with Governance Excellence for the Board and most recently – a complete Governance Audit. Skilled in other areas like Member Value Proposition, Strategic Planning, KPIs etc – Erin is a thoughtful, dynamic thought leader, focusing on practical solutions. Zzeem also conducts a webinar series – not to be missed! Topics range from sponsorship, to declining membership, MVP, governance – you name it. I highly recommend Erin Roberts and her team!”
Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science
Governance Training
“Erin led a dynamic and informative Board Excellence workshop that truly resonated with our leadership at the Central Lakes Association of REALTORS®. She tailored the content to reflect the realities of our industry and the priorities of our Association, guiding meaningful discussions on how governance supports our mission to serve REALTORS® and the communities they work in. The Board stayed engaged from start to finish and came away with clear, actionable takeaways. We would gladly recommend her to any organization seeking relevant, well-curated governance training.”
Central Lakes Association of REALTORS®.
Governance Training
“We hired Zzeem to put together a manual and workshop on strategic meeting management. They understood our objectives from the start, prepared thoroughly, and checked in frequently. Erin’s clear and responsive communication made planning straightforward and ensured the workshop ran smoothly. By focusing on what we valued most, the in-person session was productive and relevant. We gained real value from the process, the manual, and the workshop, and wouldn’t change a thing…”
CFA Society Toronto
Facilitation Training
“Zzeem worked with us as a true partner, and it felt like they were an extension of the team. It was never “your members” it was “our members”. Our goal was to increase the value and range of out sponsorship and partner relationships. But first we needed a roadmap and strategy in terms of our resources and business processes to close the gap between current and future. In this regard, Zzeem delivered on all fronts.”
Consulting Engineers of Ontario
Sponsorship
“We hired Zzeem to support our revenue diversification efforts, and the review and workshop Erin delivered to our Board and team on sponsorship was exactly what we were looking for. We were particularly impressed by Erin’s ability to keep the conversation focused while drawing in diverse perspectives. I definitely recommend Zzeem to any association looking for similar consultant insights and support.”
N2 Canada
Sponsorship
“Zzeem is the only consulting firm I will ever use for our association’s needs. Erin Roberts is extremely professional and so thoughtful in her approach. We’ve used Zzeem for strategic planning and member value proposition work. I highly recommend Zzeem and Erin Roberts!”
Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Member Value Proposition
“Zzeem is the only consulting firm I will ever use for our association’s needs. Erin Roberts is extremely professional and so thoughtful in her approach. We’ve used Zzeem for strategic planning and member value proposition work. I highly recommend Zzeem and Erin Roberts!”
Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Strategic Plan Consulting
“Our Board and staff worked with Erin to develop our Strategic Plan. Erin provided a structured framework of meetings and goals to keep us on track and she kept our Strategic Planning session focused as she guided the directors to define our goals with engaging and insightful questions. Erin was the picture of professionalism. She was calm, thoughtful and impartial in her guidance. She continues to support us through the implementation even months later. We would definitely recommend Erin to anyone going through a strategic planning process.”
Temiskaming Shores & Area Chamber of Commerce
Strategic Plan Consulting
“I have had the pleasure to work with Erin on a strategic plan for the Canadian Water Quality Association as well, I often attend the monthly offered webinars on how to improve your non-profit association. Excellent education and very professional always! “
Canadian Water Quality Association
Strategic Plan Consulting
“Our industry association worked with Erin on a Strategic Planning session with our Board of Directors. We covered off on two principal topics that are relevant to our three-year strategic plan. Erin was very easy to work with and was thoroughly prepared. Moreover, she brought a high level of expertise to our session and really encouraged much discussion and participation. I would definitely recommend Erin and the team at Zzeem for similar types of Strategic Planning sessions that you may be considering.”
CFA Society Toronto
Strategic Plan Consulting
“We had a Member Engagement Consultation Package with Zzeem and had a great experience with the process. Erin took the time to ask great questions and really got to know our organization and it’s challenges and was very responsive. The final report contains a number of great recommendations that we will be able to implement ourselves. At no time was there any upselling of their services, they simply worked with us to determine what we could do within our means.
It was a real pleasure working with Erin at Zzeem, and I hope to do so again!”
Ontario Professional Foresters Association
Increase Member Engagement
“Unlike most other association management providers, Zzeem has an outstanding back office with a team that’s large enough to ensure nothing falls through the cracks when someone is busy or away from the office. They anticipate our needs and address them before we even have to ask…I’d…recommend Zzeem to any organization looking for utterly reliable back-office support”
National Professional Association
Association Management
“Zzeem transformed how our association operates. Their team’s depth of knowledge in governance and member engagement is unmatched in Canada. They truly are our invisible but essential team.”
National Professional Association
Governance Training
Resources
Common questions
Everything you need to know about working with Zzeem. Still have questions? We’re here to help.
A high performing membership organization (HPO) delivers a highly efficient “back stage” and a highly valuable “front stage”. Back stage efficiency drives down costs and improves service delivery. Front stage value drives revenue. (High Performance Organization)
Zzeem has offices and staff in Toronto, Ontario, and Victoria, British Columbia
Zzeem works with not-for-profit organizations of all types and sizes. Zzeem has particular expertise in the membership association sector.
If you’d like help with your board, your revenue, your membership, or governance Zzeem has a package of services that we will
customise specifically for you.
Ready When You Are
