New board members be like…
“New board members don’t need a leash; they need a map.”
Holy snap.
They hit that first meeting like a racehorse out of the chute. Eyes wide. Tail high. Ideas flying faster than gossip in the beer gardens.
“We should add fireworks.”
“And a mechanical bull.”
“And maybe we host a dog fashion show in the livestock barn.”
Calm. The hell. Down.
We love the enthusiasm.
We need that spark.
But before you reinvent the fair with a theme park budget and twelve committees that do not exist yet…
Let’s start with where the bathrooms are.
The Truth Behind It
Every fair has that moment.
The fresh blood frenzy.
Hell, it was me once upon a time.
It is what happens when passion meets zero context.
New board members walk in ready to save the day, not realizing we have been duct taping that same day together since 1883.
It is not their fault. Nobody handed them a playbook.
They do not know the sacred rule of fair life.
If you touch the sponsorship spreadsheet without backup, you die.
But we never want to crush that energy.
That spark is gold.
It is what keeps the fair alive.
Onboarding saves good people from burning out before they even know where the extension cords live.
The Shift in Motion
Want to keep their enthusiasm and your sanity?
Give them a system.
Create a New Board Member Google Drive folder that answers
(and if your crew still needs a binder, you can print a clean copy from the folder):
• What we do and what we absolutely do not do
• Who to call before starting a project that sounds fun
• What the chain of command is
• A calendar of deadlines and the dates you never book a vacation
• A list of who is allergic to change and gluten
Suddenly, your shiny new recruits go from chaos tornadoes to people who actually stay past Year One.
The New Vision
Picture this.
Your new board members still have that sparkle but now it is aimed in the right direction.
Meetings flow smoother.
Projects finish on time.
Nobody is secretly googling how to get out of being fair secretary.
This is what happens when structure meets enthusiasm.
Because no amount of coffee will fix a fair that runs on missing parts.
If your onboarding feels like guess the password, it is time for a Fair Audit.
Let me build you a system that keeps the racehorses galloping in the same direction
Let's Get to Work
Kryssie ❦
3 Ways to Work with Fair Systems That Work ↓
👉 Fair Audits
It’s not just about your board. Audits look at your whole fair, from directors to conveners, volunteers to systems. You’ll get a clear snapshot of what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest gaps are, so you know exactly what needs to change.
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👉 Fair Audit Survival Guide - Free eBook
Inside the Fair Audit Survival Guide, you’ll find the Audit Worksheet, your step-by-step tool to see what’s working and what’s fragile.
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👉 Legacy Survey
Your voice matters.
No two fairs are the same, and that’s the point. By sharing your wins and struggles, you’re helping build resources that support every fair across the country. Let’s shape the future together.
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