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Case Study of the Week

Can Rapidly Scaling Work?

Sep 21, 2026

Assume the role of an owner of MIDTOWN MOBILE MECHANIC, a small, independently owned mobile auto repair service located in a mid-sized college town.

Conferences

Top 7 Experiences Worth Adding to Your DECA Bucket List

Sep 21, 2026

DECA goes beyond conferences and competitive events. From meeting people across the country to gaining real-world experience, there are countless ways to make the most out of your DECA experience. Whether you are a first-year member or a seasoned competitor, add these 7 things to your DECA bucket list!

Chapter Strategy

How to Get Hype at Chapter Meetings

Sep 21, 2026

The fun of DECA doesn’t just start at conferences.It begins at the very first chapter meeting. If you’re a chapter officer, this is your chance to make the best first impression on prospective members. Show that DECA isn’t just blazers and talk.

College Success

The Balancing Game: Time Management in High School

Sep 18, 2026

As we approach the end of the back-to-school season, we are finally beginning to get used to our routines. Most of us have to balance schoolwork, DECA, extracurriculars, sports, and part-time jobs.

College Success

From DECA to College: Making Your Experience Count

Sep 18, 2026

Your DECA experience can help your college application stand out. Learn how to showcase your leadership, accomplishments, impact and skills while telling colleges what makes your story unique.

Compete

The Perfect Match: A Guide to Choosing the Right DECA Event for You

Sep 18, 2026

Choosing a competitive event is one of the first big decisions you'll make as a DECA member, and with dozens of categories to pick from, it's easy to feel stuck before you've even started. When considering your decision, start by asking a few of these questions to better understand yourself as a competitor.

Career Insights

Nothing But Networth: Inside the NBA’s Multi-Billion Dollar Marketing Playbook

Sep 18, 2026

Every year, the National Basketball Association undergoes its season during the fall. A global spectacle that is viewed from every corner of the world, and has created an entertainment brand that is built around athletes, stories, media, and culture.

Career Insights

Beyond the Pitch - Marketing and Promotional Moments from the World Cup

Sep 18, 2026

This past summer, the FIFA World Cup brought 48 countries to the United States, Mexico, and Canada to participate in a soccer (or football) tournament of epic proportions. However, this tournament offered more than just 104 action-packed games; it offered people the chance to connect through countless stories, trends, memes, and more.

Chapter Strategy

How DECA Chapters are Making Recruitment the Next Big Thing

Sep 16, 2026

Recruitment isn't just about putting up flyers anymore. DECA chapters are finding new ways to show students what the organization can offer: from hands-on outreach to showcasing the experiences and skills that come with being a member.

Chapter Strategy

Your Chapter's Social Media Could Make-or-Break Membership: Here's Why

Sep 15, 2026

Social media is a platform where thousands of DECA members can connect and share important information. In recent years, it has played an essential role in DECA membership, association identity, and chapter recognition.

DECA News

DECA Awarded $30,000 Grant Through Taco Bell Foundation's Record $32 Million Investment

Sep 15, 2026

The Taco Bell Foundation’s biggest Community Grants year yet is supporting 700 nonprofit organizations nationwide, helping young people prepare for college, careers, and what comes next.

Compete

2026-2027 District-Level Competitive Event Instructional Areas Announced

Sep 15, 2026

Get ready for competition season! Each year DECA provides the primary instructional area(s) assessed in each of the district-level scenarios to help advisors and members prepare for district competitions more effectively.

Chapter Strategy

5 Ways Collegiate DECA Will Take You to the Next Level

Sep 22, 2020

It's official, the school year is underway. While things will look different, there are still many ways to take yourself and your Collegiate DECA chapter to the next level!

Leadership

Video Call Tips and Tricks

Sep 10, 2020

Practically overnight, video calls have become a new societal norm. This guide will provide you with a few tips and useful tricks to help improve your online learning or telecommuting experience.

Leadership

A Quick Guide to Understanding Servant Leadership

Sep 8, 2020

The concept of leadership has been around since the days of Aristotle and Plato and has evolved countless times throughout the centuries. But in 1970, a new theory emerged. Developed by Robert Greenleaf, servant leadership is the idea that empowered leaders serve their followers and to enable them to live and work to their full potential.

Leadership

The Ethics of Leadership

Sep 8, 2020

Ethical leaders exist in all walks of life. They are the individuals who step forward when crises occur, come to the rescue of others and generally do what's right—no matter what. Anyone can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? In today's high-visibility, social world, more people are taking note of leaders’ behavior and holding them accountable.

Leadership

DECA Direct Magazine: Next Level Leadership

Sep 8, 2020

A new school year brings new chances to elevate your leadership to the next level. Discover fresh ideas to enhance your chapter and become a leader worth following in your school, community and beyond.

Leadership

The Next Level is Inclusion

Sep 8, 2020

It has never been more important for emerging leaders to be characterized by teamwork, innovation, competency and integrity. Fortunately, those are the valued characteristics of DECA’s student leaders. What if this moment needs you and the unique values that drive your leadership?

Chapter Strategy

Top Tips for Socially-distant Membership Recruitment

Sep 8, 2020

Building your chapter’s membership is one of the most important ways to set it up for success in the new school year. But what are the best ways to recruit within the “new normal” of more virtual interactions and less in-person activities? Learn how to recruit new members the socially-distant way with these top tips.

Chapter Strategy

The Power of the Diamond

Sep 8, 2020

Throughout your DECA career, you’ll wear the blazer, throw up a DECA diamond symbol and add lots of blue to your wardrobe. You will also undoubtedly hear DECA’s core values and mission statement more times than you can count. But have you ever stopped to think about what they really mean?

Chapter Strategy

Cultivate Your Chapter’s Culture

Sep 8, 2020

2020 is a year that has changed all of our lives. If your DECA chapter has experienced a decline in recent months, struggling to cope with virtual meetings and maintain engagement, your chapter culture may need a boost.

Chapter Strategy

Discover Your DECA Leadership Style

Sep 8, 2020

There are hundreds of assessments to help you pinpoint your leadership traits, but the only one you need to take your leadership to the next level is the DECA Leadership Style Quiz.

Leadership

Influence with Informal Leadership

Sep 8, 2020

While you may not have an official leadership title, you still have the ability to help take your chapter to the #NextLevel with your informal leadership influence. Read on to learn more about informal leadership and how you can use it to make this year a success for you and your chapter.

DECA News

DECA Members Raise $7,000 Through the MDA Muscle Corp Program

Sep 1, 2020

DECA members raised over $7,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) this summer through the pilot MDA Muscle Corp Program. Twenty-one DECA members successfully completed the program and earned 40 hours of community service.