Were the affiliations that you believe led to success aligned with the actual business or something ancillary? I run a 501c3. I have sought to associate with organizations that bolster its reputation. I have owned a small business. It was a franchise and the brand of the company and the brands of the products absolutely mattered. The brand of my laptop didn't. I've worked for companies where associations definitely mattered. That said, I don't doubt you "win" with the kind of experience you're speaking of. Congrats! We can have a pissing contest over experience in academia if you like too. You know, the area about which we're actually speaking. My point is not that associations don't matter, rather that some do and some don't. Athletics associations don't really matter for academics.