So far, we have covered what we've accomplished in the last six months, and outlined where we are going from here. In this fifth and final segment, we'll close with a few words on OSA membership.
In short, now is a good time to join, if you haven't already. We had a productive first six months, culminating in a series of significant events this past summer, and now we have just closed on our plan for the next six months. We have a variety of projects that are just kicking off, so now is a good time to become part of our community and get in on the ground floor of these new initiatives.
We get asked a lot about the benefits of membership.
There are numerous benefits, both tangible and intangible, that we encourage you to consider when weighing costs versus benefits. While "your mileage may vary", we have yet to have a member say they are not benefiting from membership. Also, in all cases, what one gets is a function of what one contributes. Be a leader in a significant initiative or event, and earn the cred for thought leadership in that area, build relationships with customers and other vendors, improve your products through superior interoperability, and benefit from resulting revenue opportunity. The OSA operates like a true community: Give-to-get!
We also get asked a lot about our existing membership... Why is a given company a member, or why is some other company not a member. To this, we also always say: We operate like a true community! We have a mission, and we execute against it through open, transparent and collective action. Some companies hear the calling before others, and some companies decide it's not for them, at least not right now, or have other priorities. No company has told us the OSA is a bad idea, or that we're doing the wrong things. If you are considering membership and wondering why some other company isn't a member, please feel free to ask them directly. But also, consider the OSA's mission and methods at face value. The best person to decide whether the OSA is right for you is you, not somebody else with a different business, and who was probably facing a different set of circumstances when deciding whether to join.
This, in short, is our guideline for membership: Do you believe in our mission, and do you believe in the open and transparent spirit that is critical to our success? If you are thinking "yes, that's me", then consider yourself welcome to our community!. Join one or more of our projects, or join as a full member, and be part of the evolution of our industry!
