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Chair to Chair Special Episode: Joe Way

Chair to Chair Special Episode: Joe Way

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 In this special edition of Chair to Chair, Erin Maher-Moran sits down with Joe Way (UCLA; HETMA co-founder; Higher Ed AV Media founder) to unpack two major recognitions: induction into SCN’s Hall of Fame and inclusion in a Top 100 innovators and entrepreneurs list. Joe frames the awards as bigger than personal accolades—signals that higher ed AV’s voice is increasingly being treated as a peer in the wider industry, and a reminder of how much progress the community has made in earning its seat at the table.

From there, the conversation turns into an honest reflection on what innovation actually looks like in practice: taking risks, learning business fundamentals, leveraging relationships, and building teams with complementary strengths. Joe also digs into mentorship, trust, and legacy—why doors get held open, why people still have to walk through them, and why the most meaningful impact is measured in the people who grow beyond your shadow. The episode closes with Joe’s focus on a next chapter theme: letting go—not just delegating, but truly creating space for others to lead.

Topics Discussed
  • What Joe’s SCN Hall of Fame recognition represents for higher ed AV’s standing in the broader industry
  • Why awards matter (and why they don’t), especially for credibility inside institutions
  • The role of timing, institutional context, and “stars aligning” in career growth
  • Joe’s approach to innovation: risk tolerance, iteration, and embracing failure as tuition
  • A blunt take on innovation in commercial AV and why that creates opportunity for leaders who push
  • Mentorship as intentional giving back—and as a long-term leadership multiplier
  • Building trust and loyalty: ambition, visibility, and genuine care for others’ success
  • Legacy in two places at once: UCLA transformation and community-wide influence through HETMA
  • HETMA’s evolution from a focused gap-filler to a durable organization that outgrows its founders
  • What’s next: letting go, creating bandwidth, and redirecting energy into lifting others up


Join the conversation at community.hetma.org.

Erin Maher-Moran
Email: ErinMaherMoran@hetma.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-maher-moran/

Joe Way
Web: https://www.josiahway.com
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/josiahway
X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/josiahway
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josiahway

This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for new content every day.
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